Citations

Background: A composite metric for the quality of glycemia from continuous glucose monitor (CGM) tracings could be useful for assisting with basic clinical interpretation of CGM data. Methods: We assembled a data set of 14-day CGM tracings from 225 insulin-treated adults with diabetes. Using a balanced incomplete block design, 330 clinicians who were highly experienced with CGM analysis and interpretation ranked the CGM tracings from best to worst quality of glycemia. We used principal component analysis and multiple regressions to develop a model to predict the clinician ranking based on seven standard metrics in an Ambulatory Glucose Profile: very low–glucose and low-glucose hypoglycemia; very high–glucose and high-glucose hyperglycemia; time in range; mean glucose; and coefficient of variation. Results: The analysis showed that clinician rankings depend on two components, one related to hypoglycemia that gives more weight to very low-glucose than to low-glucose and the other related to hyperglycemia that likewise gives greater weight to very high-glucose than to high-glucose. These two components should be calculated and displayed separately, but they can also be combined into a single Glycemia Risk Index (GRI) that corresponds closely to the clinician rankings of the overall quality of glycemia (r = 0.95). The GRI can be displayed graphically on a GRI Grid with the hypoglycemia component on the horizontal axis and the hyperglycemia component on the vertical axis. Diagonal lines divide the graph into five zones (quintiles) corresponding to the best (0th to 20th percentile) to worst (81st to 100th percentile) overall quality of glycemia. The GRI Grid enables users to track sequential changes within an individual over time and compare groups of individuals. Conclusion: The GRI is a single-number summary of the quality of glycemia. Its hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia components provide actionable scores and a graphical display (the GRI Grid) that can be used by clinicians and researchers to determine the glycemic effects of prescribed and investigational treatments.

Introduction: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) using aortic transcatheter heart valves (THV) is developing as an alternative to surgery for patients with severely degenerated mitral valve (MV) bioprostheses. Retrospective self-reported registries have collected outcomes on these TMVR procedures in the STS/ACC Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry and in the Valve-in-Valve International Database. Most reported TMVR procedures for failed surgical bioprostheses have been performed using a transapical access approach. A prospective comprehensive evaluation of mitral Valve-in-Valve (VIV) outcomes, including transseptal access has not previously been conducted. Objectives: To evaluate in-hospital and 30-day clinical outcomes of transseptal mitral VIV with SAPIEN 3 THV in patients with very high surgical risk. Methods: Prospective enrollment of very high surgical risk patients with symptomatic severely degenerated MV surgical bioprostheses in 30 patients at 15 sites in the U.S. Candidates were assessed by a case review committee prior to approval. Baseline qualifying echocardiograms and cardiac CT studies were analyzed by independent core labs. Echocardiograms, cardiac CT studies and neurology evaluations were also performed after mitral VIV procedures. Clinical events were adjudicated by a clinical events committee and safety was monitored by a data safety monitoring board. Results: 26 patients have been enrolled between July 2016 and June 2017. Mean age was 83 years, 62% female, mean STS score was 10% and 62% were in New York Heart Association class III or IV. Transseptal access was used in all procedures. Technical success was achieved in all patients and there was no in-hospital mortality. There was no 30-day cardiovascular mortality and 4% (1 patient) 30-day all-cause mortality (1 patient died of asphyxia on day 29 after choking on pills at home), which was lower than the 30-day mortality in the TVT registry (9%). Detailed procedural, in-hospital and 30-day outcomes will be presented on the complete cohort of 30 patients. Conclusions: In patients without surgical alternatives, transseptal mitral ViV procedures in failed surgical bioprostheses are associated with high technical and procedural success and low 30-day mortality.

Clinical success with intravenous (IV) oncolytic virotherapy (OV) has to date been anecdotal. Here, we conducted a phase 1 clinical trial of systemic OV therapy and investigated the mechanisms of action in responding T-cell lymphoma (TCL) patients. A single IV dose of VSV-IFNβ-NIS was administered to patients with relapsed refractory hematologic malignancies to determine safety and efficacy across 4 dose levels (DL). Correlative studies were undertaken to evaluate viremia, virus shedding, virus replication and immune responses. Fifteen patients received VSV-IFNβ-NIS (7 multiple myeloma, 7 TCL, 1 acute myeloid leukemia); 3 patients were treated at each DL1 through DL3 (0.05, 0.17, and 0.5 x 1011 TCID50), and 6 at DL4 (1.7 x 1011 TCID50). There were no dose limiting toxicities. 3 of 7 patients with TCL had RECIST responses: a 3-month PR at DL2, a 6-month PR and a durable CR ongoing at 20 months at DL4. Viremia peaked at the end of infusion and no infectious virus shedding was detected. Plasma interferon-β levels, a biomarker of VSV-IFNβ-NIS replication, peaked between 4h and 48h post infusion. The patient with CR had robust viral replication with increased ell free DNA in her plasma, a very high peak IFNβ level of 18,213 pg/ml, a strong anti-VSV neutralizing antibody response, and increased numbers of tumor reactive T-cells. VSV-IFNβ-NIS as a single agent was effective in patients with TCL resulting in durable disease remissions in heavily pretreated patients. Correlative analyses suggest that responses may be due to a combination of direct oncolytic tumor destruction and immune-mediated tumor control. Further clinical testing is warranted. (This trial is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03017820).

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), representing a new entity in the spectrum of manifestations of COVID-19, bears symptomatic resemblance with Kawasaki Disease (KD). This review explores the possible associations between KD and the human coronaviruses and discusses the pathophysiological similarities between KD and MIS-C and proposes implications for the pathogenesis of MIS-C in COVID-19. Since 2005, when a case-control study demonstrated the association of a strain of human coronavirus with KD, several studies have provided evidence regarding the association of different strains of the human coronaviruses with KD. Thus, the emergence of the KD-like disease MIS-C in COVID-19 may not be an unprecedented phenomenon. KD and MIS-C share a range of similarities in pathophysiology and possibly even genetics. Both share features of a cytokine storm, leading to a systemic inflammatory response and oxidative stress that may cause vasculitis and precipitate multi-organ failure. Moreover, antibody-dependent enhancement, a phenomenon demonstrated in previous coronaviruses, and the possible superantigenic behavior of SARS-CoV-2, possibly may also contribute toward the pathogenesis of MIS-C. Lastly, there is some evidence of complement-mediated microvascular injury in COVID-19, as well as of endotheliitis. Genetics may also represent a possible link between MIS-C and KD, with variations in FcγRII and IL-6 genes potentially increasing susceptibility to both conditions. Early detection and treatment are essential for the management of MIS-C in COVID-19. By highlighting the potential pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to MIS-C, our review holds important implications for diagnostics, management, and further research of this rare manifestation of COVID-19.

Abstract Aims Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common valvular heart disease with a prevalence of >2% in the general adult population. Despite this high incidence, there is a limited understanding of the molecular mechanism of this disease, and no medical therapy is available for this disease. We aimed to elucidate the genetic basis of MVP in order to better understand this complex disorder. Methods and results We performed a meta-analysis of six genome-wide association studies that included 4884 cases and 434 649 controls. We identified 14 loci associated with MVP in our primary analysis and 2 additional loci associated with a subset of the samples that additionally underwent mitral valve surgery. Integration of epigenetic, transcriptional, and proteomic data identified candidate MVP genes including LMCD1, SPTBN1, LTBP2, TGFB2, NMB, and ALPK3. We created a polygenic risk score (PRS) for MVP and showed an improved MVP risk prediction beyond age, sex, and clinical risk factors. Conclusion We identified 14 genetic loci that are associated with MVP. Multiple analyses identified candidate genes including two transforming growth factor-β signalling molecules and spectrin β. We present the first PRS for MVP that could eventually aid risk stratification of patients for MVP screening in a clinical setting. These findings advance our understanding of this common valvular heart disease and may reveal novel therapeutic targets for intervention.

Abstract A theoretical model has been developed based on fuzzy logic control to predict bony response to mechanical load and estrogen. The results show good agreement with the experimental findings, which suggests that bone may be regulated by simple remodeling rules, similar to those used in the fuzzy logic control.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine overall trends and center-level variation in utilization of completion lymph node dissection (CLND) and adjuvant systemic therapy for sentinel lymph node (SLN)-positive melanoma. Summary Background Data: Based on recent clinical trials, management options for SLN-positive melanoma now include effective adjuvant systemic therapy and nodal observation instead of CLND. It is unknown how these findings have shaped practice or how these contemporaneous developments have influenced their respective utilization. Methods: We performed an international cohort study at 21 melanoma referral centers in Australia, Europe, and the United States that treated adults with SLN-positive melanoma and negative distant staging from July 2017 to June 2019. We used generalized linear and multinomial logistic regression models with random intercepts for each center to assess center-level variation in CLND and adjuvant systemic treatment, adjusting for patient and disease-specific characteristics. Results: Among 1109 patients, performance of CLND decreased from 28% to 8% and adjuvant systemic therapy use increased from 29 to 60%. For both CLND and adjuvant systemic treatment, the most influential factors were nodal tumor size, stage, and location of treating center. There was notable variation among treating centers in management of stage IIIA patients and use of CLND with adjuvant systemic therapy versus nodal observation alone for similar risk patients. Conclusions: There has been an overall decline in CLND and simultaneous adoption of adjuvant systemic therapy for patients with SLN-positive melanoma though wide variation in practice remains. Accounting for differences in patient mix, location of care contributed significantly to the observed variation.

573 Background: Pre-operative radiotherapy (RT) for PA has the potential to reduce positive surgical margin rates and increase pathologic tumor response, which has been associated with improved survival. Increasing the BED can improve local control and overall survival for patients with unresectable PA. Use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to achieve a higher BED has been limited by toxicity to adjacent radiosensitive structures, but this can be mitigated by MRgRT. We describe our use of MRgRT prior to potentially curative resection of localized PA. Methods: We performed a single institution retrospective analysis of all patients with localized PA who received high BED SBRT on the MR Linac followed by surgical resection with curative intent. Toxicity was evaluated according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0. Tumor response was evaluated according to the College of American Pathologists tumor regression grading criteria (CAP-TRG), ranging from CAP 0 indicating pathologic complete response to CAP grade 3 indicating no response. Ordinal logistic regression model was used to assess the association between time from RT to surgery and TRG. Follow up included MRI or CT scans at least every three months. Results: We analyzed 26 patients with borderline resectable (80.8%), locally advanced (11.5%), and resectable (7.7%) tumors who received high BED MRgRT followed by surgical resection. Median age at diagnosis was 68 years (34 - 86). Most patients received chemotherapy (80.8%) prior to RT, with 81% of these receiving FOLFINIRNOX and 19% receiving gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel. All patients received MR-guided high BED SBRT to a median dose of 50 Gy (40 - 50) in 5 fractions. On-table adaptive replanning was performed in 88% of patients, with 74% having all 5 fractions adapted. No acute grade 2+ toxicity associated with RT was observed. The median time to resection was 50 days (37 – 115), and the procedure types included: Whipple (69%), distal (23%), or total pancreatectomy (8%). The R0 resection rate was 96% and no perioperative deaths occurred within 90 days. Complete (0) or near-complete (1) pathologic response was observed in 35% of cases and the time from RT to surgery was positively associated with TRG (R2= 0.22, p = 0.0003). The median follow-up after RT was 16.5 months (3.9- 26.2) during which 9 patients recurred, and 3 patients died of disease. The derived median progression-free survival from RT was 13.2 months. Conclusions: These initial pathology outcomes following high BED MR-guided SBRT are encouraging and suggest that the time from SBRT to surgical resection is associated with response. This finding is consistent with results from other preoperative GI tumor sites and results from prospective studies using high BED SBRT with MRI guidance in combined modality therapy against PA are eagerly awaited.

AbstractBackgroundClinical trials are underway to treat familial frontotemporal lobar degeneration (f‐FTLD). This is a rare disease, and a limited number of mutation carriers have been identified; thus, efficient trial design is critical. Multimodal, latent disease progression models (DPM) can estimate time to symptom onset and define the temporal ordering of biomarker changes. DPMs can also be leveraged to select endpoints and potentially supplement analyses by integrating historical data. Recent draft FDA guidance for gene therapy trials in neurological disease supports these novel approaches to clinical trials.MethodParticipants included 1,049 members of families affected by f‐FTLD, due to mutations in GRN, MAPT, or C9orf72 genes, who were enrolled in ALLFTD or GENFI. A Bayesian repeated measures model incorporated multimodal data to estimate disease progression, conditional on latent disease age (proximity to symptom onset), in 677 mutations carriers (GRN (n=233), MAPT (n=151) and C9orf72 (n=293)). Family members without pathogenic mutations were used as the reference group. Mean follow‐up was 1.1 (SD=1.1) years. Jointly modeled longitudinal variables included neuropsychological scores, CDR®+NACC‐FTLD Box Score, MRI volumes of brain regions affected by f‐FTLD, and plasma levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL).ResultDisease progression curves were similar across ALLFTD and GENFI cohorts. Plasma NfL elevations occurred earliest, up to 10 years before symptom onset, and NfL was the most powerful endpoint in the asymptomatic stage. MRI abnormalities occurred next, closer to symptom onset. The earliest MRI changes relative to symptom onset were observed in C9orf72+. GRN mutation carriers showed the most rapid acceleration in all biomarkers, and this acceleration occurred in close proximity to symptom onset. Neuropsychological measures and CDR®+NACC‐FTLD Box Score were among the most promising endpoints in the symptomatic stage. Trial simulations indicated that using latent disease age as an enrollment criterion would allow some asymptomatic mutation carriers to be enrolled without sacrificing power.ConclusionSimilarity in disease progression across ALLFTD and GENFI participants suggests these models will apply to international trials. Model‐derived estimates of disease progression curves indicate that endpoint selection should be specific to disease stage and mutation, and DPMs would facilitate greater participant enrollment.