Citations

Stroke is the second leading cause of death globally and a major contributor to lower-limb disability, affecting gait, balance, and functional independence in elderly populations. While robot-assisted rehabilitation has demonstrated effectiveness in motor recovery, access remains limited due to high costs and geographic barriers, particularly in Latin America. This study presents ExoKnee, a low-cost knee exoskeleton designed through biomimetic principles and 3D-printed fabrication as a proof-of-concept device targeting gait rehabilitation in elderly adults. The system integrates a single-degree-of-freedom pneumatic actuator controlled by electromyography (EMG) signals from the quadriceps muscle, enabling knee flexion and extension (90° to 180°). The design was evaluated through finite element analysis and dynamic simulations in MATLAB/Simulink R2024a under constant, stepwise, and sinusoidal reference inputs in a digital-twin environment. Expert validation using the Content Validity Coefficient yielded a mean score of 0.8747, reflecting preliminary expert agreement on the conceptual design’s coherence and relevance. The prototype demonstrated controlled movements through a 6-bar pneumatic system with EMG-triggered relay activation, validated at the proof-of-concept level through simulation and single-subject threshold calibration. ExoKnee addresses critical gaps by offering an anthropometrically informed, biosignal-driven, and locally manufacturable rehabilitation platform for low- and middle-income countries, pending clinical validation. Future work will focus on clinical trials and adaptive EMG control strategies.

e19094 Background: WM/LPL is an indolent B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma with prolonged survival and predisposition to secondary malignancies (SM) influencing clinical outcomes and survivorship care. We evaluated the incidence, demography, treatment utilization, and outcomes of SM in patients with WM/LPL using population-based data. Methods: SEER-22 database was used to identify patients with LPL/WM diagnosed between 2000–2022 and stratified by SM. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and propensity score matched Cox regression was used to assess mortality risk. Hazard ratios were reported, with p<0.05 deemed significant. Results: 22,170 patients with WM/LPL were identified, with a median age of 71 years (IQR 16); the cohort was predominantly male (59.0%), White (84.0%), had a median household income of $50,000–$75,000 (48.9%), and resided primarily in urban areas (89.5%). Among all WM/LPL patients, 20.8% (n=4,615) developed a SM. Patients who developed SM were older than those without (median age 75 vs 70 years, p<0.0001) with 45.2% alive at predefined follow-up. The most common solid organ SM were gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma (16%), prostate cancer (14%), and lung adenocarcinoma (9%), while the leading hematologic SM were plasma cell myeloma (6%), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (5%), and myelodysplastic syndrome (2%). 35.3% of the cohort received chemotherapy, while 0.1% received cancer-related surgery or radiation. On multivariable analysis, older age (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.81–0.83), male sex (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.44–0.80), urban residence (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.24–3.18), and higher income (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.13–4.15) were significantly associated with SM diagnosis. Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated inferior survival among patients with SM (54.8% vs 45.2%, p<0.0001), with shorter median OS (9 vs 14 years, log-rank p<0.001). Similarly, Propensity-matched analysis revealed worse OS in patients with SM (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.09–1.22, p<0.001). Median OS varied substantially by SM site (see Table). Conclusions: Our study demonstrates a substantial burden of SMs among patients with WM/LPL and are associated with substantially inferior survival despite the indolent nature of the disease. The marked heterogeneity in SM types and outcomes highlights the need for risk-adapted surveillance, survivorship-focused care, and equitable strategies to address disparities and improve long-term outcomes in this population. SM Site Median OS (years) IQR p-value Hepatopancreatobiliary 1 0 <0.05 CNS 3.5 9 <0.05 Breast 3 6 <0.05 Colorectal 4 3.5 <0.05 Lymph Node 5 8 <0.05 Blood 6 7 <0.05 Lung 7 9 <0.05 Head & Neck 6.5 8.5 <0.05 Melanoma 9 10 <0.05 Urogenital 10.5 7 <0.05

e15708 Background: AFTT is characterized by physical, nutritional, and psychosocial decline. In GIC, AFTT arises from malnutrition, disease progression, or treatment-related toxicity resulting in poor quality of life. We evaluated the association between AFTT and IM, length of stay (LOS), and hospital charges (HC) in hospitalized GIC patients. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (2016-21) was used to identify adult hospitalizations with GIC using ICD-10 codes, which were stratified as primary or secondary diagnoses by AFTT. Clinical characteristics and primary outcomes including IM, LOS, and HC were extracted. Multivariable regression models adjusting for demographics, insurance, comorbidity burden, census tract income, and hospital teaching status were evaluated. Results: Among 2,732,505 GIC hospitalizations, colorectal (46.9%) and pancreatic (20.4%) cancer predominated; 121,035 (4.4%) had AFTT. Patients with AFTT vs non-AFTT, were older (mean = 69.3 vs 66.5 yrs), more often male (58.1% vs 57%), and from the lowest income quartile (27.7% vs 26%). AFTT cohort had higher comorbidity burden (mean CCI = 7.24 vs 6.26), more Black patients (19.1% vs 12.8%), higher Medicare use (62.7% vs 56.0%), increased palliative care consultation (37.4% vs 13.6%), risk of malnutrition, AKI, and dementia (all p< 0.001). AFTT was associated with higher IM, longer LOS, and lower HC. Higher age, males, and self-pay were associated with increased IM and HC, but shorter LOS. Lower CCI was associated with reduced IM, LOS, HC, whereas urban hospitals showed lower IM but higher LOS and HC. Black patients had higher IM and LOS but lower HC, contrary to Hispanic patients. Conclusions: The grave impact of AFTT and variability in survival and practice patterns is driven multifactorially, raising concerns about inequitable care access and differences in healthcare utilization. Standardized guidelines and multidisciplinary interventions are urgently needed to combat AFTT in GIC. Predictor IM aOR (95% CI) LOS Adj. Ratio (95% CI) HC Adj. Ratio (95% CI) AFTT Status (vs. Non-AFTT) 1.96 (1.93-2.00) 1.13 (1.12-1.14) 0.86 (0.85-0.86) Age (/year increase) 1.02 (1.02-1.02) 1.00 (1.00-1.00) 1.00 (1.00-1.00) Sex (vs. Female) Male 1.18 (1.17-1.19) 0.99 (0.98-0.99) 1.05 (1.05-1.06) CCI Score (vs. High, ≥5) Low (≤2) Mid (3-4) 0.33 (0.32-0.33) 0.48 (0.47 - 0.48) 0.87 (0.87 - 0.88) 0.93 (0.93 - 0.94) 0.93 (0.93 - 0.94) 1.02 (1.02 - 1.02) Insurance (vs. Medicare) Private Medicaid Self-Pay 1.03 (1.01 - 1.05) Ref in model 1.29 (1.24 - 1.33) 0.92 (0.91 - 0.92) 0.96 (0.95 - 0.97) 0.98 (0.97 - 1.00) 1.03 (1.02 - 1.03) 1.06 (1.05 - 1.06) 0.96 (0.95 - 0.97) Race (vs. White) Black 1.03 (1.00 - 1.06) 1.07 (1.06 - 1.08) 0.95 (0.94 - 0.96) Facility Status (vs. Rural) Urban Non-Teaching Urban Teaching 0.87 (0.85 - 0.89) 0.78 (0.77 - 0.80) 1.10 (1.09 - 1.11) 1.18 (1.17 - 1.19) 1.64 (1.63 - 1.65) 1.86 (1.84 - 1.87)

e14111 Background: Primary CNSL (PCNSL) is a rare, aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma limited to the CNS, while secondary CNSL (SCNSL) represents CNS involvement from systemic lymphoma. Previous observations focused on CNSL have limited data clinically comparing PSNSL and SCNSL. We aimed to evaluate overall survival and associated factors in patients with PCNSL vs SCNSL using a large population database. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the SEER-22 database to identify patients diagnosed with CNSL between 2020-2022. Group comparisons used t-tests or ANOVA for continuous variables, chi-square tests for categorical variables, and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, with all analyses performed in RStudio 4.1.1 and significance deemed as p<0.05. Results: 14,964 patients with CNS lymphoma were identified, with 84.6% PCNSL and 15.4% SCNSL cases. The overall median age was 65 years (IQR 20), with 52% male, 66% White patients, residing in urban areas (90%) and median household income of $50,000–$75,000 (52%). Compared with PCNSL, patients with SCNSL were significantly older (72 vs 64 years, p<0.0001). SCNSL more frequently involved the cerebrum (39% vs 34%) and cerebellum (5.5% vs 4.5%), but less commonly affected the nerves (12.0% vs 12.5%) and spinal cord (4.2% vs 5.1%) (p<0.05). Disease was predominantly unilateral (95.8%) in both groups. Chemotherapy (55% vs 56%) and radiotherapy (19% vs 18%) utilization did not differ significantly, with external beam radiation comprising 94.3% of radiated cases. PCNSL patients were more likely to undergo surgical intervention than SCNSL patients (31.8% vs 28.7%; p=0.0027). Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the most common histologic subtype in both PCNSL (70.1%) and SCNSL (74.3%). Median overall survival was shorter in SCNSL (1.64 years) than PCNSL (1.99 years). Survival improved significantly across diagnostic eras (2000–2005 to 2016–2020; log-rank p<0.001), while lower income (<$50,000) and rural residence were associated with inferior outcomes (p=0.028 and p=0.033). Conclusions: Survival in CNS lymphoma remains poor, with SCNSL associated with worse outcomes compared with PCNSL. Greater understanding of treatment variation and disease differences is needed to optimize therapy and improve patient outcomes. Characteristic PCNSL SCNSL Total p-Value N 12667 2297 14964 Population Distribution 0.033 Urban 11426 2038 13464 Rural 1241 259 1500 Surgery 0.0027 Yes 3630 730 4360 No 9037 1567 10604 Months from Diagnosis to Rx(Mean, SD) 0.31 (0.86) 0.27 (0.65) 0.30 (0.83) 0.0077 Death Status <0.0001 Dead 8603 1772 10375 Alive 4064 525 4589 Overall Survival (in years, Mean, SD) 1.99 (2.85) 1.64 (2.31) 1.93 (2.77) <0.0001

7543 Background: Delayed neurotoxicity (DNT) after ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) is associated with severe morbidity and mortality occurring in 10-15% of patients. A high post-infusion peak absolute lymphocyte count (ALCpeak ≥3x10 9 /L; ALC hi ) is correlated with an increased risk of DNT (25-30%). We previously examined prophylactic dexamethasone (PPX DEX) administered for 3 days when ALC hi was reached and found no reduction in ALC expansion, DNT incidence or severity. Here, we report the use of prophylactic cyclophosphamide (PPX CTX) on ALC kinetics and DNT. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients (pts) treated with cilta-cel at Mayo Clinic (09-12/2025; n =60). Pts with ALC hi received CTX 500 mg IV/PO once (n = 22). Outcomes and ALC kinetics including ALCpeak, ALC D28 (ALC D28 ), and area under the curve D1-D28 (ALC AUC ) were compared with PPX DEX cohort (12/2024-08/2025; n =50) and a historical cohort without PPX (04/2022-11/2024; n =116). Results: Pre-lymphodepletion (LD) demographics were similar across historical ALC hi , PPX DEX, and PPX CTX groups. Pre-LD CRP was higher in the historical ALC hi cohort; however, baseline ferritin, CRS, and ICANS, and disease burden did not differ significantly between groups. There were no statistically significant differences in time to ALCpeak or ALC kinetics among the 3 cohorts. Among pts with ALC < 3×10⁹/L treated during the PPX CTX study period, 2 developed cranial nerve palsy (IEC-CNP; 2/38, 5%). Both presented with unilateral facial nerve palsy and were treated with corticosteroids. One pt resolved symptoms by one month, while the second had persistent symptoms at 2 weeks and remains on follow-up. Among ALC hi patients in the PPX CTX cohort, DNT occurred in 4/22 pts (18%), including 1 case of IEC-CNP (5%) and 3 with parkinsonism (IEC-PKS, 14%). Within the PPX CTX cohort, baseline characteristics and post-infusion CRS or laboratory parameters did not differ between patients with and without DNT. Among patients who developed DNT, ALC kinetics were similar across PPX CTX, PPX DEX, and historical cohorts. PPX CTX was well tolerated, with 2 cases of grade 1 nausea reported. The incidence of DNT did not differ significantly between the PPX DEX (14/61, 23%) and PPX CTX (4/22, 18%) cohorts. However, DNT presentations in the PPX CTX cohort appeared milder and were responsive to treatment. Two of three patients (67%) presented with mild symptoms (one with dynamic dysphasia; second with flat affect) that responded to DEX. A third patient presented with typical parkinsonian features (hypomimia, bradykinesia, rigidity) and demonstrated clinical improvement following high-dose CTX. Conclusions: PPX CTX was well tolerated. While it did not significantly impact ALC expansion kinetics or DNT rates, first few cases of IEC-PKS suggest that the presentation may be milder and amenable to less toxic treatment. Larger cohorts are needed to refine optimal prophylactic strategies.

PURPOSE Integrating external control data into clinical trial designs and analyses has the potential to accelerate drug development processes. We reanalyzed the three experimental arms of the Individual Screening Trial of Innovative Glioblastoma Therapy (INSIGhT), a randomized phase II platform trial in newly diagnosed O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase-unmethylated glioblastoma (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02977780 ). To evaluate the validity of using external data sets, we compared treatment effect estimates based on internal INSIGhT control data and matched external control data. METHODS The three experimental arms of INSIGhT (abemaciclib [n = 72], neratinib [n = 80], and CC-115 [n = 12]) did not improve survival compared with internal controls (standard chemoradiation [n = 70]). We derived external control patient-level data from multiple real-world and clinical trial data sets. We applied propensity score matching and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate treatment effects with external controls. Additionally, using this glioblastoma (GBM) data collection, we specified simulation scenarios to evaluate trial designs that integrate external controls. RESULTS After matching to external controls, no survival benefit was observed for patients receiving abemaciclib (hazard ratio [HR], 1.00 [95% CI, 0.75 to 1.34]), neratinib (HR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.70 to 1.24]), or CC-115 (HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.41 to 1.88]). Simulations, together with the INSIGhT data and a collection of GBM data sets, allowed us to examine efficiencies and risks of clinical trial designs that leverage external control data. CONCLUSION The use of carefully matched external controls, to replace or augment the internal controls of INSIGhT, produced treatment effect estimates that were similar to previously published analyses. Single-arm trial designs and hybrid randomized designs incorporating propensity score–matched external control data evaluated treatment effects in the early-phase testing of experimental therapies in newly diagnosed GBM. The validity of this approach and risks of bias depended on the availability of comprehensive and accurate data on all potential confounders, in the absence of unmeasured confounding.

Background: The role of venous Doppler ultrasound in assessing venous congestion in the setting of post-lung transplantation surgery is unknown. We performed a feasibility study on the use of venous Doppler ultrasound in the immediate post-operative period after lung transplantation in a retrospective, single-center observational evaluation. Patients had at least two venous congestion Doppler ultrasound exams involving interrogation of IVC diameter, hepatic vein, portal vein and renal vein Doppler assessments. Results: A total of 9 patients were included in our study with a median age of 60 years, 66.7% being male, and a median BMI of 20.9. All patients had VExUS grade ≥1 on their first venous Doppler exam. All nine patients had a decrease in portal vein pulsatility from initial to final exams. Correlation between portal venous pulsatility and net fluid balance was not statistically significant R= 0.33 (P= 0.39). Other parameters, including VExUS grade, IVC diameter, HV and RV Doppler changes from initial to final ultrasound exams showed variable changes in the post-operative period. Conclusion: Venous congestion Doppler ultrasound assessments appear feasible in immediate postoperative lung transplant patients. A multitude of factors beyond fluid status likely affect waveforms.

Abstract Rationale Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a very useful measure of cardiac function in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), along with right heart catheterization, which is considered to be the gold standard of measurement. It is non-invasive, quick and a good screening tool to assess the function of a failing right ventricle against elevated pulmonary pressures. Portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) is defined as PH associated with portal hypertension. The Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion to Systolic Pulmonary Artery Pressure (TAPSE/SPAP) ratio has been found to be an effective prognosticator in different subtypes of PH. This study focuses on the role of TAPSE/SPAP ratio in prognosis of patients with POPH undergoing liver transplantation. Methods This was a single-center retrospective study of POPH patients undergoing liver transplantation at Mayo Clinic Florida from June 2003 to December 2023. It included patients with POPH with a mean pulmonary pressure &gt;20 mm Hg undergoing liver transplantation. Patients with incomplete TTE data, coexisting renal failure on dialysis and requiring liver retransplant were excluded. This study included 27 patients. The last TTE report before liver transplantation was used for data analysis. The TAPSE/SPAP ratio was investigated as predictor of all-cause mortality following liver transplant using Cox regression and area under ROC curve. (Brackets contain 95% C.I.) Time to death after liver transplantation was considered. Patients were followed till August 1, 2024. (The correlation of this ratio-TAPSE/SPAP with some catheterization measured pulmonary pressures and indices have been included in Table 1.) Results Among 27 patients, 13 were female, 14 male. The most common causes of liver failure in these patients were non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NASH) and alcoholic liver disease. Rarely, some etiologies like sarcoidosis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis and hepatitis B/C were present. There were 7 deaths among total of 27 patients. The hazard ratio (HR) of TAPSE/SPAP for overall mortality by Cox regression was 0.01 (0.00-0.58), p = 0.03. The area under ROC curve was 0.76 (0.55-0.96), p = 0.01 [Also for TAPSE alone, the area under ROC curve was 0.74 (0.51-0.97), p = 0.05] Conclusion This study infers that TAPSE/SPAP ratio seems to be a good predictor of survival in POPH patients undergoing liver transplant, with a higher ratio associated with decreased all-cause mortality. It suggests that TAPSE alone might also be a good predictor with higher TAPSE associated with decreased mortality. This abstract is funded by: None

Abstract Rationale Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) importantly contribute to postoperative morbidity and mortality, particularly for American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status III patients. It remains unclear whether risk factors for PPCs depend on sex. We hypothesised that sex modifies the relationship between perioperative risk factors and PPCs in ASA III patients undergoing noncardiothoracic surgery with general anesthesia. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of prospective data from 1,202 ASA III patients undergoing non-cardiothoracic surgery. Data consisted of preoperative demographics, comorbidities, intraoperative physiology, medications, and procedure information. The primary outcome was a composite of PPCs by postoperative day 7. Mixed-effects linear models incorporated sex as main effect and interaction with covariates. Results Age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, upper abdominal surgery, surgical duration, and emergency surgery significantly increased the odds of ≥ 1 PPC by postoperative day 7. Male patients presented a higher rate of ≥ 3 PPCs, and mechanical ventilation was less protective in female patients. Yet, sex did not significantly modify the relationship between perioperative factors and the primary outcome (no p&lt;0.05 for the interaction effect with sex). In the secondary analysis, gastroesophageal reflux disease affected atelectasis more strongly in male than female patients (relative odds-ratios for female versus male =0.27; 95% CI 0.13 to 0.57). Conclusions In ASA III patients undergoing non-cardiothoracic surgery with general anesthesia, perioperative factors are predominantly not significantly modified by sex in their relationship to PPCs. GERD’s association with atelectasis in male patients could be explored in future prospective studies as a target for reducing pulmonary complications. This abstract is funded by: NHLBI - UH3 HL140177

Abstract Introduction Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia strongly associated with α-synucleinopathies, most commonly Parkinson’s disease (PD). Among Veterans, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common and may influence RBD presentation and outcomes. The extent to which PTSD modifies demographic, medical, and mortality profiles in Veterans with RBD, and how these differ from those with RBD and Parkinson’s disease (PD), remains poorly characterized. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Veterans Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse. Veterans with at least one ICD-9 or ICD-10 diagnostic code for RBD were identified between 1999 - 2020 and categorized into three, mutually-exclusive groups based on the presence or absence of co-occurring ICD codes: RBD-only, RBD+PTSD, or RBD+PD. Demographics, comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI]), and mortality outcomes were compared using logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, BMI, and CCI. Results The cohort included 11,283 Veterans with RBD only, 17,527 with RBD+PTSD, and 5,675 with RBD+PD. Veterans with RBD+PTSD were younger (mean 58.9 ± 14.9 y) and had higher psychiatric comorbidity (94.2%) compared to RBD only (54.2%) or RBD+PD (46.5%). Those with RBD+PD were older (73.6 ± 8.1 y), predominantly male (98.9%), and had the highest neurological comorbidity (92.6%). Unadjusted mortality was lowest in RBD+PTSD (15.3%) and highest in RBD+PD (53.6%). Adjusted models showed reduced mortality risk for RBD+PTSD (aOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.70–0.80, p &lt; 0.001) and increased risk for RBD+PD (aOR 2.43, 95% CI 2.3–2.6, p &lt; 0.001) vs. RBD alone. Higher age, male sex, and greater comorbidity independently predicted mortality. Conclusion In this large national VA cohort, comorbid PTSD and Parkinson’s disease were associated with distinct demographic and clinical profiles among Veterans with RBD. RBD+PTSD was linked to younger age, greater psychiatric burden, and lower mortality. These findings underscore the heterogeneity of RBD in Veterans and support stratified approaches to surveillance for synucleinopathy and trauma-related sleep disturbances. Support (if any) VA CDA # IK2CX002363-01A1 (MJ); NHLBI K25 #1K25HL152006-01 (JR)