The effects of plasma exchange and glucocorticoids on early kidney function among patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis in the PEXIVAS trial.

Therapeutic plasma exchange (PLEX) is an adjunctive treatment for patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis and kidney involvement. Little is known about the effect of PLEX on early changes in kidney function. This post-hoc analysis of the PEXIVAS trial investigated the effects of PLEX on changes in kidney function within 12 months.

Outcome of lupus nephritis patients treated with an anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody according to kidney biopsy features.

Objective: A phase II trial tested different doses of the anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody BI655064 as add-on therapy to the standard of care in class III or IV Lupus Nephritis (LN) patients with active disease. A post-hoc analysis showed a potential benefit of the higher tested doses (180mg/240mg) versus low dose (120mg)/placebo. We investigated whether the treatment effect of BI655064 on kidney outcomes may be modified by the presence of glomerular monocytes, a target for this drug with a well-known role in LN pathogenesis.

State-of-the-art performance of deep learning methods for pre-operative radiologic staging of colorectal cancer lymph node metastasis: a scoping review.

Objectives: To assess the current state-of-the-art in deep learning methods applied to pre-operative radiologic staging of colorectal cancer lymph node metastasis. Specifically, by evaluating the data, methodology and validation of existing work, as well as the current use of explainable AI in this fast-moving domain.

Design: Scoping review.

Incorporating healthcare access and equity in economic evaluations: a scoping review of guidelines.

Background: International development agendas increasingly push for access to healthcare for all through universal healthcare coverage. Health economic evaluations and health technology assessment (HTA) could provide evidence to support this but do not routinely incorporate consideration of equitable access.

Methods: We undertook an international scoping review of health economic evaluation and HTA guidelines to examine how well issues of healthcare access and equity are represented, evidence recommendations, and gaps in current guidance to support evidence generation in this area.

Glucocorticoids versus glucocorticoids plus cyclophosphamide in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis with poor-prognosis factors.

Objectives: Current guidelines suggest treating poor-prognosis eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) with a combination of glucocorticoids (GCs) plus cyclophosphamide (CYC). However, there is little data to support the need for the addition of CYC. The objective of this study was to compare GCs plus CYC to GCs alone as induction therapy in poor-prognosis EGPA.

Exploring the Critical Role of Tight Junction Proteins in Kidney Disease Pathogenesis.

Background: Kidney disease poses a significant global health challenge, marked by a rapid decline in renal function due to a variety of causative factors. A crucial element in the pathophysiology of kidney disease is the dysregulation of epithelial cells, which are vital components of renal tissue architecture. The integrity and functionality of these cells are largely dependent on tight junctions (TJ) proteins, complex molecular structures that link adjacent epithelial cells.

Improving recovery after bowel cancer surgery: mixed methods feasibility study of a co-produced information intervention (Recover Together).

Aim: Recovery after surgery for colorectal cancer is a complex process, involving numerous physiological, emotional, social and economic challenges. Good information is a key factor for enabling patients to recover well, but there is a paucity of evidence to guide how this should be done. A new information intervention (Recover Together) comprising a booklet, an online video and an inpatient goal board has been developed.

Vesicle-based formulations for pain treatment: a narrative review.

Pain, a complex and debilitating condition, necessitates innovative therapeutic strategies to alleviate suffering and enhance patients' quality of life. Vesicular systems hold the potential to enhance precision of drug localisation and release, prolong the duration of therapeutic action and mitigate adverse events associated with long-term pharmacotherapy. This review critically assesses the current state-of-the-art in vesicle-based formulations (liposomes, polymersomes, ethosomes, and niosomes) for pain management applications.

Tissue morphometric measurements do not predict survival following colorectal cancer surgery.

Background: Ex vivo tissue morphometric (TM) measurements have been proposed as a quality marker for colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery. However, their survival associations require clarification. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of capturing TM measurements based on ex vivo fresh specimen images and explore the association between these TM measurements and survival outcomes.

Long-term surveillance study of rituximab originator treated patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA).

Objectives: Rituximab is used for remission induction and the prevention of relapse in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). This study evaluated the incidence of safety events and compared time to first serious adverse event (SAE) between a rituximab cohort and a cohort treated with non-rituximab therapies in a real-life setting.

Methods: Rituximab surveillance study in vasculitis was a retrospective observational study of patients with AAV who received rituximab (MabThera) or other treatments between 2003 and 2017 at a specialist vasculitis clinic.

Glucocorticoid Minimization in Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis: An International Survey of Clinicians.

Rationale & Objective: Research in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) has focused on reducing treatment toxicities, notably through reduction of exposure to glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoid-sparing therapies such as avacopan are not widely available in many countries, and patients are exposed to high glucocorticoid doses. There is little data concerning what clinicians should accept as the lowest glucocorticoid dosing that can be used in induction therapy for AAV.

A randomised, two-arm (1:1 ratio), double blind, placebo controlled phase III trial to assess the efficacy, safety, cost and cost-effectiveness of Rituximab in treating de novo or relapsing NS in patients with MCD/FSGS (TURING).

Background: Minimal Change Disease (MCD) and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are a spectrum of disease causing the nephrotic syndrome (NS), characterised by proteinuria with debilitating oedema, as well as a high risk of venous thromboembolic disease and infection. Untreated, 50-60% patients with FSGS progress to end stage kidney disease after 5 years. These diseases respond to immunosuppression with high dose glucocorticoids, but 75% will relapse as the glucocorticoids are withdrawn, leading to significant morbidity associated with prolonged use.

Correction: Protocol: The role of defunctioning stoma prior to neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced colonic and rectal cancer-A systematic review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Development and validation of a mouse model to investigate post surgical pain after laparotomy.

Background: Postoperative pain following abdominal surgery is a significant obstacle to patient recovery, often necessitating high analgesic doses associated with adverse effects like cognitive impairment and cardiorespiratory depression. Reliable animal models are crucial for understanding the pathophysiology of post surgical pain and developing more effective pain-relieving strategies.

Methods: We developed a mouse model to replicate peritoneal trauma induced by abdominal surgery.

Study protocol for a randomised, phase II, double-blind, experimental medicine study of obinutuzumab versus rituximab in ANCA-associated vasculitis: ObiVas.

Introduction: Relapses in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) increase the incidence of end-organ damage and their prevention requires prolonged immunosuppressive therapy. Rituximab, a type I anti-CD20 B cell depleting monoclonal antibody, is the current standard of care for induction of disease remission. Rituximab is not always effective and is associated with a high subsequent relapse risk.

Radiological cervical foraminal stenosis severity and morphology as a predictor of pre-operative function and functional surgical outcome.

Background: Cervical foraminal stenosis on MRI may be assessed using the Kim, modified Kim or Siller methods. This study aimed to investigate which morphological features of cervical foraminal stenosis in patients with cervical radiculopathy correlated best with pre-operative and post-operative surgical outcome following Anterior Cervical Discectomy (ACD) or a Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy (PCF).

Methods: Pre-operative MRIs of adults with cervical radiculopathy were assessed by six raters.

How ready is the health care system in Northeast India for surgical delivery? a mixed-methods study on surgical capacity and need.

Background: Surgical services are scarce with persisting inequalities in access across populations and regions globally. As the world's most populous county, India's surgical need is high and delivery rates estimated to be sub-par to meet need. There is a dearth of evidence, particularly sub-regional data, on surgical provisioning which is needed to aid planning.

No frugal innovation without frugal evaluation: the Global IDEAL Sub-Framework.

Objective: The Global IDEAL Sub-Framework Study aimed to combine the intended effects of the 2009/2019 IDEAL (Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment, Long-term study) Framework recommendations on evaluating surgical innovation with the vision outlined by the 2015 Lancet Commission on Global Surgery to provide recommendations for evaluating surgical innovation in low-resource environments.

Design: A mixture of methods including an online global survey and semistructured interviews (SSIs). Quantitative data were summarized with descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analyzed using the Framework Method.

Thyroid disease in ANCA-associated vasculitis: a clinical and epidemiological study.

Objectives: To describe clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) and thyroid disease (TD). We also aimed to calculate incidence and identify predictors of TD in two large cohorts of patients with AAV.

Methods: The study comprised 644 patients with AAV in a population-based cohort from southern Sweden (n=325) and a cohort from a specialised vasculitis centre in Cambridge, UK (n=319).