Patient Voices in Rheumatic Immune-related Adverse Events.

Patients with cancer considering immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy often look for health information and peer support through online communities. The authors used social media content analysis to obtain the perspectives of patients receiving ICI treatment about immune-related adverse events (irAEs), with particular focus on rheumatological symptoms. The most reported rheumatic symptom was joint pain. Other commonly reported symptoms included muscle pain, joint stiffness, arthritis, myositis, bone pain, back pain, and tendon/ligament pain. A few users reported development of rheumatic diseases. The authors' analyses allowed for cataloging and assessment of patient and caregiver experiences with ICI therapy and rheumatic irAEs.

Generating a list of potentially important contextual factors covering randomized trials, cohorts, and measurement property studies: An OMERACT initiative.

OBJECTIVES: To generate candidates for contextual factors (CFs) for each CF type (i.e., Effect Modifying Contextual Factors (EM-CFs), Outcome Influencing Contextual Factors (OI-CFs), and Measurement Affecting Contextual Factors (MA-CFs)) considered important within rheumatology. METHODS: We surveyed OMERACT working groups and conducted a Special Interest Group (SIG) session at the OMERACT 2023 meeting, where the results were reviewed, and additional CFs suggested. RESULTS: The working groups suggested 44, 49, and 21 generic EM-CFs, OI-CFs, and MA-CFs, respectively. SIG participants added 49, 44, and 55 factors, respectively. CONCLUSION: Candidate CFs were identified, next step is a consensus-based set of endorsed (important) CFs.

Patient outcomes in longitudinal observational studies (POLOS) of rheumatoid arthritis: Determining the OMERACT core domain set.

OBJECTIVE: To define and select rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-specific core domain set for Longitudinal Observational Studies (LOS) within the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) framework. METHODS: A three-round online Delphi exercise, including patient research partners (PRPs) and other community partners in healthcare, was conducted. Domains scored 7-9 (i.e., critically important to include) by ≥ 70 % of participants in both groups were included. Items were consolidated in a subsequent dedicated meeting. RESULTS: Nineteen domains scored ≥ 70 % consensus in both groups. The focus group refined these into a list of twelve domains. CONCLUSION: The achieved consensus will inform the next steps of developing the core domain set for LOS in RA.

Safety and effectiveness of combination versus monotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases.

Patients with preexisting autoimmune disease (pAID) are generally excluded from clinical trials for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer due to concern of flaring pAID. In this multi-center, retrospective observational study, we compared safety of ICI combination (two ICI agents) versus monotherapy in cancer patients with pAIDs. The primary outcome was time to AEs (immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and/or pAID flares), with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival as secondary outcomes. Sixty-four of 133 patients (48%) received ICI combination and 69 (52%) monotherapy. Most had melanoma (32%) and lung cancer (31%). Most common pAIDs were rheumatic (28%) and dermatologic (23%). Over a median follow-up of 15 months (95%CI, 11-18 mo), the cumulative incidence of any-grade irAEs was higher for combination compared to monotherapy (subdistribution hazard ratio (sHR) 2.27, 95%CI 1.35-3.82). No statistically significant difference was observed in high-grade irAEs (sHR 2.31 (0.95-5.66), P = .054) or the cumulative incidence of pAID flares. There was no statistically significant difference for melanoma PFS between combination versus monotherapy (23.2 vs. 17.1mo, P = .53). The combination group was more likely to discontinue or hold ICI, but > 50% of the combination group was still able to continue ICI therapy. No treatment-related deaths occurred. In our cohort with pAIDs, patients had a tolerable toxicity profile with ICI combination therapy. Our results support the use of ICI combination if deemed necessary for cancer therapy in patients with pAIDs, since the ICI toxicities were comparable to monotherapy, able to be effectively managed and mostly did not require ICI interruption.

Performance of advanced machine learning algorithms overlogistic regression in predicting hospital readmissions: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: Machine learning algorithms are being increasingly used for predicting hospital readmissions. This meta-analysis evaluated the performance of logistic regression (LR) and machine learning (ML) models for the prediction of 30-day hospital readmission among patients in the US. Methods: Electronic databases (i.e., Medline, PubMed, and Embase) were searched from January 2015 to December 2019. Only studies in the English language were included. Two reviewers performed studies screening, quality appraisal, and data collection. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool. Model performance was evaluated using the Area Under the Curve (AUC). A random-effects meta-analysis was performed using STATA 16. Results: Nine studies were included based on the selection criteria. The most common ML techniques were tree-based methods such as boosting and random forest. Most of the studies had a low risk of bias (8/9). The AUC was greater with ML to predict 30-day all-cause hospital readmission compared with LR [Mean Difference (MD): 0.03; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.01-0.05]. Subgroup analyses found that deep-learning methods had a better performance compared with LR (MD 0.06; 95% CI, 0.04-0.09), followed by neural networks (MD: 0.03; 95% CI, 0.03-0.03), while the AUCs of the tree-based (MD: 0.02; 95% CI -0.00-0.04) and kernel-based (MD: 0.02; 95% CI 0.02 (-0.13-0.16) methods were no different compared to LR. More than half of the studies evaluated heart failure-related rehospitalization (N = 5). For the readmission prediction among heart failure patients, ML performed better compared with LR, with a mean difference in AUC of 0.04 (95% CI, 0.01-0.07). The leave-one-out sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the findings. Conclusion: Multiple ML methods were used to predict 30-day all-cause hospital readmission. Performance varied across the ML methods, with deep-learning methods showing the best performance over the LR.

Learning Needs of Patients with Cancer and a Pre-Existing Autoimmune Disease Who Are Candidates to Receive Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Patients with pre-existing autoimmune disorders and cancer considering immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) need to receive balanced information about the benefits and risk of developing immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and flare-ups of their autoimmune disease. To assess the learning needs of patients with cancer and pre-existing autoimmune disease regarding ICI treatment, we interviewed 29 patients with autoimmune disease and cancer from a comprehensive cancer center, of whom 20 had received ICI and 9 were candidates to receive ICI at a US Cancer Center. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted from August 2021 and January 2022. Interviewee's opinions and preferences about content and information delivery methods were collected. We recorded and transcribed interviews and analyzed them using thematic analysis. Half of the participants were female, and their median (SD) age was 62.9 (±10.9) years. The identified health information needs included the following: (1) information on irAEs and autoimmune disease flare-ups; (2) benefits of ICI; (3) ICI mechanism in the context of autoimmune disease; (4) management of flare-ups; (5) reasons for stopping or modifying cancer or autoimmune disease treatment; (6) likelihood of autoimmune disease progression or organ damage; and (7) lifestyle changes that could help avoid irAEs. Patients who had received ICI and those who had not yet received treatment reported similar needs, although patients who had received ICI had more questions about cancer treatment modifications. Patients also expressed the need to better understand when to contact their provider and how to share information with multiple providers. Most patients wanted to receive information in visual formats for review at home and at their own pace. Patients expressed interest in having educational tools to facilitate shared decision-making with their physicians, and they identified several areas of health information concerning therapy with ICI. They also highlighted the importance of communication among their various providers.

Physician Views on the Provision of Information on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy to Patients with Cancer and Pre-Existing Autoimmune Disease: A Qualitative Study.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved cancer outcomes but can cause severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and flares of autoimmune conditions in cancer patients with pre-existing autoimmune disease. The objective of this study was to identify the information physicians perceived as most useful for these patients when discussing treatment initiation with ICIs. Twenty physicians at a cancer institution with experience in the treatment of irAEs were interviewed. Qualitative thematic analysis was performed to organize and interpret data. The physicians were 11 medical oncologists and 9 non-oncology specialists. The following themes were identified: (1) current methods used by physicians to provide information to patients and delivery options; (2) factors to make decisions about whether or not to start ICIs in patients who have cancer and pre-existing autoimmune conditions; (3) learning points for patients to understand; (4) preferences for the delivery of ICI information; and (5) barriers to the implementation of ICI information in clinics. Regarding points to discuss with patients, physicians agreed that the benefits of ICIs, the probability of irAEs, and risks of underlying autoimmune condition flares with the use of ICIs were most important. Non-oncologists were additionally concerned about how ICIs affect the autoimmune disease (e.g., impact on disease activity, need for changes in medications for the autoimmune disease, and monitoring of autoimmune conditions).

Immunosuppression for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis to determine the effects of immunosuppression on Group 1 Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) with a search strategy developed by a medical librarian. We included retrospective, cross-sectional, case-control, prospective studies, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in our analysis and only included studies that contained data for patients with SLE. We included any immunosuppressive agents (including but not limited to cyclophosphamide, glucocorticoids, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, and rituximab) We assessed for risk of bias and certainty of evidence. Outcomes included hemodynamics (as measured by pulmonary arterial hypertension), functional status, 6 minute walk test (6MWT), quality of life, mortality, and serious adverse events. RESULTS: We included three studies. One RCT and two single-arm interventional observational studies. The RCT had a high risk of bias whereas the two single-arm interventional studies were graded as fair quality. Meta-analysis could not be conducted because of insufficient data. The RCT showed significant improvements in hemodynamics (as measured by pulmonary arterial pressures) and functional status. One observational study showed improvements in hemodynamics, functional status, and 6MWT. There were insufficient data for serious adverse events, mortality, and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a high prevalence and with a poor prognosis, there is a paucity of data for the role of immunosuppression in the treatment of Group 1 Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in SLE. More high-quality studies are needed, especially to investigate serious adverse events and quality of life.

COVID-19 Outcomes in Patients with Cancer Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can cause inflammatory and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) that might worsen the course of COVID-19. We conducted a systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022307545) to evaluate the clinical course and complications of COVID-19 in patients with cancer receiving ICI. Methods: We searched Medline and Embase through January 5, 2022. We included studies evaluating patients with cancer who received ICI and developed COVID-19. Outcomes included mortality, severe COVID-19, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital admissions, irAEs, and serious adverse events. We pooled data with random effects meta-analysis. Results: Twenty-five studies met study eligibility (n = 36,532 patients: 15,497 had COVID-19 and 3220 received ICI). Most studies (71.4%) had a high risk of comparability bias. There were no significant differences in mortality (relative risk [RR] 1.29; 95% CI 0.62-2.69), ICU admission (RR 1.20; 95% CI 0.71-2.00), and hospital admission (RR 0.91; 95% CI 0.79-1.06) when comparing patients treated with ICI with patients without cancer treatment. When pooling adjusted odds ratios (ORs), no statistically significant differences were observed in mortality (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.57-1.60), severe COVID-19 (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.45-2.46), or hospital admission (OR 2.02; 95% CI 0.96-4.27), when comparing patients treated with ICIs versus patients with cancer without ICI therapy. No significant differences were observed when comparing clinical outcomes in patients receiving ICIs versus patients receiving any of the other anticancer therapies. Conclusion: Although current evidence is limited, COVID-19 clinical outcomes of patients with cancer receiving ICI therapy appear to be similar to those not receiving oncologic treatment or other cancer therapies.

Smoking cessation patterns, usefulness of quitting methods, and tobacco cessation motivators and barriers to quit in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Tobacco use is highly discouraged in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) due to related short and long-term health implications. We aimed to evaluate smoking cessation patterns in patients with RA. In addition, we ascertained perceptions on the usefulness of quitting methods, and perceived motivators and barriers to quit. METHODS: We surveyed adults with RA enrolled in the FORWARD Databank who self-identified as former or current tobacco users. RESULTS: Three hundred forty-eight participants completed the survey and responded to the question "do you currently smoke" (former use = 319; current use = 29). Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) was perceived as extremely/somewhat useful by 31%, followed by individual 27% and group counseling 21%. Experiencing a major health event was the most common motivator to quit. Current users on average smoked 17 cigarettes per day. Six of the 29 current users had used electronic cigarettes in the past 30 days. The most frequent methods used to quit were "cold turkey quitting," NRT, and prescription medicines. Only 8 of the 23 current users had plans to quit or expressed being ready to make changes to quit. Reasons most frequently listed to not quit were using smoking to manage negative emotions, as a pleasurable habit, to manage other addictions, and to provide a sense of control (e.g., to cope with RA). CONCLUSIONS: Current users expressed several negative emotions including coping with the disease and "being a pleasurable habit" when trying to quit. Future cessation programs should address these barriers to support patients with RA. Key Points • First study characterizing the smoking behavior of patients with RA in the USA. Current users were younger, had a shorter disease duration, and worse disease outcomes compared to former smokers. • Former and current users reported similar motivators to quit, with experiencing a major health event being most common. Only about a third of participants who quit or who were still smoking received advice from a health professional. • The most common reasons for not quitting were that smoking help to manage negative emotions and was a pleasurable habit. Future studies should focus on cessation programs that support participants with RA by addressing the unique perceptions about smoking in this population.

A protocol for a cluster randomized trial of care delivery models to improve the quality of smoking cessation and shared decision making for lung cancer screening.

BACKGROUND: Patients eligible for lung cancer screening (LCS) are those at high risk of lung cancer due to their smoking histories and age. While screening for LCS is effective in lowering lung cancer mortality, primary care providers are challenged to meet beneficiary eligibility for LCS from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, including a patient counseling and shared decision-making (SDM) visit with the use of patient decision aid(s) prior to screening. METHODS: We will use an effectiveness-implementation type I hybrid design to: 1) identify effective, scalable smoking cessation counseling and SDM interventions that are consistent with recommendations, can be delivered on the same platform, and are implemented in real-world clinical settings; 2) examine barriers and facilitators of implementing the two approaches to delivering smoking cessation and SDM for LCS; and 3) determine the economic implications of implementation by assessing the healthcare resources required to increase smoking cessation for the two approaches by delivering smoking cessation within the context of LCS. Providers from different healthcare organizations will be randomized to usual care (providers delivering smoking cessation and SDM on site) vs. centralized care (smoking cessation and SDM delivered remotely by trained counselors). The primary trial outcomes will include smoking abstinence at 12-weeks and knowledge about LCS measured at 1-week after baseline. CONCLUSION: This study will provide important new evidence about the effectiveness and feasibility of a novel care delivery model for addressing the leading cause of lung cancer deaths and supporting high-quality decisions about LCS. GOV PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: NCT04200534 TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.govNCT04200534.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of e-cigarette use among cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the use of e-cigarettes among cancer survivors, factors associated with their use, and prevalence of e-cigarette use as a quit attempt. METHODS: We searched five electronic databases until June 2022. Two authors independently selected studies, appraised their quality, and collected data. RESULTS: Twenty-three publications from eight data sources (national surveys) met our eligibility criteria. The pooled rate of lifetime e-cigarette use among cancer survivors was 15% (95% CI 6-27%); current use was 3% (95% CI 0-8%). Among survivors who currently used traditional cigarettes, 63% (95% CI 57-69%) also used e-cigarettes. The reported rates of weighted lifetime e-cigarette use differed between age groups (18-44 years, up to 46.7%; 45-64, up to 27.2%; ≥65, up to 24.8%). Nine publications reported factors associated with lifetime e-cigarette use (i.e., active use of traditional cigarettes; heavy drinking; poor mental health; younger age; being male, non-Hispanic White, or single; having less than high school education or income ≤$25,000 USD; and living in the South regions of the US or urban areas). E-cigarettes were used as a quit resource by 75% of survivors reporting dual use of electronic and traditional cigarettes (95% CI 63%, 85%). CONCLUSION: More than two-thirds of survivors currently using traditional cigarettes also use e-cigarettes. Higher use rates of e-cigarettes were reported among young cancer survivors compared to older survivors. Future studies are needed to assess the impact of e-cigarettes on long-term health and improve screening of smoking behaviors. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Our study provides an overview of the prevalence of e-cigarette use and sociodemographic risk factors associated with e-cigarette use among cancer survivors. The findings can assist providers in supporting attempts to quit among cancer survivors.

Cultural influences on shared decision-making among Asian Americans: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize how Asian Americans negotiate involvement in shared decision-making (SDM) with their providers, the cultural influences on SDM, and perceived barriers and facilitators to SDM. METHODS: This is a systematic review of qualitative studies. We searched six electronic databases and sources of gray literature until March 2021. Two reviewers independently screened studies, performed quality appraisal, and data extraction. Meta-synthesis was performed to summarize themes using a three-step approach. RESULTS: Twenty studies with 675 participants were included. We abstracted 275 initial codes and grouped these into 19 subthemes and 4 major themes: (1) negotiating power and differing expectations in SDM; (2) cultural influences on SDM; (3) importance of social support in SDM; and (4) supportive factors for facilitating SDM. CONCLUSIONS: Asian Americans have important perspectives, needs, and preferences regarding SDM that impacts how they engage with the provider on medical decisions and their perception of the quality of their care. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Asian American patients valued good communication and sufficient time with their provider, and that it is important for health professionals to understand patients' desired level of involvement in the SDM process and in the final decision, and who should be involved in SDM beyond the patient. OTHER: This systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021241665).

Identification of outcome domains in immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced inflammatory arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica: A scoping review by the OMERACT irAE working group.

INTRODUCTION: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), increasingly used cancer therapeutics, can cause off-target inflammatory effects called immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including ICI-induced inflammatory arthritis (ICI-induced IA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (ICI-induced PMR). There are no validated classification criteria or outcome measures for these conditions, and adaptation of treatment recommendations from corresponding rheumatic diseases may not be appropriate. We summarized clinical descriptors of ICI-induced IA and ICI-induced PMR and aggregated domains used for these conditions in order to inform the development of a core set of outcome domains. METHODS: As the initial step of the core domain set generation process, we systemically searched Medline (Pubmed), EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINHL through March 2021 to identify all studies that provide both clinical descriptions and domains relevant to ICI-induced IA and ICI-induced PMR. Domains were mapped to core areas, such as pathophysiological manifestations, life impact, resource use, and longevity/survival, as suggested by the OMERACT 2.1 Filter. RESULTS: We identified 69 publications, over a third of which utilized non-specific diagnoses of "arthritis," "arthralgia," and/or "PMR". Other publications provided the number, the distribution and/or names of specific joints affected, while others labeled the irAE as the corresponding rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthritis. Most distinct domains mapped to the pathophysiology/manifestations core area (24 domains), such as signs/symptoms (13 domains), labs (6 domains), and imaging (5 domains), with harm domains of adverse effects from irAE treatment and fear of irAE treatment decreasing ICI efficacy. Forty-three publications also referenced irAE treatment and 35 subsequent response, as well as 32 tumor response. CONCLUSION: There is considerable heterogeneity in the domains used to clinically characterize ICI-induced IA and ICI-induced PMR. There were several domains mapped to the pathophysiologic manifestations core area, although several publications highlighted domains evenly distributed among the other core areas of life impact, longevity/survival and resource use.

Patient perspectives on long-term outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis. A qualitative study from the OMERACT patient outcomes in longitudinal studies working group.

OBJECTIVES: To identify patient-centered domains with long-term relevance to people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: We conducted semi-structured individual cognitive interviews of patients with RA with at least five years of disease duration, sampled from five different countries (United States, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Argentina). Participants were encouraged to discuss their long-term concerns regarding RA. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis within a constructivist/interpretivist theoretical framework. RESULTS: Twenty-eight participants were interviewed, 24 were women. Six main themes, representing important aspects of the daily life of people with RA were generated: (i) Living with symptoms and functional limitations, (ii) Lack of participation, (iii) Partner and family issues, (iv) Risk of damage to vital organs, (v) Coping strategies, and (vi) Healthcare concerns, primarily expressed by participants from non-European countries lacking universal healthcare coverage. In addition, participants discussed the importance of contextual factors and how they impact long-term outcomes. These included attitudes towards disease, social support, or financial burdens. CONCLUSIONS: We identified six domains of importance to people with RA that are seldom measured in longitudinal registries and should be considered in patient-centered longitudinal studies.

A systematic review with meta-analysis of the effects of smoking cessation strategies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Smoking rates among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) exceed those in the general population. This study identified smoking cessation strategies used in patients with RA and synthesized data on their effects. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of studies that reported effects of interventions for smoking cessation in patients with RA. We searched 5 electronic databases until March 2022. Screening, quality appraisal, and data collection were done independently by 2 reviewers. RESULTS: We included 18 studies reporting interventions for patients or providers: 14 evaluated strategies for patients (5 education on cardiovascular risk factors including smoking, 3 educational interventions on smoking cessation alone, 3 education with nicotine replacement and counseling, and 1 study each: education with nicotine replacement, counseling sessions alone, and a social marketing campaign). Smoking cessation rates ranged from 4% (95% CI: 2%-6%, 24 to 48 weeks) for cardiovascular risk education to 43% (95% CI: 21%-67%, 104 weeks) for counseling sessions alone. The pooled cessation rate for all interventions was 22% (95% CI: 8%-41%, 4 weeks to 104 weeks; 9 studies). Four interventions trained providers to ascertain smoking status and provide referrals for smoking cessation. The pooled rates of referrals to quit services increased from 5% in pre-implementation populations to 70% in post-implementation populations. CONCLUSION: Studies varied in patient characteristics, the interventions used, and their implementation structure. Only 3 studies were controlled clinical trials. Additional controlled studies are needed to determine best practices for smoking cessation for patients with RA.

All-cause mortality in cancer patients treated for sepsis in intensive care units: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Sepsis is a common complication in patients with cancer, but studies evaluating the outcomes of critically ill cancer patients with sepsis on a global scale are limited. We aimed to summarize the existing evidence on mortality rates in this patient population. METHODS: Prospective and retrospective observational studies evaluating critically ill adult cancer patients with sepsis, severe sepsis, and/or septic shock were included. Studies published from January 2010 to September 2021 that reported at least one mortality outcome were retrieved from MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and Cochrane databases. Study selection, bias assessment, and data collection were performed independently by two reviewers, and any discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. We calculated pooled intensive care unit (ICU), hospital, and 28/30-day mortality rates. The heterogeneity of the data was tested using the chi-square test, with a P value < 0.10 indicating significant heterogeneity. RESULTS: A total of 5464 citations were reviewed, of which 10 studies met the inclusion criteria; these studies included 6605 patients. All studies had a Newcastle-Ottawa scale score of 7 or higher. The mean patient age ranged from 51.4 to 64.9 years. The pooled ICU, hospital, and 28/30 day mortality rates were 48% (95% CI, 43- 53%; I2 = 80.6%), 62% (95% CI, 58-67%; I2 = 0%), and 50% (95% CI, 38- 62%; I2 = 98%), respectively. Substantial between-study heterogeneity was observed. CONCLUSION: Critically ill cancer patients with sepsis had poor survival, with a hospital mortality rate of about two-thirds. The substantial observed heterogeneity among studies could be attributed to variability in the criteria used to define sepsis as well as variability in treatment, the severity of illness, and care across settings. Our results are a call to action to identify strategies that improve outcomes for cancer patients with sepsis.

Quality and content evaluation of websites with information about immune checkpoint inhibitors: An environmental scan.

BACKGROUND: Trustworthy educational information for patients is critical for increasing their knowledge base and preparing them for shared decision making with clinicians. As the internet has become an important source of health information for many patients, the purpose of this study was to assess the quality and content of websites with educational content about immune checkpoint inhibitors. METHODS: We performed an environmental scan of the currently available websites providing educational information for patients about immune checkpoint inhibitors. We used three search engines: Google, Bing, and Yahoo! (9/20/2021). Two independent investigators selected relevant uniform resource locators (URLs), appraised the quality of the websites, and collected their characteristics. We evaluated the accuracy, completeness, technical elements, design and aesthetics, readability, usability, and accessibility of the websites. The user experience was also evaluated. RESULTS: We identified 37 websites for analysis. In 10 websites (27%), it was not possible to know the source of the information provided. Thirty-three (89%) provided a definition with a simple explanation of cancer and treatment and 30 (81%) on complications of immune checkpoint inhibitors; only seven (19%) provided information about the balance between risks and benefits. Thirty-five (95%) provided a statement of purpose. Regarding the design, all 37 (100%) had appropriate visual aspects, typography, and grammar. Thirty-six (97%) were well organized. For most of the websites (n = 35, 95%) the content was easy to find. Only two websites had a readability score of 6, while the others had higher scores. Regarding the user experience, the overall quality of websites was rated as excellent in 16 (43%), good in 14 (38%), and fair in 7 (19%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal that websites with information about immune checkpoint inhibitors mostly have general information about cancer, the treatments, and adverse events. Few websites provide information about the balance between harms and benefits of treatment, costs, the source of the information, or the hierarchy of evidence. These findings identify the gap in the quality and content of websites for patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and can help website creators and developers.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Evaluating Geographical Variation in Outcomes of Cancer Patients Treated in ICUs.

The reported mortality rates of cancer patients admitted to ICUs vary widely. In addition, there are no studies that examined the outcomes of critically ill cancer patients based on the geographical regions. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the mortality rates among critically ill cancer patients and provide a comparison based on geography. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. STUDY SELECTION: We included observational studies evaluating adult patients with cancer treated in ICUs. We excluded non-English studies, those with greater than 30% hematopoietic stem cell transplant or postsurgical patients, and those that evaluated a specific type of critical illness, stage of malignancy, or age group. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently applied eligibility criteria, assessed quality, and extracted data. Studies were classified based on the continent in which they were conducted. Primary outcomes were ICU and hospital mortality. We pooled effect sizes by geographical region. DATA SYNTHESIS: Forty-six studies were included (n = 110,366). The overall quality of studies was moderate. Most of the published literature was from Europe (n = 22), followed by North America (n = 9), Asia (n = 8), South America (n = 5), and Oceania (n = 2). Pooled ICU mortality rate was 38% (95% CI, 33-43%); the lowest mortality rate was in Oceania (26%; 95% CI, 22-30%) and highest in Asia (51%; 95% CI, 44-57%). Pooled hospital mortality rate was 45% (95% CI, 41-49%), with the lowest in North America (37%; 95% CI, 31-43%) and highest in Asia (54%; 95% CI, 37-71%). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of cancer patients admitted to ICUs survived hospitalization. However, there was wide variability in the mortality rates, as well as the number of available studies among geographical regions. This variability suggests an opportunity to improve outcomes worldwide, through optimizing practice and research.

Multidisciplinary approach to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with HIV, tuberculosis, or underlying autoimmune diseases.

We reviewed the available information on the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in populations with special conditions, namely, patients with HIV, tuberculosis, or underlying autoimmune disease. Available data show that treatment with ICIs is safe in patients with HIV; it is advisable, however, that these patients receive adequate antiretroviral therapy and have an undetectable viral load before ICIs are initiated. Tuberculosis reactivation has been reported with the use of ICIs, possibly due to immune dysregulation. Tuberculosis has also been associated with the use of immunosuppressors to treat immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Active tuberculosis must be ruled out in patients with symptoms or signs, and selected patients may benefit from screening for latent tuberculosis infection, although more data are required. Limited data exist regarding the safety of ICIs in patients with cancer and autoimmune disease. Data from observational studies suggest that up to 29% of patients with a preexisting autoimmune disease treated with an ICI present with an autoimmune disease flare, and 30% present with a de novo irAE of any type. The frequency of flares appears to differ according to the type of ICI received, with higher rates associated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. The most common autoimmune diseases for which patients reported flares with ICI therapy are rheumatoid arthritis, other inflammatory arthritis, and psoriasis. Most studies have reported flares or de novo irAEs associated with ICIs that were mild to moderate, with low rates of discontinuation and no deaths due to flares. Therefore, the use of ICIs in these patients is possible, but careful monitoring is required.