Using optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography to delineate neurovascular homeostasis in migraine: a review.

Migraine is one of the world's most debilitating disorders, and it has recently been shown that changes in the retina can be a potential biomarker for the disease. These changes can be detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT), which measures retinal thickness, and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), which measures vessel density. We searched the databases Google Scholar, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies in English using OCT and OCTA in migraineurs, using the search terms "optical coherence tomography," "OCT," "optical coherence tomography angiography," "OCTA" and "migraine." We found 73 primary studies, 11 reviews, and 8 meta-analyses pertaining to OCT and OCTA findings in migraineurs. They showed that migraineurs had reduced retinal thickness (via OCT), retinal vessel density, and greater foveal avascular zone area (via OCTA) than controls. OCTA changes reflect a perfusion compromise occurring in migraineurs as opposed to in healthy controls. OCT and OCTA deficits were worse in migraine-with-aura and chronic migraine than in migraine-without-aura and episodic migraine. Certain areas of the eye, such as the fovea, may be more vulnerable to these perfusion changes than other parts. Direct comparison between study findings is difficult because of the heterogeneity between the studies in terms of both methodology and analysis. Moreover, as almost all case-control studies were cross-sectional, more longitudinal cohort studies are needed to determine cause and effect between migraine pathophysiology and OCT/OCTA findings. Current evidence suggests both OCT and OCTA may serve as retinal markers for migraineurs, and further research in this field will hopefully enable us to better understand the vascular changes associated with migraine, perhaps also providing a new diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker.

Analyzing COVID-19 Vaccine Responses in Transplant Recipients.

COVID-19 vaccination has significantly impacted the global pandemic by reducing the severity of infection, lowering rates of hospitalization, and reducing morbidity/mortality in healthy individuals. However, the degree of vaccine-induced protection afforded to renal transplant recipients who receive forms of maintenance immunosuppression remains poorly defined. This is particularly important when we factor in the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) that have defined mutations that reduce the effectiveness of Ab responses targeting the Spike Ags from the ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 variants employed in the most widely used vaccine formats. In this study, we describe a qualitative, longitudinal analysis of neutralizing Ab responses against multiple SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in 129 renal transplant recipients who have received three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2). Our results reveal a qualitative and quantitative reduction in the vaccine-induced serological response in transplant recipients versus healthy controls where only 51.9% (67 of 129) made a measurable vaccine-induced IgG response and 41.1% (53 of 129) exhibited a significant neutralizing Ab titer (based on a pseudovirus neutralization test value >50%). Analysis on the VOCs revealed strongest binding toward the wild-type Wuhan-Hu-1 and Delta variants but none with both of the Omicron variants tested (BA1 and BA2). Moreover, older transplant recipients and those who are on mycophenolic acid as part of their maintenance therapy exhibited a profound reduction in all of the analyzed vaccine-induced immune correlates. These data have important implications for how we monitor and manage transplant patients in the future as COVID-19 becomes endemic in our populations.

Engineering immunosuppressive drug-resistant armored (IDRA) SARS-CoV-2 T cells for cell therapy.

Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients receive immunosuppressive drugs (ISDs) and are susceptible to developing severe COVID-19. Here, we analyze the Spike-specific T-cell response after 3 doses of mRNA vaccine in a group of SOT patients (n = 136) treated with different ISDs. We demonstrate that a combination of a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and prednisone (Pred) treatment regimen strongly suppressed the mRNA vaccine-induced Spike-specific cellular response. Such defects have clinical consequences because the magnitude of vaccine-induced Spike-specific T cells was directly proportional to the ability of SOT patients to rapidly clear SARS-CoV-2 after breakthrough infection. To then compensate for the T-cell defects induced by immunosuppressive treatment and to develop an alternative therapeutic strategy for SOT patients, we describe production of 6 distinct SARS-CoV-2 epitope-specific ISD-resistant T-cell receptor (TCR)-T cells engineered using the mRNA electroporation method with reactivity minimally affected by mutations occurring in Beta, Delta, Gamma, and Omicron variants. This strategy with transient expression characteristics marks an improvement in the immunotherapeutic field and provides an attractive and novel therapeutic possibility for immunosuppressed COVID-19 patients.

Regional citrate anticoagulation vs systemic heparin anticoagulation for double-filtration plasmapheresis.

INTRODUCTION: Double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) has been utilized for immunomodulation in kidney transplantation. Anticoagulation is important to maintain circuit patency during DFPP. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) with systemic heparin anticoagulation during DFPP in kidney transplant recipients. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of RCA (RCA-DFPP) to systemic heparin anticoagulation (Hep-DFPP) for DFPP among kidney transplant recipients in a single tertiary center. RESULTS: A total of 112 sessions of DFPP were performed for 23 subjects, of which 62 sessions were RCA-DFPP and 50 sessions were Hep-DFPP. There were 13 sessions (11.6%) of premature circuit clotting, 10 sessions (16.1%) for RCA-DFPP and 3 sessions (6.0%) for Hep-DFPP (P = .10). All premature circuit clotting episodes occurred in subjects who underwent DFPP through a vascular catheter. Premature circuit clotting was associated with the use of a vascular catheter (odds ratio [OR] 14.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.7-73.7; P < .01) and high postfilter ionized calcium (OR 12.7, 95% CI 1.4-112.5; P < .01). There was no major bleeding event. Hep-DFPP was associated with higher occurrence of hypocalcemia (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.2; P < .01) and metabolic acidosis (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2-2.0; P = .04), while hypomagnesemia was more common for RCA-DFPP (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.1-7.4; P = .03). CONCLUSION: Amongst kidney transplant patients who receive DFPP therapy, RCA-DFPP may be comparable to Hep-DFPP for the maintenance of circuit patency. Functioning vascular access is vital in avoiding premature clotting of the circuit. Close monitoring of electrolyte imbalances and coagulopathy related to DFPP is recommended.

Lentiviral interferon: A novel method for gene therapy in bladder cancer.

Interferon alpha (IFNα) gene therapy is emerging as a new treatment option for patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Adenoviral vectors expressing IFNα have shown clinical efficacy treating bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-unresponsive bladder cancer (BLCA). However, transient transgene expression and adenoviral immunogenicity may limit therapeutic activity. Lentiviral vectors can achieve stable transgene expression and are less immunogenic. In this study, we evaluated lentiviral vectors expressing murine IFNα (LV-IFNα) and demonstrate IFNα expression by transduced murine BLCA cell lines, bladder urothelium, and within the urine following intravesical instillation. Murine BLCA cell lines (MB49 and UPPL1541) were sensitive to IFN-mediated cell death after LV-IFNα, whereas BBN975 was inherently resistant. Upregulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) predicted sensitivity to IFN-mediated cell death mediated by caspase signaling, which when inhibited abrogated IFN-mediated cell killing. Intravesical therapy with LV-IFNα/Syn3 in a syngeneic BLCA model significantly improved survival, and molecular analysis of treated tumors revealed upregulation of apoptotic and immune-cell-mediated death pathways. In particular, biomarker discovery analysis identified three clinically actionable targets, PD-L1, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and ALDHA1A, in murine tumors treated with LV-IFNα/Syn3. Our findings warrant the comparison of adenoviral and LV-IFNα and the study of novel combination strategies with IFNα gene therapy for the BLCA treatment.

Regional Citrate Anticoagulation during Double-Filtration Plasmapheresis in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) may be used for immunomodulation in kidney transplant (KTx). While DFPP reduces plasma product exposure, risk of circuit clotting merits adequate anticoagulation. Regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) avoids the risks of systemic anticoagulation, but a protocol for RCA-DFPP is not previously widely described. METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study involving adult (≥21 years old) KTx recipients who underwent RCA-DFPP from 2018 to 2020 to investigate efficacy and safety for an RCA protocol during DFPP in KTx recipients. RESULTS: Fifty-one (85%) of 60 RCA-DFPP sessions in 17 patients completed without circuit clotting. Circuit clotting was associated with high post-filter ionized calcium (28 vs. 3.7%, odds ratio 10.1, 95% CI 1.1-89.4, p = 0.037). Hypo- and hypercalcemia developed in 5 (8.3%) and 8 (13.3%) sessions, respectively, but no adverse effects were noted despite severe hypocalcemia in one. There was no significant change in pre- and post-RCA-DFPP sodium, bicarbonate, albumin, and platelet levels. With regards DFPP procedure, prolongation of prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) was observed following 38 (64.4%) and 12 (20.3%) sessions, respectively. Severely prolonged (>1.5 × upper limit normal) PT and aPTT were recorded in 2 sessions each. Expectedly, hypofibrinogenemia developed after 31 (51.7%) sessions: including 4 (6.7%) severe hypofibrinogenemia (<0.5 g/L). Two patients developed bleeding requiring blood product transfusion. The median total volume of fluids administered per session was 1.495 (1.373-1.612) L; post-RCA-DFPP significant weight gain of 0.5 (0-1.25) kg was noted. Diuretic was commenced or dose increased following 20 (33.3%) sessions for fluid balance management. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Protocol-based RCA for DFPP is feasible and safe in KTx recipients. However, DFPP-related coagulopathy can develop consequent to treatment; caution should be exercised for patients with bleeding risk. Close monitoring and management of the patients' electrolytes, especially hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia, and fluid status is recommended.

The Moderating Role of Social Network Size on Social Media Use and Self-Esteem: An Evolutionary Mismatch Perspective.

Existing meta-analyses have shown that the relationship between social media use and self-esteem is negative, but at very small effect sizes, suggesting the presence of moderators that change the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. Employing principles from social comparison and evolutionary mismatch theories, we propose that the social network sizes one has on social media play a key role in the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. In our study (N = 123), we showed that social media use was negatively related to self-esteem, but only when their social network size was within an evolutionarily familiar level. Social media use was not related to self-esteem when people's social networks were at evolutionarily novel sizes. The data supported both social comparison and evolutionary mismatch theories and elucidated the small effect size found for the relationship between social media use and self-esteem in current literature. More critically, the findings of this study highlight the need to consider evolutionarily novel stimuli that are present on social media to better understand the behaviors of people in this social environment.

Into the Unknown: Uncertainty and Procrastination in Students From a Life History Perspective.

While existing findings have established an increase in procrastination among students in higher education during COVID-19, they do not elucidate how COVID-19 has effected an increase in procrastination. Drawing upon previous findings and employing a life history framework, this paper proposed that the increase in procrastination may be attributed to the heightened levels of uncertainty in the pandemic. Additionally, this paper examined life history strategy as the psychological mechanism underlying the relation between uncertainty and procrastination. By collecting data across two school semesters in a university (N = 253), we found that uncertainty and procrastination did not differ between the semester where changes were abruptly imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19 and the following semester. Our findings also revealed that uncertainty predicted procrastination, and that life history strategy mediated the relation between uncertainty and procrastination. Specifically, uncertainty was associated with a faster life history strategy, which was positively associated with procrastination. By shedding light on the psychology behind the effect of uncertainty on procrastination, the findings of this paper hold important implications for the design of procrastination interventions for the uncertain climate during the pandemic and "the new normal" post COVID-19.

Infodemic: the effect of death-related thoughts on news-sharing.

Research on the sharing of fake news has primarily focused on the manner in which fake news spreads and the literary style of fake news. These studies, however, do not explain how characteristics of fake news could affect people's inclination toward sharing these news articles. Drawing on the Terror Management Theory, we proposed that fake news is more likely to elicit death-related thoughts than real news. Consequently, to manage the existential anxiety that had been produced, people share the news articles to feel connected to close others as a way of resolving the existential anxiety. Across three experimental studies (total N = 416), we found that it was not news type per se (i.e., real versus fake news) that influenced news-sharing intentions; instead, it was the increased accessibility to death-related thoughts elicited from the content of news articles that motivated news-sharing. The findings support the Terror Management framework and contribute to the existing literature by providing an empirical examination of the underlying psychological motive behind fake news-sharing tendencies.

Oncologic Equipoise Between Robotic and Open Radical Cystectomy.

Purpose: Our objective was to establish the incidence of positive surgical margins, recurrence patterns, and recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in a large cohort of patients undergoing robotic (robot-assisted radical cystectomy [RARC]) and open radical cystectomy (ORC). Materials and Methods: We performed a large retrospective cohort study at a high-volume academic tertiary referral center. Patients were those who underwent RC for bladder cancer from 2005 to 2017. Patients were allocated to ORC or RARC by patient and surgeon choice. Propensity matching and a multivariable analysis were performed to determine factors predictive of RFS and OS after RC. All analyses were done with SAS 9.4. Results: The study included 1885 patients, 13.5% of whom underwent RARC. There was no difference in positive soft tissue surgical margins (2.4% in ORC and 1.2% in RARC). There were no differences in recurrence patterns, nor in the severity of pathology distribution between the two cohorts. Peritoneal carcinomatosis was seen in 1.1% of ORC and 0.8% in RARC. Shorter RFS was associated with younger age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.05, p < 0.001), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.14-1.75, p = 0.002), higher pathologic stage (stage ≥T2 HR 2.45, 95% CI 1.91-3.16, p < 0.001), lymph node positivity at cystectomy (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.50-2.47, p < 0.001), and positive surgical margins (HR 1.49, 95% CI 1.09-2.05, p = 0.01). RFS and OS did not differ by surgical approach (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.83-1.30), p = 0.75 and (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.67-1.19), p = 0.43, respectively. Conclusion: The data from this study support continued use of RARC as a safe oncologic procedure, with similar outcomes to ORC.

Description of parallel and sequential configurations for concurrent therapeutic plasma exchange and continuous kidney replacement therapy in adults.

Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) are extracorporeal therapeutic procedures often implemented in management of patients. Critically ill patients may be afflicted with disease processes that require both TPE and CKRT. Performing TPE discontinuous with CKRT is technically easier, however, it disrupts CKRT and may compromise with CKRT efficiency or hemofilter life. Concurrent TPE with CKRT offers several advantages including simultaneous control of disease process and correction of electrolyte, fluid, and acid-base disturbances that may accompany TPE. Additionally, TPE may be performed by either centrifugation method or membrane plasma separation method. The technical specifications of these methods may influence the methodology of concurrent connections. This report describes and reviews two different approaches to circuit arrangements when establishing concurrent TPE and CKRT.

Comparing confirmatory biopsy outcomes between MRI-targeted biopsy and standard systematic biopsy among men being enrolled in prostate cancer active surveillance.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-targeted biopsy combined with systematic biopsy (MRI-biopsy) to reduce negative biopsies and detect clinically significant prostate cancer compared to systematic biopsy (SB) alone in the confirmatory biopsy setting using matched cohorts. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were identified from an active surveillance database who had a previously positive transrectal ultrasonography-guided SB followed by a confirmatory biopsy at a single institution between 2006 and 2019. Patients were divided into two cohorts based on confirmatory biopsy technique: SB alone or MRI-biopsy (which included MRI-targeted and systematic biopsies). Cohorts were then matched on age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, number of positive cores on initial biopsy and initial biopsy Gleason grade group (GG). Logistic regression was performed to identify associations with confirmatory biopsy upgrading. RESULTS: After matching, 514 patients were identified (257 per cohort). PSA, prostate volume and PSA density prior to initial biopsy, in addition to total number of initial biopsy positive cores and GG, were similar between the matched cohorts. After confirmatory biopsy, 118/257 patients (45.9%) in the MRI-biopsy cohort were upgraded compared to 46/257 patients (17.9%) in the SB cohort (P < 0.001). The rate of negative confirmatory biopsy was 32/257 (12.5%) compared to 97/257 (37.7%) in the MRI-biopsy and SB cohorts, respectively (P < 0.001). Confirmatory MRI-biopsy was associated with greater odds of confirmatory biopsy upgrade from GG 1 to ≥GG 2 compared to SB alone (odds ratio 3.62, 95% confidence interval 1.97-6.63; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The addition of MRI-targeted biopsies to SB in the confirmatory biopsy setting among men with previously detected prostate cancer resulted in fewer negative confirmatory biopsies and detection of more clinically significant prostate cancer compared to SB alone.

Applying the Dual Filial Piety Model in the United States: A Comparison of Filial Piety Between Asian Americans and Caucasian Americans.

The definition and measurement of filial piety in existing research primarily focuses on the narrow conceptualizations of Asian filial piety, which would inflate cultural differences and undermine cultural universals in how people approach caring for their elderly parents. Employing the Dual Filial Piety Model (DFPM), this study aimed to examine the relationship between filial piety and attitude toward caring for elderly parents beyond the Asian context. In our study (N = 276), we found that reciprocal filial piety (RFP) does not differ across cultures while authoritarian filial piety (AFP) does. We also found that collectivism, rather than ethnicity, predicted RFP and AFP, which in turn predicted positive attitude toward caring for elderly parents. Our work demonstrates the cross-cultural applicability of the DFPM and highlights the universal and culture-specific aspects of filial piety.

Radical Cystectomy and Perioperative Sexual Function: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related changes in sexual function (SF) negatively impact quality of life and intimate partner relationships. There is a lack of data regarding SF among patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC). AIM: To comparatively evaluate perioperative SF among patients who underwent RC. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 150 patients undergoing RC for bladder cancer and participating in an internal validation study at a single institution from 2016 to 2019 were eligible for analysis. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire-Bladder Cancer Muscle Invasive (EORTC QLQ-BLM 30) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bladder were administered; those completing the SF subscale of the EORTC QLQ-BLM 30 were included in final analysis. Analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and generalized linear modeling. OUTCOMES: The primary outcome was interest or engagement in sexual activity within 4 weeks of survey completion, whereas the secondary outcome was a mean score on the EORTC QLQ-BLM 30 SF subscale. RESULTS: Overall, 132 of 150 (88%) of patients were eligible, of whom 82% were male, and the median age was 68.5 years. 53% reported at least a little interest in sexual activity, and 40% endorsed sexual activity within the last 4 weeks. The mean SF subscale score was 61.5 ± 25.2. Women had significantly worse mean scores of 72.9 ± 27.1 versus 59.1 ± 24.2 for men (P = .02). On multivariate analysis, both age and female gender were independently associated with higher SF domain scores. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: A substantial portion of patients who underwent RC endorse being sexually active or express interest in sexually activity in the perioperative period. Given the recent increase in attention given to SF outcomes and quality of life, this work supports further efforts to explore this area and develop novel interventions to improve outcomes. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Strengths include rigorously collected, cross-sectional data using standardized methodology. Limitations include a relatively small sample size of female patients and unknown meaningful clinical difference. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial portion of patients report sexual interest and activity in the perioperative period; however, female gender is associated with worse SF domain scores. These findings support further inquiry into this topic. Westerman ME, Kokorovic A, Wang XS, et al. Radical Cystectomy and Perioperative Sexual Function: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. J Sex Med 2020;17:1995-2004.

Confidence is sexy and it can be trained: Examining male social confidence in initial, opposite-sex interactions.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether men's social confidence in an initial, opposite-sex chatting context can be improved through a video tutorial and the extent to which being perceived as socially confident results in being seen as more romantically desirable and worthy of future contact. METHOD: Women chatted with men who had received or not received a tutorial on how to handle speed-dating chats (Study 1: N = 129; Study 2: N = 60) or with male targets selected for having high versus moderate confidence in handling initial, opposite-sex encounters (Study 3: N = 46). RESULTS: Tutorial-trained men felt more confident going into the chats and they, as well as male targets selected for their confidence, were perceived by female chat partners to be higher in social confidence, status, and dominance. However, only perceptions of social confidence were further associated with being perceived as more romantically desirable (as a short-term mate) and worthy of future contact. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that social confidence is trainable and that other-perceived social confidence can impact the outcomes of social interactions.

TCF21 Promotes Luminal-Like Differentiation and Suppresses Metastasis in Bladder Cancer.

Little is known regarding the subclone evolution process in advanced bladder cancer, particularly with respect to the genomic alterations that lead to the development of metastatic lesions. In this project, we identify gene expression signatures associated with metastatic bladder cancer through mRNA expression profiling of RNA isolated from 33 primary bladder cancer and corresponding lymph node (LN) metastasis samples. Gene expression profiling (GEP) was performed on RNA isolated using the Illumina DASL platform. We identified the developmental transcription factor TCF21 as being significantly higher in primary bladder cancer compared with LN metastasis samples. To elucidate its function in bladder cancer, loss- and gain-of-function experiments were conducted in bladder cancer cell lines with high and low expression of TCF21, respectively. We also performed GEP in bladder cancer cell lines following TCF21 overexpression. We identified 2,390 genes differentially expressed in primary bladder cancer and corresponding LN metastasis pairs at an FDR cutoff of 0.1 and a fold change of 1. Among those significantly altered, expression of TCF21 was higher in the primary tumor compared with LN metastasis. We validated this finding with qPCR and IHC on patient samples. Moreover, TCF21 expression was higher in luminal cell lines and knockdown of TCF21 increased invasion, tumor cell dissemination, and metastasis. In contrast, overexpression of TCF21 in highly metastatic basal bladder cancer cell lines decreased their invasive and metastatic potential. IMPLICATIONS: TCF21 is differentially overexpressed in primary bladder cancer compared with matched LN metastasis, with in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrating a metastasis suppressor function of this transcription factor.

Hungry bone syndrome after parathyroidectomy in end-stage renal disease patients: review of an alkaline phosphatase-based treatment protocol.

AIM: Hyperparathyroidism in chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Parathyroidectomy is widely carried out as treatment despite complications such as hypocalcaemia post-surgery. Our centre has been using an ALP-based protocol to replace calcium postoperatively to prevent hypocalcaemia. We aim to describe and audit our calcium replacement protocol post-parathyroidectomy METHODS: We, retrospectively, analyse 167 end-stage kidney disease patients who had parathyroidectomy with auto-implantation in Singapore General Hospital between January 2008 and December 2013. Their calcium replacement postoperatively was initiated upon patient arrival back in ward on the same day of surgery based on their pre-op ALP prior to occurrence of hypocalcaemia. Patient demographics, surgical and laboratory parameters were reviewed from medical records. Changes in calcium postoperatively were reported to look for incidence of calcium derangement. RESULTS: Mean calcium levels between pre-operation day and post-operation day 7 ranged from 2.31 to 2.70 mmol/L. Decline in serum calcium was common in all patients prior to starting calcium replacement. Eighteen patients (10.9%) experienced hypocalcaemia immediately post-operation prior to commencement of IV calcium replacement. Patients with immediate post-operation hypocalcaemia had lower pre-operation calcium but higher pre-operation alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and pre-operation intact parathyroid hormone. Hypercalcaemia is common likely from aggressive IV calcium replacement using the protocol. The average length of stay for patients prior to calcium stabilization and discharge was 9 days. CONCLUSION: Implementation of an ALP-based prophylactic calcium replacement protocol with daily serum calcium monitoring can ameliorate severe hypocalcaemia post-parathyroidectomy.

Radical cystectomy in women: Impact of the robot-assisted versus open approach on surgical outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a comparison of complications following open versus robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RC) among women who undergo the procedure. Studies comparing robotic to open RC have been mixed without a clear delineation of which patients benefit the most from one modality vs. the other, leading to continued debate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of women who underwent either open or robotic RC at the MD Anderson Cancer Center from 1/2014 to 6/2018. Co-morbidities, pathologic data, and complications were assessed with descriptive statistics, along with uni- and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: 122 women underwent either open (n = 76) or robotic (n = 46) RC. Open RC was associated with greater intraoperative blood loss (median EBL 775 ml vs. 300 ml, P < 0.001). In both uni- and multivariable analyses, open RC was associated with a greater odds of intraoperative transfusion compared to robotic RC (odds ratio 6.49, 95% CI 2.85-14.78, P < 0.001). Women undergoing open RC were also at greater odds of receiving 4 or more units of packed red blood cells (odds ratio 5.46 (1.75-17.02), P = 0.003). Robotic RC conferred a higher median lymph node yield (27 vs. 20 nodes, P, <0.001) and operative times (median 513 min vs. 391.5 min, P < 0.001). There were no differences in margin positivity, length of stay, or readmission rates at 30 and 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic RC was associated with a significantly lower risk of transfusion and EBL, and a higher median lymph node yield and operative time. Unique anatomic considerations may in part be responsible for these findings.