Citations

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of corticosteroids for the management of pediatric sepsis and septic shock. Data Sources: Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science (Core Collection) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were systematically searched up to September 2023. Preprint servers, clinical trial registries and the reference sections of previous reviews were hand-searched. Study Selection: Randomized controlled trials that enrolled pediatric sepsis, septic shock or systemic inflammatory response syndrome patients, compared the use of corticosteroid regimens against standard sepsis care and reported eligible outcomes were included. Title/abstract and full-text screening were conducted in-duplicate. Data Extraction: Eligible articles were extracted using a standardized form in-duplicate. Outcomes extracted include mortality incidence, hospital and pediatric intensive care unit length of stay, duration of shock, incidence of adverse events and serious adverse events and incidence of corticosteroid-related adverse events. The risk of bias was assessed using the Revised Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Assessing Randomized Trials. Data Synthesis: Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted, and the quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations approach. Sixteen randomized controlled trials (N = 973) were included. Corticosteroid use may be associated with reduced mortality risks (risk ratio: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.50–0.85), shorter length of hospital stay (MD: −3.76 days, 95% CI: −6.66 to −0.86), and shorter pediatric intensive care unit length of stay (MD −2.34 days, 95% CI: −3.14 to −1.53 days). Corticosteroid use may be associated with gastrointestinal bleeding but not a higher risk of secondary infection. No studies reported on serious adverse events. All findings were based on low to very low quality of evidence. Conclusions: While corticosteroids show promise for managing pediatric sepsis and septic shock, the question of how to select the best candidate and the most optimal regimen remains unanswered. Future trials need to focus on assessing corticosteroid-related adverse events and stratifying patient inclusion by sepsis subphenotypes.

AbstractThe study objective was to compare the length of stay (LOS) and the proportion of one-night admissions before and after the implementation of an endocrine monitoring protocol following endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETSS) for pituitary adenoma.Patients who underwent transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection between July 1, 2018, and September 9, 2022, were identified, and divided into two cohorts before and after the implementation of the monitoring protocol. The overall LOS and number of nights of admission were recorded. Readmission within 30 days after surgery was also recorded. The number of outpatient laboratory tests performed and the time to the first test were also noted.Thirty patients were identified in the preprotocol group and 60 in the postprotocol group. The average admission length in the preprotocol group was significantly longer than the average admission length in the postprotocol group (2.4 vs. 1.7 days, p = 0.004). The percentage of one-night admissions increased from 13 to 57% (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in readmission rates between the two groups (p = 0.681). The number of laboratory encounters increased from a mean of 1.38 to 2.40 (p = 0.030), while the time to the first test decreased from a mean of 3.43 to 2.36 days (p = 0.049).Patients admitted after ETSS for pituitary adenoma had shorter hospital stay and greater proportion of one-night admission with the implementation of an endocrine monitoring protocol. The all-cause readmission rate was not statistically different between the two groups. Through aggressive outpatient laboratory monitoring, one-night admission for ETSS may be feasible.

Abstract ➤ The COVID-19 pandemic created a persistent surgical backlog in elective orthopedic surgeries. ➤ Artificial intelligence (AI) uses computer algorithms to solve problems and has potential as a powerful tool in health care. ➤ AI can help improve current and future orthopedic backlogs through enhancing surgical schedules, optimizing preoperative planning, and predicting postsurgical outcomes. ➤ AI may help manage existing waitlists and increase efficiency in orthopedic workflows.

363 Background: The incidence of BC in young adults is increasing; given their extended survivorship, characterizing healthcare utilization and adherence to surveillance guidelines can inform unmet health needs and gaps in care. Methods: The multi-center Young Women’s BC Cohort Study enrolled 1302 women ≤40 yrs with newly diagnosed (dx) BC from 2006-2016. Participants completed surveys every 6 mos for 3 yrs post-dx, then annually. The current analysis includes patients with Stage 0-III BC without recurrence who completed the 7-yr survey assessing survivorship care, including types of providers visited, BC surveillance, and other health maintenance practices. Multivariate logistic regression evaluated factors (clinical, demographics, concern about recurrence) associated with 1) full transition to a primary care provider (PCP) for follow-up; adherence to 2) mammography (among women who had a unilateral mastectomy or lumpectomy) and 3) bone density scans (among current hormonal therapy [HT] users), per ASCO/ACS guidelines. Results: Of 660 women with Stage 0-III BC, median age at dx was 37 (range: 17-40); 89% identified as White, 5%, Asian, 3%, Black, 3% as other/multiracial, and 4%, Hispanic. Most had received chemotherapy (75%) and radiation (61%) and 35% reported current HT; 12% had a BRCA1/2 mutation. For cancer-related follow-up, 57% reported seeing an oncology provider only, 12%, PCP only, and 29% saw a PCP + oncology provider. Among women with remaining breast(s) (n=348), 90% reported a mammogram in the last year. Adherence to other health maintenance practices varied: 68% reported having had a flu shot, 76% a pap test/pelvic exam, and 56% cholesterol screening within the last 2 yrs. Among current HT users (n=210), 46% reported a bone density scan within the last 2 yrs. In multivariate analyses assessing the odds of seeing a PCP only (vs. oncology + PCP), having stage 0 vs I disease (OR 2.74 95% CI 1.01-6.80) was associated with higher odds while any HT use (OR .31 95% CI .16-.58) and concern about recurrence (OR .23 95% CI .12-.47) were associated with lower odds. The table includes factors significantly associated with non-adherence to mammography and bone density scans. Conclusions: At 7-years post-dx, most young survivors participating in a cohort study receive cancer follow-up care from an oncology provider and have not fully transitioned their care to a PCP. Adherence to recommendations related to bone health among HT users was suboptimal. Additional research to identify barriers/facilitators to receipt of guideline-concordant follow-up care at the patient, provider, and systems levels may inform strategies to optimize survivorship in young BC survivors. Multivariable analysis: factors associated with non-adherence. MammogramOR 95% CI Bone density scanOR 95% CI Her2+ .38, .15 -.98 NS BRCA1/2 + 8.36, 1.38-50.47 .17, .05 -.62 Chemotherapy NS .22, .06 -.78 Unilateral mastectomy vs lumpectomy 6.64, 2.69-16.34 NS

29 Background: International Medical Graduates (IMGs) comprise over one-third of internal medicine (IM) trainees and practicing oncologists in the United States. We aimed to examine challenges faced by IM IMG residents in pursuing hematology-oncology (HO) fellowship positions. Methods: We conducted a pilot survey using SurveyPluto to assess demographics and evaluate visa related challenges amongst ACGME residents interested in HO. The survey was disseminated through the ASCO IMG Community of Practice (CoP), the Heme-Onc Fellows Mentorship Empowerment (H.O.M.E) group and the IMG Oncologists social media homepage (@IMG_Oncologists). Results: A total of 59 IMG residents completed the survey (20% PGY-1, 36% PGY-2 and 44% PGY-3). The majority of trainees (88%) were from community or university-affiliated community programs. J-1 visa was the most common visa type (67.8%). The visa process was rated as difficult or very difficult by 36% of trainees. Annual visa renewal was required by 51% trainees and 55.9% reported visa related impact on plans for research grant applications (Table). The greatest challenges associated with visa status were disruption of travel plans and inability to unite with family (35.6%); obtaining documentation from home country (33.9%); visa renewal (28.8%) and lack of clarity in visa instructions (27.1%). Among resources that respondents wanted better access to, IMG networking groups (81.4%), legal/financial aids (47.5%), institutional visa seminars (45.8%) and flexibility from their program to visit family overseas (45.8%) were identified as priorities. Conclusions: Visa related barriers pose significant challenges to IMGs interested in HO. Policy changes, advocacy work and additional resources could be beneficial for future IMG oncologists. Challenges associated with visa status for hematology/oncology aspirants. Greatest visa related barriers during training % of respondents (n=59) Documentation from home country 33.9% Disruption in travel plans/ inability to unite with family 35.6% Lack of clarity in renewal instructions/ renewal process post document procurement 55.9% Ability to secure grant affected by visa 22% Non-monetary grant aspects affected by visa 13.6% Did not pursue grants due to visa 20.3% Desired resources during residency Institutional visa seminars 45.8% IMG network groups 81.4% Program flexibility to visit family overseas/ legal and financial aids 45.8%/47.5%

283 Background: Infertility can be a devastating consequence for adolescent or young adult (AYA) patients, posing distinct challenges for healthcare providers striving to deliver high-quality, equitable cancer care. The rising incidence of cancer and growing population of AYA cancer survivors necessitates innovative, streamlined, and efficient processes to promote fertility preservation. While guidelines from organizations like American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provide valuable recommendations, ensuring consistent adherence to these standards remains an ongoing challenge. Methods: The aim of this quality improvement project was to increase fertility preservation counseling and documentation, by 20% within 6 months without delaying chemotherapy start for newly diagnoses AYA patients (age 18-39) within a large academic medical center. Utilizing a Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC) methodology, interventions were conducted through a series of Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles that included provider and staff education, referral process standardization, implementation of a best practice advisory (BPA) within the electronic health record (EHR), revision of organizational policy, and establishment of nurse touchpoints to facilitate communication. Results: The percentage of counseling and documentation in AYA cancer patients (n=83) increased by 52%, exceeding the project aim. Statistical significance was calculated using a chi-square test. Contrary to initial concerns of potential delays in beginning chemotherapy while awaiting preservation, the average time to starting chemotherapy decreased by 43%. Conclusions: Fertility preservation counseling is a critical aspect of quality outcomes for AYA cancer patients. Strategic planning of automated methods to facilitate documentation and referral was an ideal method of building quality into a large healthcare system. Establishing methods of process improvement engrained best practices, allowing for enrichment of data collection, while driving continuous quality improvement. Increased utilization of the BPA facilitated tracking of quality metrics, while promoting a patient-centered approach to fertility preservation. Interdisciplinary collaboration between physicians, nurses, and reproductive specialists fosters holistic care to enhance long-term survivorship. Fertility preservation counseling and documentation Results. Month Month Count (%) QuarterlyCount (%) 95% CI Change 95% CI P Mean days to begin chemotherapy Baseline 17 of 41 (41%) 17 of 41 (41%) 0.27 to 0.58 42 October 19 of 20 (95%) November 10 of 12 (83%) December 9 of 14 (64%) 38 of 46 (83%) 0.68 to 0.92 0.41 0.20 to 0.62 <0.001 January 10 of 12 (83%) February 7 of 7 (100%) March 12 of 12 (100%) 29 of 31 (94%) 0.77 to 0.99 0.52 0.32 to 0.72 <0.001 24 April 6 of 6 (100%)

271 Background: Many studies have shown that fatigue is associated with poor outcomes such as quality of life and physical function in breast cancer survivors.Early treatment of symptoms that result in persistent fatigue may be a strategy to mitigate long-term fatigue.As a result, we studied symptoms and developed risk estimates for patients that are most likely to develop fatigue by pre-surgery and follow up among patients treated on the I-SPY 2 neoadjuvant trial. I-SPY 2 is a phase-II adaptive trial for high-risk early-stage breast cancer patients. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study of 306 women undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy +/- targeted therapy, patients complete electronic surveys of symptoms via 34 PRO-CTCAE items and QOL via 9 PROMIS instruments. Fatigue is collected as part of the PROMIS survey and scored using Health Measures. Study timepoints are screening (SC), weekly study treatment (ST), 12 weeks (12w), pre-surgery (PS) and at 1, 6, 12 and 24 months (FU1-FU4) following surgery. Correlation between symptoms and fatigue at equal timepoints was quantified using spearman correlations and BH-adjusted p-values. For symptom odds analysis, symptoms were binarized such that those that had an average grade of mild or above (severity), rarely or above (frequency) or a little bit or above (interference) between ST weeks 1-6 were considered present. Clinically significant (CS) increase in fatigue was defined as an increase >=0.5 standard deviation (SD) in mean from baseline. Logistic regression was used to determine odds ratios of factors associated with fatigue. Results: Baseline PROMIS fatigue mean score was 47.14 (SD 9.31) with a median of 47.45. A CS increase in fatigue from baseline was seen in 55% of patients at 12w, and 61% of patients pre-surgery. Of the patients that had a CS increase in fatigue at any point prior to surgery, 45.7% had persistent fatigue through FU1-4. Symptoms associated with Fatigue at 12w were shortness of breath, headache, and nausea (P< 0.03). At PS, fatigue was significantly correlated with GI symptoms, neuropathy, and shortness of breath (P< 0.03). Risk estimates for patients that filled out symptom surveys at early timepoints (weeks 1-6) and also had fatigue were evaluated. Patients with early GU (genitourinary) symptoms had higher risk of fatigue at IR (OR=9.33, p=0.02, 88.9% in cases vs 33.3% in controls). Patients with early GI symptoms at PS (OR=8.56, p=0.03, 90.1% vs 50%), or FU2-4 (OR= 5.88 and 7.36, p= 0.04 and 0.02, 80% vs 39.1% and 81.8% vs 36.3%) also had a higher risk of developing fatigue. Conclusions: A CS increase in fatigue during treatment and follow up is seen in the majority of patients and is associated with a large number of persistent symptoms.

160 Background: In the United States, racial/ethnic disparities in adoption of breast cancer evidence-based practices (EBPs) persist along the cancer care continuum. This scoping review applied an implementation science lens to describe the current evidence base for interventions to reduce disparities, synthesizing evidence on effective interventions while highlighting gaps in the literature. Methods: A formalized search strategy identified USA-based interventional studies aiming to improve adoption of an EBP along the breast cancer care continuum among racially/ethnically minoritized patients. Relevant articles from 1/2010 - 8/2022 (Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and Scopus) were included. For each article, two reviewers screened and extracted data, with a third resolving discrepancies. The PRISMA-ScR checklist and JBO Manual for Evidence Synthesis framework were followed. Results: Our search strategy yielded 45,215 articles. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 59 articles were retained, targeting screening (85%, 50 of 59), treatment (12%, 7 of 59), and survivorship (5%, 3 of 59) (2 targeted multiple areas). No articles targeted end-of-life care. Of these, 49% (29 of 59) were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Among 24 screening RCTs, the most common interventions—and fraction with statistically significant improved screening uptake—were patient navigation (100%, 11 of 11) and patient education (80%, 4 of 5). Among 4 treatment RCTs, 3 targeted adjuvant chemotherapy uptake. Of these, 1 had significant improvements and used patient navigation. The 2 studies without significant improvements used a patient tracking tool/alert system or patient education. Among 2 survivorship RCTs, one used email interventions, resulting in significantly improved physical activity and dietary health. A second used a nurse-facilitated internet support group, resulting in significantly improved physical/psychological symptoms. Early to mid-stage implementation outcomes (acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, or fidelity) were commonly measured (81%, 48 of 59). No study measured later stage implementation outcomes (sustainability or costs). Conclusions: In multiple studies, patient navigation and education improved breast cancer screening among racially/ethnically minoritized populations. In one study, patient navigation improved completion of adjuvant treatment. Despite these studies, patient navigation is not reimbursed for cancer screening, and adoption has not been widespread. Future studies should focus on evaluating and improving later stage implementation outcomes (sustainability and costs). Based on these results, insurance reimbursement mechanisms for screening-related navigation may be warranted. Future breast cancer care delivery disparities research should also be expanded to include treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care.