Key clinical point: Maternal placental growth factor (PlGF) levels measured before labor may aid the prediction of cesarean delivery owing to fetal dysfunction and fetal heart rate (FHR) function at delivery.

Major finding: Women having vaginal delivery had significantly higher pre-labor PlGF levels than those having a cesarean delivery owing to fetal dysfunction (157 ± 106 vs. 74 ± 62 pg/mL; P = .03). PlGF levels showed a significant negative correlation (r = −0.42; P = .01) with FHR findings at delivery according to the five-tier classification system.

Study details: The study analyzed PlGF levels in 33 primiparous singleton pregnant women at 35-42 weeks of gestation who were hospitalized before the onset of labor, of which 26 women had vaginal delivery and 7 had a cesarean delivery due to fetal indications.

Disclosures: The study received no financial support. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Tanaka H et al. Placental growth factor level is correlated with intrapartum fetal heart rate findings. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022;22:215 (Mar 17). Doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-04562-w

Key clinical point: Maternal placental growth factor (PlGF) levels measured before labor may aid the prediction of cesarean delivery owing to fetal dysfunction and fetal heart rate (FHR) function at delivery.

Major finding: Women having vaginal delivery had significantly higher pre-labor PlGF levels than those having a cesarean delivery owing to fetal dysfunction (157 ± 106 vs. 74 ± 62 pg/mL; P = .03). PlGF levels showed a significant negative correlation (r = −0.42; P = .01) with FHR findings at delivery according to the five-tier classification system.

Study details: The study analyzed PlGF levels in 33 primiparous singleton pregnant women at 35-42 weeks of gestation who were hospitalized before the onset of labor, of which 26 women had vaginal delivery and 7 had a cesarean delivery due to fetal indications.

Disclosures: The study received no financial support. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Tanaka H et al. Placental growth factor level is correlated with intrapartum fetal heart rate findings. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022;22:215 (Mar 17). Doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-04562-w

Key clinical point: Maternal placental growth factor (PlGF) levels measured before labor may aid the prediction of cesarean delivery owing to fetal dysfunction and fetal heart rate (FHR) function at delivery.

Major finding: Women having vaginal delivery had significantly higher pre-labor PlGF levels than those having a cesarean delivery owing to fetal dysfunction (157 ± 106 vs. 74 ± 62 pg/mL; P = .03). PlGF levels showed a significant negative correlation (r = −0.42; P = .01) with FHR findings at delivery according to the five-tier classification system.

Study details: The study analyzed PlGF levels in 33 primiparous singleton pregnant women at 35-42 weeks of gestation who were hospitalized before the onset of labor, of which 26 women had vaginal delivery and 7 had a cesarean delivery due to fetal indications.

Disclosures: The study received no financial support. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Tanaka H et al. Placental growth factor level is correlated with intrapartum fetal heart rate findings. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022;22:215 (Mar 17). Doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-04562-w

Key clinical point: Maternal serum lamin A (LMNA) could emerge as a potential biomarker for prenatal diagnosis of fetal congenital heart disease (CHD), neural tube defects (NTD), and preeclampsia (PE).

Major finding: Significantly lower LMNA levels were observed in pregnancies with fetal CHD, NTD, and PE (all P < .0001). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for LMNA in prenatal diagnoses of CHD, NTD, early-onset PE, and late-onset PE were 0.875, 0.871, 0.851, and 0.674, respectively.

Study details: The data are derived from a prospective study including 2711 singleton pregnant women at 15-18 weeks of gestation who underwent measurement of serum LMNA levels.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program and National Natural Science Foundation of China, among others. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.

Source: Chen L et al. Maternal serum lamin A is a potential biomarker that can predict adverse pregnancy outcomes. EBioMedicine. 2022;77:103932 (Mar 11). Doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103932

Key clinical point: Maternal serum lamin A (LMNA) could emerge as a potential biomarker for prenatal diagnosis of fetal congenital heart disease (CHD), neural tube defects (NTD), and preeclampsia (PE).

Major finding: Significantly lower LMNA levels were observed in pregnancies with fetal CHD, NTD, and PE (all P < .0001). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for LMNA in prenatal diagnoses of CHD, NTD, early-onset PE, and late-onset PE were 0.875, 0.871, 0.851, and 0.674, respectively.

Study details: The data are derived from a prospective study including 2711 singleton pregnant women at 15-18 weeks of gestation who underwent measurement of serum LMNA levels.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program and National Natural Science Foundation of China, among others. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.

Source: Chen L et al. Maternal serum lamin A is a potential biomarker that can predict adverse pregnancy outcomes. EBioMedicine. 2022;77:103932 (Mar 11). Doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103932

Key clinical point: Maternal serum lamin A (LMNA) could emerge as a potential biomarker for prenatal diagnosis of fetal congenital heart disease (CHD), neural tube defects (NTD), and preeclampsia (PE).

Major finding: Significantly lower LMNA levels were observed in pregnancies with fetal CHD, NTD, and PE (all P < .0001). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for LMNA in prenatal diagnoses of CHD, NTD, early-onset PE, and late-onset PE were 0.875, 0.871, 0.851, and 0.674, respectively.

Study details: The data are derived from a prospective study including 2711 singleton pregnant women at 15-18 weeks of gestation who underwent measurement of serum LMNA levels.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program and National Natural Science Foundation of China, among others. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.

Source: Chen L et al. Maternal serum lamin A is a potential biomarker that can predict adverse pregnancy outcomes. EBioMedicine. 2022;77:103932 (Mar 11). Doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103932

Key clinical point: Fetal echocardiography can diagnose most major congenital heart diseases (CHD) with high accuracy. The accuracy can be affected by factors such as gestational age at diagnosis and double outlet right ventricle (DORV) diagnosis.

Major finding: Diagnostic accuracy rates were highest for univentricular hearts (97.6%; CI, 86.3%-99.9%), followed by tetralogy of Fallot (97.2%; CI 90.0%-99.2%) and transposition of the great arteries (96.2%; CI 89.2%-98.6%) and the lowest for heterotaxy syndrome (71.1%; CI 56.6%-82.2%). Factors such as a >25-week gestational age at diagnosis (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 2.1; P = .023) and DORV diagnosis (aRR 8.33; P = .032) affected the diagnostic accuracy.

Study details: The data come from a retrospective, single-center study including 827 fetuses prenatally diagnosed with a major CHD that was confirmed for 589 either postnatally or via fetal autopsies.

Disclosures: This research was sponsored by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and Lois Hole Women’s Hospital/Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Haberer K et al. Accuracy of fetal echocardiography in defining anatomical details: A single institutional experience over a 12-year period. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2022 (Mar 11). Doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2022.02.015

Key clinical point: Fetal echocardiography can diagnose most major congenital heart diseases (CHD) with high accuracy. The accuracy can be affected by factors such as gestational age at diagnosis and double outlet right ventricle (DORV) diagnosis.

Major finding: Diagnostic accuracy rates were highest for univentricular hearts (97.6%; CI, 86.3%-99.9%), followed by tetralogy of Fallot (97.2%; CI 90.0%-99.2%) and transposition of the great arteries (96.2%; CI 89.2%-98.6%) and the lowest for heterotaxy syndrome (71.1%; CI 56.6%-82.2%). Factors such as a >25-week gestational age at diagnosis (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 2.1; P = .023) and DORV diagnosis (aRR 8.33; P = .032) affected the diagnostic accuracy.

Study details: The data come from a retrospective, single-center study including 827 fetuses prenatally diagnosed with a major CHD that was confirmed for 589 either postnatally or via fetal autopsies.

Disclosures: This research was sponsored by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and Lois Hole Women’s Hospital/Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Haberer K et al. Accuracy of fetal echocardiography in defining anatomical details: A single institutional experience over a 12-year period. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2022 (Mar 11). Doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2022.02.015

Key clinical point: Fetal echocardiography can diagnose most major congenital heart diseases (CHD) with high accuracy. The accuracy can be affected by factors such as gestational age at diagnosis and double outlet right ventricle (DORV) diagnosis.

Major finding: Diagnostic accuracy rates were highest for univentricular hearts (97.6%; CI, 86.3%-99.9%), followed by tetralogy of Fallot (97.2%; CI 90.0%-99.2%) and transposition of the great arteries (96.2%; CI 89.2%-98.6%) and the lowest for heterotaxy syndrome (71.1%; CI 56.6%-82.2%). Factors such as a >25-week gestational age at diagnosis (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 2.1; P = .023) and DORV diagnosis (aRR 8.33; P = .032) affected the diagnostic accuracy.

Study details: The data come from a retrospective, single-center study including 827 fetuses prenatally diagnosed with a major CHD that was confirmed for 589 either postnatally or via fetal autopsies.

Disclosures: This research was sponsored by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and Lois Hole Women’s Hospital/Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Haberer K et al. Accuracy of fetal echocardiography in defining anatomical details: A single institutional experience over a 12-year period. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2022 (Mar 11). Doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2022.02.015

Key clinical point: The incidence of short cervical length is significantly affected by the method of cervical length measurement, thus necessitating knowledge of the measurement method employed.

Major finding: The lowest mean cervical length was recorded using single-line without cervico-isthmic complex (CIC; 41.04 ± 7.1 mm) compared with two-line without CIC (43.29 ± 7.36 mm) and trace without CIC (44.14 ± 7.60 mm); trace with CIC yielded the longest mean length (49.18 ± 9.05 mm). The incidence of a short cervix (<25 mm) ranged from 0.4% to 1.1%.

Study details: This was a single-center, prospective, cohort study including 1691 nulliparous or parous women with a singleton pregnancy who had undergone cervical length measurement between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation.

Disclosures: The authors reported no source of funding. BW Mol declared receiving a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator grant and consulting fees from a few pharmaceutical companies.

Source: van Zijl MD et al. Uniform international method to measure cervical length; are we there yet? Fetal Diagn Ther. 2022 (Mar 10). Doi: 10.1159/000523996

Key clinical point: The incidence of short cervical length is significantly affected by the method of cervical length measurement, thus necessitating knowledge of the measurement method employed.

Major finding: The lowest mean cervical length was recorded using single-line without cervico-isthmic complex (CIC; 41.04 ± 7.1 mm) compared with two-line without CIC (43.29 ± 7.36 mm) and trace without CIC (44.14 ± 7.60 mm); trace with CIC yielded the longest mean length (49.18 ± 9.05 mm). The incidence of a short cervix (<25 mm) ranged from 0.4% to 1.1%.

Study details: This was a single-center, prospective, cohort study including 1691 nulliparous or parous women with a singleton pregnancy who had undergone cervical length measurement between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation.

Disclosures: The authors reported no source of funding. BW Mol declared receiving a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator grant and consulting fees from a few pharmaceutical companies.

Source: van Zijl MD et al. Uniform international method to measure cervical length; are we there yet? Fetal Diagn Ther. 2022 (Mar 10). Doi: 10.1159/000523996

Key clinical point: The incidence of short cervical length is significantly affected by the method of cervical length measurement, thus necessitating knowledge of the measurement method employed.

Major finding: The lowest mean cervical length was recorded using single-line without cervico-isthmic complex (CIC; 41.04 ± 7.1 mm) compared with two-line without CIC (43.29 ± 7.36 mm) and trace without CIC (44.14 ± 7.60 mm); trace with CIC yielded the longest mean length (49.18 ± 9.05 mm). The incidence of a short cervix (<25 mm) ranged from 0.4% to 1.1%.

Study details: This was a single-center, prospective, cohort study including 1691 nulliparous or parous women with a singleton pregnancy who had undergone cervical length measurement between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation.

Disclosures: The authors reported no source of funding. BW Mol declared receiving a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator grant and consulting fees from a few pharmaceutical companies.

Source: van Zijl MD et al. Uniform international method to measure cervical length; are we there yet? Fetal Diagn Ther. 2022 (Mar 10). Doi: 10.1159/000523996

Key clinical point: Normal fetal lung and liver elasticity values elucidated using two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) are valid and repeatable for a probe-region of interest distance of ≤8 cm and demonstrate the histological modifications of both the organs during gestation.

Major finding: Fetal liver elasticity increased significantly from 3.86 kPa at 24 weeks of gestation (WG) to 4.45 kPa at 39 WG (P < .01). Fetal lung elasticity increased from 4.12 kPa to 5.03 kPa between 24 and 32 WG (P < .002), after which it gradually declined to 4.54 kPa at 36 WG and 3.94 kPa at 39 WG.

Study details: The data come from a prospective, observational, multicenter study that included 72 singleton pregnant women at 24 ±1  WG who underwent 2D-SWE at 28, 32, 36, and 39 WG ± 1 week.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the University Hospital of Besançon, France. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Nallet C et al. Prenatal quantification of human foetal lung and liver elasticities between 24 and 39 weeks of gestation using 2D shear wave elastography. Eur Radiol. 2022 (Mar 10). Doi: 10.1007/s00330-022-08654-1

Key clinical point: Normal fetal lung and liver elasticity values elucidated using two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) are valid and repeatable for a probe-region of interest distance of ≤8 cm and demonstrate the histological modifications of both the organs during gestation.

Major finding: Fetal liver elasticity increased significantly from 3.86 kPa at 24 weeks of gestation (WG) to 4.45 kPa at 39 WG (P < .01). Fetal lung elasticity increased from 4.12 kPa to 5.03 kPa between 24 and 32 WG (P < .002), after which it gradually declined to 4.54 kPa at 36 WG and 3.94 kPa at 39 WG.

Study details: The data come from a prospective, observational, multicenter study that included 72 singleton pregnant women at 24 ±1  WG who underwent 2D-SWE at 28, 32, 36, and 39 WG ± 1 week.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the University Hospital of Besançon, France. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Nallet C et al. Prenatal quantification of human foetal lung and liver elasticities between 24 and 39 weeks of gestation using 2D shear wave elastography. Eur Radiol. 2022 (Mar 10). Doi: 10.1007/s00330-022-08654-1

Key clinical point: Normal fetal lung and liver elasticity values elucidated using two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) are valid and repeatable for a probe-region of interest distance of ≤8 cm and demonstrate the histological modifications of both the organs during gestation.

Major finding: Fetal liver elasticity increased significantly from 3.86 kPa at 24 weeks of gestation (WG) to 4.45 kPa at 39 WG (P < .01). Fetal lung elasticity increased from 4.12 kPa to 5.03 kPa between 24 and 32 WG (P < .002), after which it gradually declined to 4.54 kPa at 36 WG and 3.94 kPa at 39 WG.

Study details: The data come from a prospective, observational, multicenter study that included 72 singleton pregnant women at 24 ±1  WG who underwent 2D-SWE at 28, 32, 36, and 39 WG ± 1 week.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the University Hospital of Besançon, France. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Nallet C et al. Prenatal quantification of human foetal lung and liver elasticities between 24 and 39 weeks of gestation using 2D shear wave elastography. Eur Radiol. 2022 (Mar 10). Doi: 10.1007/s00330-022-08654-1

Key clinical point: Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging could supplement routine ultrasound monitoring to noninvasively differentiate between small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and false-positive SGA (fpSGA) pregnancies.

Major finding: Compared with the control and fpSGA groups, the SGA group had significantly lower mean values of the diffusion coefficient (D; P < .001 and P = .004, respectively), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*; P = .001 and P = .012, respectively), and perfusion fraction (f; both P < .001). The mean values of D (P = .347), D* (P = .404), and f (P = .880) were similar between the control and fpSGA groups.

Study details: This was a prospective study including 75 singleton pregnant women at >28 weeks of gestation with suspected SGA or nonspecific ultrasonographic soft markers, of which 28, 20, and 27 were assigned to the non-SGA control, fpSGA, and SGA groups, respectively.

Disclosures: The study was sponsored by the National Key Research and Development Program of China. No conflicts of interest were reported.

Source: He J et al. Utility of placental diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in prenatal diagnosis of small for gestational age infants and pregnancy outcome prediction. Placenta. 2022;121:91-98 (Mar 12). Doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.03.010

Key clinical point: Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging could supplement routine ultrasound monitoring to noninvasively differentiate between small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and false-positive SGA (fpSGA) pregnancies.

Major finding: Compared with the control and fpSGA groups, the SGA group had significantly lower mean values of the diffusion coefficient (D; P < .001 and P = .004, respectively), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*; P = .001 and P = .012, respectively), and perfusion fraction (f; both P < .001). The mean values of D (P = .347), D* (P = .404), and f (P = .880) were similar between the control and fpSGA groups.

Study details: This was a prospective study including 75 singleton pregnant women at >28 weeks of gestation with suspected SGA or nonspecific ultrasonographic soft markers, of which 28, 20, and 27 were assigned to the non-SGA control, fpSGA, and SGA groups, respectively.

Disclosures: The study was sponsored by the National Key Research and Development Program of China. No conflicts of interest were reported.

Source: He J et al. Utility of placental diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in prenatal diagnosis of small for gestational age infants and pregnancy outcome prediction. Placenta. 2022;121:91-98 (Mar 12). Doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.03.010

Key clinical point: Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging could supplement routine ultrasound monitoring to noninvasively differentiate between small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and false-positive SGA (fpSGA) pregnancies.

Major finding: Compared with the control and fpSGA groups, the SGA group had significantly lower mean values of the diffusion coefficient (D; P < .001 and P = .004, respectively), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*; P = .001 and P = .012, respectively), and perfusion fraction (f; both P < .001). The mean values of D (P = .347), D* (P = .404), and f (P = .880) were similar between the control and fpSGA groups.

Study details: This was a prospective study including 75 singleton pregnant women at >28 weeks of gestation with suspected SGA or nonspecific ultrasonographic soft markers, of which 28, 20, and 27 were assigned to the non-SGA control, fpSGA, and SGA groups, respectively.

Disclosures: The study was sponsored by the National Key Research and Development Program of China. No conflicts of interest were reported.

Source: He J et al. Utility of placental diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in prenatal diagnosis of small for gestational age infants and pregnancy outcome prediction. Placenta. 2022;121:91-98 (Mar 12). Doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.03.010

Key clinical point: The frequency of short-burst and burst uterine electromyography signals is higher in midtrimester pregnant women with a cervical length (CL) <2.5 cm, thus elucidating the biophysiological basis for midtrimester cervical shortening that may be used to predict preterm birth.

Major finding: Women with a short vs. normal CL showed significantly higher median percentages of short-bursts (17.3% vs. 2.5%; P = .001) and bursts (6.6% vs. 0%; P = .014).

Study details: Findings are from a prospective cohort study including 28 women with a singleton non-anomalous pregnancy between 16 weeks 0 days and 22 weeks 6 days of gestation, of which 10 and 18 women had a CL of ≥3 cm (normal) and <2.5 cm (short), respectively.

Disclosures: The study was funded by PreTeL, Inc. RC Young declared being the founder of PreTeL.

Source: Marinescu PS et al. Mid-trimester uterine electromyography in patients with a short cervix. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 (Mar 26). Doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.046

Key clinical point: The frequency of short-burst and burst uterine electromyography signals is higher in midtrimester pregnant women with a cervical length (CL) <2.5 cm, thus elucidating the biophysiological basis for midtrimester cervical shortening that may be used to predict preterm birth.

Major finding: Women with a short vs. normal CL showed significantly higher median percentages of short-bursts (17.3% vs. 2.5%; P = .001) and bursts (6.6% vs. 0%; P = .014).

Study details: Findings are from a prospective cohort study including 28 women with a singleton non-anomalous pregnancy between 16 weeks 0 days and 22 weeks 6 days of gestation, of which 10 and 18 women had a CL of ≥3 cm (normal) and <2.5 cm (short), respectively.

Disclosures: The study was funded by PreTeL, Inc. RC Young declared being the founder of PreTeL.

Source: Marinescu PS et al. Mid-trimester uterine electromyography in patients with a short cervix. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 (Mar 26). Doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.046

Key clinical point: The frequency of short-burst and burst uterine electromyography signals is higher in midtrimester pregnant women with a cervical length (CL) <2.5 cm, thus elucidating the biophysiological basis for midtrimester cervical shortening that may be used to predict preterm birth.

Major finding: Women with a short vs. normal CL showed significantly higher median percentages of short-bursts (17.3% vs. 2.5%; P = .001) and bursts (6.6% vs. 0%; P = .014).

Study details: Findings are from a prospective cohort study including 28 women with a singleton non-anomalous pregnancy between 16 weeks 0 days and 22 weeks 6 days of gestation, of which 10 and 18 women had a CL of ≥3 cm (normal) and <2.5 cm (short), respectively.

Disclosures: The study was funded by PreTeL, Inc. RC Young declared being the founder of PreTeL.

Source: Marinescu PS et al. Mid-trimester uterine electromyography in patients with a short cervix. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 (Mar 26). Doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.046

Key clinical point: High circulating D-dimer levels are a risk factor for mortality and venous thromboembolism (VTE) events in patients with lung cancer.

Major finding: The meta-analysis showed that high vs. low circulating D-dimer levels were associated with a higher risk for lung cancer mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.62; 95% CI 1.39-1.88). Additionally, the external validation cohort demonstrated that elevated D-dimer levels were associated with a higher risk for overall mortality (HR 1.39; 95% CI 1.13-1.72) and VTE events (HR 3.98; P = .002).

Study details: The data come from a meta-analysis of 19 cohort studies (n = 5819) and an external validation cohort (n = 540).

Disclosures: The study was funded by the Social Development Project of Jiangsu Province, China, and the Project of Hygiene and Health Committee of Jiangsu Province, China. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Li J et al. Circulating D-dimers increase the risk of mortality and venous thromboembolism in patients with lung cancer: A systematic analysis combined with external validation. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022;9:853941 (Mar 2). Doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.853941

Key clinical point: High circulating D-dimer levels are a risk factor for mortality and venous thromboembolism (VTE) events in patients with lung cancer.

Major finding: The meta-analysis showed that high vs. low circulating D-dimer levels were associated with a higher risk for lung cancer mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.62; 95% CI 1.39-1.88). Additionally, the external validation cohort demonstrated that elevated D-dimer levels were associated with a higher risk for overall mortality (HR 1.39; 95% CI 1.13-1.72) and VTE events (HR 3.98; P = .002).

Study details: The data come from a meta-analysis of 19 cohort studies (n = 5819) and an external validation cohort (n = 540).

Disclosures: The study was funded by the Social Development Project of Jiangsu Province, China, and the Project of Hygiene and Health Committee of Jiangsu Province, China. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Li J et al. Circulating D-dimers increase the risk of mortality and venous thromboembolism in patients with lung cancer: A systematic analysis combined with external validation. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022;9:853941 (Mar 2). Doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.853941

Key clinical point: High circulating D-dimer levels are a risk factor for mortality and venous thromboembolism (VTE) events in patients with lung cancer.

Major finding: The meta-analysis showed that high vs. low circulating D-dimer levels were associated with a higher risk for lung cancer mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.62; 95% CI 1.39-1.88). Additionally, the external validation cohort demonstrated that elevated D-dimer levels were associated with a higher risk for overall mortality (HR 1.39; 95% CI 1.13-1.72) and VTE events (HR 3.98; P = .002).

Study details: The data come from a meta-analysis of 19 cohort studies (n = 5819) and an external validation cohort (n = 540).

Disclosures: The study was funded by the Social Development Project of Jiangsu Province, China, and the Project of Hygiene and Health Committee of Jiangsu Province, China. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Li J et al. Circulating D-dimers increase the risk of mortality and venous thromboembolism in patients with lung cancer: A systematic analysis combined with external validation. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022;9:853941 (Mar 2). Doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.853941

Key clinical point: Addition of an antiangiogenic drug to second-line therapy may boost overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Major finding: The antiangiogenic drug plus second-line therapy vs. second-line therapy alone improved OS by 7% (hazard ratio [HR] 0.93; P = .005) and PFS by 20% (HR 0.80; P < .0001). The antiangiogenic group had a greater frequency of grade ≥3 toxicity.

Study details: The findings come from a patient data meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials including 8629 participants.

Disclosures: The study did not receive any external funding. R Herbst, M Reck, EB Garon, GV Scagliotti, R Ramlau, N Hanna, J Vansteenkiste, K Yoh, HJM Groen, JV Heymach, and RS Heist were authors for some of the individual trials included in the meta-analysis. The other authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Remon J et al. ANtiangiogenic Second-line Lung cancer Meta-Analysis on individual patient data in non-small cell lung cancer: ANSELMA. Eur J Cancer. 2022;166:112-125 (Mar 11). Doi:  10.1016/j.ejca.2022.02.002

Key clinical point: Addition of an antiangiogenic drug to second-line therapy may boost overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Major finding: The antiangiogenic drug plus second-line therapy vs. second-line therapy alone improved OS by 7% (hazard ratio [HR] 0.93; P = .005) and PFS by 20% (HR 0.80; P < .0001). The antiangiogenic group had a greater frequency of grade ≥3 toxicity.

Study details: The findings come from a patient data meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials including 8629 participants.

Disclosures: The study did not receive any external funding. R Herbst, M Reck, EB Garon, GV Scagliotti, R Ramlau, N Hanna, J Vansteenkiste, K Yoh, HJM Groen, JV Heymach, and RS Heist were authors for some of the individual trials included in the meta-analysis. The other authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Remon J et al. ANtiangiogenic Second-line Lung cancer Meta-Analysis on individual patient data in non-small cell lung cancer: ANSELMA. Eur J Cancer. 2022;166:112-125 (Mar 11). Doi:  10.1016/j.ejca.2022.02.002

Key clinical point: Addition of an antiangiogenic drug to second-line therapy may boost overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Major finding: The antiangiogenic drug plus second-line therapy vs. second-line therapy alone improved OS by 7% (hazard ratio [HR] 0.93; P = .005) and PFS by 20% (HR 0.80; P < .0001). The antiangiogenic group had a greater frequency of grade ≥3 toxicity.

Study details: The findings come from a patient data meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials including 8629 participants.

Disclosures: The study did not receive any external funding. R Herbst, M Reck, EB Garon, GV Scagliotti, R Ramlau, N Hanna, J Vansteenkiste, K Yoh, HJM Groen, JV Heymach, and RS Heist were authors for some of the individual trials included in the meta-analysis. The other authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Remon J et al. ANtiangiogenic Second-line Lung cancer Meta-Analysis on individual patient data in non-small cell lung cancer: ANSELMA. Eur J Cancer. 2022;166:112-125 (Mar 11). Doi:  10.1016/j.ejca.2022.02.002

Key clinical point: Patients with advanced nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors plus chemotherapy (ICI-chemo) have better overall survival (OS) than those receiving first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy (bev-chemo).

Major finding: Patients who received first-line ICI-chemo had a 21% longer OS than those who received bev-chemo (hazard ratio 0.79; 95% CI 0.66-0.94). There were no differences between the 2 groups in progression-free survival, objective response rate, and grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events.

Study details: The data come from a network meta-analysis of 15 randomized controlled trials including 6561 patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC.

Disclosures: No funding information was available. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Zhai J et al. First-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy versus bevacizumab plus chemotherapy for advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: A Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cancer Med. 2022 (Mar 22). Doi: 10.1002/cam4.4589

Key clinical point: Patients with advanced nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors plus chemotherapy (ICI-chemo) have better overall survival (OS) than those receiving first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy (bev-chemo).

Major finding: Patients who received first-line ICI-chemo had a 21% longer OS than those who received bev-chemo (hazard ratio 0.79; 95% CI 0.66-0.94). There were no differences between the 2 groups in progression-free survival, objective response rate, and grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events.

Study details: The data come from a network meta-analysis of 15 randomized controlled trials including 6561 patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC.

Disclosures: No funding information was available. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Zhai J et al. First-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy versus bevacizumab plus chemotherapy for advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: A Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cancer Med. 2022 (Mar 22). Doi: 10.1002/cam4.4589

Key clinical point: Patients with advanced nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors plus chemotherapy (ICI-chemo) have better overall survival (OS) than those receiving first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy (bev-chemo).

Major finding: Patients who received first-line ICI-chemo had a 21% longer OS than those who received bev-chemo (hazard ratio 0.79; 95% CI 0.66-0.94). There were no differences between the 2 groups in progression-free survival, objective response rate, and grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events.

Study details: The data come from a network meta-analysis of 15 randomized controlled trials including 6561 patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC.

Disclosures: No funding information was available. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Zhai J et al. First-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy versus bevacizumab plus chemotherapy for advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: A Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cancer Med. 2022 (Mar 22). Doi: 10.1002/cam4.4589