Fixed-duration venetoclax plus obinutuzumab improves quality of life and geriatric impairments in FCR-unfit patients with CLL.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)-related symptoms and morbidity related to the advanced age at diagnosis impairs the well-being of older adult patients. Therefore, it is essential to tailor treatment according to geriatric characteristics and aim for an improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as a primary treatment goal. In the HOVON139/GiVe trial, 12 cycles of fixed-duration venetoclax plus obinutuzumab (Ven-O) were shown to be effective and tolerable in FCR (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab)-unfit patients with CLL (n = 67). However, prolonged venetoclax exposure as consolidation treatment led to increased toxicity with limited effect on minimal residual disease. To assess the impact of geriatric assessment on treatment outcomes and the patients' HRQoL, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including function, depression, cognition, nutrition, physical performance, muscle parameters, comorbidities, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer C30 and CLL17 questionnaires were assessed. At baseline, geriatric impairments were present in >90% of patients and ≥2 impairments present in 60% of patients predicted grade ≥3 nonhematological toxicity. During treatment, the number of geriatric impairments diminished significantly and clinically relevant improvements in HRQoL subscales were reached for global health status, physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, fatigue, dyspnea, physical condition or fatigue, and worries or fears related to health and functioning. These improvements were comparable for patients receiving venetoclax consolidation and patients in whom treatment could mostly be discontinued. Collectively, frontline fixed-duration Ven-O improves overall PROs in older, unfit patients with CLL with and without geriatric impairments. This study was registered at EudraCT as 2015-004985-27 and the Netherlands Trial Register as NTR6043.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal metastases of gastric origin: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer with peritoneal metastases is associated with a dismal prognosis. Normothermic catheter-based intraperitoneal chemotherapy and normothermic pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) are methods to deliver chemotherapy intraperitoneally leading to higher intraperitoneal concentrations of cytotoxic drugs compared to intravenous administration. We reviewed the effectiveness and safety of different methods of palliative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. METHODS: Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science and Cochrane were searched for articles studying the use of repeated administration of palliative intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases, published up to January 2024. The primary outcome was overall survival. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were included, representing a total of 999 patients. The pooled median overall survival was 14.5 months. The pooled hazard ratio of the two RCTs using intraperitoneal paclitaxel and docetaxel favoured the intraperitoneal chemotherapy arm. The median overall survival of intraperitoneal paclitaxel, intraperitoneal docetaxel and PIPAC with cisplatin and doxorubicin were respectively 18.4 months, 13.2 months and 9.0 months. All treatment methods had a relatively safe toxicity profile. Conversion surgery after completion of intraperitoneal therapy was performed in 16% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, regardless of method of administration, is safe for patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases. Conversion surgery after completion of the intraperitoneal chemotherapy is possible in a subset of patients.

Health-related Quality of Life of Patients With Non-Intra-abdominal Desmoid-Type Fibromatosis During Active Surveillance: Results of a Prospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of an active surveillance (AS) approach on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF). BACKGROUND DATA: AS is recommended as initial approach in DTF patients. AS might however negatively affect HRQoL due to physical symptoms or stress and anxiety. METHODS: In a prospective observational study, the GRAFITI trial (NTR4714), DTF patients were followed during an initial AS approach for 3 years. HRQoL was assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 at baseline, 6, 12 and 24-month follow-up. Patients who completed questionnaires at≥1-time point were included in this analysis of the secondary endpoint. A multivariable linear mixed-effects model with random intercept was conducted to assess trends of HRQoL scores over time and to explore the effect of treatment strategy on HRQoL. RESULTS: All 105 patients enrolled in the GRAFITI trial were eligible for the HRQoL analyses. During 24-month follow-up, 75 patients (71%) continued AS and 30 patients (29%) started an active treatment (AT). DTF patients who continued AS demonstrated relatively stable HRQoL scores during follow-up. HRQoL scores of patients who started AT worsened compared to patients who continued AS, although no significant changes in HRQoL score over time were found in the mixed-model analyses. Overall, DTF patients who started AT scored significantly worse on pain (ß=10.08, P =0.039) compared to patients who continued AS. CONCLUSIONS: An initial AS approach did not impair HRQoL of DTF patients who continued AS over time, therefore providing further support for AS as the frontline approach in DTF patients. Longitudinal assessment of HRQoL should be part of clinical follow-up to identify patients who may need a change in treatment strategy.

Towards precision dosing of aripiprazole in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: Linking blood levels to weight gain and effectiveness.

AIMS: Aripiprazole is one of the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic drugs to children and adolescents worldwide, but it is associated with serious side-effects, including weight gain. This study assessed the population pharmacokinetics of aripiprazole and its active metabolite and investigated the relationship between pharmacokinetic parameters and body mass index (BMI) in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and behavioural problems. Secondary outcomes were metabolic, endocrine, extrapyramidal and cardiac side-effects and drug effectiveness. METHODS: Twenty-four children and adolescents (15 males, 9 females) aged 6-18 years were included in a 24-week prospective observational trial. Drug plasma concentrations, side-effects and drug effectiveness were measured at several time points during follow-up. Relevant pharmacokinetic covariates, including CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) genotypes, were determined. Nonlinear mixed-effects modelling (NONMEM®) was used for a population pharmacokinetic analysis with 92 aripiprazole and 91 dehydro-aripiprazole concentrations. Subsequently, model-based trough concentrations, maximum concentrations and 24-h area under the curves (AUCs) were analysed to predict outcomes using generalized and linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: For both aripiprazole and dehydro-aripiprazole, one-compartment models best described the measured concentrations, with albumin and BMI as significant covariates. Of all the pharmacokinetic parameters, higher sum (aripiprazole plus dehydro-aripiprazole) trough concentrations best predicted higher BMI z-scores (P < .001) and higher Hb1Ac levels (P = .03) during follow-up. No significant association was found between sum concentrations and effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate a threshold with regard to safety, which suggests that therapeutic drug monitoring of aripiprazole could potentially increase safety in children and adolescents with ASD and behavioural problems.

Minimal residual disease-guided stop and start of venetoclax plus ibrutinib for patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (HOVON141/VISION): primary analysis of an open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Targeted time-limited treatment options are needed for patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of minimal residual disease (MRD)-guided, time-limited ibrutinib plus venetoclax treatment in this patient group. METHODS: HOVON141/VISION was an open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial conducted in 47 hospitals in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older with previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia with or without TP53 aberrations; had not been exposed to Bruton tyrosine-kinase inhibitors or BCL2 inhibitors; had a creatinine clearance rate of 30 mL/min or more; and required treatment according to International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia 2018 criteria. Participants with undetectable MRD (<10-4; less than one chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cell per 10 000 leukocytes) in peripheral blood and bone marrow after 15 28-day cycles of oral ibrutinib (420 mg once daily) plus oral venetoclax (weekly ramp-up 20 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg, up to 400 mg once daily) were randomly assigned (1:2) to ibrutinib maintenance or treatment cessation. Patients who were MRD positive continued to receive ibrutinib monotherapy. Patients who became MRD (>10-2) during observation reinitiated treatment with ibrutinib plus venetoclax. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival at 12 months after random assignment in the treatment cessation group. Progression-free survival was analysed in the intention-to-treat population. All patients who received at least one dose of study drug were included in the safety assessment. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03226301, and is active but not recruiting. FINDINGS: Between July 12, 2017, and Jan 21, 2019, 230 patients were enrolled, 225 of whom were eligible. 188 (84%) of 225 completed treatment with ibrutinib plus venetoclax and were tested for MRD at cycle 15. After cycle 15, 78 (35%) patients had undetectable MRD and 72 (32%) were randomly assigned to a treatment group (24 to ibrutinib maintenance and 48 to treatment cessation). The remaining 153 patients were not randomly assigned and continued with ibrutinib monotherapy. Median follow-up of 208 patients still alive and not lost to follow-up at data cutoff on June 22, 2021, was 34·4 months (IQR 30·6-37·9). Progression-free survival after 12 months in the treatment cessation group was 98% (95% CI 89-100). Infections (in 130 [58%] of 225 patients), neutropenia (in 91 [40%] patients), and gastrointestinal adverse events (in 53 [24%] patients) were the most frequently reported; no new safety signals were detected. Serious adverse events were reported in 46 (40%) of 116 patients who were not randomly assigned and who continued ibrutinib maintenance after cycle 15, eight (33%) of 24 patients in the ibrutinib maintenance group, and four (8%) of 48 patients in the treatment cessation group. One patient who was not randomly assigned had a fatal adverse event (bleeding) deemed possibly related to ibrutinib. INTERPRETATION: These data point to a favourable benefit-risk profile of MRD-guided, time-limited treatment with ibrutinib plus venetoclax for patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, suggesting that MRD-guided cessation and reinitiation is feasible in this patient population. FUNDING: AbbVie and Janssen.

Risperidone plasma concentrations are associated with side effects and effectiveness in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

AIM: Risperidone is the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic drug to children and adolescents worldwide, but it is associated with serious side effects, including weight gain. This study assessed the relationship of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone trough concentrations, maximum concentrations and 24-hour area under the curves (AUCs) with body mass index (BMI) z-scores in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and behavioural problems. Secondary outcomes were metabolic, endocrine, extrapyramidal and cardiac side effects and effectiveness. METHODS: Forty-two children and adolescents (32 males) aged 6-18 years were included in a 24-week prospective observational trial. Drug plasma concentrations, side effects and effectiveness were measured at several time points during follow-up. Relevant pharmacokinetic covariates, including medication adherence and CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) genotypes, were measured. Nonlinear mixed-effects modelling (NONMEM®) was used for a population pharmacokinetic analysis with 205 risperidone and 205 9-hydroxyrisperidone concentrations. Subsequently, model-based trough concentrations, maximum concentrations and 24-hour AUCs were analysed to predict outcomes using generalized and linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: A risperidone two-compartment model combined with a 9-hydroxyrisperidone one-compartment model best described the measured concentrations. Of all the pharmacokinetic parameters, higher risperidone sum trough concentrations best predicted higher BMI z-scores during follow-up (P < .001). Higher sum trough concentrations also predicted more sedation (P < .05), higher prolactin levels (P < .001) and more effectiveness measured with Aberrant Behavior Checklist irritability score (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate a therapeutic window exists, which suggests that therapeutic drug monitoring of risperidone might increase safety and effectiveness in children and adolescents with ASD and behavioural problems.

Prevalence of permanent neonatal hearing impairment: systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis.

Objective: To investigate the variance in reported prevalence rates of permanent neonatal hearing impairment (HI) worldwide.Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed on reported prevalence rates of sensorineural and permanent conductive or mixed HI worse than 40 dB in neonates, detected as a result of a screening programme or audiometric study.Study sample: For meta-analysis, 35 articles were selected, 25 from high-income countries and 10 from middle-income countries according to the world bank classification system.Results: The prevalence rate of permanent uni- and bilateral HI worse than 40 dB in neonates varied from 1 to 6 per 1000, the overall prevalence was 2.21 per 1000 [1.71, 2.8]. In NICU populations the prevalence rate was higher with a larger fraction of bilateral cases. Although not significant, prevalence rates were slightly higher in Asia compared to Europe and the number of infants lost to follow-up appeared higher in countries with lower gross national income.Conclusion: Substantial variations exist in prevalence rates of neonatal permanent HI across countries and regions. There is a strong need for more data from low-income countries to identify demographic factors that account for this variability in reported prevalence rates. Reporting these data in a uniform way is advocated.

Bortezomib-based induction followed by stem cell transplantation in light chain amyloidosis: results of the multicenter HOVON 104 trial.

This prospective, multicenter, phase II study investigated the use of four cycles of bortezomib-dexamethasone induction treatment, followed by high-dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) in patients with newly diagnosed light chain amyloidosis. The aim of the study was to improve the hematologic complete remission (CR) rate 6 months after SCT from 30% to 50%. Fifty patients were enrolled and 72% had two or more organs involved. The overall hematologic response rate after induction treatment was 80% including 20% CR and 38% very good partial remissions (VGPR). Fifteen patients did not proceed to SCT for various reasons but mostly treatment-related toxicity and disease-related organ damage and death (2 patients). Thirty-one patients received melphalan 200 mg/m2 and four patients a reduced dose because of renal function impairment. There were no deaths related to the transplantation procedure. Hematologic responses improved at 6 months after SCT to 86% with 46% CR and 26% VGPR. However, due to the high treatment discontinuation rate before transplantation the primary endpoint of the study was not met and the CR rate in the intention-to-treat analysis was 32%. Organ responses continued to improve after SCT. We confirm the high efficacy of bortezomib-dexamethasone treatment in patients with AL amyloidosis. However, because of both treatment-related toxicity and disease characteristics, 30% of the patients could not proceed to SCT after induction treatment. (Trial registered at Dutch Trial Register identifier NTR3220).

T2 mapping of the meniscus is a biomarker for early osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate in vivo T2 mapping as quantitative, imaging-based biomarker for meniscal degeneration in humans, by studying the correlation between T2 relaxation time and degree of histological degeneration as reference standard. METHODS: In this prospective validation study, 13 menisci from seven patients with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (median age 67 years, three males) were included. Menisci were obtained during total knee replacement surgery. All patients underwent pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging using a 3-T MR scanner which included a T2 mapping pulse sequence with multiple echoes. Histological analysis of the collected menisci was performed using the Pauli score, involving surface integrity, cellularity, matrix organization, and staining intensity. Mean T2 relaxation times were calculated in meniscal regions of interest corresponding with the areas scored histologically, using a multi-slice multi-echo postprocessing algorithm. Correlation between T2 mapping and histology was assessed using a generalized least squares model fit by maximum likelihood. RESULTS: The mean T2 relaxation time was 22.4 ± 2.7 ms (range 18.5-27). The median histological score was 10, IQR 7-11 (range 4-13). A strong correlation between T2 relaxation time and histological score was found (rs = 0.84, CI 95% 0.64-0.93). CONCLUSION: In vivo T2 mapping of the human meniscus correlates strongly with histological degeneration, suggesting that T2 mapping enables the detection and quantification of early compositional changes of the meniscus in knee OA. KEY POINTS: • Prospective histology-based study showed that in vivo T 2 mapping of the human meniscus correlates strongly with histological degeneration. • Meniscal T 2 mapping allows detection and quantifying of compositional changes, without need for contrast or special MRI hardware. • Meniscal T 2 mapping provides a biomarker for early OA, potentially allowing early treatment strategies and prevention of OA progression.

Risk of Venous Thrombosis in Antithrombin Deficiency: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-analysis.

Antithrombin deficiency is a strong risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE), but the absolute risk of the first and recurrent VTE is unclear. The objective of this paper is to establish the absolute risks of the first and recurrent VTE and mortality in individuals with antithrombin deficiency. The databases Embase, Medline Ovid, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were systematically searched for case-control and cohort studies. Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs), absolute risks, and probabilities of ORs being above thresholds. Thirty-five publications were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Based on 19 studies, OR estimates for the first VTE showed a strongly increased risk for antithrombin deficient individuals, OR 14.0; 95% credible interval (CrI), 5.5 to 29.0. Based on 10 studies, meta-analysis showed that the annual VTE risk was significantly higher in antithrombin-deficient than in non-antithrombin-deficient individuals: 1.2% (95% CrI, 0.8-1.7) versus 0.07% (95% CrI, 0.01-0.14). In prospective studies, the annual VTE risk in antithrombin deficient individuals was as high as 2.3%; 95% CrI, 0.2-6.5%. Data on antithrombin deficiency subtypes are very limited for reliable risk-differentiation. The OR for recurrent VTE based on 10 studies was 2.1; 95% CrI, 0.2 to 4.0. The annual recurrence risk without long-term anticoagulant therapy based on 4 studies was 8.8% (95% CrI, 4.6-14.1) for antithrombin-deficient and 4.3% (95% CrI, 1.5-7.9) for non-antithrombin-deficient VTE patients. The probability of the recurrence risk being higher in antithrombin-deficient patients was 95%. The authors conclude that antithrombin deficient individuals have a high annual VTE risk, and a high annual recurrence risk. Antithrombin deficient patients with VTE require long-term anticoagulant therapy.

Effects of nongenetic factors on immune cell dynamics in early childhood: The Generation R Study.

BACKGROUND: Numbers of blood leukocyte subsets are highly dynamic in childhood and differ greatly between subjects. Interindividual variation is only partly accounted for by genetic factors. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine which nongenetic factors affect the dynamics of innate leukocytes and naive and memory lymphocyte subsets. METHODS: We performed 6-color flow cytometry and linear mixed-effects modeling to define the dynamics of 62 leukocyte subsets from birth to 6 years of age in 1182 children, with 1 to 5 measurements per subject. Subsequently, we defined the effect of prenatal maternal lifestyle-related or immune-mediated determinants, birth characteristics, and bacterial/viral exposure-related determinants on leukocyte subset dynamics. RESULTS: Functionally similar leukocyte populations were grouped by using unbiased hierarchical clustering of patterns of age-related leukocyte dynamics. Innate leukocyte numbers were high at birth and predominantly affected by maternal low education level. Naive lymphocyte counts peaked around 1 year, whereas most memory lymphocyte subsets more gradually increased during the first 4 years of life. Dynamics of CD4+ T cells were predominantly associated with sex, birth characteristics, and persistent infections with cytomegalovirus (CMV) or EBV. CD8+ T cells were predominantly associated with CMV and EBV infections, and T-cell receptor γδ+ T cells were predominantly associated with premature rupture of membranes and CMV infection. B-cell subsets were predominantly associated with sex, breast-feeding, and Helicobacter pylori carriership. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identifies specific dynamic patterns of leukocyte subset numbers, as well as nongenetic determinants that affect these patterns, thereby providing new insights into the shaping of the childhood immune system.

Diagnosis of bronchiectasis and airway wall thickening in children with cystic fibrosis: Objective airway-artery quantification.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify airway and artery (AA)-dimensions in cystic fibrosis (CF) and control patients for objective CT diagnosis of bronchiectasis and airway wall thickness (AWT). METHODS: Spirometer-guided inspiratory and expiratory CTs of 11 CF and 12 control patients were collected retrospectively. Airway pathways were annotated semi-automatically to reconstruct three-dimensional bronchial trees. All visible AA-pairs were measured perpendicular to the airway axis. Inner, outer and AWT (outer-inner) diameter were divided by the adjacent artery diameter to compute AinA-, AoutA- and AWTA-ratios. AA-ratios were predicted using mixed-effects models including disease status, lung volume, gender, height and age as covariates. RESULTS: Demographics did not differ significantly between cohorts. Mean AA-pairs CF: 299 inspiratory; 82 expiratory. CONTROLS: 131 inspiratory; 58 expiratory. All ratios were significantly larger in inspiratory compared to expiratory CTs for both groups (p<0.001). AoutA- and AWTA-ratios were larger in CF than in controls, independent of lung volume (p<0.01). Difference of AoutA- and AWTA-ratios between patients with CF and controls increased significantly for every following airway generation (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of bronchiectasis is highly dependent on lung volume and more reliably diagnosed using outer airway diameter. Difference in bronchiectasis and AWT severity between the two cohorts increased with each airway generation. KEY POINTS: • More peripheral airways are visible in CF patients compared to controls. • Structural lung changes in CF patients are greater with each airway generation. • Number of airways visualized on CT could quantify CF lung disease. • For objective airway disease quantification on CT, lung volume standardization is required.

Is T1ρ Mapping an Alternative to Delayed Gadolinium-enhanced MR Imaging of Cartilage in the Assessment of Sulphated Glycosaminoglycan Content in Human Osteoarthritic Knees? An in Vivo Validation Study.

PURPOSE: To determine if T1ρ mapping can be used as an alternative to delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) in the quantification of cartilage biochemical composition in vivo in human knees with osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by the institutional review board. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Twelve patients with knee osteoarthritis underwent dGEMRIC and T1ρ mapping at 3.0 T before undergoing total knee replacement. Outcomes of dGEMRIC and T1ρ mapping were calculated in six cartilage regions of interest. Femoral and tibial cartilages were harvested during total knee replacement. Cartilage sulphated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) and collagen content were assessed with dimethylmethylene blue and hydroxyproline assays, respectively. A four-dimensional multivariate mixed-effects model was used to simultaneously assess the correlation between outcomes of dGEMRIC and T1ρ mapping and the sGAG and collagen content of the articular cartilage. RESULTS: T1 relaxation times at dGEMRIC showed strong correlation with cartilage sGAG content (r = 0.73; 95% credibility interval [CI] = 0.60, 0.83) and weak correlation with cartilage collagen content (r = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.58). T1ρ relaxation times did not correlate with cartilage sGAG content (r = 0.04; 95% CI: -0.21, 0.28) or collagen content (r = -0.05; 95% CI = -0.31, 0.20). CONCLUSION: dGEMRIC can help accurately measure cartilage sGAG content in vivo in patients with knee osteoarthritis, whereas T1ρ mapping does not appear suitable for this purpose. Although the technique is not completely sGAG specific and requires a contrast agent, dGEMRIC is a validated and robust method for quantifying cartilage sGAG content in human osteoarthritis subjects in clinical research.

Prediction of hemoglobin in blood donors using a latent class mixed-effects transition model.

Blood donors experience a temporary reduction in their hemoglobin (Hb) value after donation. At each visit, the Hb value is measured, and a too low Hb value leads to a deferral for donation. Because of the recovery process after each donation as well as state dependence and unobserved heterogeneity, longitudinal data of Hb values of blood donors provide unique statistical challenges. To estimate the shape and duration of the recovery process and to predict future Hb values, we employed three models for the Hb value: (i) a mixed-effects models; (ii) a latent-class mixed-effects model; and (iii) a latent-class mixed-effects transition model. In each model, a flexible function was used to model the recovery process after donation. The latent classes identify groups of donors with fast or slow recovery times and donors whose recovery time increases with the number of donations. The transition effect accounts for possible state dependence in the observed data. All models were estimated in a Bayesian way, using data of new entrant donors from the Donor InSight study. Informative priors were used for parameters of the recovery process that were not identified using the observed data, based on results from the clinical literature. The results show that the latent-class mixed-effects transition model fits the data best, which illustrates the importance of modeling state dependence, unobserved heterogeneity, and the recovery process after donation. The estimated recovery time is much longer than the current minimum interval between donations, suggesting that an increase of this interval may be warranted.

Auditory brainstem maturation in normal-hearing infants born preterm: a meta-analysis.

AIM: Children born preterm often have neurodevelopmental problems later in life. Abnormal maturation of the auditory brainstem in the presence of normal hearing might be a marker for these problems. We conducted a meta-analysis of auditory brainstem response (ABR) latencies at term age to describe differences in auditory brainstem maturation between normal-hearing preterm and term-born infants. METHOD: Computerized databases were searched for studies published between 1995 and 2014 that reported ABR measurements at term age in infants born preterm in a case-control design. Five peaks reflect the conduction of a neural signal along the brainstem auditory pathway. We collected I to V interpeak latency data, and III to V interpeak latency data, which refers to the more central part of the pathway. RESULTS: Preterm-born infants' III to V interval is significantly longer compared to infants born at term (0.081ms, effect-size=0.974), which also reflects on the I to V interval. Moreover, significantly increased ABR interpeak latencies of infants born preterm are related to lower gestational age and the need for neonatal intensive care treatment. INTERPRETATION: The delayed conduction time towards and into the auditory brainstem at term age suggests atypical maturation of the brainstem in normal-hearing infants born preterm. Both the duration of gestation and the consequences of the preterm birth (intensive care needed) negatively affect maturation of the auditory brainstem, which may influence later development.

Prevalence and determinants of declining versus stable hemoglobin levels in whole blood donors.

BACKGROUND: A too short recovery time after blood donation results in a gradual depletion of iron stores and a subsequent decline in hemoglobin (Hb) levels over time. This decline in Hb levels may depend on individual, unobserved characteristics of the donor. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We used a data set of 5388 Dutch blood donors from the Donor InSight study. The statistical analysis is based on a Bayesian growth mixture model, which assumes that each donor belongs to one of several groups. Each group implies a different Hb trajectory, and donors with similar longitudinal trajectories belong to the same group. Analyses were performed for male and female donors separately. RESULTS: For both sexes the model identified four groups of donors. Stable Hb trajectories were found among 14% of male donors and 15% of female donors; declining Hb trajectories were observed in the remaining groups of donors. The percentage of donor deferrals differed strongly between groups. CONCLUSION: The model can be used to predict to which group a donor belongs, and this prediction can be updated after each donation. This is of high practical importance because early identification of donors with declining Hb levels could help to tailor donation intervals and to prevent iron deficiency and donor deferrals.

HOVON 104, long-term follow-up of bortezomib-dexamethasone induction therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis patients.

The HOVON 104 studied bortezomib-dexamethasone induction therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in 50 patients, of whom 35 received an autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We demonstrate a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 73% and progression-free survival (PFS) of 52% for all 50 patients with a median follow-up of 61.3 months. For the 35 transplanted patients, calculated from the date of ASCT, the 5-year OS and PFS were 91% and 68%, respectively. After ASCT, the rate of organ response improved over time but stabilized around 3 years. A complete cardiac response was seen in around 60% of patients and remained stable from 2 years onward. Reaching complete renal response was slower over time and achieved by 61% of the renal-affected patients at 5 years. We confirm the excellent outcomes after ASCT and demonstrate a 60% complete organ response with longer follow-up.

Bayesian interim analysis for prospective randomized studies: reanalysis of the acute myeloid leukemia HOVON 132 clinical trial.

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard to establish the benefit-risk ratio of novel drugs. However, the evaluation of mature results often takes many years. We hypothesized that the addition of Bayesian inference methods at interim analysis time points might accelerate and enforce the knowledge that such trials may generate. In order to test that hypothesis, we retrospectively applied a Bayesian approach to the HOVON 132 trial, in which 800 newly diagnosed AML patients aged 18 to 65 years were randomly assigned to a "7 + 3" induction with or without lenalidomide. Five years after the first patient was recruited, the trial was negative for its primary endpoint with no difference in event-free survival (EFS) between experimental and control groups (hazard ratio [HR] 0.99, p = 0.96) in the final conventional analysis. We retrospectively simulated interim analyses after the inclusion of 150, 300, 450, and 600 patients using a Bayesian methodology to detect early lack of efficacy signals. The HR for EFS comparing the lenalidomide arm with the control treatment arm was 1.21 (95% CI 0.81-1.69), 1.05 (95% CI 0.86-1.30), 1.00 (95% CI 0.84-1.19), and 1.02 (95% CI 0.87-1.19) at interim analysis 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Complete remission rates were lower in the lenalidomide arm, and early deaths more frequent. A Bayesian approach identified that the probability of a clinically relevant benefit for EFS (HR < 0.76, as assumed in the statistical analysis plan) was very low at the first interim analysis (1.2%, 0.6%, 0.4%, and 0.1%, respectively). Similar observations were made for low probabilities of any benefit regarding CR. Therefore, Bayesian analysis significantly adds to conventional methods applied for interim analysis and may thereby accelerate the performance and completion of phase III trials.

Predicting hemoglobin levels in whole blood donors using transition models and mixed effects models.

BACKGROUND: To optimize the planning of blood donations but also to continue motivating the volunteers it is important to streamline the practical organization of the timing of donations. While donors are asked to return for donation after a suitable period, still a relevant proportion of blood donors is deferred from donation each year due to a too low hemoglobin level. Rejection of donation may demotivate the candidate donor and implies an inefficient planning of the donation process. Hence, it is important to predict the future hemoglobin level to improve the planning of donors' visits to the blood bank. METHODS: The development of the hemoglobin prediction rule is based on longitudinal (panel) data from blood donations collected by Sanquin (the only blood product collecting and supplying organization in the Netherlands). We explored and contrasted two popular statistical models, i.e. the transition (autoregressive) model and the mixed effects model as plausible models to account for the dependence among subsequent hemoglobin levels within a donor. RESULTS: The predictors of the future hemoglobin level are age, season, hemoglobin levels at the previous visits, and a binary variable indicating whether a donation was made at the previous visit. Based on cross-validation, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) for male donors are 0.83 and 0.81 for the transition model and the mixed effects model, respectively; for female donors we obtained AUC values of 0.73 and 0.72 for the transition model and the mixed effects model, respectively. CONCLUSION: We showed that the transition models and the mixed effects models provide a much better prediction compared to a multiple linear regression model. In general, the transition model provides a somewhat better prediction than the mixed effects model, especially at high visit numbers. In addition, the transition model offers a better trade-off between sensitivity and specificity when varying the cut-off values for eligibility in predicted values. Hence transition models make the prediction of hemoglobin level more precise and may lead to less deferral from donation in the future.