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Purpose In patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT) exacerbates a cluster of difficult-to-manage symptoms, especially cancer-related fatigue. Minocycline is a readily available, low-cost antibiotic with antiinflammatory properties. We conducted a phase 2 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the effect of minocycline in reducing CRT-symptom burden in NSCLC. Methods and Materials Patients with NSCLC scheduled to receive CRT provided consent and were randomized to receive either minocycline (100 mg twice daily) or a matching placebo during 6 to 7 weeks of CRT. Patient-reported fatigue and other symptoms were assessed on MD Anderson Symptom Inventory weekly from the start of CRT for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was 12-week (±2 days) area under the curve for symptom burden, which was compared between treatment groups. Results Forty of 49 enrolled patients (80%) were evaluable (19 on minocycline and 21 on placebo). There were no grade 3 + adverse events related to the study medication. Fatigue was significantly reduced in the minocycline group compared with placebo group during the 12-week trial period (area under the curve = 31.2 ± 14.2 vs 45.0 ± 20.9, P = .011), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.77). Pain (Cohen’s d = 0.54) and shortness of breath (Cohen’s d = 0.55) were also significantly reduced in the minocycline group (all P Conclusions Minocycline during CRT for NSCLC was feasible, had a low toxicity profile, and yielded a clinically and statistically significant positive signal in reducing symptom burden related to NSCLC and CRT. This study is a proof of concept so a larger trial in CRT patients is warranted.

Background The CRASH-3 trial hypothesised that timely tranexamic acid (TXA) treatment might reduce deaths from intracranial bleeding after traumatic brain injury (TBI). To explore the mechanism of action of TXA in TBI, we examined the timing of its effect on death. Methods The CRASH-3 trial randomised 9202 patients within 3 h of injury with a GCS score ≤ 12 or intracranial bleeding on CT scan and no significant extracranial bleeding to receive TXA or placebo. We conducted an exploratory analysis of the effects of TXA on all-cause mortality within 24 h of injury and within 28 days, excluding patients with a GCS score of 3 or bilateral unreactive pupils, stratified by severity and country income. We pool data from the CRASH-2 and CRASH-3 trials in a one-step fixed effects individual patient data meta-analysis. Results There were 7637 patients for analysis after excluding patients with a GCS score of 3 or bilateral unreactive pupils. Of 1112 deaths, 23.3% were within 24 h of injury (early deaths). The risk of early death was reduced with TXA (112 (2.9%) TXA group vs 147 (3.9%) placebo group; risk ratio [RR] RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.94). There was no evidence of heterogeneity by severity (p = 0.64) or country income (p = 0.68). The risk of death beyond 24 h of injury was similar in the TXA and placebo groups (432 (11.5%) TXA group vs 421 (11.7%) placebo group; RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.69–1.12). The risk of death at 28 days was 14.0% in the TXA group versus 15.1% in the placebo group (544 vs 568 events; RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.83–1.03). When the CRASH-2 and CRASH-3 trial data were pooled, TXA reduced early death (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.70–0.87) and death within 28 days (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.82–0.94). Conclusions Tranexamic acid reduces early deaths in non-moribund TBI patients regardless of TBI severity or country income. The effect of tranexamic acid in patients with isolated TBI is similar to that in polytrauma. Treatment is safe and even severely injured patients appear to benefit when treated soon after injury. Trial registration ISRCTN15088122, registered on 19 July 2011; NCT01402882, registered on 26 July 2011.

Context Although it is well known that patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (PC) experience significant symptom burden, few strategies for effective symptom intervention are available for them. Objectives To investigate the efficacy of minocycline, an anti-inflammatory agent, for symptom reduction in patients with advanced PC. Methods We conducted Phase II, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial to obtain preliminary estimates of the effects on symptom reduction with 100 mg of minocycline or placebo given twice a day. Eligible patients had diagnosed advanced PC and were scheduled for standard chemotherapy. Patient-reported symptoms were measured weekly during the eight-week trial using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) module in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. The primary outcome measure was the area under the curve values of the five most severe symptoms in the two arms. Results Of the 44 patients recruited, 31 (71%) were evaluable for the primary efficacy analysis, with 18 received minocycline and 13 placebo. Fatigue, pain, disturbed sleep, lack of appetite, and drowsiness were the most severe symptoms reported by both groups. No significant differences in area under the curve values over time between the study arms were found for the composite MDASI score or single-item scores of the five most severe MDASI items. No treatment-related deaths were reported, and no Grade 3–4 toxicities were observed. Conclusion Minocycline is safe for use in patients receiving treatment for PC. There is no observed symptom reduction with minocycline on the major symptom burden associated with advanced PC compared with placebo. Attrition because of rapid disease progression impacted the study significantly.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT), and proton-beam therapy (PBT) are chemoradiotherapy modalities for treating locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Although therapy is carefully planned to maximize treatment benefit while minimizing risk for adverse side effects, most patients develop radiation-induced symptom burden.To demonstrate the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory's ability to detect fine differences in symptom development among these modalities.This was a longitudinal observational study. Patients with unresectable primary or recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer (n = 82) underwent 3DCRT, IMRT, or PBT. Patients rated MD Anderson Symptom Inventory symptoms weekly for up to 12 weeks. We used mixed-effect modeling to estimate development of symptoms and functional interference.The PBT group received a significantly higher radiation target dose than did the IMRT and 3DCRT groups (P 0.001). Fatigue was the most severe symptom over time for all groups. Controlling for patient and clinical factors (age, sex, race, cancer stage, performance status, body mass index, previous cancer therapy, total radiation dose), we found that pain, as a major esophagitis-related symptom, increased more during therapy (P = 0.019) and decreased more after (P = 0.013) therapy in the 3DCRT and IMRT groups than in the PBT group. Compared with the PBT group, the 3DCRT and IMRT groups reported greater decrease in systemic symptoms (fatigue, drowsiness, lack of appetite, disturbed sleep) after therapy (P = 0.016).Patients receiving PBT reported significantly less severe symptoms than did patients receiving IMRT or 3DCRT. These results should be confirmed in a randomized study with comparable tumor burden among therapies.

Introduction: A comparative evaluation of the surgical treatment and outcome of patients with pertrochanteric fractures treated with short versus long proximal femoral nail antirotation. Materials and methods: A retrospective review was conducted of patients with pertrochanteric fractures treated between January 2011 and June 2012. In all 80 patients were enrolled in the study, of which 40 were treated with short PFNA and the remaining with long PFNA. Comparative analyses of demographic data, peri-operative outcome and complications were carried out. Results: There was no significant difference noted in the two groups with regards to Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen (AO) fracture classification, time from injury to surgery, blood transfusion post surgery and hospital stay. The surgical duration for a short PFNA procedure was significantly less (58 minutes) when compared to that of a long PFNA (87 minutes). Similarly intra-operative blood loss was significantly higher in the long PFNA group as compared to the short PFNA. Conclusions: A relatively quicker surgical time of just under an hour , lesser blood loss and better learning curve with trainee surgeons make short PFNA a better implant choice in the treatment of pertrochanteric fractures.

Background and Objectives: The current knowledge about the psychological impact of pancreatic cancer (PC) screening is limited. We aimed to assess the changes in quality of life (QOL) and level of distress after undergoing EUS in individuals with pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) and in patients at high risk for PC based on genetic and familial factors. Methods: Eighty patients with PCL and/or increased genetic or familial risk for PC who had undergone EUS were contacted. Fifty percent of those patients successfully completed the brief profile of mood states (POMS) and the linear analog scale assessment (LASA) QOL questionnaires to evaluate their pre/post-EUS overall QOL. The effect size (ES) method was used to assess clinically meaningful changes in the scores. Results: There was a significant difference in patients’ overall QOL scores before and after the EUS procedure (LASA, mean difference 0.73, standard deviation (SD) 1.76, ES 0.58, P < 0.01; brief POMS, mean difference −5.46, SD −6.72, ES 0.81, P < 0.01). Conclusions: QOL of patients with PCL or increased risk factors for PC is significantly improved after a EUS/EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) negative for malignancy.

SummaryBackground Urethrocutaneous fistula is a well-known complication of hypospadias surgery. A recent prospective study by Kundra et al. (Pediatr Anesth 2012) has suggested that caudal anesthesia may increase the risk of fistula formation. We sought to evaluate this possible association and determine if any other novel factors may be associated with fistula formation. Methods Children who underwent primary hypospadias repair between January 1, 1994 and March 31, 2013 at our tertiary care center were included in this study. Reviewed surgical data included repair type, duration of procedure, use of local anesthetic infiltration, and subcutaneous epinephrine. Analgesic factors included use of caudal and/or penile block, opioid usage, postoperative pain scores, and nausea/vomiting. Postoperative surgical complications and estimates of family household median income by zip code were also reviewed. Results Fistula occurrence was not associated with caudal or penile block, severity of postoperative pain, or surgeon experience. A more proximal location of the urethral meatus, longer operating time, and use of subcutaneous epinephrine were significantly more common in patients who developed fistula. As assessed by home address zip code, distance of more than 100 miles and median household income in the bottom 25th percentile of our study population were not associated with fistula, as compared to closer distance or higher income. Conclusion In this series, we found no association between the use of caudal regional anesthesia and fistula formation. Location of the starting urethral meatus, prolonged surgical duration, and subcutaneous epinephrine use were associated with fistula formation. Our findings call into question the routine use of epinephrine in hypospadias repair.

Objectives We conducted a prospective randomized trial to compare the clinical impact of conventional risk factor modification to that associated with the addition of coronary artery calcium (CAC) scanning. Background Although CAC scanning predicts cardiac events, its impact on subsequent medical management and coronary artery disease risk is not known. Methods We assigned 2,137 volunteers to groups that either did undergo CAC scanning or did not undergo CAC scanning before risk factor counseling. The primary end point was 4-year change in coronary artery disease risk factors and Framingham Risk Score. We also compared the groups for differences in downstream medical resource utilization. Results Compared with the no-scan group, the scan group showed a net favorable change in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.02), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.04), and waist circumference for those with increased abdominal girth (p = 0.01), and tendency to weight loss among overweight subjects (p = 0.07). While there was a mean rise in Framingham Risk Score (FRS) in the no-scan group, FRS remained static in the scan group (0.7 ± 5.1 vs. 0.002 ± 4.9, p = 0.003). Within the scan group, increasing baseline CAC score was associated with a dose-response improvement in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p Conclusions Compared with no scanning, randomization to CAC scanning was associated with superior coronary artery disease risk factor control without increasing downstream medical testing. Further study of CAC scanning, including pre-specified treatment recommendations, to assess its impact of cardiovascular outcomes is warranted. (Early Identification of Subclinical Atherosclerosis Using Non-Invasive Imaging Research [EISNER]; NCT00927693)

10119Background: We examined longitudinal changes in symptom severity and symptom interference with activity-related (WAW: work, general activity, walking) and mood-related (REM: relations with oth...

Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) have been reported to have an increased prevalence of premature cardiovascular disease. Whether the increased risk of disease is owing to clustering of traditional cardiac risk factor or is over and above that predicted by risk factors was addressed.Ninety-one persons with chronic SCI were studied for subclinical atherosclerosis. Cardiac risk factors and coronary artery calcium (CAC) was compared to matched non-SCI controls. The 273 controls were 3:1 matched for age, gender, ethnicity and risk factors and were drawn from a national database of over 30,000 asymptomatic persons undergoing coronary scanning.Seventy-six men and 15 women were studied. Average age was 49.7+/-12 years. Duration of injury was 19.7+/-10 years. The ethnicity of the study cohort included 36% Caucasian, 49% Latino, 10% African American, and 5% other. The mean calcium score of the SCI group was significantly greater than the control group (75+/-218 versus 28+/-104, P0.001). The prevalence of any CAC score was greater in the SCI population than the control population (51 versus 39%, P0.05), as was CAC score100 (16 versus 7%, P0.01). Women with SCI had a significantly lower CAC score than men (mean score: 12 versus 86, P0.01).Patients with SCI were shown to have greater atherosclerotic burden than able-bodied controls. Of note, and unexplained, this finding is beyond that explained by the clustering of traditional risk factors. On the basis of these findings, increased attention should be directed toward the prevention of coronary heart disease in those with SCI.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether uric acid (UA) levels were associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) in white men asymptomatic for coronary heart disease. We also evaluated whether this relation was dependent or not on the presence of the metabolic syndrome (MS). The study population consisted of 371 asymptomatic Brazilian men (48 +/- 7 years of age) who underwent a routine evaluation. The average 10-year total risk of coronary heart disease calculated by Framingham risk score was 10.8 +/- 7.8%. The age-adjusted prevalence of CAC in patients with a high UA level (fourth quartileor =7.1 mg/dl, n = 91) was significantly higher than that in those with a normal UA level (58% vs 44%, p = 0.02). With respect to age, smoking, physical activity, and components of MS-adjusted analyses, a high UA level was independently associated with the presence of CAC (p = 0.043) and with increasing levels of CAC (p = 0.028). Prevalence of MS showed a graded increase according to serum UA values. In patients with the MS, after adjusting for age, smoking, physical activity, and white blood cell count, high levels of UA were strongly associated with the presence of any CAC (odds ratio 3.47, 95% confidence interval 1.26 to 9.53, p = 0.01) and with increasing levels of CAC (odds ratio 2.74, 95% confidence interval 1.15 to 6.50, p = 0.02). Conversely, there was no significant association of high UA levels in patients without the MS. However, the interaction between high UA level and the MS did not achieve statistical significance for the presence of CAC (p = 0.11) or higher levels of CAC (p = 0.16). In conclusion, our study suggests that, among asymptomatic moderate-risk men, high UA levels were independently associated with CAC in subjects with the MS.

From a preventive aspect, it is especially important to investigate the lifestyle risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of increasing metabolic syndrome (MS) components across increasing levels of estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in asymptomatic young to middle-aged men.We studied 449 consecutive asymptomatic men (47 +/- 7 years) who underwent a maximal treadmill exercise test according to the Bruce protocol. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was divided into tertiles based on metabolic equivalents (METs). The following MS components were studied: 1) waist circumference102 cm; 2) serum triglyceridesor = 150 mg/dL; 3) HDL cholesterol levels of40 mg/dL; 4) fasting blood glucose (FBG)or = 110 mg/dL or 5) blood pressureor = 130/85 mmHg or treated hypertension. Multinomial logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between clustering of MS components and CRF as determined by metabolic equivalents (METs). We used polytomous logistic regression to determine the likelihood of clustering of increasing components of metabolic syndrome with intermediate (2nd tertile) and low (1st tertile) levels of CRF as compared to those with highest levels of CRF (3rd tertile).Overall in the study population, zero, 1, 2 andor = 3 (i.e., metabolic syndrome) risk factors for MS were observed in 29% (n = 129), 26% (n = 118), 22% (n = 98) and 23% (n = 104) men, respectively. The mean METS achieved in the study population was 10 +/- 2 (range 4-20). Nearly half (49%) of individuals with the highest levels of CRF had no MS risk factors whereas only 18% of those with low CRF (METS9) had no MS risk factors. On the other end of the spectrum, the prevalence of MS (or = 3 MS risk factors) increased significantly across decreasing levels of CRF (6, 22, 33% p0.0001 for trend). Multivariable polytomous logistic regression (adjusting for age, smoking, cholesterol-lowering therapy) demonstrated that individuals with low CRF (1st tertile of METS) compared to those with highest CRF had 3.1- (p = 0.001) and 11.8- (p0.0001) fold higher risk of having 2 andor = 3 MS components, respectively. Similar results were observed when the analyses was repeated adjusting for Framingham risk score.Asymptomatic men with low levels of CRF have a greater likelihood for clustering of MS components and thus are at higher CVD risk. Further studies are needed to define the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with intermediate levels of CRF and address which treatment strategies are most important given an individual's risk profile.

Hypertension and inflammation promote cardiovascular disease (CVD). Even high normal systolic blood pressure (SBP) is associated with increased CVD risk. We assessed the relationship of elevated SBP within the normotensive range and white blood cell (WBC) count. This is a cross-sectional study of 3484 white asymptomatic individuals (mean age: 43+/-8 years, 79% males) without hypertension with SBP140 mm Hg. White blood cell countor=75th percentile (8.35 x 10(9) cells/l) was considered cutoff for elevated WBC. Subjects were classified into three levels of SBP (first:120 mm Hg, n=1,176, 34%; second: 120-129 mm Hg, n=1,654, 47%; third: 130-139 mm Hg, n=654, 19%). Mean WBC count increased linearly across SBP categories (first: 6.14+/-1.54, second: 6.20+/-1.52, third: 6.41+/-1.62, P=0.02 for trend). There was a linear increase in prevalence of elevated WBC across higher SBP categories (22, 24 and 28%, P=0.02). As compared to those with SBP120 mm Hg, in multivariate linear regression analyses (adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, diabetes, body mass index, physical activity, cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio) WBC count was significantly higher among participants with SBP 130-139 mm Hg (regression coefficient: 2.64, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-4.24, P=0.001). Odds ratio for prevalence of elevated WBC with SBP120 mm Hg as reference group was 1.14 (0.92-1.41) for SBP 120-129 mm Hg and 1.50 (1.15-1.92) for SBP 130-139 mm Hg. In conclusion, Higher SBP within the normotensive range is also associated with elevated WBC count. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of inflammation in high normal SBP and associated CVD risk.

10100 Background: Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) experience substantial pain that may be from disease and/or post autologous stem cell transplant condition, and exacerbated by maintenance therapy. Minocycline is a readily available, low-cost antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties. We conducted a phase II randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial to investigate the effect of minocycline in reducing patient-reported symptoms during maintenance therapy. Methods: Adults with MM scheduled for maintenance therapy at a single-institution were consented and randomized to receive either minocycline (100 mg twice daily) or placebo over the first 3 cycles maintenance therapy. Feasibility, toxicity, and patient-reported outcome data were prospectively collected. The MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-MM (0–10 scale) was used to assess pain and other symptoms weekly during 3 months trial. The longitudinal analysis for pain was compared between the minocycline and control groups to examine minocycline’s efficacy. Results: From April 2013 to Aug 2016, 88 patients were enrolled and 69 (78%) were evaluable: 33 were randomized to minocycline and 36 to placebo. There were no grade 3+ study medication-related adverse events. The worst 5 symptoms on MDASI-core during the trial were fatigue, pain, numbness/tinging, drowsiness, and disturbed sleep, followed by two MM module item bone aches and muscle weakness. Demographic and disease characteristics were not significantly different between groups. Longitudinal modelling of revealed a significant reduction on pain in minocycline group than placebo group (time and treatment group interaction, estimate=-0.068, P=.003). The favorite pain reduction in minocycline group vs placebo arm was represented by a moderate effect size (Cohen’s d =0.48). Conclusions: Minocycline during maintenance therapy for MM was feasible, had a low toxicity profile, and yielded a statistically significant positive signal on pain reduction. These preliminary results are encouraging and warrant a Phase III trial to test its efficacy. Clinical trial information: NCT01793051.

e21636Background: In patients with newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer, symptom burden can be driven by both rapid disease progression and aggressive cancer therapy. Abatement of symptoms is a highly...

Despite convincing data demonstrating the benefits of aspirin (ASA), exercise, and dietary changes for both primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease, they remain underused. In this study, we assess whether higher coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores determined by electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) are associated with beneficial lifestyle behaviors in asymptomatic individuals. A total of 980 asymptomatic patients referred for EBCT risk assessment by their primary physician were sent a survey questioning them about health behaviors. We evaluated long-term ASA utilization, exercise, and dietary changes based on CAC using multivariable analysis. The study population consisted of 980 individuals (78% men, mean age 60 +/- 8 years) who were followed for a mean of 3 +/- 2 years after an initial EBCT scan. Overall, ASA initiation was lowest (29%) among those with CAC = 0, and gradually increased with higher CAC scores (1 to 99, 55%; 100 to 399, 61%;or =400, 63%; p0.001 for trend). Similarly, dietary changes and exercise were lowest (33% and 44%, respectively) among those with CAC = 0 and gradually increased with higher CAC scores (1 to 99, 40%; 100 to 399, 58%;or =400, 56%; p0.001 for trend for dietary changes; and 1 to 99, 62%; 100 to 399, 63%;or =400, 67%; p0.001 for trend for exercise). In multivariable analysis, greater baseline CAC was strongly associated with initiation of ASA therapy, dietary changes, and increased exercise. In conclusion, in addition to risk stratification of asymptomatic individuals, determination of CAC may also improve utilization of ASA therapy and behavioral modification.

First described by Adams et al., central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a rare neurological disorder of unknown pathogenesis that is characterized by demyelinating lesions localized mostly in the pons. It is caused by rapid normalization of serum sodium in patients with chronic hyponatremia [1]. We present a case of CPM in a 52-year-old male in whom the condition developed in the setting of relatively mild hyponatremia despite appropriate correction of the serum sodium level.

9611 Background: Clinical practice and research often solely rely on clinician ratings of treatment toxicities, where a simple “symptomatic/not symptomatic” question to the patient is typically use...

Background There is an independent association between white blood cell (WBC) and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. However, the relationship between WBC and Framingham Risk Score (FRS) remains unclear. Methods This is a cross-sectional study on a consecutive sample of 520 white asymptomatic men (mean age 46 ± 7 years) without CHD. The study population was divided into WBC quartiles (×10 9 cells/L): 1 st quartile: 3.1–5.3 ( n = 139), 2 nd quartile: 5.4–6.1 ( n = 129), 3 rd quartile: 6.2–7.1 ( n = 131), 4 th quartile: ≥7.2 ( n = 121), and into tertiles according to the 10-year FRS: 1 st tertile (low risk n = 180, 35%), 2 nd tertile (intermediate risk 5–12%, n = 210, 40%), 3 rd tertile (high risk: ≥13%, n = 130, 25%). Results WBC correlated only weakly with FRS ( r = 0.18, p = 0.001). Among individual components of FRS, WBC correlated minimally with smoking ( r = 0.12, p = 0.003), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.07, p = 0.1), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( r = −0.06, p = 0.1). However, no correlation was observed with age ( p = 0.3) and total cholesterol ( p = 0.5). Nearly one third (31%) of men in the low-risk (FRS st quartile compared to 20% of those classified as high risk (FRS ≥13%). The prevalence of WBC in the 4 th quartile increased across FRS tertiles (18, 22, 32%) ( p = 0.09). Conclusions WBC correlates weakly with FRS or its individual components. Since WBC count is strongly related to CHD, WBC may reflect different components of cardiovascular risk, which might not be captured by traditional cardiovascular risk factors used in calculating FRS. Inflammatory biomarkers afford adjunctive value to FRS and may be used to improve CHD risk stratification.

In patients with suspected or documented heart disease, a precise quantitative and qualitative assessment of cardiac function is critical for clinical diagnosis, risk stratification, management and prognosis. Cardiac CT is increasingly being used in diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Initially multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) was used chiefly for detecting coronary artery stenosis and assessment of cardiac morphology. Electron beam computed tomography has been shown to provide a highly accurate ejection fraction (T1%), with 50 ms image acquisition per image. Retrospective electrocardiographic gating allows for image recon- struction in any phase of the cardiac cycle. Thus, end systolic and end diastolic images can be produced to assess ventricular volumes and function. Despite lower temporal resolution than electron beam computed tomography, the ability of MDCT to assess ejection fraction is preserved. In the assessment of cardiac function, MDCT has been shown to be in good agreement with echocardiography, cineventriculography, single photon emission computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The fast technical development of scanner hardware along with multisegmental image reconstruction has led to rapid improvement of spatial and temporal resolution and significantly faster cardiac scans. The same data that is acquired for MDCT angiography can also be used for evaluation of cardiac function. Considering contrast media application, radiation exposure, and limited temporal resolution, MDCT solely for analysis of cardiac function parameters seems not reasonable at the present time. However, because the data is already obtained during coronary evaluation, the combination of noninvasive coronary artery imaging and assessment of cardiac function with MDCT is a suitable approach to a conclusive cardiac workup in patients with suspected coronary artery disease. MDCT seems suitable for assessment of cardiac function by MDCT when results are held in comparison to magnetic resonance imaging as the reference standard. Given the radiation dose and contrast requirement, referring a patient to MDCT only for evaluation of function is not warranted, but rather adds important clinical information to the already acquired data during retrospective triggering for MDCT angiography.

Objectives We aim to review the studies comparing coronary calcification across different ethnic groups. Background There is still uncertainty regarding ethnic differences in the prevalence, progression, and risk of coronary artery disease. Clues to possible racial differences in rates of coronary heart disease (CHD) may be found by identifying subclinical disease. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) can be used to predict risk of CHD in both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. Methods Online databases were searched for studies assessing racial differences in CAC. Results Most of the published studies have shown that racial differences exist in the prevalence and severity of CAC. Whites have a higher prevalence of CAC as compared to African Americans and other ethnic groups even after adjustment for risk factors. These differences in CAC are even more pronounced in men and in the elderly. Data regarding the distribution of CAC in ethnic groups outside the United States are limited. Emerging evidence indicates that while several ethnic groups outside the United States tend to have a greater prevalence of CHD risk factors, their prevalence of CAC is lower, as compared with Americans. Thus, the data obtained in the United States may not be able to be fully extrapolated to populations outside the United States for assessment of CHD risk. Conclusions The presence and extent of CAC varies among different racial groups within and outside the United States. The relationship between calcification and the incidence of CHD in these ethnic groups needs further exploration. Thus, it is important to develop ethnic specific CAC nomograms to more accurately determine the underlying CHD risk associated with CAC in these individuals. It will also be imperative to obtain outcome data and relate it to baseline levels of CAC to help us put in perspective the significance of racial differences in CAC and how they impact on cardiac risk prediction.

e20699 Background: The high symptom burden reported by patients being treated for advanced pancreatic cancer could be driven by both disease and treatment. Few clinical studies have addressed the a...

7574 Background: Concurrent chemoradiation (CXRT) for stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is associated with the development of systemic self-reported symptom burden as well as radiation esophagitis (RE). This longitudinal study aims to provide a profile of the symptom burden among 3 radiation techniques concurrently used with chemotherapy: 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT), intensity- modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and proton beam therapy (PBT). Methods: NSCLC patients (N=164) treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center rated symptoms via the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) weekly from pre-therapy up to 20 weeks post-therapy. Descriptive analysis identified major symptom burden, and mixed effect modeling examined change over time in symptom outcomes among the 3 types of CXRT. Results: Average total radiation dose was higher (p=.0003) for PBT (N=30, 71.6 Gy) and IMRT (N=67, 66.3 Gy) than for 3DCRT (N=24, 62.1 Gy). Over time, all patients reported a cluster of symptoms that increased as the dose accumulated, including fatigue, drowsiness, pain, difficulty swallowing, poor appetite and sore throat; symptoms generally peaked at week 7-9 and returned to pre-therapy levels at week 13. The IMRT group had significant less-severe sore throat (p=.03), while there were no significant differences in symptom severity among the 3 types of CXRT for the other major symptoms before, during and after CXRT. However, there was a trend of more patients reporting moderate to severe sickness symptoms as a component score (fatigue, pain, sore throat, poor appetite and drowsiness) in the 3DCRT group than in the IMRT or PBT groups at end of CXRT (50% vs. 44%, 31%) and at 13 weeks (53% vs. 23%, 25%). Also, there was a trend of more patients under 3DCRT than IMRT or PBT had moderate to severe sore throat (RE symptom) by end of CXRT (60% vs. 44%, 46%) and no different by 13 weeks (27% vs. 25%, 31%). Conclusions: Although clinical studies have reported the toxicities of CXRT, this is the first longitudinal study that compared symptom profiles for NSCLC patients receiving PBT, IMRT and 3DCRT. There is an impression of more severe treatment-related symptoms for 3DCRT (although in lower radiation dose) than IMRT or PBT.

370 Background: The symptoms reported by patients being treated for advanced pancreatic cancer (PC) could be driven by disease and treatment. Few clinical studies have addressed the interaction between disease, treatment, and symptom burden. We conducted a longitudinal study tracking multiple symptoms to provide an evidence-based symptom profile for patients with advanced PC receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. Methods: From start of the first chemotherapy cycle (baseline), patients rated symptoms weekly during chemotherapy via the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI), then continued symptom assessment every two weeks for up to 40 weeks. Longitudinal symptom responses were analyzed by mixed-effect modeling. Results: Among 100 PC patients enrolled, 87% were treatment-naïve. The median age was 65 yrs old (range 35-85). Half of the sample was female; 32% received opioids for severe pain. The three most severe MDASI symptoms at baseline were fatigue, lack of appetite, and pain. Poor performance status and opioid use were significantly related to severity of these baseline symptoms (all P Conclusions: Our results suggest that standard gemcitabine-based chemotherapy plus active palliative care for advanced PC was associated with significant improvement in appetite. However, worsening fatigue suggests a need to provide active intervention to minimize this symptom for PC patients. Patients suffering from greater symptom burden at baseline and overtime, seems consistent with greater disease burden, may be expected to discontinue treatment earlier.