Focusing on cancer patients' intentions to use psychooncological support: A longitudinal, mixed-methods study.

OBJECTIVE: Distress screening programs aim to ensure appropriate psychooncological support for cancer patients, but many eligible patients do not use these services. To improve distress management, we need to better understand patients' supportive care needs. In this paper, we report the first key finding from a longitudinal study that focused on patients' intentions to use psychooncological support and its association with distress and uptake of the psychooncology service. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, observational study in an Oncology Outpatient Clinic and assessed distress, intention to use psychooncological support, and uptake of the psychooncology service by using the Distress Thermometer, a semistructured interview, and hospital records. We analyzed data with a mixed-methods approach. RESULTS: Of 333 patients (mean age 61 years; 55% male; 54% Distress Thermometer ≥ 5), 25% intended to use the psychooncology service (yes), 33% were ambivalent (maybe), and 42% reported no intention (no). Overall, 23% had attended the psychooncology service 4 months later. Ambivalent patients reported higher distress than patients with no intention (odds ratio = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [1.06-1.32]) but showed significantly lower uptake behavior than patients with an intention (odds ratio = 14.04, 95% confidence interval [6.74-29.24]). Qualitative analyses revealed that ambivalent patients (maybe) emphasized fears and uncertainties, while patients with clear intentions (yes/no) emphasized knowledge, attitudes, and coping concepts. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a vulnerable group of ambivalent patients with high distress levels and low uptake behavior. To optimize distress screening programs, we suggest addressing and discussing patients' supportive care needs in routine clinical practice.

BK Polyomavirus-Specific 9mer CD8 T Cell Responses Correlate With Clearance of BK Viremia in Kidney Transplant Recipients: First Report From the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study.

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) causes premature kidney transplant (KT) failure in 1-15% of patients. Because antivirals are lacking, most programs screen for BKPyV-viremia and, if positive, reduce immunosuppression. To evaluate the relationship of viremia and BKPyV-specific immunity, we examined prospectively cryopreserved plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells at the time of transplantation (T0) and at 6 mo (T6) and 12 mo (T12) after transplant from 28 viremic KT patients and 68 nonviremic controls matched for the transplantation period. BKPyV IgG seroprevalence was comparable between cases (89.3%) and controls (91.2%; p = 0.8635), but cases had lower antibody levels (p = 0.022) at T0. Antibody levels increased at T6 and T12 but were not correlated with viremia clearance. BKPyV-specific T cell responses to pools of overlapping 15mers (15mer peptide pool [15mP]) or immunodominant CD8 9mers (9mer peptide pool [9mP]) from the early viral gene region were not different between cases and controls at T0; however, clearance of viremia was associated with stronger 9mP responses at T6 (p = 0.042) and T12 (p = 0.048), whereas 15mP responses were not informative (T6 p = 0.359; T12 p = 0.856). BKPyV-specific T cells could be expanded in vitro from all patients after transplant, permitting identification of 78 immunodominant 9mer epitopes including 50 new ones across different HLA class I. Thus, 9mP-responses may be a novel marker of reconstituting CD8 T cell function that warrants further study as a complement of plasma BKPyV loads for guiding immunosuppression reduction.

Impact of enterococcal colonization and infection in solid organ transplantation recipients from the Swiss transplant cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The burden of enterococcal infections has increased over the last decades with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) being a major health problem. Solid organ transplantation is considered as a risk factor. However, little is known about the relevance of enterococci in solid organ transplantation recipients in areas with a low VRE prevalence. METHODS: We examined the epidemiology of enterococcal events in patients followed in the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study between May 2008 and September 2011 and analyzed risk factors for infection, aminopenicillin resistance, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: Of the 1234 patients, 255 (20.7%) suffered from 392 enterococcal events (185 [47.2%] infections, 205 [52.3%] colonizations, and 2 events with missing clinical information). Only 2 isolates were VRE. The highest infection rates were found early after liver transplantation (0.24/person-year) consisting in 58.6% of Enterococcus faecium. The highest colonization rates were documented in lung transplant recipients (0.33/person-year), with 46.5% E. faecium. Age, prophylaxis with a betalactam antibiotic, and liver transplantation were significantly associated with infection. Previous antibiotic treatment, intensive care unit stay, and lung transplantation were associated with aminopenicillin resistance. Only 4/205 (2%) colonization events led to an infection. Adequate treatment did not affect microbiological clearance rates. Overall mortality was 8%; no deaths were attributable to enterococcal events. CONCLUSIONS: Enterococcal colonizations and infections are frequent in transplant recipients. Progression from colonization to infection is rare. Therefore, antibiotic treatment should be used restrictively in colonization. No increased mortality because of enterococcal infection was noted.

Somatostatin-based radiopeptide therapy with [177Lu-DOTA]-TOC versus [90Y-DOTA]-TOC in neuroendocrine tumours.

PURPOSE: Somatostatin-based radiopeptide treatment is generally performed using the ß-emitting radionuclides (90)Y or (177)Lu. The present study aimed at comparing benefits and harms of both therapeutic approaches. METHODS: In a comparative cohort study, patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumours underwent repeated cycles of [(90)Y-DOTA]-TOC or [(177)Lu-DOTA]-TOC until progression of disease or permanent adverse events. Multivariable Cox regression and competing risks regression were employed to examine predictors of survival and adverse events for both treatment groups. RESULTS: Overall, 910 patients underwent 1,804 cycles of [(90)Y-DOTA]-TOC and 141 patients underwent 259 cycles of [(177)Lu-DOTA]-TOC. The median survival after [(177)Lu-DOTA]-TOC and after [(90)Y-DOTA]-TOC was comparable (45.5 months versus 35.9 months, hazard ratio 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.63-1.30, p = 0.49). Subgroup analyses revealed a significantly longer survival for [(177)Lu-DOTA]-TOC over [(90)Y-DOTA]-TOC in patients with low tumour uptake, solitary lesions and extra-hepatic lesions. The rate of severe transient haematotoxicities was lower after [(177)Lu-DOTA]-TOC treatment (1.4 vs 10.1%, p = 0.001), while the rate of severe permanent renal toxicities was similar in both treatment groups (9.2 vs 7.8%, p = 0.32). CONCLUSION: The present results revealed no difference in median overall survival after [(177)Lu-DOTA]-TOC and [(90)Y-DOTA]-TOC. Furthermore, [(177)Lu-DOTA]-TOC was less haematotoxic than [(90)Y-DOTA]-TOC.

Impact of antiviral preventive strategies on the incidence and outcomes of cytomegalovirus disease in solid organ transplant recipients.

We assessed the impact of antiviral prophylaxis and preemptive therapy on the incidence and outcomes of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in a nationwide prospective cohort of solid organ transplant recipients. Risk factors associated with CMV disease and graft failure-free survival were analyzed using Cox regression models. One thousand two hundred thirty-nine patients transplanted from May 2008 until March 2011 were included; 466 (38%) patients received CMV prophylaxis and 522 (42%) patients were managed preemptively. Overall incidence of CMV disease was 6.05% and was linked to CMV serostatus (D+/R- vs. R+, hazard ratio [HR] 5.36 [95% CI 3.14-9.14], p < 0.001). No difference in the incidence of CMV disease was observed in patients receiving antiviral prophylaxis as compared to the preemptive approach (HR 1.16 [95% CI 0.63-2.17], p = 0.63). CMV disease was not associated with a lower graft failure-free survival (HR 1.27 [95% CI 0.64-2.53], p = 0.50). Nevertheless, patients followed by the preemptive approach had an inferior graft failure-free survival after a median of 1.05 years of follow-up (HR 1.63 [95% CI 1.01-2.64], p = 0.044). The incidence of CMV disease in this cohort was low and not influenced by the preventive strategy used. However, patients on CMV prophylaxis were more likely to be free from graft failure.

Does aortic stiffness improve the prediction of coronary heart disease in elderly? The Rotterdam Study.

It has been demonstrated that aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether this measure is of use in cardiovascular risk stratification in clinical practice for elderly subjects (mean age 71.5 years). Within the framework of the Rotterdam Study, we stratified subjects free of coronary heart disease (CHD) at baseline into categories of low (<10%), intermediate (10-20%) and high (>20%) 10-year risk of CHD based on Framingham risk factors. Within each risk category, we determined the percentages of subjects moving into a higher or lower risk category when adding aortic stiffness to the Framingham risk factors. Among 2849 participants, 223 CHD events occurred during a median follow-up of 7.9 years. In the low risk group, 5% of the subjects could be reclassified and in the high-risk group, 6% of the subjects could be reclassified to the intermediate-risk group. In the intermediate-risk group 3% could be reclassified to the high-risk group and 6% to the low-risk group. In a population of elderly subjects, aortic stiffness measurement in addition to Framingham risk factors leads to a limited reclassification of subjects in 10-year cardiovascular disease-risk categories. Therefore, aortic stiffness is associated with the risk of CHD in elderly, but provides no additional value in cardiovascular risk stratification.

Individual effect of renin-angiotensin system inhibition and corticosteroid therapy in IgA glomerulonephritis: results of a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of different therapy modalities on the outcome of Immunoglobulin A glomerulonephritis (IgAGN) in individual patient is not clear. We present preliminary results from the sequential application of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition and corticosteroids to discriminate the individual effect of both therapies. METHODS: Regardless of the degree of proteinuria, renal function and histological grading, patients with biopsy-proven IgAGN were treated with a standardized protocol. RAS inhibition was performed for 3 months. Thereafter, immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone (0.5 mg/kg body weight) on alternate days for 6 months was started. The primary endpoint was a maximal reduction of proteinuria (spot urine protein/ creatinine ratio (uPCR)), by RAS inhibition and by the combination of RAS inhibition and steroids. RESULTS: 10 patients were treated according to the protocol. During a median follow-up of 18 months, uPCR decreased from initial 230 mg/mmol (2 g/g) (median, interquartile range (IQR) 146 - 396) to 154 mg/mmol (1.4 g/g) (IQR 88 - 190) at 3 months during the RAS inhibition period (33% reduction, p = 0.01) and further to 31 mg/mmol (0.3 g/g) (IQR 21 - 71) until end of the steroid period at 9 months (80% reduction compared to uPCR at 3 month, p < 0.001). At the last F/U, uPCR (median) remained stable at 41 mg/mmol (0.4 g/g). The estimated glomerular filtration rate was stable during the whole observation period. CONCLUSIONS: Sequential RAS inhibition and steroid treatment leads to a continuous decrease in proteinuria, beyond the decrease produced by isolated RAS inhibition. Our data suggest independent effects of both, RAS inhibition and steroids, on the reduction of proteinuria in a small, non selected group of patients with IgAGN. The hypothesis that patients with IgAGN, regardless of the degree of proteinuria, renal function and histological grading, may benefit from combination therapy with maximal RAS inhibition and low dose corticosteroids now has to be confirmed in a randomized study.

Therapy with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in patients with coronary artery disease and dilated cardiomyopathy: benefits and disadvantages.

Contemporary guidelines refer to ICD implantation in patients who experienced ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation as secondary prevention, and in well-defined high risk groups as primary prevention. Randomised studies were performed in patients with coronary artery disease and in non-ischaemic cardiopathies, chiefly dilated cardiomyopathy. After four years' follow-up the absolute risk reduction was some 10% in secondary prevention and 8-20% in primary prevention, depending on the patient population. As only approx. 50% of ICD patients will receive appropriate therapies during long-term follow-up, reasonable risk stratification is crucial. However, apart from ejection fraction of <35%, all other echo- or electrocardiographic factors studied have thus far failed to have significant impact to determine risk in advance. In a retrospective analysis comorbidities such as advanced age, renal failure and atrial fibrillation have been shown to influence the effect of an ICD. During long term follow-up inappropriate shocks, lead complications, premature battery depletion and anxiety are some of the most significant problems for an ICD patient.

Systemic prokinetic pharmacologic treatment for postoperative adynamic ileus following abdominal surgery in adults.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative adynamic bowel atony interferes with recovery following abdominal surgery. Prokinetic pharmacologic drugs are widely used to accelerate postoperative recovery. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the benefits and harms of systemic acting prokinetic drugs to treat postoperative adynamic ileus in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. SEARCH STRATEGY: Trials were identified by computerised searches of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Colorectal Cancer Group specialised register. The reference lists of included trials and review articles were tracked and authors contacted. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled parallel-group trials (RCT) comparing the effect of systemically acting prokinetic drugs against placebo or no intervention. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Four reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed trial quality. Trial authors were contacted for additional information if needed. MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-nine RCTs met the inclusion criteria contributing a total of 4615 participants. Most trials enrolled a small number of patients and showed moderate to poor (reporting of) methodological quality, in particular regarding allocation concealment and intention-to-treat analysis. Fifteen systemic acting prokinetic drugs were investigated and ten comparisons could be summarized. Six RCTs support the effect of Alvimopan, a novel peripheral mu receptor antagonist. However, the trials do not meet reporting guidelines and the drug is still in an investigational stage. Erythromycin showed homogenous and consistent absence of effect across all included trials and outcomes. The evidence is insufficient to recommend the use of cholecystokinin-like drugs, cisapride, dopamine-antagonists, propranolol or vasopressin. Effects are either inconsistent across outcomes, or trials are too small and often of poor methodological quality. Cisapride has been withdrawn from the market due to adverse cardiac events in many countries. Intravenous lidocaine and neostigmine might show a potential effect, but more evidence on clinically relevant outcomes is needed. Heterogeneity among included trials was seen in 10 comparisons. No major adverse drug effects were evident. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Alvimopan may prove to be beneficial but proper judgement needs adherence to reporting standards. Further trials are needed on intravenous lidocaine and neostigmine. The remaining drugs can not be recommended due to lack of evidence or absence of effect.