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Objective: The muscle quality index (MQI) is a measurement of muscle quality that is directly related to overall health. There has been little study on the relationship between the muscle quality index and periodontitis in American people beyond 30 years. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the link between periodontitis and Muscle quality index (MQI) in older Americans. Methods: Three thousand two hundred fifty-eight individuals (aged 30 to 59) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2014 were considered eligible for the cross-sectional investigation. A hand dynamometer was used to determine the handgrip strength (HGS). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was employed to calculate ASM (DXA). MQIArm was calculated by dividing the dominant hand's HGS by the dominant arm's ASM (in kg/kg). MQIApp was calculated by dividing the dominant hand's HGS by the ASM (in kg/kg). MQItotal was calculated by dividing the sum of the dominant and non-dominant hands by the ASM (in kg/kg). To investigate the link between muscle quality index and periodontal disease, the weighted multivariable logistic regression models were used. Using generalized additive models, it was determined if a nonlinear connection existed. Then, we developed a two-piece linear regression model and calculated the inflection point using a recursive approach. A mediation study was performed to determine how much of the impact of MQItotal on periodontitis was mediated by potential variables. Results: Three thousand two hundred fifty-eight participants from the United States were enrolled. The OR (95% CI) for the relationship between MQItotal and periodontitis in the regression model with fully adjusted variables was 0.69 (0.53–0.91), for the connection between MQIArm and periodontitis was 0.90 (0.84–0.97), and for the association between MQIApp and periodontitis was 0.49 (0.30–0.80). MQItotal and periodontitis were shown to have a J-shaped relationship with a change point of 3.64. Before the change point, the OR (95% CI) was 0.69 (0.58, 0.82). In the analysis of drinking and married status, the interaction was statistically significant. Analysis of mediation showed that alcohol use was responsible for 0.4% (0.10 to 1.2) of the effect of MQItotal on periodontitis. Conclusion: In American adults aged over 30, the Muscle Quality Index (MQI) exhibited an independent negative correlation with moderate to severe periodontitis, demonstrating a J-shaped relationship. Furthermore, alcohol consumption may act as a mediator in the association between MQI and periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcopenic obesity is regarded as a risk factor for the progression and development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Since male sex is a risk factor for NAFLD and skeletal muscle mass markedly varies between the sexes, we examined whether sex influences the association between appendicular skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio (SVR), that is, an index of skeletal muscle mass combined with abdominal obesity, and the histological severity of NAFLD. The SVR was measured by bioelectrical impedance in a cohort of 613 (M/F = 443/170) Chinese middle-aged individuals with biopsy-proven NAFLD. Multivariable logistic regression and subgroup analyses were used to test the association between SVR and the severity of NAFLD (i.e. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or NASH with the presence of any stage of liver fibrosis). NASH was identified by a NAFLD activity score ≥5, with a minimum score of 1 for each of its categories. The presence of fibrosis was classified as having a histological stage ≥1. The SVR was inversely associated with NASH in men (adjusted OR 0·62; 95 % CI 0·42, 0·92, P = 0·017 for NASH, adjusted OR 0·65; 95 % CI 0·43, 0·99, P = 0·043 for NASH with the presence of fibrosis), but not in women (1·47 (95 % CI 0·76, 2·83), P = 0·25 for NASH, and 1·45 (95 % CI 0·74, 2·83), P = 0·28 for NASH with the presence of fibrosis). There was a significant interaction for sex and SVR (Pinteraction = 0·017 for NASH and Pinteraction = 0·033 for NASH with the presence of fibrosis). Our findings show that lower skeletal muscle mass combined with abdominal obesity is strongly associated with the presence of NASH only in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The FNDC5 gene encodes the fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 that is a membrane protein mainly expressed in skeletal muscle, and the FNDC5 rs3480 polymorphism may be associated with liver disease severity in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We investigated the influence of the FNDC5 rs3480 polymorphism on the relationship between sarcopenia and the histological severity of NAFLD. A total of 370 adult individuals with biopsy-proven NAFLD were studied. The association between the key exposure sarcopenia and the outcome liver histological severity was investigated by binary logistic regression. Stratified analyses were undertaken to examine the impact of FNDC5 rs3480 polymorphism on the association between sarcopenia and the severity of NAFLD histology. Patients with sarcopenia had more severe histological grades of steatosis and a higher prevalence of significant fibrosis and definite non-alcoholic steatohepatitis than those without sarcopenia. There was a significant association between sarcopenia and significant fibrosis (adjusted OR 2·79, 95 % CI 1·31, 5·95, P = 0·008), independent of established risk factors and potential confounders. Among patients with sarcopenia, significant fibrosis occurred more frequently in the rs3480 AA genotype carriers than in those carrying the FNDC5 rs3480 G genotype (43·8 v. 17·2 %, P = 0·031). In the association between sarcopenia and liver fibrosis, there was a significant interaction between the FNDC5 genotype and sarcopenia status (P value for interaction = 0·006). Sarcopenia is independently associated with significant liver fibrosis, and the FNDC5 rs3480 G variant influences the association between sarcopenia and liver fibrosis in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of our study was to investigate the epidemiologic characteristics and prognostic factors in patients with pulmonary acinar cell carcinoma (PACC). Methods: PACC patients diagnosed between 1975 and 2016 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The trend in PACC incidence was assessed using joinpoint regression software. Overall survival (OS) and disease‐specific survival (DSS) were evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method and log‐rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the independent prognostic factors for OS and DSS. Nomograms to predict survival possibilities were constructed based on the identified independent prognostic factors. Results: A total of 2918 patients were identified with PACC. The mean age was 65.2 ± 8.95 years with a female to male of 1.6:1. The incidence of PACC steadily increased by an annual percentage change (APC) of 3.2% (95% CI 2.1–4.4, p < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age, gender, race, stage, grade, tumor size, number of positive lymph nodes, surgery, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for survival. Nomograms specifically for PACC were constructed to predict 1‐ and 5‐year OS and DSS possibility, respectively. The concordance index (C‐index) and calibration plots showed the established nomograms had robust and accurate performance. Conclusion: PACC was rare but the incidence has been steadily increasing over the past four decades. Survival has improved in recent years. Surgery or chemotherapy could provide better OS and DSS. The established nomograms specifically for PACC were robust and accurate in predicting 1‐ and 5‐year OS and DSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known and objective: Administration of corticosteroids to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI)–treated patients has raised concerns due to doubts about ICIs' efficacy under those conditions. Hence, we reviewed studies comparing overall and progression‐free survival (OS and PFS) outcomes in patients with non–small‐cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) treated with ICI and either with or without corticosteroids for any reason. Methods: We searched the PubMed Central, Cochrane library, EMBASE and MEDLINE databases from inception until February 2021 for relevant publications. We used the Newcastle‐Ottawa scale to assess the quality of the identified studies. We used the published data to carry out a meta‐analysis with a random‐effects model and report pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: We included data from 14 studies with 5461 participants in the meta‐analysis. Most studies were retrospective in nature and of low quality, and most of them were conducted in the USA and in European countries. Nivolumab is the most common ICI used in the included studies followed by pembrolizumab. We found that patients using corticosteroids had reduced OSs (pooled HR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.51–2.18) and PFSs (pooled HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.41–2.04) than the patients not using corticosteroids. We identified significant heterogeneity and publication bias for both the outcomes. However, the sensitivity analysis revealed that the estimates were robust to the individual study effects. What is new and conclusion: Our findings suggest that corticosteroids significantly reduce the OS and PFS of patients with NSCLC under ICI therapy. Hence, clinicians and oncologists should consider this information when prescribing corticosteroids for this target population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a new cytokine that naturally inhibits inflammation. Inflammation plays an important role in acute spinal cord injury (SCI). The purpose of this study is to check whether serum IL-37 can be used as a clinical predictor of SCI. Methods. All subjects underwent venipuncture within 24 hours of enrollment to obtain peripheral blood and then centrifuged to obtain serum. The concentration of serum IL-37 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). One month after the injury, the American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale was used for neurological examination. Results. A total of 148 people were included in the study, including 52 normal controls (NC) and 96 patients with acute SCI within 24 hours of onset. The comparison of clinical baseline data (age, gender, BMI: body mass index, smoking, alcohol drinking, CHD: coronary heart disease, HBP: high blood pressure, and DM: diabetes mellitus) between the two groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). However, the serum IL-37 concentration of SCI patients was significantly higher than that of the NC group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). And with the aggravation of SCI grade, the level of IL-37 increased significantly (p < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis further showed that serum IL-37 concentration is negatively correlated with AISA motor score (r = − 0.327 , p < 0.05). Conclusion. The serum IL-37 concentration of SCI patients is significantly increased, and it is closely related to the recovery of motor function. We proved for the first time that serum IL-37 has prognostic value in patients with SCI. In addition, serum IL-37 may be used as a prognostic biomarker for SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]