Citations

Background Diagnosis of non-esophageal eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders requires quantification of tissue eosinophils. Our objective was to evaluate eosinophil peroxidase (EPX) immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a method for histologic diagnosis of eosinophilic gastritis (EG) and eosinophilic duodenitis (EoD). Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of biopsies from pediatric EG/EoD cases and controls. Subjects with EG or EoD had ≥30 eosinophils per high power field (eos/hpf) in ≥5 hpf in the stomach and/or ≥3 hpf in the duodenum, respectively. Controls had no histopathologic diagnosis recorded. Tissue eosinophil counts were assessed by hematoxylin & eosin stains. EPX stains were assessed using a unique histopathologic scoring system. Slides were digitized and EPX+ staining area/mm 2 was quantified by image analysis. Results Twenty-six EG/EoD cases and 40 controls were analyzed. EPX scores and EPX/mm 2 levels were markedly elevated in EG/EoD (p ≤ 0.0001). Eosinophil density (eos/mm 2 ) correlated strongly with EPX scores and EPX/mm 2 levels in the stomach (r ≥ 0.77) and moderately with EPX scores and EPX/mm 2 levels in the duodenum (r ≥ 0.52); (p < 0.0001). EPX quantification identified EG/EoD subjects with high diagnostic accuracy (EPX score: AUC = 1 for EG and EoD; EPX/mm 2 : AUC = 0.98 (95%CI 0.96-1) for EG, AUC = 0.91 (95%CI 0.81-1) for EoD). Conclusion EPX-based assessment of eosinophilic inflammation may facilitate automated histologic diagnosis.

e19023 Background: Acute GVHD (aGVHD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity following stem cell transplantation (HCT). In effort to prognostic patients with aGVHD, the Mount Sinai Acute GVHD International Consortium (MAGIC) combined two biomarkers, ST2 and REG3α to generate an algorithm known as the Ann Arbor (AA) biomarker risk. This is now available as a commercial test to help predict risk for severe acute GVHD and non-relapse mortality when done at the onset of symptomatic aGVHD. Our institution began utilizing these lab values and here we report our “real world” experience. The primary aim was to correlate AA risk probabilities with recently defined endpoints including day 28 overall response rate (ORR) and 6 month freedom from treatment failure (6mFFTF) and overall survival (OS). Methods: 58 HCT patients who underwent HCT between October 2018 and November 2019 and had the biomarker assay at the onset of aGVHD were identified from the institutional database and clinical information about disease, transplant and outcomes was obtained from the medical records. Clinical staging of aGVHD was documented per standardized published guidelines. Day 28 ORR was defined as complete response by day 28. 6mFFTF was defined as a patient being alive, without relapse of underlying disease or addition of new systemic therapy for aGVHD, and prior to the development of cGVHD. Results: When comparing low (n = 39), intermediate (n = 11), and high (n = 8) AA risk, there was no difference in age ( p =0.254), primary disease ( p =0.10), DRI ( p =0.994), donor source ( p =0.193), conditioning regimen intent ( p =0.537), GVHD prophylaxis ( p =0.351) ATG use ( p =0.06). Low AA risk was associated with lower grades of aGVHD at onset (grade I = 15%, grade II = 80%, grade III = 5%, grade IV = 0%), whereas high AA risk was associated with higher grades of aGVHD at onset (grade I = 0%, grade II = 50%, grade III = 25%, grade IV = 25%) ( p =0.009). For low, intermediate, and high AA risk the day 28 ORR was 69%, 45% and 29% ( p = 0.083); the 6mFFTF was 82%, 82%, and 25% ( p = 0.0001); 6 month OS was 92%, 100%, and 50% ( p = 0.0006) respectively. Conclusions: Our study shows a high correlation between AA risk and outcomes. High risk AA risk was associated with inferior outcomes This study was limited by the retrospective single institutional experience with relatively small numbers. However, our findings using the commercial assay mirror that seen with the MAGIC studies. Our “real world data” can serve as a foundation and continued validation for institutional implementation of AA risk stratification for aGVHD.

Abstract Approximately 5 to 15% of patients with pulmonary coccidioidomycosis subsequently develop pulmonary cavities. These cavities may resolve spontaneously over a number of years; however, some cavities never close, and a small proportion causes complications such as hemorrhage, pneumothorax or empyema. The impact of azole antifungal treatment on coccidioidal cavities has not been studied. Because azoles are a common treatment for symptomatic pulmonary coccidioidomycosis, we aimed to assess the impact of azole therapy on cavity closure. From January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2014, we retrospectively identified 313 patients with cavitary coccidioidomycosis and excluded 42 who had the cavity removed surgically, leaving 271 data sets available for study. Of the 271 patients, 221 (81.5%) received azole therapy during 5-year follow-up; 50 patients did not receive antifungal treatment. Among the 271 patients, cavities closed in 38 (14.0%). Statistical modeling showed that cavities were more likely to close in patients in the treated group than in the nontreated group (hazard ratio, 2.14 [95% CI: 1.45–5.66]). Cavities were less likely to close in active smokers than nonsmokers (11/41 [26.8%] vs 97/182 [53.3%]; P = 0.002) or in persons with than without diabetes (27/74 [36.5%] vs 81/149 [54.4%]; P = 0.01).We did not find an association between cavity size and closure. Our findings provide rationale for further study of treatment protocols in this subset of patients with coccidioidomycosis. Lay Summary Coccidioidomycosis, known as valley fever, is a fungal infection that infrequently causes cavities to form in the lungs, which potentially results in long-term lung symptoms. We learned that cavities closed more often in persons who received antifungal drugs, but most cavities never closed completely.

Hepatic artery stenosis after liver transplant is often treated with endovascular stent placement. Our institution has adopted use of drug-eluting stents, particularly in small-caliber arteries. We aimed to compare patency rates of drug-eluting stents vs. traditional bare-metal stents. This was a single-institution, retrospective study of liver transplant hepatic artery stenosis treated with stents. Primary patency was defined as time from stent placement to resistive index on Doppler ultrasonography (<0.5), hepatic artery thrombosis, or any intervention including surgery. Fifty-two patients were treated with stents (31 men; mean age, 57 years): 15, drug-eluting stents; 37, bare-metal stents. Mean arterial diameters were 4.1 mm and 5.1 mm, respectively. Technical success was 100% (52/52). At 6 months, 1, 2, and 3 years, primary patency for drug-eluting stents was 80%, 71%, 71%, and 71%; bare-metal stents: 76%, 65%, 53%, and 46% (p = 0.41). Primary patency for small-caliber arteries (3.5–4.5 mm) with drug-eluting stents was 93%, 75%, 75%, and 75%; bare-metal stents: 60%, 60%, 50%, and 38% (p = 0.19). Overall survival was 100%, 100%, 94%, and 91%. Graft survival was 100%, 98%, 96%, and 90%. Stenting for hepatic artery stenosis was safe and effective. While not statistically significant, patency improved with drug-eluting stents compared with bare-metal stents, especially in arteries < 4.5 mm in diameter. Drug-eluting stents can be considered for liver transplant hepatic artery stenosis, particularly in small-caliber arteries.