Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE/UNASSIGNED:To evaluate the dosimetric and toxicity profiles of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for prostate cancer, comparing cohorts with and without intraprostatic boost (IPB) to assess feasibility and safety of IPB, with particular attention to urethral and bladder dose and toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS/UNASSIGNED:This retrospective cohort study analyzed 349 patients with localized prostate cancer treated between 2018 and 2023. Of these, 266 received SBRT with IPB, and 83 received SBRT without IPB. Patients were treated using a robotic SBRT platform with fiducial tracking. Dosimetric parameters for the urethra, including D0.03cc, D0.3cc, and V40Gy, and for the bladder, including D0.03cc, D5cc, D10cc, and V37Gy, were evaluated. Acute and late toxicities were assessed using CTCAE criteria. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:For the urethra, median values for D0.03cc, D0.3cc, and V40Gy, and for the bladder, median values D0.03cc, D5cc, D10cc, and V37Gy were compared and no statistically significant differences were observed between the two cohorts. Late urinary toxicity of grade 3 or higher occurred in 2.25 % of patients in the IPB group and 2.47 % in the no IPB group, with no grade 3 acute toxicities reported. DISCUSSION/UNASSIGNED:These findings support the use of SBRT using an IPB as a feasible and safe approach to achieve focal dose escalation to dominant intra-prostatic lesions (DILs) without significantly increasing urethra or bladder dose or toxicity. Future research should focus on standardizing DIL contouring, exploring adaptive planning techniques to increase accuracy, and prospectively studying toxicity and quality of life in patients treated with IPB with SBRT.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS/OBJECTIVE:The TRISCEND II trial demonstrated superior clinical benefits for patients with ≥severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) treated with the EVOQUE transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) system plus medical therapy versus medical therapy alone. This work reports 1-year and 18-month outcomes in patients stratified by baseline TR severity. METHODS:The multicentre, prospective TRISCEND II trial enrolled 400 patients with symptomatic, ≥severe TR and randomised 2:1 to TTVR (n=267) or control (n=133). In a post-hoc analysis, patients were stratified into severe TR (n=172) and massive/torrential TR (n=220) cohorts. Clinical and quality-of-life outcomes were reported at 1 year, with Kaplan-Meier estimates for all-cause mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalisation assessed at 18 months. Study oversight included an independent echocardiographic core laboratory, clinical events committee, and data safety monitoring board. RESULTS:One year after TTVR, TR was ≤mild in 95.2% of severe TR and 95.3% of massive/torrential TR patients. The primary safety and effectiveness endpoint (win ratio) favoured TTVR over control regardless of baseline TR severity: severe (1.64 [95% CI: 1.11, 2.43]) and massive/torrential (2.20 [1.55, 3.14]). At 18 months, TTVR patients had similar mortality to controls (rate difference: severe 0.2% [-11.6, 11.9], massive/torrential -5.8% [-17.6, 6.0], whereas HF hospitalisation rates favoured TTVR in the massive/torrential cohort (vs. control, severe 9.8% [-3.0, 22.7], massive/torrential -15.2% [-28.9, -1.5]). CONCLUSIONS:Patients with ≥severe TR benefit from TTVR, experiencing improvements in TR severity, functional capacity, and quality of life regardless of baseline TR severity, with a signal for greater benefit in patients with more advanced disease.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) often follows an indolent course with a favorable prognosis. This has led to evolving guideline-based, low-intensity treatment options for low-risk patients. Recently, the purported benefit of total thyroidectomy (TT) over unilateral lobectomy for PTC with clinical lateral neck nodal metastasis (cN1b) has come into question. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:A retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was performed to study patients with PTC with ipsilateral cN1b disease from 1975 to 2020. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to compare disease-specific survival (DSS) difference between lobectomy and TT at 10 y. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to determine the independent association of lobectomy versus TT with DSS, correcting for age and lymph node ratio, defined as the ratio of pathologically positive lymph nodes to total number examined. RESULTS:Among 2943 patients (median [interquartile range] age, 45 [26] y), 42 underwent lobectomy and 2901 underwent TT. Unadjusted DSS at 10 y in the lobectomy and TT groups were 51.0% (95% confidence interval, 31.4%-82.8%) and 86.8% (95% confidence interval, 84.8%-88.9%), respectively. On multivariable analysis of all patients, older age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.08; P < 0.001) and male gender (HR, 1.74; P < 0.001) were associated with lower adjusted DSS, whereas treatment with TT (HR, 0.387; P = 0.005) and receipt of radioactive iodine (RAI) (HR, 0.604; P < 0.001) were associated with improved adjusted DSS. In addition, we observed that the magnitude of survival benefit conferred by RAI and TT were reduced with decreasing age (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:This longitudinal cohort study suggests that, while TT is associated with a DSS benefit in most patients with PTC and ipsilateral cN1b disease, this association may not exist in a smaller cohort of younger patients. These findings raise the possibility that unilateral surgical clearance without RAI could offer adequate oncologic outcomes in selected younger individuals; however, further investigation is warranted to confirm these observations and inform clinical decision-making.

BACKGROUND:Fixed-dose combination (FDC) antihypertensives combine two or more agents. Compared with non-FDC antihypertensives of multiple classes (multi-pill therapy), combination-pill therapy using FDC antihypertensives may improve hypertension control. However, combination-pill therapy remains low. OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:This study aims to assess: 1) the association between combination-pill therapy and medication adherence, health care utilization, and costs; and 2) the potential to mitigate racial and ethnic differences in medication adherence. METHODS:A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using the 2017-2021 Merative MarketScan Medicaid database. The study sample included adults aged 18 to 64 years with hypertension, continuously enrolled 1 year before and after a random index date of prescription. The propensity score overlap weighting method was used to balance characteristics between individuals using combination- and multi-pill therapy. Logistic models were used for medication adherence (defined as medication possession ratio [MPR] ≥80%), linear models for continuous MPRs, negative binomial models for health care utilization, and generalized linear models for costs. RESULTS:Compared with multi-pill therapy, combination-pill therapy was associated with higher medication adherence (3.17 in MPR; 95% CI: 2.79-3.55), fewer hypertension-related emergency department visits (220 per 1,000 individuals; 95% CI: -235 to -204), fewer hospitalizations (153 per 1,000 individuals, 95% CI: -160 to -146), and lower costs ($2,862 per person, 95% CI: -$3,035 to -$2,689). However, differences in medication adherence persisted, with non-Hispanic Black adults demonstrating lower adherence than non-Hispanic White adults. CONCLUSIONS:Combination-pill therapy could improve hypertension management and save costs for the Medicaid program and beneficiaries. However, persistent racial and ethnic differences in adherence highlight the need for tailored interventions.

The Psychiatric Consultation Service at Massachusetts General Hospital sees medical and surgical inpatients with comorbid psychiatric symptoms and conditions. During their twice-weekly rounds, Dr Stern and other members of the Consultation Service discuss diagnosis and management of hospitalized patients with complex medical or surgical problems who also demonstrate psychiatric symptoms or conditions. These discussions have given rise to rounds reports that will prove useful for clinicians practicing at the interface of medicine and psychiatry. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2025;27(4):25f03975. Author affiliations are listed at the end of this article.

BACKGROUND:There are risks associated with excessive intravenous fluid (IVF) administration in critically ill children. Previous efforts have described opportunities to reduce positive cumulative fluid balance (CFB) in this population but have not been widely implemented. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, a national IVF shortage led to the implementation of IVF conservation guidelines. We sought to determine if this was associated with a reduction in IVF use and CFB. METHODS:The present study is a four-site cohort study of critically ill children utilizing a federated data collection framework to extract patient age, sex, weight, and daily fluid intake/output for days 1-4 of all admissions 28 days prior to and 28 days after the implementation of IVF conservation guidelines. Guidelines were individualized per institution. Total fluid intake, total IVF intake, % intake from IVF, and % CFB were compared between pre- and post-IVF conservation groups. RESULTS:All sites had similar conservation recommendations. There were 633 patients admitted pre- and 619 patients admitted post-IVF conservation guideline implementation, with similar age and weight distributions. There was no significant difference in IVF use pre- and post-IVF conservation; 29-35% of patients had > 5% CFB on day 1 pre-IVF conservation while 27-39% did post-conservation, with increasing numbers on day 2. CONCLUSIONS:Even in the setting of a national IVF shortage, simple recommendations without structured change were insufficient to change IVF administration practices. This indicates additional practices will be needed to reduce IVF intake and % CFB in this vulnerable population.

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) comprises a range of conditions characterized by compression of the brachial plexus, subclavian artery, or subclavian vein as these structures traverse the thoracic outlet. Although TOS was first documented in 1860 by Willshire, it remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge-particularly for cardiologists evaluating upper-extremity ischemia, suspected arm emboli, or unexplained swelling. This article provides a cardiology-focused overview of TOS, emphasizing the condition's subtypes (neurogenic, venous, and arterial), key diagnostic approaches, comparative surgical outcomes, and considerations relevant to cardiovascular specialists. Literature pertaining to TOS pathophysiology, clinical diagnosis, imaging, and surgical management was reviewed. Where available, quantitative outcome data and success rates are highlighted to guide evidence-based decision-making. TOS is commonly categorized into neurogenic, venous, and arterial forms. Each subtype necessitates a distinct approach. Developments in imaging (magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography angiography, and dynamic ultrasound) and refined surgical techniques have improved diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic success: yet questions remain regarding long-term efficacy and optimal procedural approaches. Prompt differentiation between TOS and intrinsic cardiac or major vascular etiologies is essential for preventing severe complications such as limb ischemia and permanent nerve damage. A multidisciplinary model integrating cardiologists, vascular surgeons, neurologists, and physical therapists offers the best outcomes. Further studies, particularly large-scale comparative trials, are needed to standardize diagnostic protocols and evaluate emerging surgical approaches.