Treatment burden and cost-effectiveness analysis of the neoadjuvant CROSS regimen in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a multicenter retrospective study.

High-quality evidence indicated that both neoadjuvant carboplatin/paclitaxel (CROSS) and cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (PF) regimens in combination with radiotherapy improve survival outcomes compared to surgery alone in patients with esophageal cancer. It is not yet known whether they may differ in terms of treatment burden and healthcare costs. A total of 232 Taiwanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who had undergone neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) with either the CROSS (n = 153) or the PF (n = 79) regimens were included. Hospital encounters and adverse events were assessed for determining treatment burden. Cost-effectiveness analysis was undertaken using the total costs incurred over 3 years in relation to overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Compared with PF, the CROSS regimen was associated with a lower treatment burden: shorter inpatient days on average (4.65 ± 10.05 vs. 15.14 ± 17.63 days; P < 0.001) and fewer admission requirements (70% of the patients were never admitted vs. 20% in the PF group; P < 0.001). Patients in the CROSS group experienced significantly less nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. While the benefits observed in the CROSS group were associated with additional nCRT-related expenditures (1388 United States dollars [USD] of added cost per patient), this regimen remained cost-effective. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of 50,000 USD per life-year, the probability of the CROSS regimen to be more cost-effective than PF was 94.1% for PFS but decreased to 68.9% for OS. The use of the CROSS regimen for nCRT in patients with ESCC was associated with a lower treatment burden and was more cost-effective than PF.

Survival Outcomes of Patients with Esophageal Cancer Who Did Not Proceed to Surgery after Neoadjuvant Treatment.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study examined outcomes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who did not undergo surgical resection after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT). METHODS: Patients receiving nCRT between 2012 and 2020 were divided into two groups: group 1 (scheduled surgery) and group 2 (no surgery). Group 2 was further categorized into subgroups based on reasons for not proceeding to surgery: group 2a (disease progression), group 2b (poor general conditions), and group 2c (patient refusal). Overall survival (OS) was the primary outcome. RESULTS: Group 1 comprised 145 patients, while subgroups 2a, 2b, and 2c comprised 24, 16, and 31 patients, respectively. The 3-year OS rate was significantly lower in group 2 compared with group 1 (34% versus 56%, p < 0.001). A subgroup analysis showed varying 3-year OS rates: 13% for group 2a, 25% for group 2b, and 58% for group 2c (p < 0.001). Propensity score matching for group 2c and group 1 revealed no significant difference in 3-year OS rates (p = 0.91). CONCLUSION: One-third of ESCC patients receiving nCRT did not undergo surgical resection. Overall survival in this group was generally poorer, except for those who refused surgery (group 2c).

A large survey on COVID-19 vaccination in patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy population.

BACKGROUND: A full rollout of COVID-19 vaccination offers the most promising prospect of bringing the pandemic to an end. This study aimed to compare the coverage, safety, and confidence of COVID-19 vaccination between patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy individuals so as to give suggestions for future immunization programs. METHODS: A web-based, nationwide, multicenter survey was carried out in China from 2021 to 2022. The age and sex-standardized vaccination rate was calculated. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression models were used to estimate the influencing factors of vaccination status. We also investigated vaccination safety, willingness, confidence, and reasons for hesitancy with some ad hoc questions. RESULTS: A total of 962 PD patients and 1208 healthy individuals participated in this survey with a vaccination rate of 71.1% vs 94.4% respectively. PD patients living in first-tier cities, with comorbidities, experiencing unstable PD with a longer course and levodopa use were less likely to get vaccinated, while healthy individuals living in first-tier cities and feeling physically poor exhibited a lower vaccination rate. For PD patients, concern about the adverse impact on existing illness and disagreement from doctors were the most common reasons for vaccination hesitancy. Whereas, no evidence was present that they experienced any local or systematic adverse events more frequently or seriously than healthy individuals, or their state of PD and comorbidities was seriously exacerbated after vaccination. A prominent transition from a little concerned to unconcerned about the security and efficacy of vaccines was evident among both two populations from pre-vaccination to post-vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 vaccination rate was remarkably lower in PD patients than healthy individuals in China. The approved vaccines have shown an acceptable safety profile. Our findings would offer a reference to guide future clinical decision-making of COVID-19 vaccination and improve the immunization management of PD patients.

Effect of ginkgolide B on brain metabolism and tissue oxygenation in severe haemorrhagic stroke.

Ginkgolide B, a diterpene, is an herbal constituent isolated from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba tree. The present study demonstrates the effect of ginkgolide B in osmotherapy on brain metabolism and tissue oxygenation. Multimodality monitoring including intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), partial pressure of brain tissue oxygen (PbtO2), lactate/pyruvate ratio (LPR) and microdialysis were employed to study the effect of ginkgolide B osmotherapy. The results demonstrated that administration of 15% solution of ginkgolide B to the comatose patients with raised ICP (> 20 mm Hg) and resistant to standard therapy led to a significant decrease in ICP. The cerebral microdialysis was used to compare mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), ICP, CPP, PbtO2, brain lactate, pyruvate and glucose level after hourly intervals starting 3 h before and up to 4 h after hyperosmolar therapy. There was a decrease in ICP in 45 min from 23 ± 14 mm Hg (P < 0.001) to 18 ± 24 mm Hg and increase in CPP after 1 h of gingkolide B infusion from 74 ± 18 to 85 ± 22 mm Hg (P < 0.002). However there was no significant effect on MAP but PbtO2 was maintained in the range of 22-26. The peak lactate/pyruvate ratio was recorded at the time of initiation of osmotherapy (44 ± 20) with an 18% decrease over 2 h following gingkolide B therapy. Also the brain glucose remained unaffected.

Serum ferritin is associated with arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients: results of a 3-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Iron may contribute to vascular injury through reactive oxygen species. Hemodialysis patients frequently receive iron supply for correction of anemia and are at a high risk of cardiovascular disease. We tested the relationship between iron status and change in arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We measured iron status in 53 hemodialysis patients and studied the association with clinical, biochemical, and arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) over 3 years. The blood pressure was controlled to below 140/90 mmHg by anti-hypertensive drugs. RESULTS: Median and interquartile range of baseline baPWV, baPWV at 3 years, and ΔbaPWV (difference between 3-year baPWV and baseline baPWV) were following: 17.6 (14.8-18.9), 16.9 (15.3-19.9), and 0.2 (-1.2 to 2.7) m/s. At baseline, baPWV was positively correlated with age, serum ferritin, and systolic blood pressure in univariate analysis. However, in multivariate analysis, only age and serum ferritin remained the significant determinants of baseline baPWV. After 3 years, ΔbaPWV was negatively correlated with age and positively with 3-year averaged serum ferritin in univariate analysis. Then, in multivariate analysis, only 3-year averaged serum ferritin was the important determinant of ΔbaPWV. ΔbaPWV was significantly increased in patients with 3-year averaged serum ferritin >500 ng/mL compared to patients with 3-year averaged serum ferritin ≤500 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: In hemodialysis patients, serum ferritin associates with the progressive arterial stiffness, especially when serum ferritin >500 ng/mL.