Escalation to Biologics After Methotrexate Among US Veterans With Rheumatoid Arthritis Grouped by Rural Versus Urban Areas.

Objective: Racial and ethnic disparities in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outcomes are well recognized. However, whether disparities in RA treatment selection and outcomes differ by urban versus rural residence, independent of race, have not been studied. Our objective was to evaluate whether biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) initiation after methotrexate administration differs by rural versus urban residence among veterans with RA.

Perceptions of Women With Comorbid PTSD and Substance Use Disorder on Mechanisms Underlying Mindfulness-Based Interventions.

Women with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) demonstrate the greatest psychiatric severity when entering mental health treatment, and poorest rates of treatment completion and relapse compared to those with either disorder alone. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for women with comorbid PTSD-SUD may be an effective treatment approach as it targets mechanisms underlying self-medication of trauma-related symptoms via substance use. Little is known, however, of the benefits of MBIs for this population.

Association Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Subsequent Cardiovascular Disease Among Post-9/11-Era Veterans.

Importance: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was common among US service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Although there is some evidence to suggest that TBI increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), prior reports were predominantly limited to cerebrovascular outcomes. The potential association of TBI with CVD has not been comprehensively examined in post-9/11-era veterans.

Biomarker results from a phase II study of MEK1/2 inhibitor binimetinib (MEK162) in patients with advanced - or -mutated melanoma.

and are the most frequently mutated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) genes in melanoma. Binimetinib is a highly selective MAPK kinase (MEK) 1/2 inhibitor with clinical antitumor activity in - and -mutant melanoma. We performed a nonrandomized, open-label phase II study, where 183 metastatic melanoma patients received binimetinib 45 mg / 60 mg twice-daily ( arms), or binimetinib 45 mg twice-daily ( arm).

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours of the oesophagus: a clinicopathological and molecular analysis of 27 cases.

Aims: Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) may arise anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, but are rare in the oesophagus. We describe the clinical, pathological and molecular characteristics of 27 primary oesophageal GISTs, the largest series to date.

Methods And Results: DNA was extracted and exons 9, 11, 13 and 17 of KIT, exons 12, 14 and 18 of PDGFRA and exon 15 of BRAF were amplified and sequenced.

Utilization of Care Outside the Veterans Affairs Health Care System by US Veterans With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: Many veterans enrolled in Veterans Affairs (VA) health care systems also receive care through other health care systems. Both VA and non-VA health care use must therefore be considered when conducting research in this population. This study characterized dual-care utilization in veterans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and explored associations with RA disease activity.

Long-term follow-up results of the multicenter phase II trial of regorafenib in patients with metastatic and/or unresectable GI stromal tumor after failure of standard tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.

Background: This investigator-initiated trial provided the justification for the phase III GRID study resulting in worldwide regulatory approval of regorafenib as a third-line therapy for patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). We report the genotype analyses, long-term safety, and activity results from this initial trial of regorafenib in GIST.

Patients And Methods: The trial was conducted between February 2010 and January 2014, among adult patients with metastatic GIST, after failure of at least imatinib and sunitinib.

Dose-escalation study of a second-generation non-ansamycin HSP90 inhibitor, onalespib (AT13387), in combination with imatinib in patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumour.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) treated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib can become resistant when additional mutations in the receptor tyrosine kinases KIT or PDGFRA block imatinib activity. Mutated KIT requires the molecular chaperone heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) to maintain stability and activity. Onalespib (AT13387) is a potent non-ansamycin HSP90 inhibitor.