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Importance Limited granular data exist on breast cancer in transgender, nonbinary, and/or gender-diverse (TGD) individuals. Objective To describe patient demographic and tumor clinicopathological variables, clinically relevant risk factors, method of breast cancer detection, treatment characteristics, and locoregional outcomes and to estimate a 5-year breast cancer–specific survival (BCSS). Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study obtained data on patients treated from 1990 to 2023 from 22 US academic medical centers using institutional databases, electronic medical records, and tumor registries. Included participants were TGD individuals 18 years or older with stage 0 to IV breast cancer. A comparative breast cancer cohort was selected from the 2016 to 2021 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) breast cancer dataset. Data were analyzed from January to October 2025. Exposure Breast cancer. Main Outcomes and Measures Estimated 5-year BCSS and locoregional recurrence rates. Wilcoxon rank sum and χ 2 tests were used to compare continuous and categorical variables. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate 5-year BCSS. Results A total of 112 TGD persons (median [IQR] age at diagnosis, 42.5 [36.5-51.0] years; 104 individuals [92.9%] were assigned female at birth) with breast cancer and 1 with bilateral disease were included in the analysis. Forty-three patients (38.4%) used gender-affirming hormone therapy before diagnosis. Among the entire cohort, 58 patients (51.8%) detected their own breast cancer, 68 (60.7%) had a familial breast cancer history, and 16 (14.3%) had a pathogenic germline variant. Tumors were predominantly hormone receptor positive (96 [85.7%]) and early stage (29 [25.7%] ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS]; 51 [45.1%] stage I). The TGD cohort, compared with patients with breast cancer in the SEER dataset (N = 480 915), was younger (median [IQR] age, 42.5 [36.5-51.0] years vs 62.0 [52.0-72.0] years), had a higher proportion of persons assigned male at birth (8 [7.1%] vs 3522 [0.7%]), more often had progesterone receptor–positive disease (89 [79.5%] vs 335 491 [69.8%]), and presented with earlier-stage disease (eg, DCIS: 29 [25.9%] vs 79 604 [16.6%]). With a median (IQR) follow-up time for the TGD cohort of 38 (24-74) months, 5-year BCSS was favorable at 96.2% (95% CI, 85.3%-99.0%). Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study of TGD patients with breast cancer found that this population was young and often detected their own tumors via self-examination, suggesting opportunities to improve early detection through screening for individuals at elevated risk. Although short-term BCSS appeared favorable, prospective research is essential to define evidence-based guidelines and elucidate long-term outcomes.

Introduction: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease without approved medical therapies. We examined the efficacy and safety of oral vancomycin (OV) in those with PSC. Methods: In this phase 3, 18-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned adults with PSC and a serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) greater than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal to placebo or oral vancomycin (OV) with dosages ranging from 125-375 mg four times daily pending biochemical response. The primary endpoint was normalization of SAP. Results: Of the 82 patients who underwent randomization, 73 individuals had at least one outcome assessment. Individuals who withdrew early were less likely to rate their baseline health as excellent or very good (23.4% vs 54.5%, p<0.01) despite having similar PSC prognostic features to those who completed the study. SAP normalization rates were similar (5% placebo, 6.7% OV, p=1.00) after 18 months. Those who received OV had greater reduction in SAP (+1.2% placebo, -21.9% OV, p=0.03). There were no differences in the changes in either the Mayo PSC risk score (-0.1 placebo, -0.1 OV, p=0.88) or liver stiffness values (+0.1 kPa placebo, -4.0 kPa OV, p=0.15). Discoloration of the teeth and tongue was the most common side effect of OV (17.5%). Conclusions: OV was not associated with clinically significant reductions in markers of PSC disease severity. Impairments in quality of life may influence patient retention in clinical trials.

Hypothyroidism, also called&nbsp;underactive thyroid&nbsp;or&nbsp;low thyroid, is a&nbsp;disorder of the endocrine system&nbsp;in which the&nbsp;thyroid gland&nbsp;does not produce enough&nbsp;thyroid hormone.&nbsp;It can cause a number of symptoms, such as&nbsp;poor ability to tolerate cold, a&nbsp;feeling of tiredness,&nbsp;constipation,&nbsp;depression, and&nbsp;weight gain.&nbsp;Occasionally there may be swelling of the front part of the neck due to&nbsp;goiter.&nbsp;Untreated cases of hypothyroidism during&nbsp;pregnancy&nbsp;can lead to delays in&nbsp;growth and intellectual development&nbsp;in the baby or&nbsp;congenital iodine deficiency syndrome.<br /> Worldwide,&nbsp;too little iodine&nbsp;in the diet is the most common cause of hypothyroidism.&nbsp;Hashimoto's thyroiditis&nbsp;is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in countries with sufficient dietary iodine.&nbsp;Less common causes include previous treatment with&nbsp;radioactive iodine, injury to the&nbsp;hypothalamus&nbsp;or the&nbsp;anterior pituitary&nbsp;gland, certain medications,&nbsp;a lack of a functioning thyroid at birth, or previous&nbsp;thyroid surgery.&nbsp;The diagnosis of hypothyroidism, when suspected, can be confirmed with&nbsp;blood tests&nbsp;measuring&nbsp;thyroid-stimulating hormone&nbsp;(TSH) and&nbsp;thyroxine&nbsp;levels.

Objective: To determine whether normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) mitigates the historical survival disadvantage of donation after circulatory death (DCD) liver transplantation compared with donation after brain death (DBD) livers. Summary Background Data: NMP has improved outcomes in DCD LT compared with static cold storage (SCS), but whether it eliminates the historical disparity relative to DBD transplantation remains uncertain. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of adult LT at a high-volume US center between 2019 and 2024. Outcomes of DCD-NMP grafts were compared with DCD-SCS, DBD-SCS, and DBD-NMP grafts. Primary outcomes were 1-year graft and patient survival. Secondary outcomes included early allograft dysfunction (EAD), hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT), primary nonfunction (PNF), biliary anastomotic strictures (BAS), and ischemic cholangiopathy (IC). Results: Among 1338 liver transplants (DBD-SCS n=527; DBD-NMP n=142; DCD-SCS n=255; DCD-NMP n=414), DCD-NMP grafts had a significantly higher donor risk profile ( P <0.001) yet demonstrated survival comparable to DBD transplantation. One-year graft survival was 94% for DCD-NMP versus 93% for DBD grafts and 86% for DCD-SCS, and 1-year patient survival was 98% for DCD-NMP versus 94% to 95% for DBD grafts and 93% for DCD-SCS. In adjusted models, DCD-SCS was associated with increased hazards of graft loss (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.48; P <0.001) and death (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.39; P =0.004), whereas DBD groups did not differ from DCD-NMP. Incidence of EAD was lower with DCD-NMP (21.7%) than DCD-SCS (50.2%) and similar to DBD grafts (21.1%–26.4%); HAT and PNF were rare (≤1.3%). At 1 year, BAS occurred in 36% of DCD grafts versus 17% to 23% of DBD grafts. IC occurred in 7.7% of DCD-NMP compared with 22% of DCD-SCS and ≤1.5% of DBD grafts. Retransplantation due to IC was infrequent overall (1.3%), but more common in DCD-SCS (4.7%) than DCD-NMP (1.0%) and DBD grafts (≤0.4%). Conclusions: NMP enables safe utilization of DCD liver allografts and achieves graft and patient survival comparable to DBD LT, mitigating the historical disadvantage of DCD grafts. These findings support routine integration of NMP into clinical practice and efforts to standardize its implementation.

Abstract: Kimura disease typically presents with painless head and neck swelling in young adults of Asian descent, accompanied by peripheral eosinophilia and elevated serum IgE. We report a case of Kimura disease in a woman in her early 30s presenting with a slowly enlarging epitrochlear mass, diffuse encasement of the median and medial brachial cutaneous nerves, and a concurrent prurigo nodularis-like papular rash affecting all 4 extremities. The diagnosis required over 1 year of investigation and 5 tissue specimens, including 2 nondiagnostic core-needle biopsies, before near total excision was performed. The excision revealed characteristic histopathologic features, including hyperplastic reactive secondary lymphoid follicles with preserved architecture, a marked eosinophilic infiltrate with eosinophilic microabscesses, postcapillary venule proliferation, and patternless stromal fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated a raised IgG4:IgG plasma cell ratio of approximately 1:1, with 150–200 IgG4-positive plasma cells per high-power field, raising the differential of IgG4-related disease; however, the absence of storiform fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis, combined with the clinical and serologic profile, favored Kimura disease. This case is notable for its rare epitrochlear location, extensive neural involvement, concurrent diffuse cutaneous eruption, and histopathologic overlap with IgG4-related disease, highlighting the diagnostic challenges posed by atypical presentations of Kimura disease.

Importance As the use of robotic cholecystectomy increases, its value remains poorly defined for complex elective cholecystectomy (CEC), where complex gallbladder pathology results in increased technical difficulty. Objective To determine whether a robotic approach is associated with improved clinical outcomes and altered total hospital cost as compared with a laparoscopic approach for patients undergoing CEC. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study analyzed data from an academic hepatobiliary referral center for patients who underwent cholecystectomy from August 2018 to August 2024. CEC was defined by preoperative criteria: prior aborted or partial cholecystectomy, presence of a cholecystostomy tube, and/or history of gallbladder perforation or fistula. Exposure Robotic-assisted vs laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was a composite of an unplanned postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or interventional radiology procedure. Secondary outcomes included operative time, postoperative complications, and operative and total hospital costs. Results A total of 863 patients underwent cholecystectomy and met inclusion criteria; 525 (60.8%) were female and 338 (39.2%) were male, and their median (IQR) age was 61 (45-71) years. Among patients undergoing CEC, the laparoscopic approach was independently associated with an increased need for unplanned endoscopic or percutaneous intervention compared with the robotic group (odds ratio, 4.24; 95% CI, 1.24-14.52; P = .02). There were no significant differences in postoperative outcomes between the laparoscopic and robotic groups in patients undergoing non-CEC. Patients undergoing the laparoscopic approach had significantly reduced operating room costs when compared with patients undergoing a robotic approach in both the CEC ($7720 vs $8936, respectively) and non-CEC groups ($6368 vs $ 8351, respectively). However, there was no difference in the overall total cost of care between laparoscopic CEC and robotic CEC groups ($14 309 vs $14 476, respectively). The overall total cost of care was significantly higher for patients undergoing robotic non-CEC as compared with laparoscopic non-CEC ($11 416 vs $9925, respectively). Conclusions and Relevance This study found that for complex gallbladder disease, robotic cholecystectomy offers a clinical advantage, reducing complications and downstream interventions without increasing the overall costs of care. These findings suggest strategic application of the robotic platform may offer clinical advantages in high-complexity gallbladder surgery, maximizing patient benefit and resource efficiency.

Objective Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe treatment‐resistant epilepsy. Although vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) are established therapies, comparative data and the impact of dual neuromodulation remain limited. We compared seizure outcomes across VNS, DBS, and combined DBS + VNS therapy in LGS. Methods This retrospective cohort study at Mayo Clinic (2005–2024) included LGS patients treated with VNS and/or DBS . Seizure frequency was assessed at 6, 12, and 24 months post‐stimulation. Responder was defined as 50% or more seizure reduction. Results Forty patients were included (42% female, median, 150 seizures/month). Eleven patients underwent sequential VNS followed by DBS and contributed data to 2 treatment epochs, yielding 3 treatment groups: VNS alone (n = 29), DBS alone (n = 12), and DBS + VNS (n = 10). At 24 months, median seizure reduction rate was comparable between VNS (50%; 95% confidence interval [ CI], 44–75%) and the overall DBS cohort (59%, 95% CI, 33–86%) ( p = 0.54). However, a significant difference emerged when comparing the 3 treatment arms ( p = 0.027). Specifically, DBS + VNS therapy yielded significantly greater median reduction rate (81%, 95% CI, 60–99%) than DBS alone (43%, 95% CI, 0–58%) ( p adj = 0.027) or VNS alone (50%, 95% CI, 44.4–75.0%) ( p adj = 0.048). Four patients attained sustained seizure freedom above 1 year at last follow‐up. Interpretation VNS and DBS provide comparable seizure reduction in LGS over a 2‐year follow‐up period. DBS + VNS was associated with further improvements in seizure reduction in this small, retrospective dataset. This possibility warrants further investigation. ANN NEUROL 2026

Importance Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody–associated disease (MOGAD) lacks proven relapse-preventive therapies. While clinical trials are ongoing, safety data may be limited and approved drugs are costly. Studies of interleukin 6 receptor blocker (IL-6RB) in MOGAD are limited by small numbers and no comparative studies, contributing to low use. Objective To evaluate the impact of IL-6RB therapy on relapse rates in MOGAD and compare relapse frequency with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Design, Setting, and Participants This international, multicenter, retrospective cohort study (January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2025) included a historical IVIG-treated cohort of varying doses. The study took place across sites in North and South America (US, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru). Patients with MOGAD (n = 116, no excluded patients) who received at least 1 dose of an IL-6RB were included. These data were analyzed in January 2026. Exposures Tocilizumab or satralizumab. Main Outcomes and Measures Annualized relapse rate (ARR) during IL-6RB therapy, time to next relapse after treatment initiation, and adverse events. Outcomes were compared with the IVIG cohort using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) adjusted for age, sex, prior ARR, and concomitant therapies. Results A total of 116 patients with MOGAD (89% relapsing) receiving IL-6RB (tocilizumab, 104 [90%] and satralizumab, 12 [10%]) were included; overall, 60.3% were female, 39.7% were male, and 18% were younger than 18 years. The median (IQR) IL-6RB treatment follow-up was 1.4 (0.7-2.5) years and 23 relapses occurred during 241.8 person-years of IL-6RB therapy. The ARR decreased from 0.64 (95% CI, 0.58-0.70) for relapsing MOGAD before IL-6RB to 0.09 (95% CI, 0.06-0.14) during IL-6RB treatment (incidence rate ratio, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.04-0.16). Adverse events occurred in 58 patients (50%), most commonly mild infections, although 10 (9%) had severe infections. In the IVIG cohort (n = 59), 30 relapses occurred over 133.8 person-years (ARR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.15-0.32). After IPTW, IL-6RB was associated with a lower hazard ratio (HR) than the group who underwent IVIG therapy less than 1 g/kg every 4 weeks (HR, 4.5; 95% CI, 2.0-9.8), with no significant difference vs the group who underwent IVIG 1 g/kg or more every 4 weeks (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 0.8-4.5). Conclusions and Relevance In this multicenter observational cohort, IL-6RB use in MOGAD was associated with low relapse rates and a favorable safety profile, though severe infections occurred occasionally. Relapse rates were lower than the group who underwent IVIG less than 1 g/kg every 4 weeks but not significantly different from the group who underwent IVIG 1 g/kg or more every 4 weeks. This supports IL-6RB as a potential relapse-prevention therapy in MOGAD; the wide availability and relative affordability of tocilizumab may enable broad global use.

ABSTRACT Key performance indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable measures that describe critical success factors of an organization. Their vital role in ensuring the delivery of quality health care services necessitates the development of KPIs relevant to inpatient clinical pharmacy practice. This opinion paper from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Clinical Administration Practice and Research Network (CADM PRN) describes the rationale, methodology, and outcomes of a consensus process to identify a focused set of inpatient/acute care clinical pharmacy KPIs. Leveraging a modified Delphi approach, the CADM PRN convened an Expert Panel of clinical pharmacy leader members to build a consensus‐driven set of KPIs reflecting clinical, operational, patient‐centered, and financial contributions of clinical pharmacists in the inpatient/acute care setting. From a previous ACCP White Paper, a total of 15 KPIs were identified across four domains: (1) clinical practice and patient safety, (2) clinical outcomes and readmissions, (3) medication education and patient engagement, and (4) financial and operational value. The CADM PRN posits that the establishment and implementation of standardized KPIs are essential for measuring and demonstrating the value of clinical pharmacy services in modern health care, offers pragmatic, consensus‐based KPIs for evaluating clinical pharmacy services supporting resource justification, and advancing the visibility and impact of pharmacists in acute care practice. As hospitals shift toward value‐based care, robust KPI frameworks will be critical for optimizing patient outcomes, supporting financial sustainability, and justifying appropriate staffing. Future efforts should focus on pilot testing, addressing implementation barriers, and achieving broader acceptance for KPIs across the profession.