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Background: With increasing survival after cancer diagnoses, second primary cancers (SPCs) are becoming more prevalent. We investigated the incidence and site of non-breast SPC risks following male breast cancer (BC).Methods: PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were systematically searched for studies reporting standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) for SPCs published by March 2022. Meta-analyses used the generic inverse-variance method, assuming a random-effects model. We evaluated SIRs for overall SPCs, site-specific risks, by age at BC onset, time since BC onset and geographic region. We assessed study quality using routine techniques.Results: Eight population-based retrospective cohort studies were identified. SIRs ranged from 1.05 to 2.17. The summary SIR estimate was 1.27 (95% CI: 1.03-1.56, I2: 86%), and there were increased colorectal (SIR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.03-1.61), pancreatic (SIR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.05-2.55) and thyroid (SIR: 5.58, 95% CI: 1.04-30.05) SPC risks. When an outlying study was excluded, the summary SIR for men diagnosed with BC before age 50 was 1.50 (95% CI: 1.21-1.85), significantly higher than men diagnosed at older ages (SIR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.98-1.33).Conclusions: Male BC survivors are at elevated risks of developing second primary colorectal, pancreatic and thyroid cancers. The estimates may assist their clinical management and guide decisions on genetic testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Much research has focused on quantifying the bony characteristics of patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Far less attention, however, has been paid to muscle abnormalities around the hip such as those in the gluteus medius (GM).Methods: We retrospectively examined clinical and imaging data, such as the age of onset and computed tomography (CT) findings, in 108 consecutive hips. Subjects for the control group were selected from our radiology database. Two readers independently evaluated the length (LGM), cross-sectional area (CSA), width (WGM), and thickness (TGM) of the GM and arm of GM (AGM) and angle of the GM activation (AOA) and bony parameters including the acetabulum-head index (AHI), lateral central edge angle (LCEA), acetabular index (AI), femoral offset (FO), and height of the rotation centre of femoral head (HCFH) among all cases using the imaging data.Results: The patient group included 108 hips. The AGM, LGM, CSA, and TGM were lower in the DDH patients, while AOA was higher. However, there was no significant difference in the WGM between the two groups. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that AGM and AOA were independent factors affecting LCEA. The following regression equation was used: Y(LCEA) = 5.377 * X1 (AGM) - 0.310 * X2 (AOA) - 11.331. The mechanical characteristics of the GM and many bony parameters were significantly correlated (the AGM and AHI, LCEA, AI, FO, but not HCFH; AOA and AHI, LCEA, AI, but not FO or HCFH). The CSA was positively correlated with only HCFH. The rest were not statistical significance linear correlation. The multivariate regression results showed that the age of onset was positively correlated with AGM (r = 0.467). The regression equation used was Y = 9.0 * X (age of onset) - 11.4.Conclusion: We found difference in the morphological and mechanical characteristics of the GM between hips with DDH and hips of normal morphology. Of note, the mechanical characteristics of the GM were influenced by bony parameters in patients with DDH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed at assessing perioperative results of robot-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) in the context of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE).Methods: This retrospective French multicentric study included all patients with DIE who underwent surgical treatment managed by RAL (Da Vinci® System). From November 2008 to June 2019, patients were included in a single European database, in Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Gynecologic Surgery, with Society of European Robotic Gynecological Surgery collaboration. Patients had different DIE sites as follows: gynecological, urological, or digestive, or combinations of these. Surgical procedures and perioperative complications were evaluated. To assess complications, patients were divided into the following four groups according to surgical procedure and DIE site: gynecological only; gynecological and urological; gynecological and digestive; and gynecological, urological, and digestive.Results: A total of 460 patients treated at one of eight health-care facilities from November 2008 to June 2019 were included. Median operative time was 245 min (IQR 186-320), surgeon console time was 138 ± 75 min and estimated blood loss was 70.0 mL ± 107 mL. Among this patient sample, 42.1% had a multidisciplinary surgical approach with a digestive or urology surgeon in addition to gynecology surgeon (25.5% and 16.6% of cases, respectively). Among those with intraoperative complications (n = 25, 5.4%) were primarily conversion to laparotomy (n = 6, 2.0%), transfusion (n = 2, 0.6%), and organ wounds (n = 8, 1.7%). Overall, 5.6% had severe postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ Grade 3).Conclusion: This is among the largest published series addressing RAL for DIE. Interest in this procedure appears promising, with no observed increases in blood loss or in peri- or post-operative complications. DIE laparoscopic surgery can require complex surgical procedures performed by multidisciplinary surgical teams. Thus, it may be one of the best candidates for RAL within gynecology surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the pre-operative incidence of and risk factors for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in geriatric intertrochanteric fractures to help facilitate the peri-operative management of them.Materials and Methods: Data of 1515 geriatric intertrochanteric fracture patients were extracted from a prospective intertrochanteric fractures database according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria. The demographics, fracture characteristics, and pre-operative laboratory indicators of patients were evaluated statistically.Results: The incidence of pre-operative DVT was 10.2% (155 in 1360 patients) in the present study. The rates of proximal DVT, distal DVT, and mixed DVT were 18.1% (28 patients), 56.8% (88 patients), and 25.2% (39 patients), respectively. The percentages of DVT developing in the affected limb, uninjured limb, and bilateral limbs were 74.2% (115 in 55 patients), 16.8% (26 in 155 patients), and 9% (14 in 155 patients), respectively. After the multivariable analysis, the time from injury to surgery (TIS) > 4 days [odds ratio (OR) = 1.870, p = 0.001], the number of comorbidities > 2 (OR = 2.124, p = 0.014), and albumin (ALB) < 35 g/L (OR = 1.516, p = 0.043), etc. were significantly associated with the development of preoperative DVT in geriatric intertrochanteric fracture patients.Conclusions: Although routine anticoagulant therapy was used to prevent the formation of DVT, the incidence of which was still high. Therefore, pre-operative ultrasound of both lower extremities was advised for pre-operatively, especially for patients with delayed surgery, hypoproteinemia, three or more comorbidities, and a D-dimer level > 1.59 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malignant biliary obstruction secondary to metastatic cancer is associated with poor prognosis. To the best of our knowledge, no previous study has investigated long-term survival and associated prognostic factors after biliary endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) drainage for obstruction jaundice secondary to various types of metastatic cancer.Methods: This retrospective study included 60 patients who underwent biliary ERCP drainage for obstructive jaundice secondary to metastatic cancer at two hospitals during the period from November 2012 to December 2019. Multivariate analysis was conducted to identify independent prognostic factors.Results: Biliary drainage was successfully achieved in 55 (91.7%) patients, 37 of whom received subsequent treatment. Overall median survival time was 133 days after stent placement. The overall survival (OS) rates after ERCP drainage were significantly better in the post-drainage treatment group than in the post-drainage untreated group (239 days vs. 45 days, p < 0.001). Good ECOG performance status before drainage, albumin level ≥ 35 g/L, successful drainage, absence of ascites, and post-drainage treatment were identified as factors of improved survival in univariate analysis. ECOG performance status and post-drainage treatment were independent predictors of OS in multivariate analysis.Conclusions: We showed that stent placement with ERCP was a safe and effective treatment method for patients with malignant biliary obstruction caused by metastatic cancer and may be preferred over percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Post-drainage treatment and a good ECOG performance status were predictors of better prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The presence of clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) remains a relative contraindication to liver resection for patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The goal of this study was to explore whether a laparoscopic approach could extend the indications for hepatectomy to patients with PH.Method: Patients who underwent laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) from February 2016 to September 2019 performed by a single medical team were included in this study. We analyzed the surgical and oncological outcomes between groups with and without CSPH before and after propensity score matching (PSM).Result: We enrolled 156 patients divided into two groups according to the presence (CSPH, n = 26) or absence (non-CSPH, n = 130) of CSPH. CSPH group was associated with more clinical signs of liver dysfunction (p < 0.05). After PSM (n = 48 patients), the CSPH group tended to have a longer postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.054); however, there was no difference in operation time (p = 0.329), blood loss volume (p = 0.392), transfusion rates (p = 0.701), rate of conversion to open surgery (p = 0.666), surgical margin (p = 0.306), surgical mortality (n = 0), or comprehensive complication index (p = 0.844) between the two groups. The median follow-up time for the entire cohort was 19.6 months (range 0.2-40.6 months). The 3-year overall survival rate was 62.9% in the CSPH group and 84.3% in the non-CSPH group (p = 0.1090), and results were similar after PSM (p = 0.5734).Conclusions: LLR is safe and feasible for HCC with PH. The introduction of minimally invasive surgery, represented by LLR, can appropriately expand the indications for hepatectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the relative IPSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) improvement in storage and voiding symptoms between prostatic artery embolization (PAE) and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).Method: Retrospective analysis of the UK-ROPE (UK Register of Prostate Embolization) multicentre database was conducted with inclusion of all patients with full IPSS questionnaire score data. The voiding and storage subscore improvement was compared between interventions. Student's t-test (paired and unpaired) and ANOVA (Analysis of variance) were used to identify significant differences between the groups.Results: 146 patients (121 PAE, 25 TURP) were included in the analysis. Storage symptoms were more frequently the most severe symptom ('storage' in 75 patients vs 'voiding' in 17 patients). Between groups, no significant difference was seen in raw storage subscore improvement (TURP 4.9 vs PAE 4.2; p = 0.34) or voiding subscore improvement (TURP 8.4 vs PAE 6.7; p = 0.1). ANOVA demonstrated a greater proportionate reduction (relative to total IPSS) towards voiding symptoms in the TURP group (27.3% TURP vs 9.9% PAE, p = 0.001).Conclusion: Although both TURP and PAE improve voiding symptoms more than storage, a significantly larger proportion of total symptom reduction is due to voiding in the TURP cohort, with PAE providing a more balanced improvement between voiding and storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) the burden of intracranial pressure (ICP) and its contribution to outcomes remains unclear. In this multicenter study, the independent association between intensity and duration, or "dose," of episodes of intracranial hypertension and 12-month neurological outcomes was investigated.Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of multicenter prospectively collected data of 98 adult patients with aSAH amendable to treatment. Patients were admitted to the intensive care unit of two European centers (Medical University of Innsbruck [Austria] and San Gerardo University Hospital of Monza [Italy]) from 2009 to 2013. The dose of intracranial hypertension was visualized. The obtained visualizations allowed us to investigate the association between intensity and duration of episodes of intracranial hypertension and the 12-month neurological outcomes of the patients, assessed with the Glasgow Outcome Score. The independent association between the cumulative dose of intracranial hypertension and outcome for each patient was investigated by using multivariable logistic regression models corrected for age, occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia, and the Glasgow Coma Scale score at admission.Results: The combination of duration and intensity defined the tolerance to intracranial hypertension for the two cohorts of patients. A semiexponential transition divided ICP doses that were associated with better outcomes (in blue) with ICP doses associated with worse outcomes (in red). In addition, in both cohorts, an independent association was found between the cumulative time that the patient experienced ICP doses in the red area and long-term neurological outcomes. The ICP pressure-time burden was a stronger predictor of outcomes than the cumulative time spent by the patients with an ICP greater than 20 mmHg.Conclusions: In two cohorts of patients with aSAH, an association between duration and intensity of episodes of elevated ICP and 12-month neurological outcomes could be demonstrated and was visualized in a color-coded plot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver disease is associated with altered serum osmolality, increased thrombin generation, and systemic inflammation, all of which may contribute to perihematomal edema (PHE) after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We evaluated the association between a validated liver fibrosis index and PHE growth in a cohort of patients with primary ICH.Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using data from the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive-ICH. We included adult patients with primary ICH presenting within 6 h of symptom onset. The exposure of interest was the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score, a validated liver fibrosis index; this was modeled as a continuous variable. The primary outcome was absolute PHE growth over 96 h. Secondary outcomes were absolute admission and 96-h PHE volumes. We used multiple linear regression models adjusted for established determinants of PHE. In a secondary analysis, the FIB-4 score was modeled as a categorical variable to compare patients with versus without liver fibrosis.Results: Among 354 patients with ICH, 8% had evidence of liver fibrosis based on a validated cutoff. The FIB-4 score was not associated with PHE growth in unadjusted (β, 0.03; 95% CI, - 0.01 to 0.12) or adjusted models (β, 0.04; 95% CI, - 0.03 to 0.13). In a secondary analysis treating FIB-4 as a categorical variable, patients with liver fibrosis did not have greater PHE growth than those without liver fibrosis. FIB-4 score was also not associated with absolute admission or 96-h PHE volumes.Conclusions: In a multicenter cohort of patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage, a liver fibrosis score was not associated with PHE volume or growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bloodstream infections (BSI) are a frequent complication in patients with hematological and oncological diseases. However, the impact of different bacterial species causing BSI and of multiple BSI remains incompletely understood. We performed a retrospective study profiling 637 bacterial BSI episodes in hematological and oncological patients. Based on the 30-day (30d) overall survival (OS), we analyzed different types of multiple BSI and grouped BSI-associated bacteria into clusters followed by further assessment of clinical and infection-related characteristics. We discovered that polymicrobial BSI (different organisms on the first day of a BSI episode) and sequential BSI (another BSI before the respective BSI episode) were associated with a worse 30d OS. Different bacterial groups could be classified into three BSI outcome clusters based on 30d OS: favorable (FAV) including mainly common skin contaminants, Escherichia spp. and Streptococcus spp.; intermediate (INT) including mainly Enterococcus spp., vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp., and multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDRGN); and adverse (ADV) including MDRGN with an additional carbapenem-resistance (MDRGN+CR). A polymicrobial or sequential BSI especially influenced the outcome in the combination of two INT cluster BSI. The presence of a polymicrobial BSI and the assignment into the BSI outcome clusters were identified as independent risk factors for 30d mortality in a Cox multivariate regression analysis. The assignment to a BSI outcome cluster and the differentiated perspective of multiple BSI open new insights into the prognosis of patients with BSI and should be further validated in other patient cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is a rare, autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease, characterized by progressive psychiatric and neurological deficits. Neurological symptoms include cognitive decline and dysphagia. Aspiration pneumonia secondary to dysphagia is a leading cause of death in NPC. Miglustat is currently the only approved disease-specific treatment shown to be effective in stabilizing neurological symptoms. Miglustat has previously been reported to halt or improve early dysphagia and cognitive symptoms. Here we examine the characteristics of dysphagia, the relationship between dysphagia and the presence of cognitive impairment, and longitudinal changes in swallowing function during miglustat treatment in adult-and-adolescent-onset NPC. Retrospective analysis of videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) was completed for ten adults with NPC (mean age 28.44 years ± 9.34 years). Participants were recruited through the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia between 2008 and 2015. The Bethlehem Swallowing Scale and the Penetration-Aspiration Scale were used to quantify VFSS data. Dysphagia was present in 90% of participants at baseline with reduced lingual function and a delayed swallowing reflex as the most common symptoms. Swallow impairment appeared to stabilize during miglustat therapy for periods up to 66 months, with no significant changes in scores (p > 0.05). Data were in accordance with the literature and support the use of miglustat as an efficacious treatment for reducing swallowing impairment and stabilizing cognitive function. Findings provide detailed information on the impairments experienced by patients, give context to events leading to aspiration in NPC and, importantly, inform how management of dysphagia can complement pharmaceutical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The present study aimed to analyze the clinical features of ocular pathology in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) combined with syphilis.Methods: A total of 129 patients with AIDS and syphilis who first visited the Department of Ophthalmology in Beijing YouAn Hospital between 2012 and 2019 were included in the study. All patients underwent ophthalmologic examinations, such as best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit lamp, intraocular pressure, dilated fundus examination, and color fundus photography as well as systemic examinations related to AIDS and syphilis. The patients were divided into four groups according to fundus disease: a normal fundi group, an HIV-related microvascular retinopathy (MVR) group, a cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) group, and a syphilis-related retinopathy group.Results: The incidence of fundus disease was 70.7%. There were 36 patients with normal fundi (29.3%), 40 with HIV-related MVR (31.0%), 25 with CMVR (19.4%) (including 11 cases of CMVR with syphilis-related retinopathy), 26 (20.2%) with syphilis-related retinopathy, 1 (0.78%) case with acute retinal necrosis, and 1 (0.78%) case with PORN. The median blood CD4 + T-cell count in the syphilis-associated retinopathy group was 357.5 cells/μl, which was significantly higher than in the other groups; this difference was statistically significant. In the CMVR group, 11 cases with concomitant syphilis-associated retinopathy had lower BCVA and 10 (90.9%) had active inflammatory manifestations in the anterior segment.Conclusion: The incidence of ocular pathology was high in patients co-infected with AIDS and syphilis, which might manifest in a variety of ocular manifestations; some patients may also have multiple ocular changes, which should be given great clinical attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is often accompanied by multiple comorbid conditions, which increase the associated risks and complexity of patient management. This study evaluated the risk of stroke/systemic embolism (SE) and major bleeding (MB) among multimorbid patients with NVAF who were prescribed non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) or warfarin.Methods: A retrospective study of patients with NVAF and high multimorbidity who initiated apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or warfarin from 1 January 2013 to 30 September 2015 was conducted using five insurance claims databases. Multimorbidity was defined as six or more comorbid conditions, and 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted between the NOAC-warfarin and NOAC-NOAC cohorts. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the hazard ratios of stroke/SE and MB.Results: Of the NVAF population (n = 466,991), 33.4% (n = 155,959) had multimorbidity, including 36,921 apixaban, 10,248 dabigatran, 45,509 rivaroxaban, and 63,281 warfarin patients. Compared to warfarin, apixaban and rivaroxaban were associated with a lower risk of stroke/SE (hazard ratio [HR] 0.63, 95% CI 0.54-0.74; HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.64-0.77, respectively). Apixaban and dabigatran were associated with a lower risk of MB (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.56-0.67; HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.66-0.86, respectively) and rivaroxaban was associated with a higher risk of MB (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.12) compared to warfarin.Conclusions: Among patients with NVAF and six or more comorbid conditions, NOACs were associated with varying risk of stroke/SE and MB compared to warfarin and to each other. Rather than a "one drug fits all" approach, our results may be useful for appropriate OAC treatment for multimorbid patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Placental modifications observed in women with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) should be associated with altered fetal development in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and worsen perinatal outcome. We aim to determine if SCH is associated with neonatal morbidity in women with GDM.Methods: A secondary analysis of data collected for a prospective population-based cohort study including all pregnant women with singleton pregnancies at diagnosis of GDM in a tertiary care university hospital. Thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine were measured at diagnosis of GDM. Perinatal outcome was compared between two groups-women with SCH and euthyroid. Neonatal morbidity was defined by at least one of the following criteria: preterm birth, macrosomia, shoulder dystocia, respiratory distress syndrome, 5-min Apgar score < 7, pH < 7.10, and admission to the NICU (neonatal intensive-care unit) for 24 h.Results: Of the total 200 women enrolled, 150 were evaluable for the study. Of whom, 9 (6%) women presented SCH. The mean gestational age at diagnosis of GDM was 21.7 ± 7.0 weeks. Maternal outcome of women with SCH was similar to euthyroid women. Neonatal morbidity occurred in 17.3% (26/150). Women with SCH had higher rate of neonatal morbidity (44.4% vs. 15.6%; p = 0.03), specifically due to admission to the NICU for 24 h (33.3% vs. 5.7%; p = 0.02). SCH in women with GDM is not associated with neonatal morbidity after controlling for gestational age at birth and admission to NICU (adjusted OR 2.02, 95% CI 0.75-10.23).Conclusion: Subclinical hypothyroidism is not associated with neonatal morbidity in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Chronic hypoparathyroidism, treated with conventional therapy of oral calcium supplements and active vitamin D, may increase the risk of kidney complications. This study examined risks of development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline in patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism.Methods: A retrospective cohort study using a managed care claims database in the United States from January 2007 to June 2017 included patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism (excluding those receiving parathyroid hormone) and randomly selected patients without hypoparathyroidism followed for up to 5 years. Main outcome measures were (1) development of CKD, defined as new diagnosis of CKD stage 3 and higher or ≥ 2 eGFR measurements < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 ≥ 3 months apart, (2) progression of CKD, defined as increase in baseline CKD stage, (3) progression to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and (4) eGFR decline ≥ 30% from baseline. Time-to-event analyses included Kaplan-Meier analyses with log-rank tests, and both unadjusted and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare outcomes between cohorts.Results: The study included 8097 adults with and 40,485 without chronic hypoparathyroidism. In Kaplan-Meier analyses, patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism had higher risk of developing CKD and CKD progression and higher rates of eGFR decline (all P < 0.001). In multivariable Cox models adjusted for baseline characteristics, hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were 2.91 (2.61-3.25) for developing CKD, 1.58 (1.23-2.01) for CKD stage progression, 2.14 (1.51-3.04) for progression to ESKD, and 2.56 (1.62-4.03) for eGFR decline (all P < 0.001) among patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism compared with those without hypoparathyroidism.Conclusion: Patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism have increased risk of development and progression of CKD and eGFR decline compared with those without hypoparathyroidism. Further studies are warranted to understand underlying mechanisms for the associations between chronic hypoparathyroidism and kidney disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe tibial plateau fractures may result in acute compartment syndrome (ACS) of the leg, which is always considered to be an orthopaedic emergency. Blistering is not an uncommon sign and may be related to decreased compartment pressure. No experiments on the risk of ACS based on the presence of blisters after tibial plateau fractures have been conducted, and controversies about the high rate of ACS in patients with tibial plateau fractures still exist.Questions/purposes: This research retrospectively followed the bicondylar tibial plateau fractures treated with locking plates and verified if the risk of ACS was decreased after a blister was observed.Methods: A total of 100 patients with closed tibial fractures (63 men and 37 women) were included and divided into with blister (group A, 40) and without blister groups (group B, 60). The creatine kinase (CK), BUN, and chloride levels were recorded on the first day after hospitalization. The hospitalization costs and injury to operation time were collected in the two groups. The Lysholm knee score and a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain were used to assess the rehabilitation after follow-up. Clinical and serological results of ACS in the two groups were compared.Results: There was significant delay in the time from injury to operation (11.0 ± 3.5 VS 7.6 ± 7.2, Z = - 3.771, P < 0.001) in the with blister (group A) and without blister groups (group B). The levels of chloride and BUN were significantly lower in the with blister group than in the without blister group (102.7 ± 3.0 VS 104.7 ± 2.57 mg/dL, Z = - 3.33, P = 0.001) (10.3 ± 2.5 VS 10.3 ± 2.8 mg/dL, Z = - 2.366, P = 0.018). There were no significant differences in the CK levels in the with blister and without blister groups (285.8 ± 202.6 VS 408.4 ± 633.6 U/L, Z = - 1.379, P = 0.168), but a trend of decreasing to normal was obvious in patients with blisters. There were no significant differences in the Lysholm knee score (40 VS 60, 80 ± 4.9 VS 79.8 ± 3.0, Z = - 0.872, P = 0.383), or the VAS (40 VS 60, 1.6 ± 0.7 VS 2.2 ± 1.3, Z = - 1.568, P = 0.117) for pain compared with patients without blisters.Conclusion: In conclusion, the presence of blisters in patients with severe tibial plateau fractures decreases the pressure in the compartment. There was a significant improvement in serological results after blisters appeared, which may be related to the reason for the decreased pressure decreased, and conservative management is recommended for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Very few prior studies have investigated the presence of ascites as a prognostic factor in children with cirrhosis. To the best of our knowledge, there are no prior studies evaluating the relationship between severity of ascites and patient survival in children with biliary atresia and cirrhosis.Aims: To evaluate the association between severity of ascites and survival of children with cirrhosis and biliary atresia.Methods: All children with cirrhosis secondary to biliary atresia evaluated at our institution from 2000 to 2014 were included in this study. Patients were classified into four groups: NA = no ascites; A1 = grade 1 ascites; A2 = grade 2 ascites; and A3 = grade 3 ascites. The primary endpoint of the study was mortality within the first year after patient inclusion. Ninety-day mortality was also evaluated. Prognostic factors related to both endpoints also were studied.Results: One-year patient survival for NA was 97.1%, versus 80.8% for A1, versus 52% for A2, versus 13.6 for A3 (p < 0.001). The presence of ascites increased mortality by 17 times. In the multivariate analysis, clinically detectable ascites (HR 3.14, 95% CI 1.14-8.60, p = 0.026), lower sodium (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.04-1.27, p = 0.006), higher bilirubin (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.00-1.12, p = 0.023), and higher PELD score (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.08, p = 0.001) were all associated with decreased survival. Lower serum sodium (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.09-1.32, p < 0.001) and higher PELD score (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.001-1.063, p = 0.043) were associated with increased 90-day mortality.Conclusions: Clinically detectable ascites is associated with decreased 1-year survival of children with biliary atresia. These patients should be treated with caution and prioritized for liver transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The approval of 9-δ-tetrahydocannabinol (THC)+cannabidiol (CBD) oromucosal spray (Sativex®) in Italy as an add-on medication for the management of moderate to severe spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS) has provided a new opportunity for MS patients with drug-resistant spasticity. We aimed to investigate the improvement of MS spasticity-related symptoms in a large cohort of patients with moderate to severe spasticity in daily clinical practice.Materials and Methods: MS patients with drug-resistant spasticity were recruited from 30 Italian MS centers. All patients were eligible for THC:CBD treatment according to the approved label: ≥ 18 years of age, at least moderate spasticity (MS spasticity numerical rating scale [NRS] score ≥ 4) and not responding to the common antispastic drugs. Patients were evaluated at baseline (T0) and after 4 weeks of treatment (T1) with the spasticity NRS scale and were also asked about meaningful improvements in 6 key spasticity-related symptoms.Results: Out of 1615 enrolled patients, 1432 reached the end of the first month trial period (T1). Of these, 1010 patients (70.5%) reached a ≥ 20% NRS score reduction compared with baseline (initial responders; IR). We found that 627 (43.8% of 1432) patients showed an improvement in at least one spasticity-related symptom (SRSr group), 543 (86.6%) of them belonging to the IR group and 84 (13.4%) to the spasticity NRS non-responders group.Conclusion: Our study confirmed that the therapeutic benefit of cannabinoids may extend beyond spasticity, improving spasticity-related symptoms even in non-NRS responder patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Message: Laboratory characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection did not differ between pregnant and non-pregnant women. A trend of lower lymphocyte count was observed in the pregnant women group PURPOSE: Laboratory abnormalities, which characterize SARS-CoV-2 infection have been identified, nevertheless, data concerning laboratory characteristics of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 are limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the laboratory characteristics of pregnant compared to non-pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection.Methods: A retrospective cohort study of all pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 who were examined at the obstetric emergency room in a tertiary medical center between March and April 2020. Patients were compared with non-pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 matched by age, who were examined at the general emergency room during the study period. All patients were confirmed for SARS-CoV-2 on admission. Clinical characteristics and laboratory results were compared between the groups.Results: Study group included 11 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2, who were compared to 25 non-pregnant controls. Respiratory complaints were the most frequent reason for emergency room visit, and were reported in 54.5% and 80.0% of the pregnant and control groups, respectively (p = 0.12). White blood cells, hemoglobin, platelets, and liver enzymes counts were within the normal range in both groups. Lyphocytopenia was observed in 45.5% and 32% of the pregnant and control groups, respectively (p = 0.44). The relative lymphocyte count to WBC was significantly reduced in the pregnant group compared to the controls [13.6% (4.5-19.3) vs. 26.5% (15.7-29.9); p = 0.003]. C-reactive protein [20(5-41) vs. 14 (2-52) mg/dL; p = 0.81] levels were elevated in both groups but without significant difference between them.Conclusion: Laboratory characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection did not differ between pregnant and non-pregnant women, although a trend of lower lymphocyte count was observed in the pregnant women group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The shoulder is the joint most prone to dislocating in the human body and accounts for 45% of all dislocations. In addition to ruptures of the soft tissue and bony injuries, lesions to vascular structures as well as the brachial plexus and its corresponding nerves might occur. With an incidence of up to 65%, nerve lesions are frequently reported after shoulder dislocations. The aim of this study is to obtain information on epidemiology, diagnostics, treatment and duration until remission or late sequelae after shoulder dislocation and concomitant nerve injury in a large patient cohort.Methods: The patient cohort consisted of 15,739 patients from three centres who had sustained a shoulder dislocation. All patient files were searched for concomitant injury of the brachial plexus or its corresponding nerves. For epidemiological data analysis, demographic data, clinical follow-ups, electromyography and nerve conduction velocity were evaluated.Results: In total, 60 patients (32 males, 28 females) with a mean age of 60 years (range 19-88 years) met the inclusion criteria. In the majority of patients (n = 51), the trauma mechanism was a trivial fall on the outstretched arm. The most frequent dislocation direction was anterior-caudal in 61.6%, followed by strictly caudal in 16.6%. The brachial plexus was injured in 46 patients (76.6%) and isolated nerve damage was documented in 14 patients (23.3%). Electroneurographic examinations were performed in less than half of the patients (38.3%).Conclusion: A combination injury of shoulder dislocation and plexus lesion may occur at any age and sometimes has a poor outcome. Electroneurographic examinations should be implemented when managing these patients as a cost-effective and supportive examination.Level Of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Postoperative pneumonia is one of the major complications after esophageal cancer surgery. The risk factors associated with postoperative pneumonia are poor general health, smoking, decreased pulmonary function, diabetes mellitus, surgical stress, old age, postoperative aspiration, and oral hygiene. In this study, we examined the effect of perioperative oral care on reducing postoperative pneumonia since the evidence to-date is not clear.Methods: A multicenter, retrospective investigation of the relationship between perioperative oral care and incidence of postoperative pneumonia in patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery was conducted. A total of 775 patients who underwent thoracoscopic esophageal resection at 25 hospitals between 2016 and 2017 were enrolled in the study. Various factors were examined for correlation with development of postoperative pneumonia.Results: Multivariate analysis showed that old age, smoking habit, lower hemoglobin, higher creatinine, postoperative dysphagia, and lack of oral care intervention were independent risk factors for pneumonia. Oral care was more effective in preventing pneumonia in hospitals in which the incidence of postoperative pneumonia was lower than 20%, while it was not effective in hospitals in which the incidence was higher than 20%.Conclusion: Results of the study suggest that it is recommended to carry out perioperative oral care in esophageal cancer surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Identify a group with a high risk of postoperative complications after deep bowel endometriosis surgery.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on patients treated from 2012 to 2018 in two departments of gynecological surgery at the Toulouse University Hospital, France. The postoperative complications were evaluated in relation to the surgical management, associated with or without non-digestive surgical procedures, initial disease and patient's characteristics.Results: 164 patients were included. A postoperative complication occurred in 37.8% (n = 62) of the cases and required a secondary surgery in 18.3% (n = 30) of the cases. In the univariate analysis, the risk of postoperative complications increased significantly in the presence of segmental resection, disease progression, and associated urinary tract procedure or vaginal incision. In the multivariate analysis, the risk of overall postoperative complications was associated with the surgical management (p = 0.013 and 0.017) and particularly in the presence of segmental resection [Odds Ratio (OR): 20.87; CI 95% (1.96-221.79)]. The risk of rectovaginal fistula increased in the presence of segmental resection [OR: 22.71; CI 95% (2.74-188.01)] as well as in vaginal incision [OR: 19.67; CI 95% (2.43-159.18); p = 0.005].Conclusion: The risk of overall postoperative complications and rectovaginal fistula in particular increases significantly in the presence of vaginal incision, segmental resection and urinary tract procedures after deep bowel endometriosis surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased bone loss has been noted in lymphoma patients; however, the incidence of hip fracture is not known. The aim of our study was to explore the risk for hip fracture in patients with lymphoma compared with the entire Swedish population. The risk of hip fracture was determined in a retrospective population cohort study of adult Swedish lymphoma patients (n = 37,236), diagnosed 1995-2015 and compared with the entire Swedish population during the same period. The incidence of hip fracture in lymphoma patients was higher in women than in men, increased by age, and decreased by calendar year as also demonstrated in the total population. 2.2% of the men and 4.7% of women with lymphoma sustained a hip fracture. For the total group of females, the hazard ratio (HR) was 1.19 (95% CI 1.11-1.28) and for men, the hazard ratio was 1.06 (95% CI 0.97-1.17) compared with the Swedish population. The HR for hip fracture (2016) was 2.80 (95% CI 1.20-6.53), 2.04 (95% CI 1.30-3.20), 1.56 (95% CI 1.21-2.01), 1.08 (95% CI 0.89-1.30), and 1.07 (95% CI 0.92-1.25) in females aged 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 years, respectively. Corresponding figures for men were not significant in 2016. Unmarried men with lymphoma had a two times higher risk for hip fracture (HR 2.02 95% CI 1.63-2.50) compared with married men. Patients with lymphoma had an increased risk of hip fracture, especially younger women and unmarried men. The incidence of hip fracture is decreased by calendar year in the lymphoma patients and the entire Swedish population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to elucidate the clinical characteristics of neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) associated with pneumothorax and evaluate the risk factors for the development of pneumothorax.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the 15 institutions participating in the Japanese CDH Study Group. A total of 495 neonates with isolated CDH who were born between 2011 and 2018 were analyzed in this study.Results: Among the 495 neonates with isolated CDH, 52 (10.5%) developed pneumothorax. Eighteen (34.6%) patients developed pneumothorax before surgery, while 34 (65.4%) developed pneumothorax after surgery. The log-rank test showed that the cumulative survival rate was significantly lower in patients with pneumothorax than in those without pneumothorax. Univariate analysis revealed significant differences between patients with pneumothorax and those without pneumothorax with regard to the best oxygenation index within 24 h after birth, mean airway pressure (MAP) higher than 16 cmH2O, diaphragmatic defect size, and need for patch closure. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that only the MAP was associated with an increased risk of pneumothorax.Conclusions: The cumulative survival rate was significantly lower in isolated CDH patients with pneumothorax than in those without pneumothorax. A higher MAP was a risk factor for pneumothorax in CDH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Short-term outcomes for patients undergoing contaminated complex abdominal wall reconstruction (CCAWR), including risk stratification, have not been studied in sufficiently high numbers. This study aims to develop and validate risk-stratification models for Clavien-Dindo (CD) grade ≥ 3 complications in patients undergoing CCAWR.Methods: A consecutive cohort of patients who underwent CCAWR in two European national intestinal failure centers, from January 2004 to December 2015, was identified. Data were collected retrospectively for short-term outcomes and used to develop risk models using logistic regression. A further cohort, from January 2016 to December 2017, was used to validate the models.Results: The development cohort consisted of 272 procedures performed in 254 patients. The validation cohort consisted of 114 patients. The cohorts were comparable in baseline demographics (mean age 58.0 vs 58.1; sex 58.8% male vs 54.4%, respectively). A multi-variate model including the presence of intestinal failure (p < 0.01) and operative time (p < 0.01) demonstrated good discrimination and calibration on validation. Models for wound and intra-abdominal complications were also developed, including pre-operative immunosuppression (p = 0.05), intestinal failure (p = 0.02), increasing operative time (p = 0.04), increasing number of anastomoses (p = 0.01) and the number of previous abdominal operations (p = 0.02). While these models showed reasonable ability to discriminate patients on internal assessment, they were not found to be accurate on external validation.Conclusion: Acceptable short-term outcomes after CCAWR are demonstrated. A robust model for the prediction of CD ≥ grade 3 complications has been developed and validated. This model is available online at www.smbari.co.uk/smjconv2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abdominal wall hernias are common in patients with ascites. Elective surgical repair is recommended for the treatment of abdominal wall hernias. However, surgical hernia repair in cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites is controversial. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the outcomes of elective surgical hernia repair in patients with liver cirrhosis with and without refractory ascites.Method: From January 2005 to June 2018, we retrospectively reviewed the records of consecutive patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent a surgical hernia repair.Results: This study included 107 patients; 31 patients (29.0%) had refractory ascites. Preoperatively, cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites had a higher median model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score (13.0 vs 11.0, P = 0.001) than those without refractory ascites. The 30-day mortality rate (3.2% vs 0%, P = 0.64) and the risk of recurrence (hazard ratio 0.410; 95% CI 0.050-3.220; P = 0.39) did not differ significantly between cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites and cirrhotic patients without refractory ascites. Among cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites, albumin (P = 0.23), bilirubin (P = 0.37), creatinine (P = 0.97), and sodium levels (P = 0.35) did not change significantly after surgery.Conclusion: In advanced liver cirrhosis patients with refractory ascites, hernias can be safely treated with elective surgical repair. Mortality rate within 30 days did not differ by the presence or absence of refractory ascites. Elective hernia repair might be beneficial for treatment of abdominal wall hernia in cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Inguinal hernia is a common feature of decompensated liver cirrhosis and a frequent cause of life-threatening complications. The traditional treatment of inguinal hernia in patients with liver cirrhosis includes non-operative management; however, emerging data suggest elective surgical repair as a preferable approach. Therefore, we aimed to assess the outcomes of inguinal hernia repair in patients with liver cirrhosis and describe their clinical characteristics.Methods: In this retrospective study, we included a total of 28 consecutive patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent inguinal hernia repair between March 2000 and May 2019 at the First People's Hospital of Xiaoshan, Hangzhou, China. We also reviewed the literature on inguinal hernia repair in patients with liver cirrhosis.Results: Emergency surgery for complicated hernia was performed in 17.9% of the study patients. Two patients developed major complications including wound hematoma in 1, who required reoperation, and gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage in the other patient, who required blood transfusion. Further, minor complications developed in 6 patients, including wound seroma in 1 and scrotal swelling in 5. Emergency hernia repair was found to be associated with a higher complication rate than elective surgery in patients with liver cirrhosis.Conclusion: Elective surgery for inguinal hernia repair in patients with liver cirrhosis appears to be successful and might be associated with a lower complication rate than emergency surgery. Inguinal hernia repair is recommended for patients with liver cirrhosis to prevent the development of life-threatening complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the relationship between breast white adipose tissue (WAT) inflammation and being overweight or obese, menopausal status, and metabolic syndrome-related indicators in breast cancer patients as well as the association between adipocyte size and the severity of WAT inflammation and body mass index (BMI).Methods: The crown-like structures (CLS-B) formed by macrophages surrounding dying or dead adipocytes can be used to identify breast WAT inflammation. In this study, breast WAT and fasting blood from 136 Chinese women with breast cancer were collected for analysis. Cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) immunohistochemical staining was performed to identify CLS-B, and the adipocyte size was measured by hematoxylin and eosin staining.Results: The results showed that breast WAT inflammation usually occurs in overweight/obese breast cancer patients, and the severity of inflammation is positively correlated with adipocyte hypertrophy. We did not observe a direct association between WAT inflammation and menopausal status. In addition, the presence of WAT inflammation is associated with abnormalities in circulating factors associated with metabolic syndrome such as higher serum lipid, glucose, and C-reactive protein levels.Conclusion: Overweight/obese breast cancer patients may be more prone to breast WAT inflammation and may be associated with abnormalities in circulatory markers associated with metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Single-operator cholangioscopy (SOC) has been suggested to be a cost-effective strategy for the detection of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). The aim of this study is to compare the performance characteristics of SOC-guided biopsies and transpapillary biopsies with standard sampling techniques for the detection of CCA.Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing SOC between 1/2007 and 10/2018 at a single academic center was performed. Demographic, procedural, and outcomes data were recorded and analyzed using STATA 14.0. Sensitivity comparison between diagnostic tests was performed using exact McNemar test exclusively among patients with CCA. Two-sided p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Ninety-two patients were included; 36 (39.1%) with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), 41 (44.6%) with CCA, and median follow-up was 15.1 months. In the overall cohort, brush cytology demonstrated a sensitivity of 44.7% and increased with the addition of FISH (56.8%; p = 0.12), FISH with SOC-guided biopsy (71.4%; p = 0.03), and FISH with transpapillary biopsy (64.5%; p = 0.01). However, in patients with PSC, there was no significant improvement in sensitivity with the addition of SOC-guided biopsy or transpapillary biopsy in addition to FISH when compared to brush cytology. There was no difference in the rates of overall adverse events (14% vs. 23.2%; p = 0.27) or infection (3% vs. 4%; p = 0.83) in patients with and without PSC.Conclusions: SOC-guided and transpapillary biopsies improve sensitivity for the detection of cholangiocarcinoma in combination with other ERCP-based techniques compared to brush cytology alone. However, while safe, these modalities do not significantly improve the sensitivity for the detection of malignancy in PSC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is vast literature supporting valgus osteotomy in fracture neck of femur. However, little or no distinction has ever been made to evaluate the success of the procedure in these two different scenarios-non-unions due to failed osteosynthesis and neglected fractures neck of femur. The aim of our study was to compare the results of valgus osteotomy in neglected neck femur fractures and non-union fractures of neck of femur.Methods: This is a single tertiary centre-based retrospective study. The records of all patients aged less than 45 years who underwent valgus osteotomy for neck of femur fractures from 2012 to 2017 were evaluated. Patients with fracture neck of femur of over one month's duration, where no previous surgical intervention was undertaken were placed in neglected fracture group. Patients with failed primary osteosynthesis surgery, either cannulated cancellous screw or dynamic hip screw, were placed in fixation failure group. There were 23 patients in neglected group and 17 patients in fixation failure group. Demographical details, fracture patterns, and preoperative radiograph, surgery time, blood loss, post-operative complications, union time, and non-unions were studied in both groups.Results: Osteotomy site united in mean time of 11 weeks in fixation failure group and 11.3 weeks in neglected group (p = .434). Time to radiological union of fracture was 16 weeks (12-23 weeks) for neglected fracture group compared to 25 weeks (20-32 weeks) for fixation failure group which was statistically significant (p = .02). Seven out of 17 fractures did not unite in fixation failure group compared to one non-union out of 23 patients in neglected group. (p = .004) There were two loss of fixation with implant failure in fixation failure group compared to none in neglected group (p = .174). Neither of the groups had any surgical site infection.Conclusion: Valgus osteotomy results in excellent union rates for neglected fractures of neck of femur. However, the union rates of valgus osteotomy are lower in neck femur fractures with failed implants compared to neglected fractures and the procedure should be cautiously used in such circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abdominal wall reconstruction in patients presenting with enteric fistulas and mesh infection is challenging. There is a consensus that synthetic mesh must be avoided in infected operations, and the alternatives to using synthetic mesh, such as component separation techniques and biologic mesh, present disappointing results with expressive wound infection and hernia recurrence rates.Methods: A prospective clinical trial designed to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of 40 patients submitted to elective abdominal wall repair with synthetic mesh in the dirty-infected setting, and compared to a cohort of 40 patients submitted to clean ventral hernia repairs. Patients in both groups were submitted to a single-staged repair using onlay polypropylene mesh reinforcement.Results: Groups' characteristics were similar. There were 13 (32.5%) surgical site occurrences in the infected mesh (IM) group, compared to 11 (27.5%) in the clean-control (CC) group, p = 0.626. The 30-day surgical site infection rate was 15% for the IM group vs. 10% for the CC cases, p = 0.499. One patient required a complete mesh removal in each group. The mean overall follow-up was 50.2 ± 14.8 months, with 36 patients in the IM group and 38 clean-controls completing a follow-up of 36 months. There was one hernia recurrence (4.2%) in the IM group and no recurrences in the CC group.Conclusion: We demonstrated that using polypropylene mesh in the infected setting presented similar outcomes to clean repairs. The use of synthetic mesh in the onlay position resulted in a safe and durable abdominal wall reconstruction.Trial Registration: Study registered at Plataforma Brasil (plataformabrasil.saude.gov.br), CAAE 30836614.7.0000.0068. Study registered at Clinical Trials (clinicaltrials.gov), Identifier NCT03702153. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the improvements in irritative versus obstructive symptoms of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) after prostatic artery embolization (PAE) in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Materials and Methods: Between 2010 and 2018, 186 patients underwent PAE in a single center and 174 patients were retrospectively selected. The inclusion criteria were symptoms due to BPH, refractory to pharmacological treatment and IPSS ≥ 8. The mean age of the patients was 63.7 ± 7.2 years, the mean prostate volume 89.5 ± 42.5 cm3, and the mean IPSS 19.0 ± 6.2 points. Patient data were reviewed at baseline, 3, 12 and 24 months and compared using the ANOVA mixed models and the Tukey's multiple comparison test.Results: Obstructive subscores dropped more significantly than irritative subscores (p < 0.0001). The mean decrease in each IPSS item was frequency 2.4 (83%); urgency 0.8 (87%); nocturia 1.3 (49%); incomplete emptying 2.6 (83%); intermittency 2.3 (91%); weak stream 2.9 (82%); straining 1.6 (91%). The area under the curve for baseline obstructive scores was 0.7 (p = 0.006) and 0.59 (p = 0.182) for irritative scores. The most common BPH clinical manifestations include irritative and/or obstructive symptoms, the latter usually more prevalent. The IPSS drop observed after PAE suggests that it acts predominantly over obstructive symptoms (p < 0.0001).Conclusion: Although a predominant improvement in obstructive symptoms may be observed after PAE, nocturia complaints may require special attention. The severity of baseline obstructive symptoms may significantly predict clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Occlusive portal venous system thrombosis (PVT) is significantly associated with poor outcomes in cirrhotic patients. Nonselective β-blockers (NSBBs) may be associated with the development of PVT. However, the role of NSBBs in progressing thrombosis remains unclear.Methods: Forty-three patients on whom contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging was performed twice, and for whom there was detailed information regarding NSBBs, were eligible in this study, including 16 in the NSBBs group and 27 in the no NSBBs group. A composite endpoint of progressing thrombosis included the development of PVT in patients without PVT and aggravation of PVT in patients with PVT. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the effect of NSBBs on the progression of PVT.Results: At the last admission, 13 patients had progressing thrombosis. The incidence of progressing thrombosis was significantly higher in the NSBBs group than in the no NSBBs group [50.0% (8/16) vs. 18.5% (5/27), P = 0.030]. The use of NSBBs (odds ratio 4.400, 95% confidence interval 1.107-17.482, P = 0.035) was significantly associated with progressing thrombosis in univariate logistic regression analyses, but not significant (odds ratio 4.084, 95% confidence interval 0.488-34.158, P = 0.194) in multivariate logistic regression analyses.Conclusions: NSBBs may play a role in the progression of PVT in liver cirrhosis. The benefits and risks of NSBBs in the management of liver cirrhosis should be fully weighed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess how the level of the deformity, the stage of the osteoarthritic process, and the role of additional surgeries impact radiographic and clinical outcomes following an extra-articular medial closing supramalleolar osteotomy for treatment of post-traumatic valgus ankle osteoarthritis.Methods: About 56 consecutive patients who underwent an extra-articular medial closing wedge osteotomy for post-traumatic valgus ankle osteoarthritis were retrospectively analyzed. Subgroups were formed according to the pre-operative level of deformity and preoperative stage of ankle osteoarthritis. Additional surgical steps required to achieve a properly balanced hindfoot were also noted. Radiographic and clinical outcomes of each subgroup were compared with each other, and the role of additional surgical steps required to achieve a balanced hindfoot was investigated.Results: Radiographic and clinical outcomes improved significantly between pre-operative assessment and the last follow-up. Patients with a pre-operative supramalleolar deformity showed superior radiographic outcomes compared to patients with an intra-articular deformity. Clinical outcomes did not differ significantly between these two subgroups. The pre-operative stage of ankle osteoarthritis significantly impacted radiographic outcomes but did not influence clinical outcome measures. An additional fibula or calcaneus osteotomy was necessary for 55% and 23% of all patients, respectively.Conclusion: Extra-articular medial closing supramalleolar osteotomies show satisfactory mid- to long-term radiographic and clinical outcomes in patients with post-traumatic valgus ankle osteoarthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The majority of patients who undergo a laparoscopic fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have a structural (hiatal hernia, shortened lower esophageal sphincter [LES]) or functional (weak LES) defect of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ). We hypothesized that the symptomatic outcomes of fundoplication in patients with a competent GEJ prior to surgery are inferior to those with an incompetent GEJ.Methods: This is a retrospective review of prospectively maintained data on subjects who underwent primary laparoscopic fundoplication (Nissen or Toupet) for medically refractory and confirmed GERD. Three esophageal manometry variables were used to determine GEJ competency: (1) hiatal hernia (normal = no hernia), (2) total lower esophageal sphincter length (normal ≥ 2.43 cm), and (3) lower esophageal sphincter pressure (normal = 15.0-43.7 mmHg). Patients in the competent group had normal values for all 3 variables. Symptomatic outcomes were assessed with the GERD Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) survey administered pre- and postoperatively, and then compared both intragroup, intergroup, and by procedure.Results: A total of 78 patients met inclusion criteria-17 competent GEJ and 61 incompetent GEJ patients. GERD-HRQL scores improved in the incompetent cohort at all intervals out to 2 years postoperatively. GERD-HRQL improved in the competent cohort at 2 months, with no difference at 6 months or 2 years postoperatively compared to preoperative scores. Competent GEJ patients receiving a Nissen fundoplication had a higher rate of additional procedures (endoscopy with or without dilation, pH studies) following surgery to address recurrent or persistent GERD symptoms compared to Toupet.Conclusions: GERD patients with a competent GEJ report a lower GERD-HRQL with more frequent and severe reflux symptoms up to 2 years post-fundoplication. Competent GEJ patients receiving a Nissen fundoplication are more likely to have additional procedures to address symptoms following surgery. Surgeons should approach patients with a competent GEJ and medically refractory GERD with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is no uniform definition for cerebral microdialysis (CMD) probe location with respect to focal brain lesions, and the impact of CMD-probe location on measured molecule concentrations is unclear.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of 51 consecutive subarachnoid hemorrhage patients with CMD-monitoring between 2010 and 2016 included in a prospective observational cohort study. Microdialysis probe location was assessed on all brain computed tomography (CT) scans performed during CMD-monitoring and defined as perilesional in the presence of a focal hypodense or hyperdense lesion within a 1-cm radius of the gold tip of the CMD-probe, or otherwise as normal-appearing brain tissue.Results: Probe location was detected in normal-appearing brain tissue on 53/143 (37%) and in perilesional location on 90/143 (63%) CT scans. In the perilesional area, CMD-glucose levels were lower (p = 0.003), whereas CMD-lactate (p = 0.002), CMD-lactate-to-pyruvate-ratio (LPR; p < 0.001), CMD-glutamate (p = 0.002), and CMD-glycerol levels (p < 0.001) were higher. Neuroglucopenia (CMD-glucose < 0.7 mmol/l, p = 0.002), metabolic distress (p = 0.002), and mitochondrial dysfunction (p = 0.005) were more common in perilesional compared to normal-appearing brain tissue. Development of new lesions in the proximity of the CMD-probe (n = 13) was associated with a decrease in CMD-glucose levels, evidence of neuroglucopenia, metabolic distress, as well as increasing CMD-glutamate and CMD-glycerol levels. Neuroglucopenia was associated with poor outcome independent of probe location, whereas elevated CMD-lactate, CMD-LPR, CMD-glutamate, and CMD-glycerol levels were only predictive of poor outcome in normal-appearing brain tissue.Conclusions: Focal brain lesions significantly impact on concentrations of brain metabolites assessed by CMD. With the exception of CMD-glucose, the prognostic value of CMD-derived parameters seems to be higher when assessed in normal-appearing brain tissue. CMD was sensitive to detect the development of new focal lesions in vicinity to the neuromonitoring probe. Probe location should be described in the research reporting brain metabolic changes measured by CMD and integrated in statistical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate prediction of outcomes for alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is critical, as prognosis determines treatment eligibility. Computed tomography (CT) features may provide prognostic information beyond traditional models.Aims: Our aim was to identify CT features that predict outcomes in AH.Methods: We studied 108 patients retrospectively with definite or probable AH, who underwent admission abdominal CT. A radiologist blinded to outcome evaluated eight CT features. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality.Results: Twenty-five (23.2%) patients died within 90 days. While traditional prognostic tools, including Maddrey discriminant function (DF), predicted 90-day mortality (OR 1.01 [1.00, 1.03], P = 0.02), abdominal CT findings were also accurate predictors. On abdominal CT, patients with severe AH had larger volume of ascites (moderate/large volume: 34.0 vs. 8.2%, P < 0.0001), longer liver length (17.1 vs. 15.1 cm, P = 0.001), greater liver heterogeneity (moderate/severe: 21.3 vs. 8.2%, P = 0.007), and more likely to have splenomegaly (42.6 vs. 18.0%, P = 0.009) than those with mild AH. Univariate analysis revealed that ascites volume (OR 2.59 [1.35, 4.96], P = 0.004) predicted 90-day mortality. In multivariate analysis, degree of ascites predicted 90-day mortality when controlling for Maddrey DF (OR 2.36 [1.19, 4.69], P = 0.01) and trended toward significance when controlling for MELD score (OR 2.02 [0.95, 4.30], P = 0.07).Conclusion: CT findings in AH differentiate disease severity and predict 90-day mortality; therefore, the role of CT warrants further investigation as a tool in AH management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: The assessment of nutritional status and the quality of life in patients with gastric cancer has become one of the important goals of current clinical treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status in hospitalized gastric cancer patients by using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) and to analyze the influence of nutritional status on the patients' quality of life (QOL).Methods: We reviewed the pathological diagnosis of gastric cancer for 2322 hospitalized patients using PG-SGA to assess their nutritional status and collected data on clinical symptoms, the anthropometric parameters (height, weight, body mass index (BMI), mid-arm circumference (MAC), triceps skin-fold thickness (TSF), and hand-grip strength (HGS). We also collected laboratory data (prealbumin, albumin, hemoglobin) within 48 h after the patient was admitted to the hospital. The 30-item European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used for QOL assessment in all patients.Results: By using PG-SGA, we found 80.4% of the patients were malnourished (score ≥ 4) and 45.1% of the patients required urgent nutritional support (score ≥ 9). In univariate analysis, old age (> 65 years, p < 0.001), female (p = 0.007), residence in a village (p = 0.004), a lower level of education (p < 0.001), and self-paying (p < 0.001) were indicated as risk factors of patients with gastric cancer to be suffering from severe malnutrition. There was a negative correlation between PG-SGA and various nutritional parameters (p < 0.05). The quality of life was significantly different in gastric cancer patients with different nutritional status (p < 0.01).Conclusion: Malnutrition of hospitalized patients with gastric cancer in China is common and seriously affects the patients' quality of life. The nutritional status should be evaluated in a timely manner and reasonable nutritional intervention should be provided as soon as possible. The PG-SGA was fit for using as a clinical nutrition assessment method, being worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We investigated if loop characteristics correlate with audio-vestibular symptoms or hemifacial spasm in patients with a vascular loop in the root entry zone (VII and VIII) and in the internal auditory canal.Materials and Methods: A retrospective, multicenter study analyzed 2622 consecutive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the cerebellopontine angle of patients with asymmetric audio-vestibular symptom or hemifacial spasm; patients' symptoms were confirmed by clinical tests. MRIs displaying vascular loops visible in the axial view were analyzed using multiplanar reconstruction. We evaluated (1) depth of penetration of the loop into the internal auditory canal (IAC); (2) largest diameter of the vessel; (3) nerve(s) involved in the vascular impingement, position of the loop relative to such nerve(s) and number of contacts between vessel and nerve(s); (4) length of such contact. The loop metrics described above were correlated with the patients' audio-vestibular symptoms and hemifacial spasm.Results: Three hundred ninety-nine patients displayed a loop visible in the MRI axial view and out of them only 118 displayed a direct contact between loop and nerve. The cochlear nerve was involved in a contact in 57.7%. Loops in direct nerve contact had a calibre > 0.85 mm, were located in the middle portion of the IAC, and correlated with vertigo (p = 0.002), tinnitus (p = 0.003), and hemifacial spasm (p < 0.001). Asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) correlated with number of contacts (p < 0.001) and length of contact (p < 0.05). The contact was asymptomatic in 41.5% of patients.Conclusion: Loop characteristics may help predict whether a vascular impingement is responsible for a symptom and guide the physician to select the best treatment.Key Points: • A vascular loop in the internal auditory canal was observed in 18-20% of the patients in this study; whether a loop can be responsible for a compressive syndrome is still unclear in particular referred to the vestibulocochlear nerve. • Compression by a loop on the facial nerve causes hemifacial spasm; compression by a loop on the cochlear or vestibular nerve may cause audio-vestibular symptoms. • In patients with a loop, the loop calibre, the loop position, and the number of loop-nerve(s) assessed via the multiplanar MRI reconstruction technique may help assess whether the patient will manifest audio-vestibular symptoms or hemifacial spasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) has been reported to be associated with thrombotic events. The incidence of thrombosis in 303 newly diagnosed ITP patients in our institute between 2000 and 2016 was retrospectively reviewed. During a median follow-up of 3.6 years, 16 thrombotic events (12 arterial and four venous) occurred. The median platelet count at thrombotic events was 102 × 109/l. At 10 years, the cumulative thrombosis incidence was 10%. A univariate analysis showed that smoking, hypertension, male gender, a history of thrombosis, and atrial fibrillation (Af) were significantly associated with the occurrence of thrombosis, and a multivariate analysis identified smoking and Af as independent risk factors. The thrombotic risk was not increased by lupus anticoagulant positivity or ITP treatment. At 5 years, the cumulative incidence of bleeding and overall survival probability was 5.6% and 92%, respectively. This study demonstrates that smoking and Af were associated with an increased risk of thrombosis. Previously identified risk factors were not confirmed in these Japanese ITP patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the oncologic outcomes and complication profile in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-induced cirrhosis leading to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).Materials and Methods: Two hundred and twenty patients who underwent treatment of 353 HCCs were retrospectively reviewed, including 30 NASH patients who received TACE for 46 HCCs. Patient charts were evaluated for time to progression (TTP), complications and overall survival (OS). The group was split into NASH and non-NASH cohorts for comparison and additional analyses were done using propensity score matching (PSM).Results: Patients in the NASH cohort presented with significantly larger lesions (4.9 ± 5.8 cm vs 3.1 ± 2.4 cm, p = 0.05). There was no significant difference in TTP overall [Median NASH 396 days (95% CI 308-526 days) vs non-NASH cohort 307 days (95% CI 272-364), p = 0.25) or after PSM [259 days non-NASH (95% CI 215-490) vs 396 days NASH (95% CI (349-not reached), p = 0.43]. There was a non-significant increased OS in the non-NASH [median 1078 days (95% CI 668-1594)] as compared to the NASH cohort [median 706 days (95% CI 314-not reached)] (p = 0.08) which decreased following PSM [853 days (95% CI 526-1511) non-NASH vs 706 days (95% CI 314-not reached) NASH, p = 0.48]. The number of complications did not differ significantly between the two groups (p = 0.23).Conclusion: The oncologic outcomes and complication profile of TACE for HCC induced by NASH cirrhosis appear to be similar to that of other etiologies of cirrhosis. NASH patients presented with larger tumors emphasizing the need for early surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the impact of depression, epilepsy and drug abuse during pregnancy on delivery and fetal outcome. Due to the worldwide increasing prevalence of neurological and psychiatric diseases and drug abuse, the number of affected pregnant women is increasing.Methods: A large-scale retrospective case-control analysis of pregnancies affected by depression, epilepsy or drug abuse with and without medication was conducted in two German perinatal centres between 2013 and 2017. The case group consisted of 706 pregnant women who had a diagnosis of depression, epilepsy or drug abuse vs. 12,574 pregnant women without neuropsychiatric diagnosis (control group). The analysis included the rate of intrauterine growth restriction, birth weight and length, neonatal head circumference.Results: Significant differences in the subgroups were found in the parameters intrauterine growth restriction, birth weight, length and head circumference. Women with epilepsy were affected less often than women with depression and substance abuse. Major differences were found in the group of women with substance abuse. Negative associations were found within the non-pharmacologically managed disease group itself compared to women exposed to medication.Conclusion: The present results demonstrated a negative association between maternal neurological or psychiatric disease and pregnancy outcome in the examined parameters. However, the non-pharmacologically treated maternal disease was identified as a risk factor itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop, validate, and compare early warning models of the 30-day mortality risk for patients with malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) undergoing percutaneous transhepatic biliary stent placement (PTBS).Materials and Methods: Between January 2013 and October 2018, this multicenter retrospective study included 299 patients with MBOs who underwent PTBS. The training set consisted of 166 patients from four cohorts, and another two independent cohorts were allocated as external validation sets A and B with 75 patients and 58 patients, respectively. A logistic model and an artificial neural network (ANN) model were developed to predict the risk of 30-day mortality after PTBS. The predictive performance of these two models was validated internally and externally.Results: The ANN model had higher values of area under the curve than the logistic model in the training set (0.819 vs 0.797), especially in the validation sets A (0.802 vs 0.714) and B (0.732 vs 0.568). Both models had high accuracy in the three sets (75.9-83.1%). Along with a high specificity, the ANN model improved the sensitivity. The net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement also demonstrated that the ANN model led to improvements in predictive ability compared with the logistic model.Conclusions: Early warning models were proposed to predict the risk of 30-day mortality after PTBS in patients with MBO. The ANN model has higher accuracy and better generalizability than the logistic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This retrospective study was conducted to compare the clinical outcomes of transcatheter arterial embolisation for chronic knee pain in patients with mild-to-moderate versus severe knee osteoarthritis.Materials and Methods: This study included patients (n = 41) who were refractory to conservative treatments and who underwent transcatheter arterial embolisation using imipenem/cilastatin sodium between June 2017 and July 2018. A total of 71 knees, including 30 bilateral cases, were treated and categorised into two groups according to the Kellgren-Lawrence grade: mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis (n = 59, Kellgren-Lawrence grade 1-3) and severe osteoarthritis (n = 12, Kellgren-Lawrence grade 4). The clinical outcomes were measured by the visual analogue scale score.Results: There were no significant differences in age, body mass index or baseline visual analogue scale scores between the two groups. The mean visual analogue scale scores in the mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis group were significantly decreased at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6-months (5.5 at baseline vs. 3.2, 3.1, 2.9, 2.2, and 1.9, after treatment; all P = .00). These improvements were maintained at a mean of 10 ± 3 months (range 6-19 months) post-treatment. The visual analogue scale scores were significantly decreased in the severe osteoarthritis group for 1 month post-treatment (6.3 at baseline vs. 4.1, 4.1, and 4.4 at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month; all P < .01). However, a decrease in pain was not statistically significant from 3 to 6 months (5.4 and 5.9 at 3 months and 6 months, respectively).Conclusion: Transcatheter arterial embolisation effectively relieved pain in patients with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis. In patients with severe osteoarthritis, pain severity decreased for 1 month but gradually increased to the initial severity score within 3 months.Level Of Evidence: 4, Case series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine which clinical or CT imaging factors can help accurately identify complicated sigmoid volvulus (SV), defined as irreversible bowel ischaemia or necrosis requiring emergent surgery in patients with SV.Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 51 patients admitted consecutively to the emergency department for SV. All patients attempted endoscopic detorsion as the first treatment. Clinical and contrast-enhanced CT factors were analysed. A newly described dark torsion knot sign (sudden loss of mucosal enhancement in the volvulus torsion knot) was included as a CT factor. Patients were diagnosed with complicated versus simple SV based on either surgery or follow-up endoscopic findings. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify predictors of complicated SV.Results: Of 51 study patients, 9 patients (17.6%) had complicated SV. Univariate analysis revealed that three clinical factors (sepsis, elevated C-reactive protein, and elevated lactic acid levels) and four CT factors (reduced bowel wall enhancement, increased bowel wall thickness, dark torsion knot sign, and diffuse omental infiltration) were significantly associated with complicated SV. Multivariate analysis identified only dark torsion knot sign (odds ratio = 104.40; p = 0.002) and sepsis (odds ratio = 16.85; p = 0.043) as independent predictive factors of complicated SV.Conclusion: A newly defined CT imaging factor of dark torsion knot sign and a clinical factor of sepsis can predict complicated SV necessitating emergent surgery instead of colonoscopic detorsion as a primary treatment of choice.Key Points: • A newly defined CT imaging factor of dark torsion knot sign and a clinical factor of sepsis can be helpful for predicting complicated SV necessitating emergent surgery instead of endoscopic detorsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Few studies have reported on the utility and efficacy of laparoscopic colectomy in the paediatric population. We aim to compare the characteristics and outcomes of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who underwent open vs laparoscopic treatment at our centre.Methods: A 10-year retrospective review was performed. Collected data included demographics, indication for surgery, operative characteristics, histopathology results, post-operative course and peri-operative complications.Results: A total of 58 patients underwent subtotal colectomy for IBD, with 38 laparoscopic procedures. The cohort included 33 males and 25 females with a mean age at surgery of 12.9 ± 3.3 years. The pre-operative diagnosis was ulcerative colitis in n = 41, Crohn's disease in n = 5 and indeterminate colitis in n = 11. There was an 84.2% concordance between the pre-operative and the post-operative histological diagnoses. Overall, 34 (58.6%) patients had complications, of which 19 (32.7%) patients required return to theatre. The complication rate was significantly smaller for laparoscopic compared to open procedures (42.1% vs 75%) as well as for elective compared with emergency colectomies (38.4% vs 75%). Four patients (10.5%) required conversion to open approach.Conclusions: Laparoscopic approach is feasible and safe in most paediatric patients with IBD and has a lower complication rate and better recovery than open procedures, especially when performed in an elective setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Conflicting data exist regarding the appropriate shunt diameter for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation in cirrhotic patients. This study was designed to compare the clinical efficacy of TIPS using stent-grafts with 8- and 10-mm diameters.Methods: In this retrospective study, cirrhotic patients who underwent TIPS technical successfully for the prevention of variceal rebleeding from December 2011 to June 2015 were included. Thirty-four patients with 8-mm TIPS and 380 patients with 10-mm TIPS were identified. Propensity score matching method produced 32 patients in each group for comparison.Results: Baseline characteristics between two groups were comparable. There was no significant difference in variceal rebleeding rate between the two groups. The cumulative incidence of variceal rebleeding after 1 and 3 years was 6.4% and 35.5% in the 8-mm group, respectively, and 14.2% and 24.9% in the 10-mm group, respectively (P = 0.663). 8-mm TIPS conferred a significant decrease in hepatic encephalopathy (HE) rate compared with the 10-mm TIPS (16.1 vs. 32.6% at 1 year, 27.8 vs. 53.2% at 3 years, P = 0.034). The cumulative survival rates were similar between the two groups: 93.3% and 79.6% at 1 and 3 years, respectively, in the 8-mm TIPS group vs. 87.3% and 72.1% at 1 and 3 years, respectively, in the 10-mm TIPS group (P = 0.451).Conclusion: The placement of 8-mm TIPS was sufficient to decompress the portal hypertension and prevent variceal rebleeding. The use of the 8-mm stent-graft can decrease HE rates compared with 10-mm stent-graft, although no survival benefit was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is associated with coronary lesions (CALs) in Kawasaki disease (KD), it is crucial to identify patients at risk to protect them from coronary involvement. The available risk scores to predict IVIG resistance were developed in Asian populations in whom their effectiveness has been proven, but data on non-Asian children are limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ability of the Kobayashi, Egami, and Formosa risk scores to predict IVIG resistance and CALs in Italian patients with KD. A multicenter retrospective analysis involving children with KD diagnosed between 2000 and 2015 was carried out: 257 patients were enrolled (57.9% boys, 89.9% Caucasian); 43 patients were IVIG resistant (16.7%). The scores have low sensitivity and specificity in predicting IVIG resistance: respectively, KS 64% and 62.5%, ES 41.4% and 77.4%, and FS 70.8% and 44.9%. The predictive value of the 3 scores for predicting CALs was also poor.Conclusion: Kobayashi, Egami, and Formosa Scores are ineffective in predicting IVIG resistance and coronary involvement in a predominantly Caucasian cohort. A specific score system for mostly Caucasian children with KD is needed enable the early identification of those at risk for CALs who could benefit from intensified treatment. What is Known: • There are several risk scores developed in the Asian population to early identify patients with KD at risk for immunoglobulin-resistance and thus for coronary lesions. • Data are scarce on their effectiveness in non-Asian children. What is New: • We present a comprehensive analysis of the ability of 3 Asian risk scores in a cohort of mostly Caucasian children to predict immunoglobulin resistance and coronary involvement. • Low sensitivity and specificity of the Asian scores for immunoglobulin-resistance and coronary lesions suggest the need for criteria specific for different ethnicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Vena cava syndrome (VCS) from stenosis of the superior vena cava or inferior vena cava caused by compression from a malignant tumor is one of the typical clinical conditions in patients with advanced stage malignant disease. VCS is difficult to manage and painful, reducing patients' quality of life. Although several reports have investigated stent placement for VCS, this treatment has never been established as the standard because of the lack of evidence of the safety and efficacy. We conducted a phase II trial and a phase III randomized controlled trial to clarify the role of stent placement in managing patients with VCS.Methods: In the phase II trial, 28 eligible patients were treated with stent placement. The efficacy of stent placement for VCS was evaluated based on the reduction of patients' symptom scores during 14 days following treatment. Technical success, technical feasibility, overall survival, recurrence of symptoms, and adverse events were evaluated. In the phase III trial, 32 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the test (n = 16) and control groups (n = 16). The area under the symptom score curve was compared between the groups. The EQ-5D, SF-8, and adverse events were evaluated until discontinuation of the protocol treatment or 28 days after enrollment.Results: In the phase II trial, the median patients' symptom scores significantly decreased from 10.50 before the procedure to 3.00 after the procedure. Technical success and technical feasibility rates were 96.4% and 100%, respectively. The incidence of treatment-related grade 3 or higher adverse events was 14.3%. In the phase III trial, significant superiority of stent placement was observed in the test, compared to that in the control, group. There was no significant difference in most other evaluations between the groups.Conclusions: Stent placement significantly improved the symptoms of VCS; thus, it might be accepted as the standard treatment to manage the symptoms of VCS.Trial Registration: JIVROSG-0402, JIVROSG-0807. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous risk stratification rules exist to predict post-pulmonary embolism (PE) mortality; however, few were designed for use in cancer patients. In the EPIPHANY registry, adapted versions of common rules (the Hestia criteria, Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index [PESI], and simplified PESI [sPESI]) displayed high sensitivity for prognosticating mortality in PE patients with cancer. These adapted rules have yet to be externally validated. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the performance of an adapted Hestia criteria, PESI, and sPESI for predicting 30-day post-PE mortality in patients with cancer. We identified consecutive, adults presenting with objectively confirmed PE and cancer to our institution (November 2010 to January 2014). The proportion of patients categorized as low or high risk by these three risk stratification rules was calculated, and each rule's accuracy for predicting 30-day all-cause mortality was determined. Of the 124 patients with PE and active cancer identified, 25 (20%) experienced mortality at 30 days. The adapted Hestia criteria categorized 23 (19%) patients as low risk, while exhibiting a sensitivity of 88% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 68-97%), a negative predictive value NPV of 87% (95% CI = 65-97%), and a specificity of 20% (95% CI = 13-30%). A total of 38 (31%) and 30 (24%) patients were low risk by the adapted PESI and sPESI, with both displaying sensitivities of 92% and NPVs > 93%. Specificities were 36% (95% CI = 27-47%) and 28% (95% CI = 20-38%) for PESI and sPESI. In our external validation, the adapted Hestia, PESI, and sPESI demonstrated high sensitivity but low specificity for 30-day PE mortality in patients with cancer. Larger, prospective trials are needed to optimize strategies for risk stratification in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]