Significado pronóstico de los diagnósticos alternativos a la TEP hallados en la tomografía computarizada de tórax de pacientes ingresados por agudización de EPOC: subanálisis predefinido del ensayo SLICE / Prognostic Significance of Findings on CTPA Supporting an Alternative Diagnosis to PE Among Patients Hospitalized for an Exacerbation of COPD: Predefined Subanalysis of the SLICE Trial

Antecedentes: El ensayo clínico SLICE no demostró un beneficio clínico de la búsqueda activa de la tromboembolia de pulmón (TEP) en pacientes que requirieron ingreso por agudización de su EPOC. El objetivo de este subanálisis fue determinar la frecuencia y el significado pronóstico del hallazgo de un diagnóstico alternativo a la TEP en la tomografía computarizada de tórax (TC) realizada a pacientes hospitalizados por EPOC agudizada. Métodos: Analizamos los pacientes del grupo intervención de SLICE que recibieron una TC con resultado negativo para TEP. Evaluamos mediante el uso de regresión logística multivariable la asociación entre un diagnóstico alternativo y el evento primario compuesto de reingreso por EPOC y la mortalidad por cualquier causa en los primeros 90 días después de la aleatorización. Resultados: Este análisis incluyó a 175 pacientes del grupo intervención que recibieron una TC con un resultado negativo para TEP. De ellos, 84 (48,0%) fueron diagnosticados de infección bronquial aguda, 13 (7,4%) de cáncer de pulmón, 10 (5,7%) de insuficiencia cardiaca, 8 (4,6%) de neumonía, 18 (10,3%) de otros diagnósticos, y en 42 (24,0%) pacientes la TC fue normal. En el análisis multivariable, un diagnóstico alternativo no se asoció de manera significativa con el evento primario (odds ratio: 0,64; IC 95%: 0,30-1,38; P=0,26). Conclusiones: Entre los pacientes que requieren ingreso por agudización de EPOC, la TC ofrece un diagnóstico alternativo a la TEP en el 76% de las ocasiones. El tratamiento específico de estas patologías no se asocia a un mejor pronóstico durante el seguimiento. (AU)

Background: Among patients hospitalized for an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the SLICE trial showed that the addition of an active diagnostic strategy for pulmonary embolism (PE) to usual care compared with usual care alone did not improve a composite set of health outcomes. The objective of this subanalysis was to determine the frequency and prognostic significance of findings on computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) supporting an alternative diagnosis to PE. Methods: We analyzed all patients randomized to the intervention in the SLICE trial who received a CTPA that did not show PE. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the independent association between findings supporting an alternative diagnosis to PE and a composite of readmission for COPD or death within 90 days after randomization. Results: Among the 746 patients who were randomized, this subanalysis included 175 patients in the intervention group who received a CTPA that did not show PE. Eighty-four (48.0%) patients had acute bronchial infection, 13 (7.4%) had lung cancer, 10 (5.7%) had congestive heart failure, 8 (4.6%), 18 (10.3%) had other diagnoses, and 42 (24.0%) had a normal CTPA. In multivariable analysis, findings supporting an alternative diagnosis to PE were not significantly associated with the primary outcome (odds ratio: 0.64; 95% confidence interval: 0.30-1.38; P=0.26). Conclusions: Among patients hospitalized for an exacerbation of COPD, CTPA identified an alternative diagnosis in 76% of the patients. However, specific management of these patients was not associated with improved outcomes within 90 days after randomization. (AU)

[Translated article] Prognostic Significance of Findings on CTPA Supporting an Alternative Diagnosis to PE Among Patients Hospitalized for an Exacerbation of COPD: Predefined Subanalysis of the SLICE Trial / Significado pronóstico de los diagnósticos alternativos a la TEP hallados en la tomografía computarizada de tórax de pacientes ingresados por agudización de EPOC: subanálisis predefinido del ensayo SLICE

Background: Among patients hospitalized for an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the SLICE trial showed that the addition of an active diagnostic strategy for pulmonary embolism (PE) to usual care compared with usual care alone did not improve a composite set of health outcomes. The objective of this subanalysis was to determine the frequency and prognostic significance of findings on computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) supporting an alternative diagnosis to PE. Methods: We analyzed all patients randomized to the intervention in the SLICE trial who received a CTPA that did not show PE. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the independent association between findings supporting an alternative diagnosis to PE and a composite of readmission for COPD or death within 90 days after randomization. Results: Among the 746 patients who were randomized, this subanalysis included 175 patients in the intervention group who received a CTPA that did not show PE. Eighty-four (48.0%) patients had acute bronchial infection, 13 (7.4%) had lung cancer, 10 (5.7%) had congestive heart failure, 8 (4.6%), 18 (10.3%) had other diagnoses, and 42 (24.0%) had a normal CTPA. In multivariable analysis, findings supporting an alternative diagnosis to PE were not significantly associated with the primary outcome (odds ratio: 0.64; 95% confidence interval: 0.30-1.38; P=0.26). Conclusions: Among patients hospitalized for an exacerbation of COPD, CTPA identified an alternative diagnosis in 76% of the patients. However, specific management of these patients was not associated with improved outcomes within 90 days after randomization. (AU)

Antecedentes: El ensayo clínico SLICE no demostró un beneficio clínico de la búsqueda activa de la tromboembolia de pulmón (TEP) en pacientes que requirieron ingreso por agudización de su EPOC. El objetivo de este subanálisis fue determinar la frecuencia y el significado pronóstico del hallazgo de un diagnóstico alternativo a la TEP en la tomografía computarizada de tórax (TC) realizada a pacientes hospitalizados por EPOC agudizada. Métodos: Analizamos los pacientes del grupo intervención de SLICE que recibieron una TC con resultado negativo para TEP. Evaluamos mediante el uso de regresión logística multivariable la asociación entre un diagnóstico alternativo y el evento primario compuesto de reingreso por EPOC y la mortalidad por cualquier causa en los primeros 90 días después de la aleatorización. Resultados: Este análisis incluyó a 175 pacientes del grupo intervención que recibieron una TC con un resultado negativo para TEP. De ellos, 84 (48,0%) fueron diagnosticados de infección bronquial aguda, 13 (7,4%) de cáncer de pulmón, 10 (5,7%) de insuficiencia cardiaca, 8 (4,6%) de neumonía, 18 (10,3%) de otros diagnósticos, y en 42 (24,0%) pacientes la TC fue normal. En el análisis multivariable, un diagnóstico alternativo no se asoció de manera significativa con el evento primario (odds ratio: 0,64; IC 95%: 0,30-1,38; P=0,26). Conclusiones: Entre los pacientes que requieren ingreso por agudización de EPOC, la TC ofrece un diagnóstico alternativo a la TEP en el 76% de las ocasiones. El tratamiento específico de estas patologías no se asocia a un mejor pronóstico durante el seguimiento. (AU)

Early volumetric change and treatment outcome of metastatic brain tumors after external beam radiotherapy: differential radiotherapy for brain metastasis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the treatment outcomes of low-dose whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT)-based differential radiation therapy (RT) for metastatic brain tumors. METHODS: A total of 242 targets (metastatic brain lesions) were analyzed in the present study. Median WBRT dose and number of fractions were 25 (range 25-35) Gy and 10 (range 8-15) fractions, respectively. A median normalized total dose (NTD) of 1.8 Gy (NTD(1.8Gy)) to the metastatic lesion was 45 (range 27-64.8) Gy. We numbered and contoured each metastatic lesion sequentially using computed tomography fused with serial magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate volumetric changes. RESULTS: The 6-month and 1-year freedom from remote ntracranial failure rates were 87.7 and 58.5 %, respectively. The 6-month actuarial local control (LC) rate was 93.4 %. Tumor diameter was a major determinant for LC, and tumor histology was a significant parameter predicting the volume reduction rate. With overall complete response (CR) rate of 56.6 % after RT, CR rate, if the target was more than 1 cm in size, was 25 % with a median NTD(1.8Gy) of 45 Gy, requiring dose escalation to achieve better target regression. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose WBRT with selective boost was feasible and effective. Our results pose the rationale of future trial of differential radiation therapy (RT), which prescribes different radiation dose according to the tumor density in metastatic brain tumors (AU)