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Aims Fungal and mycobacterial periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) are rare events. Clinicians are wary of missing these diagnoses, often leading to the routine ordering of fungal and mycobacterial cultures on periprosthetic specimens. Our goal was to examine the utility of these cultures and explore a modern bacterial culture technique using bacterial blood culture bottles (BCBs) as an alternative. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with hip or knee PJI between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, USA. We included patients aged 18 years or older who had fungal, mycobacterial, or both cultures performed together with bacterial cultures. Cases with positive fungal or mycobacterial cultures were reviewed using the electronic medical record to classify the microbiological findings as representing true infection or not. Results There were 2,067 episodes of PJI diagnosed within the study period. A total of 3,629 fungal cultures and 2,923 mycobacterial cultures were performed, with at least one of these performed in 56% of episodes (n = 1,157). Test positivity rates of fungal and mycobacterial cultures were 5% (n = 179) and 1.2% (n = 34), respectively. After a comprehensive review, there were 40 true fungal and eight true mycobacterial PJIs. BCB were 90% sensitive in diagnosing true fungal PJI and 100% sensitive in detecting rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM). Fungal stains were performed in 27 true fungal PJI but were only positive in four episodes (14.8% sensitivity). None of the mycobacterial stains was positive. Conclusion Routine fungal and mycobacterial stains and cultures should not be performed as they have little clinical utility in the diagnosis of PJI and are associated with significant costs. Candida species and RGM are readily recovered using BCB. More research is needed to predict rare non- Candida fungal and slowly growing mycobacterial PJI that warrant specialized cultures. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(1):53–58.

Abstract Background The multiplex gastrointestinal pathogen panel (GIP) is a convenient and quick diagnostic test for determining the infectious etiology of diarrhea. It identifies several of the most common pathogens associated with gastroenteritis. However, it is expensive, and test results may not impact care, given that several of the pathogens in the panel are managed expectantly. We describe our experience with a diagnostic stewardship initiative to resolve the overuse of this testing method. Methods We performed a pre/post study of GIPs ordered for inpatients 18 years old and older from December 19, 2018, to December 18, 2020, at Mayo Clinic hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. GIP orders for inpatients were limited to the first 72 hours of hospitalization starting December 19, 2019. Orders after 72 hours were encouraged to be changed to Clostridioides difficile NAAT testing or sent to an infectious disease provider to override on a case-by-case basis. Our hospitals used BioFire® FilmArray® Gastrointestinal Panel (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, Utah). Results A total of 2,641 GIPs were performed during the study period. There were 1,568 GIPs (3.3/100 hospitalizations) in the pre-intervention period compared to 1,073 (2.6/100 hospitalizations) post-intervention, representing a drop of 21.2%. The most common pathogen detected was C. difficile (toxin A/B) (48.8%, n=402), followed by norovirus (17.5%, n=144). The overall test positivity rate was 27.9% (n=736). The test positivity rate decreased 1.8% from 28.6% (n=448) to 26.8% (n=288) after the restriction (p=0.33). The proportion of C. difficile among all pathogens detected increased from 48.5% to 49.7% (p=0.67). Table 1. Pre- and Post-Intervention Test Positivity Rate of Specific Pathogens in GIP Conclusion Our study showed that restricting the ordering of GIP to the first 72 hours of hospitalization and directing providers to standalone C. difficile NAAT testing resulted in a reduction of GIPs performed. There were marginal changes in the test positivity rate of GIP. A limitation of our study is that the timing of post-intervention coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which had unpredictable effects on hospital practice and patient admissions. Ideally, future quality improvement projects should increase the test positivity of pathogens other than C. difficile while lowering the GIP use in diagnosing C. difficile colitis. Disclosures John C. O'Horo, Sr., MD, MPH, Bates College and Elsevier Inc (Consultant)

Abstract Background Debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) is appropriate for select acute postoperative and hematogenous periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs). However, the optimal duration of antimicrobial therapy in patients treated with DAIR has not been defined. Therefore, we aimed to identify the ideal duration of parenteral and oral antibiotics after DAIR. Methods We performed a retrospective study of patients >18 years of age with hip or knee PJI managed with DAIR between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2018, at Mayo Clinic. PJI was defined using criteria adapted from the International Consensus Meeting on PJI. The outcome was defined as either PJI recurrence or unplanned reoperation due to infection. Joint-stratified Cox proportional hazards regression models with time-dependent covariates were used to assess nonlinear effects of antibiotic duration. Hazard ratios were computed based on prespecified time points for comparison, whereas p-values represented the overall effect across the entire range of durations. Results There were 247 unique episodes of PJI in 237 patients during the study period. Parenteral antibiotics were given in 99.2% of cases (n=245). This was followed by chronic oral antibiotic suppression in 92.2% (n=226) with a median duration of 2.2 years (1.0-4.1). DAIR failed in 65 cases over a median follow-up of 4.4 years, with a 5-year cumulative incidence of 28.1%. After adjustment for risk factors, there was no significant association between duration of parenteral antibiotics and treatment failure (p=0.203), with no difference between four versus six weeks (HR 1.11; 95% CI 0.71-1.75) (Figure 1). However, both use and longer duration of oral antibiotic therapy was associated with a lower risk of failure (p=0.006). To account for the possibility that this association was driven by results during early follow-up, conditional analyses at one- and two-year follow-up were performed. Both showed a significantly lower risk for a longer duration of antibiotics (Figure 2). Figure 1. Time-Dependent Analysis of Parenteral Antibiotic Duration Figure 2. Time-Dependent Analysis of Oral Antibiotic Suppression Duration Conclusion After DAIR, efficacy from four weeks of parenteral antibiotics was no different from six weeks when followed by chronic oral antibiotic suppression. Our results could not establish an optimal duration but suggested that continuing suppression portends a lower risk of failure of DAIR. Disclosures Elie Berbari, MD, Uptodate.com (Other Financial or Material Support, Honorary unrelated to this work) Matthew P. Abdel, MD, Stryker and AAOS Board of Directors (Board Member, Other Financial or Material Support, Royalties) Aaron J. Tande, MD, UpToDate.com (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria for medical writing)

Abstract Background Increasing use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) over the past 20 years is paralleled by a rise in DBS infections. There is a paucity of data on the diagnosis, management, and outcomes in such infections. We describe our center’s experience with DBS infections. Methods Adults ( >18 years) diagnosed with DBS associated infection between January 1, 2000 and May 1, 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Data on patient demographics, clinical presentation, microbiology, and management was collected. Results Seventy cases were identified (table 1). The mean age at diagnosis was 58.9 ± 16.5 years. The bulk were free of comorbidities. Parkinson’s disease and essential tremors were the most common indications for DBS placement. The median time from implantation to infection was 4 months [IQR 1,24]. The neurotransmitter and extension wires were the most frequently infected parts. A microbiological diagnosis was made in 89% of cases, 47% of which were polymicrobial. The most commonly identified organisms were Staphylococcus aureus, Cutibacterium acnes, and coagulase-negative staphylococci. For patients with deep infection, 71% had complete device extraction, 20% partial extraction, and 9% device retention; clinical cure at 3 months occurred in 97%, 64% and 100%, respectively (figure 1). On the other hand, 93% of patients with superficial infection had device retention; cure at 3 months was seen in 64% (figure 2). Suppressive oral antibiotics were rarely used, 45% of patients with partial extraction and 26% with device retention. DBS was reimplanted in 71% of patients after complete extraction and led to reinfection in 30% at 1 year follow up. Median time to reimplantation was 2.7 months. All patients who failed at 3 months in the partial extraction and device retention cohorts subsequently underwent complete device removal leading to clinical cure sustained at 1 year follow up. Conclusion All patients who had complete extraction achieved clinical cure at 3-months follow-up, while high failure rates occurred in those with device retention. Most infections were polymicrobial and predominantly caused by gram-positive pathogens. Thirty percent of patients with re-implantation after complete device extraction developed re-infection within 1 year. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Abstract Introduction: Multiple Myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy commonly preceded by the asymptomatic stage smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). MM is characterized with significant genomic heterogeneity of chromosomal gains and losses (CNVs), translocations, and point mutations (SNVs); alterations that are also observed in SMM patients. However, current SMM risk models rely solely on clinical markers and do not accurately capture progression risk. While incorporating some genomic biomarkers improves prediction, using all MM genomic features to comprehensively stratify patients may increase risk stratification precision in SMM. Methods: We obtained a total of 214 patient samples at SMM diagnosis. We performed whole-exome sequencing on 166 tumors; of these, RNA sequencing was performed on 100. Targeted capture was done on 48 additional tumors. Upon binarization of DNA features, we performed consensus non-negative matrix factorization to identify distinct molecular clusters. We then trained a random forest classifier on translocations, SNVs, and CNVs. The predicted clinical outcomes for the molecular subtypes were further validated in an independent SMM cohort of 74 patients. Results: We identified six genomic subtypes, four with hyperdiploidy (>48 chromosomes, HMC, HKR, HNT, HNF) and two with IgH translocations (FMD, CND) (Table 1). In multivariate analysis accounting for IMWG (20-2-20) clinical risk stages, high-risk (HMC, FMD, HKR) and intermediate-risk (HNT, HNF) genetic subtypes were independent predictors of progression (Hazards ratio [HR]: 3.8 and 5.5, P = 0.016 and 0.001, respectively). The low-risk, CND subtype harboring translocation (11;14) was enriched for the previously defined CD-2 MM signature defined by the B cell markers CD20 and CD79A (FDR = 0.003 ), showed upregulation of CCND1, E2F1, and E2F7 (FDR = 0.01, 0.0004, 0.08), and was enriched for G2M checkpoint, heme metabolism, and monocyte cell signature (FDR = 0.003, 0.003, 0.003, respectively). The FMD subtype with IgH translocations (4;14) and (14;16) was enriched for P53, mTORC1, unfolded protein signaling pathways and plasmacytoid dendritic cell signatures (FDR = 0.01, 0.005, 0.008, respectively). The HKR tumors were enriched for inflammatory cytokine signaling, MYC target genes, T regulatory cell signature, and the MM proliferative (PR) signatures (FDR = 0.02, 0.03, 0.007, 0.02, respectively). The APOBEC mutational signature was enriched in HMC and FMD tumors (P = 0.005), while there was no statistical difference across subtypes in the AID signature. The median follow-up for the primary cohort is 7.1 years. Median TTP for patients in HMC, FMD, and HKR was 3.8, 2.6, and 2.2 years, respectively; TTP for HNT and HNF was 4.3 and 5.2, respectively, while it was 11 years in CND patients (P = 0.007). Moreover, by analyzing the changes in MM clinical biomarkers over time, we found that patients from high-risk subgroups had higher odds of developing evolving hemoglobin and monoclonal protein levels over time (P = 0.01 and 0.002, respectively); Moreover, the absolute increase in M-protein was significantly higher in patients from the high-risk genetic subtypes at one, two, and five years from diagnosis (P = 0.001, 0.03, and 0,01, respectively). Applying the classifier to the external cohort replicated our findings where intermediate and high-risk genetic subgroups conferred increased risk of progression to MM in multivariate analysis after accounting for IMWG staging (HR: 5.5 and 9.8, P = 0.04 and 0.005, respectively). Interestingly, within the intermediate-risk clinical group in the primary cohort, patients in the high-risk genetic subgroups had increased risk of progression (HR: 5.2, 95% CI 1.5 - 17.3, P = 0.007). In the validation cohort, these patients also had an increased risk of progression to MM (HR: 6.7, 95% CI 1.2 - 38.3, P = 0.03), indicating that molecular classification improves the clinical risk-stratification models. Conclusion: We identified and validated in an independent dataset six SMM molecular subgroups with distinct DNA alterations, transcriptional profiles, dysregulated pathways, and risks of progression to active MM. Our results underscore the importance of molecular classification in addition to clinical evaluation in better identifying high-risk SMM patients. Moreover, these subgroups may be used to identify tumor vulnerabilities and target them with precision medicine efforts. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Bustoros: Janssen, Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria. Casneuf: Janssen: Current Employment. Kastritis: Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genesis Pharma: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Walker: Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Sanofi: Speakers Bureau. Davies: Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Dimopoulos: Amgen: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Beigene: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria. Bergsagel: Genetech: Consultancy, Honoraria; Oncopeptides: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Patents & Royalties: human CRBN mouse; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria. Yong: BMS: Research Funding; Autolus: Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria, Research Funding; GSK: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria. Morgan: BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jansen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karyopharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Oncopeptides: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Getz: IBM, Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Scorpion Therapeutics: Consultancy, Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ghobrial: AbbVie, Adaptive, Aptitude Health, BMS, Cellectar, Curio Science, Genetch, Janssen, Janssen Central American and Caribbean, Karyopharm, Medscape, Oncopeptides, Sanofi, Takeda, The Binding Site, GNS, GSK: Consultancy.

Abstract Although the Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway has been implicated in promoting malignant phenotypes of prostate cancer, details on how it is activated and exerts its oncogenic role during prostate cancer development and progression is less clear. Here, we show that GLI3, a key SHH pathway effector, is transcriptionally upregulated during androgen deprivation and posttranslationally stabilized in prostate cancer cells by mutation of speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP). GLI3 is a substrate of SPOP-mediated proteasomal degradation in prostate cancer cells and prostate cancer driver mutations in SPOP abrogate GLI3 degradation. Functionally, GLI3 is necessary and sufficient for the growth and migration of androgen receptor (AR)–positive prostate cancer cells, particularly under androgen-depleted conditions. Importantly, we demonstrate that GLI3 physically interacts and functionally cooperates with AR to enrich an AR-dependent gene expression program leading to castration-resistant growth of xenografted prostate tumors. Finally, we identify an AR/GLI3 coregulated gene signature that is highly correlated with castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer and predictive of disease recurrence. Together, these findings reveal that hyperactivated GLI3 promotes castration-resistant growth of prostate cancer and provide a rationale for therapeutic targeting of GLI3 in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Implications: We describe two clinically relevant mechanisms leading to hyperactivated GLI3 signaling and enhanced AR/GLI3 cross-talk, suggesting that GLI3-specific inhibitors might prove effective to block prostate cancer development or delay CRPC.

PURPOSE This phase I/II study evaluated tremelimumab (anticytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen-4 monoclonal antibody) and durvalumab (antiprogrammed death ligand-1 monoclonal antibody) as monotherapies and in combination for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including a novel regimen featuring a single, priming dose of tremelimumab (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02519348 ). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with HCC who had progressed on, were intolerant to, or refused sorafenib were randomly assigned to receive T300 + D (tremelimumab 300 mg plus durvalumab 1,500 mg [one dose each during the first cycle] followed by durvalumab 1,500 mg once every 4 weeks), durvalumab monotherapy (1,500 mg once every 4 weeks), tremelimumab monotherapy (750 mg once every 4 weeks [seven doses] and then once every 12 weeks), or T75 + D (tremelimumab 75 mg once every 4 weeks plus durvalumab 1,500 mg once every 4 weeks [four doses] followed by durvalumab 1,500 mg once every 4 weeks). Safety was the primary end point. Secondary end points included objective response rate (ORR) by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors v1.1 and overall survival; exploratory end points included circulating lymphocyte profiles. RESULTS A total of 332 patients were enrolled (T300 + D, n = 75; durvalumab, n = 104; tremelimumab, n = 69; and T75 + D, n = 84). Tolerability was acceptable across arms, with grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events occurring in 37.8%, 20.8%, 43.5%, and 24.4%, respectively. Confirmed ORRs (95% CI) were 24.0% (14.9 to 35.3), 10.6% (5.4 to 18.1), 7.2% (2.4 to 16.1), and 9.5% (4.2 to 17.9), respectively. An early expansion of CD8+ lymphocytes was associated with response across arms, with highest proliferating CD8+ lymphocyte levels occurring in the T300 + D arm. The median (95% CI) overall survival was 18.7 (10.8 to 27.3), 13.6 (8.7 to 17.6), 15.1 (11.3 to 20.5), and 11.3 (8.4 to 15.0) months in the T300 + D, durvalumab, tremelimumab, and T75 + D arms, respectively. CONCLUSION All regimens were found to be tolerable and clinically active; however, the T300 + D regimen demonstrated the most encouraging benefit-risk profile. The unique pharmacodynamic activity and association with ORR of the T300 + D regimen further support its continued evaluation in HCC.

Treating actinic keratosis (AK) and photodamaged skin is critical to reduce the risk of progression to skin cancer. Laser resurfacing for AK treatment is available as either lesion-directed or field therapy. Laser resurfacing removes the superficial epidermis and dermis containing actinic damage, promoting re-epithelialization of healthy skin. Although laser resurfacing has been explored as a modality for AK treatment in the literature, studies summarizing its efficacy in the treatment of AK are lacking. This review summarizes existing research on laser resurfacing as a monotherapy for AK treatment, highlighting the various laser resurfacing modalities available for AK treatment as well as their complications and efficacy in comparison to other therapies. Despite longer healing time, fully ablative laser resurfacing, including carbon dioxide and erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet were found to be more effective for AK treatment than fractional ablative techniques. Although some studies suggest laser resurfacing monotherapy as less efficacious than photodynamic therapy, and equally effective to 5-fluorouracil and 30% trichloroacetic acid, clinical trials of larger sample size are required to establish stronger evidence-based conclusions. Moreover, laser resurfacing used as lesion-directed therapy, as opposed to the usual field-therapy, requires further investigation.