Clinical characteristics and outcomes of incidental venous thromboembolism in cancer patients: insights from the Caravaggio study

Background Clinical guidelines advise similar anticoagulant treatment for symptomatic and incidental cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE). We investigated clinical features and outcomes of cancer patients with incidental or symptomatic VTE randomized in the Caravaggio study. Objectives We performed a predefined sub-analysis of the Caravaggio study in order to investigate the clinical features and outcomes of incidental and symptomatic VTE in patients with cancer. The relative efficacy and safety of apixaban and dalteparin in patients with incidental and symptomatic VTE was also assessed. Methods The Caravaggio study compared apixaban to dalteparin for the 6-month treatment of cancer-associated VTE. The primary efficacy and safety outcomes were recurrent VTE and major bleeding. Results Two hundred thirty patients (20%) had incidental and 925 (80%) symptomatic VTE. Pulmonary embolism with or without deep vein thrombosis as index event, colorectal cancer, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score of 0, and locally advanced or metastatic cancer were more frequent in patients with incidental VTE. Deep vein thrombosis as index event, hematological cancer, and ECOG score of 2 were more frequent in patients with symptomatic VTE. Ten patients (4.3%) with incidental and 68 (7.4%) with symptomatic VTE had recurrent VTE (hazard ratio [HR] 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29-1.10). Major bleeding occurred in 12 (5.2%) patients with incidental VTE and in 33 (3.6%) patients with symptomatic VTE (HR 1.43, 95% CI 0.74-2.77). When comparing apixaban to dalteparin in patients with symptomatic and incidental VTE, the HR for recurrence was 0.73 (95% CI 0.45-1.19) and 0.41 (95% CI 0.11-1.56), respectively, and the HR for major bleeding 0.93 (95% CI 0.47-1.83) and 0.96 (95% CI 0.31-2.96), respectively. Conclusions Compared to cancer patients with symptomatic VTE, those with incidental VTE have different clinical features at presentation, with a numerically lower incidence of recurrent VTE and a numerically higher incidence of major bleeding.Thrombosis and Hemostasi

European Society of Cardiology quality indicators for the prevention and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity in cancer treatment.

AIMS: To develop quality indicators (QIs) for the evaluation of the prevention and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity. METHODS AND RESULTS: We followed the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) methodology for QI development which comprises (i) identifying the key domains of care for the prevention and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity in patients on cancer treatment, (ii) performing a systematic review of the literature to develop candidate QIs, and (iii) selecting of the final set of QIs using a modified Delphi process. Work was undertaken in parallel with the writing of the 2022 ESC Guidelines on Cardio-Oncology and in collaboration with the European Haematology Association, the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology and the International Cardio-Oncology Society. In total, 5 main and 9 secondary QIs were selected across five domains of care: (i) Structural framework, (ii) Baseline cardiovascular risk assessment, (iii) Cancer therapy related cardiovascular toxicity, (iv) Predictors of outcomes, and (v) Monitoring of cardiovascular complications during cancer therapy. CONCLUSION: We present the ESC Cardio-Oncology QIs with their development process and provide an overview of the scientific rationale for their selection. These indicators are aimed at quantifying and improving the adherence to guideline-recommended clinical practice and improving patient outcomes

2022 ESC Guidelines on cardio-oncology developed in collaboration with the European Hematology Association (EHA), the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO) and the International Cardio-Oncology Society (IC-OS)

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Body surface area and baseline blood pressure predict subclinical anthracycline cardiotoxicity in women treated for early breast cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Anthracyclines are highly effective chemotherapeutic agents which may cause long-term cardiac damage (chronic anthracycline cardiotoxicity) and heart failure. The pathogenesis of anthracycline cardiotoxicity remains incompletely understood and individual susceptibility difficult to predict. We sought clinical features which might contribute to improved risk assessment. METHODS: Subjects were women with early breast cancer, free of pre-existing cardiac disease. Left ventricular ejection fraction was measured using cardiovascular magnetic resonance before and >12 months after anthracycline-based chemotherapy (>3 months post-Trastuzumab). Variables associated with subclinical cardiotoxicity (defined as a fall in left ventricular ejection fraction of ≥5%) were identified by logistic regression. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-five women (mean age 48.3 years at enrollment) completed the study 21.7 months [IQR 18.0-26.8] after starting chemotherapy. All received anthracyclines (98.8% epirubicin, cumulative dose 400 [300-450] mg/m2); 18% Trastuzumab. Baseline blood pressure was elevated (≥140/90mmHg, mean 147.3/86.1mmHg) in 18 subjects. Thirty-four subjects (20.7%) were identified with subclinical cardiotoxicity, independent predictors of which were the number of anthracycline cycles (odds ratio, OR 1.64 [1.17-2.30] per cycle), blood pressure ≥140/90mmHg (OR 5.36 [1.73-17.61]), body surface area (OR 2.08 [1.36-3.20] per standard deviation (0.16m2) increase), and Trastuzumab therapy (OR 3.35 [1.18-9.51]). The resultant predictive-model had an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.78 [0.70-0.86]. CONCLUSIONS: We found subclinical cardiotoxicity to be common even within this low risk cohort. Risk of cardiotoxicity was associated with modestly elevated baseline blood pressure-indicating that close attention should be paid to blood pressure in patients considered for anthracycline based chemotherapy. The association with higher body surface area suggests that indexing of anthracycline doses to surface area may not be appropriate for all, and points to the need for additional research in this area

Towards optimal use of antithrombotic therapy of people with cancer at the end of life: a research protocol for the development and implementation of the SERENITY shared decision support tool Thrombosis Research

Background: Even though antithrombotic therapy has probably little or even negative effects on the well-being of people with cancer during their last year of life, deprescribing antithrombotic therapy at the end of life is rare in practice. It is often continued until death, possibly resulting in excess bleeding, an increased disease burden and higher healthcare costs. Methods: The SERENITY consortium comprises researchers and clinicians from eight European countries with specialties in different clinical fields, epidemiology and psychology. SERENITY will use a comprehensive approach combining a realist review, flash mob research, epidemiological studies, and qualitative interviews. The results of these studies will be used in a Delphi process to reach a consensus on the optimal design of the shared decision support tool. Next, the shared decision support tool will be tested in a randomised controlled trial. A targeted implementation and dissemination plan will be developed to enable the use of the SERENITY tool across Europe, as well as its incorporation in clinical guidelines and policies. The entire project is funded by Horizon Europe.Results: SERENITY will develop an information-driven shared decision support tool that will facilitate treatment decisions regarding the appropriate use of antithrombotic therapy in people with cancer at the end of life. Conclusions: We aim to develop an intervention that guides the appropriate use of antithrombotic therapy, prevents bleeding complications, and saves healthcare costs. Hopefully, usage of the tool leads to enhanced empowerment and improved quality of life and treatment satisfaction of people with advanced cancer and their care givers

Extended anticoagulant treatment with full- or reduced-dose apixaban in patients with cancer-associated venous thromboembolism: rationale and design of the API-CAT study

Cancer-associated thrombosis (CT) is associated with a high risk of recurrent venous thromboembolic (VTE) events that require extended anticoagulation in patients with active cancer, putting them at risk of bleeding. The aim of the API-CAT study (NCT03692065) is to assess whether a reduced-dose regimen of apixaban (2.5mg twice daily [bid]) is noninferior to a full-dose regimen of apixaban (5mg bid) for the prevention of recurrent VTE in patients with active cancer who have completed >= 6 months of anticoagulant therapy for a documented index event of proximal deep-vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism. API-CAT is an international, randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, noninferiority trial with blinded adjudication of outcome events. Consecutive patients are randomized to receive apixaban 2.5 or 5mg bid for 12 months. The primary efficacy outcome is a composite of recurrent symptomatic or incidental VTE during the treatment period. The principal safety endpoint is clinically relevant bleeding, defined as a composite of major bleeding or nonmajor clinically relevant bleeding. Assuming a 12-month incidence of the primary outcome of 4% with apixaban and an upper limit of the two-sided 95% confidence interval of the hazard ratio <2.0, 1,722 patients will be randomized, assuming an up to 10% loss in total patient-years (beta=80%; alpha one-sided=0.025). This trial has the potential to demonstrate that a regimen of extended treatment for patients with CT beyond an initial 6 months, with a reduced apixaban dose, has an acceptable risk of recurrent VTE recurrence and decreases the risk of bleeding.Thrombosis and Hemostasi

Detailed Mathematical Model of the Gas Operated Weapon Recoil

W pracy przedstawiono model fizyczny i matematyczny odrzutu swobodnego automatycznej broni strzeleckiej działającej na zasadzie odprowadzenia gazów prochowych przez boczny otwór w lufie, z krótkim ruchem tłoka gazowego, w czasie jednego cyklu strzału. Model matematyczny analizowanego układu (uwzględniający charakterystyczne okresy odrzutu) umożliwia symulację zjawiska odrzutu i analizę wpływu parametrów konstrukcyjnych układu na podstawowe charakterystyki odrzutu.The paper presents analysis of the free recoil phenomenon of gas operated automatic small arms with short-stroke piston system. Physical and mathematical models of analysed system action have been presented too. Recoil phenomenon has been divided for several specific periods. Force generated by the pressure in the gas chamber decreases recoil velocity of the gas operated weapon. Collisions of the moving parts inside the weapon also affects the recoil velocity