Getting ready for transition to adult care: Tool validation and multi-informant strategy using the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire in pediatrics.

BACKGROUND: Transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare can be challenging and lead to severe consequences if done suboptimally. The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) was developed to assess adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients' transition readiness. In this study, we aimed to (1) document the psychometric properties of the French-language version of the TRAQ (TRAQ-FR), (2) assess agreements and discrepancies between AYA patients' and their primary caregivers' TRAQ-FR scores, and (3) identify transition readiness contributors. METHODS: French-speaking AYA patients (n = 175) and primary caregivers (n = 168) were recruited from five clinics in a tertiary Canadian hospital and asked to complete the TRAQ-FR, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0), and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The validity of the TRAQ-FR was assessed using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). Agreements and discrepancies were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients and paired-sample t tests. Contributors of transition readiness were identified using regression analyses. RESULTS: The five-factor model of the TRAQ was supported, with the TRAQ-FR global scale showing good internal consistency for both AYA patients' and primary caregivers' scores (α = .85-.87). AYA patients and primary caregivers showed good absolute agreement on the TRAQ-FR global scale with AYA patients scoring higher than primary caregivers (ICC = .80; d = .25). AYA patients' age and sex were found to be contributors of transition readiness. CONCLUSIONS: The TRAQ-FR was found to have good psychometric properties when completed by both AYA patients and primary caregivers. Additional research is needed to explore the predictive validity and clinical use of the TRAQ-FR.

Should Proton Pump Inhibitors be Systematically Prescribed in Patients With Esophageal Atresia After Surgical Repair?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcomes of patients with esophageal atresia (EA) on systematic treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) since the neonatal period and to determine factors associated with successful discontinuation of PPI. STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study with prospective data collection of 73 EA patients, over 11 years systematically treated with PPI. Outcome and predictive factors for discontinuation of PPI treatment were evaluated at study end in February 2017. The incidence of anastomotic strictures was compared with a historical cohort of 134 EA patients followed in the same institution between 1990 and 2005 before the era of systematic PPI treatment. RESULTS: PPI treatment was discontinued definitively in 48% of patients during follow-up. Prematurity, longer initial hospitalization, moderate-to-severe tracheomalacia, anastomotic leak and anastomotic stricture had a significant negative association with PPI discontinuation on univariate analysis (P < 0.05). On adjusted multivariable Cox regression analysis, moderate-to-severe tracheomalacia and anastomotic leak were negatively associated with discontinuation of PPI treatment (hazard ratio 0.26 [95% CI 0.12-0.59]; P = 0.001 and hazard ratio 0.38 [95% CI 0.16-0.93]; P = 0.03, respectively). There was no significant difference in the incidence of anastomotic strictures in the present cohort compared with the historical cohort (44% vs 39%); (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PPI treatment does not prevent the formation of anastomotic strictures and appears to be over-prescribed in children with airway symptoms because of tracheomalacia. This suggests that PPI treatment could be prescribed more selectively. Close monitoring and long-term follow-up, however, of these vulnerable patients in specialized multidisciplinary clinics is imperative.

How Wide Should Margins Be for Phyllodes Tumors of the Breast?

The surgical management of phyllodes tumors (PTs) is still controversial. Some studies have suggested surgical margins ≥1 cm, but recent studies suggested that negative margins could be appropriate regardless of their width. To evaluate recurrence rates of PTs following surgery according to margins. Retrospective study of women who attended a tertiary breast cancer reference center between 1998 and 2010: 142 patients with a PT diagnosis, either at minimally invasive breast biopsy or at surgery, were identified. Clinical, pathologic and follow-up characteristics were assessed. Among 140 patients who underwent surgery, 64.3% of biopsies accurately predicted the final PT diagnosis at surgery. Forty-two (42/87, 48.3%) PTs had positive margins. Twenty-one (21/42, 50.0%) patients had a surgical revision of margins. Only one (1/42, 2.4%) had margins greater or equal to 1 cm. After a median follow-up of 1.29 years in benign PTs, 4.99 years in borderline PTs, and 5.42 years in malignant PTs, there were five local recurrences, three in originally benign PTs and two in borderline PTs. All were managed with surgery. Four had initial margins ≤1 mm. One patient with borderline PT had a local recurrence and later progressed to regional recurrence and metastasis. Free surgical margins are necessary to treat PT, and margins of at least 1 mm might be sufficient to prevent recurrence. Core needle biopsy might not be the best diagnostic tool for PTs.

Pre and post-COVID 19 infection pulmonary functions in children with chronic respiratory disease: A case series.

As functional respiratory impairment following COVID-19 infection (COVID-19) is increasingly reported in adult, data regarding children especially with pre-existing chronic respiratory disease (PCRD) remain scarce. We retrospectively assessed clinical presentation, duration of symptoms related to COVID-19 from paediatric patients with PCRD and compared their pre/post COVID-19-I spirometry values. Data from 12 patients were analysed. Timing between COVID-19 diagnosis and subsequent functional evaluation ranged from 26 to 209 days (mean 77). The PCRD in these patients included asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchomalacia. During COVID-19, all clinical presentations were mild. One patient displayed persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms for 8 weeks after infection. Two patients presented significant deterioration of post-COVID-19 spirometric values with a return to pre-COVID-19 values in subsequent measures. We concluded that children with PCRD are not at increased risk for severe COVID disease and that most of them have no or only transient pulmonary functional impairment 1 to 7 months after COVID-19.

Phosphodiesterase type 4D gene polymorphism: association with the response to short-acting bronchodilators in paediatric asthma patients.

Short-acting b2-adrenergic receptor agonists are commonly used bronchodilators for symptom relief in asthmatics. The aim of this study was to test whether genetic variants in PDE4D gene, a key regulator of b2-adrenoceptor-induced cAMP turnover in airway smooth muscle cells, affect the response to short-acting b2-agonists. Bronchodilator responsiveness was assessed in 133 asthmatic children by % change in baseline forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) after administration of albuterol. The analyses were performed in patients with airway obstruction (FEV(1)/FVC ratio below 90%, n = 93). FEV(1) % change adjusted for baseline FEV(1) values was significantly different between genotypes of rs1544791 G/A polymorphism (P = 0.006) and -1345 C/T (rs1504982) promoter variation (P = 0.03). The association remained significant with inclusion of age, sex, atopy, and controller medication into multivariate model (P = 0.004 and P = 0.02, resp.). Our work identifies new genetic variants implicated in modulation of asthma treatment, one of them (rs1544791) previously associated with asthma phenotype.

Predictive factors for a shortened methacholine challenge protocol in children.

RATIONALE: Although the methacholine challenge test is useful in the diagnosis of asthma, it is time-consuming in children. While protocols that quadruple methacholine concentrations are widely used in adults to shorten testing time, this has not been evaluated in children. Studies have not identified predictors associated with the safe use of a quadrupled concentration protocol. OBJECTIVES: To identify clinical predictors associated with the preclusion of a quadrupled concentration protocol in children. METHODS: We included subjects <18 years who performed a methacholine challenge tests between April 2016 to February 2017 (derivation cohort) and March 2017 to September 2017 (validation cohort). We determined the eligibility of a subject to omit the 0.5 mg/ml and 2.0 mg/ml concentrations based on their PC20 and identified baseline characteristics that are associated with the preclusion of the quadrupled protocol using bivariate analysis. The derived algorithm was applied to the validation cohort. RESULTS: We included 399 and 195 patients in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. A baseline FEV1 ≤90% predicted, FEV1/FVC ≤0.8, FEF25-75 ≤70% predicted, and a decrease in FEV1 ≥10% with the previous concentration significantly precluded the omission of the 0.5 mg/ml concentration. A baseline FEF25-75 ≤70% predicted and a drop in FEV1 ≥10% with the previous concentration significantly precluded the omission of the 2.0 mg/ml concentration. Applying these 4 criteria to the validation cohort resulted in an overall sensitivity and specificity of 74.0% and 84.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We identified objective pulmonary function measures that may personalize and shorten the methacholine challenge protocol in children by quadrupling concentrations.

Care recommendations for the respiratory complications of esophageal atresia-tracheoesophageal fistula.

Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) with esophageal atresia (EA) is a common congenital anomaly that is associated with significant respiratory morbidity throughout life. The objective of this document is to provide a framework for the diagnosis and management of the respiratory complications that are associated with the condition. As there are no randomized controlled studies on the subject, a group of experts used a modification of the Rand Appropriateness Method to describe the various aspects of the condition in terms of their relative importance, and to rate the available diagnostic methods and therapeutic interventions on the basis of their appropriateness and necessity. Specific recommendations were formulated and reported as Level A, B, and C based on whether they were based on "strong", "moderate" or "weak" agreement. The tracheomalacia that exists in the site of the fistula was considered the main abnormality that predisposes to all other respiratory complications due to airway collapse and impaired clearance of secretions. Aspiration due to impaired airway protection reflexes is the main underlying contributing mechanism. Flexible bronchoscopy is the main diagnostic modality, aided by imaging modalities, especially CT scans of the chest. Noninvasive positive airway pressure support, surgical techniques such as tracheopexy and rarely tracheostomy are required for the management of severe tracheomalacia. Regular long-term follow-up by a multidisciplinary team was considered imperative. Specific templates outlining the elements of the clinical respiratory evaluation according to the patients' age were also developed.

Effectiveness of Intrapleural Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Dornase Alfa vs Tissue Plasminogen Activator Alone in Children with Pleural Empyema: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Clinical guidelines recommend that children with pleural empyema be treated with chest tube insertion and intrapleural fibrinolytics. The addition of dornase alfa (DNase) has been reported to improve outcomes in adults but remains unproven in children. Objective: To determine if intrapleural tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and DNase is more effective than tPA and placebo at reducing hospital length of stay in children with pleural empyema. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, superiority randomized clinical trial included children diagnosed as having pleural empyema requiring drainage aged 6 months to 18 years treated at 6 tertiary Canadian children's hospitals. A total of 379 children were assessed for eligibility; 281 were excluded and 98 were randomized. One child was excluded after randomization for not meeting the inclusion criteria. Data were collected from March 4, 2013, to December 13, 2017. Interventions: Participants underwent chest tube insertion and 3 daily administrations of intrapleural tPA, 4 mg, followed by DNase, 5 mg (intervention group), or 5 mL of normal saline (placebo; control group). Participants, families, clinical staff, and members of the study team were blinded to allocation. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was hospital length of stay from chest tube insertion to discharge. Secondary outcomes included time to meeting discharge criteria, time to chest tube removal, mean fever duration, additional pleural drainage procedures, hospital readmissions, and total health care cost. Results: Of the 97 analyzed children with pleural empyema, 52 (54%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 5.1 (3.6) years. A total of 49 children were randomized to tPA and DNase and 48 were randomized to tPA and placebo. Treatment with tPA and DNase was not associated with decreased hospital length of stay compared with tPA and placebo (mean [SD] length of stay, 9.0 [4.9] vs 9.1 [5.3] days; mean difference, -0.1 days; 95% CI, -2.0 to 2.1; P = .96). Similarly, no significant differences were observed for any of the secondary outcomes. Of the 14 adverse events in the tPA and DNase group, 6 (43%) were serious; of the 21 adverse events in the tPA and placebo group, 8 (38%) were serious. There were no deaths. Conclusions and Relevance: The addition of DNase to intrapleural tPA for children with pleural empyema had no effect on hospital length of stay or other outcomes compared with tPA with placebo. Clinical practice guidelines should continue to support the use of chest tube insertion and intrapleural fibrinolytics alone as first-line treatment for pediatric empyema. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01717742.

Lethal respiratory failure and mild primary hypothyroidism in a term girl with a de novo heterozygous mutation in the TITF1/NKX2.1 gene.

CONTEXT: Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TITF1/NKX2.1) is expressed in the thyroid, lung, ventral forebrain, and pituitary. In the lung, TITF1/NKX2.1 activates the expression of genes critical for lung development and function. Titf/Nkx2.1(-/-) mice have pituitary and thyroid aplasia but also impairment of pulmonary branching. Humans with heterozygous TITF1/NKX2.1 mutations present with various combinations of primary hypothyroidism, respiratory distress, and neurological disorders. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to report clinical and molecular studies of the first patient with lethal neonatal respiratory distress from a novel heterozygous TITF1/NKX2.1 mutation. PARTICIPANT: This girl, the first child of healthy nonconsanguineous French-Canadian parents, was born at 41 wk. Birth weight was 3,460 g and Apgar scores were normal. Soon after birth, she developed acute respiratory failure with pulmonary hypertension. At neonatal screening on the second day of life, TSH was 31 mU/liter (N <15) and total T(4) 245 nmol/liter (N = 120-350). Despite mechanical ventilation, thyroxine, surfactant, and pulmonary vasodilators, the patient died on the 40th day. RESULTS: Histopathology revealed pulmonary tissue with low alveolar counts. The thyroid was normal. Sequencing of the patient's lymphocyte DNA revealed a novel heterozygous TITF1/NKX2.1 mutation (I207F). This mutation was not found in either parent. In vitro, the mutant TITF-1 had reduced DNA binding and transactivation capacity. CONCLUSION: This is the first reported case of a heterozygous TITF1/NKX2.1 mutation leading to neonatal death from respiratory failure. The association of severe unexplained respiratory distress in a term neonate with mild primary hypothyroidism is the clue that led to the diagnosis.

Genetic determinants of acute asthma therapy response in children with moderate-to-severe asthma exacerbations.

BACKGROUND: We documented inter-individual variability in the response to acute asthma therapy in children, attributed in part to five clinical factors (oxygen saturation, asthma severity score, virus detection, fever, symptoms between exacerbations; DOORWAY study). The contribution of genetic determinants of failure of acute asthma management have not been elucidated. OBJECTIVE: We aim to determine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associated with emergency department (ED) management failure in children. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 591 Caucasian children aged 1-17 years with moderate-to-severe asthma managed with standardized protocol were included. We examined 53 SNPs previously associated with asthma development, phenotypes, or bronchodilator or corticosteroids response. Associations between SNPs and management failure (hospitalization, active asthma management ≥8 h in ED, or a return visit within 72 h for one of two previous criteria) were examined using logistic regression, adjusting for the five clinical predictors of management failure. RESULTS: Four-hundred ninety-one subjects had complete clinical data and usable DNA samples. While controlling for clinical determinants, rs295137 in SPATS2L (OR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.17, 2.68) was significantly associated with increased odds of ED management failure. Two SNPs in IL33 were associated with decreased odds of ED management failure: rs7037276 (OR = 0.55, 95%CI: 0.33, 0.90), and rs1342326 (OR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.32, 0.86). The addition of these three SNPs to the clinical predictors significantly improved the model's predictive performance (P < 0.0004). CONCLUSION: Three SNPs were significantly associated with ED management failure in addition to clinical predictors, contributing to inter-individual variability. None has been previously associated with treatment response to acute asthma management.

IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-13 modulate responsiveness of human airway smooth muscle cells to IL-13.

BACKGROUND: IL-13 is a critical mediator of allergic asthma and associated airway hyperresponsiveness. IL-13 acts through a receptor complex comprised of IL-13Ralpha1 and IL-4Ralpha subunits with subsequent activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6). The IL-13Ralpha2 receptor may act as a decoy receptor. In human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells, IL-13 enhances cellular proliferation, calcium responses to agonists and induces eotaxin production. We investigated the effects of pre-treatment with IL-4, IL-13 and IFN-gamma on the responses of HASM cells to IL-13. METHODS: Cultured HASM were examined for expression of IL-13 receptor subunits using polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Effects of cytokine pre-treatment on IL-13-induced cell responses were assessed by looking at STAT6 phosphorylation using Western blot, eotaxin secretion and calcium responses to histamine. RESULTS: IL-13Ralpha1, IL-4Ralpha and IL-13Ralpha2 subunits were expressed on HASM cells. IL-13 induced phosphorylation of STAT6 which reached a maximum by 30 minutes. Pre-treatment with IL-4, IL-13 and, to a lesser degree, IFN-gamma reduced peak STAT6 phosphorylation in response to IL-13. IL-13, but not IFN-gamma, pre-treatment abrogated IL-13-induced eotaxin secretion. Pre-treatment with IL-4 or IL-13 abrogated IL-13-induced augmentation of the calcium transient evoked by histamine. Cytokine pre-treatment did not affect expression of IL-13Ralpha1 and IL-4Ralpha but increased expression of IL-13Ralpha2. An anti-IL-13Ralpha2 neutralizing antibody did not prevent the cytokine pre-treatment effects on STAT6 phosphorylation. Cytokine pre-treatment increased SOCS-1, but not SOCS-3, mRNA expression which was not associated with significant increases in protein expression. CONCLUSION: Pre-treatment with IL-4 and IL-13, but not IFN-gamma, induced desensitization of the HASM cells to IL-13 as measured by eotaxin secretion and calcium transients to histamine. The mechanism of IL-4 and IL-13 induced desensitization does not appear to involve either downregulation of receptor expression or induction of the IL-13Ralpha2 or the SOCS proteins.

Refractory nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma transformed to T-cell/histiocyte-rich B-cell lymphoma in an adolescent: salvage therapy with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

According to biologic features, there is a substantial "gray zone" between nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphomas (NLPHLs) (Poppema lymphomas) and T-cell/histiocyte-rich B-cell lymphomas (T/HRBCLs). Transformation from an NLPHL to a T/HRBCL can occur and is associated with a worsening of the prognosis. Here is described a case of a 16-year-old boy who presented with an NLPHL with features of T/HRBCL. Clinical evolution was complicated by 2 relapses leading to autologous and then to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Home high-flow nasal cannula as a treatment for severe tracheomalacia: A pediatric case report.

Tracheomalacia refers to a softness of the tracheal cartilage that makes the airway more susceptible to collapse. In contrast to milder cases where conservative therapy is preferred, severe tracheomalacia is often a life threatening condition requiring more aggressive management. For children with this condition, a variety of treatment options are available. To our knowledge, this is the first report of home high-flow nasal cannula as an alternative therapy to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and surgical procedures in a pediatric patient with severe extensive tracheomalacia.

Intrapleural Dornase and Tissue Plasminogen Activator in pediatric empyema (DTPA): a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: A randomized controlled trial of adults with empyema recently demonstrated decreased length of stay in hospital in patients treated with intrapleurally administered dornase alfa and fibrinolytics compared to fibrinolytics alone. Whether this treatment strategy is safe and effective in children remains unknown. METHODS/DESIGN: This study protocol is for a superiority, placebo-controlled, parallel-design, multicenter randomized controlled trial. The participants are previously well children admitted to a children's hospital with a diagnosis of empyema requiring chest tube insertion and fibrinolytics administered intrapleurally. Children will be randomized after the treating physician has decided that pleural drainage is required but prior to chest tube insertion. After chest tube insertion, participants in the treatment group will receive intrapleurally administered tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) 4 mg followed by dornase alfa 5 mg. Participants in the placebo group will receive tPA 4 mg followed by normal saline. Study treatments will be administered once daily for 3 days. All participants, parents or caregivers, clinicians, and research personnel will remain blinded. The primary outcome is length of stay from chest tube insertion to discharge from hospital. Secondary outcomes include time to meeting discharge criteria, chest tube duration, fever duration, need for additional procedures, adverse events, hospital readmission, cost of hospitalization, and mortality. DISCUSSION: This multicenter randomized controlled trial will assess the safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of combined treatment with dornase alfa and fibrinolytics compared to fibrinolytics alone for the treatment of empyema in children. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01717742 . Registered on 8 October 2012.

Validation of EP1 Antibody Clone for Estrogen Receptor Immunohistochemistry for Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: SP1 Rabbit monoclonal antibody to estrogen receptor (ER) has long been the standard for determination of ER status in breast cancer but has been replaced by the rabbit EP1 clone. AIM: To validate the EP1 antibody clone for use in determination of breast cancer ER status in a large clinical population against the previous standard SP1. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ER immunohistochemistry was assessed in 523 consecutive cases from a clinical setting using tissue microarrays. RESULTS: The kappa statistic showed that the agreement of ER status between SP1 and EP1 was considered to be almost perfect (kappa=0.97, 95% confidence interval=0.94-1.00). Sensitivity was 99.3%, specificity was 98.6% and overall agreement was 99.2%. CONCLUSION: The EP1 antibody was herein validated regarding its use in breast cancer with almost perfect agreement with the previously used standard SP1 antibody.

Factors associated with failure of emergency department management in children with acute moderate or severe asthma: a prospective, multicentre, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The management of paediatric asthma exacerbations is based on trials in children of all ages. Recent studies from 2009 raised the possibility that preschoolers (younger than 6 years) with viral-induced wheezing and children exposed to tobacco smoke might be at an increased risk of treatment failure. The study objective was to identify factors associated with management failure in children presenting to the emergency department with moderate or severe asthma exacerbations. METHODS: We undertook a prospective, multicentre cohort study of children aged 1-17 years presenting to five emergency departments with moderate or severe asthma (defined as a Pediatric Respiratory Assessment Measure [PRAM] of 4 to 12). Children received oral corticosteroids and severity-specific inhaled bronchodilator therapy. The primary outcome was emergency department management failure (hospital admission, prolonged emergency department therapy [≥8 h], or relapse within 72 h of discharge from the emergency department with admission to hospital or prolonged emergency department stay). Viral cause was ascertained by PCR on nasopharyngeal specimens and environmental tobacco smoke exposure by salivary cotinine concentration. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02013076). FINDINGS: Between Feb 14, 2011, and Dec 20, 2013, we screened 1893 children and enrolled 1012 eligible children. Of those eligible children, 973 participants were included in the analysis. 165 (17%) of 965 children experienced management failure in the emergency department, which was significantly associated with viral detection (110 [19%] of 579 participants with virus detection vs 46 [13%] of 354 participants without viral detection, odds ratio [OR] 1·57; 95% CI 1·04-2·37), fever (24% vs 15%, 1·96; 1·32-2·92), baseline PRAM (OR 1·38 per 1-point increase; 1·22-1·56), oxygen saturation of less than 92% (50% vs 12%, 3·94; 1·97-7·89), and presence of symptoms between exacerbations (21% vs 16%, 1·73; 1·13-2·64). Age, salivary cotinine concentration, and oral corticosteroids dose were not significantly associated with management failure. Viral detection (67% vs 46%, p<0·0001) and fever (31% vs 16%, p<0·0001) occurred more frequently in preschoolers than in older children. Viral detection was also associated with reduced speed of recovery over the 10 days after discharge. INTERPRETATION: In children presenting with moderate or severe asthma, viral detection, but not age, was associated with failure of symptom management, independently from exacerbation severity (ie, baseline PRAM and oxygen saturation), fever, and symptom chronicity (viral detection). Although it did not reach statistical significance, the association between treatment management failure and exposure to tobacco smoke warrants further investigation. FUNDING: Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Reliability of Prognostic and Predictive Factors Evaluated by Needle Core Biopsies of Large Breast Invasive Tumors.

OBJECTIVES: Preoperative biopsy of breast cancer allows for prognostic/predictive marker assessment. However, large tumors, which are the main candidates for preoperative chemotherapy, are potentially more heterogeneous than smaller ones, which questions the reliability of histologic analyses of needle core biopsy (NCB) specimens compared with whole surgical specimens (WSS). We studied the histologic concordance between NCB specimens and WSS in tumors larger than 2 cm. METHODS: Early pT2 or higher breast cancers diagnosed between 2008 and 2011 in our center, with no preoperative treatments, were retrospectively screened. We assessed the main prognostic and predictive validated parameters. Comparisons were performed using the κ test. RESULTS: In total, 163 matched NCB specimens and WSS were analyzed. The correlation was excellent for ER and HER2 (κ = 0.94 and 0.91, respectively), moderate for PR (κ = 0.79) and histologic type (κ = 0.74), weak for Ki-67 (κ = 0.55), and minimal for SBR grade (κ = 0.29). Three of the 21 HER2-positive cases (14% of HER2-positive patients or 1.8% of all patients), by WSS analysis, were initially negative on NCB specimens even after chromogenic in situ hybridization. CONCLUSIONS: NCB for large breast tumors allowed reliable determination of ER/PR expression. However, the SBR grade may be deeply underestimated, and false-negative evaluation of the HER2 status would have led to a detrimental lack of trastuzumab administration.

Validation of EP1 antibody clone for estrogen receptor immunohistochemistry in breast cancer.

Estrogen receptor (ER) tumor's status is critical for breast cancer management. A new rabbit antibody clone, EP1, is now available for ER status determination. The objective was to validate the EP1 antibody clone for its use in breast cancer ER status determination in a clinical setting against the previous standard, SP1. EP1 clone was assessed in 130 consecutive cases, including 50 ER-negative (<1% ER expression), 13 ER-low-positive (1% to 9% ER expression), and 67 ER-positive (≥10% ER expression). Using EP1 versus SP1, positive agreement (sensibility) was 92.5% and negative agreement (specificity) was 100%, leading to an overall agreement of 95.4%. All discordant cases (n=6) were ER-low-positive. SP1 was remeasured in 13 ER-low-positive and in 11 ER-negative cases. Overall agreement between SP1 initial tumor status and reassessment was 70.8% in those negative and low-positive cases. In conclusion, EP1 antibody has been validated for use in breast cancer with a positive agreement ≥90% and a negative agreement ≥95%, as recommended. Also, overall agreement between EP1 and SP1 was as good as between the SP1 initial status and SP1 reassessment.

RGS5 gene and therapeutic response to short acting bronchodilators in paediatric asthma patients.

Short-acting ß2-adrenergic receptor agonists are commonly used bronchodilators for symptom relief in asthmatics. Recent evidence demonstrated that prolonged exposure of cultured airway smooth muscle cells to ß2 agonists directly augments procontractile signaling pathways with the change in expression of regulator of G protein signaling 5 (RGS5). The aim of this study was to test whether genetic variants in RGS5 gene affect the response to short acting ß2-agonists. Bronchodilator responsiveness was assessed in 137 asthmatic children by % change in baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1 ) after administration of albuterol. The analyses were performed in patients with FEV1 /FVC ratio below 0.9 (FVC-forced vital capacity, n = 99). FEV1 % change adjusted for baseline FEV1 values was significantly different between genotypes of rs10917696 C/T polymorphism (P = 0.008). The association remained significant with inclusion of age, sex, atopy, parental smoking, and controller medications into multivariate model (P = 0.005). We also identified additive effect on the treatment outcome with previously published genetic variant G/A rs1544791 in phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4D) gene. Carriers of two risk alleles (C and G) had adjusted mean % FEV1 change value 4.6 ± 1.3, while carriers of one and none of the risk alleles had 8.1 ± 0.7% and 13.5 ± 2.4%, respectively, P = 0.001. Our work identifies a new genetic variant in RGS5 demonstrating additive effect with PDE4D, both implicated in modulation of asthma treatment.