Re-Evaluating Chemotherapy Dosing Strategies for Ovarian Cancer: Impact of Sarcopenia.

We investigated the impact of sarcopenia on adjuvant chemotherapy dosing in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The chemotherapy dosing and toxicity of 173 eligible patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy at a single institution were analyzed. Patients with a skeletal muscle index less than 39 cm2/m2 measured on a CT scan were considered sarcopenic. Sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients were compared with regard to relative dose intensity (RDI), completion of scheduled chemotherapy, toxicity, and survival. A total of 62 (35.8%) women were sarcopenic. Sarcopenic women were less likely to complete at least six cycles of chemotherapy (83.9% vs. 95.5%, p = 0.02). The mean RDI for both carboplatin (80.4% vs. 89.4%, p = 0.03) and paclitaxel (91.9% vs. 104.1%, p = 0.03) was lower in sarcopenic patients compared to non-sarcopenic patients. Despite these differences in chemotherapy, there was no difference in neutropenia or median overall survival (3.99 vs. 4.57 years, p = 0.62) between the sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic women, respectively. This study highlights the importance of considering lean body mass instead of body weight or surface area in chemotherapy dosing formulas for sarcopenic women with advanced EOC. Further research is needed to optimize chemotherapy strategies based on individual body composition, potentially leading to improved dosing strategies in this population.

Cardiometabolic Comorbidity Risk in Pediatric Patients With Psychiatric Illnesses: A Case-Control Inpatient Study.

Objectives To delineate the differences in the cardiometabolic comorbidities in pediatric patients with medical versus psychiatric illnesses and to determine the risk of association between the spectrum of cardiometabolic comorbidities in pediatric patients with a broad range of psychiatric illnesses. Methods We conducted a case-control study using the nationwide inpatient sample (NIS), the largest hospital database in the United States (US) and included 179,550 pediatric patients (age 10-18 years) that were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of psychiatric illness (N = 89,775) and pediatric patients that were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of medical illness (N = 89,775). We used descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square test to delineate the differences between pediatric inpatients with medical versus psychiatric illnesses. Results The majority of pediatric patients with psychiatric illnesses were females (58%) and white (62%), with a mean age of 15 years. Cardiometabolic comorbidities were higher in patients admitted for psychiatric illness, with a higher prevalence of hypothyroidism (1.6%) and obesity (7.1%) than in those hospitalized for medical illnesses. Among all cardiometabolic comorbidities, obesity had the highest prevalence across all psychiatric illnesses, measuring eight percent in patients with disruptive behavior disorders, followed by seven percent each in anxiety, mood, and psychotic disorders. Diabetes had the lowest prevalence hovering between one and two percent for a spectrum of psychiatric illnesses. Conclusion The prevalence of cardiometabolic comorbidities is higher in pediatric inpatients with psychiatric illnesses. This calls for timely monitoring of the routine labs and early diagnosis and management of the cardiometabolic comorbidities in this at-risk population.

Hospitalization Outcomes Related to Acute Kidney Injury in Inpatients With Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Cross-Sectional Nationwide Study.

Objective To delineate the differences in demographic characteristics and hospitalization outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction by comorbid acute kidney injury (AKI) and to explore the risk factors for in-hospital mortality due to AKI in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) inpatients. Methods We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using a nationwide inpatient sample and included 77,585 adult inpatients with AMI and further divided by the presence of a co-diagnosis of AKI. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the odds ratio (OR) of the association between in-hospital mortality and AKI and other comorbidities. Results The prevalence of AKI in AMI inpatients during hospitalization was 11.69%. Among AMI inpatients with AKI, it was prevalent in males (73.9%) and whites (48.8%). Patients with AKI had a higher prevalence of complicated comorbid hypertension (58.7%), diabetes with complications (34.8%), cardiogenic shock (17.4%), and drug abuse (12.3%). Male patients had lower odds of in-hospital mortality (OR 0.69; 95% Cl 0.61-0.79) compared to females. Hispanics had a higher association with mortality (OR 1.45; 95% Cl 1.21-1.74) than whites and other races/ethnicities. Patients who developed cardiogenic shock were at 17 times higher odds of in-hospital mortality (OR 17.25; 95% CI 15.14-19.67), followed by AKI (OR 4.64; 95% CI 4.06-5.31), and alcohol abuse (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.03-1.64). The in-hospital mortality rate among AMI inpatients with AKI (7.6%) was significantly higher compared to that seen in the non-AKI cohort (0.9%). Conclusion AMI inpatients with AKI during hospitalization was prevalent in males and whites. Among the demographic risk factors, females and Hispanics had a higher likelihood of in-hospital mortality during the inpatient management of AMI. Cardiogenic shock and AKI increased the odds of in-hospital mortality compared to other comorbidities in AMI inpatients.

En Bloc Resection of Right Renal Cell Carcinoma and Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombus Without Caval Reconstruction: Is It Safe to Divide the Left Renal Vein?

Introduction: It has been suggested that inferior vena cava (IVC) reconstruction following resection of retroperitoneal tumors with IVC tumor thrombus (TT) is not required when adequate collateral circulation is present. There are no reports evaluating mid-term effects on renal function in these patients. The purpose of this study was to assess renal function after en bloc resection of right renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with obstructing IVC TT and the possible risks that may arise after left renal vein division. Materials and Methods: A bi-institutional retrospective review was performed over a 15-year period, assessing patients with right RCC and obstructing level II-IV TT. All patients underwent extensive evaluation and cardiology clearance, and informed consent was obtained for right radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy with or without IVC reconstruction with possible cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, intraoperative factors, complications, length of stay, and patient survival were evaluated. Preoperative creatinine was recorded, as was creatinine on the day of discharge and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Results: Twenty-two patients were included in the study. Median age at surgery was 62.5 (range: 45-79) years, and 19 (86%) of the patients were men. One patient (5%) had a level II thrombus, 14 patients (64%) had a level III thrombus (IIIa, n = 3; IIIb, n = 6; IIIc, n = 3; IIId, n = 2), and seven patients (32%) had a level IV thrombus. Intraoperatively, median estimated blood loss was 1.35 (range: 0.2-25) L. The median length of hospital stay was 11 (range: 5-50) days. Median preoperative creatinine was 1.20 (range: 0.40-2.70) mg/dl, and postoperatively, median creatinine was 1.3 (range: 0.86-2.20) mg/dl. Median creatinine levels at 6 months and 12 months postoperatively were 1.10 (range: 0.5-1.8) mg/dl and 1.40 (range: 0.6-2.0) mg/dl, respectively. Four patients died (range: 0.1-1.3 years), and median postoperative follow-up among the 18 ongoing survivors (at last follow-up) was 1.5 (range: 0.5-7.0) years. Conclusions: Resection of right RCC with an obstructing level II-IV TT without reconstruction of the IVC appears to not have a significant adverse effect on mid-term renal function after division of the left renal vein.

How to Deal With Kidney Retransplantation-Second, Third, Fourth, and Beyond.

Kidney transplantation is the best health option for patients with end-stage kidney disease. Ideally, a kidney transplant would last for the lifetime of each recipient. However, depending on the age of the recipient and details of the kidney transplant, there may be a need for a second, third, fourth, or even more kidney transplants. In this overview, the outcome of multiple kidney transplants for an individual is presented. Key issues include surgical approach and immunologic concerns. Included in the surgical approach is an analysis of transplant nephrectomy, with indications, timing, and immunologic impact. Allograft thrombosis, whether related to donor or recipient factors merits investigation to prevent it from happening again. Other posttransplant events such as rejection, viral illness (polyomavirus hominis type I), recurrent disease (focal segmental glomerulosclerosis), and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease may lead to the need for retransplantation. The pediatric recipient is especially likely to need a subsequent kidney transplant. Finally, noncompliance/nonadherence can affect both adults and children. Innovative approaches may reduce the need for retransplantation in the future.

Recurrent Renal Allograft Torsion After Simultaneous Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation: Is it Still Possible to Salvage the Graft? A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Kidney allograft torsion (KAT) is defined as a rotation of the renal allograft around its vascular pedicle. It is a rare complication with high rate of graft loss. The nonspecific presentation and inability to provide a definitive diagnosis by imaging, mainly in cases of partial torsion, often delay the diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of recurrent complete torsion of the renal allograft after simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplantation, requiring 2 emergency exploratory laparotomies. CASE REPORT: A 38-year-old woman with a history of intraperitoneal simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplantation underwent 2 separate emergency exploratory laparotomies secondary to complete renal allograft torsion, respectively, 7 and 11 months after the transplant. In both episodes, no adhesions were encountered. During the first operation, nephropexy was performed. During the second operation, an abdominal wall mesh was placed and fixed to the abdominal wall. Acute kidney injury related to KAT recovered in both occasions with a creatinine of 1.3 mg/dL at 4 months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Renal torsion always should be suspected in intraperitoneally placed kidneys presenting with nonspecific symptoms, abdominal pain, oliguria, and worsening kidney function. Surgical exploration should be considered to salvage the renal graft. This case illustrates the reversibility of a severe injury related to this vascular complication with an adequate return to baseline kidney function even when diagnosis and surgical treatment of KAT might be delayed secondary to its misleading clinical presentation.

Depression Impairs Level of Functioning in Chronic Kidney Disease Inpatients: A Case-Control Study.

Objectives To evaluate the difference in demographics and clinical correlates during hospitalization for chronic kidney disease (CKD) between patients with depression and those without depression, and its impact on the severity of illness and in-hospital mortality. Methods We conducted a case-control study and included 2,296 adult inpatients (age ≥18 years) with a primary discharge diagnosis of CKD using the nationwide inpatient sample (NIS). We used propensity score matching to extract the cases i.e., CKD inpatients with depression (N = 1,264) and the controls i.e. CKD inpatients without depression (N = 1,032). The matching was done based on demographic characteristics of age at admission, sex, race, and median household income. Our outcomes of interest are the severity of illness and all-cause in-hospital mortality. All patient refined drg (APR-DRG) are allocated using health information systems software by the NIS and the severity of illness within each base APR-DRG was classified into minor, moderate, or major loss of body functions. Binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to find the odds ratio (OR) of association for major loss of function in CKD inpatients with depression, and this model was adjusted for potential confounders of congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and tobacco abuse, and utilization of hemodialysis. Results A higher proportion of CKD inpatients with depression had a statistically significant higher prevalence of major loss of function (49.8% vs. 40.3% in non-depressed). There was a statistically significant difference with higher utilization of hemodialysis in CKD inpatients with depression (76.2% vs. 70.7% in non-depressed). The all-cause in-hospital mortality rate was lower in CKD inpatients with depression (2.1% vs. 3.5% in non-depressed). After controlling the logistic regression model for potential comorbidities and utilization of hemodialysis, depression was associated with increased odds (OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.227 - 1.734) for major loss of function versus in non-depressed CKD inpatients Conclusion Comorbid depression increases the likelihood of major loss of functioning in CKD inpatients by 46%. Treating depression can allow patients to better cope emotionally and physically with CKD and other comorbidities and significantly improve the patient's quality of life (QoL) and health outcome.

Cannabis Use Disorders Lead to Hospitalizations for Peptic Ulcer Disease: Insights From a Nationwide Inpatient Sample Analysis.

Objectives In this study, we aimed to explore the independent association between cannabis use disorders (CUD) and peptic ulcer disease (PUD)-related hospitalization, and then to delineate the demographic differences among PUD inpatients with versus without CUD. Methodology We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample of 50,444,133 patients. We then subgrouped them into PUD and non-PUD cohorts. We compared non-PUD and PUD cohorts using bivariate analysis to delineate the differences in demographics and comorbid risk factors (chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, chronic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, tobacco abuse, and alcohol abuse). We used logistic regression analysis to measure the odds ratio (OR) of the association between CUD and PUD-related hospitalization. Results The prevalence of PUD was 0.14% (N = 70,898) among the total inpatient population. It was more prevalent in whites (65%) and males were at higher odds (OR: 1.11; P < 0.001) of being hospitalized for PUD. After controlling for potential comorbid risk factors and demographic confounders, the odds of association between CUD and PUD-related hospitalization were statistically significant (OR: 1.18; P < 0.001). Conclusions CUD was associated with a modest but significant increase of 18% in the likelihood of hospitalization for PUD. With the legalization of cannabis use and its increasing and problematic consumption, it is imperative to understand the impact of cannabis use on the physical health of patients and the related gastrointestinal problems.