Association of sarcopenia with survival in advanced NSCLC patients receiving concurrent immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

Background: Frailty, sarcopenia and malnutrition are powerful predictors of clinical outcomes that are not routinely measured in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association of sarcopenia, determined by the psoas muscle index (PMI) with overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with concurrent immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and chemotherapy (CTX). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from a cohort of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who were treated between 2015 and 2021 at the University of Virginia Medical Center. The cross-sectional area of the psoas muscle was assessed on CT or PET/CT imaging prior to treatment initiation. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: A total of 92 patients (median age: 64 years, range 36-89 years), 48 (52.2%) men and 44 (47.8%) women, were included in the study. The median follow-up was 29.6 months. The median OS was 17.8 months. Sarcopenia, defined by a PMI below the 25th percentile, was associated with significantly lower OS (9.1 months in sarcopenic patients vs. 22.3 months in non-sarcopenic patients, P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis revealed that sarcopenia (HR 2.12, P = 0.0209), ECOG ≥ 2 (HR 2.88, P = 0.0027), prognostic nutritional index (HR 3.02, P = 0.0034) and the absence of immune related adverse events (HR 2.04, P = 0.0185) were independently associated with inferior OS. Conclusions: Sarcopenia is independently associated with poor OS in patients with advanced NSCLC undergoing concurrent ICI and CTX.

Education Time Out and Debrief: Structured Implementation of Perioperative Resident Technical Education Discussion.

BACKGROUND: We designed a model for pre- and postoperative discussions between faculty and trainees to maximize educational yield of cases and accelerate residents' technical development. We sought to study its effect on surgical education via participant perceptions and longitudinal validated performance evaluations. STUDY DESIGN: Our model included preoperative collaborative technical goal-setting, specific to the resident, or "Time Out," and immediate postoperative granular feedback guided by validated evaluation tools, or "Debrief." We encouraged routine use for two 3-month rotations. We administered surveys with Likert scale and open-ended questions before and after implementation to assess adoption and perceptions. Likert scale survey data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests; reported time durations were analyzed using t-tests. At 2 time points per rotation, designated faculty evaluated participating residents using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) for open/endoscopic cases or Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (GEARS). OSATS and GEARS data were analyzed using paired t-tests. RESULTS: Before our intervention, we noted significant differences between attending and resident physicians' perceptions of the frequency, importance, and challenges of perioperative educational discussions. After our intervention, these disparities resolved. In addition, participants reported significantly improved satisfaction with pre- and postoperative educational discussions (p = 0.01). Use of the model did not require increased time per participants' report. Paired GEARS/OSATS were completed for 9 trainees during the intervention, with faculty ratings revealing significant improvement in resident technical skills (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our structured model for perioperative educational discussions, consisting of the preoperative "Education Time Out" and postoperative "Education Debrief," significantly improved faculty and resident satisfaction and was associated with measurable improvements in resident technical skills without requiring significantly more time.

The use of MRI digital subtraction technique in the diagnosis of traumatic pancreatic injury.

Traumatic pancreatic injuries are relatively uncommon in the setting of trauma, however, early detection of these injuries can alter patient management and overall prognosis. Computed tomography is the first line imaging modality in major trauma. Because failure to recognize pancreatic or main pancreatic duct injuries can lead to mismanagement, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be a useful adjunct study in appropriate patients. In this report, we present a case in which MRI was used to diagnose traumatic avulsion and devascularization of the entire pancreas in a patient following a motor vehicle accident and we also include a review of the literature on this topic. It is our conclusion from this case report that MRI is the most effective imaging modality-specifically the subtraction post processing sequences-to evaluate severe pancreatic injury.