Citations

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and reporting rate of adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) among healthcare professionals (HCPs) and students of health-related disciplines after COVID-19 vaccination. It was conducted at the beginning of the vaccination campaign in Poland (February 2021), when vaccines were only available to limited groups of recipients, mainly those related to healthcare. Questionnaires were distributed among HCPs in the Pomeranian voivodeship (N = 1063) and students at the Medical University of Gdańsk (N = 1506). The primary objective was to compare respondents’ self-reported AEFI notifications with official reports published by the National Sanitary Inspectorate. A total of 240 participants declared having reported at least one AEFI, whereas official reports from the same period indicated that only 194 individuals had reported AEFIs in the entire voivodeship. This translates into significant differences in notification rates (14.9% and 0.09%, respectively). A detailed breakdown into local and systemic AEFIs also revealed significant discrepancies with official reports (850 vs. 329 and 1137 vs. 46, respectively). The most common reasons for not reporting were managing the symptoms on one’s own and perceiving the symptoms as not severe enough to report. Underreporting of AEFIs is an issue that requires attention from both the scientific community and public health authorities, as it may hinder reliable vaccine safety assessment and contribute to increased vaccine hesitancy.

Background The association between lifestyle factors and Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology remains incompletely understood. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the association of alcohol consumption, smoking behavior, sleep quality and physical, cognitive, and social activity with cerebral amyloid pathology. Methods For this cross-sectional study, we selected participants from the Amyloid Biomarker Study data pooling initiative. We used generalized estimating equations to assess associations of dichotomized lifestyle measures with amyloid pathology. Results We included 9171 participants with normal cognition (NC) and 2555 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from the Amyloid Biomarker Study. Of participants with NC, 58% were women, 34% were APOE ε4 carrier, and 27% had amyloid pathology. Of participants with MCI, 48% were women, 47% were APOE ε4 carrier, and 57% had amyloid pathology. In NC, cognitively active participants were less likely to have amyloid pathology (OR = 0.77, 95%CI 0.66–0.89, p < 0.001). In MCI, participants who had ever smoked or had sleep problems were less likely to have amyloid pathology (OR = 0.85, 95%CI 0.73–0.99, p = 0.029; OR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.45–0.86, p = 0.004). Conclusions In NC, cognitive activity was associated with a lower frequency of amyloid pathology. In MCI, favorable lifestyle behaviors were not associated with a lower frequency of amyloid pathology. The results of the current study contribute to the broader evidence base on lifestyle and AD by further characterizing the role of lifestyle behaviors in AD pathology across different clinical stages.

Background. Living kidney donation (KD) evaluation particularly focuses on glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Assessing GFR in living kidney donors can be done by estimation (eGFR) or measurement (mGFR). This study aims to evaluate the impact of eGFR equations, focusing on the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) 2021 equation for donor eligibility screening and the reclassification of donors excluded by eGFR criteria to mGFR assessments. Methods. Retrospective, single-center observational study of 2512 kidney donors evaluated between 2011 and 2023, at the Mayo Clinic. We performed analyses and comparisons of 4 eGFR formulae and 2 mGFR methods in terms of performance, eligibility criteria according to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines/age-adjusted criteria, eligibility reclassification, and subgroup analyses. Results. The CKD-EPI 2021 resulted in a higher percentage of patients being eligible for KD (81.4%) and achieved the highest P10 (32%–34%) and P30 (87%–88%) across all mGFR methods. When patients were deemed eligible for donation by any eGFR formula, 95% retained this status on reassessment with mGFR. Conversely, when an eGFR formula classified a patient as ineligible, this was revised to be eligible in about 90% of cases on reassessment with mGFR, with a higher reclassification rate observed when the IoCl was used instead of CrCl. Conclusions. The CKD-EPI 2021 performs best for screening potential KD. If a KD is deemed ineligible by CKD-EPI 2021, there is a high likelihood that they will be reclassified as eligible when assessed with mGFR. This study strongly supports using mGFR in donor evaluations, especially when the eGFR does not meet the criteria to ensure equity of access to being a living donor.

Abstract BRCA-associated homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) is present in ~ 50% of high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSC) and predicts sensitivity to platinum-based therapy. However, there is little understanding of why some patients with BRCA-deficient tumors experience unexpectedly poor outcomes. We profiled 154 tumors, enriched for patients with BRCA-deficient tumors that experienced short overall survival (≤ 3 years, n = 42), using whole-genome, transcriptome, and methylation analyses. All but one BRCA-deficient tumor exceeded an accepted HRD genomic scarring threshold. However, patients with BRCA1-deficient HGSC with a more elevated HRD score survived significantly longer. Patients with BRCA2-deficient HGSC and loss of NF1 survived twice as long as those without NF1 loss, whereas PIK3CA or RAD21 amplification defined BRCA2-deficient HGSC with exceptionally short survival. BRCA1-deficient tumors in short survivors had evidence of immunosuppressive c-kit signaling and EMT. In a large HGSC cohort (n = 1,389) including 282 individuals with pathogenic germline BRCA variants (gBRCApv), the location of the mutation within functional domains stratified clinical outcomes. Notably, residual disease after primary surgery had limited prognostic effect in gBRCApv-carriers compared to non-carriers. Our findings indicate that tumor HR proficiency in the context of therapy response and survival is not a binary property, and highlight genomic and immune modifiers of outcomes in BRCA-deficient HGSC.

Abstract Introduction: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of opportunistic salpingectomy (OS), a procedure that aims to remove only the fallopian tubes of general population risk women, for the prevention of epithelial ovarian cancer. Currently, the method of prevention for individuals at high risk of ovarian cancer involves a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), a procedure that removes both the fallopian tubes and ovaries. However, this procedure is not recommended for individuals of the general population, who make up about 80% of ovarian cancers, due to negative health implications to the cardiovascular and skeletal systems because of surgically induced menopause. The effectiveness of the OS in preventing ovarian cancers and how the procedure impacts the histotype distribution of ovarian cancers remains unknown. Study Methods: This study uses a population-based approach and a case-based approach to determine the effectiveness of OS and its impact on histotype distribution, respectively. For the population-based analysis, we will search through clinical databases to acquire cases of individuals who have had an OS and a tumor. A control population who have their fallopian tubes in-tact will also be acquired. A cox-proportional hazard analysis will be performed to determine the effectiveness of the procedure. Using pathological records, the case-based ascertainment of tumors from individuals who have had an OS will be selected and reviewed for histotype confirmation. Fallopian tubes of these patients will also be reviewed for precursor lesions. This cohort will be compared to a historical histotype distribution of ovarian cancers. Results: For the population-based approach, we have to date, identified less than five serous ovarian cancers in individuals who have had an OS (n=40, 477). A comparator surgery was used as a control and showed 21 cancers. For the case-based approach, we have partnered with 23 collaborating institutions from around the world to identify tumors in individuals who have had an OS. We have identified 26 epithelial ovarian cancers, with the most lethal gynecological histotype, high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), accounting for 23.1% of the total proportion of epithelial ovarian cancer cases (n=6/26). This is significantly less than the historical histotype distribution of HGSC, which is 69.3% (Fisher’s exact test, p&lt;0.0001). One HGSC case had a precursor lesion called a serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) while reviewing fallopian tubes of this individual. TP53 mutation analysis on one HGSC tumor sample showed a frameshift mutation in TP53 (c229fs) with the tumor and the corresponding STIC staining negative for p53 protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Conclusion: This evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of opportunistic salpingectomy for the prevention of ovarian cancer and shows a histotype distribution shift, with the most lethal gynecological malignancy having a significant reduction in cases following the procedure. Citation Format: Ramlogan Sowamber, Alice J. Mei, Paramdeep Kaur, Julianne McLeod, Emily McKay, Alex Lukey, Jamie Bakkum-Gamez, Natalia Buza, Paul Cohen, Kyle Devins, Rhonda Farrell, Christine Garcia, Blake Gilks, Ellen Goode, Anjelica Hodgson, Brooke Howitt, Pei Hui, Jutta Huvila, Anthony Karnezis, Kianoosh Keyhanian, Mary Kinloch, Martin Köbel, Felix KF. Kommoss, Lawrence Kushi, Janice S. Kwon, Kara Long-Roche, Anais Malpica, Jessica N. McAlpine, Dianne Miller, Esther Oliva, Andrea Palicelli, Aleksandra Paliga, Carlos Parra-Herran, Celeste Leigh Pearce, Sharnel Perera, Jurgen M. Piek, Haiyan Qiu, Joseph Rabban, Robert Rome, Miranda Steenbeek, Rebecca Stone, Aline Talhouk, Kristin M. Tischer, Britton Trabert, Penelope M. Webb, John R. Zalcberg, Gillian E. Hanley, David G. Huntsman. Evaluating the effectiveness of opportunistic salpingectomy (OS) for the prevention of epithelial ovarian cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research; 2025 Sep 19-21; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(18_Suppl):Abstract nr B045.

ABSTRACTThis report details a severe complication of phenol neurolysis in a diabetic patient, where phenol induced tissue necrosis can lead to severe cellulitis with ulceration that may prove difficult to treat. It emphasizes the importance of considering comorbidities when selecting phenol neurolysis for treatment of chronic pain.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with a complex pathogenesis, course, and prognosis with increasing incidence. The most significant contributing factor to the development of HCC is the chronic process of inflammation and remodeling of the cirrhotic liver, in which the interaction between the tumor microenvironment (TME) and cancer cells plays a pivotal role. In recent years, increasing focus has been directed toward the role of platelets (PLTs) in mediating interactions between tumor cells and the TME and in the progression and spread of HCC, as well as other cancers. Due to their abundance in the bloodstream and intracellular granules rich in mediators facilitating their ability to modulate the immune system, PLTs play a significant role in carcinogenesis. In the context of HCC, the role of PLTs in the healing and regeneration processes of the liver has been recognized for some time. In recent years, there has been an increasing utilization of PLTs in prognostic models for patients with HCC. Given their role and the availability of clinical options that block PLTs’ action, clinical trials of platelet blockers in the adjunctive treatment of HCC are becoming increasingly common. However, further research, both preclinical and clinical, is necessary to fully elucidate the role of PLTs in HCC and their potential use as a therapeutic target. In this literature review, we summarize the current knowledge on PLTs in HCC and focus on their potential use in everyday clinical practice.

Purpose Part-two of this consensus aimed to provide recommendations for the prevention of meniscus injuries, non-operative treatment of acute tears and degenerative lesions, return to sports, and patient-reported outcome measures. Methods This consensus followed the European Society of Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) formal consensus methodology. For this combined ESSKA- American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) - American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy (AASPT) initiative, 67 experts from 14 countries, including orthopedic surgeons and physiotherapists, were involved. The 26 Steering Group members established guiding questions, screened the existing evidence, and proposed statements, and provided Grades of recommendations. The 41 Rating Group members assessed the statements according to a Likert scale (1-9). Final documents were assessed by an international peer review group for geographical adaptability. Results Low to moderate scientific level of evidence was available, so that grades of recommendations were low (three Grade A ratings, four Grade B, three Grade C and 13 Grade D), underlining the relevance of this consensus. One strong and 17 relative agreements with overall median of 8 (8-9) and a mean of 7.92 +/- 0.37 were achieved for 23 statements on 18 questions. Prevention of meniscus injuries is possible with general knee injury reduction programs and through avoidance of certain activities. Non-Operative treatment including physical therapy is the first line approach for degenerative meniscus lesions and may be an option for some acute tears. Return to sports after meniscus tear surgery should be both criterion-based and time-based. Patient reported outcomes in combination with performance-based measures are recommended to evaluate the rehabilitation process. Conclusion This international EU-US consensus established recommendations for prevention strategies, describes rehabilitation of non-operated patients and of patients after partial meniscectomy, meniscus repair and meniscus reconstruction, and establishes return to sport criteria. These updated and structured recommendations may be applied by surgeons and physiotherapists. Level of Evidence I, Formal Consensus.