Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Preoperative transarterial particulate embolization of juvenile angiofibroma with intracranial extension: Technical and clinical outcomes

Purpose: This retrospective study was constructed to assess the beneficial effects of preoperative transarterial particulate embolization of juvenile angiofibroma (JA) with intracranial extension in terms of intraoperative blood loss and local tumor recurrence. Patients and Methods: This study included 20 male patients (mean age ± SD: 14.6 ± 7.2 years) with radiologically documented and histologically proved JA. All patients had intracranial extension and underwent surgical resection of the tumor after preoperative transarterial particulate embolization. The amount of blood loss was estimated and follow up scans were assessed for tumor recurrence. Results: The mean amount of intra-operative blood loss was 560 ml and the mean amount of blood transfusion was 944.4 ml. Local residue/recurrence of tumor was seen in 5 patients (5/20); two patients with intracranial residual tumor (2/20), one patient with intracranial recurrence (1/20) and 2 patients (2/20) with extracranial recurrence. The technique of embolization was safe with no procedure related mortality. Minor complications were seen in all patients and major complication only in one patient. Conclusion: Preoperative transarterial particulate embolization of JA with intracranial extension helped to perform surgery with mild amount of blood loss compared to the literature

Low‐dose empagliflozin as adjunct‐to‐insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes: A valid modelling and simulation analysis to confirm efficacy

Aim To confirm the observed reduction in HbA1c for the 2.5 mg dose in EASE‐3 by modelling and simulation analyses. Materials and methods Independent of data from EASE‐3 that tested 2.5 mg, we simulated the effect of a 2.5 mg dose through patient‐level, exposure‐response modelling in the EASE‐2 clinical study. A primary semi‐mechanistic model evaluated efficacy considering clinical insulin dose adjustments made after treatment initiation that potentially limited HbA1c reductions. The model was informed by pharmacokinetic, insulin dose, mean daily glucose and HbA1c data, and was verified by comparing the simulations with the observed HbA1c change in EASE‐3. One of two empagliflozin phase 3 trials in type 1 diabetes (EASE‐3 but not EASE‐2) included a lower 2.5 mg dose. A placebo‐corrected HbA1c reduction of 0.28% was demonstrated without the increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis observed at higher doses (10 mg and 25 mg). Since only one trial included the lower dose, we aimed to confirm the observed reduction in HbA1c for the 2.5 mg dose by modelling and simulation analyses. Results The simulated 26‐week mean HbA1c change was −0.41% without insulin dose adjustment and −0.29% at 26 weeks with insulin dose adjustment. A simplified (descriptive) model excluding insulin dose and mean daily glucose confirmed the –0.29% HbA1c change that would have been observed had the EASE‐2 population received a 2.5 mg dose for 26/52 weeks. Conclusions The HbA1c benefit of low‐dose empagliflozin directly observed in the EASE‐3 trial was confirmed by two modelling and simulation approaches