Nonsurgical Patients Research Articles

Guillain-Barré syndrome after surgery: a literature review.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare postoperative complication that is sometimes characterized by serious motor weakness and prolonged weaning from mechanical ventilation. Although the exact nature of the relationship between GBS and the surgical procedure is still unclear, there is a clear increased incidence of GBS in post-surgical patients compared to non-surgical patients. GBS after surgery is unique in several ways. The course of post-surgical GBS unfolds more rapidly than in other situations where GBS develops, the condition is often more severe, and respiratory muscles are more commonly involved. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential, and the condition can worsen if treated inappropriately. Postoperative sedation, intubation, and restraint use make the diagnosis of GBS difficult, as the onset of symptoms of weakness or numbness in those contexts are not obvious. GBS is often misdiagnosed, being attributed to other postoperative complications, and subsequently mishandled. The lack of relevant information further obscures the clinical picture. We sought to better understand post-surgical GBS by performing an analysis of the relevant literature, focusing on clearly documenting the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and management of GBS that emerges following surgery. We underscore the importance of physicians being aware of the possibility of GBS after major surgery and of performing a variety of laboratory clinical investigations early on in suspected cases.

Analysis of Social Determinants of Health in the Pediatric General Surgical Population of a Northeastern Urban Health System

BackgroundSocial determinants of health (SDOH) have been identified as factors that influence patient health outcomes. These are well described in adult and pediatric general populations, however, there is a paucity of data for surgical patients. This study compares the prevalence of health-related social needs (HRSN) among pediatric surgery and general pediatric patients. MethodsWe retrospectively assessed electronic health record data to identify patients who completed a standardized HRSN screener within our health system and underwent surgery by a pediatric surgeon between January 2019 and December 2021. We compared this population to non-surgical pediatric patients during this time. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to estimate the likelihood of having 1 or more HRSN given a patient's surgery status. Logistic and linear regressions were conducted to estimate healthcare utilization in pediatric surgery patients given their HRSN status. Results33,989 general pediatric and pediatric surgery patients (age <21 years) were screened for HRSNs, and 2112 operations were performed during the study period. 343 (20%) of the surgical patients operated on by pediatric surgeons were screened for HRSNs. Surgical patients were more likely to be younger, Latinx, Spanish-speaking, and non-commercially insured (p < 0.0001). Surgical patients were 50% more likely to report one or more HRSN, when adjusting for demographic characteristics (aOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.16, 1.94). ConclusionPediatric surgery patients are more likely to report HRSNs compared to the general pediatric population. Surgical patients may represent an at-risk group, and universal HRSN screening and support should be considered to improve outcomes. Level of EvidenceLevel III.

Detection of lung cancer through SERS analysis of serum

Early detection and postoperative assessment are crucial for improving overall survival among lung cancer patients. Here, we report a non-invasive technique that integrates Raman spectroscopy with machine learning for the detection of lung cancer. The study encompassed 88 postoperative lung cancer patients, 73 non-surgical lung cancer patients, and 68 healthy subjects. The primary aim was to explore variations in serum metabolism across these cohorts. Comparative analysis of average Raman spectra was conducted, while principal component analysis was employed for data visualization. Subsequently, the augmented dataset was used to train convolutional neural networks (CNN) and Resnet models, leading to the development of a diagnostic framework. The CNN model exhibited superior performance, as verified by the receiver operating characteristic curve. Notably, postoperative patients demonstrated an increased likelihood of recurrence, emphasizing the crucial need for continuous postoperative monitoring. In summary, the integration of Raman spectroscopy with CNN-based classification shows potential for early detection and postoperative assessment of lung cancer.

The Effect of Supine Versus Upright Positioning on Eyelid Height in the Nonsurgical Patient.

To directly compare margin-reflex distance 1, margin-reflex distance 2, and palpebral fissure in the upright versus supine positions in nonsurgical patients. A total of 43 patients (31 female, 12 male, and age range 26-96) were enrolled. Photos were taken in the clinic in the upright and supine position with a ruler placed vertically in the same plane as the eyelid, and the above computer-analyzed measurements were obtained. Among the 86 eyes observed, the average upright margin-reflex distance 1 was 2.97 mm (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.70-3.24), while the average supine margin-reflex distance 1 was 2.38 mm (95% CI, 2.13-2.63). These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Similarly, statistically significant differences were seen with margin-reflex distance 2 (p < 0.001), where upright measurements averaged 5.57 mm (95% CI, 5.33-5.81), and supine measurements averaged 5.01 mm (95% CI, 4.73-5.28). Finally, palpebral fissure showed similar significance (p < 0.001). Upright measurements averaged 8.54 mm (95% CI, 8.19-8.90), while supine measurements averaged 7.38 mm (95% CI, 7.00-7.76). Supine positioning provides a decrease in margin-reflex distance 1, margin-reflex distance 2, and palpebral fissure when compared with upright positioning in nonsurgical patients. This contradicts a previous study on intraoperative patients when lidocaine with epinephrine was used. This study helps us better understand the normal physiologic response to position changes with regard to eyelid height in the nonsurgical patient. As such, this study may function as a control for future studies comparing anesthetic/surgical parameter effects on intra- and post-operative eyelid heights.

Hierarchical endpoints in critical care: A post-hoc exploratory analysis of the standard versus accelerated initiation of renal-replacement therapy in acute kidney injury and the intensity of continuous renal-replacement therapy in critically ill patients trials

PurposeTo perform a post-hoc reanalysis of the Standard versus Accelerated Initiation of Renal-Replacement Therapy in Acute Kidney Injury (STARRT-AKI) and the Intensity of Continuous Renal-Replacement Therapy in Critically Ill Patients (RENAL) trials through hierarchical composite endpoint analysis using win ratio (WR). Material and methodsAll patients with complete information from the STARRT-AKI (which compared accelerated versus standard approaches for renal replacement therapy – RRT initiation) and RENAL (which compared two different RRT doses in critically ill patients) trials were selected. WR was defined as a hierarchical composite endpoint using 90-day mortality, RRT dependency at 90-days, intensive care unit (ICU) length-of-stay (LOS), and hospital LOS (primary analysis); values above the unit represent a benefit of the intervention for the hierarchical composite endpoint. A secondary analysis replacing LOS by days alive and free of RRT was performed. Stratified analyses were performed according to illness severity score, surgical status, and the presence of sepsis. ResultsThe WR analysis produced 2,141,830 pairs for the STARRT-AKI trial and 536,446 pairs for the RENAL trial, respectively. The WR results for STARRT-AKI and RENAL were 1.04 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96–1.13; p = 0.33) and 1.02 (95% CI; 0.90–1.15; p = 0.75) for the primary analysis, and 0.88 (95% CI; 0.79–0.99; p = 0.03) and 1.02 (95% CI; 0.87–1.21; p = 0.77) for the secondary analysis, respectively. The stratified analysis of the primary suggested possible benefit of the accelerated-strategy in the STARRT-AKI trial for non-surgical patients with sepsis, while the secondary analysis suggested possible harm of the accelerated-strategy for surgical patients without sepsis. There was no evidence of heterogeneity in treatment effects in stratified analyses in the RENAL trial. ConclusionWR approach using a hierarchical composite endpoint is feasible for trials in critical care nephrology. The primary re-analyses of the STARRT-AKI and RENAL trials both yielded neutral results; however, there was suggestion of heterogeneity in treatment effect in stratified analyses of the STARRT-AKI trial by surgical status and sepsis. Selection of the endpoints and hierarchical ordering before trial design using the WR approach can have important implications for trial interpretation.Trial Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02568722 (STARRT-AKI) and NCT00076219 (RENAL).

Butterfly Vertebra: A Retrospective Study of 30 Patients

BackgroundButterfly vertebra (BV) is a rare congenital spinal anomaly for which there is a paucity of large-scale retrospective studies and established guidelines for treatment. The objective of this study was to elucidate the clinical characteristics, imaging findings, and therapeutic approaches for BV. Materials and methodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of 30 patients diagnosed with BV at our hospital from 2009 to 2023, examining clinical data, imaging findings, and clinical interventions. ResultsThe analysis comprised a cohort of 30 patients, consisting of 15 males and 15 females, with a mean age of 27.63±19.84 years. Imaging studies indicated that the majority of vertebral bodies affected by BV were single-segmented (63.3%, 19/30) and less commonly multi-segmented (36.7%, 11/30). These findings frequently coexisted with other medical conditions, most notably spinal scoliosis (76.7%, 23/30). Furthermore, the study identified a range of spinal abnormalities among patients, including hemivertebral deformity (30.0%, 9/30), spinal cleft (10.0%, 3/30), lumbar disc protrusion or herniation (10.0%, 3/30), vertebral slippage (10.0%, 3/30), thoracic kyphosis deformity (6.67%, 2/30), vertebral fusion deformity (6.67%, 2/30), compressive fractures (3.3%, 1/30), and vertebral developmental anomalies (3.3%, 1/30). Clinical intervention resulted in symptom relief for 23 non-surgical patients through lifestyle modifications, analgesic use, and physical therapy. Seven surgical patients underwent appropriate surgical procedures, leading to satisfaction and adherence to regular postoperative follow-up appointments. ConclusionBV is a rare vertebral anomaly that can be easily misdiagnosed due to its similarity to other diseases. Consequently, it is imperative to enhance vigilance in the differential diagnosis process in order to promptly recognize BV. Furthermore, in cases where patients present with additional associated radiographic findings, a thorough evaluation is typically warranted, and timely measures should be taken for treatment.

REKOVER study protocol: a pRospective patient treatment rEgistry of tramadol and dexKetoprofen trometamol oral fixed-dose combination (SKUDEXA) in mOderate to seVere acutE pain in Real-world setting in Asia

IntroductionSatisfactory management of acute pain remains a major medical challenge despite the availability of multiple therapeutic options including the fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs. Tramadol and dexketoprofen trometamol (TRAM/DKP) 75/25 mg...

Utility of Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System measures in predicting shoulder arthroplasty in patients with shoulder osteoarthritis

The decision to treat shoulder osteoarthritis (OA) definitively with shoulder arthroplasty (SA) is multifactorial, considering objective findings, subjective information, and patient goals. The first goal of this study was to determine if Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures correlated with patients with shoulder OA who underwent SA within 1year. The second goal of this study was to determine if score cut-offs in PROMIS domains could further discriminate which shoulder OA patients underwent SA within 1year. This retrospective case-control study examined patients with a diagnosis of shoulder OA who consulted an orthopedic provider from November 1, 2020 to May 23, 2022, and recorded PROMIS measures in the domains of Physical Function, Depression, and/or Pain Interference. A surgical group was defined as patients who underwent SA within 1year of the most recent PROMIS measures and the nonsurgical patients were defined as the control group. Mean PROMIS scores were compared between the surgical and control groups. Separate logistic regression models controlling for age, race, ethnicity, and comorbidity count were performed for each PROMIS domain as a 1) continuous variable, and then as 2) binary variable defined by PROMIS score cut-off points to determine which scores correlated with undergoing SA to further characterize the potential clinical utility of PROMIS score cut-offs in relating to undergoing SA. The surgical group of 478 patients was older (68.2 vs. 63.8years), more often of White race (82.6% vs. 70.9%), and less often of Hispanic Ethnicity (1.5% vs. 2.9%) than the control group of 3343 patients. Using optimal cut-offs in PROMIS scores, Pain Interference≥63 (odds ratio [OR]=2.97 (2.41-3.64), P<.001), Physical Function≤39 (OR=1.81 (95% confidence interval, 1.48-2.22), P<.001), and depression ≥49 (OR=1.82 (95% confidence interval, 1.50-2.22), P<.001) were all found to correlate with undergoing SA within 1year in multivariable logistic regressions. The results of this study demonstrate that cut-off scores for PROMIS measures differentiated patients undergoing SA within 1year. These cut-off scores may have clinical utility in aiding in decision-making regarding surgical candidates for SA. Further research is needed to validate these cut-off scores and determine how they relate to patient outcomes after SA.

Hyperoxemia Induced by Oxygen Therapy in Nonsurgical Critically Ill Patients.

Hyperoxemia, often overlooked in critically ill patients, is common and may have adverse consequences. To evaluate the incidence of hyperoxemia induced by oxygen therapy in nonsurgical critically ill patients at intensive care unit (ICU) admission and the association of hyperoxemia with hospital mortality. This prospective cohort study included all consecutive admissions of nonsurgical patients aged 18 years or older who received oxygen therapy on admission to the Hospital Santa Luzia Rede D'Or São Luiz adult ICU from July 2018 through June 2021. Patients were categorized into 3 groups according to Pao2 level at ICU admission: hypoxemia (Pao2<60 mm Hg), normoxemia (Pao2= 60-120 mm Hg), and hyperoxemia (Pao2 >120 mm Hg). Among 3088 patients, hyperoxemia was present in 1174 (38.0%) and was independently associated with hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.04-1.67; P=.02). Age (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.02-1.02; P<.001) and chronic kidney disease (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.02-2.36; P=.04) were associated with a higher rate of hyperoxemia. Factors associated with a lower rate of hyperoxemia were Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.83-0.93; P<.001); late-night admission (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67-0.96; P=.02); and renal/metabolic (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.13-1.39; P<.001), neurologic (OR, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01-0.05; P<.001), digestive (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.13-0.41; P<.001), and soft tissue/skin/orthopedic (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.13-0.79; P=.01) primary reasons for hospital admission. Hyperoxemia induced by oxygen therapy was common in critically ill patients and was linked to increased risk of hospital mortality. Health care professionals should be aware of this condition because of its potential risks and unnecessary costs.

Efficacy of surgical intervention over conservative management in intertrochanteric fractures among nonagenarians and centenarians: a prospective cohort study.

Optimal treatment strategy for nonagenarians and centenarians with hip fractures (NCHF) remained unknown. The authors aimed to compare the outcomes of surgical and conservative management in NCHF. A prospective cohort study was conducted based on CPMHF database with NCHF patients hospitalized during 2014-2020. Comorbidities were evaluated by mECM score and restricted cubic spline was utilized to visually assess the dose-effect relationship between the mECM and outcomes. Propensity score matching was performed to balance baseline characteristics between nonsurgical and surgical groups. Multivariate logistic regression, Cox proportional hazard analysis, and survival analysis were employed for unfavorable outcomes (UFO) evaluation. Competing risk of death were analyzed based on Fine and Gray's hazard model and then constructed nomogram models for predicting survival rates. Subgroup analyses were used to determine potential population heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses were performed to test robustness of the results. The authors found increasing trends for UFO with the increase in the mECM score, and that high mECM score (HMS, ≥3) was independently associated with a 2.42-fold (95% CI: 2.07-3.54; P =0.024) increased risk of UFO, which remained significant after considering the competing role of death and were more pronounced in nonsurgical treatment, women, no insurance, and patients with spouse (all P for interaction <0.05). Surgical intervention was identified to be significant protective factors for UFO (RR, 0.59; 95% CI: 0.46-0.75; P <0.001) and severe complications (RR, 0.63; 95% CI: 0.41-0.96; P =0.033) after propensity score matching, as well as survival (HR, 0.40, 95% CI: 0.28-0.58; P <0.001), which remained significant after considering the competing role of death and in all sensitivity analyses and were more pronounced in HMS participants ( P for interaction=0.006). Subgroup analyses revealed surgical patients with HMS had a significantly higher UFO rate (excluding death, P <0.001) while nonsurgical patients with HMS had higher mortality rate as compared to the others ( P =0.005). Surgical treatment for NCHF yields better outcomes compared to conservative treatment.

Venous Thromboembolism in Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Uncovering the Hidden Risk.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in patients with abdominal malignancies. Despite known associations between pleural mesothelioma and increased VTE risk, the characteristics of VTE in patients with peritoneal mesothelioma (PeM) remain undescribed. Patients treated for PeM were retrospectively identified from our institutional database. The frequency of VTE was assessed and logistic regression modeling was employed to assess VTE risk factors. The association between VTE and overall survival was also ascertained. Recommended thromboprophylaxis for patients who underwent surgery at our institution comprised a single preoperative dose of prophylactic anticoagulation, followed by daily dosing for fourweeks postoperatively. Among 120 PeM patients, 26 (21.7%) experienced VTE, including 19/91 (20.9%) surgical patients, 4/23 (17.4%) patients who received systemic therapy, and 3/6 (50%) patients who underwent observation (p=0.21). Most events were symptomatic (n=16, 62%) and were attributable to pulmonary emboli (n=16, 62%). The 90-day postoperative VTE rate was 4.4% (4/91), including 1 of 60 patients who underwent index surgical intervention at our institution and 3 patients with surgery elsewhere. A low serum albumin concentration was associated with VTE in non-surgical patients (odds ratio 0.12, confidence interval [CI] 0.02-0.72; p=0.03). No significant difference in overall survival was observed between patients with and without VTE (median 46.0 months [CI 24.9-67.0] vs. 55.0 months [CI 27.5-82.5]; hazard ratio 0.98 [CI 0.54-1.81], p=0.98). A high risk of VTE was observed in PeM patients, warranting suspicion throughout the disease trajectory. Postoperative VTE rates were within acceptable limits with 4-week thromboprophylaxis.

Characterizing Negative Online Reviews of Spine Surgeons.

Retrospective review. Characterize negative reviews of spine surgeons in the United States. Physician rating websites significantly influence the selection of doctors by other patients. Negative experiences are impacted by various factors, both clinical and nonclinical, geography, and practice structure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and categorize negative reviews of spine surgeons in the United States, with a focus on surgical versus nonsurgical reviewers. Spine surgeons were selected from available online professional society membership directories. A search for reviews was performed on Healthgrades.com, Vitals.com, and RateMDs.com for the past 10 years. Free response reviews were coded by complaint, and qualitative analysis was performed. χ 2 and Fisher exact tests were used to compare categorical variables, and multiple comparisons were adjusted with Benjamini-Hochberg correction. A binary logistic regression model was performed for the top three most mentioned nonclinical and clinical complaint labels. A P -value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 16,695 online reviews were evaluated, including 1690 one-star reviews (10.1%). Among one-star reviews, 64.7% were written by nonsurgical patients and 35.3% by surgical patients. Nonclinical and clinical comments constituted 54.9% and 45.1% of reviews, respectively. Surgeons in the South had more "bedside manner" comments (43.3%, P <0.0001), while Northeast surgeons had more "poor surgical outcome" remarks compared with all other geographic regions (14.4%, P <0.001). Practicing in the South and Northeast were independent predictors of having complaints about "bedside manner" and "poor surgical outcome," respectively. Most one-star reviews of spine surgeons were attributed to nonsurgical patients, who tended to be unsatisfied with nonclinical factors, especially "bedside manner." However, there was substantial geographic variation. These results suggest that spine surgeons could benefit from focusing on nonclinical factors (bedside manner), especially among nonoperative patients, and that regional nuances should be considered in delivering spine care. Level- 5.

Blood pressure fragmentation as a new measure of blood pressure variability: association with predictors of cardiac surgery outcomes.

Background: Fluctuations in beat-to-beat blood pressure variability (BPV) encode untapped information of clinical utility. A need exists for developing new methods to quantify the dynamical properties of these fluctuations beyond their mean and variance. Objectives: Introduction of a new beat-to-beat BPV measure, termed blood pressure fragmentation (BPF), and testing of whether increased preoperative BPF is associated with (i) older age; (ii) higher cardiac surgical risk, assessed using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' (STS) Risk of Morbidity and Mortality index and the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation Score (EuroSCORE II); and (iii) longer ICU length of stay (LOS) following cardiac surgery. The secondary objective was to use standard BPV measures, specifically, mean, SD, coefficient of variation (CV), average real variability (ARV), as well a short-term scaling index, the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) ⍺1 exponent, in the same type of analyses to compare the results with those obtained using BPF. Methods: Consecutive sample of 497 adult patients (72% male; age, median [inter-quartile range]: 67 [59-75] years) undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Fragmentation, standard BPV and DFA ⍺1 measures were derived from preoperative systolic blood pressure (SBP) time series obtained from radial artery recordings. Results: Increased preoperative systolic BPF was associated with older age, higher STS Risk of Morbidity and Mortality and EuroSCORE II values, and longer ICU LOS in all models. Specifically, a one-SD increase in systolic BPF (9%) was associated with a 26% (13%-40%) higher likelihood of longer ICU LOS (>2 days). Among the other measures, only ARV and DFA ⍺1 tended to be associated with longer ICU LOS. However, the associations did not reach significance in the most adjusted models. Conclusion: Preoperative BPF was significantly associated with preoperative predictors of cardiac surgical outcomes as well as with ICU LOS. Our findings encourage future studies of preoperative BPF for assessment of health status and risk stratification of surgical and non-surgical patients.

The impact of ketogenic diet on drug-resistant epilepsy in children: A comprehensive review and meta-analysis.

The ketogenic diet (KD), characterized by high-fat and low-carbohydrate intake, is currently gaining widespread popularity as a treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). In addition to the traditional ketogenic diet, several variants have been introduced to enhance compliance and flexibility, such as the modified Atkins diet (MAD) and the low glycemic index diet (LGID). These adaptations aim to provide patients with more manageable and sustainable options while harnessing the potential therapeutic benefits of DRE. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the KD in pediatric patients who exhibit DRE. In this study, we conducted a thorough review of existing literature by searching Cochrane, Embase, Medline, and PubMed. Our approach involved predefined criteria for data extraction and the assessment of study quality. Eleven RCTs with 788 participants were included in this study. The pooled effect estimates revealed a significant association between dietary interventions and seizure frequency reduction of > 50% (OR 6.68, 96% CI 3.52, 12.67) and > 90% (OR 4.37, 95% CI 2.04, 9.37). Dietary interventions also increased the odds of achieving seizure freedom (OR 4.13, 95% CI 1.61, 10.60). The common adverse effects included constipation (39.07%) and vomiting (10%). In conclusion, dietary interventions, notably the KD, hold promise for pediatric DRE, reducing seizures and achieving freedom. These non-pharmacological options improve the quality of life of non-responsive and non-surgical patients. The KD has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach. Further research is needed to address the limitations and investigate their long-term effects.

Clinical and Economic Insights into Parkinson’s Disease Hospitalization: A Comprehensive Study of 19,719 Inpatient Cases in Hubei Province, China

Objective: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a profoundly incapacitating neurodegenerative disorder, which presents a substantial challenge to the economic sustainability of the global healthcare system. The present study seeks to clarify the factors that contribute to the costs associated with PD hospitalization and analyze the economic burden it imposes. Methods: We examined data of 19,719 patients with a primary diagnosis of PD who were admitted to hospitals in Hubei Province, China, during the study period. Healthcare data were obtained from the database of electronic medical records. The study presents a comprehensive analysis of the demographic characteristics and investigates the factors that affect their healthcare expenditure. Results: The cohort consisted of 10,442 (53.0%) males and 9,277 (47.0%) females. The age-group of 66–70 years experienced the highest incidence of hospitalization among PD patients, with a mortality rate of 0.76‰. The average length of stay for patients was 9.9 ± 8.6 days and the average cost per patient was USD 1,759.9 ± 4,787.7. Surgical interventions were conducted on a mere 2.0% of the total inpatient population. The primary cost component for these interventions was material expenses, accounting for 70.1% of the total. Non-surgical patients primarily incurred expenses related to diagnosis and medication. Notably, surgical patients faced a substantial out-of-pocket rate, reaching up to 90.6%. Surgery was identified as the most influential factor that negatively affected both length of stay and hospitalization costs. Inpatients exhibited significant associations with prolonged length of stay and increased medical expenditure as age increased. Male patients had significantly longer hospital stays and higher medical costs than did females. Additionally, patient’s occupation and type of medical insurance exerted significant effects on both length of stay and medical expense. Conclusion: Age significantly affects PD hospitalization costs. Given the prevailing demographic shift toward an aging population, the government’s medical insurance burden related to PD will continue to escalate. Meanwhile, high treatment expenses and out-of-pocket rates impose substantial financial burdens on patients, limiting surgical intervention access to a small fraction of patients. Addressing these issues is of utmost importance in order to ensure comprehensive disease management for the majority of individuals affected by PD.

The Reciprocal Relationship Between Lumbar Intervertebral Disk Degeneration and the MRI-based Vertebral Bone Quality Score.

Retrospective longitudinal study. To investigate the association between lumbar intervertebral disk degeneration (DD) and the vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score. The VBQ score that is based on magnetic resonance imaging has been proposed as a measure of lumbar spine bone quality and is a significant predictor of healthy versus osteoporotic bone. However, the role of segmental contributing factors on VBQ is unknown. Nonsurgical patients who underwent repeated lumbar magnetic resonance imaging scans, at least three years apart primarily for low back pain were retrospectively included. VBQ was assessed as previously described. DD was assessed using the Pfirrmann grading (PFG) scale. PFG grades were summarized as PFG L1-4 for the upper three lumbar disk levels, as PFG L4-S1 for the lower two lumbar disc levels, and as PFG L1-S1 for all lumbar disc levels. Multivariable linear mixed models were used with adjustments for age, sex, race, body mass index, and the clustering of repeated measurements. A total of 350 patients (54.6% female, 85.4% White) were included in the final analysis, with a median age at baseline of 60.1 years and a body mass index of 25.8 kg/m 2 . VBQ significantly increased from 2.28 at baseline to 2.36 at follow-up ( P = 0.001). In the unadjusted analysis, a significant positive correlation was found between PFG L1-4 , PFG L1-S1 , and VBQ at baseline ( P < 0.05) that increased over time ( P < 0.005). In the adjusted multivariable analysis, PFG L1-4 ( β = -0.0195; P = 0.021), PFG L4-S1 ( β = -0.0310; P = 0.007), and PFG L1-S1 ( β = -0.0160; P = 0.012) were independently and negatively associated with VBQ. More advanced and long-lasting DD is associated with lower VBQ indicating less bone marrow fat content and potentially stronger bone. VBQ score as a marker of bone quality seems affected by DD.

Does adjuvant treatment improve survival in R1 resected perihilar cholangiocarcinoma? The risk of overtreatment

Resection of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) is associated with positive margins in up to half of the patients. It remains unclear whether adjuvant therapies contribute to improved survival in patients undergoing R1 resection for pCCA. The National Cancer Database was queried for patients diagnosed with pCCA between 2004 and 2016. Patients with metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis were excluded. A total of 1756 patients were included (286 surgical patients and 1470 nonsurgical patients). Patients who underwent R0 resection showed a significantly better median overall survival (OS) than that of patients who underwent R1 resection (41.7 vs 21.4 months, respectively; P=.003). Nevertheless, OS was better in patients who underwent R1 resection than in nonsurgical patients (21.4 vs 6.3 months, respectively; P<.001). Patients undergoing chemoradiation after R1 resection had similar OS to that of those receiving any other adjuvant therapy (21.4 vs 19.4 months, respectively; P=.789) or no adjuvant treatment (21.4 vs 19.8 months, respectively; P=.925). After uni- and multivariable analyses, T stage ≥3 and R1 margins were independently associated with worse survival after surgery. As currently neither radiation, chemoradiation, nor chemotherapy seem to significantly improve survival in patients who underwent R1 resection for pCCA, high-quality surgical resection remains critically important. Moreover, the concern of overtreatment of patients who underwent R1 resection with current adjuvant therapeutic regimes exists.

Evaluating Computer Vision, Large Language, and Genome-Wide Association Models in a Limited Sized Patient Cohort for Pre-Operative Risk Stratification in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery

Background: Adult spinal deformities (ASD) are varied spinal abnormalities, often necessitating surgical intervention when associated with pain, worsening deformity, or worsening function. Predicting post-operative complications and revision surgery is critical for surgical planning and patient counseling. Due to the relatively small number of cases of ASD surgery, machine learning applications have been limited to traditional models (e.g., logistic regression or standard neural networks) and coarse clinical variables. We present the novel application of advanced models (CNN, LLM, GWAS) using complex data types (radiographs, clinical notes, genomics) for ASD outcome prediction. Methods: We developed a CNN trained on 209 ASD patients (1549 radiographs) from the Stanford Research Repository, a CNN pre-trained on VinDr-SpineXR (10,468 spine radiographs), and an LLM using free-text clinical notes from the same 209 patients, trained via Gatortron. Additionally, we conducted a GWAS using the UK Biobank, contrasting 540 surgical ASD patients with 7355 non-surgical ASD patients. Results: The LLM notably outperformed the CNN in predicting pulmonary complications (F1: 0.545 vs. 0.2881), neurological complications (F1: 0.250 vs. 0.224), and sepsis (F1: 0.382 vs. 0.132). The pre-trained CNN showed improved sepsis prediction (AUC: 0.638 vs. 0.534) but reduced performance for neurological complication prediction (AUC: 0.545 vs. 0.619). The LLM demonstrated high specificity (0.946) and positive predictive value (0.467) for neurological complications. The GWAS identified 21 significant (p &lt; 10−5) SNPs associated with ASD surgery risk (OR: mean: 3.17, SD: 1.92, median: 2.78), with the highest odds ratio (8.06) for the LDB2 gene, which is implicated in ectoderm differentiation. Conclusions: This study exemplifies the innovative application of cutting-edge models to forecast outcomes in ASD, underscoring the utility of complex data in outcome prediction for neurosurgical conditions. It demonstrates the promise of genetic models when identifying surgical risks and supports the integration of complex machine learning tools for informed surgical decision-making in ASD.

Factors associated with the receipt of surgery in acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas.

668 Background: Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas (PACC) accounts for 1-2% of adult pancreatic tumors. Clinically, this malignancy presents as a hypersecretory syndrome as lipase is released into circulation. Median overall survival is 18 to 47 months. Aggressive surgical resection is associated with long-term survival in PACC patients. This appears to be the treatment of choice for most localized pancreatic cancers, however, there are no clear treatment guidelines or standardized protocols for PACC due to its rarity. Further, no significant study has analyzed the factors correlated with receiving this surgery. This study aims to uncover the possible factors associated with the receipt of tumor resection in patients with PACC. Methods: The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was used to identify patients diagnosed with PACC from 2004 to 2019 using the histology code 8550 as assigned by the Commission on Cancer Accreditation program. Kaplan-Meier, ANOVA Chi-Square, and Multilevel Logistic Regression were performed, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 29. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: 1430 patients with PACC were queried. 600 (41.95%) patients received surgical resection. Surgical patients experienced longer overall survival than non-surgical patients (87.5 months vs. 25.3 months, P &lt; 0.01). Of the surgical patients, wider surgical margins and complete tumor resection were associated with improved survival (P&lt;0.001). Stage I and II disease, well and moderately differentiated disease, and receiving treatment at an academic/research facility were associated with an increased likelihood of receiving surgery (P&lt;0.001). Metastasis at the time of diagnosis was associated with a decreased likelihood of receiving surgery (P&lt;0.001). Income status, race, insurance status, and age did not appear to be significant predicting factors of surgery. Of the initial sample, 219 (15.31%) patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, 8 (0.55%) patients received adjuvant radiation, and 4 (0.28%) patients received both adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation. Adjuvant therapies did not appear to impact the overall survival of PACC patients. Conclusions: This study confirms that tumor resection is associated with increased survival in patients with PACC. Improved survival with surgery is correlated to wider surgical margins and complete tumor resection. It appears that patients with well or moderately differentiated disease, stage I or II disease, and treatment at an academic/research facility are more likely to receive surgery. PACC patients with metastasis to distant sites are less likely to receive surgery. The efficacy of adjuvant therapy remains unclear. Further studies are needed to better understand the factors involved in receiving surgery and other treatment modalities as part of PACC treatment.

Correlation Between Bariatric Surgery and the Risk of Multiple Myeloma: Results from an Evidence-Based Strategy.

We conducted a meta-analysis of current literature to assess whether bariatric surgery(BS) has a positive effect on reducing the risk of multiple myeloma(MM). Relevant studies meeting the criteria were systematically reviewed using databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase (Ovid platform), MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library. The meta-analysis utilized hazard ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to analyze the correlation between BS and the risk of MM. STATA software (version 12.0) was employed for the meta analysis. The meta-analysis included 10 eligible studies, involving 2,452,503 patients with obesity. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of multiple myeloma in patients with obesity after bariatric surgery compared to non-surgical patients with obesity (RR = 0.51, 95%CI: 0.31-0.84). Subgroup analyses revealed a decreased probability of developing multiple myeloma in European patients with obesity and North American patients with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery. Studies with a sample size greater than or equal to 100,000 indicated a significantly reduced risk of multiple myeloma in patients with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery compared to the non-surgical group (RR: 0.45, 95%CI: 0.23-0.88, P < 0.02). Two publications before 2010 showed no significant difference in the incidence of multiple myeloma between the surgical and non-surgical groups (RR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.14-2.63, P = 0.504), while publications after 2010 demonstrated a reduced incidence in the surgical group (RR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.30-0.86, P = 0.012). Our meta-analysis results suggest a reduced risk of multiple myeloma in patients with obesity following bariatric surgery. CRD42023485668.