Citations

Abstract Purpose This study explores how new residents experienced the transition to residency, examines factors that made the transition process more or less difficult, and identifies potentially modifiable program features that enhanced or would have enhanced transition experiences. Method The authors conducted a qualitative interview study of postgraduate year (PGY) 1 residents in emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatric and adolescent medicine, and psychiatry at Mayo Clinic sites in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, and Wisconsin between December 2020 and March 2021. Open-ended questions explored residents’ transition experiences. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded inductively, and analyzed iteratively using general thematic analysis from an epistemologically constructivist perspective. Results Forty-five residents (25 women, 20 men) from 12 programs, 7 specialties, and 4 states participated. PGY-1 residents experienced the transition to residency as a confluence of overlapping and interconnected transitions that unfolded over time, spanned multiple life domains, and generated numerous personal and professional demands. Residents appraised demands based on their effects on patient care, professional growth, and personal well-being and struggled when coincident demands forced tradeoffs among these concerns. Residents who experienced many difficulties during the transition to residency reported high demands (eg, due to transition-related discontinuities, depleted resources from prior transitions or a difficult match experience, structural and systemic barriers, coincident personal or situational stressors) and/or fewer resources (eg, insufficient residency or life skills, limited social support, financial strain). Preparedness and supportive relationships eased the transition process. Residency program features that enhanced or would have enhanced the transition experience included monitoring and limiting overall demands, minimizing unhelpful and harmful demands, calibrating constructive demands, and increasing holistic support. Conclusions Study findings illuminate transition experiences of PGY-1 residents, reveal person-centered considerations to inform ongoing improvement efforts, and identify potentially actionable steps programs can take to improve resident transition experiences.

This pilot, randomized, double-blind trial in a relatively small sample of patients with IBS-related pain shows rimegepant significantly reduced sensations of gas, urgency, and pain during rectal distention and decreased rectal compliance. Decrease in compliance implies that changes in physical properties or distensibility of rectum did not contribute to alterations in rectal sensation. Same dose of rimegepant did not significantly impact daily abdominal pain, BM frequency, or colonic transit. There were no serious adverse events.

Abstract Background The clinical efficacy of tafamidis in patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) was demonstrated during the phase 3, multinational, randomised, placebo-controlled Tafamidis in Transthyretin Cardiomyopathy Clinical Trial (ATTR-ACT).(1) In ATTR-ACT, the risk of any cardiovascular (CV)-related hospitalisation was significantly reduced among patients who received tafamidis meglumine 80 mg (the approved dose) vs placebo (relative risk ratio 0.70 [95% CI 0.57, 0.85]; P=0.0005).(2) The benefit of tafamidis treatment was largest among patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I/II vs III symptoms at baseline.(1,3,4) Purpose ATTR-CM is a progressive disease with a natural history that typically includes an increasing frequency of CV-related hospitalisation as the condition worsens. This post hoc analysis adds to current knowledge by evaluating the risk of recurrent (≥1) CV-related hospitalisation by baseline NYHA class in ATTR-ACT patients taking the approved dose of tafamidis or placebo. Methods Patients aged 18 to 90 years with biopsy-confirmed wild-type or variant ATTR-CM and NYHA class I-III symptoms took part in ATTR-ACT between 2013 and 2018. During the trial, the cause of hospitalisation was adjudicated by an independent committee. The hazard ratio (HR) for first CV-related hospitalisation was calculated using a Cox proportional hazards model. The HR for recurrent CV-related hospitalisation was calculated using the Liu-Wei-Yang-Ying (LWYY; also known as the modified Anderson-Gill) model. Models compared tafamidis meglumine 80 mg vs placebo and adjusted for transthyretin genotype (wild-type or variant). In the overall population, the LWYY model was also adjusted for baseline NYHA class. Results The frequency of adjudicated CV-related hospitalisations during ATTR-ACT by NYHA class are shown in the Figure. Across patients who were NYHA class I-III at baseline, the risk of recurrent CV-related hospitalisation was 37% lower in those who received tafamidis vs placebo treatment (HR 0.627 [95% CI 0.463, 0.848]; P=0.0025; Table). Among those who were NYHA class I/II at baseline, a lower proportion of tafamidis- vs placebo-treated patients (44% vs 61%) had ≥1 CV-related hospitalisation. The risks of first and recurrent CV-related hospitalisation were 40% (HR 0.601 [95% CI 0.420, 0.861]; P=0.0055) and 55% (HR 0.449 [95% CI 0.305, 0.661]; P<0.0001) lower with tafamidis vs placebo treatment. Consistent with the survivor bias previously observed in ATTR-ACT,(1-4) the risk of recurrent CV-related hospitalisation was statistically similar in tafamidis- and placebo-treated patients who were NYHA class III at baseline (HR 1.113 [95% CI 0.688, 1.799]; P=0.6624). Conclusions Building on previous findings, this analysis found the risk of recurrent CV-related hospitalisation to be reduced by tafamidis meglumine 80 mg treatment in patients with early stage ATTR-CM.

Abstract Background Renal denervation (RDN) has emerged as a promising therapeutic adjunct for the management of hypertension, yet its efficacy in the long term, particularly in patients with hypertension and concurrent renal insufficiency, remains to be fully elucidated. This study was designed to evaluate the sustained impact of RDN on blood pressure control, renal function, and cardiovascular outcomes in hypertensive patients with pre-existing renal impairment over an extended follow-up period. Methods We conducted a single-center, single-arm, real-world retrospective study involving patients with hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3-4 who underwent RDN at a hospital between 2011 and 2016. Comprehensive baseline data, including demographic information, comorbidities, and medication history, were meticulously recorded. Long-term follow-up assessments were performed at 1, 5, and 11.5 years post-RDN to monitor changes in office and home blood pressure, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure results, renal function, and the incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality. Results A total of 20 participants completed the long-term follow-up, with a mean age of 51.7 ± 14.5 years (35% female), and a median follow-up duration of 11.5 years. At baseline, the cohort presented with an average office systolic blood pressure of 183.8 ± 18.6 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure of 104.7 ± 17.0 mmHg. Following RDN, participants experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure, with an average decrease of -37.94/-20.38 mmHg (P < 0.001) compared to baseline. Additionally, ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressures were reduced by 16.87 ± 9 mmHg (P < 0.001) and 9.88 ± 4.05 mmHg (P < 0.001) 11.5 years after the procedure, respectively. The study also revealed a substantial reduction in the need for antihypertensive medications (P < 0.001) and a decrease in average heart rate (P = 0.046) following renal denervation. Assessments of renal function, as measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate and creatinine levels, were consistent with expected age-related decline. Importantly, no significant adverse events associated with RDN were observed in the long-term follow-up. Over the 11.5-year period, the cardiovascular mortality rate and overall mortality were 10% and 20%, respectively. Conclusion This long-term follow-up study demonstrates that RDN is a safe and effective intervention for managing hypertension in patients with renal impairment.

Abstract When using real-world data to construct an external comparator arm for a single-arm trial, there may be differences in how and when patients are assessed for disease between trial and real-world settings. Such differences can generate outcome measurement error when comparing time-to-event endpoints and lead to biased findings. Recent methods have been developed to mitigate measurement error bias in real-world endpoints; however, they rely on the existence of a validation sample, ie, data on a set of patients where both the “true” trial-like and “mis-measured” real-world measures are collected. We demonstrate how novel statistical methods can be leveraged as quantitative bias analyses (QBA) to contextualize real-world evidence findings when outcome measurement error is of concern, but validation samples are infeasible to collect. Quantitative bias analyses allow researchers to set plausible ranges for the amount of error when not directly measurable. We highlight how to conduct QBA with two recent methods, cumulative incidence curve correction and survival regression calibration, and illustrate how to generate plausible parameter values through simulation. We provide an illustrative QBA example in a cohort of real-world patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and provide practical guidance to apply QBA for outcome measurement error and interpret results.

Abstract Background Nearly 40,000 people in the U.S. experience recurrent pericarditis with up to 90% of cases having no identifiable cause, often making the journey to diagnosis arduous. Understanding the challenges that patients and health care professionals (HCP) face will help address gaps and barriers in patient diagnosis and care. In addition, the lack of U.S. based guidelines for recurrent pericarditis clinical care, coupled with the time lapse from the last published European guideline, has created an opportunity to discover workflow solutions for U.S. based healthcare professionals. Purpose The American Heart Association’s (AHA) Addressing Recurrent Pericarditis Initiative is a three-year effort utilizing a quality improvement approach to address gaps/barriers in patient care, educate HCPs, and develop patient education resources to improve diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life. To accomplish this, the lived experiences and challenges patients face on their journey to diagnosis was integrated into the qualitative research process. Methods To assess quality improvement opportunities, the AHA engaged HCPs with recurrent pericarditis experience from 15 diverse health systems to participate in a learning collaborative strategy for quality improvement and implementation to share successful strategies, provide input on professional education topics, and participate in process mapping. Data collection strategies include 1:1 consultations, quarterly learning collaborative calls, surveys and questionnaire completion. To assess patient education needs, the AHA Market Research Team held 1-hour video interviews with ten diverse patients. Results AHA-led HCP interviews produced process maps of clinical workflows and identified opportunities for standardization to improve clinical workflow and patient outcomes (Figure 1). From these data collection methods, preliminary results include care coordination across clinical settings, exploring treatment options, standardization of follow-up cadence, and provider awareness of misdiagnoses/underdiagnosis rates. The patient interviews revealed that there is a lack of symptom recognition, persistent rate of misdiagnosis, delay in accurate diagnosis and treatment, and discrepancies in diagnosis and treatment for various demographics including female and younger adult patients (Figure 2). Conclusion(s) In Year 2 of this three-year initiative, we will continue to refine identified areas of opportunities to improve patient outcomes by creating and disseminating educational materials and launch awareness campaigns, while also producing a national education series for HCPs that provide guidance for system-level quality improvement to emphasize consistency in care and reductions in health inequities. Key findings from this study highlight the care coordination involved in the treatment of patients with recurrent pericarditis and the need to provide multidiscipline educational approaches to achieve this goal.Figure. 1 Summary of care pathway Figure. 2 Summary of patient interviews

Abstract Background: Exercise capacity (VO 2peak ) predicts mortality in adult patients with CHD. There is a lack of paediatric exercise capacity data based on specific CHD lesions, limiting the ability to contextualise interpretation based on expected performance during testing. The primary aim of this study was to establish VO 2peak percentiles for paediatric patients with repaired CHD undergoing treadmill-based cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Methods: Retrospective analysis of CPET data from 2004 to 2022. CPETs were analysed for patients with CHD aged 6–18 years. Patients with repaired CHD were categorised based on their most haemodynamically significant CHD lesion. Percentiles and age-based trends were plotted for each group. Results: A total of 887 patients were included. CHD patients were divided into ten diagnostic subgroups. The mean percent expected VO 2peak for each of the subgroups were as follows: Atrial and ventricular septal defect (94.5 ± 25.1%), pulmonary valve repair (88.1 ± 18.4%), aortic valve repair (92.7 ± 16.4%), tricuspid and mitral valve repair (81.3 ± 20.4%), coarctation of the aorta (93.6 ± 18.8%), transposition of the great arteries (90.5 ± 19.4%), double outlet right ventricle and truncus arteriosus (80.5 ± 16.2%), tetralogy of Fallot (85.6 ± 20.9%), left ventricle dominant Fontan (74.7 ± 18.3%), and right ventricle dominant Fontan (75.7 ± 16.7%). Conclusion: There is a varying degree of reduced exercise capacity in paediatric patients with repaired CHD. Univentricular hearts and tricuspid and mitral valve repair have the lowest VO 2peak . These CHD-specific percentiles may help providers risk-stratify and counsel patients with CHD.

PURPOSE Despite evidence of diagnostic accuracy but unclear long-term clinical benefit, national utilization patterns of prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) are undefined. METHODS We conducted a serial cross-sectional study to evaluate the use of PET imaging among commercial insurance beneficiaries with prostate cancer using administrative claims from deidentified Blue Cross Blue Shield Axis database. Eligible patients included prevalent and incident prostate cancer cases. We calculated the proportions undergoing PET imaging in semiannual periods from January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2024. We examined the association between regional-level contextual sociodemographic and health care characteristics, and regional use of PSMA-PET imaging in 2024. RESULTS A total of 514,750 male beneficiaries age 40-89 years with prostate cancer were identified between 2016 and 2024. The proportion of individuals with prostate cancer undergoing PET imaging increased from 4.5 [95% CI, 4.1 to 4.9] per 1,000 in the first half of 2016 to 77.6 (95% CI, 76.2 to 79.1) per 1,000 in the second half of 2024, P < .001. Increases in PET were driven by uptake of PSMA-PET following approval in 2021, which increased from 0.8 (95% CI, 0.6 to 0.9) per 1,000 in the second half of 2021 to 77.0 (95% CI, 75.5 to 78.5) per 1,000 in the second half of 2024, P < .001. PSMA-PET use in 2024 was higher in regions with greater education (99.3 v 114.6 per 1,000 in lowest [Q1] v highest [Q4] educated) and income (95.4 v 112.3 per 1,000 in Q1 v Q4 income) measures, P < .001. CONCLUSION PSMA-PET was rapidly incorporated into clinical practice among commercial insurance beneficiaries with prostate cancer with higher adoption in geographic regions with higher income and education.

ABSTRACT Tumorigenesis and metastasis are frequently attributed to the intricate interplay between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Comprehending the mechanisms and key regulators of cancer‐immune crosstalk in the TME is imperative for developing efficacious immunotherapy. Through a series of in vivo CRISPR screens, we identified tumor‐intrinsic ITGB1 as a critical regulator of triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) development and deciphered its underlying mechanisms. Tumoral ITGB1 facilitated the establishment of pro‐tumorigenic TME by orchestrating tumor‐associated myeloid populations. Suppressing ITGB1 favored the enrichment of anti‐tumorigenic myeloid cells and enhanced infiltration of CD4 and CD8 T cells, culminating in superior antitumor effects. CRISPR scanning pinpointed a previously unrecognized functional domain essential for ITGB1's pro‐tumorigenic activity. This domain is distinct from all known ligand‐binding sites in ITGB1. An antibody capable of sterically blocking this domain significantly impaired TNBC progression. These findings position tumoral ITGB1 as a promising therapeutic target for reprogramming the TME from a pro‐ to an anti‐tumorigenic state, thereby effectively inhibiting TNBC development. Our study uncovers a novel mechanism of TNBC development and provides a unique therapeutic strategy for targeting ITGB1 in TNBC treatment.