Objective: PD-1 inhibitors have demonstrated improved health outcomes in cancer patients. PD-1 inhibitors are well-tolerated and associated with immune-related adverse events. The objectives of this study are to analyze use patterns of PD-1 inhibitors in patients with cancer and to investigate the incidence of thyroid-related adverse reactions in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors. Methods: The study included patients who had been administered PD-1 inhibitors (either nivolumab or pembrolizumab) at the Samsung Medical Center between October 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Data was collected from electronic medical records and tested using Mann-Whitney tests and Chi-Square tests for statistical significance. Associations between PD-1 inhibitors and incidence of adverse events were tested using Cox regression for age, gender, BMI, ECOG PS and medication. Results: Two hundred fifteen patients were identified as eligible for analyses. Thyroid-related adverse events occurred in 20% of patients (n=43). Thyroid function tests (TFTs) was performed in 109 patients (50.7%). Positive results of PD-L1 testing were found in 53.2% of the 94 patients who had the test. Approved doses of nivolumab (3 m/kg) and pembrolizumab (200 mg) were administered in 70.4% and 53% of patients, respectively. The analysis of risk factor of thyroid-related adverse reaction did not show statistically significant differences (Cox regression). Conclusion Thyroid-related adverse events are common in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors and hypothyroidism is the most frequent adverse reaction. Routine TFTs monitoring is strongly recommended to evaluate thyroid function in real-world clinical practice.

Objective: PD-1 inhibitors have demonstrated improved health outcomes in cancer patients. PD-1 inhibitors are well-tolerated and associated with immune-related adverse events. The objectives of this study are to analyze use patterns of PD-1 inhibitors in patients with cancer and to investigate the incidence of thyroid-related adverse reactions in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors. Methods: The study included patients who had been administered PD-1 inhibitors (either nivolumab or pembrolizumab) at the Samsung Medical Center between October 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Data was collected from electronic medical records and tested using Mann-Whitney tests and Chi-Square tests for statistical significance. Associations between PD-1 inhibitors and incidence of adverse events were tested using Cox regression for age, gender, BMI, ECOG PS and medication. Results: Two hundred fifteen patients were identified as eligible for analyses. Thyroid-related adverse events occurred in 20% of patients (n=43). Thyroid function tests (TFTs) was performed in 109 patients (50.7%). Positive results of PD-L1 testing were found in 53.2% of the 94 patients who had the test. Approved doses of nivolumab (3 m/kg) and pembrolizumab (200 mg) were administered in 70.4% and 53% of patients, respectively. The analysis of risk factor of thyroid-related adverse reaction did not show statistically significant differences (Cox regression). Conclusion Thyroid-related adverse events are common in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors and hypothyroidism is the most frequent adverse reaction. Routine TFTs monitoring is strongly recommended to evaluate thyroid function in real-world clinical practice.

To substantiate psychological symptoms following humidifier disinfectant (HD) disasters, counseling records of 26 victims and 92 family members of victims (45 were bereaved) were analyzed retrospectively. Among the victims, 34.6% had Clinical Global Impression-Severity scores of over 4, which meant they were moderately ill. While anxiety/fear and depression with respiratory symptoms were frequently observed in victims and family members, chronic psychological distress such as alcohol/smoking abuse and insomnia was relatively high in bereaved family members. In conclusion, it is important to provide mental health support for victims and their families, focusing on the characteristic symptoms of each group as well as monetary compensation.
Compensation and Redress ; Counseling ; Depression ; Disaster Victims* ; Disasters* ; Humans ; Humidifiers* ; Mental Health ; Retrospective Studies ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

PURPOSE: We investigated the effects of pretransplant-transfusion on engraftment, graft versus host disease (GVHD) and graft rejection after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in children with severe aplastic anemia who had HLA-identical sibling donor. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 47 children with severe aplastic anemia who received grafts from HLA-matched sibling donor using same conditioning regimen (procarbazine, antithymocyte globulin, and cyclophosphamide) from September 1986 to May 2001. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine and short-term methotrexate. Patients receiving multiple transfusion more than 40 transfused units in total before BMT were defined as high-risk group (HRG) and those with less than 40 transfused units were as standard-risk group (SRG). RESULTS: Among 47 patients, 30 patients were classified into SRG and remaining 17 were into HRG. The median time from diagnosis to transplant was 4 (range, 1~14) months in SRG and 36 (range, 3~360) months in HRG. Primary engraftment was achieved in all patients. Acute GVHD (> or =grade II) in HRG (13.3%) was comparable with in SRG (5.9%) (P=0.221), meanwhile corresponding fugures for chronic GVHD was 1 (3.3%) and 2 (11.8%). All of these patients have experienced complete resolution of GVHD and are no longer receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Booster stem cell infusion was needed for poor graft function (n=3) in SRG and also for poor graft function (n=1) or progressive rejection (n=3) in HRG. Five-year disease free survival rate was 100% in SRG and 94.1 6% in HRG (P=0.18). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that multiple transfusion may be not a risk factor for rejection or poor outcome. Progressive rejection was observed only in patients with multiple transfusion but did not affect the survival.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Antilymphocyte Serum ; Bone Marrow Transplantation* ; Bone Marrow* ; Child ; Cyclosporine ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Graft Rejection ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Methotrexate ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Siblings* ; Stem Cells ; Tissue Donors* ; Transplants