CHEST Physician

Ah, blood. That sweet nectar of life that quiets angina, abolishes dyspnea, prevents orthostatic syncope, and quells sinus tachycardia. As a cardiologist, I am an unabashed hemophile. 

But we liberal transfusionists are challenged on every request for consideration of transfusion. Whereas the polite may resort to whispered skepticism, vehement critics respond with scorn as if we’d asked them to burn aromatic herbs or fetch a bucket of leeches. And to what do we owe this pathological angst? The broad and persistent misinterpretation of the pesky TRICC trial (N Engl J Med. 1999;340:409-417). You know; the one that should have been published with a boxed warning stating: “Misinterpretation of this trial could result in significant harm.” 
 

Point 1: Our Actively Bleeding Patient is Not a TRICC Patient. 

Published in 1999, the TRICC trial enrolled critical anemic patients older than 16 years who were stable after fluid resuscitation and were not actively bleeding. They had a hemoglobin level < 9 g/dL and were expected to stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) for more than 24 hours. They were randomly assigned to either a conservative trigger for transfusion of < 7 g/dL or a liberal threshold of < 10 g/dL. Mortality at 30 days was lower with the conservative approach — 18.7% vs 23.3% — but the difference was not statistically significant (P = .11). The findings were similar for the secondary endpoints of inpatient mortality (22.2% vs 28.1%; P = .05) and ICU mortality (13.9% vs 16.2%; P = .29). 

One must admit that these P values are not impressive, and the authors’ conclusion should have warranted caution: “A restrictive strategy ... is at least as effective as and possibly superior to a liberal transfusion strategy in critically ill patients, with the possible exception of patients with acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina.” 
 

Point 2: Our Critically Ill Cardiac Patient is Unlikely to be a “TRICC” Patient.

Another criticism of TRICC is that only 13% of those assessed and 26% of those eligible were enrolled, mostly owing to physician refusal. Only 26% of enrolled patients had cardiac disease. This makes the TRICC population highly selected and not representative of typical ICU patients. 

To prove my point that the edict against higher transfusion thresholds can be dangerous, I’ll describe my most recent interface with TRICC trial misinterpretation 
 

A Case in Point

The patient, Mrs. Kemp,* is 79 years old and has been on aspirin for years following coronary stent placement. One evening, she began spurting bright red blood from her rectum, interrupted only briefly by large clots the consistency of jellied cranberries. When she arrived at the hospital, she was hemodynamically stable, with a hemoglobin level of 10 g/dL, down from her usual 12 g/dL. That level bolstered the confidence of her provider, who insisted that she be managed conservatively. 

Mrs. Kemp was transferred to the ward, where she continued to bleed briskly. Over the next 2 hours, her hemoglobin level dropped to 9 g/dL, then 8 g/dL. Her daughter, a healthcare worker, requested a transfusion. The answer was, wait for it — the well-scripted, somewhat patronizing oft-quoted line, “The medical literature states that we need to wait for a hemoglobin level of 7 g/dL before we transfuse.” 

Later that evening, Mrs. Kemp’s systolic blood pressure dropped to the upper 80s, despite her usual hypertension. The provider was again comforted by the fact that she was not tachycardic (she had a pacemaker and was on bisoprolol). The next morning, Mrs. Kemp felt the need to defecate and was placed on the bedside commode and left to her privacy. Predictably, she became dizzy and experienced frank syncope. Thankfully, she avoided a hip fracture or worse. A stat hemoglobin returned at 6 g/dL. 

Her daughter said she literally heard the hallelujah chorus because her mother’s hemoglobin was finally below that much revered and often misleading threshold of 7 g/dL. Finally, there was an order for platelets and packed red cells. Five units later, Mr. Kemp achieved a hemoglobin of 8 g/dL and survived. Two more units and she was soaring at 9 g/dL! 
 

Lessons for Transfusion Conservatives

There are many lessons here. 

The TRICC study found that hemodynamically stable, asymptomatic patients who are not actively bleeding may well tolerate a hemoglobin level of 7 g/dL. But a patient with bright red blood actively pouring from an orifice and a rapidly declining hemoglobin level isn’t one of those people. Additionally, a patient who faints from hypovolemia is not one of those people. 

Patients with a history of bleeding presenting with new resting sinus tachycardia (in those who have chronotropic competence) should be presumed to be actively bleeding, and the findings of TRICC do not apply to them. Patients who have bled buckets on anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapies and have dropped their hemoglobin will probably continue to ooze and should be subject to a low threshold for transfusion. 

Additionally, anemic people who are hemodynamically stable but can’t walk without new significant shortness of air or new rest angina need blood, and sometimes at hemoglobin levels higher than generally accepted by conservative strategists. Finally, failing to treat or at least monitor patients who are spontaneously bleeding as aggressively as some trauma patients is a failure to provide proper medical care. 

The vast majority of my healthcare clinician colleagues are competent, compassionate individuals who can reasonably discuss the nuances of any medical scenario. One important distinction of a good medical team is the willingness to change course based on a change in patient status or the presentation of what may be new information for the provider. 

But those proud transfusion conservatives who will not budge until their threshold is met need to make certain their patient is truly subject to their supposed edicts. Our blood banks should not be more difficult to access than Fort Knox, and transfusion should be used appropriately and liberally in the hemodynamically unstable, the symptomatic, and active brisk bleeders. 

I beg staunch transfusion conservatives to consider how they might feel if someone stuck a magic spigot in their brachial artery and acutely drained their hemoglobin to that magic threshold of 7 g/dL. When syncope, shortness of air, fatigue, and angina find them, they may generate empathy for those who need transfusion. Might that do the TRICC? 

*Some details have been changed to conceal the identity of the patient, but the essence of the case has been preserved.

Dr. Walton-Shirley, a native Kentuckian who retired from full-time invasive cardiology and now does locums work in Montana, is a champion of physician rights and patient safety. She has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Ah, blood. That sweet nectar of life that quiets angina, abolishes dyspnea, prevents orthostatic syncope, and quells sinus tachycardia. As a cardiologist, I am an unabashed hemophile. 

But we liberal transfusionists are challenged on every request for consideration of transfusion. Whereas the polite may resort to whispered skepticism, vehement critics respond with scorn as if we’d asked them to burn aromatic herbs or fetch a bucket of leeches. And to what do we owe this pathological angst? The broad and persistent misinterpretation of the pesky TRICC trial (N Engl J Med. 1999;340:409-417). You know; the one that should have been published with a boxed warning stating: “Misinterpretation of this trial could result in significant harm.” 
 

Point 1: Our Actively Bleeding Patient is Not a TRICC Patient. 

Published in 1999, the TRICC trial enrolled critical anemic patients older than 16 years who were stable after fluid resuscitation and were not actively bleeding. They had a hemoglobin level < 9 g/dL and were expected to stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) for more than 24 hours. They were randomly assigned to either a conservative trigger for transfusion of < 7 g/dL or a liberal threshold of < 10 g/dL. Mortality at 30 days was lower with the conservative approach — 18.7% vs 23.3% — but the difference was not statistically significant (P = .11). The findings were similar for the secondary endpoints of inpatient mortality (22.2% vs 28.1%; P = .05) and ICU mortality (13.9% vs 16.2%; P = .29). 

One must admit that these P values are not impressive, and the authors’ conclusion should have warranted caution: “A restrictive strategy ... is at least as effective as and possibly superior to a liberal transfusion strategy in critically ill patients, with the possible exception of patients with acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina.” 
 

Point 2: Our Critically Ill Cardiac Patient is Unlikely to be a “TRICC” Patient.

Another criticism of TRICC is that only 13% of those assessed and 26% of those eligible were enrolled, mostly owing to physician refusal. Only 26% of enrolled patients had cardiac disease. This makes the TRICC population highly selected and not representative of typical ICU patients. 

To prove my point that the edict against higher transfusion thresholds can be dangerous, I’ll describe my most recent interface with TRICC trial misinterpretation 
 

A Case in Point

The patient, Mrs. Kemp,* is 79 years old and has been on aspirin for years following coronary stent placement. One evening, she began spurting bright red blood from her rectum, interrupted only briefly by large clots the consistency of jellied cranberries. When she arrived at the hospital, she was hemodynamically stable, with a hemoglobin level of 10 g/dL, down from her usual 12 g/dL. That level bolstered the confidence of her provider, who insisted that she be managed conservatively. 

Mrs. Kemp was transferred to the ward, where she continued to bleed briskly. Over the next 2 hours, her hemoglobin level dropped to 9 g/dL, then 8 g/dL. Her daughter, a healthcare worker, requested a transfusion. The answer was, wait for it — the well-scripted, somewhat patronizing oft-quoted line, “The medical literature states that we need to wait for a hemoglobin level of 7 g/dL before we transfuse.” 

Later that evening, Mrs. Kemp’s systolic blood pressure dropped to the upper 80s, despite her usual hypertension. The provider was again comforted by the fact that she was not tachycardic (she had a pacemaker and was on bisoprolol). The next morning, Mrs. Kemp felt the need to defecate and was placed on the bedside commode and left to her privacy. Predictably, she became dizzy and experienced frank syncope. Thankfully, she avoided a hip fracture or worse. A stat hemoglobin returned at 6 g/dL. 

Her daughter said she literally heard the hallelujah chorus because her mother’s hemoglobin was finally below that much revered and often misleading threshold of 7 g/dL. Finally, there was an order for platelets and packed red cells. Five units later, Mr. Kemp achieved a hemoglobin of 8 g/dL and survived. Two more units and she was soaring at 9 g/dL! 
 

Lessons for Transfusion Conservatives

There are many lessons here. 

The TRICC study found that hemodynamically stable, asymptomatic patients who are not actively bleeding may well tolerate a hemoglobin level of 7 g/dL. But a patient with bright red blood actively pouring from an orifice and a rapidly declining hemoglobin level isn’t one of those people. Additionally, a patient who faints from hypovolemia is not one of those people. 

Patients with a history of bleeding presenting with new resting sinus tachycardia (in those who have chronotropic competence) should be presumed to be actively bleeding, and the findings of TRICC do not apply to them. Patients who have bled buckets on anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapies and have dropped their hemoglobin will probably continue to ooze and should be subject to a low threshold for transfusion. 

Additionally, anemic people who are hemodynamically stable but can’t walk without new significant shortness of air or new rest angina need blood, and sometimes at hemoglobin levels higher than generally accepted by conservative strategists. Finally, failing to treat or at least monitor patients who are spontaneously bleeding as aggressively as some trauma patients is a failure to provide proper medical care. 

The vast majority of my healthcare clinician colleagues are competent, compassionate individuals who can reasonably discuss the nuances of any medical scenario. One important distinction of a good medical team is the willingness to change course based on a change in patient status or the presentation of what may be new information for the provider. 

But those proud transfusion conservatives who will not budge until their threshold is met need to make certain their patient is truly subject to their supposed edicts. Our blood banks should not be more difficult to access than Fort Knox, and transfusion should be used appropriately and liberally in the hemodynamically unstable, the symptomatic, and active brisk bleeders. 

I beg staunch transfusion conservatives to consider how they might feel if someone stuck a magic spigot in their brachial artery and acutely drained their hemoglobin to that magic threshold of 7 g/dL. When syncope, shortness of air, fatigue, and angina find them, they may generate empathy for those who need transfusion. Might that do the TRICC? 

*Some details have been changed to conceal the identity of the patient, but the essence of the case has been preserved.

Dr. Walton-Shirley, a native Kentuckian who retired from full-time invasive cardiology and now does locums work in Montana, is a champion of physician rights and patient safety. She has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Ah, blood. That sweet nectar of life that quiets angina, abolishes dyspnea, prevents orthostatic syncope, and quells sinus tachycardia. As a cardiologist, I am an unabashed hemophile. 

But we liberal transfusionists are challenged on every request for consideration of transfusion. Whereas the polite may resort to whispered skepticism, vehement critics respond with scorn as if we’d asked them to burn aromatic herbs or fetch a bucket of leeches. And to what do we owe this pathological angst? The broad and persistent misinterpretation of the pesky TRICC trial (N Engl J Med. 1999;340:409-417). You know; the one that should have been published with a boxed warning stating: “Misinterpretation of this trial could result in significant harm.” 
 

Point 1: Our Actively Bleeding Patient is Not a TRICC Patient. 

Published in 1999, the TRICC trial enrolled critical anemic patients older than 16 years who were stable after fluid resuscitation and were not actively bleeding. They had a hemoglobin level < 9 g/dL and were expected to stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) for more than 24 hours. They were randomly assigned to either a conservative trigger for transfusion of < 7 g/dL or a liberal threshold of < 10 g/dL. Mortality at 30 days was lower with the conservative approach — 18.7% vs 23.3% — but the difference was not statistically significant (P = .11). The findings were similar for the secondary endpoints of inpatient mortality (22.2% vs 28.1%; P = .05) and ICU mortality (13.9% vs 16.2%; P = .29). 

One must admit that these P values are not impressive, and the authors’ conclusion should have warranted caution: “A restrictive strategy ... is at least as effective as and possibly superior to a liberal transfusion strategy in critically ill patients, with the possible exception of patients with acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina.” 
 

Point 2: Our Critically Ill Cardiac Patient is Unlikely to be a “TRICC” Patient.

Another criticism of TRICC is that only 13% of those assessed and 26% of those eligible were enrolled, mostly owing to physician refusal. Only 26% of enrolled patients had cardiac disease. This makes the TRICC population highly selected and not representative of typical ICU patients. 

To prove my point that the edict against higher transfusion thresholds can be dangerous, I’ll describe my most recent interface with TRICC trial misinterpretation 
 

A Case in Point

The patient, Mrs. Kemp,* is 79 years old and has been on aspirin for years following coronary stent placement. One evening, she began spurting bright red blood from her rectum, interrupted only briefly by large clots the consistency of jellied cranberries. When she arrived at the hospital, she was hemodynamically stable, with a hemoglobin level of 10 g/dL, down from her usual 12 g/dL. That level bolstered the confidence of her provider, who insisted that she be managed conservatively. 

Mrs. Kemp was transferred to the ward, where she continued to bleed briskly. Over the next 2 hours, her hemoglobin level dropped to 9 g/dL, then 8 g/dL. Her daughter, a healthcare worker, requested a transfusion. The answer was, wait for it — the well-scripted, somewhat patronizing oft-quoted line, “The medical literature states that we need to wait for a hemoglobin level of 7 g/dL before we transfuse.” 

Later that evening, Mrs. Kemp’s systolic blood pressure dropped to the upper 80s, despite her usual hypertension. The provider was again comforted by the fact that she was not tachycardic (she had a pacemaker and was on bisoprolol). The next morning, Mrs. Kemp felt the need to defecate and was placed on the bedside commode and left to her privacy. Predictably, she became dizzy and experienced frank syncope. Thankfully, she avoided a hip fracture or worse. A stat hemoglobin returned at 6 g/dL. 

Her daughter said she literally heard the hallelujah chorus because her mother’s hemoglobin was finally below that much revered and often misleading threshold of 7 g/dL. Finally, there was an order for platelets and packed red cells. Five units later, Mr. Kemp achieved a hemoglobin of 8 g/dL and survived. Two more units and she was soaring at 9 g/dL! 
 

Lessons for Transfusion Conservatives

There are many lessons here. 

The TRICC study found that hemodynamically stable, asymptomatic patients who are not actively bleeding may well tolerate a hemoglobin level of 7 g/dL. But a patient with bright red blood actively pouring from an orifice and a rapidly declining hemoglobin level isn’t one of those people. Additionally, a patient who faints from hypovolemia is not one of those people. 

Patients with a history of bleeding presenting with new resting sinus tachycardia (in those who have chronotropic competence) should be presumed to be actively bleeding, and the findings of TRICC do not apply to them. Patients who have bled buckets on anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapies and have dropped their hemoglobin will probably continue to ooze and should be subject to a low threshold for transfusion. 

Additionally, anemic people who are hemodynamically stable but can’t walk without new significant shortness of air or new rest angina need blood, and sometimes at hemoglobin levels higher than generally accepted by conservative strategists. Finally, failing to treat or at least monitor patients who are spontaneously bleeding as aggressively as some trauma patients is a failure to provide proper medical care. 

The vast majority of my healthcare clinician colleagues are competent, compassionate individuals who can reasonably discuss the nuances of any medical scenario. One important distinction of a good medical team is the willingness to change course based on a change in patient status or the presentation of what may be new information for the provider. 

But those proud transfusion conservatives who will not budge until their threshold is met need to make certain their patient is truly subject to their supposed edicts. Our blood banks should not be more difficult to access than Fort Knox, and transfusion should be used appropriately and liberally in the hemodynamically unstable, the symptomatic, and active brisk bleeders. 

I beg staunch transfusion conservatives to consider how they might feel if someone stuck a magic spigot in their brachial artery and acutely drained their hemoglobin to that magic threshold of 7 g/dL. When syncope, shortness of air, fatigue, and angina find them, they may generate empathy for those who need transfusion. Might that do the TRICC? 

*Some details have been changed to conceal the identity of the patient, but the essence of the case has been preserved.

Dr. Walton-Shirley, a native Kentuckian who retired from full-time invasive cardiology and now does locums work in Montana, is a champion of physician rights and patient safety. She has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved lazertinib (Lazcluze) in combination with amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant) for upfront treatment of adults with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations as detected by an FDA-approved test. 

This marks the first approval for lazertinib. Amivantamab was initially approved by the FDA in 2021 and carries a few indications for locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. Both drugs are manufactured by Janssen Biotech Inc.

“Patients will now have the option of a potential new first-line standard of care with significant clinical benefits over osimertinib,” study investigator Alexander Spira, MD, PhD, director, Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute, said in a news release from Johnson & Johnson . 

Lazertinib is an oral, highly selective, third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor that can penetrate the brain and amivantamab is a bispecific antibody targeting EGFR and MET.

The approval was based on results from the phase 3 MARIPOSA trial, which showed that the combination reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 30% compared with osimertinib.

The MARIPOSA trial randomly allocated 1074 patients with exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution mutation-positive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC and no prior systemic therapy for advanced disease to amivantamab plus lazertinib, osimertinib alone, or lazertinib alone.

Lazertinib plus amivantamab demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival compared with osimertinib (hazard ratio, 0.70; P < .001). Median progression-free survival was 23.7 months with the combination vs 16.6 months osimertinib alone and 18.5 months with lazertinib alone.

The median duration of response was 9 months longer with the combination compared with osimertinib (25.8 months vs 16.7 months).

The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) were rash, nail toxicity, infusion-related reactions (amivantamab), musculoskeletal pain, edema, stomatitis, venous thromboembolism, paresthesia, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, COVID-19, hemorrhage, dry skin, decreased appetite, pruritus, nausea, and ocular toxicity. 

“A serious safety signal of venous thromboembolic events was observed with lazertinib in combination with amivantamab and prophylactic anticoagulation should be administered for the first four months of therapy,” the FDA noted in a statement announcing the approval.

Results from MARIPOSA were first presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2023 Congress and published in The New England Journal of Medicine in June. Longer-term follow-up data from MARIPOSA will be presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 2024 World Congress on Lung Cancer in September.
 

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved lazertinib (Lazcluze) in combination with amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant) for upfront treatment of adults with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations as detected by an FDA-approved test. 

This marks the first approval for lazertinib. Amivantamab was initially approved by the FDA in 2021 and carries a few indications for locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. Both drugs are manufactured by Janssen Biotech Inc.

“Patients will now have the option of a potential new first-line standard of care with significant clinical benefits over osimertinib,” study investigator Alexander Spira, MD, PhD, director, Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute, said in a news release from Johnson & Johnson . 

Lazertinib is an oral, highly selective, third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor that can penetrate the brain and amivantamab is a bispecific antibody targeting EGFR and MET.

The approval was based on results from the phase 3 MARIPOSA trial, which showed that the combination reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 30% compared with osimertinib.

The MARIPOSA trial randomly allocated 1074 patients with exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution mutation-positive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC and no prior systemic therapy for advanced disease to amivantamab plus lazertinib, osimertinib alone, or lazertinib alone.

Lazertinib plus amivantamab demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival compared with osimertinib (hazard ratio, 0.70; P < .001). Median progression-free survival was 23.7 months with the combination vs 16.6 months osimertinib alone and 18.5 months with lazertinib alone.

The median duration of response was 9 months longer with the combination compared with osimertinib (25.8 months vs 16.7 months).

The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) were rash, nail toxicity, infusion-related reactions (amivantamab), musculoskeletal pain, edema, stomatitis, venous thromboembolism, paresthesia, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, COVID-19, hemorrhage, dry skin, decreased appetite, pruritus, nausea, and ocular toxicity. 

“A serious safety signal of venous thromboembolic events was observed with lazertinib in combination with amivantamab and prophylactic anticoagulation should be administered for the first four months of therapy,” the FDA noted in a statement announcing the approval.

Results from MARIPOSA were first presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2023 Congress and published in The New England Journal of Medicine in June. Longer-term follow-up data from MARIPOSA will be presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 2024 World Congress on Lung Cancer in September.
 

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved lazertinib (Lazcluze) in combination with amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant) for upfront treatment of adults with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations as detected by an FDA-approved test. 

This marks the first approval for lazertinib. Amivantamab was initially approved by the FDA in 2021 and carries a few indications for locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. Both drugs are manufactured by Janssen Biotech Inc.

“Patients will now have the option of a potential new first-line standard of care with significant clinical benefits over osimertinib,” study investigator Alexander Spira, MD, PhD, director, Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute, said in a news release from Johnson & Johnson . 

Lazertinib is an oral, highly selective, third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor that can penetrate the brain and amivantamab is a bispecific antibody targeting EGFR and MET.

The approval was based on results from the phase 3 MARIPOSA trial, which showed that the combination reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 30% compared with osimertinib.

The MARIPOSA trial randomly allocated 1074 patients with exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution mutation-positive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC and no prior systemic therapy for advanced disease to amivantamab plus lazertinib, osimertinib alone, or lazertinib alone.

Lazertinib plus amivantamab demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival compared with osimertinib (hazard ratio, 0.70; P < .001). Median progression-free survival was 23.7 months with the combination vs 16.6 months osimertinib alone and 18.5 months with lazertinib alone.

The median duration of response was 9 months longer with the combination compared with osimertinib (25.8 months vs 16.7 months).

The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) were rash, nail toxicity, infusion-related reactions (amivantamab), musculoskeletal pain, edema, stomatitis, venous thromboembolism, paresthesia, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, COVID-19, hemorrhage, dry skin, decreased appetite, pruritus, nausea, and ocular toxicity. 

“A serious safety signal of venous thromboembolic events was observed with lazertinib in combination with amivantamab and prophylactic anticoagulation should be administered for the first four months of therapy,” the FDA noted in a statement announcing the approval.

Results from MARIPOSA were first presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2023 Congress and published in The New England Journal of Medicine in June. Longer-term follow-up data from MARIPOSA will be presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 2024 World Congress on Lung Cancer in September.
 

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

Akshay B. Jain, MD: Welcome back to Medscape at ADA 2024, where Dr. James Kim, primary care physician from Calgary, Alberta, will be joining me in deciphering the key highlights at the ADA conference and bringing our own clinical twist into what the relevance would be for people like you and I to take back to our clinics.

Welcome back, Dr. Kim. 

James Kim, MBBCh, PgDip, MScCH: Thank you very much. It’s nice to be back. 

Dr. Jain: This was a diabetes conference, so obviously we are very pancreas focused. At this conference, we went outside our general area of territory, going outside of the pancreas and delving into other organ states. What I found fascinating were some data regarding the effects of incretin therapy on the lung, and in particular, some of the restrictive lung disorders.

Dr. Kim, you attended these sessions as well. Can you tell us a little bit more about the results that were discussed? 

Dr. Kim: This is an interesting field. The moderator of the session went up and said that there has been no time in any previous ADA sessions where the lung issue was actually discussed. This was the first time ever.

They had some of the world leaders in this field, so it was really awesome to see them. Just to paint a picture of these obese asthmatic patients, they are challenging cases because, as you know, the main therapy for any asthmatic patient is inhaled corticosteroid.

Patients who are obese have quite a bit of a steroid resistance. Therefore, they end up being on many medications that sometimes are off label, and many end up on biologics as well. Therefore, the respiratory world has been seeking therapies for these obese asthmatic patients who are likely to be steroid resistant because these people are also likely to end up on an oral steroid as well.

Dr. Jain, you know the effect of the steroids much better than I do, and it’s like a laundry list. We really don’t want our patients to be on oral steroids. 

In the past few years, GLP-1 has been studied quite extensively in the lung, especially in the world of asthma, and also in COPD. What’s really fascinating is that the GLP-1 receptors have been found to be quite abundant in the airway. Some studies show that the highest concentration of GLP-1 lies in the airway, whereas some studies have said that it’s the third most common area to find the GLP-1. 

It is not a surprise that GLP-1 is being studied in managing the airway, especially airway inflammation in asthma and COPD patients. The preliminary data have been quite encouraging. They also discussed that there are new medications coming out that seem to be incretin based, so we’ll wait to see what those studies show.

There are two current phase 3 trials being held at the moment. One is using semaglutide 2.4 mg subcutaneous and another one is using metformin to reduce the airway inflammation in these asthmatic patients and also in some COPD patients. We’ll look forward to these results.

Dr. Jain: That’s really important to note because we see that there is a high density of these receptors in the airways, and hitherto we had no idea about the overall effect. Now, we’re looking at, as you mentioned, individuals with obesity who have asthma, so there are both the restrictive and obstructive components in the lung coming into play here.

From an endocrinology perspective, I’m thinking that this could be multiple effects of the GLP-1 receptor agonists, where on one hand you’re managing the obesity and you’re working along that line, and on the other hand, it could have local anti-inflammatory effects in the lung. Hence, there could be potential improvement in the overall pulmonary function of these individuals. 

Dr. Kim: We are seeing this in primary care. Ever since I found out this information, I have started numerous patients, who are obese, asthmatic patients who do not have diabetes, on GLP-1 therapies, and their pulmonary function tests have improved significantly.

As a matter of fact, one of my personal friends is a severe asthmatic patient. She ends up being on oral steroids about three times a year. There was even one day when I saw her in one of my classes and she was dyspneic. She was short of breath. 

I introduced her to one of my colleagues who’s a respirologist and very much into the impact of the incretins and asthma, and she was started on a GLP-1 receptor agonist. She lost about 30 pounds of weight, but now she is labeled as a mild asthmatic. Her pulmonary function test is completely normal. She hasn’t touched an oral steroid for a couple of years now.

That is a huge success story and I’m seeing that even in my own clinic as well. It’s a huge win for the respiratory world.

Dr. Jain: I think from an endocrinology perspective as well, if we are initiating GLP-1 receptor agonists or medications in that class, where we use it for management of obesity, sooner or later we do hit a stage where people will plateau with their weight loss. They won’t have any additional weight loss.

We tell individuals at that time that the fact that they’re able to maintain the weight loss still means that the medication is working from the obesity perspective. For individuals who also have asthma, it would be a good point to tell them that it could still have potential effects on reducing inflammation ongoing. Hence, even though they may not be losing any additional weight, it would still be helpful to continue on these medications from a pulmonary perspective. 

Dr. Kim: Right now these pleiotropic effects of GLP-1 agents are absolutely mind-blowing. I mentioned in one of my respiratory presentations to a bunch of respirologists that diabetes is taking over the world, including the respiratory world. Well, you can imagine what their faces were like. However, they were quite impressed at that, and they were very excited with what these two phase 3 trials will show. 

Dr. Jain: I think, based on the ADA 2024 conference, GLP-1 receptor agonists continue to be the gift that keeps giving. We have the effects on diabetes, obesity, kidney function, liver protection, lungs, and Alzheimer’s. We saw some sessions about potential use in people with alcohol misuse disorder or gambling problems. Clearly, there’s a large amount of research that›s being done with these agents. 

Perhaps when you and I talk about ADA 2025, we might be able to talk about some more pleiotropic benefits outside the pancreas. Until then, please do check out our other videos from ADA 2024. Thanks for joining us again, Dr. Kim.

Dr. Kim: Thank you very much for having me.
 

Dr. Jain, clinical instructor, Department of Endocrinology, University of British Columbia, and endocrinologist, TLC Diabetes and Endocrinology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has disclosed ties with Abbott, Acerus, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Bausch Healthcare, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Care to Know, CCRN, Connected in Motion, CPD Network, Dexcom, Diabetes Canada, Eli Lilly, GSK, HLS Therapeutics, Janssen, Master Clinician Alliance, MDBriefcase, Merck, Medtronic, Moderna, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Partners in Progressive Medical Education, Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, Timed Right, WebMD, Gilead Sciences, Insulet, PocketPills, Roche, and Takeda. Dr. Kim, clinical assistant professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, has disclosed ties with Abbott, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eisai, Embecta, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen, Linpharma, Novo Nordisk, Miravo, Otsuka, Pfizer, Teva, Takeda, and Sanofi, and Partners in Progressive Medical Education.
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

Akshay B. Jain, MD: Welcome back to Medscape at ADA 2024, where Dr. James Kim, primary care physician from Calgary, Alberta, will be joining me in deciphering the key highlights at the ADA conference and bringing our own clinical twist into what the relevance would be for people like you and I to take back to our clinics.

Welcome back, Dr. Kim. 

James Kim, MBBCh, PgDip, MScCH: Thank you very much. It’s nice to be back. 

Dr. Jain: This was a diabetes conference, so obviously we are very pancreas focused. At this conference, we went outside our general area of territory, going outside of the pancreas and delving into other organ states. What I found fascinating were some data regarding the effects of incretin therapy on the lung, and in particular, some of the restrictive lung disorders.

Dr. Kim, you attended these sessions as well. Can you tell us a little bit more about the results that were discussed? 

Dr. Kim: This is an interesting field. The moderator of the session went up and said that there has been no time in any previous ADA sessions where the lung issue was actually discussed. This was the first time ever.

They had some of the world leaders in this field, so it was really awesome to see them. Just to paint a picture of these obese asthmatic patients, they are challenging cases because, as you know, the main therapy for any asthmatic patient is inhaled corticosteroid.

Patients who are obese have quite a bit of a steroid resistance. Therefore, they end up being on many medications that sometimes are off label, and many end up on biologics as well. Therefore, the respiratory world has been seeking therapies for these obese asthmatic patients who are likely to be steroid resistant because these people are also likely to end up on an oral steroid as well.

Dr. Jain, you know the effect of the steroids much better than I do, and it’s like a laundry list. We really don’t want our patients to be on oral steroids. 

In the past few years, GLP-1 has been studied quite extensively in the lung, especially in the world of asthma, and also in COPD. What’s really fascinating is that the GLP-1 receptors have been found to be quite abundant in the airway. Some studies show that the highest concentration of GLP-1 lies in the airway, whereas some studies have said that it’s the third most common area to find the GLP-1. 

It is not a surprise that GLP-1 is being studied in managing the airway, especially airway inflammation in asthma and COPD patients. The preliminary data have been quite encouraging. They also discussed that there are new medications coming out that seem to be incretin based, so we’ll wait to see what those studies show.

There are two current phase 3 trials being held at the moment. One is using semaglutide 2.4 mg subcutaneous and another one is using metformin to reduce the airway inflammation in these asthmatic patients and also in some COPD patients. We’ll look forward to these results.

Dr. Jain: That’s really important to note because we see that there is a high density of these receptors in the airways, and hitherto we had no idea about the overall effect. Now, we’re looking at, as you mentioned, individuals with obesity who have asthma, so there are both the restrictive and obstructive components in the lung coming into play here.

From an endocrinology perspective, I’m thinking that this could be multiple effects of the GLP-1 receptor agonists, where on one hand you’re managing the obesity and you’re working along that line, and on the other hand, it could have local anti-inflammatory effects in the lung. Hence, there could be potential improvement in the overall pulmonary function of these individuals. 

Dr. Kim: We are seeing this in primary care. Ever since I found out this information, I have started numerous patients, who are obese, asthmatic patients who do not have diabetes, on GLP-1 therapies, and their pulmonary function tests have improved significantly.

As a matter of fact, one of my personal friends is a severe asthmatic patient. She ends up being on oral steroids about three times a year. There was even one day when I saw her in one of my classes and she was dyspneic. She was short of breath. 

I introduced her to one of my colleagues who’s a respirologist and very much into the impact of the incretins and asthma, and she was started on a GLP-1 receptor agonist. She lost about 30 pounds of weight, but now she is labeled as a mild asthmatic. Her pulmonary function test is completely normal. She hasn’t touched an oral steroid for a couple of years now.

That is a huge success story and I’m seeing that even in my own clinic as well. It’s a huge win for the respiratory world.

Dr. Jain: I think from an endocrinology perspective as well, if we are initiating GLP-1 receptor agonists or medications in that class, where we use it for management of obesity, sooner or later we do hit a stage where people will plateau with their weight loss. They won’t have any additional weight loss.

We tell individuals at that time that the fact that they’re able to maintain the weight loss still means that the medication is working from the obesity perspective. For individuals who also have asthma, it would be a good point to tell them that it could still have potential effects on reducing inflammation ongoing. Hence, even though they may not be losing any additional weight, it would still be helpful to continue on these medications from a pulmonary perspective. 

Dr. Kim: Right now these pleiotropic effects of GLP-1 agents are absolutely mind-blowing. I mentioned in one of my respiratory presentations to a bunch of respirologists that diabetes is taking over the world, including the respiratory world. Well, you can imagine what their faces were like. However, they were quite impressed at that, and they were very excited with what these two phase 3 trials will show. 

Dr. Jain: I think, based on the ADA 2024 conference, GLP-1 receptor agonists continue to be the gift that keeps giving. We have the effects on diabetes, obesity, kidney function, liver protection, lungs, and Alzheimer’s. We saw some sessions about potential use in people with alcohol misuse disorder or gambling problems. Clearly, there’s a large amount of research that›s being done with these agents. 

Perhaps when you and I talk about ADA 2025, we might be able to talk about some more pleiotropic benefits outside the pancreas. Until then, please do check out our other videos from ADA 2024. Thanks for joining us again, Dr. Kim.

Dr. Kim: Thank you very much for having me.
 

Dr. Jain, clinical instructor, Department of Endocrinology, University of British Columbia, and endocrinologist, TLC Diabetes and Endocrinology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has disclosed ties with Abbott, Acerus, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Bausch Healthcare, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Care to Know, CCRN, Connected in Motion, CPD Network, Dexcom, Diabetes Canada, Eli Lilly, GSK, HLS Therapeutics, Janssen, Master Clinician Alliance, MDBriefcase, Merck, Medtronic, Moderna, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Partners in Progressive Medical Education, Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, Timed Right, WebMD, Gilead Sciences, Insulet, PocketPills, Roche, and Takeda. Dr. Kim, clinical assistant professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, has disclosed ties with Abbott, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eisai, Embecta, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen, Linpharma, Novo Nordisk, Miravo, Otsuka, Pfizer, Teva, Takeda, and Sanofi, and Partners in Progressive Medical Education.
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

Akshay B. Jain, MD: Welcome back to Medscape at ADA 2024, where Dr. James Kim, primary care physician from Calgary, Alberta, will be joining me in deciphering the key highlights at the ADA conference and bringing our own clinical twist into what the relevance would be for people like you and I to take back to our clinics.

Welcome back, Dr. Kim. 

James Kim, MBBCh, PgDip, MScCH: Thank you very much. It’s nice to be back. 

Dr. Jain: This was a diabetes conference, so obviously we are very pancreas focused. At this conference, we went outside our general area of territory, going outside of the pancreas and delving into other organ states. What I found fascinating were some data regarding the effects of incretin therapy on the lung, and in particular, some of the restrictive lung disorders.

Dr. Kim, you attended these sessions as well. Can you tell us a little bit more about the results that were discussed? 

Dr. Kim: This is an interesting field. The moderator of the session went up and said that there has been no time in any previous ADA sessions where the lung issue was actually discussed. This was the first time ever.

They had some of the world leaders in this field, so it was really awesome to see them. Just to paint a picture of these obese asthmatic patients, they are challenging cases because, as you know, the main therapy for any asthmatic patient is inhaled corticosteroid.

Patients who are obese have quite a bit of a steroid resistance. Therefore, they end up being on many medications that sometimes are off label, and many end up on biologics as well. Therefore, the respiratory world has been seeking therapies for these obese asthmatic patients who are likely to be steroid resistant because these people are also likely to end up on an oral steroid as well.

Dr. Jain, you know the effect of the steroids much better than I do, and it’s like a laundry list. We really don’t want our patients to be on oral steroids. 

In the past few years, GLP-1 has been studied quite extensively in the lung, especially in the world of asthma, and also in COPD. What’s really fascinating is that the GLP-1 receptors have been found to be quite abundant in the airway. Some studies show that the highest concentration of GLP-1 lies in the airway, whereas some studies have said that it’s the third most common area to find the GLP-1. 

It is not a surprise that GLP-1 is being studied in managing the airway, especially airway inflammation in asthma and COPD patients. The preliminary data have been quite encouraging. They also discussed that there are new medications coming out that seem to be incretin based, so we’ll wait to see what those studies show.

There are two current phase 3 trials being held at the moment. One is using semaglutide 2.4 mg subcutaneous and another one is using metformin to reduce the airway inflammation in these asthmatic patients and also in some COPD patients. We’ll look forward to these results.

Dr. Jain: That’s really important to note because we see that there is a high density of these receptors in the airways, and hitherto we had no idea about the overall effect. Now, we’re looking at, as you mentioned, individuals with obesity who have asthma, so there are both the restrictive and obstructive components in the lung coming into play here.

From an endocrinology perspective, I’m thinking that this could be multiple effects of the GLP-1 receptor agonists, where on one hand you’re managing the obesity and you’re working along that line, and on the other hand, it could have local anti-inflammatory effects in the lung. Hence, there could be potential improvement in the overall pulmonary function of these individuals. 

Dr. Kim: We are seeing this in primary care. Ever since I found out this information, I have started numerous patients, who are obese, asthmatic patients who do not have diabetes, on GLP-1 therapies, and their pulmonary function tests have improved significantly.

As a matter of fact, one of my personal friends is a severe asthmatic patient. She ends up being on oral steroids about three times a year. There was even one day when I saw her in one of my classes and she was dyspneic. She was short of breath. 

I introduced her to one of my colleagues who’s a respirologist and very much into the impact of the incretins and asthma, and she was started on a GLP-1 receptor agonist. She lost about 30 pounds of weight, but now she is labeled as a mild asthmatic. Her pulmonary function test is completely normal. She hasn’t touched an oral steroid for a couple of years now.

That is a huge success story and I’m seeing that even in my own clinic as well. It’s a huge win for the respiratory world.

Dr. Jain: I think from an endocrinology perspective as well, if we are initiating GLP-1 receptor agonists or medications in that class, where we use it for management of obesity, sooner or later we do hit a stage where people will plateau with their weight loss. They won’t have any additional weight loss.

We tell individuals at that time that the fact that they’re able to maintain the weight loss still means that the medication is working from the obesity perspective. For individuals who also have asthma, it would be a good point to tell them that it could still have potential effects on reducing inflammation ongoing. Hence, even though they may not be losing any additional weight, it would still be helpful to continue on these medications from a pulmonary perspective. 

Dr. Kim: Right now these pleiotropic effects of GLP-1 agents are absolutely mind-blowing. I mentioned in one of my respiratory presentations to a bunch of respirologists that diabetes is taking over the world, including the respiratory world. Well, you can imagine what their faces were like. However, they were quite impressed at that, and they were very excited with what these two phase 3 trials will show. 

Dr. Jain: I think, based on the ADA 2024 conference, GLP-1 receptor agonists continue to be the gift that keeps giving. We have the effects on diabetes, obesity, kidney function, liver protection, lungs, and Alzheimer’s. We saw some sessions about potential use in people with alcohol misuse disorder or gambling problems. Clearly, there’s a large amount of research that›s being done with these agents. 

Perhaps when you and I talk about ADA 2025, we might be able to talk about some more pleiotropic benefits outside the pancreas. Until then, please do check out our other videos from ADA 2024. Thanks for joining us again, Dr. Kim.

Dr. Kim: Thank you very much for having me.
 

Dr. Jain, clinical instructor, Department of Endocrinology, University of British Columbia, and endocrinologist, TLC Diabetes and Endocrinology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has disclosed ties with Abbott, Acerus, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Bausch Healthcare, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Care to Know, CCRN, Connected in Motion, CPD Network, Dexcom, Diabetes Canada, Eli Lilly, GSK, HLS Therapeutics, Janssen, Master Clinician Alliance, MDBriefcase, Merck, Medtronic, Moderna, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Partners in Progressive Medical Education, Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, Timed Right, WebMD, Gilead Sciences, Insulet, PocketPills, Roche, and Takeda. Dr. Kim, clinical assistant professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, has disclosed ties with Abbott, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eisai, Embecta, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen, Linpharma, Novo Nordisk, Miravo, Otsuka, Pfizer, Teva, Takeda, and Sanofi, and Partners in Progressive Medical Education.
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Childhood cancers represent a diverse group of neoplasms, and thanks to advances in treatment, survival rates have improved significantly. Today, more than 80%-85% of children diagnosed with cancer in developed countries survive into adulthood.

This increase in survival has brought new challenges, however. Compared with the general population, childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at a notably higher risk for early mortality, developing secondary cancers, and experiencing various long-term clinical and psychosocial issues stemming from their disease or its treatment.

Long-term follow-up care for CCS is a complex and evolving field. Despite ongoing efforts to establish global and national guidelines, current evidence indicates that the care and management of these patients remain suboptimal.

Sexual dysfunction is a common and significant late effect among CCS. The disruptions caused by cancer and its treatment can interfere with normal physiological and psychological development, leading to issues with sexual function. This aspect of health is critical as it influences not just physical well-being but also psychosocial, developmental, and emotional health.
 

Characteristics and Mechanisms

Sexual functioning encompasses the physiological and psychological aspects of sexual behavior, including desire, arousal, orgasm, sexual pleasure, and overall satisfaction.

As CCS reach adolescence or adulthood, they often face sexual and reproductive issues, particularly as they enter romantic relationships.

Sexual functioning is a complex process that relies on the interaction of various factors, including physiological health, psychosexual development, romantic relationships, body image, and desire.

Despite its importance, the impact of childhood cancer on sexual function is often overlooked, even though cancer and its treatments can have lifelong effects. 
 

Sexual Function in CCS

A recent review aimed to summarize the existing research on sexual function among CCS, highlighting assessment tools, key stages of psychosexual development, common sexual problems, and the prevalence of sexual dysfunction.

The review study included 22 studies published between 2000 and 2022, comprising two qualitative, six cohort, and 14 cross-sectional studies.

Most CCS reached all key stages of psychosexual development at an average age of 29.8 years. Although some milestones were achieved later than is typical, many survivors felt they reached these stages at the appropriate time. Sexual initiation was less common among those who had undergone intensive neurotoxic treatments, such as those diagnosed with brain tumors or leukemia in childhood.

In a cross-sectional study of CCS aged 17-39 years, about one third had never engaged in sexual intercourse, 41.4% reported never experiencing sexual attraction, 44.8% were dissatisfied with their sex lives, and many rarely felt sexually attractive to others. Another study found that common issues among CCS included a lack of interest in sex (30%), difficulty enjoying sex (24%), and difficulty becoming aroused (23%). However, comparing and analyzing these problems was challenging due to the lack of standardized assessment criteria.

The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among CCS ranged from 12.3% to 46.5%. For males, the prevalence ranged from 12.3% to 54.0%, while for females, it ranged from 19.9% to 57.0%.
 

Factors Influencing Sexual Function

The review identified the following four categories of factors influencing sexual function in CCS: Demographic, treatment-related, psychological, and physiological.

Demographic factors: Gender, age, education level, relationship status, income level, and race all play roles in sexual function.

Female survivors reported more severe sexual dysfunction and poorer sexual health than did male survivors. Age at cancer diagnosis, age at evaluation, and the time since diagnosis were closely linked to sexual experiences. Patients diagnosed with cancer during childhood tended to report better sexual function than those diagnosed during adolescence.

Treatment-related factors: The type of cancer and intensity of treatment, along with surgical history, were significant factors. Surgeries involving the spinal cord or sympathetic nerves, as well as a history of prostate or pelvic surgery, were strongly associated with erectile dysfunction in men. In women, pelvic surgeries and treatments to the pelvic area were commonly linked to sexual dysfunction.

The association between treatment intensity and sexual function was noted across several studies, although the results were not always consistent. For example, testicular radiation above 10 Gy was positively correlated with sexual dysfunction. Women who underwent more intensive treatments were more likely to report issues in multiple areas of sexual function, while men in this group were less likely to have children.

Among female CCS, certain types of cancer, such as germ cell tumors, renal tumors, and leukemia, present a higher risk for sexual dysfunction. Women who had CNS tumors in childhood frequently reported problems like difficulty in sexual arousal, low sexual satisfaction, infrequent sexual activity, and fewer sexual partners, compared with survivors of other cancers. Survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and those who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) also showed varying degrees of impaired sexual function, compared with the general population. The HSCT group showed significant testicular damage, including reduced testicular volumes, low testosterone levels, and low sperm counts.

Psychological factors: These factors, such as emotional distress, play a significant role in sexual dysfunction among CCS. Symptoms like anxiety, nervousness during sexual activity, and depression are commonly reported by those with sexual dysfunction. The connection between body image and sexual function is complex. Many CCS with sexual dysfunction express concern about how others, particularly their partners, perceived their altered body image due to cancer and its treatment.

Physiological factors: In male CCS, low serum testosterone levels and low lean muscle mass are linked to an increased risk for sexual dysfunction. Treatments involving alkylating agents or testicular radiation, and surgery or radiotherapy targeting the genitourinary organs or the hypothalamic-pituitary region, can lead to various physiological and endocrine disorders, contributing to sexual dysfunction. Despite these risks, there is a lack of research evaluating sexual function through the lens of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and neuroendocrine pathways.
 

This story was translated from Univadis Italy using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Childhood cancers represent a diverse group of neoplasms, and thanks to advances in treatment, survival rates have improved significantly. Today, more than 80%-85% of children diagnosed with cancer in developed countries survive into adulthood.

This increase in survival has brought new challenges, however. Compared with the general population, childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at a notably higher risk for early mortality, developing secondary cancers, and experiencing various long-term clinical and psychosocial issues stemming from their disease or its treatment.

Long-term follow-up care for CCS is a complex and evolving field. Despite ongoing efforts to establish global and national guidelines, current evidence indicates that the care and management of these patients remain suboptimal.

Sexual dysfunction is a common and significant late effect among CCS. The disruptions caused by cancer and its treatment can interfere with normal physiological and psychological development, leading to issues with sexual function. This aspect of health is critical as it influences not just physical well-being but also psychosocial, developmental, and emotional health.
 

Characteristics and Mechanisms

Sexual functioning encompasses the physiological and psychological aspects of sexual behavior, including desire, arousal, orgasm, sexual pleasure, and overall satisfaction.

As CCS reach adolescence or adulthood, they often face sexual and reproductive issues, particularly as they enter romantic relationships.

Sexual functioning is a complex process that relies on the interaction of various factors, including physiological health, psychosexual development, romantic relationships, body image, and desire.

Despite its importance, the impact of childhood cancer on sexual function is often overlooked, even though cancer and its treatments can have lifelong effects. 
 

Sexual Function in CCS

A recent review aimed to summarize the existing research on sexual function among CCS, highlighting assessment tools, key stages of psychosexual development, common sexual problems, and the prevalence of sexual dysfunction.

The review study included 22 studies published between 2000 and 2022, comprising two qualitative, six cohort, and 14 cross-sectional studies.

Most CCS reached all key stages of psychosexual development at an average age of 29.8 years. Although some milestones were achieved later than is typical, many survivors felt they reached these stages at the appropriate time. Sexual initiation was less common among those who had undergone intensive neurotoxic treatments, such as those diagnosed with brain tumors or leukemia in childhood.

In a cross-sectional study of CCS aged 17-39 years, about one third had never engaged in sexual intercourse, 41.4% reported never experiencing sexual attraction, 44.8% were dissatisfied with their sex lives, and many rarely felt sexually attractive to others. Another study found that common issues among CCS included a lack of interest in sex (30%), difficulty enjoying sex (24%), and difficulty becoming aroused (23%). However, comparing and analyzing these problems was challenging due to the lack of standardized assessment criteria.

The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among CCS ranged from 12.3% to 46.5%. For males, the prevalence ranged from 12.3% to 54.0%, while for females, it ranged from 19.9% to 57.0%.
 

Factors Influencing Sexual Function

The review identified the following four categories of factors influencing sexual function in CCS: Demographic, treatment-related, psychological, and physiological.

Demographic factors: Gender, age, education level, relationship status, income level, and race all play roles in sexual function.

Female survivors reported more severe sexual dysfunction and poorer sexual health than did male survivors. Age at cancer diagnosis, age at evaluation, and the time since diagnosis were closely linked to sexual experiences. Patients diagnosed with cancer during childhood tended to report better sexual function than those diagnosed during adolescence.

Treatment-related factors: The type of cancer and intensity of treatment, along with surgical history, were significant factors. Surgeries involving the spinal cord or sympathetic nerves, as well as a history of prostate or pelvic surgery, were strongly associated with erectile dysfunction in men. In women, pelvic surgeries and treatments to the pelvic area were commonly linked to sexual dysfunction.

The association between treatment intensity and sexual function was noted across several studies, although the results were not always consistent. For example, testicular radiation above 10 Gy was positively correlated with sexual dysfunction. Women who underwent more intensive treatments were more likely to report issues in multiple areas of sexual function, while men in this group were less likely to have children.

Among female CCS, certain types of cancer, such as germ cell tumors, renal tumors, and leukemia, present a higher risk for sexual dysfunction. Women who had CNS tumors in childhood frequently reported problems like difficulty in sexual arousal, low sexual satisfaction, infrequent sexual activity, and fewer sexual partners, compared with survivors of other cancers. Survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and those who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) also showed varying degrees of impaired sexual function, compared with the general population. The HSCT group showed significant testicular damage, including reduced testicular volumes, low testosterone levels, and low sperm counts.

Psychological factors: These factors, such as emotional distress, play a significant role in sexual dysfunction among CCS. Symptoms like anxiety, nervousness during sexual activity, and depression are commonly reported by those with sexual dysfunction. The connection between body image and sexual function is complex. Many CCS with sexual dysfunction express concern about how others, particularly their partners, perceived their altered body image due to cancer and its treatment.

Physiological factors: In male CCS, low serum testosterone levels and low lean muscle mass are linked to an increased risk for sexual dysfunction. Treatments involving alkylating agents or testicular radiation, and surgery or radiotherapy targeting the genitourinary organs or the hypothalamic-pituitary region, can lead to various physiological and endocrine disorders, contributing to sexual dysfunction. Despite these risks, there is a lack of research evaluating sexual function through the lens of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and neuroendocrine pathways.
 

This story was translated from Univadis Italy using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Childhood cancers represent a diverse group of neoplasms, and thanks to advances in treatment, survival rates have improved significantly. Today, more than 80%-85% of children diagnosed with cancer in developed countries survive into adulthood.

This increase in survival has brought new challenges, however. Compared with the general population, childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at a notably higher risk for early mortality, developing secondary cancers, and experiencing various long-term clinical and psychosocial issues stemming from their disease or its treatment.

Long-term follow-up care for CCS is a complex and evolving field. Despite ongoing efforts to establish global and national guidelines, current evidence indicates that the care and management of these patients remain suboptimal.

Sexual dysfunction is a common and significant late effect among CCS. The disruptions caused by cancer and its treatment can interfere with normal physiological and psychological development, leading to issues with sexual function. This aspect of health is critical as it influences not just physical well-being but also psychosocial, developmental, and emotional health.
 

Characteristics and Mechanisms

Sexual functioning encompasses the physiological and psychological aspects of sexual behavior, including desire, arousal, orgasm, sexual pleasure, and overall satisfaction.

As CCS reach adolescence or adulthood, they often face sexual and reproductive issues, particularly as they enter romantic relationships.

Sexual functioning is a complex process that relies on the interaction of various factors, including physiological health, psychosexual development, romantic relationships, body image, and desire.

Despite its importance, the impact of childhood cancer on sexual function is often overlooked, even though cancer and its treatments can have lifelong effects. 
 

Sexual Function in CCS

A recent review aimed to summarize the existing research on sexual function among CCS, highlighting assessment tools, key stages of psychosexual development, common sexual problems, and the prevalence of sexual dysfunction.

The review study included 22 studies published between 2000 and 2022, comprising two qualitative, six cohort, and 14 cross-sectional studies.

Most CCS reached all key stages of psychosexual development at an average age of 29.8 years. Although some milestones were achieved later than is typical, many survivors felt they reached these stages at the appropriate time. Sexual initiation was less common among those who had undergone intensive neurotoxic treatments, such as those diagnosed with brain tumors or leukemia in childhood.

In a cross-sectional study of CCS aged 17-39 years, about one third had never engaged in sexual intercourse, 41.4% reported never experiencing sexual attraction, 44.8% were dissatisfied with their sex lives, and many rarely felt sexually attractive to others. Another study found that common issues among CCS included a lack of interest in sex (30%), difficulty enjoying sex (24%), and difficulty becoming aroused (23%). However, comparing and analyzing these problems was challenging due to the lack of standardized assessment criteria.

The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among CCS ranged from 12.3% to 46.5%. For males, the prevalence ranged from 12.3% to 54.0%, while for females, it ranged from 19.9% to 57.0%.
 

Factors Influencing Sexual Function

The review identified the following four categories of factors influencing sexual function in CCS: Demographic, treatment-related, psychological, and physiological.

Demographic factors: Gender, age, education level, relationship status, income level, and race all play roles in sexual function.

Female survivors reported more severe sexual dysfunction and poorer sexual health than did male survivors. Age at cancer diagnosis, age at evaluation, and the time since diagnosis were closely linked to sexual experiences. Patients diagnosed with cancer during childhood tended to report better sexual function than those diagnosed during adolescence.

Treatment-related factors: The type of cancer and intensity of treatment, along with surgical history, were significant factors. Surgeries involving the spinal cord or sympathetic nerves, as well as a history of prostate or pelvic surgery, were strongly associated with erectile dysfunction in men. In women, pelvic surgeries and treatments to the pelvic area were commonly linked to sexual dysfunction.

The association between treatment intensity and sexual function was noted across several studies, although the results were not always consistent. For example, testicular radiation above 10 Gy was positively correlated with sexual dysfunction. Women who underwent more intensive treatments were more likely to report issues in multiple areas of sexual function, while men in this group were less likely to have children.

Among female CCS, certain types of cancer, such as germ cell tumors, renal tumors, and leukemia, present a higher risk for sexual dysfunction. Women who had CNS tumors in childhood frequently reported problems like difficulty in sexual arousal, low sexual satisfaction, infrequent sexual activity, and fewer sexual partners, compared with survivors of other cancers. Survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and those who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) also showed varying degrees of impaired sexual function, compared with the general population. The HSCT group showed significant testicular damage, including reduced testicular volumes, low testosterone levels, and low sperm counts.

Psychological factors: These factors, such as emotional distress, play a significant role in sexual dysfunction among CCS. Symptoms like anxiety, nervousness during sexual activity, and depression are commonly reported by those with sexual dysfunction. The connection between body image and sexual function is complex. Many CCS with sexual dysfunction express concern about how others, particularly their partners, perceived their altered body image due to cancer and its treatment.

Physiological factors: In male CCS, low serum testosterone levels and low lean muscle mass are linked to an increased risk for sexual dysfunction. Treatments involving alkylating agents or testicular radiation, and surgery or radiotherapy targeting the genitourinary organs or the hypothalamic-pituitary region, can lead to various physiological and endocrine disorders, contributing to sexual dysfunction. Despite these risks, there is a lack of research evaluating sexual function through the lens of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and neuroendocrine pathways.
 

This story was translated from Univadis Italy using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

As more data show potentially dangerous effects of climate and weather on individuals with chronic medical conditions, CVS Health has introduced an initiative that uses technology to provide weather alerts and targeted outreach to those at increased risk, according to a press release from the company. Ultimately, the goals of the initiative are to improve health, reduce emergency department visits, hospital stays, and medical costs, according to the press release.

Extreme weather events such as heat waves are becoming more frequent and severe, but most heat-related deaths are preventable with outreach and intervention, Dan Knecht, MD, vice president and chief clinical innovation officer for CVS Caremark, a division of CVS Health, said in an interview. The approach will combine the company’s services, including care managers, health centers, and data, to aid patients vulnerable to severe weather.

The initiative is starting with a focus on extreme heat events and will expand this fall with alerts about high levels of air pollution for individuals with vulnerability to reduced lung function, asthma, and cardiac problems as a result of exposure to high air-pollution levels, according to Dr. Knecht.

For now, the initiative is available to members of Aetna Medicare, according to Dr. Knecht. “Our goal is to expand to other consumers, including those who visit MinuteClinic and CVS Pharmacy locations, where we can provide timely environment-related recommendations at time of care,” he said.

The alert system uses environmental data analytics to pair highly localized forecasts and real-time insights about air quality, wildfires, and high heat with medical and pharmacy data for high-risk patients in areas affected by extreme weather.

For example, for individuals who are at risk and living in areas facing extreme heat, “registered nurse care managers proactively reach out to vulnerable patients up to several days in advance of an extreme weather event and provide them personalized tips and resources,” said Dr. Knecht.

In addition, he added, “we talk to patients about how to manage their medications during periods of extreme heat and, when delivering medications, take weather data into account to determine appropriate packaging materials for shipments.”

These interventions direct patients to CVS Health–linked resources, such as Oak Street Health clinics available as cooling centers, health services provided at MinuteClinic locations, and medication management at CVS pharmacies. Other interventions include virtual or in-person mental health counseling through MinuteClinic.

Dr. Knecht offered additional guidance for clinicians and patients to help manage heat waves. “Heat and certain medications can impair heat tolerance and the ability to regulate body temperature,” he told this news organization. Extreme heat may affect the performance of some medications and their devices, such as inhalers and diabetes supplies, he added.
 

Health Alerts Have Potential, But Comprehensive Approach is Needed

“Patients with chronic lung conditions are highly susceptible to the impact of climate change,” MeiLan K. Han, MD, a pulmonologist and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, said in an interview. “Increasing dust, hotter temperatures, and higher levels of air pollution make it more difficult for patients to breathe,” she said. Data also suggest that higher levels of air pollution may not only cause chronic lung disease but also cause worsening symptoms among those with existing disease, she added.

A weather-related health alert could be useful for patients so they can be prepared, Dr. Han told this news organization.

“For a patient with chronic lung disease, a hot weather alert may mean that it will be harder for patients to breathe, and [they] may [be] more susceptible to heat stroke and dehydration if they do not have access to air conditioning,” she said. “At a minimum, patients should ensure they are on their controller medications, which often means a daily inhaler for patients with conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, patients also should have access to their short-term reliever medications so they can be prepared for increased shortness of breath that may accompany a hot weather day,” Dr. Han explained.

However, not all patients have access to technology such as smartphones or other devices that will alert them to impending weather events, such as heat waves, said Dr. Han. “For these patients, a standard phone call may be beneficial,” she said.

Looking ahead, “programs for weather-related health alerts will need to be comprehensive, focusing not only on access to needed medications but also climate-controlled settings for temporary relief of heat,” said Dr. Han. “For some of our most vulnerable patients, while they may have air conditioning, they may not be able to afford to run it, so this needs to be considered in developing a comprehensive program,” she emphasized.

Dr. Knecht had no financial conflicts to disclose. Dr. Han disclosed ties with Aerogen, Altesa BioSciences, American Lung Association, Amgen, Apreo Health, AstraZeneca, Biodesix, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Cipla, COPD Foundation, DevPro, Gala Therapeutics, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Integrity, MDBriefcase, Medscape, Medtronic, Medwiz, Meissa Vaccines, Merck, Mylan, NACE, National Institutes of Health, Novartis, Nuvaira, Polarian, Pulmonx, Regeneron, Roche, RS Biotherapeutics, Sanofi, Sunovion, Teva, UpToDate, and Verona..
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

As more data show potentially dangerous effects of climate and weather on individuals with chronic medical conditions, CVS Health has introduced an initiative that uses technology to provide weather alerts and targeted outreach to those at increased risk, according to a press release from the company. Ultimately, the goals of the initiative are to improve health, reduce emergency department visits, hospital stays, and medical costs, according to the press release.

Extreme weather events such as heat waves are becoming more frequent and severe, but most heat-related deaths are preventable with outreach and intervention, Dan Knecht, MD, vice president and chief clinical innovation officer for CVS Caremark, a division of CVS Health, said in an interview. The approach will combine the company’s services, including care managers, health centers, and data, to aid patients vulnerable to severe weather.

The initiative is starting with a focus on extreme heat events and will expand this fall with alerts about high levels of air pollution for individuals with vulnerability to reduced lung function, asthma, and cardiac problems as a result of exposure to high air-pollution levels, according to Dr. Knecht.

For now, the initiative is available to members of Aetna Medicare, according to Dr. Knecht. “Our goal is to expand to other consumers, including those who visit MinuteClinic and CVS Pharmacy locations, where we can provide timely environment-related recommendations at time of care,” he said.

The alert system uses environmental data analytics to pair highly localized forecasts and real-time insights about air quality, wildfires, and high heat with medical and pharmacy data for high-risk patients in areas affected by extreme weather.

For example, for individuals who are at risk and living in areas facing extreme heat, “registered nurse care managers proactively reach out to vulnerable patients up to several days in advance of an extreme weather event and provide them personalized tips and resources,” said Dr. Knecht.

In addition, he added, “we talk to patients about how to manage their medications during periods of extreme heat and, when delivering medications, take weather data into account to determine appropriate packaging materials for shipments.”

These interventions direct patients to CVS Health–linked resources, such as Oak Street Health clinics available as cooling centers, health services provided at MinuteClinic locations, and medication management at CVS pharmacies. Other interventions include virtual or in-person mental health counseling through MinuteClinic.

Dr. Knecht offered additional guidance for clinicians and patients to help manage heat waves. “Heat and certain medications can impair heat tolerance and the ability to regulate body temperature,” he told this news organization. Extreme heat may affect the performance of some medications and their devices, such as inhalers and diabetes supplies, he added.
 

Health Alerts Have Potential, But Comprehensive Approach is Needed

“Patients with chronic lung conditions are highly susceptible to the impact of climate change,” MeiLan K. Han, MD, a pulmonologist and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, said in an interview. “Increasing dust, hotter temperatures, and higher levels of air pollution make it more difficult for patients to breathe,” she said. Data also suggest that higher levels of air pollution may not only cause chronic lung disease but also cause worsening symptoms among those with existing disease, she added.

A weather-related health alert could be useful for patients so they can be prepared, Dr. Han told this news organization.

“For a patient with chronic lung disease, a hot weather alert may mean that it will be harder for patients to breathe, and [they] may [be] more susceptible to heat stroke and dehydration if they do not have access to air conditioning,” she said. “At a minimum, patients should ensure they are on their controller medications, which often means a daily inhaler for patients with conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, patients also should have access to their short-term reliever medications so they can be prepared for increased shortness of breath that may accompany a hot weather day,” Dr. Han explained.

However, not all patients have access to technology such as smartphones or other devices that will alert them to impending weather events, such as heat waves, said Dr. Han. “For these patients, a standard phone call may be beneficial,” she said.

Looking ahead, “programs for weather-related health alerts will need to be comprehensive, focusing not only on access to needed medications but also climate-controlled settings for temporary relief of heat,” said Dr. Han. “For some of our most vulnerable patients, while they may have air conditioning, they may not be able to afford to run it, so this needs to be considered in developing a comprehensive program,” she emphasized.

Dr. Knecht had no financial conflicts to disclose. Dr. Han disclosed ties with Aerogen, Altesa BioSciences, American Lung Association, Amgen, Apreo Health, AstraZeneca, Biodesix, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Cipla, COPD Foundation, DevPro, Gala Therapeutics, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Integrity, MDBriefcase, Medscape, Medtronic, Medwiz, Meissa Vaccines, Merck, Mylan, NACE, National Institutes of Health, Novartis, Nuvaira, Polarian, Pulmonx, Regeneron, Roche, RS Biotherapeutics, Sanofi, Sunovion, Teva, UpToDate, and Verona..
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

As more data show potentially dangerous effects of climate and weather on individuals with chronic medical conditions, CVS Health has introduced an initiative that uses technology to provide weather alerts and targeted outreach to those at increased risk, according to a press release from the company. Ultimately, the goals of the initiative are to improve health, reduce emergency department visits, hospital stays, and medical costs, according to the press release.

Extreme weather events such as heat waves are becoming more frequent and severe, but most heat-related deaths are preventable with outreach and intervention, Dan Knecht, MD, vice president and chief clinical innovation officer for CVS Caremark, a division of CVS Health, said in an interview. The approach will combine the company’s services, including care managers, health centers, and data, to aid patients vulnerable to severe weather.

The initiative is starting with a focus on extreme heat events and will expand this fall with alerts about high levels of air pollution for individuals with vulnerability to reduced lung function, asthma, and cardiac problems as a result of exposure to high air-pollution levels, according to Dr. Knecht.

For now, the initiative is available to members of Aetna Medicare, according to Dr. Knecht. “Our goal is to expand to other consumers, including those who visit MinuteClinic and CVS Pharmacy locations, where we can provide timely environment-related recommendations at time of care,” he said.

The alert system uses environmental data analytics to pair highly localized forecasts and real-time insights about air quality, wildfires, and high heat with medical and pharmacy data for high-risk patients in areas affected by extreme weather.

For example, for individuals who are at risk and living in areas facing extreme heat, “registered nurse care managers proactively reach out to vulnerable patients up to several days in advance of an extreme weather event and provide them personalized tips and resources,” said Dr. Knecht.

In addition, he added, “we talk to patients about how to manage their medications during periods of extreme heat and, when delivering medications, take weather data into account to determine appropriate packaging materials for shipments.”

These interventions direct patients to CVS Health–linked resources, such as Oak Street Health clinics available as cooling centers, health services provided at MinuteClinic locations, and medication management at CVS pharmacies. Other interventions include virtual or in-person mental health counseling through MinuteClinic.

Dr. Knecht offered additional guidance for clinicians and patients to help manage heat waves. “Heat and certain medications can impair heat tolerance and the ability to regulate body temperature,” he told this news organization. Extreme heat may affect the performance of some medications and their devices, such as inhalers and diabetes supplies, he added.
 

Health Alerts Have Potential, But Comprehensive Approach is Needed

“Patients with chronic lung conditions are highly susceptible to the impact of climate change,” MeiLan K. Han, MD, a pulmonologist and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, said in an interview. “Increasing dust, hotter temperatures, and higher levels of air pollution make it more difficult for patients to breathe,” she said. Data also suggest that higher levels of air pollution may not only cause chronic lung disease but also cause worsening symptoms among those with existing disease, she added.

A weather-related health alert could be useful for patients so they can be prepared, Dr. Han told this news organization.

“For a patient with chronic lung disease, a hot weather alert may mean that it will be harder for patients to breathe, and [they] may [be] more susceptible to heat stroke and dehydration if they do not have access to air conditioning,” she said. “At a minimum, patients should ensure they are on their controller medications, which often means a daily inhaler for patients with conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, patients also should have access to their short-term reliever medications so they can be prepared for increased shortness of breath that may accompany a hot weather day,” Dr. Han explained.

However, not all patients have access to technology such as smartphones or other devices that will alert them to impending weather events, such as heat waves, said Dr. Han. “For these patients, a standard phone call may be beneficial,” she said.

Looking ahead, “programs for weather-related health alerts will need to be comprehensive, focusing not only on access to needed medications but also climate-controlled settings for temporary relief of heat,” said Dr. Han. “For some of our most vulnerable patients, while they may have air conditioning, they may not be able to afford to run it, so this needs to be considered in developing a comprehensive program,” she emphasized.

Dr. Knecht had no financial conflicts to disclose. Dr. Han disclosed ties with Aerogen, Altesa BioSciences, American Lung Association, Amgen, Apreo Health, AstraZeneca, Biodesix, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Cipla, COPD Foundation, DevPro, Gala Therapeutics, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Integrity, MDBriefcase, Medscape, Medtronic, Medwiz, Meissa Vaccines, Merck, Mylan, NACE, National Institutes of Health, Novartis, Nuvaira, Polarian, Pulmonx, Regeneron, Roche, RS Biotherapeutics, Sanofi, Sunovion, Teva, UpToDate, and Verona..
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Take a look at any of the evidence-based US obesity treatment guidelines. The key criteria for diagnosing overweight and obesity is based on the body mass index (BMI). 

The guidelines also use BMI to stratify care options to decrease cardiovascular risk. For example, persons with BMI ≥30 are classified as having obesity, and antiobesity medications are recommended. Those with BMI ≥ 40 are classified as having severe obesity, and metabolic bariatric surgery may be appropriate. 

But where did these cutoff points for more and less aggressive treatments come from? These BMI cutoffs are based primarily on mortality data collected from large non-Hispanic White populations, without data on potential differences by gender and ethnicity. In fact, by itself, BMI is an incomplete measure of cardiometabolic risk, especially in a multiethnic clinic with all genders represented.

For example, it is certainly true that those with BMI ≥ 30 have more cardiovascular risk factors than those with BMI < 30. But Asian American individuals have more risk factors at lower BMIs than do White or African American individuals likely because of more visceral fat accumulation at lower BMIs.

Besides the variation in gender and ethnicity, BMI does not take the type and location of body fat into consideration. Adipose tissue in visceral or ectopic areas have much higher risks for disease than subcutaneous adipose tissue because of the associated inflammation. Measures such as waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and skinfold measurements aim to capture this aspect but often fall short because of variation in techniques.

BMI does not account for muscle mass either, so fit athletes and bodybuilders can be classified as having obesity by BMI alone. More accurate body fat percent measures, such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or MRI specifically for ectopic fat, are labor intensive, expensive, and not feasible to perform in a busy primary care or endocrinology clinic.
 

Assessing Risks From Obesity Beyond BMI

Clearly, better risk measures than BMI are needed, but until they are available, supplemental clinical tools can aid diagnosis and treatment decisions at obesity medicine specialty centers, endocrinology and diabetes centers, and those centers that focus on the treatment of obesity.

For example, a seca scale can measure percent body fat by bioelectric impedance analysis. This technique also has its limitations, but for persons who are well hydrated, it can be used as a baseline to determine efficacy of behavioral interventions, such as resistance-exercise training and a high-protein diet to protect muscle mass as the patient loses weight.

A lot also can be gleaned from diet and exercise history, social history, family history, and physical exam as well as laboratory analyses. For example, an Asian American patient with a BMI of 26 who has been gaining weight mostly in the abdominal region after age 35 years is likely to have cardiometabolic risk, and a family history can solidify that. An exam can show signs of acanthosis nigricans or an enlarged liver and generous abdominal adipose tissue. This would be the patient in whom you would want to obtain a hemoglobin A1c measurement in the chance that it is elevated at > 5.7 mg/dL, suggesting high risk for type 2 diabetes. 

A Fibrosis-4 score can assess the risk for liver disease from aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase and platelet count and age, providing clues to cardiometabolic disease risk.

In the next 10, years there may be a better measure for cardiometabolic risk that is more accurate than BMI is. It could be the sagittal abdominal diameter, which has been purported to more accurately measure visceral abdominal fat. But this has not made it to be one of the vital signs in a busy primary care clinic, however. 
 

Will New Body Fat Tools Change Practice?

In the next 10 years, there may be an affordable gadget to scan the body to determine visceral vs subcutaneous deposition of fat — like radiography for tissue. Now, three-dimensional (3D) total-body scanners can obtain body composition, but they are extremely expensive. The more important clinical question is: How will the use of these imaging modalities change your practice protocol for a particular patient? 

Think about the FibroScan, a type of ultrasound used to determine fatty liver disease and fibrosis. We order the test for those patients in whom we already have a strong suspicion for liver disease and, in obesity practices, for fatty liver and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease or metabolic associated steatohepatitis.

The test results do much to educate the patient and help the patient understand the need for aggressive treatment for their obesity. But it doesn’t necessarily change the clinician’s practice protocols and decisions. We would still recommend weight management and medications or surgery to patients regardless of the findings. 

A FibroScan is an expense, and not all primary care or endocrine practitioners may feel it necessary to purchase one for the added benefit of patient education. And I would argue that a 3D body scanner is a great tool but more for educational purposes than to really determine practice decision-making or outcomes. 

In the meantime, an old-fashioned physical examination, along with a thorough medical, social, and family history should give even the busiest primary care provider enough information to decide whether their patient is a candidate for preventive measures to reduce body fat with diet, exercise, and medication as well as whether the patient is a candidate for metabolic bariatric surgery. Higher suspicion of cardiovascular risk at lower BMI ranges for various ethnicities can help primary care providers pick up on the patients with low BMI but who are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

So the answer to whether we need a better measure than the BMI: Yes, we do. We need a physical examination on all patients.

Dr. Apovian, professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, and codirector, Center for Weight Management and Wellness, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, both in Boston, Massachusetts, disclosed ties with Altimmune, CinFina Pharma, Cowen and Company, EPG Communication Holdings, Form Health, Gelesis, L-Nutra, NeuroBo Pharm, Novo, OptumRx, Pain Script, Palatin, Pursuit by You, Roman Health, Xeno, and Riverview School.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Take a look at any of the evidence-based US obesity treatment guidelines. The key criteria for diagnosing overweight and obesity is based on the body mass index (BMI). 

The guidelines also use BMI to stratify care options to decrease cardiovascular risk. For example, persons with BMI ≥30 are classified as having obesity, and antiobesity medications are recommended. Those with BMI ≥ 40 are classified as having severe obesity, and metabolic bariatric surgery may be appropriate. 

But where did these cutoff points for more and less aggressive treatments come from? These BMI cutoffs are based primarily on mortality data collected from large non-Hispanic White populations, without data on potential differences by gender and ethnicity. In fact, by itself, BMI is an incomplete measure of cardiometabolic risk, especially in a multiethnic clinic with all genders represented.

For example, it is certainly true that those with BMI ≥ 30 have more cardiovascular risk factors than those with BMI < 30. But Asian American individuals have more risk factors at lower BMIs than do White or African American individuals likely because of more visceral fat accumulation at lower BMIs.

Besides the variation in gender and ethnicity, BMI does not take the type and location of body fat into consideration. Adipose tissue in visceral or ectopic areas have much higher risks for disease than subcutaneous adipose tissue because of the associated inflammation. Measures such as waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and skinfold measurements aim to capture this aspect but often fall short because of variation in techniques.

BMI does not account for muscle mass either, so fit athletes and bodybuilders can be classified as having obesity by BMI alone. More accurate body fat percent measures, such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or MRI specifically for ectopic fat, are labor intensive, expensive, and not feasible to perform in a busy primary care or endocrinology clinic.
 

Assessing Risks From Obesity Beyond BMI

Clearly, better risk measures than BMI are needed, but until they are available, supplemental clinical tools can aid diagnosis and treatment decisions at obesity medicine specialty centers, endocrinology and diabetes centers, and those centers that focus on the treatment of obesity.

For example, a seca scale can measure percent body fat by bioelectric impedance analysis. This technique also has its limitations, but for persons who are well hydrated, it can be used as a baseline to determine efficacy of behavioral interventions, such as resistance-exercise training and a high-protein diet to protect muscle mass as the patient loses weight.

A lot also can be gleaned from diet and exercise history, social history, family history, and physical exam as well as laboratory analyses. For example, an Asian American patient with a BMI of 26 who has been gaining weight mostly in the abdominal region after age 35 years is likely to have cardiometabolic risk, and a family history can solidify that. An exam can show signs of acanthosis nigricans or an enlarged liver and generous abdominal adipose tissue. This would be the patient in whom you would want to obtain a hemoglobin A1c measurement in the chance that it is elevated at > 5.7 mg/dL, suggesting high risk for type 2 diabetes. 

A Fibrosis-4 score can assess the risk for liver disease from aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase and platelet count and age, providing clues to cardiometabolic disease risk.

In the next 10, years there may be a better measure for cardiometabolic risk that is more accurate than BMI is. It could be the sagittal abdominal diameter, which has been purported to more accurately measure visceral abdominal fat. But this has not made it to be one of the vital signs in a busy primary care clinic, however. 
 

Will New Body Fat Tools Change Practice?

In the next 10 years, there may be an affordable gadget to scan the body to determine visceral vs subcutaneous deposition of fat — like radiography for tissue. Now, three-dimensional (3D) total-body scanners can obtain body composition, but they are extremely expensive. The more important clinical question is: How will the use of these imaging modalities change your practice protocol for a particular patient? 

Think about the FibroScan, a type of ultrasound used to determine fatty liver disease and fibrosis. We order the test for those patients in whom we already have a strong suspicion for liver disease and, in obesity practices, for fatty liver and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease or metabolic associated steatohepatitis.

The test results do much to educate the patient and help the patient understand the need for aggressive treatment for their obesity. But it doesn’t necessarily change the clinician’s practice protocols and decisions. We would still recommend weight management and medications or surgery to patients regardless of the findings. 

A FibroScan is an expense, and not all primary care or endocrine practitioners may feel it necessary to purchase one for the added benefit of patient education. And I would argue that a 3D body scanner is a great tool but more for educational purposes than to really determine practice decision-making or outcomes. 

In the meantime, an old-fashioned physical examination, along with a thorough medical, social, and family history should give even the busiest primary care provider enough information to decide whether their patient is a candidate for preventive measures to reduce body fat with diet, exercise, and medication as well as whether the patient is a candidate for metabolic bariatric surgery. Higher suspicion of cardiovascular risk at lower BMI ranges for various ethnicities can help primary care providers pick up on the patients with low BMI but who are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

So the answer to whether we need a better measure than the BMI: Yes, we do. We need a physical examination on all patients.

Dr. Apovian, professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, and codirector, Center for Weight Management and Wellness, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, both in Boston, Massachusetts, disclosed ties with Altimmune, CinFina Pharma, Cowen and Company, EPG Communication Holdings, Form Health, Gelesis, L-Nutra, NeuroBo Pharm, Novo, OptumRx, Pain Script, Palatin, Pursuit by You, Roman Health, Xeno, and Riverview School.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Take a look at any of the evidence-based US obesity treatment guidelines. The key criteria for diagnosing overweight and obesity is based on the body mass index (BMI). 

The guidelines also use BMI to stratify care options to decrease cardiovascular risk. For example, persons with BMI ≥30 are classified as having obesity, and antiobesity medications are recommended. Those with BMI ≥ 40 are classified as having severe obesity, and metabolic bariatric surgery may be appropriate. 

But where did these cutoff points for more and less aggressive treatments come from? These BMI cutoffs are based primarily on mortality data collected from large non-Hispanic White populations, without data on potential differences by gender and ethnicity. In fact, by itself, BMI is an incomplete measure of cardiometabolic risk, especially in a multiethnic clinic with all genders represented.

For example, it is certainly true that those with BMI ≥ 30 have more cardiovascular risk factors than those with BMI < 30. But Asian American individuals have more risk factors at lower BMIs than do White or African American individuals likely because of more visceral fat accumulation at lower BMIs.

Besides the variation in gender and ethnicity, BMI does not take the type and location of body fat into consideration. Adipose tissue in visceral or ectopic areas have much higher risks for disease than subcutaneous adipose tissue because of the associated inflammation. Measures such as waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and skinfold measurements aim to capture this aspect but often fall short because of variation in techniques.

BMI does not account for muscle mass either, so fit athletes and bodybuilders can be classified as having obesity by BMI alone. More accurate body fat percent measures, such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or MRI specifically for ectopic fat, are labor intensive, expensive, and not feasible to perform in a busy primary care or endocrinology clinic.
 

Assessing Risks From Obesity Beyond BMI

Clearly, better risk measures than BMI are needed, but until they are available, supplemental clinical tools can aid diagnosis and treatment decisions at obesity medicine specialty centers, endocrinology and diabetes centers, and those centers that focus on the treatment of obesity.

For example, a seca scale can measure percent body fat by bioelectric impedance analysis. This technique also has its limitations, but for persons who are well hydrated, it can be used as a baseline to determine efficacy of behavioral interventions, such as resistance-exercise training and a high-protein diet to protect muscle mass as the patient loses weight.

A lot also can be gleaned from diet and exercise history, social history, family history, and physical exam as well as laboratory analyses. For example, an Asian American patient with a BMI of 26 who has been gaining weight mostly in the abdominal region after age 35 years is likely to have cardiometabolic risk, and a family history can solidify that. An exam can show signs of acanthosis nigricans or an enlarged liver and generous abdominal adipose tissue. This would be the patient in whom you would want to obtain a hemoglobin A1c measurement in the chance that it is elevated at > 5.7 mg/dL, suggesting high risk for type 2 diabetes. 

A Fibrosis-4 score can assess the risk for liver disease from aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase and platelet count and age, providing clues to cardiometabolic disease risk.

In the next 10, years there may be a better measure for cardiometabolic risk that is more accurate than BMI is. It could be the sagittal abdominal diameter, which has been purported to more accurately measure visceral abdominal fat. But this has not made it to be one of the vital signs in a busy primary care clinic, however. 
 

Will New Body Fat Tools Change Practice?

In the next 10 years, there may be an affordable gadget to scan the body to determine visceral vs subcutaneous deposition of fat — like radiography for tissue. Now, three-dimensional (3D) total-body scanners can obtain body composition, but they are extremely expensive. The more important clinical question is: How will the use of these imaging modalities change your practice protocol for a particular patient? 

Think about the FibroScan, a type of ultrasound used to determine fatty liver disease and fibrosis. We order the test for those patients in whom we already have a strong suspicion for liver disease and, in obesity practices, for fatty liver and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease or metabolic associated steatohepatitis.

The test results do much to educate the patient and help the patient understand the need for aggressive treatment for their obesity. But it doesn’t necessarily change the clinician’s practice protocols and decisions. We would still recommend weight management and medications or surgery to patients regardless of the findings. 

A FibroScan is an expense, and not all primary care or endocrine practitioners may feel it necessary to purchase one for the added benefit of patient education. And I would argue that a 3D body scanner is a great tool but more for educational purposes than to really determine practice decision-making or outcomes. 

In the meantime, an old-fashioned physical examination, along with a thorough medical, social, and family history should give even the busiest primary care provider enough information to decide whether their patient is a candidate for preventive measures to reduce body fat with diet, exercise, and medication as well as whether the patient is a candidate for metabolic bariatric surgery. Higher suspicion of cardiovascular risk at lower BMI ranges for various ethnicities can help primary care providers pick up on the patients with low BMI but who are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

So the answer to whether we need a better measure than the BMI: Yes, we do. We need a physical examination on all patients.

Dr. Apovian, professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, and codirector, Center for Weight Management and Wellness, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, both in Boston, Massachusetts, disclosed ties with Altimmune, CinFina Pharma, Cowen and Company, EPG Communication Holdings, Form Health, Gelesis, L-Nutra, NeuroBo Pharm, Novo, OptumRx, Pain Script, Palatin, Pursuit by You, Roman Health, Xeno, and Riverview School.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a safe treatment option for patients with oligometastatic cancer, with only 0.5% of patients experiencing severe acute toxicities within 6 months, according to a large real-world analysis.

METHODOLOGY:

• Advances in cancer imaging have helped identify more patients with oligometastatic disease. Although the standard treatment approach typically involves systemic therapy such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, SBRT has increasingly become an option for these patients. However, the toxicities associated with SBRT remain less clear.
• OligoCare, a European, prospective, registry-based, single-arm observational study, aims to provide real-world outcomes among patients with oligometastatic cancer who received SBRT. In this analysis, the researchers evaluated early toxicities among 1468 patients with different primary cancers — non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; 19.7%), colorectal cancer (20%), breast cancer (15.5%), and prostate cancer (44.8%).
• The primary outcome was acute toxicities, including new malignancies and deaths, within 6 months of initiating SBRT.
• Overall, 527 (35.9%) patients received concomitant systemic treatment and 828 (56%) had de novo oligometastatic disease.

TAKEAWAY:

• Overall, though, only eight patients (0.5%) experienced acute SBRT-related toxicity of grade 3 and above within 6 months; two events, however, were fatal (pneumonitis and cerebral hemorrhage), and both occurred in patients with NSCLC.
• The other six grade 3 events included one instance of each of the following: empyema, pneumonia, radiation pneumonitis, radiation skin injury, decreased appetite, and bone pain. Two of these events occurred in patients with NSCLC, two in patients with breast cancer, one in patients with colorectal cancer, and one in patients with prostate cancer.
• New primary malignancies were reported in 13 (0.9%) patients, which included bladder cancer (n = 3), nonmelanoma skin cancer (n = 3), and leukemia (n = 1).
• Overall, 43 (2.9%) patients died within 6 months, most from their primary cancer (58.1%).

IN PRACTICE:

Low rates of early acute toxicities reported in this real-world study help confirm the safety of SBRT in the treatment of oligometastases, the authors concluded. However, “some anatomical sites might be associated with an increased risk of even severe or fatal toxicities.”

SOURCE:

The study, led by Filippo Alongi, Advanced Radiation Oncology Department, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Cancer Care Center, Negrar di Valpolicella, Italy, and University of Brescia, also in Italy, was published online in Radiotherapy & Oncology .

LIMITATIONS:

Some limitations of the study include the nonrandomized design and potential variability in patient selection criteria, treatment doses, and schedules.

DISCLOSURES:

The study did not receive any funding support. Two authors declared receiving speaker or lecture honoraria or consultation fees from various sources.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a safe treatment option for patients with oligometastatic cancer, with only 0.5% of patients experiencing severe acute toxicities within 6 months, according to a large real-world analysis.

METHODOLOGY:

• Advances in cancer imaging have helped identify more patients with oligometastatic disease. Although the standard treatment approach typically involves systemic therapy such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, SBRT has increasingly become an option for these patients. However, the toxicities associated with SBRT remain less clear.
• OligoCare, a European, prospective, registry-based, single-arm observational study, aims to provide real-world outcomes among patients with oligometastatic cancer who received SBRT. In this analysis, the researchers evaluated early toxicities among 1468 patients with different primary cancers — non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; 19.7%), colorectal cancer (20%), breast cancer (15.5%), and prostate cancer (44.8%).
• The primary outcome was acute toxicities, including new malignancies and deaths, within 6 months of initiating SBRT.
• Overall, 527 (35.9%) patients received concomitant systemic treatment and 828 (56%) had de novo oligometastatic disease.

TAKEAWAY:

• Overall, though, only eight patients (0.5%) experienced acute SBRT-related toxicity of grade 3 and above within 6 months; two events, however, were fatal (pneumonitis and cerebral hemorrhage), and both occurred in patients with NSCLC.
• The other six grade 3 events included one instance of each of the following: empyema, pneumonia, radiation pneumonitis, radiation skin injury, decreased appetite, and bone pain. Two of these events occurred in patients with NSCLC, two in patients with breast cancer, one in patients with colorectal cancer, and one in patients with prostate cancer.
• New primary malignancies were reported in 13 (0.9%) patients, which included bladder cancer (n = 3), nonmelanoma skin cancer (n = 3), and leukemia (n = 1).
• Overall, 43 (2.9%) patients died within 6 months, most from their primary cancer (58.1%).

IN PRACTICE:

Low rates of early acute toxicities reported in this real-world study help confirm the safety of SBRT in the treatment of oligometastases, the authors concluded. However, “some anatomical sites might be associated with an increased risk of even severe or fatal toxicities.”

SOURCE:

The study, led by Filippo Alongi, Advanced Radiation Oncology Department, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Cancer Care Center, Negrar di Valpolicella, Italy, and University of Brescia, also in Italy, was published online in Radiotherapy & Oncology .

LIMITATIONS:

Some limitations of the study include the nonrandomized design and potential variability in patient selection criteria, treatment doses, and schedules.

DISCLOSURES:

The study did not receive any funding support. Two authors declared receiving speaker or lecture honoraria or consultation fees from various sources.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a safe treatment option for patients with oligometastatic cancer, with only 0.5% of patients experiencing severe acute toxicities within 6 months, according to a large real-world analysis.

METHODOLOGY:

• Advances in cancer imaging have helped identify more patients with oligometastatic disease. Although the standard treatment approach typically involves systemic therapy such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, SBRT has increasingly become an option for these patients. However, the toxicities associated with SBRT remain less clear.
• OligoCare, a European, prospective, registry-based, single-arm observational study, aims to provide real-world outcomes among patients with oligometastatic cancer who received SBRT. In this analysis, the researchers evaluated early toxicities among 1468 patients with different primary cancers — non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; 19.7%), colorectal cancer (20%), breast cancer (15.5%), and prostate cancer (44.8%).
• The primary outcome was acute toxicities, including new malignancies and deaths, within 6 months of initiating SBRT.
• Overall, 527 (35.9%) patients received concomitant systemic treatment and 828 (56%) had de novo oligometastatic disease.

TAKEAWAY:

• Overall, though, only eight patients (0.5%) experienced acute SBRT-related toxicity of grade 3 and above within 6 months; two events, however, were fatal (pneumonitis and cerebral hemorrhage), and both occurred in patients with NSCLC.
• The other six grade 3 events included one instance of each of the following: empyema, pneumonia, radiation pneumonitis, radiation skin injury, decreased appetite, and bone pain. Two of these events occurred in patients with NSCLC, two in patients with breast cancer, one in patients with colorectal cancer, and one in patients with prostate cancer.
• New primary malignancies were reported in 13 (0.9%) patients, which included bladder cancer (n = 3), nonmelanoma skin cancer (n = 3), and leukemia (n = 1).
• Overall, 43 (2.9%) patients died within 6 months, most from their primary cancer (58.1%).

IN PRACTICE:

Low rates of early acute toxicities reported in this real-world study help confirm the safety of SBRT in the treatment of oligometastases, the authors concluded. However, “some anatomical sites might be associated with an increased risk of even severe or fatal toxicities.”

SOURCE:

The study, led by Filippo Alongi, Advanced Radiation Oncology Department, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Cancer Care Center, Negrar di Valpolicella, Italy, and University of Brescia, also in Italy, was published online in Radiotherapy & Oncology .

LIMITATIONS:

Some limitations of the study include the nonrandomized design and potential variability in patient selection criteria, treatment doses, and schedules.

DISCLOSURES:

The study did not receive any funding support. Two authors declared receiving speaker or lecture honoraria or consultation fees from various sources.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

RSV, influenza, and now SARS-CoV2 drive annual winter respiratory surges. For children younger than 5 years old, RSV is the main drive — approximately 2,000,000 outpatient/ED visits and about 75,000 hospitalizations annually. RSV disease ranges from upper respiratory tract infections, eg, in older children and healthy adults, to more severe lower tract disease in young children and the elderly. Premature infants and high-risk groups are particularly prone to severe disease.¹ Up to 300 pediatric RSV deaths occur yearly. “Normal” RSV seasons start in mid-November, peak in late December-January, and end after April. Note: More drawn out seasons occur in southern latitudes, eg Texas or Florida. But lately RSV seasons have been anything but normal.

2015-2016 to 2022-2023

RSV data from the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS), collected at over 49 US children’s hospitals during 2015 to early 2023, show how crazy RSV seasons have been lately.² The involved months, intensity, and duration of four prepandemic seasons were pretty “normal” (Figure 1). The 2019-2020 season started normally, peaked in January 2020, and was slowing as expected by February. But when SARS-Cov-2 restrictions kicked in during mid-March, RSV detections tanked to almost nothing (ditto other respiratory viruses). A near 14-month RSV hiatus meant that the 2020-2021 RSV season never materialized. However, RSV was not done with us in 2021. It rebounded in May with weekly hospitalizations peaking in late July; this “rebound season” lasted 9 months, not dropping to baseline until February 2022 (Figure 1).

I guess we should have expected a post-pandemic “disturbance in the Force,” as Yoda once said; but I sure didn’t see a prolonged summer/fall/early winter RSV season coming. It was like two “normal” seasons mashed up into one late-but-long season. Not to be outdone, the 2022-2023 RSV season started early (September) and hospitalizations skyrocketed to peak in November at over twice the peak number from any year since 2015, overloading hospitals (influenza and SARS-Cov-2 seasons were co-circulating). The season terminated early though (March 2023).

Okay, so RSV seasonality/intensity were weird post pandemic, but was anything else different? Some 2021-2023 data suggest more RSV disease in older children, rather than the usual younger than 18 month-olds going through their first winter.³ More medically attended RSV in older ages (2-4 years of life) may have been due to the pandemic year without RSV circulation distorting herd immunity, ie older children remained RSV naive. Other data suggest the apparent increase was really just more frequent multiplex viral testing in older children triggered by SARS-CoV-2 co-circulation.⁴ More data are needed to decide.
 

CDC 2023-2024 RESP-NET data

The 2023-2024 winter surge (Figure 2), as measured by RESP-NET’s cumulative RSV,influenza and SARS-CoV-2 hospitalization rates for 0- to 5-year-olds,⁵ shows that all three viruses’ seasonal months were normal-ish: late October 2023 start, late December-early January peak, and mid-May 2024 return to baseline. RSV season was approximately 22% less severe by area-under-the-curve calculations compared with 2022-2023, but still worse than prepandemic years.⁶

One wonders if the 2022-2023 RSV season might have been worse but for use of the limited supply of nirsevimab.⁷

Viral Parade

Now we ready ourselves for the 2024-2025 respiratory surge, wondering what nature has in store for us. Will the usual “respiratory virus parade” occur? Will rhinovirus and parainfluenza prevalence bump after a few weeks of schools being in session, adding to the now-usual summer/fall SARS-CoV-2 surge? Note: Twenty-seven states as of Aug. 16 had high SARS-CoV-2 detection in wastewater. Will RSV and influenza start sometime in October/November, peak in January (along with rising SARS-CoV2 activity), followed by a second parainfluenza bump as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV drop off in April/May? Further, will RSV and influenza seasons be more or less severe than the last 2 years?

Prediction

The overall 2024-2025 respiratory season will be less severe than the past 2 years and hopefully than recent prepandemic years. What is the blueprint for a milder season? First, herd immunity to non-RSV and non-influenza viruses (parainfluenza, rhinovirus, metapneumovirus, adenovirus) in older children should be normalized after 2 years back to usual social activity. So, I expect no mega-seasons from them. The emerging SARS-CoV-2 virus (LB.1) is immunologically close to its recent still-circulating ancestors (KP.2, KP.2.3, KP.³ and KP.3.1.1), so existing SARS-CoV2 herd immunity along with recommended booster vaccine uptake should keep the lid on SARS-CoV2.

Influenza Could Be the Bad News

Which type will dominate? Will a drift/shift occur or vaccine-mismatch reduce vaccine effectiveness? Can we get at least half the population influenza vaccinated, given the vaccine fatigue permeating the US population? The influenza season now underway in the Southern Hemisphere usually helps us predict our season. The Australian May-August 2024 experience (still on an upward trajectory for severity in mid-August) saw no drift/shift or vaccine mismatch. However, this 2024 season has been as severe as 2022 (their worst in a decade). That said, more than 95% has been type A (mostly H1N1 but H3N2 increased in July). So, if our overall 2024-2025 respiratory season is not milder, influenza is the most likely culprit. To reduce chances of influenza being the fly-in-the-ointment, we need to be particularly proactive with seasonal influenza vaccine which is back to the traditional trivalent formulation (one H1N1, one H3N2, and one B type).⁸ All of this could go out the window if avian influenza becomes more transmissible, but that seems unlikely at present.

Mild RSV Season?

RSV season should be blunted because of the increased use of both the remarkably effective CDC-recommended maternal RSV vaccine⁹ (one dose during pregnancy weeks 32 through 36, administered September through January) and of nirsevimab (up to 90% reduction in hospitalizations and ED visits).¹⁰ (See Figure 3.)

I also expect residual disease to occur mostly in younger than 18 month-olds (the “normal” aged population experiencing their first winter), who received no passive immunity (mother RSV unvaccinated and child did not receive nirsevimab). Some disease will still occur in high-risk infants/children. However, unlike active vaccination strategies, a competent immune system is not required to benefit from passive antibody, whether transplacental or directly administered.
 

Deep Thought

What if the traditional RSV seasonal hospitalization surge fails to materialize this season? It could happen. If we could get high acceptance/uptake of maternal vaccine and infant nirsevimab, RSV season could resemble the dramatic drop in rotavirus disease the second year after rotavirus vaccine introduction. We could be asking ourselves — “What happened to RSV?”

Dr. Harrison is professor of pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, Missouri. He said he had no relevant financial disclosures. Email him at [email protected].

References

1. CDC. RSV in Infants and Young Children. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV). June 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/infants-young-children/index.html.

2. Suss RJ and Simões EAF. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospital-Based Burden of Disease in Children Younger Than 5 Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospital-Based Burden of Disease in Children Younger Than 5 Years, 2015-2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e247125. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.7125.

3. Winthrop ZA et al. Pediatric Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospitalizations and Respiratory Support After the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(6):e2416852. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.16852.

4. Petros BA et al. Increased Pediatric RSV Case Counts Following the Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Are Attributable to Increased Testing. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Feb 12:2024.02.06.24302387. doi: 10.1101/2024.02.06.24302387.

5. Rates of Laboratory-Confirmed RSV, COVID-19, and Flu Hospitalizations from the RESP-NET Surveillance Systems. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://data.cdc.gov/Public-Health-Surveillance/Rates-of-Laboratory-Confirmed-RSV-COVID-19-and-Flu/kvib-3txy/about_data.

6. CDC. Evaluating the 2023-2024 Respiratory Disease Season Outlook. CFA: Qualitative Assessments. August 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/cfa-qualitative-assessments/php/data-research/2023-2024-season-outlook-retro.html.

7. Health Alert Network (HAN). Limited Availability of Nirsevimab in the United States—Interim CDC Recommendations to Protect Infants from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) during the 2023–2024 Respiratory Virus Season. October 23, 2023. https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2023/han00499.asp.

8. CDC. Information for the 2024-2025 Flu Season. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. March 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2024-2025.htm.

9. Kampmann B et al. Bivalent Prefusion F Vaccine in Pregnancy to Prevent RSV Illness in Infants. N Engl J Med. 2023 Apr 20;388(16):1451-1464. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2216480.

10. Moline HL. Early Estimate of Nirsevimab Effectiveness for Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Associated Hospitalization Among Infants Entering Their First Respiratory Syncytial Virus Season — New Vaccine Surveillance Network, October 2023–February 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7309a4.

RSV, influenza, and now SARS-CoV2 drive annual winter respiratory surges. For children younger than 5 years old, RSV is the main drive — approximately 2,000,000 outpatient/ED visits and about 75,000 hospitalizations annually. RSV disease ranges from upper respiratory tract infections, eg, in older children and healthy adults, to more severe lower tract disease in young children and the elderly. Premature infants and high-risk groups are particularly prone to severe disease.¹ Up to 300 pediatric RSV deaths occur yearly. “Normal” RSV seasons start in mid-November, peak in late December-January, and end after April. Note: More drawn out seasons occur in southern latitudes, eg Texas or Florida. But lately RSV seasons have been anything but normal.

2015-2016 to 2022-2023

RSV data from the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS), collected at over 49 US children’s hospitals during 2015 to early 2023, show how crazy RSV seasons have been lately.² The involved months, intensity, and duration of four prepandemic seasons were pretty “normal” (Figure 1). The 2019-2020 season started normally, peaked in January 2020, and was slowing as expected by February. But when SARS-Cov-2 restrictions kicked in during mid-March, RSV detections tanked to almost nothing (ditto other respiratory viruses). A near 14-month RSV hiatus meant that the 2020-2021 RSV season never materialized. However, RSV was not done with us in 2021. It rebounded in May with weekly hospitalizations peaking in late July; this “rebound season” lasted 9 months, not dropping to baseline until February 2022 (Figure 1).

I guess we should have expected a post-pandemic “disturbance in the Force,” as Yoda once said; but I sure didn’t see a prolonged summer/fall/early winter RSV season coming. It was like two “normal” seasons mashed up into one late-but-long season. Not to be outdone, the 2022-2023 RSV season started early (September) and hospitalizations skyrocketed to peak in November at over twice the peak number from any year since 2015, overloading hospitals (influenza and SARS-Cov-2 seasons were co-circulating). The season terminated early though (March 2023).

Okay, so RSV seasonality/intensity were weird post pandemic, but was anything else different? Some 2021-2023 data suggest more RSV disease in older children, rather than the usual younger than 18 month-olds going through their first winter.³ More medically attended RSV in older ages (2-4 years of life) may have been due to the pandemic year without RSV circulation distorting herd immunity, ie older children remained RSV naive. Other data suggest the apparent increase was really just more frequent multiplex viral testing in older children triggered by SARS-CoV-2 co-circulation.⁴ More data are needed to decide.
 

CDC 2023-2024 RESP-NET data

The 2023-2024 winter surge (Figure 2), as measured by RESP-NET’s cumulative RSV,influenza and SARS-CoV-2 hospitalization rates for 0- to 5-year-olds,⁵ shows that all three viruses’ seasonal months were normal-ish: late October 2023 start, late December-early January peak, and mid-May 2024 return to baseline. RSV season was approximately 22% less severe by area-under-the-curve calculations compared with 2022-2023, but still worse than prepandemic years.⁶

One wonders if the 2022-2023 RSV season might have been worse but for use of the limited supply of nirsevimab.⁷

Viral Parade

Now we ready ourselves for the 2024-2025 respiratory surge, wondering what nature has in store for us. Will the usual “respiratory virus parade” occur? Will rhinovirus and parainfluenza prevalence bump after a few weeks of schools being in session, adding to the now-usual summer/fall SARS-CoV-2 surge? Note: Twenty-seven states as of Aug. 16 had high SARS-CoV-2 detection in wastewater. Will RSV and influenza start sometime in October/November, peak in January (along with rising SARS-CoV2 activity), followed by a second parainfluenza bump as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV drop off in April/May? Further, will RSV and influenza seasons be more or less severe than the last 2 years?

Prediction

The overall 2024-2025 respiratory season will be less severe than the past 2 years and hopefully than recent prepandemic years. What is the blueprint for a milder season? First, herd immunity to non-RSV and non-influenza viruses (parainfluenza, rhinovirus, metapneumovirus, adenovirus) in older children should be normalized after 2 years back to usual social activity. So, I expect no mega-seasons from them. The emerging SARS-CoV-2 virus (LB.1) is immunologically close to its recent still-circulating ancestors (KP.2, KP.2.3, KP.³ and KP.3.1.1), so existing SARS-CoV2 herd immunity along with recommended booster vaccine uptake should keep the lid on SARS-CoV2.

Influenza Could Be the Bad News

Which type will dominate? Will a drift/shift occur or vaccine-mismatch reduce vaccine effectiveness? Can we get at least half the population influenza vaccinated, given the vaccine fatigue permeating the US population? The influenza season now underway in the Southern Hemisphere usually helps us predict our season. The Australian May-August 2024 experience (still on an upward trajectory for severity in mid-August) saw no drift/shift or vaccine mismatch. However, this 2024 season has been as severe as 2022 (their worst in a decade). That said, more than 95% has been type A (mostly H1N1 but H3N2 increased in July). So, if our overall 2024-2025 respiratory season is not milder, influenza is the most likely culprit. To reduce chances of influenza being the fly-in-the-ointment, we need to be particularly proactive with seasonal influenza vaccine which is back to the traditional trivalent formulation (one H1N1, one H3N2, and one B type).⁸ All of this could go out the window if avian influenza becomes more transmissible, but that seems unlikely at present.

Mild RSV Season?

RSV season should be blunted because of the increased use of both the remarkably effective CDC-recommended maternal RSV vaccine⁹ (one dose during pregnancy weeks 32 through 36, administered September through January) and of nirsevimab (up to 90% reduction in hospitalizations and ED visits).¹⁰ (See Figure 3.)

I also expect residual disease to occur mostly in younger than 18 month-olds (the “normal” aged population experiencing their first winter), who received no passive immunity (mother RSV unvaccinated and child did not receive nirsevimab). Some disease will still occur in high-risk infants/children. However, unlike active vaccination strategies, a competent immune system is not required to benefit from passive antibody, whether transplacental or directly administered.
 

Deep Thought

What if the traditional RSV seasonal hospitalization surge fails to materialize this season? It could happen. If we could get high acceptance/uptake of maternal vaccine and infant nirsevimab, RSV season could resemble the dramatic drop in rotavirus disease the second year after rotavirus vaccine introduction. We could be asking ourselves — “What happened to RSV?”

Dr. Harrison is professor of pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, Missouri. He said he had no relevant financial disclosures. Email him at [email protected].

References

1. CDC. RSV in Infants and Young Children. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV). June 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/infants-young-children/index.html.

2. Suss RJ and Simões EAF. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospital-Based Burden of Disease in Children Younger Than 5 Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospital-Based Burden of Disease in Children Younger Than 5 Years, 2015-2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e247125. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.7125.

3. Winthrop ZA et al. Pediatric Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospitalizations and Respiratory Support After the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(6):e2416852. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.16852.

4. Petros BA et al. Increased Pediatric RSV Case Counts Following the Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Are Attributable to Increased Testing. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Feb 12:2024.02.06.24302387. doi: 10.1101/2024.02.06.24302387.

5. Rates of Laboratory-Confirmed RSV, COVID-19, and Flu Hospitalizations from the RESP-NET Surveillance Systems. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://data.cdc.gov/Public-Health-Surveillance/Rates-of-Laboratory-Confirmed-RSV-COVID-19-and-Flu/kvib-3txy/about_data.

6. CDC. Evaluating the 2023-2024 Respiratory Disease Season Outlook. CFA: Qualitative Assessments. August 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/cfa-qualitative-assessments/php/data-research/2023-2024-season-outlook-retro.html.

7. Health Alert Network (HAN). Limited Availability of Nirsevimab in the United States—Interim CDC Recommendations to Protect Infants from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) during the 2023–2024 Respiratory Virus Season. October 23, 2023. https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2023/han00499.asp.

8. CDC. Information for the 2024-2025 Flu Season. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. March 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2024-2025.htm.

9. Kampmann B et al. Bivalent Prefusion F Vaccine in Pregnancy to Prevent RSV Illness in Infants. N Engl J Med. 2023 Apr 20;388(16):1451-1464. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2216480.

10. Moline HL. Early Estimate of Nirsevimab Effectiveness for Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Associated Hospitalization Among Infants Entering Their First Respiratory Syncytial Virus Season — New Vaccine Surveillance Network, October 2023–February 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7309a4.

RSV, influenza, and now SARS-CoV2 drive annual winter respiratory surges. For children younger than 5 years old, RSV is the main drive — approximately 2,000,000 outpatient/ED visits and about 75,000 hospitalizations annually. RSV disease ranges from upper respiratory tract infections, eg, in older children and healthy adults, to more severe lower tract disease in young children and the elderly. Premature infants and high-risk groups are particularly prone to severe disease.¹ Up to 300 pediatric RSV deaths occur yearly. “Normal” RSV seasons start in mid-November, peak in late December-January, and end after April. Note: More drawn out seasons occur in southern latitudes, eg Texas or Florida. But lately RSV seasons have been anything but normal.

2015-2016 to 2022-2023

RSV data from the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS), collected at over 49 US children’s hospitals during 2015 to early 2023, show how crazy RSV seasons have been lately.² The involved months, intensity, and duration of four prepandemic seasons were pretty “normal” (Figure 1). The 2019-2020 season started normally, peaked in January 2020, and was slowing as expected by February. But when SARS-Cov-2 restrictions kicked in during mid-March, RSV detections tanked to almost nothing (ditto other respiratory viruses). A near 14-month RSV hiatus meant that the 2020-2021 RSV season never materialized. However, RSV was not done with us in 2021. It rebounded in May with weekly hospitalizations peaking in late July; this “rebound season” lasted 9 months, not dropping to baseline until February 2022 (Figure 1).

I guess we should have expected a post-pandemic “disturbance in the Force,” as Yoda once said; but I sure didn’t see a prolonged summer/fall/early winter RSV season coming. It was like two “normal” seasons mashed up into one late-but-long season. Not to be outdone, the 2022-2023 RSV season started early (September) and hospitalizations skyrocketed to peak in November at over twice the peak number from any year since 2015, overloading hospitals (influenza and SARS-Cov-2 seasons were co-circulating). The season terminated early though (March 2023).

Okay, so RSV seasonality/intensity were weird post pandemic, but was anything else different? Some 2021-2023 data suggest more RSV disease in older children, rather than the usual younger than 18 month-olds going through their first winter.³ More medically attended RSV in older ages (2-4 years of life) may have been due to the pandemic year without RSV circulation distorting herd immunity, ie older children remained RSV naive. Other data suggest the apparent increase was really just more frequent multiplex viral testing in older children triggered by SARS-CoV-2 co-circulation.⁴ More data are needed to decide.
 

CDC 2023-2024 RESP-NET data

The 2023-2024 winter surge (Figure 2), as measured by RESP-NET’s cumulative RSV,influenza and SARS-CoV-2 hospitalization rates for 0- to 5-year-olds,⁵ shows that all three viruses’ seasonal months were normal-ish: late October 2023 start, late December-early January peak, and mid-May 2024 return to baseline. RSV season was approximately 22% less severe by area-under-the-curve calculations compared with 2022-2023, but still worse than prepandemic years.⁶

One wonders if the 2022-2023 RSV season might have been worse but for use of the limited supply of nirsevimab.⁷

Viral Parade

Now we ready ourselves for the 2024-2025 respiratory surge, wondering what nature has in store for us. Will the usual “respiratory virus parade” occur? Will rhinovirus and parainfluenza prevalence bump after a few weeks of schools being in session, adding to the now-usual summer/fall SARS-CoV-2 surge? Note: Twenty-seven states as of Aug. 16 had high SARS-CoV-2 detection in wastewater. Will RSV and influenza start sometime in October/November, peak in January (along with rising SARS-CoV2 activity), followed by a second parainfluenza bump as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV drop off in April/May? Further, will RSV and influenza seasons be more or less severe than the last 2 years?

Prediction

The overall 2024-2025 respiratory season will be less severe than the past 2 years and hopefully than recent prepandemic years. What is the blueprint for a milder season? First, herd immunity to non-RSV and non-influenza viruses (parainfluenza, rhinovirus, metapneumovirus, adenovirus) in older children should be normalized after 2 years back to usual social activity. So, I expect no mega-seasons from them. The emerging SARS-CoV-2 virus (LB.1) is immunologically close to its recent still-circulating ancestors (KP.2, KP.2.3, KP.³ and KP.3.1.1), so existing SARS-CoV2 herd immunity along with recommended booster vaccine uptake should keep the lid on SARS-CoV2.

Influenza Could Be the Bad News

Which type will dominate? Will a drift/shift occur or vaccine-mismatch reduce vaccine effectiveness? Can we get at least half the population influenza vaccinated, given the vaccine fatigue permeating the US population? The influenza season now underway in the Southern Hemisphere usually helps us predict our season. The Australian May-August 2024 experience (still on an upward trajectory for severity in mid-August) saw no drift/shift or vaccine mismatch. However, this 2024 season has been as severe as 2022 (their worst in a decade). That said, more than 95% has been type A (mostly H1N1 but H3N2 increased in July). So, if our overall 2024-2025 respiratory season is not milder, influenza is the most likely culprit. To reduce chances of influenza being the fly-in-the-ointment, we need to be particularly proactive with seasonal influenza vaccine which is back to the traditional trivalent formulation (one H1N1, one H3N2, and one B type).⁸ All of this could go out the window if avian influenza becomes more transmissible, but that seems unlikely at present.

Mild RSV Season?

RSV season should be blunted because of the increased use of both the remarkably effective CDC-recommended maternal RSV vaccine⁹ (one dose during pregnancy weeks 32 through 36, administered September through January) and of nirsevimab (up to 90% reduction in hospitalizations and ED visits).¹⁰ (See Figure 3.)

I also expect residual disease to occur mostly in younger than 18 month-olds (the “normal” aged population experiencing their first winter), who received no passive immunity (mother RSV unvaccinated and child did not receive nirsevimab). Some disease will still occur in high-risk infants/children. However, unlike active vaccination strategies, a competent immune system is not required to benefit from passive antibody, whether transplacental or directly administered.
 

Deep Thought

What if the traditional RSV seasonal hospitalization surge fails to materialize this season? It could happen. If we could get high acceptance/uptake of maternal vaccine and infant nirsevimab, RSV season could resemble the dramatic drop in rotavirus disease the second year after rotavirus vaccine introduction. We could be asking ourselves — “What happened to RSV?”

Dr. Harrison is professor of pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, Missouri. He said he had no relevant financial disclosures. Email him at [email protected].

References

1. CDC. RSV in Infants and Young Children. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV). June 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/infants-young-children/index.html.

2. Suss RJ and Simões EAF. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospital-Based Burden of Disease in Children Younger Than 5 Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospital-Based Burden of Disease in Children Younger Than 5 Years, 2015-2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e247125. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.7125.

3. Winthrop ZA et al. Pediatric Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospitalizations and Respiratory Support After the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(6):e2416852. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.16852.

4. Petros BA et al. Increased Pediatric RSV Case Counts Following the Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Are Attributable to Increased Testing. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Feb 12:2024.02.06.24302387. doi: 10.1101/2024.02.06.24302387.

5. Rates of Laboratory-Confirmed RSV, COVID-19, and Flu Hospitalizations from the RESP-NET Surveillance Systems. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://data.cdc.gov/Public-Health-Surveillance/Rates-of-Laboratory-Confirmed-RSV-COVID-19-and-Flu/kvib-3txy/about_data.

6. CDC. Evaluating the 2023-2024 Respiratory Disease Season Outlook. CFA: Qualitative Assessments. August 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/cfa-qualitative-assessments/php/data-research/2023-2024-season-outlook-retro.html.

7. Health Alert Network (HAN). Limited Availability of Nirsevimab in the United States—Interim CDC Recommendations to Protect Infants from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) during the 2023–2024 Respiratory Virus Season. October 23, 2023. https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2023/han00499.asp.

8. CDC. Information for the 2024-2025 Flu Season. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. March 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2024-2025.htm.

9. Kampmann B et al. Bivalent Prefusion F Vaccine in Pregnancy to Prevent RSV Illness in Infants. N Engl J Med. 2023 Apr 20;388(16):1451-1464. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2216480.

10. Moline HL. Early Estimate of Nirsevimab Effectiveness for Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Associated Hospitalization Among Infants Entering Their First Respiratory Syncytial Virus Season — New Vaccine Surveillance Network, October 2023–February 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7309a4.

An estimated 450,000 US deaths are expected this year from conditions attributed to cigarette smoking. Although the percentage of adults who smoke declined from 21% in 2005 to 11% in 2022, the annual death toll has been stable since 2005 and isn’t expected to decline until 2030, owing to an aging population of current and former smokers.

In 2022, based on a national survey, two thirds of the 28.8 million US adult smokers wanted to quit, and more than half tried quitting on their own or with the help of clinicians, but less than 9% succeeded in kicking the habit. The health benefits of quitting, summarized in a patient education handout from the American Cancer Society, include a lower risk for cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the handout states, “quitting smoking can add as much as 10 years to your life, compared to if you continued to smoke.”

For my patients older than age 50 who are lifelong smokers, the qualifier “as much as” can be a sticking point. Although most recognize that continuing to smoke exposes them to greater health risks and are willing to undergo lung cancer screening and receive pneumococcal vaccines, a kind of fatalism frequently sets in. I’ve heard more times than I can recall some version of the declaration, “It’s too late for quitting to make much difference for me.” Many smokers think that once they reach middle age, gains in life expectancy will be too small to be worth the intense effort and multiple failed attempts that are typically required to quit permanently. Until recently, there were few data I could call on to persuade them they were wrong.

In February 2024, Dr. Eo Rin Cho and colleagues pooled data from four national cohort studies (United States, United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada) to calculate mortality differences among current, former, and never smokers aged 20-79 years. Compared with never smokers, lifelong smokers died an average of 12-13 years earlier. However, quitting before age 50 nearly eliminated the excess mortality associated with smoking, and in the 50- to 59-year-old age group, cessation eventually reduced excess mortality by 92%-95%. Better yet, more than half of the benefits occurred within the first 3 years after cessation.

At first glance, these estimates may seem too good to be true. A few months later, though, a different research group, using data from a large cancer prevention study and 2018 US population census and mortality rates, largely confirmed their findings. Dr. Thuy Le and colleagues found that quitting at age 35, 45, 55, 65, or 75 years resulted in average life gains of 8, 5.6, 3.5, 1.7, and 0.7 years, respectively, relative to continuing to smoke. Because no patient is average, the analysis also presented some helpful probabilities. For example, a smoker who quits at age 65 has about a 1 in 4 chance of gaining at least 1 full year of life and a 1 in 6 chance of gaining at least 4 years. In other words, from a life expectancy perspective alone, it’s almost never too late to quit smoking.

Dr. Lin is a family physician and Associate Director, Family Medicine Residency Program, Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He blogs at Common Sense Family Doctor. He has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

An estimated 450,000 US deaths are expected this year from conditions attributed to cigarette smoking. Although the percentage of adults who smoke declined from 21% in 2005 to 11% in 2022, the annual death toll has been stable since 2005 and isn’t expected to decline until 2030, owing to an aging population of current and former smokers.

In 2022, based on a national survey, two thirds of the 28.8 million US adult smokers wanted to quit, and more than half tried quitting on their own or with the help of clinicians, but less than 9% succeeded in kicking the habit. The health benefits of quitting, summarized in a patient education handout from the American Cancer Society, include a lower risk for cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the handout states, “quitting smoking can add as much as 10 years to your life, compared to if you continued to smoke.”

For my patients older than age 50 who are lifelong smokers, the qualifier “as much as” can be a sticking point. Although most recognize that continuing to smoke exposes them to greater health risks and are willing to undergo lung cancer screening and receive pneumococcal vaccines, a kind of fatalism frequently sets in. I’ve heard more times than I can recall some version of the declaration, “It’s too late for quitting to make much difference for me.” Many smokers think that once they reach middle age, gains in life expectancy will be too small to be worth the intense effort and multiple failed attempts that are typically required to quit permanently. Until recently, there were few data I could call on to persuade them they were wrong.

In February 2024, Dr. Eo Rin Cho and colleagues pooled data from four national cohort studies (United States, United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada) to calculate mortality differences among current, former, and never smokers aged 20-79 years. Compared with never smokers, lifelong smokers died an average of 12-13 years earlier. However, quitting before age 50 nearly eliminated the excess mortality associated with smoking, and in the 50- to 59-year-old age group, cessation eventually reduced excess mortality by 92%-95%. Better yet, more than half of the benefits occurred within the first 3 years after cessation.

At first glance, these estimates may seem too good to be true. A few months later, though, a different research group, using data from a large cancer prevention study and 2018 US population census and mortality rates, largely confirmed their findings. Dr. Thuy Le and colleagues found that quitting at age 35, 45, 55, 65, or 75 years resulted in average life gains of 8, 5.6, 3.5, 1.7, and 0.7 years, respectively, relative to continuing to smoke. Because no patient is average, the analysis also presented some helpful probabilities. For example, a smoker who quits at age 65 has about a 1 in 4 chance of gaining at least 1 full year of life and a 1 in 6 chance of gaining at least 4 years. In other words, from a life expectancy perspective alone, it’s almost never too late to quit smoking.

Dr. Lin is a family physician and Associate Director, Family Medicine Residency Program, Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He blogs at Common Sense Family Doctor. He has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

An estimated 450,000 US deaths are expected this year from conditions attributed to cigarette smoking. Although the percentage of adults who smoke declined from 21% in 2005 to 11% in 2022, the annual death toll has been stable since 2005 and isn’t expected to decline until 2030, owing to an aging population of current and former smokers.

In 2022, based on a national survey, two thirds of the 28.8 million US adult smokers wanted to quit, and more than half tried quitting on their own or with the help of clinicians, but less than 9% succeeded in kicking the habit. The health benefits of quitting, summarized in a patient education handout from the American Cancer Society, include a lower risk for cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the handout states, “quitting smoking can add as much as 10 years to your life, compared to if you continued to smoke.”

For my patients older than age 50 who are lifelong smokers, the qualifier “as much as” can be a sticking point. Although most recognize that continuing to smoke exposes them to greater health risks and are willing to undergo lung cancer screening and receive pneumococcal vaccines, a kind of fatalism frequently sets in. I’ve heard more times than I can recall some version of the declaration, “It’s too late for quitting to make much difference for me.” Many smokers think that once they reach middle age, gains in life expectancy will be too small to be worth the intense effort and multiple failed attempts that are typically required to quit permanently. Until recently, there were few data I could call on to persuade them they were wrong.

In February 2024, Dr. Eo Rin Cho and colleagues pooled data from four national cohort studies (United States, United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada) to calculate mortality differences among current, former, and never smokers aged 20-79 years. Compared with never smokers, lifelong smokers died an average of 12-13 years earlier. However, quitting before age 50 nearly eliminated the excess mortality associated with smoking, and in the 50- to 59-year-old age group, cessation eventually reduced excess mortality by 92%-95%. Better yet, more than half of the benefits occurred within the first 3 years after cessation.

At first glance, these estimates may seem too good to be true. A few months later, though, a different research group, using data from a large cancer prevention study and 2018 US population census and mortality rates, largely confirmed their findings. Dr. Thuy Le and colleagues found that quitting at age 35, 45, 55, 65, or 75 years resulted in average life gains of 8, 5.6, 3.5, 1.7, and 0.7 years, respectively, relative to continuing to smoke. Because no patient is average, the analysis also presented some helpful probabilities. For example, a smoker who quits at age 65 has about a 1 in 4 chance of gaining at least 1 full year of life and a 1 in 6 chance of gaining at least 4 years. In other words, from a life expectancy perspective alone, it’s almost never too late to quit smoking.

Dr. Lin is a family physician and Associate Director, Family Medicine Residency Program, Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He blogs at Common Sense Family Doctor. He has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

When Andrea Austin, MD, an emergency medicine specialist, left the military in 2020, she knew the adjustment to civilian life and practice might be difficult. To help smooth the transition, she reached out to a physician mentor who also had a professional coaching certificate. After a conversation, Dr. Austin signed up for 6 months of career coaching. 

It was time well spent, according to Dr. Austin, who today is a coach herself. “It was really the first time I had the ability to choose what I wanted to do, and that required a mindset shift,” she explains. “A big part of coaching is helping physicians discover their agency so that they can make the best career choices.” 

courtesy Dr. Andrea Austin

Physicians have long lacked the coaching resources typically made available to corporate executives. But that’s changing. In today’s high-pressure environment, where doctors are burning out at a rapid pace, coaching can sometimes be an avenue to staying in the field, especially if that coach is a fellow physician who understands what you’re facing. 

With a physician shortage that the Association of American Medical Colleges expects to hit 86,000 in the next decade or so, coaching could be a stone worth turning over. A 2024 report in JAMA Network Open found that coaching provided by physician peers led to a significant reduction in interpersonal disengagement and burnout. 

“What I think is exciting about coaching is that it allows you to better understand yourself and know your strengths and weaknesses,” said Dr. Austin. “It might seem simple, but many ‘soft skills’ aren’t considered mainstream in medicine. Coaching allows us to understand them and ourselves better.” 
 

Why Are Doctors Using Coaches?

Although it’s hard to put a number on how many physicians are turning to coaches, the number of coaches available for doctors is growing rapidly. The American Medical Women’s Association maintains a database of physician coaches. According to deputy director Jodi Godfrey, MS, RDN, the number of members who have added coaching to their skill set has tripled in the past 4 years. “Many cite burnout as the reason they sought coaching support, and then they decided to go on to get certified in coaching.”

courtesy Michael Hanlon

The pandemic is one reason physician coaching has grown, said Elizabeth Esparaz, MD, an ophthalmologist and physician coach. “Since the pandemic, the word ‘burnout’ is thrown around a good deal.” And the causes are clear. “Doctors are facing longer hours, they must make split-second decisions, they’re multitasking, and they have less support staff.”

Among her coaching clients, Dr. Austin has noticed other common struggles: fears of litigation, time scarcity with patients, declining reimbursement that hasn’t kept up with inflation, and loss of autonomy because of the corporatization of healthcare. 

Coaching, Dr. Esparaz believes, can be an antidote to many of these issues. “Coaches help doctors see their strengths and find better ways of applying them,” she said. “We help them move forward, and also see their blind spots.”
 

Clarity, Goals, and Making the Right Choices

Physician coaching comes in a variety of flavors — some one on one, and others in the form of group sessions. All, however, serve the purpose of helping physicians gain career clarity. “Sometimes clients realize their job may not be working for them, but that there are things they can do to change that without having to leave the field,” said Jattu Senesie, MD, a former ob.gyn. who is now a physician coach. 

Dr. Esparaz works with doctors to establish SMART goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time based. She gave the example of learning how to set boundaries. “If a physician is asked to create a presentation for work, I encourage them to ask for compensation or administrative time before committing to unpaid tasks.”

Another big issue: charting. It’s increasingly burdensome, and many doctors find it encroaching on their home lives. “If we can identify a problem like that, we can come up with a strategy for mitigating it,” Dr. Esparaz said. This might include setting a goal of getting 80% of charting completed immediately after the patient encounter on the busiest clinic day of the week. The client tests the experiment and then revisits it with the coach to discuss what worked and what didn’t, refining the process until it has freed up the physician’s home life. 

courtesy Dr. Jattu Senesie

The younger generation of doctors often struggles with career choices, too, because it’s the first time they are without structure, said Dr. Senesie. There’s med school and residency, which puts a framework around every move a doctor makes. But once they become attending physicians, the choices are endless. “Coaching can help them find a new structure and systems that will allow them to thrive.”

Although mentoring has been a well-embraced concept for decades, it “hits a wall,” at some point in terms of what it can offer, Dr. Austin said. That’s where coaching can take over. “There’s a point where a mentor cannot help someone self-actualize. As a coach, you don’t need to know everything about a doctor’s life, but you can help them learn to ask themselves the right questions to solve problems.”
 

Should You Stay or Should You Go?

Dr. Austin’s approach begins with the premise that healthcare today is challenging and dysfunctional — but doctors still have agency. She has worked with clients on the verge of leaving the field and helped them find their way back. 

“They have a light bulb moment and open up to the idea that they have much to give still,” she said. “We take an inventory to help them better communicate their needs and make changes, and I help them connect to their values. Sometimes that exercise allows them to reframe their current work environment.” 

Not every doctor who goes through coaching remains in the field. But “that’s the exception, not the rule,” Dr. Austin said. And that’s okay. “If that’s the outcome, coaching probably helped them get to that point faster, and with an informed decision.” 

Dr. Senesie has been coaching for about a decade, and in that time, she’s seen a shift that goes beyond figuring out career goals. “Doctors are more aware of the need for well-being today. The pandemic made it impossible to ignore what doesn’t work for us. When I work with clients, we look for ways to make the job more tenable.” 

According to Dr. Senesie, younger doctors are looking for that balance at the outset. “They want to be physicians, but they also want a life,” she said. “It’s a challenge for them because in addition to that mindset, they’re also coming out with more debt than older generations. They want out from underneath that.”
 

When It’s Time to Find a Physician Coach

Wondering whether coaching is right for you? Consider these symptoms:

• You need help setting boundaries at work.
• You feel like you’re sacrificing your own well-being for your job.
• You’re using maladaptive strategies to cope with the stress at work.
• You’ve reached a point where you are considering leaving the field.

If you’re interested in finding a physician coach, there are several places to begin your search, word of mouth being one of them. “Conferences and social media can also expose you to coaches,” suggested Dr. Esparaz. There are different methods and approaches to coaching. So, as you research, “make sure the coach you choose has techniques and a framework that fit what you’re after.” 

Dr. Austin warned that it is an unregulated industry, so buyer beware. To ensure you’re getting an accredited physician coach, look for people who have obtained an International Coach Federation (ICF) accreditation. These coaches will hold an associate certified coach credential, which requires at least 60 hours of coaching-specific training approved by the ICF, in addition to other assessments and education. 

Ensure that the coach you choose is within your budget. “There are some people charging astronomical rates out there,” Dr. Austin said. “If you’re burned out or struggling, it can be easy to reach for your credit card.”

Dr. Austin also cautioned doctors seeking a coach to avoid promises that sound too good to be true. Some coaching can have a gaslighting quality to it, she warned, “suggesting it can allow you to endure any environment.” But positive self-talk alone won’t cure an abusive or discriminatory situation. “If a client describes a toxic work environment,” the coach has an “ethical imperative” to help that person protect themselves. 
 

A Side Gig or a New Career Path

After Dr. Austin’s experience with her coach, she made the choice to continue as an emergency physician part-time while starting her own coaching business. “It’s important for me personally to keep in touch with what’s happening on the ground, but I have no judgment for anyone who chooses to leave clinical practice to become a coach.”

When Dr. Senesie looks back on her own struggles as a clinician, she recognizes the state of burnout she was in 10 years ago. “I knew there was an issue, but I didn’t have the mindset to find a way to make it work,” she said. “I left the field when I was at my depths of burnout, which is generally not the best way to go about it.” 

Guidance might have allowed her to take into account other avenues and helped her remain in the field, said Dr. Senesie. She has since learned that “there are many ways to practice medicine, and the way we’ve gone about it traditionally has worked for some, but not necessarily for everyone.” 

There may be more possibilities than you think. By helping you assess your path and make meaningful changes, a physician coach might be the key to remaining in the field you love.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

When Andrea Austin, MD, an emergency medicine specialist, left the military in 2020, she knew the adjustment to civilian life and practice might be difficult. To help smooth the transition, she reached out to a physician mentor who also had a professional coaching certificate. After a conversation, Dr. Austin signed up for 6 months of career coaching. 

It was time well spent, according to Dr. Austin, who today is a coach herself. “It was really the first time I had the ability to choose what I wanted to do, and that required a mindset shift,” she explains. “A big part of coaching is helping physicians discover their agency so that they can make the best career choices.” 

courtesy Dr. Andrea Austin

Physicians have long lacked the coaching resources typically made available to corporate executives. But that’s changing. In today’s high-pressure environment, where doctors are burning out at a rapid pace, coaching can sometimes be an avenue to staying in the field, especially if that coach is a fellow physician who understands what you’re facing. 

With a physician shortage that the Association of American Medical Colleges expects to hit 86,000 in the next decade or so, coaching could be a stone worth turning over. A 2024 report in JAMA Network Open found that coaching provided by physician peers led to a significant reduction in interpersonal disengagement and burnout. 

“What I think is exciting about coaching is that it allows you to better understand yourself and know your strengths and weaknesses,” said Dr. Austin. “It might seem simple, but many ‘soft skills’ aren’t considered mainstream in medicine. Coaching allows us to understand them and ourselves better.” 
 

Why Are Doctors Using Coaches?

Although it’s hard to put a number on how many physicians are turning to coaches, the number of coaches available for doctors is growing rapidly. The American Medical Women’s Association maintains a database of physician coaches. According to deputy director Jodi Godfrey, MS, RDN, the number of members who have added coaching to their skill set has tripled in the past 4 years. “Many cite burnout as the reason they sought coaching support, and then they decided to go on to get certified in coaching.”

courtesy Michael Hanlon

The pandemic is one reason physician coaching has grown, said Elizabeth Esparaz, MD, an ophthalmologist and physician coach. “Since the pandemic, the word ‘burnout’ is thrown around a good deal.” And the causes are clear. “Doctors are facing longer hours, they must make split-second decisions, they’re multitasking, and they have less support staff.”

Among her coaching clients, Dr. Austin has noticed other common struggles: fears of litigation, time scarcity with patients, declining reimbursement that hasn’t kept up with inflation, and loss of autonomy because of the corporatization of healthcare. 

Coaching, Dr. Esparaz believes, can be an antidote to many of these issues. “Coaches help doctors see their strengths and find better ways of applying them,” she said. “We help them move forward, and also see their blind spots.”
 

Clarity, Goals, and Making the Right Choices

Physician coaching comes in a variety of flavors — some one on one, and others in the form of group sessions. All, however, serve the purpose of helping physicians gain career clarity. “Sometimes clients realize their job may not be working for them, but that there are things they can do to change that without having to leave the field,” said Jattu Senesie, MD, a former ob.gyn. who is now a physician coach. 

Dr. Esparaz works with doctors to establish SMART goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time based. She gave the example of learning how to set boundaries. “If a physician is asked to create a presentation for work, I encourage them to ask for compensation or administrative time before committing to unpaid tasks.”

Another big issue: charting. It’s increasingly burdensome, and many doctors find it encroaching on their home lives. “If we can identify a problem like that, we can come up with a strategy for mitigating it,” Dr. Esparaz said. This might include setting a goal of getting 80% of charting completed immediately after the patient encounter on the busiest clinic day of the week. The client tests the experiment and then revisits it with the coach to discuss what worked and what didn’t, refining the process until it has freed up the physician’s home life. 

courtesy Dr. Jattu Senesie

The younger generation of doctors often struggles with career choices, too, because it’s the first time they are without structure, said Dr. Senesie. There’s med school and residency, which puts a framework around every move a doctor makes. But once they become attending physicians, the choices are endless. “Coaching can help them find a new structure and systems that will allow them to thrive.”

Although mentoring has been a well-embraced concept for decades, it “hits a wall,” at some point in terms of what it can offer, Dr. Austin said. That’s where coaching can take over. “There’s a point where a mentor cannot help someone self-actualize. As a coach, you don’t need to know everything about a doctor’s life, but you can help them learn to ask themselves the right questions to solve problems.”
 

Should You Stay or Should You Go?

Dr. Austin’s approach begins with the premise that healthcare today is challenging and dysfunctional — but doctors still have agency. She has worked with clients on the verge of leaving the field and helped them find their way back. 

“They have a light bulb moment and open up to the idea that they have much to give still,” she said. “We take an inventory to help them better communicate their needs and make changes, and I help them connect to their values. Sometimes that exercise allows them to reframe their current work environment.” 

Not every doctor who goes through coaching remains in the field. But “that’s the exception, not the rule,” Dr. Austin said. And that’s okay. “If that’s the outcome, coaching probably helped them get to that point faster, and with an informed decision.” 

Dr. Senesie has been coaching for about a decade, and in that time, she’s seen a shift that goes beyond figuring out career goals. “Doctors are more aware of the need for well-being today. The pandemic made it impossible to ignore what doesn’t work for us. When I work with clients, we look for ways to make the job more tenable.” 

According to Dr. Senesie, younger doctors are looking for that balance at the outset. “They want to be physicians, but they also want a life,” she said. “It’s a challenge for them because in addition to that mindset, they’re also coming out with more debt than older generations. They want out from underneath that.”
 

When It’s Time to Find a Physician Coach

Wondering whether coaching is right for you? Consider these symptoms:

• You need help setting boundaries at work.
• You feel like you’re sacrificing your own well-being for your job.
• You’re using maladaptive strategies to cope with the stress at work.
• You’ve reached a point where you are considering leaving the field.

If you’re interested in finding a physician coach, there are several places to begin your search, word of mouth being one of them. “Conferences and social media can also expose you to coaches,” suggested Dr. Esparaz. There are different methods and approaches to coaching. So, as you research, “make sure the coach you choose has techniques and a framework that fit what you’re after.” 

Dr. Austin warned that it is an unregulated industry, so buyer beware. To ensure you’re getting an accredited physician coach, look for people who have obtained an International Coach Federation (ICF) accreditation. These coaches will hold an associate certified coach credential, which requires at least 60 hours of coaching-specific training approved by the ICF, in addition to other assessments and education. 

Ensure that the coach you choose is within your budget. “There are some people charging astronomical rates out there,” Dr. Austin said. “If you’re burned out or struggling, it can be easy to reach for your credit card.”

Dr. Austin also cautioned doctors seeking a coach to avoid promises that sound too good to be true. Some coaching can have a gaslighting quality to it, she warned, “suggesting it can allow you to endure any environment.” But positive self-talk alone won’t cure an abusive or discriminatory situation. “If a client describes a toxic work environment,” the coach has an “ethical imperative” to help that person protect themselves. 
 

A Side Gig or a New Career Path

After Dr. Austin’s experience with her coach, she made the choice to continue as an emergency physician part-time while starting her own coaching business. “It’s important for me personally to keep in touch with what’s happening on the ground, but I have no judgment for anyone who chooses to leave clinical practice to become a coach.”

When Dr. Senesie looks back on her own struggles as a clinician, she recognizes the state of burnout she was in 10 years ago. “I knew there was an issue, but I didn’t have the mindset to find a way to make it work,” she said. “I left the field when I was at my depths of burnout, which is generally not the best way to go about it.” 

Guidance might have allowed her to take into account other avenues and helped her remain in the field, said Dr. Senesie. She has since learned that “there are many ways to practice medicine, and the way we’ve gone about it traditionally has worked for some, but not necessarily for everyone.” 

There may be more possibilities than you think. By helping you assess your path and make meaningful changes, a physician coach might be the key to remaining in the field you love.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

When Andrea Austin, MD, an emergency medicine specialist, left the military in 2020, she knew the adjustment to civilian life and practice might be difficult. To help smooth the transition, she reached out to a physician mentor who also had a professional coaching certificate. After a conversation, Dr. Austin signed up for 6 months of career coaching. 

It was time well spent, according to Dr. Austin, who today is a coach herself. “It was really the first time I had the ability to choose what I wanted to do, and that required a mindset shift,” she explains. “A big part of coaching is helping physicians discover their agency so that they can make the best career choices.” 

courtesy Dr. Andrea Austin

Physicians have long lacked the coaching resources typically made available to corporate executives. But that’s changing. In today’s high-pressure environment, where doctors are burning out at a rapid pace, coaching can sometimes be an avenue to staying in the field, especially if that coach is a fellow physician who understands what you’re facing. 

With a physician shortage that the Association of American Medical Colleges expects to hit 86,000 in the next decade or so, coaching could be a stone worth turning over. A 2024 report in JAMA Network Open found that coaching provided by physician peers led to a significant reduction in interpersonal disengagement and burnout. 

“What I think is exciting about coaching is that it allows you to better understand yourself and know your strengths and weaknesses,” said Dr. Austin. “It might seem simple, but many ‘soft skills’ aren’t considered mainstream in medicine. Coaching allows us to understand them and ourselves better.” 
 

Why Are Doctors Using Coaches?

Although it’s hard to put a number on how many physicians are turning to coaches, the number of coaches available for doctors is growing rapidly. The American Medical Women’s Association maintains a database of physician coaches. According to deputy director Jodi Godfrey, MS, RDN, the number of members who have added coaching to their skill set has tripled in the past 4 years. “Many cite burnout as the reason they sought coaching support, and then they decided to go on to get certified in coaching.”

courtesy Michael Hanlon

The pandemic is one reason physician coaching has grown, said Elizabeth Esparaz, MD, an ophthalmologist and physician coach. “Since the pandemic, the word ‘burnout’ is thrown around a good deal.” And the causes are clear. “Doctors are facing longer hours, they must make split-second decisions, they’re multitasking, and they have less support staff.”

Among her coaching clients, Dr. Austin has noticed other common struggles: fears of litigation, time scarcity with patients, declining reimbursement that hasn’t kept up with inflation, and loss of autonomy because of the corporatization of healthcare. 

Coaching, Dr. Esparaz believes, can be an antidote to many of these issues. “Coaches help doctors see their strengths and find better ways of applying them,” she said. “We help them move forward, and also see their blind spots.”
 

Clarity, Goals, and Making the Right Choices

Physician coaching comes in a variety of flavors — some one on one, and others in the form of group sessions. All, however, serve the purpose of helping physicians gain career clarity. “Sometimes clients realize their job may not be working for them, but that there are things they can do to change that without having to leave the field,” said Jattu Senesie, MD, a former ob.gyn. who is now a physician coach. 

Dr. Esparaz works with doctors to establish SMART goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time based. She gave the example of learning how to set boundaries. “If a physician is asked to create a presentation for work, I encourage them to ask for compensation or administrative time before committing to unpaid tasks.”

Another big issue: charting. It’s increasingly burdensome, and many doctors find it encroaching on their home lives. “If we can identify a problem like that, we can come up with a strategy for mitigating it,” Dr. Esparaz said. This might include setting a goal of getting 80% of charting completed immediately after the patient encounter on the busiest clinic day of the week. The client tests the experiment and then revisits it with the coach to discuss what worked and what didn’t, refining the process until it has freed up the physician’s home life. 

courtesy Dr. Jattu Senesie

The younger generation of doctors often struggles with career choices, too, because it’s the first time they are without structure, said Dr. Senesie. There’s med school and residency, which puts a framework around every move a doctor makes. But once they become attending physicians, the choices are endless. “Coaching can help them find a new structure and systems that will allow them to thrive.”

Although mentoring has been a well-embraced concept for decades, it “hits a wall,” at some point in terms of what it can offer, Dr. Austin said. That’s where coaching can take over. “There’s a point where a mentor cannot help someone self-actualize. As a coach, you don’t need to know everything about a doctor’s life, but you can help them learn to ask themselves the right questions to solve problems.”
 

Should You Stay or Should You Go?

Dr. Austin’s approach begins with the premise that healthcare today is challenging and dysfunctional — but doctors still have agency. She has worked with clients on the verge of leaving the field and helped them find their way back. 

“They have a light bulb moment and open up to the idea that they have much to give still,” she said. “We take an inventory to help them better communicate their needs and make changes, and I help them connect to their values. Sometimes that exercise allows them to reframe their current work environment.” 

Not every doctor who goes through coaching remains in the field. But “that’s the exception, not the rule,” Dr. Austin said. And that’s okay. “If that’s the outcome, coaching probably helped them get to that point faster, and with an informed decision.” 

Dr. Senesie has been coaching for about a decade, and in that time, she’s seen a shift that goes beyond figuring out career goals. “Doctors are more aware of the need for well-being today. The pandemic made it impossible to ignore what doesn’t work for us. When I work with clients, we look for ways to make the job more tenable.” 

According to Dr. Senesie, younger doctors are looking for that balance at the outset. “They want to be physicians, but they also want a life,” she said. “It’s a challenge for them because in addition to that mindset, they’re also coming out with more debt than older generations. They want out from underneath that.”
 

When It’s Time to Find a Physician Coach

Wondering whether coaching is right for you? Consider these symptoms:

• You need help setting boundaries at work.
• You feel like you’re sacrificing your own well-being for your job.
• You’re using maladaptive strategies to cope with the stress at work.
• You’ve reached a point where you are considering leaving the field.

If you’re interested in finding a physician coach, there are several places to begin your search, word of mouth being one of them. “Conferences and social media can also expose you to coaches,” suggested Dr. Esparaz. There are different methods and approaches to coaching. So, as you research, “make sure the coach you choose has techniques and a framework that fit what you’re after.” 

Dr. Austin warned that it is an unregulated industry, so buyer beware. To ensure you’re getting an accredited physician coach, look for people who have obtained an International Coach Federation (ICF) accreditation. These coaches will hold an associate certified coach credential, which requires at least 60 hours of coaching-specific training approved by the ICF, in addition to other assessments and education. 

Ensure that the coach you choose is within your budget. “There are some people charging astronomical rates out there,” Dr. Austin said. “If you’re burned out or struggling, it can be easy to reach for your credit card.”

Dr. Austin also cautioned doctors seeking a coach to avoid promises that sound too good to be true. Some coaching can have a gaslighting quality to it, she warned, “suggesting it can allow you to endure any environment.” But positive self-talk alone won’t cure an abusive or discriminatory situation. “If a client describes a toxic work environment,” the coach has an “ethical imperative” to help that person protect themselves. 
 

A Side Gig or a New Career Path

After Dr. Austin’s experience with her coach, she made the choice to continue as an emergency physician part-time while starting her own coaching business. “It’s important for me personally to keep in touch with what’s happening on the ground, but I have no judgment for anyone who chooses to leave clinical practice to become a coach.”

When Dr. Senesie looks back on her own struggles as a clinician, she recognizes the state of burnout she was in 10 years ago. “I knew there was an issue, but I didn’t have the mindset to find a way to make it work,” she said. “I left the field when I was at my depths of burnout, which is generally not the best way to go about it.” 

Guidance might have allowed her to take into account other avenues and helped her remain in the field, said Dr. Senesie. She has since learned that “there are many ways to practice medicine, and the way we’ve gone about it traditionally has worked for some, but not necessarily for everyone.” 

There may be more possibilities than you think. By helping you assess your path and make meaningful changes, a physician coach might be the key to remaining in the field you love.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.