ABSTRACT
Introduction: our healthcare system has undergone an unprecedented reorganization, prioritizing the care of patients with COVID-19 symptoms. Telemedicine has emerged as a useful alternative in the post-COVID era. The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of the Twitter® messaging service as a telemedicine tool for the screening of urgent pathology. Material and methods: cross-sectional, retrospective and descriptive study of a telemedicine programme developed by a team of specialists in paediatrics and its subspecialities during the state of alarm. We collected demographic data and the number and reasons for consultations based on the presenting signs and symptoms and how they were conveyed (text, photo and/or video). We analysed the number of resolved concerns, referrals and the degree of user satisfaction. Results: the service managed a total of 182 consultations, mostly made by women (71%) and during the first weeks of the survey (70%). All consultations included text, accompanied in almost 1/3 of the cases by audiovisual content (27.2% photo, 4.6% video). The average age of the managed patients was 2.72 ± 2.74 years and the main reasons for consultation were fever, exanthema and respiratory difficulty. Of all consultations, 18.13% were related to COVID-19, and only 8.24% led to referral. Conclusions: although telemedicine cannot replace face-to-face assessment and there are still technical and legal limitations, our results suggest that it could be a promising alternative to improve access, reduce triage times, coordinate available resources, and decrease the risk of contagion and the saturation of health care facilities. © 2022, Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Characterization of molecular alterations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has led to development of targeted therapies, including FLT3 and IDH1/2 inhibitors. Maintenance therapy following hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has shown substantial promise. Enasidenib (ENA), a selective IDH2 inhibitor, was associated with impressive rates of response in relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML and is now FDA-approved for this indication. We sought to assess the tolerability and define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of ENA as maintenance following HCT for IDH2-mutated myeloid malignancy. HCT-eligible patients (pts) ≥ 18 years with AML in remission, or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with <5% marrow blasts, were enrolled. There were no restrictions on conditioning or donor type. A 2-step registration process was utilized;1 before HCT and 1 before ENA initiation. Before HCT, pts were required to have normal organ and recovered marrow function (neutrophils > 1000/µL and platelets > 50000/µL). Those with prior HCT, active disease, QTc ≥450ms, and active infections were excluded. ENA was initiated between day 30 and 90 after HCT, at which time the following were required: chimerism ≥70% of donor origin among blood/marrow cells, no acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) requiring ≥0.5mg/kg/day prednisone or equivalent, and no relapse. ENA was taken orally (po) daily (qd) in 28-day cycles. The period for dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) evaluation was the first cycle, escalation to successive levels was guided by DLT incidence, and 2 levels (50mg,100mg) were studied. Following establishment of MTD or recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), 10 pts would be enrolled in an expansion cohort. Pts were monitored for relapse and toxicity and continued until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or receipt of 12 cycles. Nineteen pts have been registered prior to HCT at 3 sites, Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Johns Hopkins Hospital. Three pts could not initiate ENA following HCT;2 due to logistic challenges of the COVID pandemic and 1 due to relapse. The remaining 16 pts initiated ENA treatment. The median age was 61 years (range 31-76);12 (75%) were male, and 13 (81%) were Caucasian. Fourteen (88%) had AML, of which 6 were AML with MDS related changes and 2 had antecedent myeloproliferative neoplasm. Two pts (13%) had MDS. Among these 16 pts, 9 (56%) had IDH2 R140, and 5 (25%) had IDH2 R172 mutations. IDH2 subtype data was unavailable for 2 pts. Of 15 pts with available data from time of diagnosis, 11 (73%) had intermediate-risk and 4 (27%) had adverse-risk cytogenetics. Among these 15 pts, common concurrent mutations were DNMT3A (47%), SRSF2 (33%), and RUNX1 (33%). Eleven AML pts (85%) received intensive versus non-intensive therapies (15%) prior to HCT, and among all pts, 7 (44%) had received ENA prior to HCT. HCT data was available for all 16 pts;4 pts (25%) received myeloablative, and 12 (75%) received reduced-intensity conditioning. Nine pts (56%) had a matched unrelated, 6 (38%) had haploidentical, and 1 (6%) had a matched related donor HCT. Three pts were enrolled at the 50mg dose level, 6 pts at 100mg, and after no DLTs were detected, the remaining were enrolled in an expansion cohort at 100mg qd. Median follow-up (F/U) for surviving patients is currently 11.7 months (range 1.5-18.9). 2 pts (13%) have relapsed during F/U, at 96 and 364 days post HCT. Additional ≥grade (G) 3 toxicities detected during treatment, possibly or probably related to ENA, included neutropenia, anemia, and bilirubinemia. Six pts (38%) required dose interruptions lasting a median 19 days (range 7-25), 4 required a dose reduction to 50mg, and 1 stopped treatment due to G3 bilirubinemia. In total, 3 pts (18%) discontinued study treatment, 1 for aforementioned G3 bilirubinemia, 1 to pursue a GVHD trial, and 1 for relapse. Six pts have completed the 12-month f/u without relapse, and 7 remain on study. 15 of 16 pts remain alive. Thus far, 3 pts have experienced ≥ G2 aGVHD, and 4 had moderate chronic GVHD. Serial me surement of 2HG is being conducted on samples, and these will be reported. Enasidenib is well-tolerated as post-HCT maintenance therapy for myeloid malignancy at the RP2D of 100mg qd. No DLTs have been detected, and a low rate of post-HCT relapse has been identified to date, although longer f/u is needed. Larger, randomized studies of ENA in the post-SCT setting would determine the true efficacy of this agent as maintenance therapy. Disclosures: Fathi: Blueprint: Consultancy;Jazz: Consultancy;Amgen: Consultancy;Newlink Genetics: Consultancy;Pfizer: Consultancy;Abbvie: Consultancy;Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding;Agios: Consultancy, Research Funding;PTC Therapeutics: Consultancy;Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding;Boston Biomedical: Consultancy;Amphivena: Consultancy;BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding;Kite: Consultancy;Trovagene: Consultancy;Forty Seven: Consultancy;Novartis: Consultancy;Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy;Astellas: Consultancy;Trillium: Consultancy;Kura Oncology: Consultancy. Soiffer: Gilead: Consultancy;Novartis: Consultancy;Juno: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;VOR Biopharma: Consultancy;alexion: Consultancy;Rheos Therapeutics: Consultancy;Cugene: Consultancy;Precision Bioscience: Consultancy;Be the Match/ National Marrow Donor Program: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Kiadis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Mana Therapeutics: Consultancy. Levis: Menarini: Honoraria;Amgen: Honoraria;FujiFilm: Honoraria, Research Funding;Astellas: Honoraria, Research Funding;Daiichi-Sankyo: Honoraria. Mims: Novartis: Speakers Bureau;Kura Oncology: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Leukemia and Lymphoma Society: Other: Senior Medical Director for Beat AML Study;Agios: Consultancy;Syndax Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Other: Data Safety Monitoring Board;Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Devine: Magenta Therapeutics: Consultancy. Defilipp: Incyte: Research Funding;Regimmune: Research Funding;Syndax Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy. Spitzer: Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Bluebird Bio: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Frigault: Celgene: Consultancy;Arcellx: Consultancy;Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding;Gilead/Kite: Consultancy, Research Funding. Amrein: Amgen: Research Funding;AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Research Funding;Takeda: Research Funding. Hobbs: Incyte: Research Funding;Merck: Research Funding;Bayer: Research Funding;Constellation: Honoraria, Research Funding;Jazz: Honoraria;Celgene/BMS: Honoraria;Novartis: Honoraria. Brunner: Janssen: Research Funding;Acceleron Pharma Inc.: Consultancy;GSK: Research Funding;Xcenda: Consultancy;Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding;Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding;Jazz Pharma: Consultancy;Forty Seven, Inc: Consultancy;Celgene/BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding;Biogen: Consultancy;Astra Zeneca: Research Funding. Narayan: Genentech: Other: Prior Spouse employment within 24 months and prior spouse equity divested within past 24 months;Takeda: Other: Prior Spouse employment within 24 months;Sanofi-Genzyme: Other: Current Spouse employment. Chen: AbbVie: Other: Data and Safety Monitoring Board Member;Incyte Corporation: Consultancy;Takeda: Consultancy;Actinium: Other: Data and Safety Monitoring Board Member;Equillium: Other: Data and Safety Monitoring Board Member;Magenta: Consultancy;Kiadis: Consultancy. OffLabel Disclosure: Enasidenib as post-transplant maintenance therapy
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the presentation, care and outcomes of patients with acute cerebrovascular and cardiovascular conditions. We sought to measure the national impact of COVID-19 on the care for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: In this retrospective, observational study, we used the Premier Healthcare Database to evaluate the changes in the volume of care and hospital outcomes for AIS and AMI in relation to the pandemic. The pandemic months were defined from March 1, 2020- April 30, 2020 and compared to the same period in the year prior. Outcome measures were volumes of hospitalization and reperfusion treatment for AIS and AMI (including intravenous thrombolysis [IVT] and/or mechanical thrombectomy [MT] for AIS and percutaneous coronary interventions [PCI] for AMI) as well as inhospital mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS) and hospitalization costs were compared across a 2- month period at the height of the pandemic versus the corresponding period in the prior year. Results: There were 95,453 AIS patients across 145 hospitals and 19,744 AMI patients across 126 hospitals. There was a significant nation-wide decline in the absolute number of hospitalizations for AIS (-38.94%;95%CI,-34.75% to -40.71%) and AMI (-38.90%;95%CI,-37.03% to -40.81%) as well as IVT (-30.32%;95%CI,-27.02% to -33.83%), MT (-23.54%;95%CI,-19.84% to -27.70%), and PCI (-35.05%;95%CI,-33.04% to -37.12%) during the first two months of the pandemic. This occurred across low-, mid-, and high-volume centers and in all geographic regions. Higher in-hospital mortality was observed in AIS patients (5.7% vs.4.2%, p=0.0037;OR 1.41,95%CI 1.1-1.8) but not AMI patients. A shift towards an increase in the proportion of admitted AIS and AMI patients receiving reperfusion therapies suggests a greater clinical severity among patients that were hospitalized for these conditions during the pandemic. A shorter length of stay (AIS: -17%, AMI: -20%), and decreased hospitalization costs (AIS: -12%, AMI: -19%) were observed. Conclusions: Our findings shed light on the combined health outcomes and economic impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on acute stroke and cardiac emergency care.
ABSTRACT
With the irruption of the COVID-19, the Institute for Educational Sciences (ICE) of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), specialized in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) educators’ training, had to redesign its programs. This abrupt adaptation was conducted relying on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) that faculty and students had not all previously handled. A comparison of students’ opinions comparing pre-COVID face-to-face teaching and COVID distance teaching was carried out. Analyses show that eLearning during COVID has, in general, affected objectives, contents and pedagogical performance. Although participants value the efforts of the professors to adapt their teaching to a new situation, all indicators decreased, except in one program. Consequently, the ICE’s programs need to be re-designed to meet their students’ demands, as it is not enough to literally apply face-to-face teaching to a virtual distance environment. It is necessary to transform the educational practice, including diverse learning activities for competences´ achievement. Furthermore, the ICE, as a center specialized in teacher training, has a huge responsibility in helping UPM faculty to move forward, providing training in all the areas needed for a transition from face-to-face and blended Learning (b-Learning) teaching to its combination with bimodal synchronous teaching (d-Learning), as future generations will demand these multiple modalities. © 2020 IEEE.