Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Could Chronic Gvhd Overcome the Poor Prognosis of Patients with MDS and TP53 Undergoing Allogeneic HSCT?

Abstract Background and Aim Although new agents have been approved for the treatment of MDS, the only curative approach for these patients is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Nevertheless, in these patients this approach has only obtained 40-60% of overall survival. Somatic mutations in MDS have recently been analyzed in order to confirm clonally and also prognostic impact in MDS patients. In this regard, TP 53 mutated gene is present in MDS in less than 10% of patients and is associated with advanced disease and high-risk features. Recent studies confirms poor outcomes in patients with TP 53 mutated receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation1,2. The present study try to analyze if the development of chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) could modify, due to graft versus leukemia effect, the adverse prognosis of these high-risk patients (TP53 mutated patients). Design and Methods &lt;&gt;Results of HSCT in 92 MDS patients from 5 centers in Spain were retrospectively studied. Samples were collected 1 month prior to transplant. 280ng of the genomic DNA from BM cells was screened for somatic mutations in TP53 gene. The study was done by NGS on a GS Junior Instrument (Roche) according to an amplicon sequencing design. For each sample, eight exons (4-11) were amplified with preconfigured primer plates provided within the IRON II study network. Data analysis, were carried out using the Sequence Pilot software version 3.5.2 (JSI Medical Systems) and GS Amplicon Variant Analyzer software, versions 2.7 and 2.9 (Roche Applied Science). Minimum coverage of sequenced exons was 100 reads and the sensitivity of variant detection was set to a lower limit of &gt;2% for bidirectional reads. Only those variants that resulted in amino acid change in the protein sequence were considered. OS and RFS were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used for comparisons. All calculations were done using SPSS 18.0. Cumulative incidence of relapse was also calculated by xlstat version 2014 program. &lt;&gt;Results Median age was 54 years (17-69), 71.7% were "de novo" MDS and regarding IPSS, 53% were in the int-2/high-risk category. Other characteristics were in Table 1. In the pre-transplant evaluation, 15 patients out of 92 (16,3%) were TP 53 mutated. The mutations were located in exons 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10. These variations were present in a variable percentageof the cell population (3 to 84%). All mutations were specific nucleotide changes except for two cases. At the time of the last update, 16 patients had relapsed (17.4%) and 40 had died (43.5%). After a median follow up of 15.5 months, OS was 56.5%. Median OS for patients with mutated TP53 trend a toward to be shorter than survival for patients without mutated TP53 (median of 7 mo vs median not reached, respectively, p=0.156). Multivariate analysis for OS confirmed complex karyotype (HR 5,588, 95CI 1,794-17,407, p=0.003) and no developement of cGVHD (HR 3,531, 95IC 1,634-7,632, p=0.001) as predictors for poor outcome. Cumulative incidence of relapse was 20.3% (+/-4.3%) at 1 years. Mutational status of TP53 significantly influenced on relapse (53.3% +/-12.9% vs 13.7% +/-4% at 1 year for patients with vs without TP 53 mutation (Gray test=0.001, Figure 2). Regarding Relapse Free Survival (RFS), after a median of follow up of 17 months, RFS was 67.9% and as previously suggested, the presence of TP 53 mutation had an impact on RFS (41.7% for mutated (median RFS of 6 months) and 75% for non mutated patients (median RFS not reached), p=0.009). Multivariate analysis for RFS confirmed age (HR 1.054, 95CI 1.005-1.106, p=0.032) and TP 53 mutated (HR 3.054, 95IC 1.145-8.149, p=0.026) as predictors for lower RFS. Regarding 15 patients with mutated TP 53, 7 did relapsed and 9 had died. Developement of cGVHD showed a trend toward to improve outcome among TP 53 mutated patients, with a better OS and RFS for those developing cGVHD as compared to those who did not (OS of 55% vs 17% for patients with and without cGVHD, p=0.039, Figure 2 and RFS of 71% vs 50%, respectively, p=0.3). &lt;&gt;Conclusions Mutated TP53 pre-allo patients presents poor outcome as compared to not mutated, as previously described Bejar1 and Kim2. Nevertheless, the developement of cGVHD could overcome the adverse impact of this factor due to the developement of graft versus tumor efect, improving survival curves (OS and RFS) as compared to previous published results. Study supported by GRS-1033/A/14 P53. 1.-BŽjar, JCO 2014, 32(25). 2.-Kim, BBMT 2015, Epub ahead of print. Figure 2. Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 3. Disclosures Sanz: JANSSEN CILAG: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Valcarcel:AMGEN: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; NOVARTIS: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; CELGENE: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Díez-Campelo:CELGENE: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; JANSSEN: Research Funding; NOVARTIS: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. </jats:sec

European society for trauma and emergency surgery member-identified research priorities in emergency surgery : a roadmap for future clinical research opportunities

Background: European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery (ESTES) is the European community of clinicians providing care to the injured and critically ill surgical patient. ESTES has several interlinked missions – (1) the promotion of optimal emergency surgical care through networked advocacy, (2) promulgation of relevant clinical cognitive and technical skills, and (3) the advancement of scientific inquiry that closes knowledge gaps, iteratively improves upon surgical and perioperative practice, and guides decision-making rooted in scientific evidence. Faced with multitudinous opportunities for clinical research, ESTES undertook an exercise to determine member priorities for surgical research in the short-to-medium term; these research priorities were presented to a panel of experts to inform a ‘road map’ narrative review which anchored these research priorities in the contemporary surgical literature. Methods: Individual ESTES members in active emergency surgery practice were polled as a representative sample of end-users and were asked to rank potential areas of future research according to their personal perceptions of priority. Using the modified eDelphi method, an invited panel of ESTES-associated experts in academic emergency surgery then crafted a narrative review highlighting potential research priorities for the Society. Results: Seventy-two responding ESTES members from 23 countries provided feedback to guide the modified eDelphi expert consensus narrative review. Experts then crafted evidence-based mini-reviews highlighting knowledge gaps and areas of interest for future clinical research in emergency surgery: timing of surgery, inter-hospital transfer, diagnostic imaging in emergency surgery, the role of minimally-invasive surgical techniques and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, patient-reported outcome measures, risk-stratification methods, disparities in access to care, geriatric outcomes, data registry and snapshot audit evaluations, emerging technologies interrogation, and the delivery and benchmarking of emergency surgical training. Conclusions: This manuscript presents the priorities for future clinical research in academic emergency surgery as determined by a sample of the membership of ESTES. While the precise basis for prioritization was not evident, it may be anchored in disease prevalence, controversy around aspects of current patient care, or indeed the identification of a knowledge gap. These expert-crafted evidence-based mini-reviews provide useful insights that may guide the direction of future academic emergency surgery research efforts.Peer reviewe

Identifying and addressing mentorship gaps in European trauma and emergency surgical training. Results from the Young European Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery (yESTES) mentorship survey

PURPOSE: European training pathways for surgeons dedicated to treating severely injured and critically ill surgical patients lack a standardized approach and are significantly influenced by diverse organizational and cultural backgrounds. This variation extends into the realm of mentorship, a vital component for the holistic development of surgeons beyond mere technical proficiency. Currently, a comprehensive understanding of the mentorship landscape within the European trauma care (visceral or skeletal) and emergency general surgery (EGS) communities is lacking. This study aims to identify within the current mentorship environment prevalent practices, discern existing gaps, and propose structured interventions to enhance mentorship quality and accessibility led by the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery (ESTES). METHODS: Utilizing a structured survey conceived and promoted by the Young section of the European Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery (yESTES), we collected and analyzed responses from 123 ESTES members (both surgeons in practice and in training) across 20 European countries. The survey focused on mentorship experiences, challenges faced by early-career and female surgeons, the integration of non-technical skills (NTS) in mentorship, and the perceived role of surgical societies in facilitating mentorship. RESULTS: Findings highlighted a substantial mentorship experience gap, with 74% of respondents engaging in mostly informal mentorship, predominantly centered on surgical training. Notably, mentorship among early-career surgeons and trainees was less reported, uncovering a significant early-career gap. Female surgeons, representing a minority within respondents, reported a disproportionately poorer access to mentorship. Moreover, while respondents recognized the importance of NTS, these were inadequately addressed in current mentorship practices. The current mentorship input of surgical societies, like ESTES, is viewed as insufficient, with a call for structured programs and initiatives such as traveling fellowships and remote mentoring. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey underscores critical gaps in the current mentorship landscape for trauma and EGS in Europe, particularly for early-career and female surgeons. A clear need exists for more formalized, inclusive mentorship programs that adequately cover both technical and non-technical skills. ESTES could play a pivotal role in addressing these gaps through structured interventions, fostering a more supportive, inclusive, and well-rounded surgical community