Citations

ABSTRACT Background Intravesical Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) is a live attenuated vaccine for tuberculosis. Intravesical BCG (iBCG) administration is a highly effective immunotherapy for non‐muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Although live attenuated vaccines are generally contraindicated in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR), iBCG has been utilized for NMIBC in SOTR. We describe the clinical manifestations, management, and outcomes of disseminated Mycobacterium bovis ‐BCG infection (Mb‐BCGi) following iBCG therapy in SOTR for NMIBC. Methods All adult patients (> 18 years of age) diagnosed with NMIBC who received iBCG across three tertiary referral and transplant centers between 2000 and 2025 were identified. The study cohort consisted of SOTR who had received iBCG for NMIBC and subsequently developed disseminated Mb‐BCGi. English language literature review was performed to identify additional cases. Results A total of 4207 patients received iBCG during the study period. Thirty (0.71%) were SOTR, of whom two (6.7%) developed disseminated Mb‐BCGi, including bloodstream infection and prostate abscesses. Literature review identified two additional disseminated Mb‐BCGi cases in SOTR with lungs, bloodstream, and native kidney involvement, and one fatality. All cases required extended antimycobacterial therapy. Median times from SOT to Mb‐BCGi and from iBCG to Mb‐BCGi were 104 and 8 months, respectively. Conclusion SOTR appear to be at a higher risk of disseminated Mb‐BCGi following iBCG. Administration of iBCG in SOTR with NMIBC warrants careful risk‐benefit assessment and subsequent close monitoring. image

We previously reported initial results of the pivotal phase II trial of atezolizumab for patients with alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03141684 ). Here, we report on three additional years of observation. Fifty-three patients with ASPS received atezolizumab. Median duration of response increased to 37.0 months. Objective response rate (ORR) and median progression-free survival (mPFS) remained essentially as previously reported (35.8% [95% CI, 23.1 to 50.2] and 20.8 months [IQR, 7.6-not reached], respectively). ASPSCR1::TFE3 fusion type was determined for 47/53 patients; ORR and mPFS were higher among the 41 patients expressing type 1 (43.9% [95% CI, 28.5 to 60.2] and 28.3 months [IQR, 9.2-not reached], respectively) than the six patients expressing type 2 (0% [95% CI, 0 to 45.9] and 7.5 months [IQR, 3.9-not reached], respectively, PFS HR, 3.2 [95% CI, 1.01 to 10.2]). Eleven patients chose a per-protocol drug holiday (range, 3.5-26.4 months) after ≥2 years of treatment; two experienced disease progression during the holiday. Nine eligible patients elected to receive bevacizumab plus atezolizumab after progressing on monotherapy; ORR was 0% and mPFS was 18.5 months (IQR, 7.9-21.1) in this small cohort. Long-term results support using atezolizumab to treat ASPS, even for several years; a drug holiday with careful monitoring may be an option for some patients.

ABSTRACT The epidemiology of myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (MDS) is challenging to define due to inconsistent reporting, complex diagnostic procedures, and evolving diagnostic criteria. Using the National MDS Natural History Study—a prospective cohort with centrally adjudicated histopathology and genetic variant review—we characterized the landscape of MDS across the United States and identified differences across demographics. Among 2115 participants, 64% (1346) had an MDS spectrum condition, including MDS (24%), MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasm (5%) and precursor conditions—clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance (22%) and idiopathic cytopenia/dysplasia of undetermined significance (13%). The median age was 74 years, and participants were predominantly male (66%), White (91%), and Non‐Hispanic (92%). Myeloid‐associated variants were detected in 68% of participants, most commonly in TET2, DNMT3A, ASXL1, SF3B1, and SRSF2 . Black, compared to White, participants were younger at diagnosis (69 vs. 74 years, p = 0.01), had equal or increased prevalence of higher‐risk MDS, lower hemoglobin, and higher peripheral blood blasts, yet were less likely to receive MDS‐directed therapy (14% vs. 42%, p = 0.008). Black and Hispanic participants had fewer detectable gene mutations than White participants. Females had lower variant allele frequencies and fewer RNA splicing gene mutations than males. After multivariable adjustment, TP53 mutations, MDS diagnosis, and higher‐risk disease were associated with worse progression‐free and overall survival; age was also associated with overall survival. Black race trended toward improved progression‐free survival. These findings highlight the need for enhanced understanding of MDS pathogenesis across patient groups and refined prognostic tools to improve personalized management of MDS spectrum conditions. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02775383

OBJECTIVE: A definition of refractory septic shock is necessary to guide diagnosis, management, prognostication, research, and future guidelines for this most severe form of the disease. We sought to achieve consensus on clinical criteria that would be used to define refractory septic shock. DESIGN: Review of literature, expert panel position statements, and Delphi rounds with an international expert group. SETTING: Consensus was defined as having at least 75% of panellists in agreement or disagreement on the three highest or lowest levels of a 7-point Likert scale or based on responses to single- or multiple-choice questions, respectively. SUBJECTS: A panel of multinational, multiprofessional and multidisciplinary critical care experts assembled by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (57 invitations and 56 participants). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A five-round Delphi process was conducted for consensus and stability. The steering committee proposed 34 statements, and five of them were rejected by panel experts after round 2. Among 29 statements selected from eight domains, consensus was reached for 13. The panel agreed on the need for a comprehensive consensus set of clinical criteria for refractory septic shock. Markers of organ dysfunction (75%, 2 rounds), tissue perfusion (91.1%, 2 rounds) including lactate (94.6%, 2 rounds) and capillary refill time (76.8%, 2 rounds), assessment of fluid-responsiveness after initial resuscitation (92.9%, 5 rounds), and use of vasoactive drugs at norepinephrine equivalents greater than 0.5 µg/kg/min (75.0%, 3 rounds), were selected as clinical criteria of refractory septic shock. The use of critical care ultrasound (CCUS) (92.9%, 3 rounds) was the single diagnostic modality that reached a consensus-based agreement. CONCLUSIONS: A consensus for 13 criteria to frame the definition of refractory septic shock was reached. Refractory septic shock is characterised by persistently elevated lactate concentrations and or prolonged capillary refill time in patients with septic shock who are fluid unresponsive, require a norepinephrine base equivalent dose greater than 0.5 micrograms per kilogram per minute, and undergo CCUS assessment when mixed shock is suspected.

Abstract Neuromodulatory subcortical systems (NSSs) are uniquely susceptible to dementia‐related pathology, leading to frequent molecular and behavioral impairments associated with altered function of these nuclei. Some of these systems display clear sex‐specific cytoarchitecture and signaling leading to distinct physiology and behavioral outputs in males and females, while other regions display nominal sex differences. However, the relevance of sex differences in modulating dysfunction of NSSs in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias is not well understood. This review is a joint effort by the Neuromodulatory Subcortical Systems and Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's Disease Professional Interest Areas of the Alzheimer's Association. We review sex differences in NSSs, both in non‐disease states and in AD models and patients. We highlight the possible role of NSSs in driving sex‐specific AD susceptibility and potential footholds for sex‐based interventions targeting these systems. We conclude by outlining immediate and long‐term actions to address the intersection of NSSs, sex, and AD.

Invasive lobular breast carcinoma (ILC), the most common special histological subtype of breast cancer, is characterized by nearly universal expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ER) and unique sites of metastases, neither of which is fully recapitulated by genetically engineered mouse models. Using reporter-labeled ILC mouse xenografts, herein we used mammary fat pad, tail vein and intracardiac orthotopic growth to analyze spontaneous and experimental metastasis and gene expression. We observed ER-positive primary tumors with single-file histology and collagen deposition, and spontaneous metastasis from the mammary fat pad to bones, ovaries, and brain including the leptomeninges, thereby closely mirroring the growth and metastatic spread of human ILC. Brain metastases showed strong ER staining, confirmed by sequencing analyses which identified estrogen signaling as top activated pathway, and the lesions exhibited robust response to endocrine therapy. In summary, we report endocrine responsive mammary fat pad, tail vein and intracardiac xenografts that faithfully demonstrate unique ILC features and can serve as invaluable pre-clinical translational platforms for validating candidate ILC genetic drivers and testing novel therapeutics.

Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience overlooked deficits in objectively measured cognitive functioning; however, there is limited knowledge about self-reported cognitive symptoms in this group. Sleep characteristics, such as insomnia, poor sleep quality, or fragmented sleep, may be key modifiable factors that are associated with cognitive symptoms among individuals with IBD. This study aimed to describe cognitive symptoms and examine the relationship between these symptoms and sleep characteristics among adults with IBD. We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, wrist actigraphy, the Insomnia Severity Index, and the FACT-Cog Perceived Cognitive Impairments subscale. Bivariate statistics were used to evaluate relationships between variables. The sample included 83 participants (mean age 40.44 years [standard deviation 10.7], 71% female). Over 77% ( n = 60) had poor self-reported sleep quality, and 69.5% ( n = 57) had clinically meaningful insomnia. The most frequently reported cognitive symptoms (experienced two or more times a week) were trouble concentrating (51.3%), forgetting names (43.8%), forgetting intended tasks (38.9%), and slow thinking (37.6%). Insomnia severity was moderately correlated with three out of the four most common cognitive symptoms (trouble concentrating: r s = .51, p < .01; forgetting intended tasks: r s = .38, p < .01; slow thinking: r s = .46, p < .01). Future research is needed to examine relationships between objective cognitive measures and sleep characteristics and to test the effects of insomnia treatment on daytime cognitive symptoms in this complex patient population.