Top advances of the year: Hepatobiliary cancers

This commentary reviews top advances in hepatobiliary cancer research in 2021–2022, focusing on leveraging immunotherapeutics in combination with other therapies earlier in the disease course and targeted to patient's individualized biomarkers that may predict response or resistance to checkpoint inhibitors.     

Provider group type and Tdap coverage in pregnancy

Introduction

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has focused on maternal Tdap immunization as an important means to protect neonates from pertussis infections. There is little published data on provider and/or clinic characteristics as predictors of maternal Tdap uptake. This study examined differences in maternal Tdap coverage in women delivering at a single academic institution, but cared for prenatally in different clinical settings, in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Additionally, the accuracy and utilization of Vermont's immunization information system (IIS) was assessed.

Medical Child Abuse: An Unusual “Source” of Vaginal Bleeding

BackgroundMedical child abuse (MCA) is challenging to diagnose. Although young children are often affected, adolescents can be victims through caregiver coercion. Presentation is highly variable. Diagnosis is essential because of high associated morbidity and mortality.CaseWe describe the case of a 12-year-old girl who presented to multiple subspecialty clinics with reported menorrhagia. Despite reassuring clinical examinations, the family described menorrhagia that failed to respond to standard treatment. After an urgent evaluation for reported heavy bleeding revealed only scant blood, the diagnosis of MCA was made.Summary and ConclusionVaginal bleeding is a rare presentation of MCA, but must be considered whenever reported symptomatology does not follow physiologic patterns, respond to standard medical treatment, or correspond to clinical evaluation. Prompt identification is important to prevent further harm.     

Dapagliflozin and measures of cardiovascular autonomic function in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D)

AimsSodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors reduce blood pressure without compensatory heart rate elevation, possibly by modulating sympathetic/parasympathetic activity. This may contribute to their cardiovascular benefits in type 2 diabetes (T2D). We evaluated the effects of dapagliflozin (DAPA) on measures of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN), cardiac function, and glucose variability (GV) in T2D.MethodsPilot, randomized, two-period crossover trial comparing 12-week DAPA versus 12-week glimepiride treatment on CAN measures (cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests and heart rate variability), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and GV (Abbott's Libre Pro devices) using signed rank tests and mixed models from baseline to 12 weeks within and between each period.ResultsForty-five T2D participants on metformin monotherapy (mean age 57 ± 8 years, duration 7 ± 6 years, HbA1c 7.8 ± 1.3%) were enrolled with 41 completing the trial. There were no differences in CAN indices or BNP with each drug compared to baseline and each other. Participants on DAPA demonstrated greater weight loss, reduced time in hypoglycemia, and improved GV compared to glimepiride.ConclusionsShort term treatment with DAPA did not affect CAN measures or BNP in uncomplicated and relatively healthy T2D participants. Longer prospective studies in patients with advanced disease are needed to better understand relationships between SGLT-2 inhibitors and CAN.Clinical trial registration: NCT02973477