scholarly journals Buprenorphine Telehealth Treatment Initiation and Follow-Up During COVID-19

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Samuels ◽  
Utsha G. Khatri ◽  
Hannah Snyder ◽  
Rachel S. Wightman ◽  
Babak Tofighi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Initiation

scholarly journals Morquio A syndrome and effect of enzyme replacement therapy in different age groups of Turkish patients: a case series

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebile Kılavuz ◽  
Sibel Basaran ◽  
Deniz Kor ◽  
Fatma Derya Bulut ◽  
Sevcan Erdem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Replacement Therapy ◽  
Replacement Therapy ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
Treatment Initiation ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Enzyme Replacement ◽  
Morquio A ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Morquio A Syndrome

Abstract Background This case series includes longitudinal clinical data of ten patients with Morquio A syndrome from south and southeastern parts of Turkey, which were retrospectively collected from medical records. All patients received enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Clinical data collected included physical appearance, anthropometric data, neurological and psychological examinations, cardiovascular evaluation, pulmonary function tests, eye and ear-nose-throat examinations, endurance in the 6-min walk test and/or 3-min stair climb test, joint range of motion, and skeletal investigations (X-rays, bone mineral density). Results At the time of ERT initiation, two patients were infants (1.8 and 2.1 years), five were children (3.4–7.1 years), and three were adults (16.5–39.5 years). Patients had up to 4 years follow-up. Most patients had classical Morquio A, based on genotypic and phenotypic data. Endurance was considerably reduced in all patients, but remained relatively stable or increased over time in most cases after treatment initiation. Length/height fell below normal growth curves, except in the two infants who started ERT at ≤ 2.1 years of age. All patients had skeletal and/or joint abnormalities when ERT was started. Follow-up data did not suggest improvements in skeletal abnormalities, except in one of the younger infants. Nine patients had corneal clouding, which resolved after treatment initiation in the two infants, but not in the other patients. Hepatomegaly was reported in seven patients and resolved with treatment in five of them. Other frequent findings at treatment initiation were coarse facial features (N = 9), hearing loss (N = 6), and cardiac abnormalities (N = 6). Cardiac disease deteriorated over time in three patients, but did not progress in the others. Conclusions Overall, this case series with Morquio A patients confirms clinical trial data showing long-term stabilization of endurance after treatment initiation across ages and suggest that very early initiation of ERT optimizes growth outcomes.

scholarly journals Subclinical Cardiac Organ Damage in Patients with Moderate to Severe Psoriasis

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2440
Author(s):  
Anja Linde ◽  
Eva Gerdts ◽  
Kåre Steinar Tveit ◽  
Ester Kringeland ◽  
Helga Midtbø
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Treatment Initiation ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Organ Damage ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Infliximab Treatment ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Psoriasis Severity

We explored the association between subclinical cardiac organ damage (OD) with comorbidities and psoriasis severity in 53 psoriasis patients on infliximab treatment (age 47 ± 15 years, 30% women) and 99 controls without psoriasis (age 47 ± 11 years, 28% women). Cardiac OD was assessed by echocardiography as the presence of increased left ventricular (LV) relative wall thickness (RWT), LV hypertrophy or dilated left atrium. Psoriasis severity was graded using the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). The prevalence of hypertension was 66% in psoriasis vs. 61% in controls (p = 0.54) and cardiac OD seen in 51 and 73%, respectively (p = 0.007). Psoriasis was associated with a lower prevalence of cardiac OD (odds ratio (OR) 0.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13–0.77, p = 0.01) independent of age, sex, smoking, body mass index, and hypertension. Among psoriasis patients, hypertension was associated with increased risk of subclinical cardiac OD (OR 6.88, 95% CI 1.32–35.98, p = 0.02) independent of age, sex, and body mass index. PASI at treatment initiation was associated with a higher RWT at follow-up, independent of sex, age, and hypertension (β 0.36, p = 0.006) while no association with current PASI was found. In conclusion, cardiac OD was less prevalent in psoriasis patients on infliximab treatment than controls. Hypertension was the major covariable for subclinical cardiac OD in psoriasis.

scholarly journals Fast-track treatment initiation counselling in South Africa: A cost-outcomes analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0248551
Author(s):  
Bruce A. Larson ◽  
Sophie J. S. Pascoe ◽  
Amy Huber ◽  
Lawrence C. Long ◽  
Joshua Murphy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Fast Track ◽  
Treatment Initiation ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
Models Of Care ◽  
Composite Outcome ◽  
Patient Level ◽  
Care And Treatment

Introduction In 2016, under its new National Adherence Guidelines (AGL), South Africa formalized an existing model of fast-track HIV treatment initiation counselling (FTIC). Rollout of the AGL included an evaluation study at 24 clinics, with staggered AGL implementation. Using routinely collected data extracted as part of the evaluation study, we estimated and compared the costs of HIV care and treatment from the provider’s perspective at the 12 clinics implementing the new, formalized model (AGL-FTIC) to costs at the 12 clinics continuing to implement some earlier, less formalized, model that likely varied across clinics (denoted here as early-FTIC). Methods This was a cost-outcome analysis using standard methods and a composite outcome defined as initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) within 30 days of treatment eligibility and retained in care at 9 months. Using patient-level, bottom-up resource-utilization data and local unit costs, we estimated patient-level costs of care and treatment in 2017 U.S. dollars over the 9-month evaluation follow-up period for the two models of care. Resource use and costs, disaggregated by antiretroviral medications, laboratory tests, and clinic visits, are reported by model of care and stratified by the composite outcome. Results A total of 350/343 patients in the early-FTIC/AGL-FTIC models of care are included in this analysis. Mean/median costs were similar for both models of care ($135/$153 for early-FTIC, $130/$151 for AGL-FTIC). For the subset achieving the composite outcome, resource use and therefore mean/median costs were similar but slightly higher, reflecting care consistent with treatment guidelines ($163/$166 for early-FTIC, $168/$170 for AGL-FTIC). Not surprisingly, costs for patients not achieving the composite outcome were substantially less, mainly because they only had two or fewer follow-up visits and, therefore, received substantially less ART than patients who achieved the composite outcome. Conclusion The 2016 adherence guidelines clarified expectations for the content and timing of adherence counseling sessions in relation to ART initiation. Because clinics were already initiating patients on ART quickly by 2016, little room existed for the new model of fast-track initiation counseling to reduce the number of pre-ART clinic visits at the study sites and therefore to reduce costs of care and treatment. Trial registration Clinical Trial Number: NCT02536768.

scholarly journals Delay to initiate treatment is associated with unsuccessful treatment outcome among new pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: a follow up study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
kiros Tedla ◽  
Girmay Medhin ◽  
Gebretsadik Berhe ◽  
Afework Mulugeta ◽  
Nega Berhe
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcome ◽  
Pulmonary Tuberculosis ◽  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Treatment Initiation ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Northern Ethiopia ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Unsuccessful Treatment ◽  
Increased Risk

Abstract Background : Previous studies in Ethiopia indicated that tuberculosis (TB) patient’s elapse long time before treatment initiation. However, there is very limited evidence on the association of delay to initiate treatment with treatment outcome. Objective : To investigate the association of time to treatment initiation delay with treatment outcomes of new adult TB patients in Tigray region of Ethiopia. Methods : We conducted a follow up study from October 2018 to April 2020 by recruiting 875 newly diagnosed Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) patients from 21 randomly selected health facilities. Study participants were selected using simple random sampling technique during treatment initiation from October 1/2018 to October 30/2019. Delay to initiate treatment and treatment outcome were collected using standardized questionnaire and laboratory investigation. Adherence of TB patients to their treatment was collected using a 10 points linear visual analogue scale (VAS) at the end of treatment. The association of delay to initiate treatment with treatment outcome was modeled using log binomial regression model. Statistical significance was reported whenever p-value was less than 0.05. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 21. Result : The median total delay to treatment initiation was 62 days with inter-quartile range of 16-221 days. A unite increase in a day to initiate treatment results in increment of risk of unsuccessful treatment outcome by 2.3. Other factors associated with unsuccessful treatment outcomes were being less adherent to the treatment, HIV co infection, being smear positive at initiation of treatment and after 2 months of treatment initiation. Conclusion : delay in a day to initiate treatment is associated with increased risk of unsuccessful treatment outcome. Any effort targeted towards reducing the negative effects of PTB should target on strategies that reduces the length of delay to initiate treatment and strengthen community engagement to improve treatment adherence of patients that have started treatment.

scholarly journals ATIM-37. PHASE II, OPEN-LABEL, SINGLE ARM, MULTICENTER STUDY OF AVELUMAB WITH HYPOFRACTIONATED RADIATION (HFRT) FOR ADULT PATIENTS WITH SECONDARILY TRANSFORMED IDH-MUTANT GLIOBLASTOMA (GBM)

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi9-vi10
Author(s):  
Sylvia Kurz ◽  
Joshua S Silverman ◽  
Tsivia Hochman ◽  
Lakshmi Nayak ◽  
Isabel Arrillaga-Romany ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Ii ◽  
Multicenter Study ◽  
Somatic Mutations ◽  
Treatment Initiation ◽  
Adult Patients ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
Hypofractionated Radiation ◽  
Dose Limiting Toxicity

Abstract BACKGROUND There is no effective therapy for patients (pts) with IDH-mutant gliomas that progress after RT and chemotherapy. At time of progression, these tumors have often transformed to glioblastoma (GBM) and have increased numbers of somatic mutations, i.e. have a “hypermutator phenotype”. We hypothesized that there is synergistic efficacy of Avelumab (anti-PD-L1) combined with HFRT in pts with secondarily transformed IDH-mutant GBMs. Safety-lead-in results will be presented. METHODS This is a phase II, open-label, single-arm, multicenter study of Avelumab with HFRT in adults with transformed IDH-mutant GBM who previously received RT and TMZ and/or PCV. All pts received Avelumab 10 mg/kg IV followed at Day 8 by HFRT (25 Gy in 5 daily 5-Gy fractions) and then Avelumab 10 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks. A 3 + 3 design was used for a 6-patient safety-lead-in cohort. Adverse events were recorded according to CTCAE. RESULTS Six pts (F=4, M=2) with a median age= 45.5 yrs (range 31.5–54.4 yrs) were enrolled in the safety-lead-in cohort. No DLT was observed. Grade ≥ 3 AEs included increased cerebral edema (3 pts), hyponatremia (1 pt) and worsening hemiparesis (3 pts). Grade ≤ 2 AEs included nausea, hypothyroidism, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, transaminase elevation, and fever/chills. Median follow-up time was 8.9 mo. Best treatment response was SD in 1 patient. At time of last follow-up all pts have discontinued treatment for PD. Median PFS was 4.2 mo (range 1.4–5.7). Median OS was 10.1 (range 6.8–21+) mo. 4 pts (67%) died, 2 pts remain alive in follow-up at 6.9 and 21.6 months after treatment initiation. The study was closed after the safety lead-in completed enrollment due to slow accrual. CONCLUSIONS Avelumab combined with HFRT was tolerable without dose-limiting toxicity in this safety-lead-in cohort of adult patients with transformed IDH-mutant GBM. Further studies are necessary to determine efficacy of this treatment regimen.

scholarly journals Early Detection of t(8;21) Chromosomal Translocations during Treatment of PML-RARA Positive Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: A Case Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. CMO.S6446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Kleine Neto ◽  
Mariana Serpa ◽  
Sabri Saeed Sanabani ◽  
Patricia Torres Bueno ◽  
Elvira Deolinda Rodrigues Pereira Velloso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia ◽  
Genetic Screening ◽  
Treatment Initiation ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Promyelocytic Leukemia ◽  
Chromosomal Translocations ◽  
Trans Retinoic Acid ◽  
All Trans Retinoic Acid

Here we describe a female patient who developed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) characterized by t(l5;17) translocation at diagnosis. The patient began treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) + chemotherapy. During follow up, the patient was found to be negative for the t(15;17) transcript after 3 months of therapy which remained undetectable, thereafter. However, the emergence of a small clone with a t(8;21) abnormality was observed in the bone marrow and peripheral blood (PB) cells between 3 and 18 months following treatment initiation. The abnormal translocation observed in PB cells obtained at 3 months was detected after the second cycle of consolidation therapy and reappeared at 15 months during maintenance treatment, a period without ATRA. Although based on a single case, we conclude that genetic screening of multiple translocations in AML patients should be requested to allow early identification of other emerging clones during therapy that may manifest clinically following treatment.

scholarly journals Tuberculosis Case Finding Cascade and Treatment Outcomes among Male Inmates in Two Prisons in Zimbabwe

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Alois Mandizvidza ◽  
Riitta A. Dlodlo ◽  
Palanivel Chinnakali ◽  
Hamufare Dumisani Mugauri ◽  
Freeman Dube ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Treatment Initiation ◽  
Treatment Success ◽  
Molecular Testing ◽  
Tuberculosis Case ◽  
Missed Opportunities ◽  
Male Inmates ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Lost To Follow Up

Setting. Zimbabwe is a high tuberculosis (TB) burden country, with an estimated prevalence of 344/100,000 population. Though prisons are known high-prevalence sites for TB, the paucity of data affects the quantification of the disease and treatment outcomes in these settings. We measured the prevalence of TB disease and treatment outcomes among inmates at two major prisons in Harare, Zimbabwe. Design. A cohort study using programmatic data was undertaken to assess TB diagnostic cascade in one of the study prisons for 2018. Treatment outcomes among male inmates with TB were assessed over a period of four years, in two study prisons. Results. A total of 405 (11%) inmates with presumptive TB were identified, and 370 (91%) of these were evaluated for TB, mostly using rapid molecular testing of sputum specimens. Twenty-five inmates were diagnosed with TB resulting in a prevalence of 649/100,000 population. Of these, 16 (64%) were started on treatment. Nine (36%) were lost to follow-up before treatment initiation. From 2015 to 2018, 280 adult male inmates with TB were started on treatment. Of these, 212 (76%) had pulmonary disease that was bacteriologically confirmed. Almost all (276/280, 99%) had known HIV status, 65% were HIV-infected, and 80% of these were on antiretroviral treatment. The TB treatment success rate (cured or treatment completed) was recorded for 209 (75%) inmates, whilst 14 (5%) died and 11 (4%) were lost to follow-up. The frequency of unfavourable treatment outcomes (death, lost to follow-up, and not evaluated) was higher (54%) among inmates≥60 years than those in the age group of 45-59 years (17%). Conclusion. The findings revealed a threefold burden of TB in prisons, compared with what is reported by national survey. To decrease transmission of TB bacilli, it is essential to promote efforts that address missed opportunities in the TB diagnostic cascade, prompt treatment initiation, and ensure that tracking and documentation of treatment outcomes for all inmates are intensified.

Accelerated Telomere Shortening Identifies a Subgroup of Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Isolated 5q Minus Deletion with a Higher Probability of Response to Lenalidomide Treatment

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 3809-3809
Author(s):  
Fabian Beier ◽  
Ralph P Schneider ◽  
Guntram Buesche ◽  
Jens Panse ◽  
Ulrich Germing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cell ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Preliminary Analysis ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Disease Duration ◽  
Treatment Initiation ◽  
Telomere Shortening ◽  
Length Analysis

Abstract Abstract 3809 Introduction: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are heterogeneous clonal stem cell disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and an increased risk for leukemic transformation. Lenalidomide (LEN) was found to be an effective treatment particularly in a subset of MDS patients with isolated 5q minus deletion (del5q). A high proportion of these patients show erythroid response with transfusion independence and even complete cytogenetic response (CCR). However, particularly in patients not responding to LEN, disease progression to acute leukemia is observed. Accelerated telomere length shortening is regularly observed in hematopoietic stem cell disorders with increased stem cell turnover and/or altered telomere maintenance. Dysfunctional telomeres have been found to play an important role in the development of chromosomal instability and malignant transformation. The aim of this study was to investigate telomere length as a potential predictive biomarker in MDS del5q patients treated with LEN with regard to disease progression and treatment response. Methods and Patients: Telomere length (TL) was determined using confocal Q-FISH on paraffin-embedded BM biopsies of 54 MDS patients enrolled in the LEMON5 study (NCT01081431). Criteria for study inclusion were isolated del5q, transfusion dependence of at least one unit per 8 weeks and IPSS low risk and intermediate-1. TL was analyzed in a blinded fashion on specimen obtained before treatment initiation with LEN, control biopsies of 11 patients with newly diagnosed Morbus Hodgkin without BM affection were used for age-adaption of TL. At the time of this preliminary analysis, the study is ongoing, initial clinical data were available for 94% (51/54) and detailed follow up data for 63% (34/54) of the patients with a median follow up of 22 months. Mean age of the MDS patients was 68.6 years (range 40–87) and average disease duration before enrolment was 2.9 years. Results: We found that TL of the 54 MDS patients was significantly shorter compared to the age-adjusted TL (−0.57 kb, p=0.02, n=54). Interestingly, analysis according to the respective IPSS showed significant shorter telomeres in the low risk group (−0.91 kb, p=0.04, n=27) than in the intermediate-1 group (−0.55 kb, p=0.24, n=19). Focusing on the peripheral blood counts, cut-off values were set according to the distribution pattern representing the approximate median value. Patients with ANC counts <2000/μl (−0.98 kb, p=0.03, n=27), haemoglobin values <9g/dl (−0.89 kb, p=0.02, n=26) and platelets counts <300/nl (−0.87 kb, p=0.01, n=27) had significantly shortened telomeres compared to the age-adjusted controls. In contrast, patients with ANC counts >2000/μl (0.06 kb, p=0.9, n=20), haemoglobin >9g/dl (−0.23 kb, p=0.23, n=25) and platelet counts >300/nl (−0.07 kb, p=0.58, n=24) did not differ from the age-adjusted TL. Furthermore, patients with a history of more than 2 years of MDS had significantly shortened age-adjusted telomere length (−0.94 kb, p=0.02, n=26), but that was not the case in patients with a short disease duration (<2 years; −0.32 kb, p=0.36, n=28). Interestingly, with regards to response to LEN, patients later achieving a CCR under LEN had significantly shortened TL at treatment initiation (−1.47 kb, n=14, p=0.005) whereas this was not the case in patients with no response, relapse or progressive disease during follow-up (−0.23 kb, n=20, p=0.62). Furthermore, correlation with treatment duration showed that patients receiving more than 12 cycles of LEN (in which 93%, i.e. 13/14 patients were responding) had significantly shorter telomeres before start of LEN (−1.41 kb, n=17, p=0.02) compared to the group of patients with less than 12 cycles (0.22 kb, n=14) in which 41%, i.e. 7/17 patients were responding. Conclusions: Patients with MDS and isolated del5q undergo significant telomere shortening. Using telomere length analysis on paraffin-embedded BM biopsies using confocal Q-FISH, we were able to identify a subgroup of patients with lower peripheral blood counts and accelerated TL shortening that seemed to preferentially profit from LEN treatment. In summary and pending further confirmation with longer follow up of this preliminary analysis within the ongoing LeMon5 study, we conclude that telomere length analysis may identify a distinct biological subentity of MDS del5q patients more likely to benefit from treatment with LEN. Disclosures: Germing: Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Brümmendorf:Celgene: Research Funding.

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