Citations

In myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), controversy persists regarding the usefulness and reproducibility of bone marrow (BM) features. Disagreements concerning the WHO classification are mainly focused on the discrimination between essential thrombocythemia (ET) and prefibrotic/early primary myelofibrosis (prePMF) and prodromal polycythemia vera (PV). Criticism mostly refers to lack of standardization of distinctive BM features precluding correct morphological pattern recognition. The distinction between WHO‐defined ET and prePMF is not trivial because outcome is significantly worse in prePMF. Morphology was generally considered to be non‐specific for the diagnosis of PV. Recent studies have revealed under‐diagnosis of morphologically and biologically consistent PV. Am. J. Hematol. 91:430–433, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Detection of early colorectal cancer is expected to rise in light of national colorectal cancer screening programs. This The present review article delineates current endoscopic risk assessments, differentiating invasive from non‐invasive neoplasia, for high likelihood of lymph node metastasis in early colorectal cancer, also termed high‐risk early colorectal cancer, and endoscopic and surgical resection methods from a Western hemisphere perspective.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are physically and financially devastating but affect a relatively small percentage of the population. Prospective identification of risk factors for ACL injury necessitates a large sample size; therefore, study of this injury would benefit from a multicenter approach. Purpose: To determine the reliability of kinematic and kinetic measures of a single-leg cross drop task across 3 institutions. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Twenty-five female high school volleyball players participated in this study. Three-dimensional motion data of each participant performing the single-leg cross drop were collected at 3 institutions over a period of 4 weeks. Coefficients of multiple correlation were calculated to assess the reliability of kinematic and kinetic measures during the landing phase of the movement. Results: Between-centers reliability for kinematic waveforms in the frontal and sagittal planes was good, but moderate in the transverse plane. Between-centers reliability for kinetic waveforms was good in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes. Conclusion: Based on these findings, the single-leg cross drop task has moderate to good reliability of kinematic and kinetic measures across institutions after implementation of a standardized testing protocol. Clinical Relevance: Multicenter collaborations can increase study numbers and generalize results, which is beneficial for studies of relatively rare phenomena, such as ACL injury. An important step is to determine the reliability of risk assessments across institutions before a multicenter collaboration can be initiated.

Purpose Several bioabsorbable and metal options are available for internal fixation of an unstable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion, but currently there are little data on outcomes with metal headless compression screws in the adult knee. The purpose of this study was to determine (1) the radiographic healing rates, (2) midterm clinical outcomes, and (3) comparison between healed and unhealed OCD fragments after use of headless metal compression screws for the treatment of unstable OCD lesions in the knees of skeletally mature patients. Methods Retrospective chart review for all skeletally mature patients who presented with unstable femoral condyle OCD lesions of the knee was conducted. All patients underwent open or arthroscopic reduction and internal fixation using headless metal compression screws. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were reviewed with healing defined as radiographic evidence of union of the OCD progeny fragment with the condyle. Clinical outcome data were collected retrospectively using 3 validated outcome scores: International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Marx. Results Twenty-two knees in 22 patients with a mean age of 21 years (range= 14-37 years) were followed for an average of 8.7 years (range = 2-22 years). Metal, headless, cannulated compression screws were used in all 22 cases. At a mean of 31 months postoperatively (range = 2-262), fragment union was observed in 18 knees (82%). The remaining 4 knees (18%) required loose fragment excision and hardware removal at a mean of 9 months (range = 2-16 months) postoperatively. Mean postoperative Marx score was 7 (range = 0-16), the mean postoperative IKDC score was 85 (range = 62-100), and mean KOOS scores included KOOS Pain (93; range = 69-100), KOOS Symptoms (86; range = 71-100), KOOS ADL (98; range = 90-100), KOOS Sports (82; range = 50-100), and KOOS QOL (76; range = 50-100). Conclusion Headless metal compression screws provide a satisfactory union rate for treatment of unstable OCD lesions of the femoral condyles in skeletally mature patients. Patients achieving union have good knee function, maintain satisfactory activity levels, and have superior knee outcomes compared with those that failed to heal after fixation at mid to long-term follow-up.

Background: Gastrointestinal tract cancers account for a significant proportion of the national cancer burden. Aim: We sought to explore patient- and hospital-level determinants of palliative care utilization among patients hospitalized with metastatic gastrointestinal tract cancers using a national database. Methods: An analysis of the 2012 National Inpatient Sample was performed. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes were used to identify hospital discharges associated with metastatic digestive tract cancers and patient/hospital covariates for inclusion in a logistic regression model. Total charges and length of stay were analyzed in a linear regression model. Results: Compared to males, females were more likely to receive inpatient palliative care (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.12, P = .002). No difference was seen between white and Asian patients (adjusted OR 1.2, P = .11) or Native Americans patients (adjusted OR 1.4, P = .22). However, relative to white patients, African Americans (adjusted OR 1.13, P = .02) and Hispanics (adjusted OR 1.25, P = .001) had significantly higher odds of inpatient palliative care. Medicare patients were least likely to receive palliative care compared to those with Medicaid or commercial payers. Length of stay during these hospitalizations was longer in African Americans ( P = .0001), Asians ( P = .0001), and Native Americans ( P = .03) compared to white patients. No difference was seen when total charges were compared between white and African American patients ( P = .08). Conversely, total charges were higher in Hispanics ( P = .005) and Asians ( P = .001) relative to white patients. Conclusion: Gender and racial differences exist in utilization of inpatient palliative care among patients hospitalized with metastatic gastrointestinal tract cancers.

AbstractBACKGROUNDFor many years, basic and clinical researchers have taken advantage of the analytical sensitivity and specificity afforded by mass spectrometry in the measurement of proteins. Clinical laboratories are now beginning to deploy these work flows as well. For assays that use proteolysis to generate peptides for protein quantification and characterization, synthetic stable isotope–labeled internal standard peptides are of central importance. No general recommendations are currently available surrounding the use of peptides in protein mass spectrometric assays.CONTENTThe Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium of the National Cancer Institute has collaborated with clinical laboratorians, peptide manufacturers, metrologists, representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, and other professionals to develop a consensus set of recommendations for peptide procurement, characterization, storage, and handling, as well as approaches to the interpretation of the data generated by mass spectrometric protein assays. Additionally, the importance of carefully characterized reference materials—in particular, peptide standards for the improved concordance of amino acid analysis methods across the industry—is highlighted. The alignment of practices around the use of peptides and the transparency of sample preparation protocols should allow for the harmonization of peptide and protein quantification in research and clinical care.

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics provide the delivery of medication over an extended period of time requiring administration typically only every 2 to 4 weeks. The side effect profile of a long-acting injectable antipsychotic is predictable and similar to the oral formulation. However, injection site reactions may occur with this novel delivery system. The risk of an injection site reaction may be greater with the repeated administration of a lipophilic decanoate formulation and include pain, development of indurations, and fibrosis. Severe complications from injection site reactions have rarely been described in the literature with newer agents. We report the first case of a patient prescribed paliperidone palmitate every 3 weeks that developed severe sepsis requiring vasopressors and intubation due to delayed relayed recognition of a necrotizing infection at an injection site. Clinicians should be alerted to screen for injection site reactions when there is an unknown source infection in a patient receiving a long-acting injectable antipsychotic.

Abstract BACKGROUND Patients have been described with loss-of-function CYP24A1 (cytochrome P450, family 24, subfamily A, polypeptide 1) mutations that cause a high ratio of 25-hydroxyvitamin D to 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D], increased serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and resulting hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria and nephrolithiasis. A 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D ratio that can identify patients who are candidates for confirmatory CYP24A1 genetic testing would be valuable. We validated an LC-MS/MS assay for 24,25(OH)2D (D3 and D2) and determined a 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D cutoff to identify candidates for confirmatory genetic testing. METHODS After addition of isotope-labeled internal standard, serum samples were extracted by solid-phase extraction, derivatized with 4-phenyl-1,2,4,-triazoline-3,5-dione, and quantified by LC-MS/MS. We measured 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D in 91 healthy patients and 34 patients with clinically suspected CYP24A1-mediated hypercalcemia. RESULTS The limits of detection and quantification were 0.03 (0.2) and 0.1 (0.24) nmol/L, respectively, for 24,25(OH)2D3, and 0.1 (0.23) and 0.5 (1.16) nmol/L for 24,25(OH)2D2. Intra- and interassay imprecision was 4%–15% across the analytical measurement range of 0.1–25 ng/mL (0.2–60 nmol/L). No interference was observed with 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D. 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D of 7–35 was observed in healthy patients, whereas in 2 patients with CYP24A1 mutations, 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D was significantly increased (99–467; P < 0.001). A 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D ratio ≥99 identified patients who were candidates for CYP24A1 genetic testing. CONCLUSIONS Increased 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D supports the diagnosis of reduced CYP24A1 activity due to mutations in CYP24A1. Measurement of 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D should be considered a part of the clinical workup in patients with hypercalcemia of otherwise unknown etiology.