Povisa Hospital

BackgroundNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor exon 20 (EGFR Ex20Ins) is rare and resistant to conventional tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), limiting treatment options. This retrospective study in Galicia (Spain) evaluated the clinical characteristics, treatment response, and survival of patients with NSCLC and EGFR Ex20Ins.MethodsData from patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2023, confirmed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR), were included. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and the incidence of serious adverse events were assessed.ResultsOf the 43 patients in the present study, 39 had metastatic disease and were considered for survival analysis. Among patients with metastatic disease, the median OS was 14.6 months (95% CI: 7–20 months), and the median PFS was 7.4 months (95% CI: 3–12 months) with first-line therapy (1L). Patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy in the 1L achieved a median PFS of 9.8 months (95% CI: 3–27 months), whereas those receiving TKIs achieved a median PFS of 3.4 months (95% CI: 1–12 months). No significant differences in treatment response were found according to age or sex.ConclusionsThe results show the limited effectiveness of TKIs in patients with EGFR Ex20Ins and highlight the need for specific therapies. Platinum-based chemotherapy performed better in preventing disease relapse.

<bold>Background:</bold> Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) is characterized by frequent exacerbations despite the use of systemic corticosteroids. Mepolizumab (anti-IL5 mAb) reduces the number of eosinophils in SEA, but less is known about the phenotype of the remaining cells. The aim of our study is to compare the changes in eosinophil proteome in SEA patients in response to mepolizumab treatment. <bold>Methods:</bold> Venous blood samples were collected from HC (n=15) and SEA patients (n=15) at different time points after receiving mepolizumab (T=0, 4, 16 and 32 weeks). Eosinophils were isolated by negative immunomagnetic selection. Qualitative and quantitative proteomics (LC/MS-MS) were performed on lysates. Proteins with the most differential abundance were validated by western blot. <bold>Results:</bold> Eosinophils from SEA patients were enriched in cytotoxic proteins, commonly associated to granules (HSA-6798695), including ECP, EPX, MBP2 and CLC. Mepolizumab treatment significantly reduced all these activation markers, already at T=4. Furthermore, the biological processes and pathways “actin filament organization” (GO:0007015); “Rho GTPase effectors” (HSA-195258); and “cellular response to chemical stress” (HSA-9711123) were upregulated in SEA vs HC, and further reduced with mepolizumab (FDR < 0.001). <bold>Conclusion:</bold> Eosinophils from SEA exhibited enrichment in cytotoxic granule-associated proteins, highlighting their activated state. Mepolizumab treatment significantly reduced these markers as early as T=4, demonstrating its rapid biological impact. A reduced activation, combined with the decreased number of eosinophils after treatment could explain the reduction in exacerbation rate and improvement in asthma control with mepolizumab.

Background and Objectives: Peripheral vascular access in infants is a frequent but technically challenging procedure due to the anatomical characteristics of this population. Repeated failed attempts may increase complications and emotional stress for both patients and healthcare professionals. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided peripheral vascular cannulation compared to the conventional or “blind” technique in infants. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The PubMed database was searched for studies published between 2017 and 2025. Studies comparing both techniques in infants under two years of age were selected, evaluating variables such as the number of punctures, first-attempt success, healthcare staff perception, associated stress, and the role of simulation in training. Results: Eleven studies were included, comprising clinical trials, observational studies, and training program assessments from different countries. Most reported a higher first-attempt success rate with the ultrasound-guided technique (often exceeding 85%), along with fewer punctures and complications, particularly among less-experienced professionals. Improvements in staff perception were also observed following structured training. The impact on stress experienced by patients and families was less frequently assessed directly, although some studies reported indirect benefits. Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided peripheral vascular cannulation appears to be more effective and safer than the conventional technique in infants, particularly in complex or critical care contexts. Its implementation requires specific training and appropriate resources but could significantly improve clinical outcomes and the pediatric patient experience.

BackgroundSodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce the risk of heart-failure admission among high-risk patients. However, most patients with valvular heart disease, including those undergoing transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI), have been excluded from randomized trials.MethodsWe conducted this randomized, controlled trial in Spain to evaluate the efficacy of dapagliflozin (at a dose of 10 mg once daily) as compared with standard care alone in patients with aortic stenosis who were undergoing TAVI. All the patients had a history of heart failure plus at least one of the following: renal insufficiency, diabetes, or left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The primary outcome was a composite of death from any cause or worsening of heart failure, defined as hospitalization or an urgent visit, at 1 year of follow-up.ResultsA total of 620 patients were randomly assigned to receive dapagliflozin and 637 to receive standard care alone after TAVI; after exclusions, a total of 1222 patients were included in the primary analysis. A primary-outcome event occurred in 91 patients (15.0%) in the dapagliflozin group and in 124 patients (20.1%) in the standard-care group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55 to 0.95; P=0.02). Death from any cause occurred in 47 patients (7.8%) in the dapagliflozin group and in 55 (8.9%) in the standard-care group (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.59 to 1.28). Worsening of heart failure occurred in 9.4% and 14.4% of the patients, respectively (subhazard ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.88). Genital infection and hypotension were significantly more common in the dapagliflozin group.ConclusionsAmong older adults with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVI who were at high risk for heart-failure events, dapagliflozin resulted in a significantly lower incidence of death from any cause or worsening of heart failure than standard care alone. (Funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04696185.)

Background: COPD is a chronic disease characterized by frequent exacerbations that require hospitalization, significantly increasing the care burden. In recent years, the use of artificial intelligence-based tools to improve the management of patients with COPD has progressed, but the prediction of readmission has been less explored. In fact, in the state of the art, no models specifically designed to make medium-term readmission predictions (2-3 months after admission) have been found. This work presents a new intelligent clinical decision support system to predict the risk of hospital readmission in 90 days in patients with COPD after an episode of acute exacerbation. Methods: The system is structured in two levels: the first one consists of three machine learning algorithms -Random Forest, Naïve Bayes, and Multilayer Perceptron-that operate concurrently to predict the risk of readmission; the second level, an expert system based on a fuzzy inference engine that combines the generated risks, determining the final prediction. The employed database includes more than five hundred patients with demographic, clinical, and social variables. Prior to building the model, the initial dataset was divided into training and test subsets. In order to reduce the high dimensionality of the problem, filter-based feature selection techniques were employed, followed by recursive feature selection supported by the use of the Random Forest algorithm, guaranteeing the usability of the system and its potential integration into the clinical environment. After training the models in the first level, the knowledge base of the expert system was determined on the training data subset using the Wang-Mendel automatic rule generation algorithm. Results: Preliminary results obtained on the test set are promising, with an AUC of approximately 0.8. At the selected cutoff point, a sensitivity of 0.67 and a specificity of 0.75 were achieved. Conclusions: This highlights the system's future potential for the early identification of patients at risk of readmission. For future implementation in clinical practice, an extensive clinical validation process will be required, along with the expansion of the database, which will likely contribute to improving the system's robustness and generalization capacity.

Abstract Background The Epi-IBD cohort is a prospective European population-based cohort of 1,508 patients diagnosed in 2010 and 2011 with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) according to Copenhagen criteria in centres across 17 European countries. The study aims to describe treatment strategies, disease course and prognosis of IBD unclassified (IBDU) across Europe. Methods Patients with IBDU were defined as not fulfilling the Copenhagen diagnostic criteria of Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC), but still required IBD related treatment and monitoring. They were followed prospectively from the time of diagnosis until December 31st, 2020, death, emigration or loss of follow-up. Clinical data on surgery, hospitalizations, and medical treatment were captured throughout the follow-up period and entered into a validated web-database, www.epi-ibd.org. Patients with IBDU were categorised as CD-like, UC-like or mixed CD-UC based on disease location and continuity of the affected bowel segments at diagnosis. Results In total, 129 IBDU patients aged ≥15 years from 22 centres were included. They comprised 8.5% (N=129/1,508) of the total cohort. The disease location was reported in Table 1 where 4 patients had unknown disease location at baseline. At diagnosis, 16% (N=25/129) were CD-like, 52% (N=62/129) were UC-like and 32% (N=42/129) were mixed CD-UC.During the 10-year follow-up, 32% (N=41/129) were re-classified as either CD (N=16) or UC (N=25). The crude 1-, 5-, and 10-year rates for re-classification of diagnosis were 19%, 26% and 32%. The time to initiation of therapies and the distribution of therapies according to re-classification of IBDU diagnosis at baseline are presented in Figure 1 A-B . Advanced therapies were used in 13% (N=17/129) of patients over the 10-year follow-up, and was initiated after a median period of 1.9 years (inter-quartile range 0.9-8.1). An intestinal resection was required in 7% (N=9/129). After 1, 5, and 10 years, 9%, 19% and 26% of the patients diagnosed with IBDU at baseline, respectively, required hospitalisation. Conclusion After 10 years of follow-up, a third of patients initially diagnosed with IBDU were re-classified as either CD or UC. The disease course was in general mild with a low number of patients requiring advanced therapy, intestinal resection, and hospitalization. However, patients who were re-classified as CD or UC were more frequently treated with medical therapies.

This case study examines the application of new product development (NPD) methodologies within the mobile application industry, focusing on the Queue app – a platform designed for social content discovery and sharing among movie and TV show enthusiasts. Despite initial success, the app encountered challenges in user engagement, social interaction, and retention. The study details the iterative process undertaken by the product team, guided by the NPD principles, to identify, prototype, and implement a new feature, ˈSwipe with Friends.ˈ This feature was designed to address the identified issues by transforming content selection into an interactive and social experience, ultimately leading to significant improvements in user metrics. The case provides insights into how theoretical frameworks in NPD can be practically applied to enhance user engagement and retention in a highly competitive digital landscape.