scholarly journals Impact on Mental Health, Disease Management and Socioeconomic Modifications in Hematological Patients during COVID-19 Pandemia in Italy

Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 35-37
Author(s):  
Marianna De Muro ◽  
Sergio Amadori ◽  
Nicolina Rita Ardu ◽  
Elisabetta Cerchiara ◽  
Paolo De Fabritiis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Active Treatment ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Cronbach’S Alpha ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Cronbach's Alpha ◽  
Italian Regions ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) outbreak is upending current life and generating much anxiety and uncertainty. The effects of home confinement, social isolation, cancelled schools, closed businesses, and negative economic impacts have had serious consequences. Hematologic patients (HP) are a subset of highly vulnerable population with increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms due to their immunocompromised status. These risks have been augmented during the COVID outbreak because of deviations from current standards of care, e.g., reduced visits, treatment supply and access to routine exams. This study investigated the impact of the current pandemic on HP assessing demographics, medical information, mental health and caregiver practical management. In collaboration with AIL (Italian Association against Leukemia) and CNR (National Research Council), a survey was generated and distributed to Italian HP. The general population (GP) were used as controls. The assessment used the DASS-21 questionnaire, a self-reported, 21 item screening instrument that provides independent measures of depression, stress and anxiety with recommended severity thresholds subscales. The survey was self-administered between April and August, 2020. The questionnaires' reliability was verified based on an analysis of its internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. As of 30 June 2020, 1113 HP and 1125 GP completed the survey from 20 Italian Regions. The two population groups were homogeneous by age, gender and distribution and included regions at both high (CHP) and low (CLP) prevalence of infections at the time of the survey. HP and GP median age was 50 years (range: HP 11- 93; GP 13-85). 61% HP and 68% GP were female; the rest were male. The year of diagnosis of hematological disease ranged from 1965 to 2020; 21.9% had chronic myeloid leukemia, followed by Hodgkin (15.7%) and non-Hodgkin (15.9%) lymphomas, chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (15.9%), multiple myeloma (8.9%), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (4.9%), acute myeloid (5.6%) and lymphoblastic (3.25%) leukemias, other (7%). 1071 HP and 1125 GP responded about their occupation as follows: employed full/part time (38.7% HP , 47.7% GP), retired (19.2% HP,10.8% GP), freelancer (9.2% HP, 12.2% GP), unemployed (6.2% HP, 3.4% GP) , students (4.6% HP, 3.2% GP), company executive (4.1% HP, 4.8% GP), manager (2% HP, 4.7 % GP), cooperative member (0.7% HP , 0.7% GP), housewife (8.5% HP 4.8% GP), other (6.8% HP,7.7% GP). During the pandemic 63.7% HP didn't work and 36.3% did work compared to the GP group (33.8% didn't; 66.2 % did). Where specified, the reasons for not working were: layoffs (10.9% HP, 15.9% GP), lack of work (8.1%HP, 15.6 % GP), vacation/ parental leave (4.4% HP, 3.5% GP), reduced business activity for economic reasons (2.2% HP, 3.3% GP), occasional work (2.1% HP, 5.7% GP), seasonal employment, (0.6% HP,1.1 % GP). 625/1073 HP (58.2%) were in active treatment. Of these, 40.1% were in Day Hospital, 56.4% were outpatient; and 3.5% inpatients. The remaining HP were off therapy (448/1073; 41.8%). 1105 HP and 1127 GP responded to the DASS questionnaire. Extremely severe depression was found in 12.9% HP vs 7% GP; 18.1% HP expressed severe anxiety vs 9.6% GP and extremely severe stress was present in 7.1% HP and 5.3% GP. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the internal homogeneity of the questionnaire was 0.95, confirming the cohorts correctness (0.8 or greater, indicates a very good level of reliability). Providing care to HP during the pandemic has been challenging for both patients and doctors. Restrictions on visits and lab/instrumental exams, reduced equipment supply and a paucity of personal protection equipment (PPEs) for health care providers and patients have penalized normal routine care. As a result, 38.2% HP postponed or did not attend scheduled therapy and >50% had difficulty obtaining PPEs through normal sources; 57% in CHP and 36% in CLP regions had to buy them themselves. To our knowledge this is the first report of the impact of the pandemic on psychological distress, work consequences and illness management in HP. Most of HP in this study are outpatients in active treatment. Interesting data emerged from job losses, which is more common among HP. The DASS-21 instrument revealed higher anxiety and depression levels in HP. Detailed results including longitudinal analysis and high versus low geographic prevalence of COVID-19 infections will be presented. Figure 1 Disclosures Abruzzese: Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bms: Honoraria.

Comparison of the Myleloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form (MPN-SAF) Across Nine Linguistic Translations Among an International Sample of 1,851 Myeloproliferative Neoplasm (MPN) Patients.

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 2852-2852
Author(s):  
Amylou Constance Dueck ◽  
Robyn M. Emanuel ◽  
Holly Lynn Geyer ◽  
Jean-Jacques Kiladjian ◽  
Stephanie Slot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Factor Structure ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Disease Type ◽  
Cronbach’S Alpha ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Cronbach's Alpha ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Abstract 2852 Background: The 18-item Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form (MPN-SAF, Scherber et al Blood 2011) given in conjunction with the 9-item Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI, Mendoza et al Cancer 1999) is a patient-completed questionnaire for assessing symptoms in persons with MPNs. The MPN-SAF has been translated and validated in 9 languages to date. The Total Symptom Score (TSS) is computed from 10 of the most pertinent MPN-SAF items to assess symptom burden in MPN patients and to evaluate response to therapy. Psychometric properties of the TSS have been previously reported (Emanuel et al Blood 2012). The purpose of this analysis is to compare MPN-SAF symptoms and psychometric properties of the TSS across 9 languages in an international sample. Methods: Data were collected in an international cohort of subjects with MPNs. Surveyed symptoms included fatigue, early satiety, abdominal pain and discomfort, inactivity, headaches, concentration, dizziness, extremity tingling, insomnia, sexual problems, mood changes, cough, night sweats, pruritus, bone pain and fever on a 0 (absent) to 10 (worst imaginable) scale. TSS was computed using the published scoring algorithm on a 0 (all symptoms absent) to 100 (all symptoms worst imaginable) scale. Demographic and disease-related data including disease type, gender, and age had to be present to be included in analysis. Demographics were compared across languages groups using ANOVA and chi-squared tests. Symptoms and TSS were compared across language groups using a general linear model adjusting for disease type, age, and gender with post-hoc Tukey pairwise comparisons. Internal consistency and factor structure of the TSS were investigated overall and within language groups using Cronbach's alpha and principal-axis factoring analysis. Results: Subject Demographics and Disease Type: 1,851 subjects with polycythemia vera (PV N=655), essential thrombocythemia (ET N=769) and myelofibrosis (MF N=427; 286 primary MF, 61 PV-MF, 80 ET-MF) were prospectively enrolled and administered the MPN-SAF and BFI in 1 of 9 languages: English [UK] 55, English [US] 102, Italian 186, Swedish 114, German 112, French 457, Spanish 192, Dutch 236, and Chinese 397. Age (median 61, range, 15–94) and gender (55% F) were typical. Disease type and age varied across language groups (both p <0.001). MPN-SAF Symptoms and TSS: Symptom frequencies ranged from 19% (fever) to 88% (fatigue) overall with mean severities ranging from 0.4 (SD=1.3, fever) to 4.3 (SD=2.3, fatigue). Fatigue had the highest mean severity among all symptoms within each language group. Overall, mean TSS was 21.5 (SD=16.7) with the Swedish (mean=18.1, SD=15.2) and Dutch (mean=27.6, SD=17.1) cohorts reporting the lowest and highest unadjusted TSS means, respectively. When comparing symptom items across languages (adjusting for disease type, age, and gender), concentration and sexual problems had the most statistically significant pairwise differences (11 and 10, respectively, out of a possible 36) followed by dizziness and overall quality of life (9 each, out of a possible 36). No statistically significant pairwise differences were observed for abdominal discomfort, headache, extremity tingling, or insomnia. For the TSS, the Dutch cohort appeared to statistically significantly differ (all p <0.05) with all other languages except the English cohorts. All other TSS pairwise comparisons were not statistically significant. TSS Internal Consistency and Factor Structure: The TSS had excellent internal consistency overall (Cronbach's alpha 0.83) as well as within language groups (Cronbach's alpha 0.81–0.86). Overall factor analysis identified a single underlying construct among the 10 TSS items. Factor loadings ranged from 0.41 for fever to 0.73 for inactivity. A single factor solution was appropriate for each language group with factor loadings ranging from 0.18 to 0.85. Conclusion: This analysis suggests that the available translations of the MPN-SAF are generally acceptable for use in a broad context. The TSS demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and similar factor structure across all language groups. Most symptom and TSS comparisons between languages were not statistically significant, but for the few which differed, further studies are needed to evaluate whether these variances are due to disease-related factors or due to linguistic or cultural influences present in the cohorts. Disclosures: Kiladjian: Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Shire: Honoraria. Griesshammer:Shire: Honoraria. Roy:Novartis, BMS: Speakers Bureau. Harrison:Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; YM Bioscience: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sanofi Aventis: Honoraria; Shire: Honoraria, Research Funding. Passamonti:Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sanofi: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Mesa:Incyte: Research Funding; Lilly: Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding; NS Pharma: Research Funding; YM Bioscience: Research Funding.

scholarly journals The Impact of Fractures on Survival in Multiple Myeloma: Results from a Population-Based Study

Blood ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 4490-4490
Author(s):  
Sigrun Thorsteinsdottir ◽  
Ingigerdur S Sverrisdottir ◽  
Gauti Gislason ◽  
Ola Landgren ◽  
Ingemar Turesson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Myeloma ◽  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Population Based Study ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction Multiple myeloma (MM) causes lytic bone lesions, osteopenia, and fractures, which increase the morbidity of MM patients. Results from small previous studies have indicated that fractures in MM have a negative effect on survival. Aims The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of fractures on survival in MM patients diagnosed in Sweden in the years 1990-2013. Furthermore, to analyze the effect of bone fractures at MM diagnosis on subsequent survival. Methods Patients diagnosed with MM in 1990-2013 were identified from the Swedish Cancer Registry. Information on date of birth, diagnosis, and death were collected from the Registry of Total Population. Information on all fractures were retrieved from the Swedish Patient Registry. Cox regression model was used with fractures as time-dependent variables. The effect of fractures on survival was assessed for any fracture or a subtype of fracture (a specific bone fracture or ICD-coded pathologic fracture). Either first fracture or the first subtype of fracture was used in the analysis. The effect of a fracture at MM diagnosis (within 30 days before or 30 days after MM diagnosis) on survival was also estimated using a Cox regression model. All models were adjusted for age, sex, time of diagnosis, and previous fractures. Results A total of 14,008 patients were diagnosed with MM in the study period. A total of 4,141 (29.6%) patients developed a fracture including fractures that occurred within a year before MM diagnosis and thereafter. Hereof 2,893 (20.7%) patients developed a fracture after MM diagnosis. The risk of death was significantly increased for patients that developed a fracture after the time of MM diagnosis with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.00 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.91-2.10) for all fractures combined. The risk of death was significantly increased for patients that developed all subtypes of fractures after MM diagnosis except ankle fractures. The risk of death was significantly increased for patients that developed pathologic fractures (HR=2.17; 95% CI 2.03-2.32), vertebral fractures (HR=1.73; 95% CI 1.61-1.87), hip fractures (HR=1.99; 95% CI 1.82-2.18), femoral fractures (HR=2.62; 95% CI 2.32-2.98), humerus fractures (HR=2.57; 95% CI 2.32-2.86), forearm fractures (HR=1.24; 95% CI 1.05-1.46), and rib fractures (HR=1.52; 95% CI 1.31-1.77), but not for ankle fractures (HR 1.07; 95% CI 0.79-1.44). A total of 942 (6.7%) of all MM patients were diagnosed with a fracture within 30 days before or 30 days after MM diagnosis. The patients with a fracture at diagnosis were at a significantly increased risk of death compared to those without (HR 1.31; 95% CI 1.21-1.41; Figure) Conclusions Our large population-based study, including over 14,000 patients diagnosed with MM in Sweden in the years 1990-2013, showed that MM patients that developed a fracture after the time of diagnosis were at twofold increased risk of dying compared to MM patients without a fracture. Furthermore, MM patients with a fracture at diagnosis had a 30% higher risk of dying compared to patients without a fracture. Our results indicate that fractures in MM reflect a more advanced disease at diagnosis and stress the importance of managing MM bone disease in all MM patients. Figure. Figure. Disclosures Landgren: Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Merck: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding.

scholarly journals TP53 Status As Well As Cytogenetic Complexity Significantly Impact on Prognosis in Myelodysplastic Syndromes with Complex (≥3 anomalies) Aberrant Karyotypes

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 3007-3007
Author(s):  
Christina Ganster ◽  
Roxana Schaab ◽  
Katayoon Shirneshan ◽  
Lea Naomi Eder ◽  
Anna Mies ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Genetic Profile ◽  
Fish Analysis ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Clone Size ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Travel Grant ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Tp53 Status

Introduction: Complex aberrant karyotypes (CK, ≥3 cytogenetic aberrations, CA) are associated with an unfavorable prognosis and an increased AML transformation rate in MDS. However, even MDS with CK (CK-MDS) are heterogeneous in terms of genetic profile and prognosis. Recently, we demonstrated that a high number of CA as well as mutations in TP53 (TP53mut) are associated with increased risk in CK-MDS (Haase et al, 2019). However, as there is a strong association between CK-MDS and TP53mut, it is still a matter of debate whether the karyotype and TP53mut are prognostically independent genetic markers. Furthermore, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of 17p13 (TP53LOH), due to loss of genetic material or to copy number neutral LOH (CN-LOH), is also associated with a poor prognosis. We here aimed to characterize TP53mut andTP53LOH in CK-MDS and to elucidate the impact of cytogenetics, TP53mut and TP53LOH on the outcome of CK-MDS. Methods: We included 178 pts with MDS (N=138), CMML (N=5) and secondary AML after MDS (AML with myelodysplasia-related changes, N=35), all with CK. The median precentage of bone marrow (bm) blasts was 11% (range: 0-90%). The median age was 72 yrs (range: 30-95 yrs). The male:female ratio was 1.23:1. The number of CA was determined by banding analysis in all cases. The karyotype was confirmed by multicolor FISH in 134 cases. TP53LOH was verified by FISH analysis of the TP53 locus in 17p13 (146 analyses) and/or molecular karyotyping (MK, 41 analyses). In 144 cases further FISH probes in addition to TP53 were used. TP53mut was identified by NGS (54 cases) or Sanger sequencing (124 cases). Follow-up data for survival analyses were available for 127 pts with MDS and oligoblastic AML with less than 30% bm blasts. Results: The median number of CA was 7 (range: 3-46), 98/178 pts (55%) showed a TP53mut (median VAF: 34%, range: 8-93%) and 64/178 (36%) a TP53LOH (median FISH clone size: 65%, range: 6-99%), including 9 pts with a CN-LOH in 17p13. The CN-LOH was either identified by MK (5/41 pts (12%) where MK was available showed a CN-LOH, 4/5 with TP53mut) or by NGS (4/54 pts (7%) where NGS was available showed a VAF >70% and normal TP53-FISH). In total, a TP53mut and/or a TP53LOH was identified in 116/178 pts (65%). Overall survival (OS) did not significantly differ between CK-MDS with TP53mut only, TP53LOH only, and TP53mut+TP53LOH (Fig.1). Therefore, we merged TP53mut and TP53LOH to TP53altered in all further analyses. Regarding the cytogenetic characterization of pts with TP53altered, the number of CA was significantly higher in pts with TP53altered than in pts with normal TP53 (median 9 CA (range: 3-46) vs 5 CA (range: 3-24), P<0.001). Also notable was that the founder clone of pts with TP53altered included significantly more cases with del(5q) (determined by FISH, 69/92 cases, 75%) compared to pts with normal TP53 (22/52 cases, 42%, P<0.001). The number of CA as well as the TP53 status contributed significantly to OS (Fig.2). The presence of anemia (Hb <10 g/dl) at first diagnosis of the CK had the greatest impact on OS (HR: 3.95) in the multivariate model (Cox regression), followed by an altered TP53 gene (TP53mut and/or TP53LOH; HR: 3.53) and the presence of ≥5 CA (HR: 2.33). Based on these three parameters with the greatest impact on OS, we created a simple provisional prognostic system. One scoring point each was assigned to anemia (Hb <10 g/dl), TP53altered, and ≥5 CA. Regarding OS, the resulting four risk groups separated very well (Fig.4). Conclusions: The presence of ≥5 CA is associated with reduced OS in CK-MDS. A TP53mut as well as a TP53LOH both further segregate outcome. The impact of the clone size of TP53mut and TP53LOH on survival is currently being evaluated. Our data imply that the TP53 status (TP53mut and/or TP53LOH) and the complexity of the karyotype are independent prognostic markers. Based on the presence of anemia, the TP53 status (TP53mut and/or TP53LOH), and the number of CA, the individual risk of CK-MDS can be estimated more accurately. This will allow to better tailor treatment decisions for individual pts with CA. Funding (FS): 2017 SGR 288-GRC Disclosures Germing: Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding. Kaivers:Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Other: Travel Support. Kröger:Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; DKMS: Research Funding; JAZZ: Honoraria; Medac: Honoraria; Neovii: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Riemser: Research Funding; Sanofi-Aventis: Research Funding. Hertenstein:RS Media: Research Funding. Döhner:Daiichi: Honoraria; Jazz: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; CTI Biopharma: Consultancy, Honoraria. Bug:Hexal: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene Neovii: Other: travel grant; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel grants; Sanofi: Other: travel grants; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: travel grants; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Nickelsen:Roche Pharma AG: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel Grants; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel Grant; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Platzbecker:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria.

scholarly journals Pre-CAR Blinatumomab Is Associated with Increased Post-CD19 CAR Relapse and Decreased Event Free Survival

Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 13-14
Author(s):  
Agne Taraseviciute ◽  
Seth M. Steinberg ◽  
Regina M. Myers ◽  
Lia Gore ◽  
Adam J. Lamble ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Car T Cell ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Car T ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Cd19 Expression

Introduction: Both CD19 CAR T-cells (CD19 CAR) and blinatumomab (blina) effectively induce remission in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (r/r ALL). However, blina use prior to CD19 CAR has raised concerns for increased relapse risk and/or CAR non-response due to selective pressure on CD19. The tisagenlecleucel registration trial in pediatric ALL excluded patients who had received prior blina. Thus, there is limited data regarding the impact of blina on long-term outcomes in patients receiving subsequent CD19 CAR. Methods: This retrospective, multicenter study was performed to evaluate the impact of pre-CAR blina on subsequent CD19 CAR outcomes in pediatric and young adult patients with r/r ALL &lt; 25 years at diagnosis. The primary objective was to evaluate relapse (RFS) and event free survival (EFS) at 6 months following CD19 CAR stratified by blina use. Secondary objectives included: evaluation of RFS at 12 months and response to CD19 CAR. All patients had their first CAR T-cell infusion between the years 2012-2019 and had at least 30 days of follow-up (or an event prior to 30 days). Descriptive statistics were used for baseline demographics and comparison between cohorts. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to evaluate survival. Results: A total of 420 patients from 7 centers received 1 of 3 CD19 CAR T-cell constructs. (Table 1) The median age at diagnosis and at CAR infusion was 7.1 years and 12.4 years, respectively (range, 0.6-30 years). Amongst 412 patients evaluable for response, a total of 375 (91.0%) patients achieved a complete remission (CR); 363 (96.8%) of whom were minimal residual disease (MRD) negative (by flow cytometry). Thirty-seven (9.0%) of evaluable patients were CD19 CAR non-responders. With a median potential follow-up of 2.3 years (IQR, 1.6-3.3 years), 164 (43.7%) patients experienced relapse. Seventy-five (17.8%) patients received blina prior to CD19 CAR. The median time from last blina use to CD19 CAR was 129 days (IQR, 79-304 days). Blina was associated with an increased risk of CAR non-response; 13/71 (18.3%) blina patients versus 24/341 (7.0%) non-blina patients were non-responders (p=0.0052). Ten of 71 (14.1%) were non-responders to both CD19 CAR and blina; 19 of 29 (66%) blina non-responders achieved remission with subsequent CD19 CAR. Baseline disease status did not differ between blina and non-blina patients at CAR T-cell infusion, although a higher fraction of blina patients harbored KMT2Ar cytogenetics (11/75 (14.7%) versus 22/345 (6.4%), p=0.03). Pre-CAR blina was associated with worse EFS and RFS, but not overall survival (OS). The 6-month RFS for blina and non-blina patients was 63.4% (95% CI, 49.6-74.4%) and 81.1% (95% CI, 76.3-85.0%), respectively (Figure 1A). The 6-month EFS for blina and non-blina patients was 49.7% (95% CI, 37.8-60.5%) and 72.1% (95% CI, 67.1-76.6%), respectively (Figure 1B). Analysis excluding KMT2Ar patients to evaluate for the possibility that these patients represented a higher-risk subgroup and could skew the data, revealed similar EFS and RFS. Amongst 408 patients with pre-CAR CD19 analysis, 6/69 (13.0%) of blina patients versus 21/339 (6.2%) of non-blina patients had CD19 dim/partial/negative disease (p=0.07). Serial CD19 evaluation pre/post blina revealed that 6/52 (11.5%) had CD19 evolution to dim expression. Conclusions: This large, multicenter analysis demonstrate an association with blina use and 1) increased risk of CAR non-response; 2) worse RFS and EFS and 3) a trend towards a higher incidence of pre-CAR CD19 dim disease. While blina non-response did not preclude CD19 CAR response, blina non-responders had lower remission rates to CD19 CAR and a cohort of patients were refractory to both, potentially suggesting resistance to immunotherapeutic CD19 targeting. Additionally, we found that blina may impact CD19 expression, which could subsequently affect response and relapse. Mechanisms of resistance to CD19 CAR include antigen escape or an inherent resistance to T-cell mediated killing. Our data suggest that 1) patients relapsing after or refractory to blina who proceed to CD19 CAR may have an inherent resistance and 2) blina may impact CD19 expression. Ongoing analysis includes detailed analysis of low/dim/partial CD19 expression to delineate the potential impact of blina exposure on leukemic blasts and evaluation of the role of HSCT. Disclosures Gore: Amgen, Novartis, Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Brown:Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Servier: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Laetsch:Bayer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cellectis: Consultancy; Pfizer: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding. Gardner:Novartis: Honoraria. Rheingold:Pfizer: Research Funding. Pulsipher:Mesoblast: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Adaptive: Research Funding; Miltenyi: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bellicum: Honoraria; Jasper: Honoraria.

Recognizing the impact of COVID-19 on depression and its mitigation (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harshil Bhatt ◽  
Sandeep Singh ◽  
Sijo Sunny
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Healthcare Access ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
New Guidelines ◽  
The Impact

UNSTRUCTURED Abstract Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly evolving threat to all of humanity and overall global stability. It is evident from history that events like pandemics or large-scale disasters lead to an increased risk of adverse mental health effects. The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 is presenting unprecedented challenges to all walks of life and is also likely to spark a widespread negative impact on mental health all around the world. Objective: The primary purpose of this article is to review the effect of COVID- 19 pandemic on depression and discussion of possible methods to its recognition and mitigation. Discussion: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a widespread panic into individuals from all parts of society. In many respects, it has had a negative domino effect on mental health. The pervasive stay-at-home orders targeted to contain the spread of the infection have led to isolation, which has further reduced outlet avenues for individuals from the difficult aspects of their lives and has planted the seeds for psychological issues. In some cases, preventative measures even have led to the surfacing of pre-existing mental health challenges. The economic hardship and the limitations of healthcare access during the pandemic have further escalated the situation. Cognizance, detection, treatment, and prevention methodologies are needed to combat the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on depression in the population. More research into this field would allow mental health care providers to formulate new guidelines and recommendations to limit the impact of this pandemic on behavioral health.

scholarly journals Impact of Human Leukocyte Antigen on the Risk of Stroke in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 4831-4831
Author(s):  
Huda Al-Harrasi ◽  
Murtadha Al-Khabori ◽  
Salam Al-Kindi ◽  
Yasser Ahmed Mohamed Soliman Wali ◽  
Mohamed Al Huneini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sickle Cell Disease ◽  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Human Leukocyte ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cell Disease ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Hla Alleles ◽  
Leukocyte Antigen ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited hemoglobinopathy with multiple complications including stroke. It is observed that siblings with SCD have an increased risk of stroke if there was a sibling in the family with SCD and stroke (Driscoll M C, Blood, 2003). Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) is extremely variable among individuals and certain HLA alleles have previously been associated with a number of diseases. It has been shown that HLA-DRB1*0301, HLA-DRB1*0302 and HLA-DQB1*0201 increase the risk of stroke and HLA-DRB1*1501 and HLA-DQB1*0602 lower the risk of stroke in patients with SCD (Styles L, Blood, 2000). These alleles are not common in all populations. We therefore planned to assess the impact of other HLA alleles on the risk of stroke in patients with SCD. Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study conducted at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital. We included all adult and pediatric patients with SCD and diagnosed with stroke using CT/MRI of the brain. The study included patients diagnosed during the period of 1995 to 2015. HLA typing was performed using molecular techniques. HLA alleles with a frequency of at least 5% were selected for analysis. Association studies were performed using Fisher Exact test. All statistical tests were performed using R program (version 3.1.2). Results: A total of 244 patients were included (66 patients with SCD and stroke [cases] and 178 patients with SCD with no stroke. The median age was 26 years (Interquartile Range [IQR]: 19-32) and 23 (IQR: 17-29 ) for cases and controls respectively. The median hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin S level and lactate dehydrogenase level was 9 g/dL, 70 fL, 70% and 400 U/L respectively for the cases, and 9 g/dL, 60 fL, 70% and 400 U/L respectively for the control. The most frequent HLA-A allele was HLA-A*02 (24%) which did not impact the risk of stroke (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.59, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.84-3.02) as were the other tested HLA-A alleles (all CIs crossed OR of 1.00). The most frequent HLA-B allele was HLA-B*51 (15%) which did not impact the risk of stroke (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.43-1.85) as were the other tested HLA-B alleles (all CIs crossed OR of 1.00). The most frequent HLA-C allele was HLA-C*04 (17%) which did not impact the risk of stroke (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 0.67-2.65); however, HLA-C*06 (OR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.01-5.54) increased the risk of stroke while HLA-C*07 protected from stroke (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.13-0.93). None of the other HLA-C alleles were statistically significant (all CIs crossed OR of 1.00). The most frequent HLA-DRB1 allele was HLA-DRB1*16 (18%) which did not impact the risk of stroke (OR: 1.02, 95% CI:0.51-2.03) as were the other tested HLA-DRB1 alleles (all CIs crossed OR of 1.00). Conclusions: HLA-C*06 is associated with an increased risk of stroke in patients with SCD while HLA-C*07 is protective from stroke in these patients. Early identification of high-risk patients would be beneficial for preventive intervention, such as chronic transfusion or bone marrow transplantation. The impact of these HLA alleles should be validated in other populations. Disclosures Al-Khabori: Shire (Takeda): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Servier: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; SOBI: Honoraria; Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AstraZeneca: Honoraria; NovoNardisk: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

scholarly journals Exploring the impact of COVID-19 and restrictions to daily living as a result of social distancing within veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2020-001622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Murphy ◽  
C Williamson ◽  
J Baumann ◽  
W Busuttil ◽  
N T Fear
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionData are emerging showing the adverse consequences on mental health of the general public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the needs of veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData were collected through a cross-sectional online survey from a randomly selected sample (n=1092) of military veterans who have sought help for mental health difficulties from a veteran-specific UK-based charity. The response rate was 25.2% (n=275). Participants were asked to complete a range of standardised mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, common mental health difficulties (CMDs): 12-Item General Health Questionnaire, difficulties with anger: 5-Item Dimensions of Anger Reactions—Revised and alcohol misuse: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and endorse a list of potential stressors related to changes to daily life resulting from COVID-19. Regression analyses were fitted to explore predictors of mental health severity.ResultsIt was observed that symptoms of common mental disorder and PTSD (69.3% and 65.0%, respectively) were the most commonly reported to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Lack of social support and reporting increasing numbers of stressors related to COVID-19 were consistently associated with increasing severity of a range of mental health difficulties.ConclusionsOur findings suggest veterans who had pre-existing mental health difficulties prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 may be at increased risk of experiencing CMDs as a result of the pandemic. Intervening to improve levels of social support and offering practical guidance to better manage any additional stressors relating to the pandemic may provide strategies to help reduce the burden of mental health symptoms.

scholarly journals The development of a contextually appropriate measure of psychological distress in Sierra Leone

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Horn ◽  
Kanykey Jailobaeva ◽  
Stella Arakelyan ◽  
Alastair Ager
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analysis ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Cronbach’S Alpha ◽  
Cronbach's Alpha ◽  
Distress Scale

Abstract Background Studies of psychological distress in Sierra Leone have typically used measures which were developed for use in other contexts, and which often have not been adapted or validated for use in Sierra Leone. This has resulted in a lack of reliable information about the patterns of psychological distress within the population, which is a barrier to the development of effective and appropriate mental health services. The aim of the study was to develop a locally-appropriate measure of psychological distress for Sierra Leone. Methods The new measure consists of two instruments: the Sierra Leone Psychological Distress Scale (SLPDS) and a gendered measure of ability to carry out daily tasks—a Function scale—as an indication of the severity of distress. A three-phase mixed methods exploratory sequential study was conducted. Phase 1 was item generation and testing, leading to the development of a set of potential items for both instruments. Phase 2 was a small pilot study (N = 202) leading to the selection of the final set of items for both measures. Phase 3 was a validation phase where the SLPDS and the Function scale were administered with a larger sample of 904 respondents. Item analysis was used to assess the internal consistency of the scales, and Exploratory Factor Analysis to explore the properties of the SLPDS. Results Exploratory factor analysis using the principal axis factoring with an oblique rotation identified a three-factor structure for the 18-item SLPDS. Internal consistency for the SLPDS (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89) and three subscales was good (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.73). The internal reliability of the male and female versions of the Function scale was also found to be acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90 for the female scale and 0.79 for the male scale). Conclusions Together the SLPD and Function scales provide a locally-validated tool which will enable government bodies and local and international non-governmental organisations in Sierra Leone to assess mental health and psychosocial needs. This will support both effective service provision and the evaluation of initiatives designed to improve mental health and psychosocial wellbeing.

Organisational impact of the National Disability Insurance Scheme transition on mental health care providers: the experience in the Australian Capital Territory

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 590-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Anne Furst ◽  
Jose A Salinas-Perez ◽  
Luis Salvador-Carulla
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Insurance Scheme ◽  
Mental Health Care Providers ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: Concerns raised about the appropriateness of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia for people with mental illness have not been given full weight due to a perceived lack of available evidence. In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), one of the pilot sites of the Scheme, mental health care providers across all relevant sectors who were interviewed for a local Atlas of Mental Health Care described the impact of the scheme on their service provision. Methods: All mental health care providers from every sector in the ACT were contacted. The participation rate was 92%. We used the Description and Evaluation of Services and Directories for Long Term Care to assess all service provision at the local level. Results: Around one-third of services interviewed lacked funding stability for longer than 12 months. Nine of the 12 services who commented on the impact of the NDIS expressed deep concern over problems in planning and other issues. Conclusions: The transition to NDIS has had a major impact on ACT service providers. The ACT was a best-case scenario as it was one of the NDIS pilot sites.

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