Beaumont Health

About: Beaumont Health is a nonprofit organization based out in Royal Oak, Michigan, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Medicine & Population. The organization has 1483 authors who have published 1448 publications receiving 15407 citations. The organization is also known as: William Beaumont Health System & Beaumont Hospitals.

International multicenter cohort study of pediatric brain arteriovenous malformations. Part 1: Predictors of hemorrhagic presentation.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE Brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are the most common cause of spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage in pediatric patients (age < 18 years). Since the cumulative lifetime risk of AVM hemorrhage is considerable in children, an improved understanding of the risk factors influencing hemorrhagic presentation may aid in the management of pediatric AVMs. The aims of this first of a 2-part multicenter, retrospective cohort study are to evaluate the incidence and determine the predictors of hemorrhagic presentation in pediatric AVM patients. METHODS The authors analyzed pooled AVM radiosurgery data from 7 institutions participating in the International Gamma Knife Research Foundation (IGKRF). Patients younger than 18 years at the time of radiosurgery and who had at least 12 months of follow-up were included in the study cohort. Patient and AVM characteristics were compared between unruptured and ruptured pediatric AVMs. RESULTS A total of 357 pediatric patients were eligible for analysis, including 112 patients in the unruptured and 245 patients in the ruptured AVM cohorts (69% incidence of hemorrhagic presentation). The annual hemorrhage rate prior to radiosurgery was 6.3%. Hemorrhagic presentation was significantly more common in deep locations (basal ganglia, thalamus, and brainstem) than in cortical locations (frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes) (76% vs 62%, p = 0.006). Among the factors found to be significantly associated with hemorrhagic presentation in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, deep venous drainage (OR 3.2, p < 0.001) was the strongest independent predictor, followed by female sex (OR 1.7, p = 0.042) and smaller AVM volume (OR 1.1, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Unruptured and ruptured pediatric AVMs have significantly different patient and nidal features. Pediatric AVM patients who possess 1 or more of these high-risk features may be candidates for relatively more aggressive management strategies.

Combination therapy with oral treprostinil for pulmonary arterial hypertension: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial

Abstract: Rationale: Oral treprostinil improves exercise capacity in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but the effect on clinical outcomes was unknown.Objectives: To evaluate the effect of oral treprostinil compared with placebo on time to first adjudicated clinical worsening event in participants with PAH who recently began approved oral monotherapy.Methods: In this event-driven, double-blind study, we randomly allocated 690 participants (1:1 ratio) with PAH to receive placebo or oral treprostinil extended-release tablets three times daily. Eligible participants were using approved oral monotherapy for over 30 days before randomization and had a 6-minute-walk distance 150 m or greater. The primary endpoint was the time to first adjudicated clinical worsening event: death; hospitalization due to worsening PAH; initiation of inhaled or parenteral prostacyclin therapy; disease progression; or unsatisfactory long-term clinical response.Measurements and Main Results: Clinical worsening occurred in 26% of the oral treprostinil group compared with 36% of placebo participants (hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.56-0.97; P = 0.028). Key measures of disease status, including functional class, Borg dyspnea score, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, all favored oral treprostinil treatment at Week 24 and beyond. A noninvasive risk stratification analysis demonstrated that oral treprostinil-assigned participants had a substantially higher mortality risk at baseline but achieved a lower risk profile from Study Weeks 12-60. The most common adverse events in the oral treprostinil group were headache, diarrhea, flushing, nausea, and vomiting.Conclusions: In participants with PAH, addition of oral treprostinil to approved oral monotherapy reduced the risk of clinical worsening.Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01560624).

A multi-institutional analysis of presentation and outcomes for leptomeningeal disease recurrence after surgical resection and radiosurgery for brain metastases.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Radiographic leptomeningeal disease (LMD) develops in up to 30% of patients following postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for brain metastases. However, the clinical relevancy of this finding and outcomes after various salvage treatments are not known. METHODS Patients with brain metastases, of which 1 was resected and treated with adjunctive SRS, and who subsequently developed LMD were combined from 7 tertiary care centers. LMD pattern was categorized as nodular (nLMD) or classical ("sugarcoating," cLMD). RESULTS The study cohort was 147 patients. Most patients (60%) were symptomatic at LMD presentation, with cLMD more likely to be symptomatic than nLMD (71% vs. 51%, P = 0.01). Salvage therapy was whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) alone (47%), SRS (27%), craniospinal radiotherapy (RT) (10%), and other (16%), with 58% receiving a WBRT-containing regimen. WBRT was associated with lower second LMD recurrence compared with focal RT (40% vs 68%, P = 0.02). Patients with nLMD had longer median overall survival (OS) than those with cLMD (8.2 vs 3.3 mo, P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis for OS, pattern of initial LMD (nodular vs classical) was significant, but type of salvage RT (WBRT vs focal) was not. CONCLUSIONS Nodular LMD is a distinct pattern of LMD associated with postoperative SRS that is less likely to be symptomatic and has better OS outcomes than classical "sugarcoating" LMD. Although focal RT demonstrated increased second LMD recurrence compared with WBRT, there was no associated OS detriment. Focal cranial RT for nLMD recurrence after surgery and SRS for brain metastases may be a reasonable alternative to WBRT.