Functional Impairments and Rehabilitation Outcomes of Patients With Immunotherapy-Induced Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy, Myasthenia Gravis, and Myositis.

ABSTRACT: Immunotherapy has led to a higher survival rate among different oncological disease groups but also associated with adverse-related events in multiple organ systems. Immunotherapy-related musculoskeletal weakness often results in a loss of cancer survivors' physical function, ultimately impacting their independence and quality of life. This is a retrospective study of 24 cancer patients who were treated with immunotherapy either alone or in conjunction with other oncological treatments. Twelve subjects (50%) were found to have acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculopathy/Guillain-Barré syndrome, six (25%) myositis, two (8%) myasthenia gravis, two (8%) diagnosis of myositis/myasthenia gravis, and one (4%) Guillain-Barré syndrome/myasthenia gravis combination. Physical therapy was provided in 91.7% of the cases, and physiatrist was involved in 54% of the cases. Almost half (45%) were discharged home, six (25%) to acute inpatient rehabilitation, two (8%) to subacute rehabilitation, three (12.5%) to hospice, and two (8%) died. The average length of hospital stay was 30 days, and eight patients (33%) readmitted within 3 mos. Our findings highlight the severity of functional impairments and the need for early rehabilitation interventions.

Rehabilitation Utilization by Cancer Patients with Pathology-Confirmed Leptomeningeal Disease Receiving Intrathecal Chemotherapy.

ABSTRACT: The incidence of leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is believed to be increasing in part because of more effective chemotherapy treatments allowing cancer progression behind the blood-brain barrier. However, little has been published about the rehabilitation of this growing patient population. In this study, impairments and rehabilitation utilization by cytology-proven LMD patients receiving intrathecal chemotherapy at a cancer center are described. A total of 109 consecutive patients with pathology-confirmed LMD who received an intrathecal chemotherapy infusion from January 1, 2017, through October 31, 2017, were retrospectively reviewed. Of the 109 patients, 103 (95%) had impairments described in their medical record that could impact physical function, including 74 of 109 (68%) who had deconditioning or fatigue. Kaplan-Meier median survival from initial LMD diagnosis was 13.1 mos. The median number of hospital admissions and intrathecal chemotherapy administrations was both 8. Of the 109 patients, 43 (39%) had magnetic resonance imaging radiology interpreted LMD. Most LMD patients used rehabilitation services (95/109, 87%) and most were able to forego post-acute inpatient rehabilitation facilities (96/109, 88%). Additional research and education for rehabilitation professionals about this increasingly common syndrome are needed.

Immunotherapy-related skeletal muscle weakness in cancer patients: a case series.

Immunotherapy has become a lifeline in cancer treatment. However, increasingly reports of programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors have been linked to autoimmune disorders. We highlight two unique cases that presented with skeletal weakness and resulted in fatalities after developing de novo myasthenia gravis and myositis associated to immunotherapy treatment. Additionally, we describe the importance of early symptoms recognition and prompt treatment in preventing prolonged functional impairments and decreasing associated mortality. Patient 1: a 65-year-old male with a history of metastatic clear cell Renal Cell Cancer with metastasis to the lungs presented with unusual neck weakness, double vision, trouble breathing, and symptoms of urinary incontinence after his 4th cycle of nivolumab (480 mg every 4 weeks). He had a positive fatigability test, diplopia, and proximal weakness in bilateral upper extremities with an abnormal negative inspiratory force (NIF). Patient 2: a 83-year-old male with history of metastatic urothelial carcinoma presented with generalized weakness, difficulty holding his head up and swallowing three days after receiving the second cycle of immunotherapy treatment with nivolumab (480 mg every 4 weeks). He had proximal muscle weakness but normal sensation, fatigability tests and reflexes, very abnormally high creatine kinase (CK) greater than 4,000 ng/L, EMG results of myopathy and muscle biopsy showing focal perimysial chronic inflammatory cell infiltrates. Patient 1 ultimately died due to acute hemorrhage while patient 2 had a prolonged hospitalization and rehabilitation and ultimately discharged home with hospice. Prompt symptom recognition and treatment can potentially prevent prolonged impairment and mortality associated with cancer immunotherapy.

Retrospective Analysis of Acute Rehabilitation Outcomes of Cancer Inpatients with Leptomeningeal Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate Functional Independence Measure (FIM) changes and incidence of serious medical complications requiring return to the primary acute care service of acute rehabilitation cancer inpatients with leptomeningeal disease (LMD). DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Tertiary referral based comprehensive cancer center acute inpatient rehabilitation unit. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty cancer patients admitted to acute inpatient rehabilitation between 8 January 2014 and 8 August 2018 with pathology confirmed LMD within 6 months. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: FIM and incidence of return to the primary acute care service. RESULTS: Twenty five of 30 (83.3%) patients were noted to have neurologic impairments and 13/30 (43.3%) were noted to have cognitive impairments. Five of 30 patients (16.7%) received intrathecal chemotherapy and 4/30 (13.3%) received radiation during acute inpatient rehabilitation for LMD treatment. Median days in acute care prior to acute inpatient rehabilitation was 22.5. Median days from acute inpatient rehabilitation admission until death of the 23 deceased patients as of 1 January 2019 was 180.00. Twenty of 30 (66.7%) patients were discharged home, 9/30 (30%) transferred to the primary acute care service, and 1/30 (3.3%) discharged to a skilled nursing facility. Reasons for return to the primary acute care service included additional chemotherapy 3/9 (33%), neurologic decline 2/9 (22%), fever 2/9 (22%), altered mental status 1/9 (11%), and progressive polyarthritis 1/9 (11%). Of the 21 patients who completed acute inpatient rehabilitation without return to the primary acute care service, mean FIM subscore changes from admission to discharge for Activities of Daily Living, Mobility, and Motor were 5.1 (P < .001), 4.8 (P < .001) and 11.7 (P < .001), respectively (Wilcoxon signed rank test, significance P < .05). CONCLUSION: LMD patients who completed acute inpatient rehabilitation made statistically significant improvements on the majority of FIM items. Most patients were discharged home. Our data suggest LMD should not be a reason for exclusion from acute inpatient rehabilitation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Retroperitoneal oblique corridor to the L2-S1 intervertebral discs: an MRI study.

OBJECT The purpose of this study was to analyze MR images of the lumbar spine and document: 1) the oblique corridor at each lumbar disc level between the psoas muscle and the great vessels, and 2) oblique access to the L5-S1 disc space. Access to the lumbar spine without disruption of the psoas muscle could translate into decreased frequency of postoperative neurological complications observed after a transpsoas approach. The authors investigated the retroperitoneal oblique corridor of L2-S1 as a means of surgical access to the intervertebral discs. This oblique approach avoids the psoas muscle and is a safe and potentially superior alternative to the lateral transpsoas approach used by many surgeons. METHODS One hundred thirty-three MRI studies performed between May 4, 2012, and February 27, 2013, were randomly selected from the authors' database. Thirty-three MR images were excluded due to technical issues or altered lumbar anatomy due to previous spine surgery. The oblique corridor was defined as the distance between the left lateral border of the aorta (or iliac artery) and the anterior medial border of the psoas. The L5-S1 oblique corridor was defined transversely from the midsagittal line of the inferior endplate of L-5 to the medial border of the left common iliac vessel (axial view) and vertically to the first vascular structure that crossed midline (sagittal view). RESULTS The oblique corridor measurements to the L2-5 discs have the following mean distances: L2-3 = 16.04 mm, L3-4 = 14.21 mm, and L4-5 = 10.28 mm. The L5-S1 corridor mean distance was 10 mm between midline and left common iliac vessel, and 10.13 mm from the first midline vessel to the inferior endplate of L-5. The bifurcation of the aorta and confluence of the vena cava were also analyzed in this study. The aortic bifurcation was found at the L-3 vertebral body in 2% of the MR images, at the L3-4 disc in 5%, at the L-4 vertebral body in 43%, at the L4-5 disc in 11%, and at the L-5 vertebral body in 9%. The confluence of the iliac veins was found at lower levels: 45% at the L-4 level, 19.39% at the L4-5 intervertebral disc, and 34% at the L-5 vertebral body. CONCLUSIONS An oblique corridor of access to the L2-5 discs was found in 90% of the MR images (99% access to L2-3, 100% access to L3-4, and 91% access to L4-5). Access to the L5-S1 disc was also established in 69% of the MR images analyzed. The lower the confluence of iliac veins, the less probable it was that access to the L5-S1 intervertebral disc space was observed. These findings support the use of lumbar MRI as a tool to predetermine the presence of an oblique corridor for access to the L2-S1 intervertebral disc spaces prior to lumbar spine surgery.