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OBJECTIVE Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) use has been previously described as a strategy to reduce the rates of pseudomeningocele and CSF leakage following skull base surgery. The authors aimed to present their institutional experience with CPC in retrosigmoid craniotomy and perform a systematic review of the literature to determine the effectiveness of CPC in reducing postoperative complications, including pseudomeningocele and craniotomy-site CSF leakage. METHODS A retrospective single-institution cohort study of patients who underwent retrosigmoid craniotomy with and without CPC cranioplasty from January 2017 to April 2024 was performed. A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of CPC use in retrosigmoid craniotomy was also performed. RESULTS Of 336 patients who underwent retrosigmoid craniotomy, 193 (57%) were female and the median age at surgery was 55 years (range 18–81 years). The median follow-up duration was 23 months (range 3–80 months). CPC was used to seal the edge of the craniotomy in 66 patients (20%). Among all patients, 50 (15%) experienced a postoperative complication, and 28 (8%) were wound-specific complications. Patients in the non-CPC group experienced significantly more postoperative wound-specific complications than those in the CPC group (10% vs 0%, p = 0.002). Specifically, pseudomeningocele occurred in 0 patients (0%) in the CPC group compared with 24 patients (9%) in the non-CPC group (p = 0.006), which progressed to CSF leaks at the craniotomy site in 6 patients (p = 0.60). Additionally, no patients (0%) in the CPC group experienced wound infection, dehiscence, or breakdown compared with 10 patients (4%) in the non-CPC group (p = 0.22). Five patients (8%) in the CPC group reported prolonged mild incisional pain at the craniotomy site, and there were no instances of major complications related to the CPC. In the meta-analysis, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria, yielding a total of 2166 patients (including the current study), 1101 of whom received CPC. In the pooled analysis, CPC was significantly associated with lower risk of CSF leakage at the craniotomy site (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.13–0.42; p < 0.01) and lower risk of infection (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.08–0.38; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS CPC use in retrosigmoid craniotomies could be a safe and effective strategy to reduce the incidence of pseudomeningocele and craniotomy-site CSF leakage, leading to lower rates of wound-related complications and infection.

12011 Background: Patients (pts) with high HCT-Comorbidity Index scores (HCT-CI of ≥3), older age (≥65 years), and/or who are frail per gait speed (<0.8 meters/second) have increased morbidity and mortality after allo-HCT compared to younger and healthier counterparts. We report the phase II analysis (PIIA) and interim phase III primary outcome analysis (PIIIA) of a seamless phase II/III prospective, randomized clinical trial conducted at 11 transplant centers to test new approaches to improve quality of life (QOL) in this population. Methods: Phase II compared specialist-administered supportive and palliative care (SPC), patient-administered management of comorbidities (MC, e.g. physical exercise, stress reduction, etc), both (SPC+MC), and usual care (UC) for change in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Bone Marrow Transplantation (FACT-BMT) QOL scores from baseline to day 90 (D90). Pts deceased prior to D90 were assigned FACT-BMT score=0. The winning phase II arm moved forward versus UC in phase III. Results: PIIA was done after enrolling 35 pts to each of the 4 study arms. Calculating the difference between FACT-BMT scores on D90 minus baseline, excluding missing data, indicated that only SPC resulted in a small improvement in QOL compared to either MC or SPC+MC (Table); hence SPC was the winning phase II arm. The PIIIA was conducted after enrolling 158 SPC pts and 153 UC pts. The SPC and UC arms were well balanced with median age (both 68 years), HCT-CI ≥3 (49% vs 55%), frailty per gait speed (13% vs 12%), female sex (41% vs 34%), non-white race (9.5% vs 11.5%), and Hispanic or unreported ethnicity (7.7% vs 5.7%), respectively. After median follow-up of 362 days, 45 pts had died in each arm. The mean QOL difference between D90 and baseline was 2.83 for SPC and 4.27 for UC (difference of differences, -1.44, 95% CI of difference, -5.03 to 2.14, p=0.43). Fitting a generalized linear model that included baseline, D30, and D90 values and testing the null hypothesis that the slope of scores differs between SPC and UC resulted in p=0.85. Using the Kaplan Meier method, no difference in survival was observed across arms (HR 1.13 [0.75-1.73]). Conclusions: Specialist-administered palliative care showed no meaningful improvement in QOL, nor a survival advantage, compared to usual care in frail, older and comorbid allo-HCT recipients, resulting in the cessation of this Phase II/III trial. Analysis of the whole patient population for primary and secondary outcomes is in progress. Clinical trial information: NCT03870750 . Change in FACT-BMT (D90 value minus baseline value) comparing the 4 arms of phase II. Group Mean difference (sd) Median difference (range) SPC (n=28) -2.93 (28.52) 0.25 (-102 to 38.22) CM (n=18) -18.37 (33.80) -9.50 (-98.33 to 11) SPC+CM (n=27) -15.76 (32.69) -7.67 (-90 to 32)

ABSTRACTImmune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and microvascular occlusion secondary to acquired ADAMTS13 deficiency. Contemporary data regarding iTTP treatment practices in the US, including the use of caplacizumab, are lacking. We aimed to characterize the demographics and therapies, including medications and apheresis practices, in patients with iTTP in the US. We retrospectively analyzed iTTP cases at 15 sites in the US that provide comprehensive care for patients with iTTP. The time‐period assessed was from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021. Our primary objective was to analyze data by iTTP episode, inclusive of initial episodes and relapses. A total of 390 iTTP episodes were reported for 280 unique individuals (187 females, 93 males). Thirty‐day mortality was 3.7% (14/374), and 6‐month mortality was 7.4% (27/367). TPE details were reported for 343 episodes, among which 261 underwent at least one procedure (median 6, IQR 3–11). Among the 261 episodes with at least one therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) performed, 82.0% (214/261) used only plasma. Caplacizumab was used either alone or in combination with other agents in 43 (11.0%) episodes. Management strategies for iTTP remain varied across centers in the US, with a variety of combinations for TPE replacement fluids and therapeutic agents, as well as limited use of caplacizumab. Further research and standardization of treatment regimens may further reduce mortality in this condition.

Abstract Background: Ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSC) comprise four distinct molecular subtypes based on mRNA expression patterns, with differential survival. Understanding risk factor associations is important to elucidate the etiology of HGSC. We investigated associations between different epidemiologic risk factors and HGSC molecular subtypes. Methods: We pooled data from 11 case–control studies with epidemiologic and tumor gene expression data from custom NanoString CodeSets developed through a collaboration within the Ovarian Tumor Tissue Analysis consortium. The PrOTYPE-validated NanoString-based 55-gene classifier was used to assign HGSC gene expression subtypes. We examined associations between epidemiologic factors and HGSC subtypes in 2,070 cases and 16,633 controls using multivariable-adjusted polytomous regression models. Results: Among the 2,070 HGSC cases, 556 (27%) were classified as C1.MES, 340 (16%) as C5.PRO, 538 (26%) as C2.IMM, and 636 (31%) as C4.DIF. The key factors, including oral contraceptive use, parity, breastfeeding, and family history of ovarian cancer, were similarly associated with all subtypes. Heterogeneity was observed for several factors. Former smoking [OR = 1.25; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03, 1.51] and genital powder use (OR = 1.42; 95% CI = 1.08, 1.86) were uniquely associated with C2.IMM. History of endometriosis was associated with C5.PRO (OR = 1.46; 95% CI = 0.98, 2.16) and C4.DIF (OR = 1.27; 95% CI = 0.94, 1.71) only. Family history of breast cancer (OR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.16, 1.78) and current smoking (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.76) were associated with C4.DIF only. Conclusions: This study observed heterogeneous associations of epidemiologic and modifiable factors with HGSC molecular subtypes. Impact: The different patterns of associations may provide key information about the etiology of the four subtypes.

Abstract The largest risk factor for dementia is age. Heterochronic blood exchange studies have uncovered age-related blood factors that demonstrate ‘pro-aging’ or ‘pro-youthful’ effects on the mouse brain. The clinical relevance and combined effects of these factors for humans is unclear. We examined five previously identified brain rejuvenation factors in cerebrospinal fluid of adults with autosomal dominant forms of frontotemporal dementia and sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. Our frontotemporal dementia cohort included 100 observationally followed adults carrying autosomal dominant frontotemporal dementia mutations (Mage = 49.6; 50% female; 43% C9orf72, 24% GRN, 33% MAPT) and 62 non-carriers (Mage = 52.6; 45% female) with cerebrospinal fluid analysed on Somascan, and longitudinal (Mvisits = 3 years, range 1–7 years) neuropsychological and functional assessments and plasma neurofilament light chain. Our Alzheimer’s disease cohort included 35 adults with sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (Mage = 69.4; 60% female) and 56 controls (Mage = 68.8, 50% female) who completed the same cerebrospinal fluid and clinical outcome measures cross-sectionally. Levels of C-C motif chemokine ligand 11, C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, beta-2-micorglobulin, bone gamma-carboxyglutamate protein (aka Osteocalcin) and colony stimulating factor 2 in cerebrospinal fluid were linearly combined into a composite score, with higher values reflecting ‘pro-youthful’ levels. In genetic frontotemporal dementia, higher baseline cerebrospinal fluid rejuvenation proteins predicted slower decline across cognitive, functional, and neurofilament light chain trajectories; estimates were similar across genotypes. In transdiagnostic analyses, higher cerebrospinal fluid rejuvenation proteins associated with better functional, cognitive, and neurofilament light chain outcomes in adults with sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. Proteins with pre-clinical evidence for brain rejuvenation show translational clinical relevance in adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and warrant further investigation.

BACKGROUND Adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas (ACPs) are slow-growing, cystic, highly morbid central nervous system tumors located adjacent to vital structures including the pituitary, hypothalamus, and optic chiasm. Tumor recurrence is common. Treatment relies on resection with or without adjuvant radiation and is highly individualized. Targeted chemotherapies have not been routinely used in the treatment of ACPs. OBSERVATIONS The authors present the case of an adult patient with recurrent ACP that was clinically and radiologically stabilized with a combination of bevacizumab and tocilizumab every 3 weeks. LESSONS The combination of tocilizumab and bevacizumab could be an effective therapy for shrinkage of the cystic and solid components of ACP, sparing patients from further neurological damage from the tumor, additional surgery, or radiation. The patient’s positive response to tocilizumab and bevacizumab supports the growing literature that interleukin-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor are important for ACP pathogenesis. The patient’s response supports prior research, suggesting that systemic chemotherapy can be effectively delivered to this rare brain tumor. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE24410

AbstractBackgroundGrowth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15) is a TGF‐beta superfamily protein upregulated during immune‐mediated stress responses. Peripheral GDF15 is linked to adverse aging across organ systems including the brain. Immune dysregulation is implicated in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) pathogenesis. We examined how plasma GDF15 levels associated with longitudinal cognitive and neurofilament light chain (NfL) trajectories in adults with FTD and controls. Furthermore, we tested the utility of GDF15 as a prognostic biomarker against common inflammatory proteins (CRP and IL6).Method231 adults with FTD (24.35% sporadic FTD syndromes; 19.19% MAPT; 19.56% GRN; 22.14% C9orf72 pathogenic carriers) and 40 normal controls from the ALLFTD Consortium completed longitudinal neuropsychological testing and a blood draw with plasma analyzed on SomaScan V4.0 (baseline only: GDF15, CRP, and IL6) and Simoa (longitudinal: NfL). CRP and IL6 were selected as control markers to test the specificity of GDF15. Linear mixed effects models separately examined longitudinal cognition (global, executive functioning, memory, and language z‐scores) and plasma NfL levels as a function of baseline plasma GDF15, time, and their interaction, controlling for baseline age, sex, and education. Parallel models were conducted for CRP and IL6.ResultIn the whole cohort, higher baseline plasma GDF15 levels associated with steeper global cognitive decline (b = ‐3.91, p = 0.0092) and NfL accumulation (b = 3.88, p = 0.00088) over time. When examining cognitive domains, we found GDF15 only associated with worse executive functioning trajectories (b = ‐3.19, p = 0.0021). In contrast, baseline levels of CRP and IL6 did not display statistically significant relationships with cognitive or NfL trajectories. Prognostic effects of GDF15 remained statistically significant when restricting analyses to those with FTD pathogenic variants (b = ‐2.98, p = 0.0054 [global cognition], b = 2.69, p = 0.0098 [NfL]).ConclusionAdults with FTD and higher baseline peripheral GDF15 levels exhibit accelerated cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Our results support GDF15 as a potential prognosticator of adverse clinical outcomes in FTD and highlight the relevance of GDF15‐specific pathways in FTD progression. Plasma GDF15 may provide utility over commonly examined inflammatory proteins and further work to explore its clinical value is indicated.

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication of total joint surgery. Surgical management of PJI has increased surgical risks and is costly to the healthcare system. This case study presents a unique clinical scenario involving a patient who was diagnosed with Lyme PJI at the total knee arthroplasty site after undergoing surgical management. Lyme PJI is a rare condition, and there is limited guidance on the diagnosis and management of this condition. It should be considered in the differential of certain individuals with appropriate epidemiological risk factors. This report aims to highlight the complexities associated with the diagnosis and management of periprosthetic Lyme infections.