A systematic review and meta-analysis of neoadjuvant imatinib use in locally advanced and metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

BACKGROUND: Several doubts remain regarding the optimal use of neoadjuvant imatinib in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), such as ideal treatment duration, patient selection, and long-term survival outcomes. This manuscript provides a comprehensive review on neoadjuvant imatinib treatment outcomes and facilitate evidence-based decision-making for the use of imatinib therapy in GISTs. METHODS: Four databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) were searched from inception to September 9, 2023. Meta-analyses of proportions were performed for the outcomes of R0 resection, disease responses, and 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival (OS) as well as 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year disease free survival (DFS). Sensitivity analyses in the form of leave-one-out analyses, meta-regression, and subgroup analyses were performed for outcomes with substantial statistical heterogeneity. RESULTS: The search yielded 1254 articles, and 36 studies were included in our analysis. Meta-analysis of proportions revealed that 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS was 100%, 94%, and 88%, while 1-year, 3-year and 5-year DFS was 99%, 89%, and 79%, respectively. An R0 resection rate of 89% and a disease response rate of 67% was achieved after a mean duration of treatment of 8.41 ± 0.367 months. KIT exon 9 mutation was significantly associated with poorer 5-year DFS. CONCLUSION: This study quantified key outcomes for neoadjuvant imatinib in locally advanced and metastatic or recurrent GIST. Patients with gastric and rectal tumous stand to benefit from neoadjuvant imatinib with an optimal treatment duration of 8 months. Furthermore, the potential utility of mutational analysis in guiding treatment with neoadjuvant imatinib was demonstrated.

Prehospital stroke care in Singapore.

ABSTRACT: Due to the narrow window of opportunity for stroke therapeutics to be employed, effectiveness of stroke care systems is predicated on the efficiency of prehospital stroke systems. A robust prehospital stroke system of care that provides a rapid and well-coordinated response maximises favourable poststroke outcomes, but achieving this presents a unique set of challenges dependent on demographic and geographical circumstances. Set in the context of a highly urbanised first-world nation with a rising burden of stroke, Singapore's prehospital stroke system has evolved to reflect the environment in which it operates. This review aims to characterise the current state of prehospital stroke care in Singapore, covering prehospital aspects of the stroke survival chain from symptom onset till arrival at the emergency department. We identify areas for improvement and innovation, as well as provide insights into the possible future of prehospital stroke care in Singapore.

Incidence and Long-Term Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction Among Survivors of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing long-term survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), the risk of subsequent acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains poorly understood. We aimed to determine the incidence, predictors, and long-term outcomes of AMI among survivors of OHCA. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assembled a retrospective cohort of 882 patients with OHCA who survived to 30 days or discharge from the hospital between 2010 and 2019. Survivors of OHCA had an increased risk of subsequent AMI, defined as AMI occurring 30 days after index OHCA or following discharge from the hospital after OHCA, compared with the general population when matched for age and sex (standardized incidence ratio, 4.64 [95% CI, 3.52-6.01]). Age-specific risks of subsequent AMI for men (standardized incidence ratio, 3.29 [95% CI, 2.39-4.42]) and women (standardized incidence ratio, 6.15 [95% CI, 3.27-10.52]) were significantly increased. A total of 7.2%, 8.3%, and 14.3% of survivors of OHCA had a subsequent AMI at 3 years, 5 years, and end of follow-up, respectively. Age at OHCA (hazard ratio [HR], 1.04 [95% CI, 1.02-1.06]) and past medical history of prior AMI, defined as any AMI preceding or during the index OHCA event (HR, 1.84 [95% CI, 1.05-3.22]), were associated with subsequent AMI, while an initial shockable rhythm was not (HR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.52-1.94]). Survivors of OHCA with subsequent AMI had a higher risk of death (HR, 1.58 [95% CI, 1.12-2.22]) than those without. CONCLUSIONS: Survivors of OHCA are at an increased risk of subsequent AMI compared with the general population. Prior AMI, but not an initial shockable rhythm, increases this risk, while subsequent AMI predicts death. Preventive measures for AMI including cardiovascular risk factor control and revascularization may thus improve outcomes in selected patients with cardiac pathogenesis.

Long term risk of recurrence among survivors of sudden cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: With a growing number of survivors of sudden cardiac arrest globally, their natural disease progression is of interest. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the risk of recurrence after sudden cardiac arrest and its associated risk factors. METHODS: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Scopus were searched from inception to October 2021. Studies involving survivors of an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest event of any non-traumatic aetiology were included. Meta-analyses of proportions using the random-effects model estimated the primary outcome of first recurrent sudden cardiac arrest incidence as well as secondary outcomes including cumulative incidence of recurrence at 1-year and incidence of second recurrence among survivors of first recurrence. A recurrent episode was defined as a sudden cardiac arrest that occurs 28 or more days after the index event. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were conducted for predetermined variables. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess risk of bias for most studies. RESULTS: 35 studies of moderate to high quality comprising a total of 7186 survivors were analysed. The pooled incidence of first recurrence was 15.24% (32 studies; 95%CI, 11.01-19.95; mean follow-up time, 41.3 ± 29.3 months) and second recurrence was 35.03% (3 studies; 95%CI, 19.65-51.93; mean follow-up time, 161.1 ± 54.3 months). At 1-year, incidence of recurrence was 10.62% (3 studies; 95%CI, 0.25-30.42). Subgroup analyses found no significant difference (p = 0.204) between incidence of first recurrence published from 1975-1992 and 1993-2021, and between studies with mean follow-up time of <24 months, 24-48 months, and >48 months. On meta-regression, initial shockable rhythm increased incidence of first recurrence (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: 15.24% of sudden cardiac arrest survivors experienced a recurrence, and of these, 35.03% experienced a second recurrence. Most recurrences occurred in the first year. Initial shockable rhythm increased this risk. Despite the limitations of inter-study heterogeneity, these findings can still guide intervention and follow-up of sudden cardiac arrest survivors.