Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Myelofibrosis Aged 70 Years or Older: A Study from the German Registry for Stem Cell Transplantation.

Current consensus recommends hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for patients with myelofibrosis with intermediate or high-risk disease and age of less than 70 years. However, a higher chronological age should not be prohibitive for the eligibility decision in general, acknowledging that current life expectancy for the general population aged 70 years is ∼15 years, and current numbers of patients transplanted at 70 years or older is steadily increasing. The following study aimed to evaluate characteristics and outcomes of HCT in 115 myelofibrosis patients aged 70 years or older. This is a retrospective multicenter study, using the German Registry for Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (DRST). Adult myelofibrosis patients were included who received HCT up until 2021. Patients with secondary leukemia were excluded. Main endpoints were HCT demographics over time and outcomes after HCT (including overall survival, relapse incidence, non-relapse mortality, and graft-versus-host disease/relapse-free survival). Numbers of HCT increased over the past decade, with a significant spike since 2019. Comorbidity status of transplanted patients improved over time, while reduced-intensity conditioning was the preferred HCT platform, especially in most recent years. The 3-year overall survival was 55% (95% confidence interval [CI], 44%-65%). The 1-year cumulative incidence of relapse was 7% (95% CI, 3%-13%) and the 1-year cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality was 22% (95% CI, 14%-31%). The 3-year graft-versus-host disease and relapse-free survival was 37% (95% CI, 27%-47%). Driver mutation genotype (in particular, non-CALR/MPL genotype) appeared to be the only variable that was significantly and independently associated with better survival in multivariable analysis, whereas neither comorbidity index nor dose intensity of pre-transplant conditioning appeared to influence outcome. This study demonstrated feasibility of curative treatment with HCT for myelofibrosis aged 70 or older, with significant increases in HCT numbers and improved fitness of older adults over recent years.

Impact of busulfan versus treosulfan dose intensity in myelofibrosis undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation.

One key aspect of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is pretransplant conditioning, balancing risk for relapse versus non-relapse mortality. Conditioning regimens with different alkylators at different doses can influence outcome, but data are missing for myelofibrosis, a challenging cohort of patients usually presenting at older age and with comorbidities. We evaluated in a multicenter retrospective study the comparative efficacy and safety of busulfan versus treosulfan in combination with fludarabine for myelofibrosis patients undergoing HCT. This study included 1115 patients (busulfan, n = 902; treosulfan, n = 213) receiving first HCT between 2005 and 2021. Patients were generally balanced for key patient characteristics. Overall survival at 4 years was 62% for the busulfan group versus 58% for the treosulfan group (p = .22). Impact on outcome was dose-dependent. Overall survival was 65% (95% CI, 61%-69%) for reduced intensity busulfan versus 69% (95% CI, 54%-84%) for reduced intensity treosulfan, 53% (95% CI, 44%-63%) for higher intensity busulfan, and 55% (95% CI, 46%-63%) for higher intensity treosulfan. Incidence of relapse was similar across intensity groups. In multivariable analysis, the hazard for death (with reduced intensity busulfan as reference) was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.39-2.01) for reduced intensity treosulfan (p = .77), 1.42 (95% CI, 0.96-2.10) for higher intensity busulfan (0.08), and 1.61 (95% CI, 1.14-2.26) for higher intensity treosulfan (p = .006). In terms of non-relapse mortality, comparison was not significantly different, while the hazard ratio for higher intensity treosulfan was 1.48 (95% CI, 0.98-2.23; p = .06). Here, we showed comparable outcomes and improved survival in myelofibrosis undergoing HCT with reduced intensity busulfan or treosulfan.

Influência das variáveis antropométricas sobre a força muscular do assoalho pélvico na Incontinência Urinária / Influence of anthropometric variables on pelvic floor muscular strength in Urinary Incontinence

INTRODUÇÃO: A Incontinência Urinária (IU) é definida como qualquer perda involuntária de urina. O aumento do peso e as medidas de circunferências elevadas são fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento destes sintomas. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a influência das variáveis antropométricas (VAs) na força muscular do assoalho pélvico de mulheres com IU. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com amostragem de conveniência. Iniciada a avaliação com a anamnese, após aferição das VAs seguiu-se para avaliação funcional do assoalho pélvico (AFA). Aplicada correlação de Spearman, e para avaliar a influência das VAs na AFA realizou-se regressão linear múltipla. RESULTADOS: Avaliadas 12 voluntárias com IU, média de idade 56,9±13,2 anos e maior frequência 10 (83,3%) de incontinência urinária de esforço. Encontradas correlações moderadas e negativas entre VAs e a AFA [Índice de massa corporal (IMC) vs AFA (r= -0,582 p=0,020); Circunferência da Cintura (CC) vs AFA (r= -0,567 p=0,033); Circunferência do Quadril (CQ) vs AFA (r= -0,593 p=0,050); Circunferência Abdominal (CA) vs AFA (r= -0,657 p=0.001)]. Estes achados foram ratificados através da análise de regressão linear múltipla, onde há influência direta de 37% do IMC e CA na AFA das voluntárias com IU. CONCLUSÃO: Valores elevados das VAs estão relacionadas diretamente com um pior desempenho na AFA, em mulheres com incontinência urinária. [AU]

INTRODUCTION: Urinary Incontinence (UI) is defined as any involuntary loss of urine, weight gain and high circumference measures are risk factors for UI symptoms development. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of anthropometric variables on the pelvic floor muscular strength of women with UI. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Cross-sectional study with convenience sample. Data were collected during anamnesis and after obtaining anthropometric variables, pelvic floor functional evaluation (PFE) was done. A Spearman correlation was performed and to evaluate anthropometrics variables' influence on PFE we did a multiple linear regression. RESULTS: 12 volunteers with UI were evaluated, mean age of 56.9±13.2 years with a frequency of 10 (83.3%) with stress urinary incontinence. Moderate and negative correlations between anthropometrics variables and PFE were found [Body mass index (BMI) vs PFE (r= -0,582 p=0,020); Waist circumference (WC) vs PFE (r= -0.567 p=0.033); Hip circumference (HC) vs PFE (r= -0.593 p=0.050); Abdominal circumference (AC) vs PFE (r= -0.657 p=0.001)]. The correlations findings can be ratified through a multiple linear regression analysis, where there is a direct influence of 37% of BMI and AC on PFE in the volunteers with UI. CONCLUSION: Higher values of the anthropometric measures are directly related to a worse performance on PFE, High VA values are directly related to poor performance in AFA in women with urinary incontinence. [AU]

A ética na formação dos profissionais da saúde: algumas reflexões / The ethics on the formation of the health professionals: some reflections

O artigo descreve o importante papel da ética na formação dos profissionais da saúde. Inicia com considerações sobre o nascimento e incorporação da bioética na formação do profissional da saúde, destacando o papel das instituições de ensino superior na disseminação de conteúdos éticos pertinentes a cada profissão. É destacado o papel do ensino da ética na formação dos profissionais da área da saúde, tecendo considerações sobre da importância desse ensinamento que visa à humanização da prática médica.