No abstract

Purpose The role of germline genetic testing in breast cancer patients is crucial, especially in the setting of the recent trials showing the benefit of PARP inhibitors. The goal of this study was to identify racial disparities in genetic counseling and testing in patients with high-risk breast cancer. Methods Patients with 2 unique breast cancer diagnoses were examined to understand demographics, insurance coverage, characteristics of breast cancer, and whether they were recommended for and received genetic counseling and testing. Results A total of 69 patients with a dual diagnosis of breast cancer between the years 2000 and 2017 were identified (42% identified as White compared to 58% that identified as non-White). White patients were more likely to be recommended for genetic counseling (OR = 2.85; 95% CI, 1.07-7.93, P < .05), be referred for genetic counseling (OR = 3.17; 95% CI, 1.19-8.86, P < .05), receive counseling (OR = 3.82; 95% CI, 1.42-10.83, P < .01), and undergo genetic testing (OR = 2.88; 95% CI, 0.97-9.09, P = .056) compared to non-White patients. Patients with private insurance were significantly more likely to be recommended for genetic counseling (OR 5.63, P < .005), referred (OR 6.11, P < .005), receive counseling (OR 4.21, P < .05), and undergo testing (OR 4.10, P < .05). When controlled for insurance, there was no significant racial differences in the rates of GC recommendation, referral, counseling, or testing. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that disparities in genetic counseling and testing are largely driven by differences in health insurance.

Background: Early in the Covid-19 pandemic, there was uncertainty regarding critical illness prognosis and challenges to traditional face-to-face family meetings. Ethnic minority populations have suffered disproportionately worse outcomes during the pandemic, which may in part relate to differences in end-of-life decision-making. Aim: Characterize patterns of and factors associated with decisions to forgo resuscitative efforts, as measured by do-not-resuscitate orders, during critical illness with Covid-19. Design: Retrospective cohort with medical record abstraction. Setting/participants: Adult patients diagnosed with SARS-Cov-2 virus via polymerase chain reaction and admitted to the intensive care unit at an academic hospital, which cares for the city’s underserved communities, between March 1 and June 7, 2020 who underwent invasive mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours. Results: In this cohort ( n = 155), 45% were black people, and 51% spoke English as their primary language. Median time to first goals-of-care conversation was 3.9 days (IQR 1.9–7.6) after intensive care unit admission. Overall 61/155 patients (39%) transitioned to do-not-resuscitate status, and 50/62 (82%) patients who died had do-not-resuscitate orders. Multivariate analysis shows age and palliative care involvement as the strongest predictors of decision to instate do-not-resuscitate order. There was no association between race, ethnicity, or language and decisions to forego resuscitation. Conclusions: During this time of crisis and uncertainty with limited resources and strained communication, time to first goals of care conversation was shorter than in pre-pandemic studies, but rates of foregoing resuscitation remained similar, with no differences observed by race, ethnicity, or language. This study suggests that early palliative care involvement and non-traditional communications, including videoconferencing, to facilitate goals of care conversations could have mitigated potential disparities in end-of-life decision making patterns during the pandemic.

Recurrence of goodpasture syndrome with negative antiglomerular basement antibodies. Report of one case Goodpasture Syndrome is described as a single episode disease entity. It is diagnosed with the demonstration of antiglomerular basement (anti-GBM) antibodies in plasma or renal tissue. Although the recurrence of anti-GBM disease is rare, it has been reported in up to 3% of cases. Recurrence with negative anti-GBM antibodies in plasma is even less frequent We report a 63 years old male in whom anti-GBM disease recurred without detectable anti-GBM antibodies in plasma, despite having positive antibodies at the onset.

Hypophosphatemia induced by carboxymaltose iron and imatinib. Report of two casesHypophosphatemia is a relatively frequent and a potentially serious adverse drug effect. Clinically it is characterized by bone pain and muscle weakness. There are several mechanisms by which a drug can induce hypophosphatemia and they can be classified according to whether or not they are mediated by an excess of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF23). We report two patients with the condition: (i) A 49-year-old woman with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and gastric sleeve surgery at 46 years of age. After receiving intravenous carboxymaltose iron in one occasion due to refractory anemia, she developed symptomatic hypophosphatemia. Urinary phosphate losses associated with high FGF23 levels were confirmed. Plasma phosphate returned to normal values 90 days after the iron administration. (ii) A 40-year-old man with a history of CML in whom imatinib was started. He developed symptomatic hypophosphatemia due to non FGF23-mediated hyperphosphaturia. As treatment with imatinib could not be interrupted, hypophosphatemia and its symptoms resolved with oral phosphate intake. These cases illustrate the importance of recognizing and treating drug-induced hypophosphatemia in a timely manner, and thus avoid the morbidity associated with this entity.