Overnight auto-adjusting continuous airway pressure + standard care compared with standard care alone in the prevention of morbidity in sickle cell disease phase II (POMS2b): Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: In addition to pain, sickle cell anaemia (HbSS) complications include neurocognitive difficulties in attention and processing speed associated with low daytime and night-time oxygen saturation compounded by obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). In the general population OSA is treated with continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP). The aim of this single-blind, randomised, controlled phase II trial is to compare auto-adjusting CPAP (APAP) with standard care to standard care alone in individuals with HbSS to determine whether the intervention improves attention and processing speed, brain structure, pain and quality of life. Methods/Design: Eligibility criteria include: ability to provide informed consent; age>8years; diagnosis of HbSS; and mean overnight saturation of23years); silent infarction on MRI; minimum overnight oxygen saturation>90% or<90%; and hydroxyurea use. For APAP individuals, the intervention is administered at home. Adherence and effectiveness are recorded using software documenting hours of use each night and overnight oximetry. Participant support in terms of appropriate facemask and facilitating adherence are provided by an unblinded sleep physiologist. The primary outcome is change in the cancellation subtest from the Wechsler scales. Secondary outcomes include general cognitive functioning, quantitative brain MRI, blood and urine chemistry, quality of life and daily pain via a smartphone App (GoMedSolutions, Inc) and, where possible MRI heart, echocardiography, and 6-min walk. These outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after six months of treatment by assessors blind to treatment assignment. Discussion: Altering oxygen saturation in HbSS may lead to bone marrow suppression. This risk will be reduced by monitoring full blood counts at baseline, two weeks, three months and six months, providing treatment as appropriate and reporting as safety events. Trial registration: ISRCTN46012373. Registered on 10 July 2015. Protocol Version: 6.0 Date: 24th December 2015 Sponsor: University Hospital Southampton. Sponsor's protocol code: RHMCHIOT53National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research CentreGreat Ormond Street CharityResearch for Patient Benefit funding programm

Surfactant therapy for COVID-19 related ARDS: a retrospective case–control pilot study

Abstract Background COVID-19 causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and depletes the lungs of surfactant, leading to prolonged mechanical ventilation and death. The feasibility and safety of surfactant delivery in COVID-19 ARDS patients have not been established. Methods We performed retrospective analyses of data from patients receiving off-label use of exogenous natural surfactant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven COVID-19 PCR positive ARDS patients received liquid Curosurf (720 mg) in 150 ml normal saline, divided into five 30 ml aliquots) and delivered via a bronchoscope into second-generation bronchi. Patients were matched with 14 comparable subjects receiving supportive care for ARDS during the same time period. Feasibility and safety were examined as well as the duration of mechanical ventilation and mortality. Results Patients showed no evidence of acute decompensation following surfactant installation into minor bronchi. Cox regression showed a reduction of 28-days mortality within the surfactant group, though not significant. The surfactant did not increase the duration of ventilation, and health care providers did not convert to COVID-19 positive. Conclusions Surfactant delivery through bronchoscopy at a dose of 720 mg in 150 ml normal saline is feasible and safe for COVID-19 ARDS patients and health care providers during the pandemic. Surfactant administration did not cause acute decompensation, may reduce mortality and mechanical ventilation duration in COVID-19 ARDS patients. This study supports the future performance of randomized clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of meticulous sub-bronchial lavage with surfactant as treatment for patients with COVID-19 ARDS

Cerebral infarcts and vasculopathy in Tanzanian children with sickle cell anemia

Background: Cerebral infarcts and vasculopathy in neurologically asymptomatic children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) have received little attention in African settings. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of silent cerebral infarcts (SCI) and vasculopathy and determine associations with exposure to chronic hemolysis, anemia, and hypoxia.Methods: We prospectively studied 224 children with SCA with transcranial Doppler (TCD), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Regressions were undertaken with contemporaneous hemoglobin, reticulocyte count, mean prior hemoglobin, oxygen content, reticulocyte count, and indirect bilirubin.Results: Prevalence of SCI was 27% (61 of 224); cerebral blood flow velocity was abnormal (&gt;200 cm/s) in three and conditional (&gt;170&lt;200 cm/s) in one. Vasculopathy grades 2 (stenosis) and 3 (occlusion) occurred in 16 (7%) and two (1%), respectively; none had grade 4 (moyamoya). SCI was associated with vasculopathy on MRA (odds ratio 2.68; 95% confidence intervals [95% CI] 1.32 to 5.46; P = 0.007) and mean prior indirect bilirubin (odds ratio 1.02, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.03, P = 0.024; n = 83) but not age, sex, non-normal TCD, or contemporaneous hemoglobin. Vasculopathy was associated with mean prior values for hemoglobin (odds ratio 0.33, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.69, P = 0.003; n = 87), oxygen content (odds ratio 0.43, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.74, P = 0.003), reticulocytes (odds ratio 1.20, 95% CI 1.01-1.42, P = 0.041; n = 77), and indirect bilirubin (odds ratio 1.02, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.04, P = 0.009).Conclusions: SCI and vasculopathy on MRA are common in neurologically asymptomatic children with SCA living in Africa, even when TCD is normal. Children with vasculopathy on MRA are at increased risk of SCI. Longitudinal exposure to anemia, hypoxia, and hemolysis appear to be risk factors for vasculopathy.</p

Relationship of Lipoproteins to Cardiovascular Events The AIM-HIGH Trial (Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome With Low HDL/High Triglycerides and Impact on Global Health Outcomes)

ObjectivesThis study sought to examine the relationship between niacin treatment, lipoproteins, and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in this secondary analysis of the AIM-HIGH (Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome With Low HDL/High Triglycerides and Impact on Global Health Outcomes) trial.BackgroundDuring a 3-year follow-up in 3,414 patients with established CV disease and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, combined niacin + low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering therapy did not reduce CV events compared with LDL-C-lowering therapy alone.MethodsSubjects taking simvastatin and/or ezetimibe were randomized to receive extended-release (ER) niacin 1,500 to 2,000 mg or minimal immediate-release niacin (≤ 150 mg) as placebo at bedtime. LDL-C levels in both groups were maintained from 40 to 80 mg/dl. Hazard ratios were estimated by using Cox proportional hazards models for relationships between lipoproteins and the composite endpoint of CV death, myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, ischemic stroke, or symptom-driven revascularization.ResultsCV outcomes were not associated with ER niacin in any baseline lipoprotein tertile. In a subset of patients in both the highest triglyceride (≥ 198 mg/dl) and lowest HDL-C (&lt;33 mg/dl) tertiles, ER niacin showed a trend toward benefit (hazard ratio: 0.74, p = 0.073). In-trial LDL-C levels, non-HDL-C levels, and the total cholesterol/HDL-C ratio were positively associated with CV events in the control group, but these relationships were absent in the ER niacin group.ConclusionsBaseline lipoprotein tertiles did not predict differential benefit or harm with ER niacin added to LDL-C-lowering therapy, but a small dyslipidemic subgroup may benefit. ER niacin attenuated expected relationships of lipoprotein risk factors with CV events, raising the possibility that nonlipoprotein actions of niacin could affect risk. (Niacin Plus Statin to Prevent Vascular Events [AIM-HIGH]; NCT00120289)

Index of Pain Experience in Sickle Cell Anaemia (IPESCA): development from daily pain diaries and initial findings from use with children and adults with sickle cell anaemia

Frequent daily pain occurs in sickle cell anaemia (SCA). There is an unmet need in clinical trials for a composite pain endpoint capturing complex aspects of daily pain from pain diaries. This study introduces the Index of Pain Experience in SCA (IPESCA), which combines location, frequency, intensity and type of pain into one composite index. To validate IPESCA, it was compared with two months of pain burden recall from the Sickle Cell Pain Burden Interview-Youth (SCPBI-Y) questionnaire. During the diary period, eleven patients (21%) reported no pain and 42 (79%) reported some pain. IPESCA demonstrated the ability to detect change across SCPBI-Y pain burden categories at Month 1 (p<0.001) and Month 2 (p<0.01) and correlated with increasing age (p<0.001). IPESCA is a simple pain endpoint related to the social and emotional aspects of pain burden and may be promising for future trials

Attitudes About COVID-19 and Health (ATTACH): Online survey and mixed methods Study

Background:Behavioral mitigation strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in sweeping lifestyle changes, with short- and long-term psychological, well-being, and quality of life implications. The Attitudes About COVID-19 and Health (ATTACH) study focuses on understanding attitudes and beliefs while considering the impact on mental and physical health and the influence of broader demographic and geographic factors on attitudes, beliefs, and mental health burden.Objective:In this assessment of our first wave of data collection, we provide baseline cohort description of the ATTACH study participants in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Mexico. Additionally, we assess responses to daily poll questions related to COVID-19 and conduct a cross-sectional analysis of baseline assessments collected in the UK between June 26 and October 31, 2020.Methods:The ATTACH study uses smartphone app technology and online survey data collection. Participants completed poll questions related to COVID-19 2 times daily and a monthly survey assessing mental health, social isolation, physical health, and quality of life. Poll question responses were graphed using 95% Clopper–Pearson (exact) tests with 95% CIs. Pearson correlations, hierarchical linear regression analyses, and generalized linear models assessed relationships, predictors of self-reported outcomes, and group differences, respectively.Results:By October 31, 2020, 1405, 80, and 90 participants had consented to participate in the UK, United States, and Mexico, respectively. Descriptive data for the UK daily poll questions indicated that participants generally followed social distancing measures, but worry and negative impacts on families increased as the pandemic progressed. Although participants generally reported feeling that the reasons for current measures had been made clear, there was low trust that the government was doing everything in its power to meet public needs. In the UK, 1282 participants also completed a monthly survey (94.99% [1326/1396] White, 72.22% [1014/1404] female, and 20.12% [277/1377] key or essential workers); 18.88% (242/1282) of UK participants reported a preexisting mental health disorder, 31.36% (402/1282) reported a preexisting chronic medical illness, and 35.11% (493/1404) were aged over 65; 57.72% (740/1282) of participants reported being more sedentary since the pandemic began, and 41.89% (537/1282) reported reduced access to medical care. Those with poorer mental health outcomes lived in more deprived neighborhoods, in larger households (Ps&lt;.05), had more preexisting mental health disorders and medical conditions, and were younger than 65 years (all Ps&lt;.001).Conclusions:Communities who have been exposed to additional harm during the COVID-19 pandemic were experiencing worse mental outcomes. Factors including having a medical condition, or living in a deprived neighborhood or larger household were associated with heightened risk. Future longitudinal studies should investigate the link between COVID-19 exposure, mental health, and sociodemographic and residential characteristics

Prevention of Morbidity in Sickle Cell Disease Phase II (Improvement of Cognition in children with Sickle Cell Disease with Auto-adjusting Continuous Positive Airways Pressure: Phase II) (POMS 2b paediatric cohort)

Background: Complications in sickle cell anemia (SCA, HbSS) include neurocognitive difficulties in attention and processing speed associated with low daytime and night-time oxygen saturation. These effects can be compounded by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).However, there is concern that oxygen supplementation in SCA may lead to bone marrow suppression. Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP) is an accepted treatment for OSA in the general population and prevents dips in oxygen saturation.. The aim of this single-blind, randomised, controlled phase II trial is to compare Auto-adjusting CPAP (APAP) with standard care to standard care alone in subjects with HbSS to determine whether the intervention is safe and improves Cancellation, a measure of selective attention and processing speed. Methods: Eligibility criteria included ability to provide informed consent, age >8 and <16 years, diagnosis of HbSS and mean overnight saturation of <90% for <30% of the night. Key exclusion criteria were overnight respiratory support, respiratory or decompensated cardiac failure, chronic transfusion or contra-indications to APAP therapy or MRI. Minimisation/stratification factors were age group (8-11, 12-15 years), silent infarction on MRI, minimum overnight oxygen saturation >90% or <90%, and hydroxyurea (HU) use. APAP adherence was defined as using APAP for an average of 4 hours a night for >50% of the time and was recorded using software documenting hours of use each night. Participant support in terms of appropriate facemask and facilitating adherence were provided by an unblinded sleep physiologist. Full blood counts were obtained at baseline, 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Data were analysed by intention-to-treat. The primary outcome is change in the Cancellation subtest from the Wechsler scales, and secondary outcomes include general cognitive functioning, assessed at baseline and after 6 months of treatment by assessors blind to treatment assignment. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) models, adjusted for minimisation factors, were used to calculate least-square mean changes from baseline to 6 months. Results: 30 children (18 boys; median age 12.5; range 7.9-16 years) with SCA were randomised to standard care + APAP (n=15) or standard care alone (n=15) for 6 months. One child in the standard care alone arm withdrew after 6 weeks, and 8 children in the APAP arm were not adherent to treatment. Increase in cancellation score was numerically greater in the APAP arm (mean 1.46, SE 0.59 vs 1.01, SE 0.61) but this was not significant (mean difference 0.44, 95% CI: -1.42; 2.31; p=0.626). Increase in Cancellation score was greater (mean 2.63; 95%CI: 0.95, 4.30) in those whose adherence was in the highest quartile (> 2.4 hours/night) compared with the other 3 quartiles (mean 0.71, 95%CI: -0.32, 1.75; mean difference 1.91, 95%CI: -0.06, 3.88; p=0.057). In subjects assigned to APAP, cancellation scores were significantly higher with hydroxyurea use (p=0.01). There was no evidence of decline in haemoglobin in either group; hydroxyurea use was associated with an increase in haemoglobin (p=0.01). There were 7 subjects with serious adverse events in the standard care alone arm, compared to 3 in the APAP + standard care arm, all related to hospital admission for pain. Discussion: APAP for 6 months is feasible and safe in children with SCA. Alhough >50% were not adherent by the pre-defined definition, those who were compliant appeared to have more benefit in terms of improvement in attention/processing speed. There appears to be an interaction with HU use, consistent with the importance of oxygen supply and carriage for brain function. If delivery of the intervention can be improved, avoidance of oxygen desaturation with overnight respiratory support alongside HU use may play a role in improving cognition in SCD. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare

Prevention of morbidity in sickle cell disease phase II (Improvement of cognition in children with Sickle Cell Disease with auto-adjusting Continuous Positive Airways Pressure: Phase II) (POMS 2b paediatric cohort)

Background: Complications in sickle cell anemia (SCA, HbSS) include neurocognitive difficulties in attention and processing speed associated with low daytime and night-time oxygen saturation. These effects can be compounded by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).However, there is concern that oxygen supplementation in SCA may lead to bone marrow suppression. Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP) is an accepted treatment for OSA in the general population and prevents dips in oxygen saturation.. The aim of this single-blind, randomised, controlled phase II trial is to compare Auto-adjusting CPAP (APAP) with standard care to standard care alone in subjects with HbSS to determine whether the intervention is safe and improves Cancellation, a measure of selective attention and processing speed. Methods: Eligibility criteria included ability to provide informed consent, age >8 and <16 years, diagnosis of HbSS and mean overnight saturation of <90% for <30% of the night. Key exclusion criteria were overnight respiratory support, respiratory or decompensated cardiac failure, chronic transfusion or contra-indications to APAP therapy or MRI. Minimisation/stratification factors were age group (8-11, 12-15 years), silent infarction on MRI, minimum overnight oxygen saturation >90% or <90%, and hydroxyurea (HU) use. APAP adherence was defined as using APAP for an average of 4 hours a night for >50% of the time and was recorded using software documenting hours of use each night. Participant support in terms of appropriate facemask and facilitating adherence were provided by an unblinded sleep physiologist. Full blood counts were obtained at baseline, 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Data were analysed by intention-to-treat. The primary outcome is change in the Cancellation subtest from the Wechsler scales, and secondary outcomes include general cognitive functioning, assessed at baseline and after 6 months of treatment by assessors blind to treatment assignment. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) models, adjusted for minimisation factors, were used to calculate least-square mean changes from baseline to 6 months. Results: 30 children (18 boys; median age 12.5; range 7.9-16 years) with SCA were randomised to standard care + APAP (n=15) or standard care alone (n=15) for 6 months. One child in the standard care alone arm withdrew after 6 weeks, and 8 children in the APAP arm were not adherent to treatment. Increase in cancellation score was numerically greater in the APAP arm (mean 1.46, SE 0.59 vs 1.01, SE 0.61) but this was not significant (mean difference 0.44, 95% CI: -1.42; 2.31; p=0.626). Increase in Cancellation score was greater (mean 2.63; 95%CI: 0.95, 4.30) in those whose adherence was in the highest quartile (> 2.4 hours/night) compared with the other 3 quartiles (mean 0.71, 95%CI: -0.32, 1.75; mean difference 1.91, 95%CI: -0.06, 3.88; p=0.057). In subjects assigned to APAP, cancellation scores were significantly higher with hydroxyurea use (p=0.01). There was no evidence of decline in haemoglobin in either group; hydroxyurea use was associated with an increase in haemoglobin (p=0.01). There were 7 subjects with serious adverse events in the standard care alone arm, compared to 3 in the APAP + standard care arm, all related to hospital admission for pain. Discussion: APAP for 6 months is feasible and safe in children with SCA. Alhough >50% were not adherent by the pre-defined definition, those who were compliant appeared to have more benefit in terms of improvement in attention/processing speed. There appears to be an interaction with HU use, consistent with the importance of oxygen supply and carriage for brain function. If delivery of the intervention can be improved, avoidance of oxygen desaturation with overnight respiratory support alongside HU use may play a role in improving cognition in SCD. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare

Structural connectivity mediates the relationship between blood oxygenation and cognitive function in sickle cell anemia

In sickle cell disease (SCD), the relative importance of reduced hemoglobin and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) on brain structure remains uncertain. We applied graph-theoretical analysis to diffusion MRI data to investigate the effect of structural brain connectivity on cognitive function, alongside presence/absence, number and volume of silent cerebral infarction (SCI). In patients, we investigated the relationships between network properties, blood oxygenation and cognition (working memory, WMI, and processing speed, PSI, indices). Based on streamline counts and fractional anisotropy (FA), we identified a subnetwork with weakened connectivity in 92 SCA patients (49 males; 8.0-38.8 years), compared to 54 non-SCA controls (22 males; 6.7-30.6 years). Multiple regression analyses showed a significant effect of hemoglobin on full-network edge density (p&lt;0.05), and of peripheral SpO2 on streamline-weighted subnetwork efficiency (p&lt;0.01). There were effects of FA-weighted full-network and subnetwork efficiency on WMI (both p&lt;0.05), and of streamline-weighted subnetwork efficiency on PSI (p=0.05) but no effects on SCI. Streamline-weighted efficiency was progressively lower with lower SpO2, with a downstream effect on PSI. In path analysis, indirect relationships between blood oxygenation and cognition, mediated by network properties, were better supported than direct alternatives, with an indirect relationship between low SpO2 and PSI in patients, mediated by structural connectivity efficiency in a subnetwork of the brain differing from controls. Our findings are consistent with the notion that cognitive impairment is primarily mediated by hypoxic-ischemic effects on normal-appearing white matter, and highlight the utility of network-based methods in providing biomarkers of cognitive dysfunction in SCA patients