Citations

Male and female glioblastomas are biologically distinct, and improving outcomes may require sex-specific approaches to treatment.

358 Background: Effective therapy for the treatment of PDAC remains one of the greatest unmet oncology clinical needs. The addition of C to G and AP has shown promising clinical data in a previously reported study [J Clin Oncol 35, 2017 (suppl 4S; abstract 341)]. In preclinical work, vitamin D (Vit D) analog therapy decreases myeloid derived suppressor cells and regulatory T cells, turning PDAC into a more immune-friendly microenvironment. This trial combines AP/C/G with Vit D analog P and the anti-PD-1 antibody N as a combination therapy for patients with previously untreated metastatic PDAC. This trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of NAPPCG in that patient population (NCT02754726). Methods: Eligibility criteria include Stage IV PDAC, no prior chemotherapy for systemic disease, KPS ≥ 70, and measurable disease. Doses are AP 125 mg/m2 undiluted, G 1000 mg/m2 in 250 ml of normal saline (NS), each infused over 30 minutes with C 25 mg/ m2 in 500 ml of NS infused over 60 minutes on days 1, 8, 22, and 29 of a 42-day cycle. N is given at a fixed dose of 240 mg as a 60 minute infusion on days 1, 15, and 29. P is given at a fixed dose of 25 µg IV twice weekly. Primary objective is to determine the efficacy of the combination for patients with previously untreated metastatic PDAC through determining CR, ORR, PFS, and OS. The secondary objective is to evaluate safety in patients with previously untreated metastatic PDAC. Results: Trial was initiated May 2016 and10 patients have been enrolled in the initial phase of the study and are evaluable (baseline and ≥1 follow up CT scan). Most common drug-related grade (Gr) 3-4 adverse events (AE’s), n = 10, are thrombocytopenia 100% (gr 3 = 50%, gr 4 = 50%) with no serious bleeding events, anemia 50% (gr 3 = 50%, gr 4 = 0%), and colitis 20% (gr 3 = 20%, gr 4 = 0%). By RECIST 1.1 criteria, the best response is 8 PR and 2 SD, yielding an 80% ORR. Median PFS is 8.2 months. Median OS has not been reached. Conclusions: Although a small study, the high response rate is encouraging. This regimen is being expanded to 25 patients with plans to include exploratory inflammatory biomarkers. Clinical trial information: NCT02754726.

The lack of reliable, noninvasive methods to diagnose early nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a major unmet need. We aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of three‐dimensional magnetic resonance elastography (3D‐MRE), with shear stiffness measured at 60 Hz, damping ratio at 40 Hz, and magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI‐PDFF) in the detection of NASH in individuals undergoing bariatric surgery. Obese adults at risk for NASH were enrolled between 2015 and 2017 (prospective cohort, n = 88) and 2010 and 2013 (retrospective cohort, n = 87). The imaging protocol consisted of multifrequency 3D‐MRE (mf3D‐MRE) with shear waves delivered at different frequencies to explore parameters that best correlated with histologic NASH, and MRI‐PDFF to estimate steatosis. The prospective cohort was used to establish the optimal mf3D‐MRE technical parameters for NASH detection. The two cohorts were then combined to derive predictive models of NASH and disease activity by nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS) using the three imaging parameters that correlated with NASH. A total of 175 patients (median age 45, 81% women, and 81 [46%] with histologic NASH) were used for model derivation. From the complex shear modulus output generated by mf3D‐MRE, the damping ratio at 40 Hz and shear stiffness at 60 Hz best correlated with NASH. The fat fraction obtained from MRI‐PDFF correlated with steatosis ( P < 0.05 for all). These three parameters were fit into a logistic regression model that predicted NASH with cross‐validated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) = 0.73, sensitivity = 0.67, specificity = 0.80, positive predictive value = 0.73 and negative predictive value = 0.74, and disease activity by NAS with cross‐validated AUROC = 0.82. Conclusion: The mf3D‐MRE allows identification of imaging parameters that predict early NASH and disease activity. This imaging biomarker represents a promising alternative to liver biopsy for NASH diagnosis and monitoring. The results provide motivation for further studies in nonbariatric cohorts.

AbstractBackgroundReliable and valid tools to screen for malnutrition in the intensive care unit (ICU) remain elusive. The sarcopenia index (SI) [(serum creatinine/serum cystatin C) × 100], could be an inexpensive, objective tool to predict malnutrition. We evaluated the SI as a screening tool for malnutrition in the ICU and compared it with the modified‐NUTRIC score.Materials and MethodsThis was a historical cohort study of ICU patients with stable kidney function admitted to Mayo Clinic ICUs between 2008 and 2015. Malnutrition was defined by the Subjective Global Assessment. Diagnostic performance was evaluated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and multivariable logistic regression.ResultsOf the 398 included patients, 181 (45%) had malnutrition, with 34 (9%) scored as severely malnourished. The SI was significantly lower in malnourished patients than in well‐nourished patients (64 ± 27 vs 72 ± 25; P = 0.002), and reductions in SI corresponded to increased malnutrition severity (P = 0.001). As a screening tool, the SI was an indicator of malnutrition risk (AUC 0.61) and performed slightly better than the more complex modified‐NUTRIC score (AUC = 0.57). SI cutoffs of 101 and 43 had >90% sensitivity and >90% specificity, respectively, for the prediction of malnutrition. Patients with a low SI (≤43) had a significantly higher risk of mortality (HR = 2.61, 95% CI 1.06–6.48, P = 0.038).ConclusionThe frequency of malnutrition was high in this critically ill population, and it was associated with a poor prognosis. The SI could be used to assess nutrition risk in ICU patients.

ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study was to determine whether pharmacist‐clinician collaborative (PCC) visits within 7 days after hospital discharge (early‐visit cohort) would reduce the risk of 30‐day hospital readmission compared with PCC visits eight or more days after hospital discharge (late‐visit cohort).MethodsThis retrospective study of adult primary care patients was conducted from July 26, 2013 to April 1, 2016. Patients who were included were receiving at least one medication that put them at high risk for emergent hospital admission and at least 10 total medications. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess 30‐day readmission risk between the two groups.ResultsThe early‐visit cohort included 393 patients; the late‐visit cohort included 109 patients. After adjusting for statistically different baseline characteristics and the LACE index score (which predicts the risk of death or unplanned readmission within 30 days after hospital discharge), 30‐day readmission risk was not significantly different between the late‐visit cohort and the early‐visit cohort (hazard ratio, 0.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34‐1.88; P = 0.61). Similarly, the difference was not significant 60 and 180 days after the PCC visit.ConclusionPatients in the early‐visit cohort had no greater risk of readmission 30 days after the visit than patients in the late‐visit cohort. Although previous research indicates that PCC visits may have significant benefits for decreasing readmission risk, delaying them may not increase the patient's risk. This finding may allow more flexibility in scheduling a pharmacist and a primary care clinician to meet with the patient.