Management of immune related adverse events through electronic multidisciplinary consultation: Five years of experience from Peking Union Medical College Hospital

e14712 Background: The increasing occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) pose a growing challenge for patients receiving immunotherapy. We sought to evaluate the utility of telemedicine in improving access to the multidisciplinary service and to provide a comprehensive overview of practical issues in the diagnosis and management of irAEs. Methods: A virtual multidisciplinary service dedicated to the diagnosis and management of irAEs was launched in July 2018. Data were collected using a digital referral system. Results: Data were collected from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2022. After excluding 11 consultations that were lost to follow-up or had incomplete medical records, 278 consultations were included in this study. 187 consultations related to the diagnosis and management of irAEs; 68 related to the management of irAEs; 23 related to the suitability of immunotherapy. The diagnosis of irAE was ruled out in 23% (43/187) of cases. The differential diagnosis included overlapping toxicity attributed to concurrent use of targeted therapy or chemotherapy (n = 16), comorbidities (n = 11), infection (n = 10), and cancer progression (n = 6). A diagnosis of irAE was confirmed in 206 cases. Of these, 131 cases were single organ/system irAEs and 75 cases were multiple organ/system irAEs. 83% of these were grade 3-4. The most common confirmed irAEs were interstitial lung disease (n = 45), diarrhoea/colitis (n = 41), liver dysfunction (n = 38) and myocarditis (n = 33). Initiation of corticosteroids was recommended in 100% (138/138) of treatment-naïve patients. The most commonly recommended corticosteroid dose was 1-4 mg/kg/d (n = 83, 45%). Corticosteroid dose adjustment was recommended in 90% (61/68) of treated patients, including dose escalation (n = 19), dose re-escalation or prolonged tapering (n = 30), and rapid tapering (n = 12). Cardiovascular, pulmonary, rheumatic and hepatic irAEs were the top four irAEs requiring immunosuppression in addition to corticosteroids. Intravenous immunoglobulin (n = 108), tocilizumab (n = 51), mycophenolate mofetil (n = 41), and infliximab (n = 21) were the four most commonly recommended immunosuppressants. Consultation recommendations were followed in 87% (166/191) of cases. Clinical improvement was observed in 83% (137/166) of cases. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility of the electronic multidisciplinary consultation in the diagnosis and management of irAEs. Common challenges in the diagnosis of irAEs were identified, mainly the differential diagnosis of non-immune toxicity, infection, cancer progression, or comorbidities. Awareness of differential diagnosis should also be raised in patients suspected of irAE flare. The use of corticosteroids and additional immunosuppressants needs to be further investigated.