The association between malnutrition risk and revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r) scores in an adult outpatient oncology population: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-associated malnutrition is associated with worse symptom severity, functional status, quality of life, and overall survival. Malnutrition in cancer patients is often under-recognized and undertreated, emphasizing the need for standardized pathways for nutritional management in this population. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the relationship between malnutrition risk and self-reported symptom severity scores in an adult oncology outpatient population and (2) to identify whether a secondary screening tool for malnutrition risk (abPG-SGA) should be recommended for patients with a specific ESAS-r cut-off score or group of ESAS-r cut-off scores. METHODS: A single-institution retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. Malnutrition risk was measured using the Abridged Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (abPG-SGA). Cancer symptom severity was measured using the Revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r). In accordance with standard institutional practice, patients completed both tools at first consult at the cancer centre. Adult patients who completed the ESAS-r and abPG-SGA on the same day between February 2017 and January 2020 were included. Spearman's correlation, Mann Whitney U tests, receiver operating characteristic curves, and binary logistic regression models were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: 2071 oncology outpatients met inclusion criteria (mean age 65.7), of which 33.6% were identified to be at risk for malnutrition. For all ESAS-r parameters (pain, tiredness, drowsiness, nausea, lack of appetite, shortness of breath, depression, anxiety, and wellbeing), patients at risk for malnutrition had significantly higher scores (P < 0.001). All ESAS-r parameters were positively correlated with abPG-SGA score (P < 0.01). The ESAS-r parameters that best predicted malnutrition risk status were total ESAS-r score, lack of appetite, tiredness, and wellbeing (area under the curve = 0.824, 0.812, 0.764, 0.761 respectively). Lack of appetite score ≥ 1 demonstrated a sensitivity of 77.4% and specificity of 77.0%. Combining lack of appetite score ≥ 1 with total ESAS score > 14 yielded a sensitivity of 87.9% and specificity of 62.8%. CONCLUSION: Malnutrition risk as measured by the abPG-SGA and symptom severity scores as measured by the ESAS-r are positively and significantly correlated. Given the widespread use of the ESAS-r in cancer care, utilizing specific ESAS-r cut-offs to trigger malnutrition screening could be a viable way to identify cancer patients at risk for malnutrition.

Treatment of Anemia Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease: Plea for Considering Physiological Erythropoiesis.

Traditionally, the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) involves prescribing erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) or iron preparations. The effectiveness and safety of ESAs and iron have been established. However, several clinical issues, such as hyporesponsiveness to ESAs or defective iron utilization for erythropoiesis, have been demonstrated. Recently, a new class of therapeutics for renal anemia known as hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)/proline hydroxylase (PH) inhibitors has been developed. Several studies have reported that HIF-PH inhibitors have unique characteristics compared with those of ESAs. In particular, the use of HIF-PH inhibitors may maintain target Hb concentration in patients treated with a high dose of ESAs without increasing the dose. Furthermore, several recent studies have demonstrated that patients with CKD with defective iron utilization for erythropoiesis had a high risk of cardiovascular events or premature death. HIF-PH inhibitors increase iron transport and absorption from the gastrointestinal tract; thus, they may ameliorate defective iron utilization for erythropoiesis in patients with CKD. Conversely, several clinical problems, such as aggravation of thrombotic and embolic complications, diabetic retinal disease, and cancer, have been noted at the time of HIF-PH inhibitor administration. Recently, several pooled analyses of phase III trials have reported the non-inferiority of HIF-PH inhibitors regarding these clinical concerns compared with ESAs. The advantages and issues of anemia treatment by ESAs, iron preparations, and HIF-PH inhibitors must be fully understood. Moreover, patients with anemia and CKD should be treated by providing a physiological erythropoiesis environment that is similar to that of healthy individuals.

Mid- to long-term functional outcome and return to sport after elbow dislocation in bouldering: a clinical retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic elbow dislocations are among the most common injuries in sport climbing. They occur most frequently in bouldering (a climbing discipline with strong upward trend often performed indoors) due to the typical low-height backward fall into crashpads. There is still no data about the functional outcome and return to sport of this typical bouldering injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All Patients with elbow dislocations due to a bouldering associated fall between 2011 and 2020 were identified retrospectively in our level I trauma centre. Trauma mechanisms, injury types and therapies were obtained. Follow-up was performed with an online questionnaire including sports-related effects, return to sport and the Elbow Self-Assessment Score (ESAS). RESULTS: 30 patients with elbow dislocations after bouldering accidents were identified. In 22 (73.3%) patients the injury was a simple dislocation. The questionnaire was completed by 20 patients. The leading mechanism was a low-height fall into crashpads. Surgical procedures were performed in every second patient. 18 patients (90%) reported return to bouldering after 4.7 ± 2.1 months. 12 patients (66.7%) regained their pre-injury level. Mid-/Long-term follow-up (mean 105 ± 37.5 months) showed excellent results in ESAS score (97.2 ± 3.9 points). Persistent limited range of motion or instability was reported by only 3 patients (15%). CONCLUSION: Most athletes are able to return to bouldering but only two thirds regain their pre-injury performance level in this demanding upper-extremity sport. The unique low-height trauma mechanism may create a false sense of security. Specific awareness and safety features should be placed for climbing athletes to reduce elbow injuries.

An esophagectomy surgical Apgar score-based nomogram-a risk-based postoperative triage system: a phase II randomised trial.

Background: The esophagectomy surgical Apgar score (eSAS) has been found to be a predictor of postoperative complications in esophagectomy. In our previous study, we built a graphic nomogram based on eSAS and demonstrated that it can effectively predict the risk of major morbidity after esophagectomy. In this study, we aimed to assess the benefits of using an eSAS-based nomogram model as a postoperative risk-based triage system for patients undergoing esophagectomy. Methods: We enrolled 119 patients diagnosed with esophageal carcinoma and randomly assigned them to a nomogram group (NG) or control group (CG) from January 2019 to December 2020. Patients in the NG were assigned to a low-risk group and high-risk group based on the nomogram. Patients in the high-risk group were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after esophagectomy. Risk estimation in the CG patients was based on the surgeon's clinical experience. Thirty-day major complications, postoperative hospital stay, hospital costs, and quality of life (QOL) during the follow-up were compared between the two groups. Results: Baseline clinicopathological characteristics were comparable between the NG (n=58) and CG (n=61). All patients underwent esophagectomy. Postoperative complications were significantly higher in the CG (30, 49.2%) than in the NG (14, 24.1%) (P=0.008), with pneumonia being the most common (CG: 23, 37.7%; NG: 12, 20.7%; P=0.042). There was no significant difference in anastomotic leakage (NG: 1, 1.7%; CG: 6, 9.8%; P=0.12). Postoperative median hospital stay was shorter in the NG (14 days) than in the CG (16 days) (P=0.041). Hospital costs (NG: ¥60,045.1; CG: ¥63,961.5; P=0.21) and postoperative QOL did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: An eSAS-based nomogram as a triage system can reduce the overall occurrence of postoperative complications and shorten postoperative hospital stay without increasing hospital costs. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900021636.

Short versus long-acting erythropoiesis-stimulating agents for anemia management in Egyptian hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) often results in renal anemia, impacting the well-being of patients and causing various negative consequences. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) offer promising solutions for managing anemia in CKD. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness, safety profile, and cost-effectiveness of short-acting (Eprex®) and long-acting (Aranesp®) ESAs. METHOD: This comparative prospective cohort cost-effectiveness study was carried out over 6 months among adult Egyptian hemodialysis patients of either gender. Participants were categorized into two groups based on the type of ESA administered: the Eprex group, receiving epoetin alfa, and the Aranesp group, receiving darbepoetin alfa. These two treatment groups' efficacy, safety, and cost were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Of 127 hemodialysis patients, 60 (47.2%) received Eprex, while 67 (52.8%) were treated with Aranesp. Target hemoglobin (Hb) was achieved by 50.6% of patients in the Eprex group versus 63.4% in the Aranesp group, with a significant difference (P < 0.001). Both treatment groups exhibited a similar safety profile, while Aranesp® was considered the cost-saving protocol. CONCLUSION: In hemodialysis Egyptian patients, Aranesp with extended dosing intervals proved to be more effective in achieving target Hb with comparable adverse effect profiles, a substantial cost-saving strategy, and offered time-saving advantages for medical staff workload compared to Eprex. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Clinicaltrial.gov registration ID is NCT05699109 (26/01/2023).

Chinese physician perception on the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia: online cross-section survey study.

BACKGROUND: The management of chemotherapy induced anemia (CIA) remains challenging. The potential risk and benefits in providing patient-centered care need to be balanced; the disease is multifactorial; and the major treatments including red blood cell (RBC) transfusions, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) and intravenous injection (i.v.)iron supplementation have a unique set of strengths and limitations. Also, most previous survey based on the patient data could not reveal the process of evaluation and decision-making for CIA treatment from a physician's perspective. As the comparison of China Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) guidelines, the standard of CIA treatment in China will vary from United States and Europe, for example, the initial hemoglobin (Hb) for RBC transfusions. In order to understand the diagnosis, treatment, and unmet medical needs of CIA patients, the China Medical Education Association (CMEA), in conjunction with Cancer Hope Medium, initiated the first national survey of Chinese physicians regarding the diagnosis and treatment of CIA. METHODS: The CMEA sent an online, 12-item questionnaire (via wjx.cn) to physicians across China from September 1, 2022 to October 22, 2022. Two hundred and sixty-five samples were calculated usingsurveyplanet.com. The questionnaire evaluated the impact of anemia on chemotherapy interruption, initial treatment, the target Hb level of CIA in, and the current status of ESAs prescription in clinical practice. Respondents were asked to score their reasons for not using ESAs (including safety issues, drug access in practice or adherence) and the risk options of the current treatment including ESAs, RBC transfusion, and i.v.iron. RESULTS: A total of 331 questionnaires among 5,000 web visits were gathered, covering 247 hospitals in 29 provinces across China, of which 130 (53%) were tier IIIA hospitals, 50 (20%) were tier III B hospitals, 59 (24%) were tier IIA hospitals, and 8 (3%) were tier II B hospitals. The frequency of chemotherapy dose delay/reduction due to anemia was 24% [standard deviation (SD) 49%]. Most responding physicians rated an initial Hb level for ESAs treatment to be 80 g/L, with a favorable Hb level for chemotherapy being 100 g/L (60%), which would not limit treatment availability. The majority (67.6%, n=221) of physicians who responded indicated that they had used ESAs for anemia correction, while the others (32.4%, n=106) reported never using them. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study in conducting a large-scale survey on the diagnosis and treatment of CIA in China from a physicians' perspective. We found that in China, nearly one-quarter of patients undergoing chemotherapy with concurrent anemia may experience interruption of chemotherapy and that the initiation of anemia treatment is not adequately timed. In treating CIA, most physicians prioritize the completion of chemotherapy via Hb level over treating the symptoms of anemia.

Integrating Patient-Reported Outcomes Into Prognostication in Gastroesophageal Cancer: Results of a Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcomes measures (PROM) are self-reflections of an individual's physical functioning and emotional well-being. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) is a simple and validated PRO tool of 10 common symptoms and a patient-reported functional status (PRFS) measure. The prognostic value of this tool is unknown in patients with gastroesophageal cancer (GEC). In this study, we examined the association between the ESAS score and overall survival (OS) in patients with GEC, the prognostication difference between ESAS and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), and assessed the correlation between PRFS and the physician-reported ECOG performance status (PS). METHODS: The study was a retrospective cohort study of 211 patients with GEC with localized (stages I-III) and metastatic disease who completed at least one baseline ESAS prior to treatment. Patients were grouped into 3 cohorts based on ESAS score. OS was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the concordance index (c-index) was calculated for ESAS and physician-reported ECOG. The agreement between PRFS and physician-ECOG was also assessed. RESULTS: In total, 211 patients were included. The median age was 60.8 years; 90% of patients were ECOG PS 0-1; 38% of patients were stages I-III, while 62% were de novo metastatic patients. Median OS in low, moderate, high symptom burden (SB) patients' cohorts was 19.17 m, 16.39 mm, and 12.68 m, respectively (P < .04). The ability to predict death was similar between physician-ECOG and ESAS (c-index 0.56 and 0.5753, respectively) and PRFS and physician-ECOG (c-index of 0.5615 and 0.5545, respectively). The PS agreement between patients and physicians was 50% with a weighted Kappa of 0.27 (95% CI: 0.17-0.38). CONCLUSION: Patient's SB seems to carry a prognostic significance. ESAS and physician-reported ECOG exhibit comparable prognostic values. Physicians and patients can frequently have divergent opinions on PS. ESAS takes a patient-centered approach and should be encouraged in practice among patients with GEC as an additional tool for prognostication.

Identifying individuals at risk of needing CKD associated medications in a European kidney disease cohort.

BACKGROUND: The consequences of chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be addressed with a range of pharmacotherapies primarily prescribed by nephrologists. More accurate information regarding future CKD-related pharmacotherapy requirements could guide clinical decisions including follow-up frequency. METHODS: Following assignment to derivation and validation groups (2,1), variables predicting individually future use of vitamin D receptor agonists (VDRA), phosphate binders, erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) and iron were identified using logistic regression in a prospective cohort study containing demography, comorbidity, hospitalization, laboratory, and mortality data in patients with CKD stage G4/G5 across six European countries. Discriminative ability was measured using C-statistics, and predicted probability of medication use used to inform follow-up frequency. RESULTS: A total of 2196 patients were included in the analysis. During a median follow-up of 735 days 648 initiated hemodialysis and 1548 did not. Combinations of age, diabetes status and iPTH, calcium, hemoglobin and serum albumin levels predicted the use of ESA, iron, phosphate binder or VDRA, with C-statistics of 0.70, 0.64, 0.73 and 0.63 in derivation cohorts respectively. Model performance in validation cohorts were similar. Sixteen percent of patients were predicted to have a likelihood of receiving any of these medications of less than 20%. CONCLUSIONS: In a multi-country CKD cohort, prediction of ESA and phosphate binder use over a two-year period can be made based on patient characteristics with the potential to reduce frequency of follow-up in individuals with low risk for requiring these medications.

The Influence of Precursor Depletion and dose Regimens on Resistance to Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents: Insights from Simulations with Instantaneous Dose-Adaptation Algorithm.

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have been a common treatment for anemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), while 10-20 % of patients continue to suffer from persistent anemia despite receiving ESA treatments. Our previous findings suggested that intensive ESA usage can cause resistance by depleting the erythroid precursor cells. Here, we used a mechanism-based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model of ESAs and conducted simulations to evaluate the influence of dose regimens and other factors (such as administration route, individual PK/PD parameters, types of ESAs, and disease status) on ESA resistance with instantaneous dose adaptations in healthy populations and anemic patients. The simulated results show that instantaneous dose-adaptation can reduce ESA resistance, but up to 30 % of subjects still ended up developing ESA resistance in healthy populations. The Smax is markedly higher in hypo-responders than in normal-responders, while hypo-responders possess fewer precursors and experience a faster decline compared to normal-responders. There is a ceiling effect of increasing ESA dosage to improve HGB responses and reduce ESA resistance, and the limit is lower in anemic patients compared to healthy populations. Subcutaneous administrations and ESAs with longer half-lives lead to stronger HGB responses and less resistance at equivalent doses. Taken together, this study indicates that precursor depletion contributes to ESA resistance and dose regimens can greatly influence the occurrence of ESA resistance. Furthermore, ESA treatment for patients showing ESA resistance should avoid continuously increasing doses and instead consider stimulating the renewal of precursors.

Assessment of emotional distress in palliative care: Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-revised (ESAS-r) vs Distress Thermometer.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Distress Thermometer (DT) as a screening tool for emotional distress in oncological palliative care patients and to compare the DT with the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-revised (ESAS-r) and the gold standard to determine the most appropriate assessment method in palliative psychological care. METHODS: Data were collected from psychological screening tests (ESAS-r and DT), and clinical interviews (gold standard) were conducted by a clinical psychologist specialist in palliative oncology from January 2021 to January 2022 in an oncology palliative care service. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 356 first-time patients with a diagnosis of advanced cancer in palliative care. The most frequently reported oncological diagnoses were gastrointestinal tract (49.3%) and breast (18.3%). Most patients were female (n = 206; 57.9%), 60.4% were married/with a partner, 55.4% had between 6 and 9 years of schooling, and a median age of 57 (range, 46-65) years. The cutoff of the DT was 5, with a sensitivity of 75.88% and specificity of 54.3%. Emotional problems (sadness and nervousness) had a greater area under the curve (AUC) when measured using the DT than the ESAS-r; however, only in the case of the comparative sadness and discouragement was the difference between the AUC marginally significant. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The use of the DT as a screening tool in oncological palliative care is more effective in the evaluation of psychological needs than the ESAS-r. The DT, in addition to evaluation by an expert psychologist, allows for a more comprehensive identification of signs and symptoms to yield an accurate mental health diagnosis based on the International Classification of Diseases-11th Revision and/or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition.

Functional Postoperative Outcome for 92 Cases of Radial Head Fractures: A PROM-Based Retrospective Study.

Background: Fractures of the radial head are common injuries, whereas, in the case of displaced fractures, surgical treatment using screw or plate osteosynthesis, excision, or replacement of the radial head is required. However, data about patient-related outcomes (PROM) for different types of radial head fractures is limited in the current literature. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the functional outcome after operatively treated radial head fractures and to further correlate these results with the initial modified Mason classification. Methods: In this retrospective study, all suitable patients with surgical treatment of a radial head fracture were identified. Only patients with Mason II-IV fractures were included. All patients completed the Elbow Self-Assessment Score (ESAS) questionnaire. Data on fracture classification, type of surgery, and revision operations (if needed) were assessed. Results: A total of 92 patients suffering from fractures of the radial head (57 Mason II, 35 Mason III-fractures) who were operatively treated at our institution were enrolled. There were 42 (47.7%) female and 50 (54.3%) male patients with an average age of 47.5 ± 14.1 years. Screw osteosynthesis was performed in 67 patients, plate osteosynthesis in 20 patients, and five patients received radial head arthroplasty. The average ESAS score accounted for 89.7 ± 16.7. Mason II fractures showed significantly better functional results with higher ESAS scores (92.3 ± 13.9 vs. 85.4 ± 20.1) as well as significantly lower rates of necessary implant removal (0 vs. 5 (14.3%) than Mason III fractures. Screw osteosynthesis showed significantly better functional ESAS scores, 91.0 ± 16.5, than plate osteosynthesis, with 85.3 ± 17.6 (p = 0.041), but was predominantly used in Mason II fractures. Conclusions: Surgical treatment using screw- and plate osteosynthesis of radial head fractures provides a good overall outcome. The postoperative function is associated with the initial Mason classification as the patients' reported outcome was worse in Mason III fractures compared to Mason type II fractures. In this context, the ESAS score can be considered a useful tool for the assessment of the patient-based functional outcome.

Validation of Bengali version of Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale-Revised (ESAS-r Bengali): A multidimensional symptom assessment tool for patients with advanced incurable diseases receiving palliative care.

Objective: Routine symptom assessment represents the cornerstone of symptom management of patients with advanced incurable diseases in palliative care. At present, there is no validated tool to assess symptoms among the Bengali-speaking population with incurable diseases. The aim of the study is to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (Revised) into Bengali language. Methods: The study was conducted in two phases. Forward and backward translations of the English version of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (Revised) into Bengali were conducted by four independent translators. After obtaining reviews from an expert committee, pre-testing and cognitive debriefing the Bengali version of the tool was finalized. The final validation was conducted among 110 patients admitted to the Palliative Medicine Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Validity (content, face, and construct validity) and reliability (internal consistency) were assessed in the final validation phase. Result: All participants responded to all items. Seventy percent of the participants completely understood all questions but 30% had difficulty with three questions. The expert committee expressed their satisfaction regarding the face and content validity of the questionnaire. The Bengali version also had high reliability (α = 0.862). Principal component analysis with the distribution of varimax rotation of Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (Revised) Bengali ranged from 0.41 to 0.83. Conclusion: After the translation and cross-cultural adaptation, the Bengali version of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (Revised) achieved good levels of validity and reliability. It can be used as a symptom assessment tool for Bengali speaking population receiving palliative care.

Comparative effectiveness and acceptability of HIF prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitors versus for anemia patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: The comparative benefits and acceptability of HIF-PHIs for treating anemia have not been well researched to date. We sought to compare the effectiveness of 6 HIF-PHIs and 3 ESAs for the treatment of renal anemia patients undergoing dialysis. Data sources: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and clinicaltrials.gov databases. Results: Twenty-five RCTs (involving 17,204 participants) were included, all of which were designed to achieve target Hb levels by adjusting thee dose of HIF-PHIs. Regarding the efficacy in achieving target Hb levels, no significant differences were found between HIF-PHIs and ESAs in Hb response at the dose-adjusted designed RCTs selected for comparison. Intervention with roxadustat showed a significantly lower risk of RBC transfusion than rhEPO, with an OR and 95% CI of 0.76 (0.56-0.93). Roxadustat and vadadustat had higher risks of increasing the discontinuation rate than ESAs; the former had ORs and 95% CIs of 1.58 (95% CI: 1.21-2.06) for rhEPO, 1.66 (1.16-2.38) for DPO (darbepoetin alfa), and 1.76 (1.70-4.49) for MPG-EPO, and the latter had ORs and 95% CIs of 1.71 (1.09-2.67) for rhEPO, 1.79 (1.29-2.49) for DPO, and 2.97 (1.62-5.46) for MPG-EPO. No differences were observed in the AEs and SAEs among patients who received the studied drugs. Results of a meta-analysis of gastrointestinal disorders among AEs revealed that vadadustat was less effect on causing diarrea than DPO, with an OR of 0.97 (95% CI, 0.9-0.99). Included HIF-PHIs, were proven to be more effective than ESAs in reducing hepcidin levels and increasing TIBC and serum iron level with OR of -0.17 (95% CI, -0.21 to -0.12), OR of 0.79 (95% CI, 0.63-0.95), and OR of 0.39 (95% CI, 0.33-0.45), respectively. Conclusion: HIF-PHIs and ESAs have their characteristics and advantages in treating anemia undergoing dialysis. With the selected dose-adjusted mode, some HIF-PHIs appeared to be a potential treatment for DD-CKD patients when ompared with rhEPO, due to its effectiveness in decreasing the risk of RBC transfusion rate or regulating iron or lipid metabolism while achieving target Hb levels. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=306511; Identifier: CRD42022306511.

Evaluation of the validity and screening performance of a revised single-item fear of cancer recurrence screening measure (FCR-1r).

OBJECTIVE: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is highly prevalent among cancer survivors, but irregularly identified in practice. Single-item FCR measures suitable for integration into broader psychosocial screening are needed. This study evaluated the validity of a revised version of the original FCR-1 (FCR-1r) and screening performance alongside the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System - Revised (ESAS-r) anxiety item. METHODS: The FCR-1r was adapted from the FCR-1 and modelled on the ESAS-r. Associations between FCR-1r and FCR Inventory-Short Form (FCRI-SF) scores determined concurrent validity. Relationships of FCR-1r scores with variables related (e.g., anxiety, intrusive thoughts) and unrelated (e.g., employment/marital status) to FCR determined convergent and divergent validity respectively. A Receiver-Operating Characteristic analysis examined screening performance and cut-offs for the FCR-1r and ESAS-r anxiety item. RESULTS: 107 participants were recruited in two studies (Study 1, July-October 2021, n = 54; Study 2: November 2021-May 2022, n = 53). The FCR-1r demonstrated concurrent validity against the FCRI-SF (r = 0.83, p < 0.0001) and convergent validity versus the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (r = 0.63, p < 0.0001) and Impact of Event Scale-Revised Intrusion subscale (r = 0.55, p < 0.0001). It did not correlate with unrelated variables (e.g., employment/marital status), indicating divergent validity. An FCR-1r cut-off ≥5/10 had 95% sensitivity and 77% specificity for detecting clinical FCR (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.91, 95% CI 0.85-0.97, p < 0.0001); ESAS-r anxiety cut-off ≥4 had 91% sensitivity and 82% specificity (AUC = 0.87, 95% CI 0.77-0.98, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The FCR-1r is a valid and accurate tool for FCR screening. Further evaluation of the screening performance of the FCR-1r versus the ESAS-r anxiety item in routine care is needed.

Dyspnea in patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer: a population-based analysis of disease burden and patterns of care.

Background: Patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) experience significant morbidity with dyspnea being a common symptom with a prevalence of 70%. The objective of this study was to determine factors associated with a moderate-to-severe dyspnea score based on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), as well as resultant patterns of intervention and factors correlated to intervention receipt. Methods: Using health services administrative data, we conducted a population-based study of all patients diagnosed with metastatic NSCLC treated from January 2007 to September 2018 in the province of Ontario. The primary outcomes of interest are the prevalence of moderate-to-severe dyspnea scores, and the receipt of dyspnea-directed intervention. Differences in baseline characteristic between moderate-to-severe dyspnea and low dyspnea score cohorts were assessed by comparative statistics. Predictors of intervention receipt for patients with moderate-to-severe dyspnea scores were estimated using multivariable modified Poisson regression. Results: The initial study cohort included 13,159 patients diagnosed with metastatic NSCLC and of these, 9,434 (71.7%) reported a moderate-to-severe dyspnea score. Compared to patients who did not report moderate-to-severe dyspnea scores, those who reported a moderate-to-severe dyspnea score were more likely to complete a greater number of ESAS surveys, be male, have a higher Elixhauser comorbidity index (ECI) score, and receive subsequent systemic therapy after diagnosis. Most patients with a moderate-to-severe dyspnea score received intervention (96%), of which the most common were palliative care management (87%), thoracic radiotherapy (56%) and thoracentesis (37%). Multivariable regression identified older patients to be less likely to undergo pleurodesis. Thoracentesis was less common for patients living in rural and non-major urban areas, lower income areas, and earlier year of diagnosis. Receipt of thoracic radiotherapy was less common for older patients, females, those with ECI ≥4, patients living in major urban areas, and those with later year of diagnosis. Finally, palliative care referrals were less frequent for patients with ECI ≥4, age 60-69, residence outside of major urban areas, earlier year of diagnosis, and lower income areas. Conclusions: Dyspnea is a prevalent symptom amongst patients with metastatic NSCLC. Subpopulations of patients with moderate-to-severe dyspnea scores were in which inequities may exist in access to care that require further attention and evaluation.

Fatigue in patients with cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy: a prospective two-center study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common symptoms in patients with cancer. However, CRF has not been sufficiently evaluated as it involves various factors. In this study, we evaluated fatigue in patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy in an outpatient setting. METHODS: Patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy at the outpatient treatment center of Fukui University Hospital and Saitama Medical University Medical Center Outpatient Chemotherapy Center were included. The survey period was from March 2020 to June 2020. The frequency of occurrence, time, degree, and related factors were examined. All patients were asked to fill out the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System Revised Japanese version (ESAS-r-J) questionnaire, which is a self-administered rating scale, and patients with ESAS-r-J "Tiredness" scores of ≥ 3 were evaluated for factors related to tiredness, such as age, sex, weight, and laboratory parameters. RESULTS: A total of 608 patients were enrolled in this study. Fatigue after chemotherapy occurred in 71.0% of patients. ESAS-r-J "Tiredness" scores of ≥ 3 were observed in 20.4% of patients. The factors related to CRF were low hemoglobin level and high C-reactive protein level. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty percent of patients receiving cancer chemotherapy on an outpatient basis had moderate or severe CRF. Patients with anemia and inflammation are at increased risk of developing fatigue after cancer chemotherapy.

Validation of the Arabic Version of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System.

Quality cancer care is a team effort. In addition, patients' symptoms change over the course of treatment. As such, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) is a simple tool designed to quickly monitor symptom change. Here, we present the results from a two-phase study aimed at validating the Arabic version of the ESAS (ESAS-A). Phase one involved the creation of two versions of the ESAS with both reverse and forward translations by bilingual, native Arabic speakers as well as evaluation by an expert panel. The reconciled version was then administered to 20 patients as a pilot from which to create the final version, which was then used with 244 patients. Phase two for the ESAS-involved an ESAS-based validation of 244 adults aged 18 years and older who were diagnosed with advanced cancer; then, further validation was completed in conjunction with two other symptom survey tools, the EORTC-Pal 15 and the HADS. The ESAS-A items possessed good internal consistency with an average Cronbach's alpha of 0.84, ranging from 0.82 to 0.85. Moreover, the results of ESAS-A showed good agreement with those of EORTC QLQ- 15 PAL (r = 0.36 to 0.69) and HADS (r = 0.60 and 0.57) regarding anxiety and depression. We found the ESAS-A to be responsive to symptom change and a median time to completion of 3.73 min. The results of our study demonstrate that the ESAS-A is a reliable, valid, and feasible tool for the purposes of monitoring symptom change over the course of cancer treatment.

Machine learning models for 180-day mortality prediction of patients with advanced cancer using patient-reported symptom data.

PURPOSE: The objective of the current study was to develop and test the performances of different ML algorithms which were trained using patient-reported symptom severity data to predict mortality within 180 days for patients with advanced cancer. METHODS: We randomly selected 630 of 689 patients with advanced cancer at our institution who completed symptom PRO measures as part of routine care between 2009 and 2020. Using clinical, demographic, and PRO data, we trained and tested four ML algorithms: generalized regression with elastic net regularization (GLM), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) trees, support vector machines (SVM), and a single hidden layer neural network (NNET). We assessed the performance of algorithms individually as well as part of an unweighted voting ensemble on the hold-out testing sample. Performance was assessed using area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). RESULTS: The starting cohort of 630 patients was randomly partitioned into training (n = 504) and testing (n = 126) samples. Of the four ML models, the XGBoost algorithm demonstrated the best performance for 180-day mortality prediction in testing data (AUROC = 0.69, sensitivity = 0.68, specificity = 0.62, PPV = 0.66, NPV = 0.64). Ensemble of all algorithms performed worst (AUROC = 0.65, sensitivity = 0.65, specificity = 0.62, PPV = 0.65, NPV = 0.62). Of individual PRO symptoms, shortness of breath emerged as the variable of highest impact on the XGBoost 180-mortality prediction (1-AUROC = 0.30). CONCLUSION: Our findings support ML models driven by patient-reported symptom severity as accurate predictors of short-term mortality in patients with advanced cancer, highlighting the opportunity to integrate these models prospectively into future studies of goal-concordant care.

Frailty and Increased Levels of Symptom Burden Can Predict the Presence of Each Other in HNSCC Patients.

Frailty is an important risk factor for adverse events (AEs), especially in elderly patients. Therefore, assessing frailty before therapy is recommended. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients, frailty is prognostic for severe postoperative complications and declining quality of life (QoL) after HNSCC treatment. Thus, assessment of frailty may help to identify individuals at risk for AE caused by oncologic therapy. We investigated the relationship between frailty and symptom burden to better understand their interaction and impact on HNSCC patients. In this prospectively designed cross-sectional study, the presence of frailty and symptom burden was assessed by using the Geriatric 8 (G8) and Minimal Documentation System (MIDOS2) questionnaires. A total of 59 consecutively accrued patients with a first diagnosis of HNSCC before therapy were evaluated. Patients were considered frail at a total G8 score ≤ 14. The MIDOS2 symptom burden score was considered pathological with a total score ≥ 4 or any severe symptom (=3). Statistical correlations were analyzed using Spearman and Pearson correlation. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the potential of predicting frailty and MIDOS2. p-values < 0.05 were considered significant. A total of 41 patients (69.5%) were considered frail, and 27 patients (45.8%) had increased symptom burden. "Tiredness" was the most common (overall rate 57.8%) and "Pain" was the most often stated "severe" symptom (5 patients, 8.5%). G8 and MIDOS2 correlated significantly (ρ = -0.487, p < 0.001; r = -0.423, p < 0.001). Frailty can be predicted by MIDOS2 symptom score (AUC = 0.808, 95% CI 0.698-0.917, p < 0.001). Vice versa, the G8 score can predict pathological symptom burden according to MIDOS2 (AUC = 0.750, 95% CI 0.622-0.878, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The strong link between frailty and increased symptom burden assessed by G8 or MIDOS2 indicates a coherence of both risk factors in HNSCC patients. Considering at least one of both scores might improve the identification of individuals at risk and achieve higher QoL and reduced complication rates by decision making for appropriate therapy regimens.

Recognition of Vehicles Entering Expressway Service Areas and Estimation of Dwell Time Using ETC Data.

To scientifically and effectively evaluate the service capacity of expressway service areas (ESAs) and improve the management level of ESAs, we propose a method for the recognition of vehicles entering ESAs (VeESAs) and estimation of vehicle dwell times using electronic toll collection (ETC) data. First, the ETC data and their advantages are described in detail, and then the cleaning rules are designed according to the characteristics of the ETC data. Second, we established feature engineering according to the characteristics of VeESA and proposed the XGBoost-based VeESA recognition (VR-XGBoost) model. Studied the driving rules in depth, we constructed a kinematics-based vehicle dwell time estimation (K-VDTE) model. The field validation in Part A/B of Yangli ESA using real ETC transaction data demonstrates that the effectiveness of our proposal outperforms the current state-of-the-art. Specifically, in Part A and Part B, the recognition accuracies of VR-XGBoost are 95.9% and 97.4%, respectively, the mean absolute errors (MAEs) of dwell time are 52 and 14 s, respectively, and the root mean square errors (RMSEs) are 69 and 22 s, respectively. In addition, the confidence level of controlling the MAE of dwell time within 2 min is more than 97%. This work can effectively recognize the VeESA and accurately estimate the dwell time, which can provide a reference idea and theoretical basis for the service capacity evaluation and layout optimization of the ESA.