Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE:HPV vaccination recommendations have expanded to include both sexes and a broadened age range since approval in 2006. These changes and increasing HPV-related head and neck cancer rates support vaccination of older and male patients, necessitating changes in HPV education. We aim to analyze vaccination trends and to identify opportunities for increasing awareness. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:Cross-sectional study analyzing vaccination trends between 2007 and 2023. SETTING/METHODS:US hospitals and clinics using Epic. METHODS:Using Epic Cosmos, a national database, vaccination trends for patients aged 9 to 45 were stratified by year, demographics, and administering provider specialty. RESULTS:19.6 million HPV vaccinations were administered between 2007 and 2023. The inclusion of males aged 9 to 21 in the recommendations beginning in 2009 corresponded with an 836% increase in vaccinations in this group from 2010 to 2016. Males comprised 49.9% of vaccinated patients aged 9 to 18 in 2023, a percentage that increased annually since 2010. Head and neck cancer prevention became a designated vaccine indication in 2020. Despite broadened indications, total vaccination declined by 47.1% from 2016 to 2023 in patients aged 9 to 26. In 2012, 74.8% of vaccinations were administered in pediatrics and 18.3% in family medicine. In 2023, pediatrics administered 46.6%, family medicine 33.3%, OBGYN 7.1%, and primary care 6.8%. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Expanding guidelines have had inconsistent impacts on vaccination trends, as rates decreased in target populations since 2016. Males contribute equally to pediatric but not adult vaccinations. Departments administering vaccines are diversifying, though pediatrics predominates. Gendered and outdated education and marketing could contribute to disparities and discordance with guidelines.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:The EARLY TAVR trial demonstrated that early transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was superior to clinical surveillance (CS) in asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis. The relative impact of early TAVR versus a CS strategy by age is unknown. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:The study population of the EARLY TAVR trial was stratified into 4 age groups: 65 to 69 years (n=141), 70 to 74 years (n=263), 75 to 79 years (n=250), and ≥80 years (n=247). Associations between age and the trial primary end point of death, stroke, or unplanned cardiovascular hospitalization; the composite end point of death, stroke, or heart failure hospitalization; and its individual components were examined. Interaction tests evaluated whether the treatment effect of early TAVR versus CS differed by age. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:=0.06). CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:In the EARLY TAVR trial, the relative benefit of early TAVR over CS was consistent among all age groups. The greatest absolute reduction in stroke rate with early TAVR compared with CS appeared in the youngest and oldest groups, whereas reduction in heart failure hospitalization was most pronounced in the oldest patients. These data suggest that early TAVR should be considered in all age groups above 65 years. REGISTRATION/UNASSIGNED:URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03042104.

IMPORTANCE/UNASSIGNED:Lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is associated with increased rates of death and kidney and cardiovascular events. Associations of measured GFR (mGFR) with outcomes remain unclear. OBJECTIVE/UNASSIGNED:To quantify associations between mGFR and adverse clinical outcomes and to compare these with eGFR-based associations. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS/UNASSIGNED:Retrospective observational cohort study of 6174 adults from Stockholm, Sweden, between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2021. EXPOSURE/UNASSIGNED:Measured GFR was obtained based on plasma clearance of intravenously administered iohexol (primary independent variable of interest). Estimated GFR was calculated with plasma creatinine (eGFRcr), cystatin C (eGFRcys), or both (eGFRcr-cys), using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration 2021 and 2012 equations. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES/UNASSIGNED:Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and kidney failure with replacement therapy. Associations of each GFR measure with outcomes were evaluated using hazard ratios adjusted for age, sex, body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), medical history, medications, and urine albumin to creatinine ratio. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Of 6174 participants (median age, 59 years [IQR, 43-69]; 3686 [60%] were male and 2488 [40%] were female), 1977 (32%) died and 426 (6.9%) developed kidney failure with replacement therapy during a median follow-up of 5.9 years (IQR, 3.0-8.8 years). Compared with a baseline mGFR of 90 mL/min/1.73 m2, an mGFR of 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was associated with higher rates of all-cause mortality (27.6 vs 22.4 per 1000 person-years; hazard ratio [HR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.14-1.28) and kidney failure with replacement therapy (1.2 vs 0.4 per 1000 person-years; HR, 2.85; 95% CI, 2.06-3.94). For all-cause mortality, associations for eGFRcr-cys did not significantly differ from those for mGFR (ratio of HRs [RHRs] at 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.96-1.10), whereas eGFRcr underestimated the mGFR-based association (RHR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.79-0.95) and eGFRcys overestimated it (RHR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08-1.27). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE/UNASSIGNED:Among adults in Sweden, mGFR values of 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 were associated with higher rates of all-cause mortality and kidney failure compared with mGFR values of 90 mL/min/1.73 m2, supporting the current GFR threshold of 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 to define chronic kidney disease. Associations of mGFR with mortality were most closely represented by the association of eGFRcr-cys with mortality, whereas eGFRcr underestimated and eGFRcys overestimated mortality risk.

BACKGROUND:Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is defined by the presence of the universal acute myocardial infarction criteria in the absence of obstructive disease on angiography. Multimodal imaging can be invaluable in determining the underlying etiology of MINOCA. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is among the most common etiologies. CASE SUMMARY/METHODS:This report describes a case of unrecognized/asymptomatic myocardial infarction due to SCAD in an active 62-year-old woman whose care was facilitated by comprehensive evaluation of MINOCA. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS:Pericoronary fat attenuation indexing (FAI) has yet to be extensively studied in the setting of MINOCA. Initial studies suggest elevated pericoronary FAI in MINOCA and SCAD, providing introductory evidence that vascular insult increases coronary artery inflammation appreciably via pericoronary FAI. TAKE-HOME MESSAGE/CONCLUSIONS:This case report further substantiates that claim and demonstrates that coronary computed tomography angiography with pericoronary FAI may prove useful in working up MINOCA.

IntroductionBipolar depression is disabling and often inadequately responsive to medication alone. The current efficacy evidence of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for bipolar depression is conflicting. Therefore, we synthesized randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that tested the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of TMS for bipolar depression.MethodsWe searched MEDLINE/EMBASE/Cochrane/PsycINFO/gray literature (01/10/2025) for RCTs comparing any TMS protocol with sham. Co-primary outcomes were depressive symptoms, all-cause discontinuation; secondary outcomes were response, remission. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed with RoB-2. Random-effects models estimated standardized mean differences (SMDs) and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), alongside sensitivity, subgroup, and meta-regression analyses.ResultsNineteen comparisons from 17 RCTs (N = 563; TMS = 293, sham = 270; mean N TMS = 15.4, sham = 15.9; mean duration = 2.40 weeks; RoB "low" = 35%, "some concerns" = 65%) were included. Among trials reporting subtypes (k = 13), 41.8% of participants had bipolar I disorder, and 58.2% had bipolar II disorder. The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was the most common target (k = 12). TMS reduced depressive symptoms versus sham (SMD = -0.34; 95%CI = -0.58 to -0.11), with no difference in all-cause discontinuation. TMS was favoured for response (RR = 1.41; 95%CI = 1.10 to 1.80) and remission (RR = 1.54; 95%CI = 1.06 to 2.23). However, these effects were not consistently confirmed in sensitivity or subgroup analyses by RoB, TMS type, stimulation site, or treatment resistance. Overall, 15 comparisons (88.2%) did not show superiority of TMS over sham for depressive symptoms at the individual trial level. No seizures or serious adverse events occurred; adverse events did not differ from sham. Meta-regression suggested a greater number of total pulses was associated with greater depressive symptom reduction (β = -0.018; p = .00017).ConclusionsTMS shows a small meta-analytic antidepressant effect and acceptable tolerability in bipolar depression despite most individual trials being negative. However, subgroups and sensitivity findings did not support TMS as an efficacious treatment at current doses. Further testing via larger RCTs with higher-dose protocols is warranted.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Intraoperative Neural Monitoring (IONM) is mandatory for performing anterior (i.e., transthoracic) or lateral extracavitary approaches to significant anterior/anterolateral thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (TOPLL) (i.e. often misdiagnosed as calcified Thoracic Disc Herniations) (TDH). Notably, the remaining "posterior procedures" (i.e. laminectomy, transpedicular, and costotransversectomy) are contraindicated for treating significant anterior/anterolateral TOPLL as they result in unacceptably high frequencies of spinal cord injury (SCI) typically correlated with significant intraoperative IONM losses. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:A review of multiple studies documented that IONM (i.e. especially Tc-MEP (Transcranial Motor Evoked Potentials)) is mandatory when performing anterior transthoracic or lateral extracavitary approaches to TOPLL. This is because IONM alerts signaling the onset of SCI may likely be remediated (i.e. minized vs. limited) utilizing appropriate resuscitative maneuvers. Alternatively, extremely high frequencies of significant IONM losses occurring with "posterior procedures" carried a much higher risk of permanent/irreversible neurological injury. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Multiple studies documented that IONM should be used with anterior transthoracic or lateral extracavitary approaches to anterior/anterolateral TOPLL surgery, and that "posterior procedures" were largely contraindicated. In one series, significant amplitude Tc-MEP losses occurred in 73% of posterior decompressions; 39% developed Tc-MEP amplitude losses, that correlated with new SCI. In another study of 249 TOPLL patients undergoing "posterior only operations", 50 developed new significant IONM alerts (i.e. of deterioration); only 40% (20/50) were successfully resuscitated. Overall, initiating immediate resuscitative maneuvers in response to IONM occurring during various types of TOPLL surgery can avert SCI in up to 10.4%, to 40%, to 57% of cases. CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:IONM is mandatory for anterior/anterolateral TOPLL surgery utilizing anterior transthoracic or lateral extracavitary approaches.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:"Never Events" (<1/1000) likely never occur without a breach in the standard of care (SOC), while "Near Never Events" (<1/100) are typically not far behind. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:"Never Events" are described as "Harmful hospital-acquired conditions that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services identified in 2008." Here, we focused on wrong-site spine surgery (WSSS)/wrong-level spine surgery (WLSS), 3 select cases of Caspar Distraction Screws causing hematomas, and one medicolegal case involving multiple simultaneous "Never Events." RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:The spine literature documented the following frequencies of wrong-site spine surgery WSSS/"Never Events" as occurring in 4.5/10,000 lumbar, 6.8/10,000 cervical, and 2.2/10,000 cranial procedures; other series focused on the incidence of wrong-level spine surgery (WLSS). Three "Never Events" consisting of cervical epidural hematomas were attributed to Caspar Distraction Screws. A medicolegal case is also presented in which a spine surgeon caused multiple simultaneous "Never Events" (i.e., ipsilateral surgical errors) during an anterior cervical fusion. Finally, the definition of "Never Events" was newly expanded to better assess "Near Never Events", as the latter applied to varied frequencies of esophageal perforations, plate/screw migration/erosions/displacement, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, infection, and other factors. CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:"Never Events" (<1/1000) likely never occur without a breach in the SOC, while "Near Never Events" (<1/100) are typically not far behind.