A Case of Meningococcal and HSV-2 Meningitis in a Patient Being Treated with Ustekinumab for Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris

Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is a rare chronic inflammatory papulosquamous dermatosis affecting both adults and children. Six subtypes of PRP have been described. Recently, the management of PRP with biologic immunosuppressive agents regularly used in psoriasis has been supported by several case reports and series. Ustekinumab is an anti-IL12/23 IgG1 kappa human monoclonal antibody. It has been approved for the treatment of Crohn’s disease, plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis. It has also been reported to be effective as an off-label treatment for PRP. Current data are equivocal regarding infectious disease risk with ustekinumab administration. We describe a case of meningococcal and HSV-2 infection of the central nervous system in a patient being treated with ustekinumab for PRP

Infections in relapsed myeloma patients treated with isatuximab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone during the COVID-19 pandemic: Initial results of a UK-wide real-world study

© 2022 The Authors. Published by Taylor & Francis. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1080/16078454.2022.2082725Objectives There are no real-world data describing infection morbidity in relapsed/refractory myeloma (RRMM) patients treated with anti-CD38 isatuximab in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (IsaPomDex). In this UK-wide retrospective study, we set out to evaluate infections experienced by routine care patients who received this novel therapy across 24 cancer centres during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The primary endpoint was infection morbidity (incidence, grading, hospitalization) as well as infection-related deaths. Secondary outcomes were clinical predictors of increased incidence of any grade (G2–5) and high grade (≥G3) infections. Results In a total cohort of 107 patients who received a median (IQR) of 4 cycles (2–8), 23.4% of patients experienced ≥1 any grade (G2–5) infections (total of 31 episodes) and 18.7% of patients experienced ≥1 high grade (≥G3) infections (total of 22 episodes). Median time (IQR) from start of therapy to first episode was 29 days (16–75). Six patients experienced COVID-19 infection, of whom 5 were not vaccinated and 1 was fully vaccinated. The cumulative duration of infection-related hospitalizations was 159 days. The multivariate (MVA) Poisson Regression analysis demonstrated that a higher co-morbidity burden with Charlson Co-morbidity Index (CCI) score ≥4 (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 3, p = 0.012) and sub-optimal myeloma response less than a partial response (<PR) (p = 0.048) are independent predictors of ≥ G3 infections. Conclusion Our study described initial results of infection burden during IsaPomDex treatment. We recommend close monitoring particularly in elderly patients with co-morbidities, the effective use of an-infective prophylaxis, as well as optimal vaccination strategies, to limit infections

The Role of Anxiety in Simulation-Based Dexterity and Overall Performance: Does It Really Matter?

Background: Essential Skills in the Management of Surgical Cases (ESMSC) is an international undergraduate surgical masterclass which combines ex vivo, dry lab and high fidelity in vivo simulation-based learning (SBL). It consists of 32 stations of skills-based learning, including open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of fractures. Current literature suggests early involvement in skills-based learning at the undergraduate level is vital. Aims: To compare students' dexterity and skills-based performance with demographic and educational background parameters. Methods: 112 medical students from European Union countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, Germany, and Bulgaria were selected from a competitive pool of candidates to attend the course. Students undertook ORIF in an ex vivo swine model, and in a simulated fracture on a bamboo rod. Skills-based performance was assessed by two consultant surgeons with validated direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS) forms. Anxiety was self-assessed using the Westside Anxiety Scale prior to the ORIF stations. Dexterity was measured with the O'Connor tweezer dexterity test. Results: Female students had significantly higher dexterity scores (median difference 7, p =.003). Right-handed students achieved higher dexterity than left-handed students (median difference 7, p =.043). There was no difference in students' performance across different medical schools, and across year groups (p <.05 for any correlation). Self-reported anxiety was not correlated with high fidelity skills-based performance (r = 0.032, p =.74). Conclusion: Anxiety does not seem to play a significant role in Simulation Skills-Based learning. Undergraduate surgical curricula should incorporate SBL-based modules to enhance practical skills learning and motivate future orthopedic surgeons

Promoting Undergraduate Surgical Education:Current Evidence and Students’ Views on ESMSC International Wet Lab Course

Background: Undergraduate Surgical Education is becoming an essential element in the training of the future generation of safe and efficient surgeons. Essential Skills in the Management of Surgical Cases (ESMSC), is an international, joint applied surgical science and simulation-based learning wet lab course. Methods: We performed a review of the existing literature on the topic of undergraduate surgical education. Following that, we analyzed the feedback questionnaire received 480 from 2 recent series of ESMSC courses (May 2015, n = 49 and November 2015, n = 40), in order to evaluate European Union students' (UK, Germany, Greece) views on the ESMSC course, as well as on the undergraduate surgical education. Results Using a 10 point graded scale, the overall ESMSC concept was positively evaluated, with a mean score of 9.41 ± 0.72 (range: 8–10) and 8.94 ± 1.1 (range: 7–10). The majority of delegates from both series [9.86 ± 0.43 (range: 8–10) and 9.58 ± 0.91 (range: 6–10), respectively] believed that ESMSC should be incorporated in the undergraduate surgical curriculum. Comparison of responses from the UK to the Greek Medical Student, as well as the findings from the third and fourth year versus the fifth and sixth year Medical Students, revealed no statistically significant differences pertaining to any of the questions (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Current evidence in the literature supports the enhancement of surgical education through the systematic use of various modalities that provide Simulation-Based Training (SBT) hands-on experience, starting from the early undergraduate level. The findings of the present study are in agreement with these previous reports

Efficacy of isatuximab with pomalidomide and dexamethasone in relapsed myeloma: Results of a UK-wide real-world dataset

This is an accepted manuscript of a paper due to be published by Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins in HemaSphere (in press). The accepted manuscript of the publication may differ from the final published versionReal-world data on the efficacy and tolerability of isatuximab with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (IsaPomDex) in relapsed/refractory myeloma (RRMM) patients have not been reported. In this UK-wide retrospective study, IsaPomDex outcomes were evaluated across 24 routine care cancer centres. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), duration of response (DOR) for patients who achieved an objective response (≥PR), and adverse events (AEs). In a total cohort 107 patients, median follow up (IQR) was 12.1 months (10.1-18.6 months), median age (IQR) was 69 years (61-77). Median (IQR) Charlson Co-morbidity index (CCI) score was 3 (2- 4); 43% had e-GFR<60 ml/min. Median (IQR) number of prior therapies was 3 (3-3). Median (IQR) number of IsaPomDex cycles administered was 7 (3-13). ORR was 66.4%, with responses categorised as ≥VGPR: 31.8%, PR: 34.6%, SD: 15.9%, PD: 15% and unknown 2.8%. Median PFS was 10.9 months. Median DOR was 10.3 months There was no statistical difference in median PFS by age (<65: 10.2 vs. 65-74 13.2 vs. ≥75: 8.5 months, log-rank p=0.4157), by CCI score (<4: 10.2 months vs. ≥4: 13.2, log-rank p=0.6531), but inferior PFS was observed with renal impairment (≥60: 13.2 vs. <60: 7.9 months, log-rank p=0.0408). Median OS was 18.8 months. After a median of 4 cycles, any grade AEs were experienced by 87.9% of patients. The most common ≥G3 AEs were neutropenia (45.8%), infections (18.7%) and thrombocytopenia (14%). Our UK-wide IsaPomDex study demonstrated encouraging efficacy outcomes in the real-world, comparable to ICARIA-MM trial

Frailty subgroup analysis of isatuximab with pomalidomide and dexamethasone in a UK-wide real-world cohort of relapsed myeloma patients

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Wiley on 31/01/2023, available online: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.18672 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Published versio