Multimodal integration of blood RNA and ctDNA reflects response to immunotherapy in metastatic urothelial cancer.

Background: Previously, we demonstrated that changes in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) are promising biomarkers for early response prediction (ERP) to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC). In this study, we investigated the value of whole blood immunotranscriptomics for ERP-ICI and integrated both biomarkers into a multimodal model to boost accuracy.

Methods: Blood samples of 93 patients were collected at baseline and after 2-6 weeks of ICI for ctDNA (N=88) and immunotranscriptome (N=79) analyses.

Defining Excellence: The First Core Set of Quality Indicators for the European Paediatric Surgical Audit on Hirschsprung's Disease Care.

Aim: This study aimed to develop a universally applicable core set of quality indicators for Hirschsprung's disease care through a consensus-driven process, to standardise and improve care quality across Europe.

Methods: A modified Delphi method was used to achieve consensus among healthcare professionals (HPs) and patient representatives (PRs) across Europe. Participants completed three rounds of anonymous surveys, rating quality indicators for Hirschsprung's disease care.

Adenovirus-Neutralizing and Infection-Promoting Activities Measured in Serum of Human Brain Cancer Patients Treated with Oncolytic Adenovirus Ad5-∆24.RGD.

Oncolytic adenoviruses derived from human serotype 5 (Ad5) are being developed to treat cancer. Treatment efficacy could be affected by pre-existing or induced neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), in particular in repeat administration strategies. Several oncolytic adenoviruses that are currently in clinical development have modified fiber proteins to increase their infectivity.

Thermal ablation versus surgical resection of small-size colorectal liver metastases (COLLISION): an international, randomised, controlled, phase 3 non-inferiority trial.

Background: For patients with small-size colorectal liver metastases, growing evidence suggests thermal ablation to be associated with fewer adverse events and faster recovery than resection while also challenging resection in terms of local control and overall survival. This study assessed the potential non-inferiority of thermal ablation compared with surgical resection in patients with small-size resectable colorectal liver metastases.

Methods: Adult patients (aged ≥18 years) from 14 centres in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy with ten or fewer small-size (≤3 cm) colorectal liver metastases, no extrahepatic metastases, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2, were stratified per centre, and according to their disease burden, into low, intermediate, and high disease burden subgroups and randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either thermal ablation (experimental group) or surgical resection (control group) of all target colorectal liver metastases using the web-based module Castor electronic data capture with variable block sizes of 4, 6, and 8.

Pharmacist-led deprescribing of cardiovascular and diabetes medication within a clinical medication review: the LeMON study (Less Medicines in Older Patients in the Netherlands), a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: Deprescribing inappropriate cardiovascular and antidiabetic medication has been shown to be feasible and safe. Healthcare providers often perceive the deprescribing of cardiovascular and antidiabetic medication as a challenge and therefore it is still not widely implemented in daily practice.

Aim: The aim was to assess whether training focused on conducting a deprescribing-oriented clinical medication review (CMR) results in a reduction of the inappropriate use of cardiovascular and antidiabetic medicines.

Motivations for Abortion or Continuation of an Unwanted Pregnancy: A Scoping Review of the Global Literature.

Context: The aim of this scoping review was to provide an overview of recent studies in peer reviewed journals investigating self-reported motivations to have an abortion or to continue an unwanted pregnancy in different countries and settings, including both qualitative and quantitative results.

Methods: We searched for English language publications published between 2008 and 2023 indexed in four scientific databases. We included studies if they captured people's own motivations for abortion and/ or for continuing an unwanted pregnancy.

Short-Term Outcomes of Dual Versus Single Antiplatelet Therapy Following Popliteal and Infrapopliteal Endovascular Therapy: Data From Dutch Chronic Lower Limb-Threatening Ischemia Registry (THRILLER).

Objective: There is a lack of consensus regarding the optimal antithrombotic therapy (ATT) after popliteal and infrapopliteal (PIP) endovascular therapy (EVT). Currently, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for 3 months and single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) are the most prescribed regimens in the Netherlands. Thus far, no randomized comparison has been performed on the optimal ATT approach.

Screening instruments to detect problematic alcohol use among adults in hospitals and their diagnostic test accuracy: A systematic review.

Issues: Alcohol consumption can cause physical, psychological and social problems that can result in hospitalisations. Screening in hospitals helps to determine which patients should be given interventions. In this review, we aimed to summarise the diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) of screening instruments for problematic alcohol use among adults in hospitals.

Psychological health status after major trauma across different levels of trauma care: A multicentre secondary analysis.

Introduction: Concentration of trauma care in trauma network has resulted in different trauma populations across designated levels of trauma care.

Objective: Describing psychological health status, by means of the impact event scale (IES) and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), of major trauma patients one and two years post-trauma across different levels of trauma care in trauma networks.

Methods: A multicentre retrospective cohort study was conducted.

Assessing fetal radiation dose from iodine-125 seeds in pregnant breast cancer patients: an updated model.

The treatment of breast cancer during pregnancy requires careful consideration of consequences for both maternal and fetal health. In non-pregnant patients, the use of radioactive iodine-125 (I)-seeds is standard practice for localising non-palpable breast tumors before breast-conserving surgery. However, the use ofI-seeds in pregnant patients has been avoided due to concerns about fetal radiation exposure.

Predictive equation derived from 6,497 doubly labelled water measurements enables the detection of erroneous self-reported energy intake.

Nutritional epidemiology aims to link dietary exposures to chronic disease, but the instruments for evaluating dietary intake are inaccurate. One way to identify unreliable data and the sources of errors is to compare estimated intakes with the total energy expenditure (TEE). In this study, we used the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labeled Water Database to derive a predictive equation for TEE using 6,497 measures of TEE in individuals aged 4 to 96 years.

How many people in the Netherlands live with a hip, knee, or shoulder replacement?

Aims: We estimated the prevalence of people living with at least one hip, knee, or shoulder arthroplasty in the Netherlands.

Methods: We included the first hip (n = 416,333), knee (n = 314,569), or shoulder (n = 23,751) arthroplasty of each patient aged ≥ 40 years between 2007 and 2022 (hip/knee) or 2014 and 2022 (shoulder) from the Dutch Arthroplasty Register (LROI). Data on the size of the Dutch population were obtained from Statistics Netherlands.

Fatigue patterns surrounding biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug injection in patients with an inflammatory rheumatic disease: an ecological momentary assessment study.

This study investigated severity, course and patterns of fatigue surrounding subcutaneous biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) injection in inflammatory rheumatic disease (IRD) patients using ecological momentary assessments and investigated self-reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs). In this prospective cohort study, IRD patients completed fatigue severity numeric rating scales (0-10) in web-based ecological momentary assessments in three waves of five days surrounding bDMARD injection. The course of fatigue was measured by the change in fatigue from pre-dosing to post-dosing scores and was classified as: worsening, improving or no clinically relevant change.

Pulmonary coccidioidomycosis presenting as a fungal ball mimicking aspergilloma.

A 49-year old female, known to have had an asymptomatic pulmonary cavity since 2015, presented in 2023 with hemoptysis. Radiology showed a mass suspected to be an aspergilloma. Due to persistent hemoptysis, lobectomy was performed.

Determinants of Caregiver Burden Among Spouses of Patients With Kidney Failure: A Qualitative Study.

Rationale & Objective: Spousal caregivers participate extensively in the care of patients with kidney failure. Although previous studies suggested that these caregivers experience a high burden, a comprehensive understanding of the determinants of this burden and strategies to alleviate it are needed. Therefore, this study sought to explore the contributing and alleviating determinants of burden in spousal caregivers of patients with kidney failure.

Contemporary Use of Post-Dilatation for Stent Optimization During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention; Results From the Netherlands Heart Registration.

Backgrounds: Post-dilatation after stenting with a non-compliant (NC) balloon can be used to improve overall percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) result. Due to lack of evidence on the effect of post-dilatation on adverse clinical endpoints there is no consensus whether post-dilatation should be used routinely. The aim of the current study was to determine the contemporary practice of post-dilatation.

Exploring Hyperkalemia Risk in Frail Older Patients Using RAAS Inhibitors.

Purpose: Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) are widely used in treatment of cardiovascular and renal disease. While effective, they pose a risk of hyperkalemia. In the general population, risk factors for hyperkalemia include chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure, and use of medication affecting potassium balance.

Long-term mortality of Dutch COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care medicine: a retrospective analysis from a national quality registry.

Objective: To describe the 12-month mortality of Dutch COVID-19 intensive care unit patients, the total COVID-19 population and various subgroups on the basis of the number of comorbidities, age, sex, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive medication use.

Methods: We included all patients admitted with COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and March 29, 2022, from the Dutch National Intensive Care (NICE) database. The crude 12-month mortality rate is presented via Kaplan-Meier survival curves for each patient subgroup.

Oral Glucose-Lowering Agents vs Insulin for Gestational Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Metformin and glyburide monotherapy are used as alternatives to insulin in managing gestational diabetes. Whether a sequential strategy of these oral agents results in noninferior perinatal outcomes compared with insulin alone is unknown.

Objective: To test whether a treatment strategy of oral glucose-lowering agents is noninferior to insulin for prevention of large-for-gestational-age infants.

Search for surrogate markers to predict end stage kidney disease in long term lithium users.

Background: A surrogate marker (a substitute indicator of the true outcome) is needed to predict subgroups of long-term lithium users at risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). In this narrative review the aim is to determine the optimal surrogate endpoint for ESKD in long-term lithium users in a scientific context. MAIN: In a literature search in long-term lithium users, no studies on surrogate measurements on ESKD were identified.

Implant survival at four years for hemiarthroplasty and total shoulder arthroplasty in the treatment of atraumatic avascular necrosis of the humeral head.

Aims: Hemiarthroplasty (HA) and total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) are often the preferred forms of treatment for patients with atraumatic avascular necrosis of the humeral head when conservative treatment fails. Little has been reported about the survival of HA and TSA for this indication. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in revision rates between HA and TSA in these patients, to determine whether one of these implants has a superior survival and may be a better choice in the treatment of this condition.

Kinomic profiling to predict sunitinib response of patients with metastasized clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Introduction: Treatment with Sunitinib, a potent multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) has increased the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall-survival (OS) of patients with metastasized renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). With modest OS improvement and variable response and toxicity predictive and/or prognostic biomarkers are needed to personalize patient management: Prediction of individual TKI therapy response and resistance will increase successful treatment outcome while reducing unnecessary drug use and expense. The aim of this study was to investigate whether kinase activity analysis can predict sunitinib response and/or toxicity using tissue samples obtained from primary clear cell RCC (ccRCC) from a cohort of clinically annotated patients with mRCC receiving sunitinib as first-line treatment.

Case-control association study between polygenic risk score and COVID-19 severity in a Russian population using low-pass genome sequencing.

The course of COVID-19 is highly variable, with genetics playing a significant role. Through large-scale genetic association studies, a link between single nucleotide polymorphisms and disease susceptibility and severity was established. However, individual single nucleotide polymorphisms identified thus far have shown modest effects, indicating a polygenic nature of this trait, and individually have limited predictive performance.