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Khurram Jamil,1 S Chris Pappas,2 Florence Wong,3 Arun J Sanyal4 1Department of Scientific Affairs, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Bedminster, NJ, USA; 2Scientific Affairs, Orphan Therapeutics, Lebanon, NJ, USA; 3Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USACorrespondence: Khurram JamilDepartment of Scientific Affairs, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, 1405 US-206, Bedminster Township, NJ 07921, USATel +1 908 238 6416Email khurram.jamil@mnk.comBackground: Hepatorenal syndrome type 1 (HRS-1) is an uncommon, rapidly progressing, potentially fatal renal failure if left untreated. Terlipressin is a vasopressin analog that is first-line therapy in combination with albumin for treatment of HRS-1 in countries outside of North America. In two previous Phase III clinical trials, terlipressin showed favorable effects on improvement in renal function compared with placebo; however, neither study showed a significant between-group difference in the primary end point. CONFIRM (NCT02770716) is an ongoing clinical trial designed to address operational challenges observed in the previous studies by using a novel, more clinically relevant primary end point than the previous studies.Methods: This Phase III, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study is expected to enroll about 300 patients at approximately 70 sites in the US and Canada. Patients with cirrhosis and ascites demonstrating renal impairment via rapidly progressive worsening of serum creatinine (SCr) level (≥199 μmol/L [≥2.25 mg/dL] with a trajectory of SCr doubling over 2 weeks) are randomized 2:1 to receive either terlipressin 1 mg every 6 hrs as an IV bolus injection or placebo. The design of the study is generally similar to previous terlipressin prospective studies in the setting of HRS-1. A key feature differentiating this study from the previous ones centers around a novel, multi-component efficacy variable that extends beyond the traditional outcome of improvement in renal function to include durability of treatment-related effects on renal replacement therapy (RRT) requirements and survival. To meet criteria for the primary efficacy end point in CONFIRM, patients must show not only HRS reversal confirmed by two SCr values ≤1.5 mg/dL, but also survive, without RRT, for at least 10 days after achieving it.Conclusion: Data from this pivotal study will demonstrate whether terlipressin treatment is effective as measured by a new, clinically meaningful, multi-component primary efficacy end point.Keywords: acute kidney injury, end-stage liver disease, renal insufficiency, vasoconstrictor agents, vasopressin

BackgroundBehavioral symptoms in breast cancer (BC) survivors have been attributed to cancer treatment and resulting inflammation. However, studies linking behavioral symptoms to BC treatment have observed patients only after some treatment. Our prospective study with pre-treatment baseline investigates post-treatment changes in inflammation-related biomarkers and whether those changes correlate with changes in symptoms.MethodsParticipants were postmenopausal women, newly-diagnosed with stage 0-3 BC before any treatment (n = 173 "patients"), and age-matched women without cancer (n = 77 "controls"), who were assessed on plasma markers [soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type 2 (sTNF-RII), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), C-reactive protein (CRP)]) and symptoms (Physical Functioning, Pain, Attention/concentration, Perceived Cognitive Problems, Fatigue, Sleep Insufficiency, Depression). Participants were assessed again 1 month, 1 year, and 2 years after completing primary treatment or similar interval in controls. Generalized linear mixed models tested 4 treatments (surgery alone or with chemotherapy, radiation, or both) for association with change per marker. Joint models tested change per marker for association with change per symptom. Models considered demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical covariates. False Discovery Rate method controlled risk of error from multiple hypotheses.ResultsAt one month post-completion of treatment, sTNF-RII and IL-6 were elevated by all BC treatments, as were IL-1RA and CRP after surgery alone (all, p

PurposeData regarding changes in functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) before and after surgery are lacking. We identified colorectal cancer patients from the SEER-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) linked database to evaluate the association between HRQOL and survival.MethodsHRQOL survey data captured physical/mental health, activities of daily living (ADLs), and medical comorbidities. Patients who underwent surgery with HRQOL surveys prior to cancer diagnosis and ≥ 1 year after diagnosis were selected. Patient, disease, and HRQOL measures were analyzed in regard to overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and non-DSS.ResultsOf 590 patients included, 55% were female, 75% were Caucasian, and 83% had colonic primary. Disease extent was localized for 52%, regional for 41%, and distant for 7%. Median OS was 83 months. Decreased OS was independently associated with age ≥ 75 (HR 1.7, p

Introduction: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing b cells. Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) plays a role in autoimmune diseases, and B cell-specific TLR9 deficiency delays T1D development. Gutmicrobiota are implicated in T1D, although the relationship is complex. However, the impact of B cell-specific deficiency of TLR9 on intestinal microbiota and the impact of altered intestinal microbiota on the development of T1D are unclear. Objectives: This study investigated how gut microbiota and the intestinal barrier contribute to T1D development in B cell-specific TLR9-deficient NOD mice. Additionally, this study explored the role of microbiota in immune regulation and T1D onset. Methods: The study assessed gut permeability, gene expression related to gut barrier integrity, and gut microbiota composition. Antibiotics depleted gut microbiota, and fecal samples were transferred to germ-free mice. The study also examined IL-10 production, Breg cell differentiation, and their impact on T1D development. Results: B cell-specific TLR9-deficient NOD mice exhibited increased gut permeability and downregulated gut barrier-related gene expression. Antibiotics restored gut permeability, suggesting microbiota influence. Altered microbiota were enriched in Lachnospiraceae, known for mucin degradation. Transferring this microbiota to germ-free mice increased gut permeability and promoted IL-10- expressing Breg cells. Rag-/- mice transplanted with fecal samples from Tlr9fl/fl Cd19-Cre+ mice showed delayed diabetes onset, indicating microbiota's impact. Conclusion: B cell-specific TLR9 deficiency alters gut microbiota, increasing gut permeability and promoting IL-10-expressing Breg cells, which delay T1D. This study uncovers a link between TLR9, gut microbiota, and immune regulation in T1D, with implications for microbiota-targeted T1D therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) have a >2‐fold risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD; heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke), compared to the general population. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is predictive of CVD in nononcology patients but is not as well studied in patients who underwent HCT and survivors of HCT.The objective of this study was to examine the association between CAC and CVD risk and outcomes after HCT in patients with lymphoma. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 243 consecutive patients who underwent a first autologous HCT for lymphoma between 2009 and 2014. CAC (Agatston score) was determined from chest computed tomography obtained <60 days from HCT. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for covariates (age, conventional risk factors [e.g., hypertension and dyslipidemia], and cancer treatment). Results: The median age at HCT was 55.7 years (range, 18.5–75.1 years), 59% were male, and 60% were non‐Hispanic White. The prevalence of CAC was 37%. The 5‐year CVD incidence for the cohort was 12%, and there was an incremental increase in the incidence according to CAC score: 0 (6%), 1–100 (20%), and >100 (32%) (p =.001). CAC was significantly associated with CVD risk (HR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.2–7.5) and worse 5‐year survival (77% vs. 50%; p <.001; HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1–3.4), compared to those without CAC. Conclusions: CAC is independently associated with CVD and survival after HCT. This highlights the importance of integrating readily available imaging information in risk stratification and decision‐making in patients undergoing HCT, which sets the stage for strategies to optimize outcomes after HCT. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) survivors have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the general population, and therefore thorough assessment of cardiovascular risk before HCT is essential. This study showed that the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, obtained from routine pretransplant imaging, is significantly associated with CVD posttransplant and is a useful addition to traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Further prospective studies are needed to understand how CAC screening should be formally incorporated into pretransplant workup, cardiovascular risk assessment, and clinical decision‐making and its effect on posttransplant outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]