Improved survival in patients with thyroid function test abnormalities secondary to immune-checkpoint inhibitors.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are monoclonal antibodies which target molecules to enhance antitumor response. Several adverse events have been described and the major ICI-related endocrinopathies are thyroid dysfunction and hypophysitis. Its occurrence has been associated with improved outcomes, but it is still to be proven. We performed a retrospective study of patients treated with ICI between 2014 and 2019 at an oncologic center to characterize thyroid function test abnormalities (TFTA) and to evaluate clinical outcomes. We excluded patients without regular monitoring of thyroid function, with previous thyroid or pituitary disease, previous head/neck radiotherapy and who performed only one ICI cycle. We included 161 of 205 patients treated with pembrolizumab, nivolumab or ipilimumab for several neoplasms, with a median duration of 18.9 weeks (9.1-42.6) of ICI treatment and 49.4 weeks (26.5-75.8) of follow-up. New-onset TFTA was diagnosed in 18% of patients (n = 29), in median at 10.6 weeks (6.1-31.1) of ICI therapy. On the whole, 8.7% had primary hypothyroidism, 4.3% central hypothyroidism, 2.5% biphasic thyroiditis and 2.5% thyrotoxicosis. Patients who experienced primary or central thyroid dysfunction had a significantly improved overall response rate (58.6% vs 34.2%, p = 0.015) and overall survival (3.27 vs 1.76 years, p = 0.030), compared to the control group. The risk of mortality was two times higher for control group (adjusted HR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.13-5.23, p = 0.023). This study recognizes that primary and central thyroid dysfunction can be a predictive clinical biomarker of a better response to ICI across several neoplasms.

RIB OSTEOMYELITIS: A RARE COMPLICATION OF VARICELLA.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of varicella complicated by acute osteomyelitis in order to remind of a rare and potentially serious complication of a very common pediatric disease. CASE DESCRIPTION: A previously healthy 3-month-old female infant with 10-day history of varicella was admitted to the hospital for fever, groan and prostration. The initial laboratorial evaluation was compatible with bacterial sepsis. By the third day after admission, a swelling of the seventh left rib had developed. The ultrasound and scintigraphy evaluation suggested rib osteomyelitis. Blood cultures were negative. The patient completed six weeks of antibiotics with favorable clinical, laboratorial and imaging evolution. COMMENTS: Varicella is one of the most frequent exanthematic diseases of childhood and it is usually self-limited. The most frequent complication is bacterial infection of cutaneous lesions. Osteoarticular complications are rare, and rib osteomyelitis is described in less than 1% of cases. The main route of dissemination is hematogenic, and the most frequent etiological agent is Staphylococcus aureus. The prognosis is generally good and depends on early detection and antibiotic initiation.

Interobserver agreement on cortical tracer transit in 99mTc-MAG3 renography applied to congenital hydronephrosis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate interobserver agreement on visual analysis of technetium-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine (Tc-MAG3) renal tissue transit used for the evaluation of antenatal hydronephrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight Tc-MAG3 diuretic renograms were retrospectively collected between 1 and 31 December 2015. The 1-min reframed images were presented to four nuclear medicine consultants and to two nuclear medicine residents, one in the first year of the training program and the others in their fourth and final year. These observers were asked to classify the radiotracer cortical transit (normal/delayed) based solely on visual assessment of the images. For the interobserver agreement, modified Fleiss' kappa (κ) analysis for multiple raters was carried out. For both groups, percentages of agreement were also calculated. RESULTS: A total of 69 kidneys were evaluated. All four nuclear medicine consultants agreed on the classification of 88.4% of the kidneys. When the agreement of at least three of the four observers was considered, the percentage of agreement reached 98.6%. The two nuclear medicine residents agreed on the classification of 69.6% of the kidneys. The modified Fleiss' κ-value was 0.88 (95% confidence interval: 0.79-0.95) for the group of nuclear medicine consultants, indicating almost perfect agreement. For the residents, it was 0.39 (95% confidence interval: 0.16-0.59), suggesting fair agreement. CONCLUSION: Our results seem to indicate that there is an almost perfect agreement in the qualitative identification of delayed cortical transit among physicians with experience at observing renographic images.

Rib osteomyelitis: a rare complication of varicella / Osteomielite de arco costal: uma complicação rara de varicela

ABSTRACT Objective: To report a case of varicella complicated by acute osteomyelitis in order to remind of a rare and potentially serious complication of a very common pediatric disease. Case description: A previously healthy 3-month-old female infant with 10-day history of varicella was admitted to the hospital for fever, groan and prostration. The initial laboratorial evaluation was compatible with bacterial sepsis. By the third day after admission, a swelling of the seventh left rib had developed. The ultrasound and scintigraphy evaluation suggested rib osteomyelitis. Blood cultures were negative. The patient completed six weeks of antibiotics with favorable clinical, laboratorial and imaging evolution. Comments: Varicella is one of the most frequent exanthematic diseases of childhood and it is usually self-limited. The most frequent complication is bacterial infection of cutaneous lesions. Osteoarticular complications are rare, and rib osteomyelitis is described in less than 1% of cases. The main route of dissemination is hematogenic, and the most frequent etiological agent is Staphylococcus aureus. The prognosis is generally good and depends on early detection and antibiotic initiation.

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever um caso de varicela complicada de osteomielite aguda a fim de alertar para a complicação rara e potencialmente grave de uma doença muito frequente em idade pediátrica. Descrição do caso: Lactente de três meses, previamente saudável, internada por um quadro de febre, prostração e gemido, num contexto de varicela com cerca de dez dias de evolução, com avaliação inicial compatível com sepse de etiologia bacteriana. No terceiro dia de internação, observou-se uma tumefação na sétima costela esquerda. A avaliação ecográfica e cintilográfica mostraram alterações sugestivas de osteomielite de arco costal. As hemoculturas foram negativas. Recebeu antibioticoterapia por seis semanas e evoluiu favoravelmente do ponto de vista clínico, laboratorial e ecográfico. Comentários: A varicela é uma das doenças exantemáticas mais frequentes da infância, sendo habitualmente autolimitada. A complicação mais frequente é a infecção bacteriana secundária das lesões cutâneas, sendo raras as complicações osteoarticulares. O arcabouço costal é uma localização excepcional de osteomielite, descrita em menos de 1% dos casos. A principal via de disseminação é a hematogênica, e o agente mais frequente, o Staphylococcus aureus. O prognóstico é geralmente bom, quando a antibioticoterapia se institui precocemente.