Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy After Neoadjuvant Systemic Treatment to Identify Breast Cancer Patients with Residual Disease for Extended Neoadjuvant Treatment: A New Concept.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NAST) have a worse prognosis compared with those achieving a pathologic complete response (pCR). Earlier identification of these patients might allow timely, extended neoadjuvant treatment strategies. We explored the feasibility of a vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) after NAST to identify patients with residual disease (ypT+ or ypN+) prior to surgery. METHODS: We used data from a multicenter trial, collected at 21 study sites (NCT02948764). The trial included women with cT1-3, cN0/+ breast cancer undergoing routine post-neoadjuvant imaging (ultrasound, MRI, mammography) and VAB prior to surgery. We compared the findings of VAB and routine imaging with the histopathologic evaluation of the surgical specimen. RESULTS: Of 398 patients, 34 patients with missing ypN status and 127 patients with luminal tumors were excluded. Among the remaining 237 patients, tumor cells in the VAB indicated a surgical non-pCR in all patients (73/73, positive predictive value [PPV] 100%), whereas PPV of routine imaging after NAST was 56.0% (75/134). Sensitivity of the VAB was 72.3% (73/101), and 74.3% for sensitivity of imaging (75/101). CONCLUSION: Residual cancer found in a VAB specimen after NAST always corresponds to non-pCR. Residual cancer assumed on routine imaging after NAST corresponds to actual residual cancer in about half of patients. Response assessment by VAB is not safe for the exclusion of residual cancer. Response assessment by biopsies after NAST may allow studying the new concept of extended neoadjuvant treatment for patients with residual disease in future trials.

The impact of physical activity on progression-free and overall survival in metastatic breast cancer based on molecular subtype.

BACKGROUND: Although adequate physical activity has been shown to be beneficial in early breast cancer, evidence in metastatic breast cancer is sparse and contradictory, which could be related to distinct effects of physical activity on the different molecular cancer subtypes. Therefore, we here evaluated the effect of physical activity on progression-free and overall survival (PFS, OS) in metastatic breast cancer, specifically looking at molecular subtypes. METHODS: International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) questionnaires, filled out by patients enrolled in the prospective PRAEGNANT registry (NCT02338167; n = 1,270) were used to calculate metabolic equivalent task (MET) minutes, which were subsequently categorized into low (n = 138), moderate (n = 995) or high IPAQ categories (n = 137). Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the impact of IPAQ categories and its interaction with molecular subtypes on PFS and OS. RESULTS: Patient and tumor characteristics were equally distributed across IPAQ categories. HER2pos, HRpos and TNBC were present in 23.1%, 65.7% and 11.2% of patients, respectively. IPAQ scores did not have an impact on PFS and OS in addition to established prognostic factors, either overall or in particular molecular subtypes (PFS: p = 0.33 and OS: p = 0.08, likelihood ratio test). Exploratory analyses showed higher overall survival rates for high IPAQ categories compared to low/moderate IPAQ categories in luminal B-like breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported physical activity using the IPAQ questionnaire did not significantly affect PFS or OS in patients suffering from metastatic breast cancer. Nevertheless, some hypothesis-generating differences between molecular subtypes could be observed, which may be interesting to evaluate further.

Status quo and future directions of digitalization in gynecology and obstetrics in Germany: a survey of the commission Digital Medicine of the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics.

PURPOSE: Digitalization plays a critical role and is beginning to impact every part of the patient journey, from drug discovery and data collection to treatment and patient-reported outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the status quo and future directions of digital medicine in the specialty of gynecology and obstetrics in Germany. METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed via the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics newsletter in December 2022. The questionnaire covered the domains baseline demographic information, telemedicine, digital health applications (DIGAs), and future expectations. RESULTS: In all, 91 participants completed the survey. Median age was 34 years; 67.4% (60 of 89) were female and 32.6% (29 of 89) were male. About 10% (9 of 88) have prescribed DIGAs to date and 14% (12 of 86) offer telemedical appointments. Among those who do not use digital medicine, very few plan to do so in the near future. Reasons include missing software interfaces, lack of time to try out new things, lack of knowledge, lack of monetary compensation (66.3%), and employee concerns. A majority agreed that digitalization will help to save time and improve patient care and that intelligent algorithms will aid clinicians in providing patient care to women. CONCLUSIONS: The status quo and future directions of digital medicine in gynecology and obstetrics in Germany are characterized by contradicting expectations regarding the benefits of digital medicine and its actual implementation in clinical routine. This represents an important call to action to meet the requirements of modern patient care.

Association between Doppler assessment and secondary cesarean delivery for intrapartum fetal compromise in small-for-gestational-age fetuses.

PURPOSE: To elucidate the association between arterial and venous Doppler ultrasound parameters and the risk of secondary cesarean delivery for intrapartum fetal compromise (IFC) and neonatal acidosis in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses. METHODS: This single-center, prospective, blinded, cohort study included singleton pregnancies with an estimated fetal weight (EFW) < 10th centile above 36 gestational weeks. Upon study inclusion, all women underwent Doppler ultrasound, including umbilical artery (UA) pulsatility index (PI), middle cerebral artery (MCA) PI, fetal aortic isthmus (AoI) PI, umbilical vein blood flow (UVBF), and modified myocardial performance index (mod-MPI). Primary outcome was defined as secondary cesarean section due to IFC. RESULTS: In total, 87 SGA pregnancies were included, 16% of which required a cesarean section for IFC. Those fetuses revealed lower UVBF corrected for abdominal circumference (AC) (5.2 (4.5-6.3) vs 7.2 (5.5-8.3), p = 0.001). There was no difference when comparing AoI PI, UA PI, ACM PI, or mod-MPI. No association was found for neonatal acidosis. After multivariate logistic regression, UVBF/AC remained independently associated with cesarean section due to IFC (aOR 0.61 [0.37; 0.91], p = 0.03) and yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.67-0.89). A cut-off value set at the 50th centile of UVBF/AC reached a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 58% for the occurrence of cesarean section due to IFC (OR 8.1; 95% CI, 1.7-37.8, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Low levels of umbilical vein blood flow (UVBF/AC) were associated with an increased risk among SGA fetuses to be delivered by cesarean section for IFC.

Evolution of publicly available large language models for complex decision-making in breast cancer care.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the concordance of five different publicly available Large Language Models (LLM) with the recommendations of a multidisciplinary tumor board regarding treatment recommendations for complex breast cancer patient profiles. METHODS: Five LLM, including three versions of ChatGPT (version 4 and 3.5, with data access until September 3021 and January 2022), Llama2, and Bard were prompted to produce treatment recommendations for 20 complex breast cancer patient profiles. LLM recommendations were compared to the recommendations of a multidisciplinary tumor board (gold standard), including surgical, endocrine and systemic treatment, radiotherapy, and genetic testing therapy options. RESULTS: GPT4 demonstrated the highest concordance (70.6%) for invasive breast cancer patient profiles, followed by GPT3.5 September 2021 (58.8%), GPT3.5 January 2022 (41.2%), Llama2 (35.3%) and Bard (23.5%). Including precancerous lesions of ductal carcinoma in situ, the identical ranking was reached with lower overall concordance for each LLM (GPT4 60.0%, GPT3.5 September 2021 50.0%, GPT3.5 January 2022 35.0%, Llama2 30.0%, Bard 20.0%). GPT4 achieved full concordance (100%) for radiotherapy. Lowest alignment was reached in recommending genetic testing, demonstrating a varying concordance (55.0% for GPT3.5 January 2022, Llama2 and Bard up to 85.0% for GPT4). CONCLUSION: This early feasibility study is the first to compare different LLM in breast cancer care with regard to changes in accuracy over time, i.e., with access to more data or through technological upgrades. Methodological advancement, i.e., the optimization of prompting techniques, and technological development, i.e., enabling data input control and secure data processing, are necessary in the preparation of large-scale and multicenter studies to provide evidence on their safe and reliable clinical application. At present, safe and evidenced use of LLM in clinical breast cancer care is not yet feasible.

Relationship of Ki-67 index in biopsies of metastatic breast cancer tissue and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) at the time of biopsy collection.

BACKGROUND: The proliferation marker Ki-67 is a major pathological feature for the description of the state of disease in breast cancer. It helps to define the molecular subtype and to stratify between therapy regimens in early breast cancer and helps to assess the therapy response. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a negative prognostic biomarker for progression free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Therefore, the CTC count is often described as surrogate for the tumor burden. Both, decrease of Ki-67 and CTC count are considered as evidence for therapy response. The presented work analyzed the correlation between the Ki-67 indices of metastatic tissue biopsies and CTC counts in biopsy time-adjacent peripheral blood samples. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Blood samples from 70 metastatic breast cancer patients were obtained before the start of a new line of systemic therapy. CTCs were enumerated using CellSearch® (Menarini Silicon Biosystems, Bologna, Italy) whereas intact CTCs (iCTCs) and non-intact or apoptotic CTCs (aCTCs) were distinguished using morphologic criteria. The proportion of cells expressing Ki-67 was evaluated using immunohistochemistry on biopsies of metastases obtained concurrently with CTC sampling before the start of a new line of systemic therapy. RESULTS: 65.7% of patients had a Ki-67 index of > 25%. 28.6% of patients had ≥ 5, 47.1% ≥ 1 iCTCs. 37.1% had ≥ 5, 51.4% ≥ 1 aCTCs. No correlation was shown between Ki-67 index and iCTC and aCTC count (r = 0.05 resp. r = 0.05, Spearman's correlation index). High CTC-counts did not coincide with high Ki-67 index. High Ki-67, ≥ 5 iCTCs and aCTCs are associated with poor progression free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). CONCLUSION: CTCs and Ki-67 are independent prognostic markers in metastatic breast cancer. High Ki-67 in metastatic tumor tissue is not correlated to high iCTC or aCTC counts in peripheral blood.

Prevention of peritoneal adhesions after gynecological surgery: a systematic review.

IMPORTANCE: The formation of adhesions after gynecological surgery not only has detrimental impacts on those affected, including pain, obstruction, and infertility, but also imposes a high economic burden on healthcare systems worldwide. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to evaluate the adhesion prevention potential of all currently available adhesion barriers for gynecological surgery. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We systematically searched MEDLINE and CENTRAL databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of adhesion barriers as compared with peritoneal irrigation or no treatment in gynecological surgery. Only RCTs with second-look surgery to evaluate adhesions in the pelvic/abdominal (but not intrauterine) cavity were included. RESULTS: We included 45 RCTs with a total of 4,120 patients examining a total of 10 unique types of barriers in second-look gynecological surgery. While RCTs on oxidized regenerated cellulose (significant improvement in 6 of 14 trials), polyethylene glycol with/without other agents (4/10), hyaluronic acid and hyaluronate + carboxymethylcellulose (7/10), icodextrin (1/3), dextran (0/3), fibrin-containing agents (1/2), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (1/1), N,O-carboxymethylchitosan (0/1), and modified starch (1/1) overall showed inconsistent findings, results for expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, hyaluronic acid, and modified starch yielded the greatest improvements regarding adhesion reduction at 75%, 0-67%, and 85%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Best results for adhesion prevention were reported after applying Gore-Tex Surgical Membrane, hyaluronic acid, and 4DryField®. As Gore-Tex Surgical Membrane is nonabsorbable, it is associated with a greater risk of new adhesion formation due to second-look surgery to remove the product. 4DryField® yielded the greatest improvement in adhesion score compared to all other barrier agents (85%). For better comparability, future studies should use standardized scores and put more emphasis on patient-reported outcome measures, such as pain and infertility.

Exploring the current state of clinical and practical teaching in obstetrics and gynecology in the era of competency-based education: a nationwide survey among German teaching coordinators.

BACKGROUND: Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) is an essential medical field that focuses on women's health. Universities aim to provide high-quality healthcare services to women through comprehensive education of medical students. In Germany, medical education is undergoing a phase of restructuring towards the implementation of competency-based learning. The objective of the current survey was to gain insights into the teaching methods, resources, and challenges at German medical universities in the field OB/GYN. This aims to document the current state of medical education and derive potential suggestions for improvements in the era of competency-based learning. The survey was conducted with teaching coordinators from the majority of OB/GYN departments at German universities. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to the teaching coordinators in all 41 OB/GYN departments at German university hospitals. The survey was delivered via email with a link to an online survey platform. RESULTS: The study received 30 responses from 41 universities. Differences were observed in the work environment of teaching coordinators concerning release from clinical duties for teaching purposes and specialized academic training. Overall, medical education and student motivation were perceived positively, with noticeable gaps, particularly in practical gynecological training. Deficiencies in supervision and feedback mechanisms were also evident. Subfields such as urogynecology and reproductive medicine appear to be underrepresented in the curriculum, correlating with poorer student performance. E-learning was widely utilized and considered advantageous. CONCLUSION: The present study provides valuable insights into the current state of medical education in OB/GYN at German universities from the perspective of teaching experts. We highlight current deficits, discuss approaches to overcome present obstacles, and provide suggestions for improvement.

Comparing the HER2 Status of the Primary Tumor to That of Disseminated Tumor Cells in Early Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality in women globally. Despite advancements in systemic therapy, the risk of distant recurrence persists even after such treatment and may be linked to disseminated tumor cells (DTCs). Variability in molecular characteristics between primary tumors (PTs) and distant metastases underscores the need to comprehensively understand metastatic pathways. This retrospective study investigated discrepancies between HER2 expression in PTs and DTCs and their implications for survival outcomes in 201 early breast cancer (EBC) patients. We found a significant association between HER2 expression in PTs and DTCs when classifying tumors as HER2-high/low/negative. Patients whose HER2 status was discordant between PTs and DTCs exhibited worse distant disease-free survival than those with concordant status. Multivariate analysis confirmed the HER2 status of DTCs as an independent prognostic factor for distant DFS. These findings emphasize the importance of assessing HER2 expression in DTCs and its potential implications for tailored therapy strategies in EBC. Furthermore, prospective trials are needed to validate these findings and explore targeted therapies based on the molecular characteristics of DTCs.

Association between 21-gene-assay and detection of disseminated tumor cells in patients with early breast cancer: results from the IRMA trial.

PURPOSE: Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow (BM) are known to be of prognostic value for patients with early breast cancer (EBC). In addition to histopathological features, multigene expression assays, such as the commercially available 21-gene Breast Recurrence Score® assay, have been validated for evaluating prognosis and making decisions concerning adjuvant treatment in EBC. In a previous retrospective study from our group, the 21-gene assay was shown to be associated with DTC-detection. A secondary endpoint of the prospective IRMA trial was to evaluate the association between Recurrence Score® (RS) result and tumor cell dissemination in patients with EBC. METHODS: DTC-status and RS result were assessed in patients with ER-positive/HER2-negative EBC with 0-3 pathologic lymph nodes who underwent primary surgical treatment at the Department for Women's Health of Tuebingen University, Germany. RESULTS: Patients with a high RS result (≥ 26) were more frequently DTC-positive (22.6%) than patients with a low RS result (8.6%, p = 0.034). The odds for DTC-positivity increased with rising RS values (p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: We therefore confirm that a high genomic risk is associated with tumor cell dissemination into the BM. Further trials are needed to investigate whether therapeutic decisions could be further individualized by combining DTC-status and prognostic gene signature testing.

Return of individual genomic research results within the PRAEGNANT multicenter registry study.

PURPOSE: The PRAEGNANT study is a registry study for metastatic breast cancer patients, focusing on biomarker detection. Recently, within this study, genetic alterations in 37 breast cancer predisposition genes were analyzed and genetic findings were detected for 396 participants. The aim of this project was to return genetic results to the physicians and to analyze actions taken (e.g., disclosure of results to patients, validation of results, clinical impact, and impact on the patient's quality of life) using a questionnaire. METHODS: 235 questionnaires were sent out to the study centers, with each questionnaire representing one patient with a genetic finding. The questionnaire consisted of twelve questions in the German language, referring to the disclosure of results, validation of test results, and their impact on treatment decisions and on the patient's quality of life. RESULTS: 135 (57.5%) questionnaires were completed. Of these, 46 (34.1%) stated that results were returned to the patients. In 80.0% (N = 36) of cases where results were returned, the patient had not been aware of the finding previously. For 27 patients (64.3%), genetic findings had not been validated beforehand. All validation procedures (N = 15) were covered by the patients' health insurance. For 11 (25.0%) patients, physicians reported that the research results influenced current or future decision-making on treatment, and for 37.8% (N = 17) the results influenced whether family members will be genetically tested. CONCLUSION: This study provides novel insights into the return of research results and into clinical and personal benefits of disclosure of genetic findings within a German registry.

Prenatal paternal depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom burden in different risk samples: an explorative study.

PURPOSE: Growing evidence implies that transition to parenthood triggers symptoms of mental burden not only in women but likewise in men, especially in high-risk pregnancies. This is the first study that examined and compared the prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom burden of expectant fathers who face different risk situations during pregnancy. METHODS: Prevalence rates of paternal depression (Edinburgh postnatal depression scale), anxiety (generalized anxiety disorder seven), and somatic symptom burden (somatic symptom scale eight) were examined in two risk samples and one control group in the third trimester of their partners' pregnancy: risk sample I (n = 41) consist of expectant fathers whose partners were prenatally hospitalized due to medical complications; risk sample II (n = 52) are fathers whose partners were prenatally mentally distressed; and control group (n = 70) are those non-risk pregnancies. RESULTS: On a purely descriptive level, the data display a trend of higher symptom burden of depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms in the two risk samples, indicating that expectant fathers, whose pregnant partners were hospitalized or suffered prenatal depression, were more prenatally distressed. Exploratory testing of group differences revealed an almost three times higher prevalence rate of anxiety in fathers whose partner was hospitalized (12.2%) compared to those non-risks (4.3%). CONCLUSION: Results underline the need for screening implementations for paternal prenatal psychological distress, as well as specific prevention and treatment programs, especially for fathers in risk situations, such as their pregnant partners' prenatal hospitalization. The study was registered with the German clinical trials register (DRKS00020131) on 2019/12/09.

Current landscape of hospital information systems in gynecology and obstetrics in Germany: a survey of the commission Digital Medicine of the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics.

PURPOSE: Hospital information systems (HIS) play a critical role in modern healthcare by facilitating the management and delivery of patient care services. We aimed to evaluate the current landscape of HIS in the specialty of gynecology and obstetrics in Germany. METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed via the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics newsletter in December 2022. The questionnaire covered the domains baseline demographic information, satisfaction with daily use, satisfaction with implementation, and degree of digitization. RESULTS: Ninety-one participants completed the survey. Median age was 34 years; 67.4% (60 of 89) were female, and 32.6% (29 of 89) were male. Of the survey participants, 47.7% (42 of 88) were residents, 26.1% (23 of 91) senior physicians, and 9.1% (8 of 88) medical directors. The degree of digitization of clinical documentation is mainly mixed digital and paper-based (64.0%, 57 of 89) while 16.9% (15 of 89) operate mainly paper-based. The current HIS has been in use on average for 9 years. The median number of different software systems used in daily routine is 4. About 33.7% (30 of 89) would likely or very likely recommend their current HIS to a colleague. CONCLUSIONS: The current landscape of HIS in gynecology and obstetrics in Germany is characterized by a high heterogeneity of systems with low interoperability and long service life; thus, many healthcare professionals are not satisfied. There is both a need to enhance and an interest in modernizing the technological infrastructure to meet today's requirements for patient care.

Impact of age on indication for chemotherapy in early breast cancer patients: results from 104 German institutions from 2008 to 2017.

PURPOSE: Today, the decision to treat patients with chemotherapy for early breast cancer (EBC) is made based on the patient's individual risk stratification and tumor biology. In cases with chemotherapy indication, the neoadjuvant application (NACT) is the preferred option in comparison with primary surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT). Age remains a relevant factor in the decision-making process. The aim of the present study was to illustrate the impact of age on the use of systemic therapy in clinical routine. METHODS: The study separately analyzed chemotherapy use among six age cohorts of EBC patients who had been treated at 104 German breast units between January 2008 and December 2017. RESULTS: In total, 124,084 patients were included, 46,279 (37.3%) of whom had received chemotherapy. For 44,765 of these cases, detailed information on treatment was available. Within this cohort, chemotherapy was administered as NACT to 14,783 patients (33.0%) and as ACT to 29,982 (67.0%) patients. Due to the higher prevalence of unfavorable tumor subtypes, younger patients had a higher rate of chemotherapy (≤ 29y: 74.2%; 30-39y: 71.3%) and a higher proportion of NACT administration ( ≤ 29y: 66.9%; 30-39y: 56.0%) in comparison with elderly patients, who had lower rates for overall chemotherapy (60-69y: 37.5%; ≥ 70y: 17.6%) and NACT (60-69y: 25.5%; ≥ 70y: 22.8%). Pathologic complete response was higher in younger than in older patients (≤ 29y: 30.4% vs. ≥ 70y: 16.7%), especially for HER2- subtypes. CONCLUSION: The data from the nationwide German cohort reveal relevant age-dependent discrepancies concerning the use of chemotherapy for EBC.

Predictive value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio in neoadjuvant-treated patients with breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among women and prognosis is strongly influenced by tumor subtype. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is the standard treatment for both locally advanced- and early-stage triple-negative and Her2-positive BC. Pathologic complete response (pCR) to NAC is an important predictor of patient outcomes. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio (NLR) in peripheral blood is associated with prognosis in various malignancies. Here, we investigated the value of the pretreatment NLR as a response predictor in neoadjuvant-treated patients with BC. METHODS: A retrospective chart analysis of 862 patients with invasive BC treated with NAC at the Heidelberg University Hospital during 2003-2015 was conducted. NLR was calculated as the ratio of the absolute neutrophil and lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood, and pCR was defined as absence of invasive or in situ carcinoma in breast and axillary lymph nodes. RESULTS: A total of 151 patients with invasive BC who underwent NAC were included in this study. NLR tended to be higher in the pCR group than the non-pCR group (p < 0.1). Analyses of BC subtypes demonstrated that NLR was significantly higher in the pCR- compared with the non-pCR group (3.304 vs. 2.379, respectively; p = 0.048) in patients with luminal B/Her2-negative tumors. Further, we found a significant difference in NLR according to remission status in postmenopausal patients (2.861 vs. 2.313, respectively; p = 0.043). CONCLUSION: NLR was significantly higher only for patients achieving pCR in the Luminal B/Her2-negative and postmenopausal subgroups. Hence, NLR is a candidate additional predictive factor in patients with Luminal B/Her2-negative BC.

Long-term effects of preeclampsia on maternal cardiovascular health and postpartum utilization of primary care: an observational claims data study.

PURPOSE: Preeclampsia occurs in up to 15% of pregnancies and constitutes a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This observational cohort study aimed to examine the association between preeclamptic pregnancies and cardiovascular outcomes as well as primary and specialized care utilization after delivery. METHODS: Using statutory claims data we identified women with singleton live births between 2010 and 2017. Main outcomes included the occurrence of either hypertension or cardiovascular disease after one or more preeclamptic pregnancies, number of contacts to a general practitioner or cardiologist after delivery and prescribed antihypertensive medication. Data were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard regression models adjusted for maternal age, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 181,574 women with 240,698 births. Women who experienced preeclampsia once had an increased risk for cardiovascular (hazard ratio, HR = 1.29) or hypertensive (HR = 4.13) events. In women affected by recurrent preeclampsia, risks were even higher to develop cardiovascular disease (HR = 1.53) or hypertension (HR = 6.01). In the following years after delivery, general practitioners were seen frequently, whereas cardiologists were consulted rarely (0.3 and 2.4%). CONCLUSION: Women affected by preeclampsia experience an increased risk of developing chronic hypertension and cardiovascular disease, especially those with recurrent preeclampsia. Future medical guidelines should take this potential risk into account.

The burden of incontinence in a real-world data environment-insights from a digital patient companion.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Urinary incontinence (UI) has a potentially devastating effect on women's quality of life (QoL). Conservative treatment by means of pelvic floor muscle training is the first-choice treatment modality. Nowadays, this can be supported by digital apps like pelvina©-a digital health companion pelvic floor course. METHODS: Using pelvina©, UI symptoms and QoL are regularly examined through the questionnaires QUID and SF-6D. Subsequently, we analyzed the incidence and degree of UI and its impact on QoL in 293 users in a real-world environment. RESULTS: The 293 patients included in this study had a median age of 36 years and a median of two children. Patients were slightly to moderately affected by UI with a QUID of 6 (2-11, maximum 24). Age and number of children were independently associated with the incidence of UI with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.06 (95% CI 1.01-1.12) and aOR of 1.86 (95% CI 1.12-3.08). The severity of UI strongly correlated with impairment of QoL (ρ = 0.866, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of real-world data generated by digital health solutions offers the opportunity to gain insight into the reality of patients' lives. In this article, we corroborate the known associations between number of children and UI as well as the great influence UI has on QoL. This study shows that, in the future, the use of digital apps can make an important contribution to scientific data acquisition and, for example, therapy monitoring.

Implementation of an Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome App for Health-Related Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients: Evaluation and Acceptability Analysis in a Two-Center Prospective Trial.

BACKGROUND: One in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer in the course of their life. As systematic palliative treatment has only a limited effect on survival rates, the concept of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was developed for measurement of patient-centered outcomes. Various studies have already demonstrated the reliability of paper-based patient-reported outcome (pPRO) and electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) surveys and that the 2 means of assessment are equally valid. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the acceptance and evaluation of a tablet-based ePRO app for breast cancer patients and to examine its suitability, effort, and difficulty in the context of HRQoL and sociodemographic factors. METHODS: Overall, 106 women with adjuvant or advanced breast cancer were included in a 2-center study at 2 major university hospitals in Germany. Patients were asked to answer HRQoL and PRO questionnaires both on a tablet on-site using a specific eHealth assessment website and on paper. The suitability, effort, and difficulty of the app and self-reported technical skills were also assessed. Only the results of the electronically acquired data are presented here. The results of the reliability of the pPRO data have already been published elsewhere. RESULTS: Patients regarded the ePRO assessment as more suitable (80/106, 75.5%), less stressful (73/106, 68.9%), and less difficult (69/106, 65.1%) than pPRO. The majority of patients stated that ePRO assessment improves health care in hospitals (87/106, 82.1%). However, evaluation of ePROs depended on the level of education (P=.003) in the dimensions of effort and difficulty (regression analysis). The app was rated highly in all categories. HRQoL data and therapy setting did not show significant correlations with the app's evaluation parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that ePRO surveys are feasible for measuring HRQoL in breast cancer patients and that those patients prefer ePRO assessment to pPRO assessment. It can also be seen that patients consider ePRO assessment to improve hospital health care. However, studies with larger numbers of patients are needed to develop apps that address the needs of patients with lower levels of education and technical skills.

How to make students satisfied with digital teaching? Investigative results from teaching evaluations in Gynecology and Obstetrics.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether students' attitude towards online learning in Gynecology and Obstetrics changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. We further examined which variables impacted students' satisfaction with digital learning. METHODS: A specifically developed questionnaire was used from June 2020-July 2021 for N = 234 medical students participating in the course "Gynecology and Obstetrics" at University of Heidelberg. Thirty-five items were repeatedly applied in different cohorts to assess structure- and content-related quality of teaching. In addition, their influence on overall satisfaction with digital teaching was analyzed by applying investigative analyses like multiple regression and extreme group comparisons. RESULTS: Especially items associated with content-related quality of teaching (ß = 0.24), organization of teaching (ß = 0.25) and subjective learning success (ß = 0.27) seemed to be relevant predictors for overall satisfaction with courses. Fears and changes due to the pandemic situation also played a role for a subgroup of students. Aspects linked to technical quality of teaching, interactions with teachers and students or advantages of web-based learning appeared to play a subordinate role for overall satisfaction with digital teaching. Comparisons of ratings over time revealed that teaching evaluations almost remained the same. CONCLUSION: Our results give several hints regarding how digital teaching should be designed and how it can be improved. Further studies are needed to validate our results and to develop methods to improve digital teaching in medicine.

Endometrial hyperplasia as a risk factor of endometrial cancer.

Endometrial hyperplasia (EH) is the precursor lesion for endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium (EC), which represents the most common malignancy of the female reproductive tract in industrialized countries. The most important risk factor for the development of EH is chronic exposure to unopposed estrogen. Histopathologically, EH can be classified into EH without atypia (benign EH) and atypical EH/endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN). Clinical management ranges from surveillance or progestin therapy through to hysterectomy, depending on the risk of progression to or concomitant EC and the patient´s desire to preserve fertility. Multiple studies support the efficacy of progestins in treating both benign and atypical EH. This review summarizes the evidence base regarding risk factors and management of EH. Additionally, we performed a systematic literature search of the databases PubMed and Cochrane Controlled Trials register for studies analyzing the efficacy of progestin treatment in women with EH.