Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Effects of antiplatelet therapy after stroke due to intracerebral haemorrhage (RESTART): a randomised, open-label trial

Background: Antiplatelet therapy reduces the risk of major vascular events for people with occlusive vascular disease, although it might increase the risk of intracranial haemorrhage. Patients surviving the commonest subtype of intracranial haemorrhage, intracerebral haemorrhage, are at risk of both haemorrhagic and occlusive vascular events, but whether antiplatelet therapy can be used safely is unclear. We aimed to estimate the relative and absolute effects of antiplatelet therapy on recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage and whether this risk might exceed any reduction of occlusive vascular events. Methods: The REstart or STop Antithrombotics Randomised Trial (RESTART) was a prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint, parallel-group trial at 122 hospitals in the UK. We recruited adults (≥18 years) who were taking antithrombotic (antiplatelet or anticoagulant) therapy for the prevention of occlusive vascular disease when they developed intracerebral haemorrhage, discontinued antithrombotic therapy, and survived for 24 h. Computerised randomisation incorporating minimisation allocated participants (1:1) to start or avoid antiplatelet therapy. We followed participants for the primary outcome (recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage) for up to 5 years. We analysed data from all randomised participants using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for minimisation covariates. This trial is registered with ISRCTN (number ISRCTN71907627). Findings: Between May 22, 2013, and May 31, 2018, 537 participants were recruited a median of 76 days (IQR 29–146) after intracerebral haemorrhage onset: 268 were assigned to start and 269 (one withdrew) to avoid antiplatelet therapy. Participants were followed for a median of 2·0 years (IQR [1·0– 3·0]; completeness 99·3%). 12 (4%) of 268 participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy had recurrence of intracerebral haemorrhage compared with 23 (9%) of 268 participants allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (adjusted hazard ratio 0·51 [95% CI 0·25–1·03]; p=0·060). 18 (7%) participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy experienced major haemorrhagic events compared with 25 (9%) participants allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (0·71 [0·39–1·30]; p=0·27), and 39 [15%] participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy had major occlusive vascular events compared with 38 [14%] allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (1·02 [0·65–1·60]; p=0·92). Interpretation: These results exclude all but a very modest increase in the risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage with antiplatelet therapy for patients on antithrombotic therapy for the prevention of occlusive vascular disease when they developed intracerebral haemorrhage. The risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage is probably too small to exceed the established benefits of antiplatelet therapy for secondary prevention

Effects of antiplatelet therapy after stroke due to intracerebral haemorrhage (RESTART): a randomised, open-label trial

Background: Antiplatelet therapy reduces the risk of major vascular events for people with occlusive vascular disease, although it might increase the risk of intracranial haemorrhage. Patients surviving the commonest subtype of intracranial haemorrhage, intracerebral haemorrhage, are at risk of both haemorrhagic and occlusive vascular events, but whether antiplatelet therapy can be used safely is unclear. We aimed to estimate the relative and absolute effects of antiplatelet therapy on recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage and whether this risk might exceed any reduction of occlusive vascular events. Methods: The REstart or STop Antithrombotics Randomised Trial (RESTART) was a prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint, parallel-group trial at 122 hospitals in the UK. We recruited adults (≥18 years) who were taking antithrombotic (antiplatelet or anticoagulant) therapy for the prevention of occlusive vascular disease when they developed intracerebral haemorrhage, discontinued antithrombotic therapy, and survived for 24 h. Computerised randomisation incorporating minimisation allocated participants (1:1) to start or avoid antiplatelet therapy. We followed participants for the primary outcome (recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage) for up to 5 years. We analysed data from all randomised participants using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for minimisation covariates. This trial is registered with ISRCTN (number ISRCTN71907627). Findings: Between May 22, 2013, and May 31, 2018, 537 participants were recruited a median of 76 days (IQR 29–146) after intracerebral haemorrhage onset: 268 were assigned to start and 269 (one withdrew) to avoid antiplatelet therapy. Participants were followed for a median of 2·0 years (IQR [1·0– 3·0]; completeness 99·3%). 12 (4%) of 268 participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy had recurrence of intracerebral haemorrhage compared with 23 (9%) of 268 participants allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (adjusted hazard ratio 0·51 [95% CI 0·25–1·03]; p=0·060). 18 (7%) participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy experienced major haemorrhagic events compared with 25 (9%) participants allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (0·71 [0·39–1·30]; p=0·27), and 39 [15%] participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy had major occlusive vascular events compared with 38 [14%] allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (1·02 [0·65–1·60]; p=0·92). Interpretation: These results exclude all but a very modest increase in the risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage with antiplatelet therapy for patients on antithrombotic therapy for the prevention of occlusive vascular disease when they developed intracerebral haemorrhage. The risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage is probably too small to exceed the established benefits of antiplatelet therapy for secondary prevention

Effects of antiplatelet therapy after stroke due to intracerebral haemorrhage (RESTART): a randomised, open-label trial

BACKGROUND: Antiplatelet therapy reduces the risk of major vascular events for people with occlusive vascular disease, although it might increase the risk of intracranial haemorrhage. Patients surviving the commonest subtype of intracranial haemorrhage, intracerebral haemorrhage, are at risk of both haemorrhagic and occlusive vascular events, but whether antiplatelet therapy can be used safely is unclear. We aimed to estimate the relative and absolute effects of antiplatelet therapy on recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage and whether this risk might exceed any reduction of occlusive vascular events. METHODS: The REstart or STop Antithrombotics Randomised Trial (RESTART) was a prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint, parallel-group trial at 122 hospitals in the UK. We recruited adults (≥18 years) who were taking antithrombotic (antiplatelet or anticoagulant) therapy for the prevention of occlusive vascular disease when they developed intracerebral haemorrhage, discontinued antithrombotic therapy, and survived for 24 h. Computerised randomisation incorporating minimisation allocated participants (1:1) to start or avoid antiplatelet therapy. We followed participants for the primary outcome (recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage) for up to 5 years. We analysed data from all randomised participants using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for minimisation covariates. This trial is registered with ISRCTN (number ISRCTN71907627). FINDINGS: Between May 22, 2013, and May 31, 2018, 537 participants were recruited a median of 76 days (IQR 29-146) after intracerebral haemorrhage onset: 268 were assigned to start and 269 (one withdrew) to avoid antiplatelet therapy. Participants were followed for a median of 2·0 years (IQR [1·0- 3·0]; completeness 99·3%). 12 (4%) of 268 participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy had recurrence of intracerebral haemorrhage compared with 23 (9%) of 268 participants allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (adjusted hazard ratio 0·51 [95% CI 0·25-1·03]; p=0·060). 18 (7%) participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy experienced major haemorrhagic events compared with 25 (9%) participants allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (0·71 [0·39-1·30]; p=0·27), and 39 [15%] participants allocated to antiplatelet therapy had major occlusive vascular events compared with 38 [14%] allocated to avoid antiplatelet therapy (1·02 [0·65-1·60]; p=0·92). INTERPRETATION: These results exclude all but a very modest increase in the risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage with antiplatelet therapy for patients on antithrombotic therapy for the prevention of occlusive vascular disease when they developed intracerebral haemorrhage. The risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage is probably too small to exceed the established benefits of antiplatelet therapy for secondary prevention. FUNDING: British Heart Foundation

The antibody-mediated endocytosis of the oncogenic neu receptor and the elements which regulate it

Receptors are involved in endocytosis, either constitutive or ligand induced. Receptors internalize via clathrin-coated pits and pass through endosomes. Once they enter endosomes, different receptor types are sorted and continue down different pathways. Based on the pathway taken by the receptor and ligand, receptors are categorized into one of four classes. In general, growth factor receptors with tyrosine kinase activity are classified as Class III receptors because both receptor and ligand are degraded in lysosomes. However, the elements which regulate the endocytic pathway taken by receptors are unclear. Expression of rat oncogenic neu receptor, p185T-neu, which is a growth factor receptor with tyrosine kinase activity, causes cells to become transformed. Treatment of these cells with monoclonal antibodies specific for the neu receptor reverts the transformed phenotype by down-modulation of the neu receptor. To further understand the role that the biochemical activity of p185T-neu plays in transformation and endocytosis, we created a series of mutations in p185T-neu and transfected them into fibroblasts. The resulting transfectants were characterized. We found that the tyrosine kinase-defective mutants are no longer transformed. A novel two-color flow cytometric assay was developed to follow the antibody-induced endocytosis of wildtype versus mutant neu receptors expressed in these transfectants. The localization of the receptors was confirmed by electron microscopy. The data from these experiments strongly indicate that the activated kinase activity of the neu receptor directs the neu receptor to be internalized and eventually down-modulated. When the kinase activity of the neu receptor is disrupted the receptor is internalized but recycled to the cell surface, whereas full-length neu receptors which have constitutive kinase activity are internalized and degraded when engaged with monoclonal antibody. Other regions of the neu receptor are being tested to further define the regions which regulate this receptor. Understanding the regulation of endocytosis will contribute to the development of novel therapeutic protocols to combat human malignancies, particularly those associated with the overexpression of the human homologue of the neu receptor, c-erbB2

The antibody-mediated endocytosis of the oncogenic neu receptor and the elements which regulate it

Receptors are involved in endocytosis, either constitutive or ligand induced. Receptors internalize via clathrin-coated pits and pass through endosomes. Once they enter endosomes, different receptor types are sorted and continue down different pathways. Based on the pathway taken by the receptor and ligand, receptors are categorized into one of four classes. In general, growth factor receptors with tyrosine kinase activity are classified as Class III receptors because both receptor and ligand are degraded in lysosomes. However, the elements which regulate the endocytic pathway taken by receptors are unclear. Expression of rat oncogenic neu receptor, p185T-neu, which is a growth factor receptor with tyrosine kinase activity, causes cells to become transformed. Treatment of these cells with monoclonal antibodies specific for the neu receptor reverts the transformed phenotype by down-modulation of the neu receptor. To further understand the role that the biochemical activity of p185T-neu plays in transformation and endocytosis, we created a series of mutations in p185T-neu and transfected them into fibroblasts. The resulting transfectants were characterized. We found that the tyrosine kinase-defective mutants are no longer transformed. A novel two-color flow cytometric assay was developed to follow the antibody-induced endocytosis of wildtype versus mutant neu receptors expressed in these transfectants. The localization of the receptors was confirmed by electron microscopy. The data from these experiments strongly indicate that the activated kinase activity of the neu receptor directs the neu receptor to be internalized and eventually down-modulated. When the kinase activity of the neu receptor is disrupted the receptor is internalized but recycled to the cell surface, whereas full-length neu receptors which have constitutive kinase activity are internalized and degraded when engaged with monoclonal antibody. Other regions of the neu receptor are being tested to further define the regions which regulate this receptor. Understanding the regulation of endocytosis will contribute to the development of novel therapeutic protocols to combat human malignancies, particularly those associated with the overexpression of the human homologue of the neu receptor, c-erbB2

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm:a CIBMTR analysis

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematological malignancy with a poor prognosis and considered incurable with standard conventional chemotherapy. Small observational studies have shown that allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) offers durable remissions in patients with BPDCN. We conducted an analysis of 164 patients with BPDCN from 78 centers who underwent allo-HCT between 2007-2018 using data reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). Results: Median follow up of survivors was 49 months (range 6-121). 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), relapse, and non-relapse (NRM) rates were 51.2% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 42.5-59.8%), 44.4% (95%CI: 36.2-52.8%), 32.2% (95%CI: 24.7-40.3%), and 23.3% (95%CI: 16.9-30.4%), respectively. Disease relapse was the most common cause of death. On multivariate analyses, age =60 was predictive for inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR]= 2.16, 95% CI 1.35-3.46, p= 0.001), and higher NRM [HR= 2.19, 95% CI 1.13-4.22, p= 0.02]. Remission status at time of allo-HCT (CR2/PIF/Relapse vs CR1) was predictive of inferior OS [HR= 1.87, 95% CI 1.14-3.06, p= 0.01] and DFS [HR= 1.75, 95% CI 1.11-2.76, p= 0.02]. Use of myeloablative conditioning with total body irradiation (TBI) was predictive for improved DFS and reduced risk of relapse. Conclusion: Allo-HCT is effective in providing durable remissions and long-term survival in BPDCN. Younger age and allo-HCT in CR1 predicted for improved survival, while myeloablative conditioning with TBI predicted for less relapse and improved DFS. Novel strategies incorporating allo-HCT are needed to further improve outcomes

Global, regional, and national burden of traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, 1990-2016 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI) are increasingly recognised as global health priorities in view of the preventability of most injuries and the complex and expensive medical care they necessitate. We aimed to measure the incidence, prevalence, and years of life lived with disability (YLDs) for TBI and SCI from all causes of injury in every country, to describe how these measures have changed between 1990 and 2016, and to estimate the proportion of TBI and SCI cases caused by different types of injury. Methods We used results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) Study 2016 to measure the global, regional, and national burden of TBI and SCI by age and sex. We measured the incidence and prevalence of all causes of injury requiring medical care in inpatient and outpatient records, literature studies, and survey data. By use of clinical record data, we estimated the proportion of each cause of injury that required medical care that would result in TBI or SCI being considered as the nature of injury. We used literature studies to establish standardised mortality ratios and applied differential equations to convert incidence to prevalence of long-term disability. Finally, we applied GBD disability weights to calculate YLDs. We used a Bayesian meta-regression tool for epidemiological modelling, used cause-specific mortality rates for non-fatal estimation, and adjusted our results for disability experienced with comorbid conditions. We also analysed results on the basis of the Socio-demographic Index, a compound measure of income per capita, education, and fertility. Findings In 2016, there were 27.08 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 24.30-30.30 million) new cases of TBI and 0.93 million (0.78-1.16 million) new cases of SCI, with age-standardised incidence rates of 369 (331-412) per 100 000 population for TBI and 13 (11-16) per 100 000 for SCI. In 2016, the number of prevalent cases of TBI was 55.50 million (53.40-57.62 million) and of SCI was 27.04 million (24 .98-30 .15 million). From 1990 to 2016, the age-standardised prevalence of TBI increased by 8.4% (95% UI 7.7 to 9.2), whereas that of SCI did not change significantly (-0.2% [-2.1 to 2.7]). Age-standardised incidence rates increased by 3.6% (1.8 to 5.5) for TBI, but did not change significantly for SCI (-3.6% [-7.4 to 4.0]). TBI caused 8.1 million (95% UI 6. 0-10. 4 million) YLDs and SCI caused 9.5 million (6.7-12.4 million) YLDs in 2016, corresponding to age-standardised rates of 111 (82-141) per 100 000 for TBI and 130 (90-170) per 100 000 for SCI. Falls and road injuries were the leading causes of new cases of TBI and SCI in most regions. Interpretation TBI and SCI constitute a considerable portion of the global injury burden and are caused primarily by falls and road injuries. The increase in incidence of TBI over time might continue in view of increases in population density, population ageing, and increasing use of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles. The number of individuals living with SCI is expected to increase in view of population growth, which is concerning because of the specialised care that people with SCI can require. Our study was limited by data sparsity in some regions, and it will be important to invest greater resources in collection of data for TBI and SCI to improve the accuracy of future assessments. Copyright (C) 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm: a CIBMTR analysis.

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematological malignancy with a poor prognosis and considered incurable with standard conventional chemotherapy. Small observational studies have shown that allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) offers durable remissions in patients with BPDCN. We conducted an analysis of 164 patients with BPDCN from 78 centers who underwent allo-HCT between 2007-2018 using data reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). Results: Median follow up of survivors was 49 months (range 6-121). 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), relapse, and non-relapse (NRM) rates were 51.2% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 42.5-59.8%), 44.4% (95%CI: 36.2-52.8%), 32.2% (95%CI: 24.7-40.3%), and 23.3% (95%CI: 16.9-30.4%), respectively. Disease relapse was the most common cause of death. On multivariate analyses, age ≥60 was predictive for inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR]= 2.16, 95% CI 1.35-3.46, p= 0.001), and higher NRM [HR= 2.19, 95% CI 1.13-4.22, p= 0.02]. Remission status at time of allo-HCT (CR2/PIF/Relapse vs CR1) was predictive of inferior OS [HR= 1.87, 95% CI 1.14-3.06, p= 0.01] and DFS [HR= 1.75, 95% CI 1.11-2.76, p= 0.02]. Use of myeloablative conditioning with total body irradiation (TBI) was predictive for improved DFS and reduced risk of relapse. Conclusion: Allo-HCT is effective in providing durable remissions and long-term survival in BPDCN. Younger age and allo-HCT in CR1 predicted for improved survival, while myeloablative conditioning with TBI predicted for less relapse and improved DFS. Novel strategies incorporating allo-HCT are needed to further improve outcomes

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm: a CIBMTR analysis

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematological malignancy with a poor prognosis and considered incurable with standard conventional chemotherapy. Small observational studies have shown that allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) offers durable remissions in patients with BPDCN. We conducted an analysis of 164 patients with BPDCN from 78 centers who underwent allo-HCT between 2007-2018 using data reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). Results: Median follow up of survivors was 49 months (range 6-121). 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), relapse, and non-relapse (NRM) rates were 51.2% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 42.5-59.8%), 44.4% (95%CI: 36.2-52.8%), 32.2% (95%CI: 24.7-40.3%), and 23.3% (95%CI: 16.9-30.4%), respectively. Disease relapse was the most common cause of death. On multivariate analyses, age ≥60 was predictive for inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR]= 2.16, 95% CI 1.35-3.46, p= 0.001), and higher NRM [HR= 2.19, 95% CI 1.13-4.22, p= 0.02]. Remission status at time of allo-HCT (CR2/PIF/Relapse vs CR1) was predictive of inferior OS [HR= 1.87, 95% CI 1.14-3.06, p= 0.01] and DFS [HR= 1.75, 95% CI 1.11-2.76, p= 0.02]. Use of myeloablative conditioning with total body irradiation (TBI) was predictive for improved DFS and reduced risk of relapse. Conclusion: Allo-HCT is effective in providing durable remissions and long-term survival in BPDCN. Younger age and allo-HCT in CR1 predicted for improved survival, while myeloablative conditioning with TBI predicted for less relapse and improved DFS. Novel strategies incorporating allo-HCT are needed to further improve outcomes