Time to endoscopy for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: results from a prospective multicentre trainee-led audit

Background: Endoscopy within 24 hours of admission (early endoscopy) is a quality standard in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB). We aimed to audit time to endoscopy outcomes and identify factors affecting delayed endoscopy (>24h of admission).Methods: This prospective multicentre audit enrolled patients admitted with AUGIB who underwent inpatient endoscopy between Nov-Dec 2017. Analyses were performed to identify factorsassociated with delayed endoscopy, and to compare patient outcomes, including length of stay and mortality rates, between early and delayed endoscopy groups.Results: Across 348 patients from 20 centres, the median time to endoscopy was 21.2h (IQR 12.0- 35.7), comprising median admission to referral and referral to endoscopy times of 8.1h (IQR 3.7- 18.1) and 6.7h (IQR 3.0-23.1) respectively. Early endoscopy was achieved in 58.9%, although this varied by centre (range: 31.0% - 87.5%, p=0.002). On multivariable analysis, lower Glasgow-Blatchford score, delayed referral, admissions between 7am-7pm or via the Emergency Department were independent predictors of delayed endoscopy. Early endoscopy was associated with reduced length of stay (median difference 1d; p= 0.004), but not 30-day mortality (p=0.344).Conclusions: The majority of centres did not meet national standards for time to endoscopy. Strategic initiatives involving acute care services may be necessary to improve this outcome

Adjuvant therapy for renal cell carcinoma

Recent advances in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma expose a gap in the treatment of less advanced, localized disease. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which revolutionized the treatment of metastatic disease, have not provided a similar survival benefit in the adjuvant setting and currently only sunitinib is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for adjuvant treatment in patients with high-risk of recurrence based on S-TRAC disease-free survival data. The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has offered a fresh hope in the field of adjuvant treatment after encouraging results are seen with combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors as well as with targeted therapy in the metastatic setting. Several studies are investigating these combinations in the adjuvant setting, and it is hoped that they will bring about a better outcome for a largely unmet need in kidney cancer treatment

Individualized therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (mRCC) is a highly heterogeneous disease that is notoriously difficult to treat successfully. However, the discovery of novel, targeted therapies over the last decade has revolutionized its management. As the therapeutic options continue to evolve, developing a more individualized treatment strategy is of paramount importance. The International mRCC Database Consortium (IMDC) is a prognostic model that is commonly used in trials and clinical settings to risk stratify patients. This allows for optimal therapy selection on a more individual basis. However, the distinct lack of validated predictive biomarkers in mRCC renders it difficult to assess therapy response. An improved understanding of tumor biology and genetics has prompted a shift from cytokine therapy to the use of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors, tyrosine kinase Inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors or combination strategies. Studies have identified some putative markers and genetic mutations as potential predictors of therapy response. Early results are promising, and there are many ongoing trials further assessing their suitability for clinical use. This review will evaluate the current treatment landscape and molecular biology of mRCC, with a specific focus on the prognostic and predictive markers available to guide treatment options and further improve patient outcomes

Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of Right Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can provide important structural information in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Although CMR is considered the standard of reference for measuring ventricular volumes and mass, the relationship between CMR findings of right ventricular (RV) function and outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation has not previously been reported. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 190 patients underwent 1.5 Tesla CMR before transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Steady-state free precession sequences were used for aortic valve planimetry and to assess ventricular volumes and mass. Semiautomated image analysis was performed by 2 specialist reviewers blinded to patient treatment. Patient follow-up was obtained from the Office of National Statistics mortality database. The median age was 81.0 (interquartile range, 74.9-85.5) years; 50.0% were women. Impaired RV function (RV ejection fraction ≤50%) was present in 45 (23.7%) patients. Patients with RV dysfunction had poorer left ventricular ejection fractions (42% versus 69%), higher indexed left ventricular end-systolic volumes (96 versus 40 mL), and greater indexed left ventricular mass (101 versus 85 g/m(2); P<0.01 for all) than those with normal RV function. Median follow-up was 850 days; 21 of 45 (46.7%) patients with RV dysfunction died, compared with 43 of 145 (29.7%) patients with normal RV function (P=0.035). After adjustment for significant baseline variables, both RV ejection fraction ≤50% (hazard ratio, 2.12; P=0.017) and indexed aortic valve area (hazard ratio, 4.16; P=0.025) were independently associated with survival. CONCLUSIONS: RV function, measured on preprocedural CMR, is an independent predictor of mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation. CMR assessment of RV function may be important in the risk stratification of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation