Statistical Difference In Patients Research Articles

Del Nido versus conventional blood cardioplegia in patients with combined aortic root surgery: A retrospective study.

This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of Del Nido cardioplegia (DNC) and conventional blood cardioplegia (CBC) in combined aortic surgery. This retrospective study involved elective patients who underwent combined aortic root surgery between September 2017 and July 2023. Patients were divided into two groups: the DNC and the CBC group. The primary outcome was high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and creatine kinase-MB levels at the 0, 1, 2, and three postoperative days. The secondary outcomes contained postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction, return to spontaneous rhythm after aortic de-clamping, postoperative myocardial infarction, new-onset atrial fibrillation, postoperative mechanical circulatory support, mechanical ventilation duration, intensive care unit stay, postoperative hospital stay, and the reduction of left ventricle end-diastolic diameter at 3months after surgery. 223 patients were included and divided into the CBC (n = 111) and the DNC group (n = 112). There was no statistical difference in patients' demographics and preoperative parameters between the two groups. No in-hospital mortality. The total cardioplegia volume [35.25 (30.30,43.65) ml/kg versus 21.43 (18.42,25.62) ml/kg, p < 0.001] and infusion times [2 (2,3) times versus 1 (1,2) times, p < 0.001] were less and the incidence of return to spontaneous rhythm after de-clamping was higher in the DNC group [59.5% versus 83%, p < 0.001]. Postoperative high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and creatine kinase-MB levels were comparable between the two groups. DNC is related to a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit stay, and hospital stay than CBC. The rate of return to spontaneous rhythm after aortic de-clamping seemed to decrease with the prolongation of aortic cross-clamping (ACC) duration, and there was no difference between the two groups when the time exceeded 120min. The safety and efficacy of using DNC were comparable to CBC in combined aortic surgery. The rate of return to spontaneous rhythm after aortic de-clamping seemed to decrease with the prolongation of ACC time. Further studies may be needed to fully elucidate the advantages of DNC in postoperative recovery and its long-term effects on patient outcomes.

Performance of Low-Dose Immunotherapy and Standard-Dose Immunotherapy in Microsatellite Instability-High Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Real-World Data (CLouD-High Study).

Standard-dose immune checkpoint inhibitors (SD-ICIs) are the standard of care as initial therapy in microsatellite instable-high (MSI-H) advanced/metastatic colorectal adenocarcinomas (mCRC), but there are preclinical data to suggest that low-dose ICIs (LD-ICI) might also have similar efficacy. A retrospective study of patients with MSI-H mCRC receiving ICIs between June 2017 and January 2023 was conducted. The primary end point of the study was 12-month progression-free survival (PFS), which was computed using the Kaplan-Meier method. A total of 65 patients were available for analysis during the study period. Sixty patients (92%) received nivolumab, whereas the remaining received pembrolizumab. First-line ICIs were received by 18 patients (28%), whereas 47 patients (72%) received ICIs during later lines. Thirty patients (47%) received LD-ICIs (all received nivolumab), with the remaining receiving SD-ICIs (53%). At a median follow-up of 16.5 (95% CI, 11.8 to 21.2) months, median PFS was not reached in the entire cohort. The 12-month PFS rate in the LD-ICI cohort was 90%, whereas it was 75.8% in the SD-ICI cohort. There were no statistical differences in patients receiving ICIs as first-line therapy (12 months PFS-94.4%) or during later lines of therapy (12-month PFS-77.9%; P = .56). ICIs in the current study show survivals which are similar to those seen in seminal trials in patients with MSI-H mCRC. Low-dose ICIs appear to work in MSI-H mCRC and should be explored prospectively in clinical trials. Patients with MSI-H status should be exposed to ICIs, whether initially or later during treatment, whenever feasible.

Chromoendoscopy and virtual chromoendoscopy for dysplasia screening in patients with ulcerative colitis (systematic review and meta-analysis)

AIM: to compare the diagnostic informativeness of mucosal dye spraying (chromoendoscopy) (CE) and virtual chromoendoscopy (VCE) in detecting dysplasia in patients with a long history ulcerative colitis (UC).MATERIALS AND METHODS: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing the results of the use of CE and VCE for the diagnosis of colitis-associated dysplasia was performed. The following indicators were evaluated: the frequency of patients with endoscopically detected colitis-associated dysplasia and the frequency of endoscopic diagnosis of colitis-associated dysplasia among the total number of identified lesions. The statistical analysis was carried out using the Review Manager software 5.3RESULTS: the systematic review included 4 studies, analyzing 364 patients in total. In the study groups, there were no statistical differences in patients with endoscopically detected colitis-associated dysplasia and in endoscopic diagnosis of colitis-associated dysplasia among total number of detected colorectal neoplasms (OR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.60–1.27; p = 0.47 and OR = 0.82; 95% CI 0.58–1.18; p = 0.29).CONCLUSION: meta-analysis could not demonstrate a significant difference between CE and VCE. However, additional studies are needed to recognize the role of VCE in the differentiation of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions in patients with UC

Oral origin of the placenta microbiome in pregnant women with preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in pregnancy with elusive etiology. Patients with PE are thought to be associated with a higher rate of periodontal diseases (PDs) and changes of oral bacteria with targeted PCR techniques. However, few studies have investigated the associations between oral microbiome dysbiosis and secondarily disseminated microbes in the placenta simultaneously in patients with PE. The association between detected microbiome in placenta and systemic inflammation in PE is also unclear. We enrolled 54 pregnant patients with and without PE and PD, and profiled the subgingival and placenta microbiome by the V4 region of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Systemic inflammatory markers tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), and interleukins 6 and 8 (IL-6 and IL-8) in blood were measured by ELISA. We found that PD significantly increased the risk of PE after adjusting for age and smoking status (OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.14–4.48, p = 0.024). A combined group of oral-associated bacteria Veillonella, Fusobacterium, Haemophilus, Granulicatella, Streptococcus, Gemella, and Neisseria in placenta had a significantly higher prevalence in women with PE compared to women without PE (53.8% vs. 19.0%, p = 0.018), with the highest prevalence in patients with both PE and PD (58.8%). The relative abundance of Haemophilus, Veillonella, and Fusobacterium in subgingival samples was significantly higher in patients with PE than those without PE. The relative abundance of Haemophilus in subgingival samples was associated with increased risk of PE (OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.11–4.52, p = 0.032). Proinflammatory cytokine analysis showed that PE patients with PD had higher blood IL-8 levels than PE patients without PD (p = 0.026). CRP, LBP, and TNF-α showed no statistical difference in patients with and without PE or PD. Blood IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with detectable placenta microbiome compared to those without placenta microbiome (p = 0.028). Together, our data suggest a potential oral origin of the placental microbiota present in patients with PE, and the microbiota detected in placenta is associated with increased IL-6 level in the blood.

Catheterization of the internal jugular vein and subclavian/axillary vein under ultrasound control in the wounded with hemorrhagic shock due to combat trauma: a retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION: Catheterization of central veins using ultrasound navigation increases the rate of successful catheterizations and reduces the number of complications. The use of ultrasound navigation can improve the efficiency and safety of catheterization in conditions where central vein puncture is difficult. OBJECTIVE: Comparison of the readiness of the internal jugular vein and the subclavian vein/axillary vein for puncture, the effectiveness and safety of their catheterization using ultrasound navigation in patients with hemorrhagic shock. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of the medical data of 146 victims who required puncture and catheterization of vessels under the control of ultrasound navigation was performed. In all victims, using ultrasound, the readiness of the vessels for puncture was visually assessed by the compression and collapse of the vein at the moment of slight superficial pressure with the sensor. RESULTS: Assessment of the vessel's readiness for catheterization showed that, at all degrees of shock, the readiness of the subclavian vein/axillary vein for catheterization was higher than that of the internal jugular vein. Analysis of all central venous catheterizations performed showed that they were completed on the first attempt, but during the attempt it was necessary to redirect, sometimes tighten and advance the needle again. The data obtained showed statistical differences in patients with II and III degrees of shock (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Against the background of infusion therapy through a peripheral venous catheter for all degrees of shock, readiness for puncture and catheterization of the subclavian vein/axillary vein was higher compared to the internal jugular vein. Such tactics for shocks of degree II and III result in fewer needle passes.

Baseline Immunoglobulin G and Immune Function in Lymphoma: A Retrospective Analysis

Introduction: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) encompasses a diverse group of lymphoma subtypes with a wide range in disease course. Previous studies show that hypogammaglobulinemia in treatment-naïve patients is associated with poorer survival in high grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, though data is lacking on how this applies across all B-cell lymphoid malignancies. We conducted a retrospective study of immunoglobulin levels and clinical outcomes including survival, hospitalization, and infection rates in patients diagnosed with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas of all grades at our institution. Methods: Patient data was collected from January 2010 to June 2022. Two-hundred twenty-three adults (aged &amp;gt; 18 years) with available pre-treatment IgG levels were selected, with hypogammaglobulinemia defined as IgG&amp;lt; 500 mg/mL. For this analysis, DLBCL (n=90), Primary CNS (n=5), and Burkitt's lymphoma (n=1) was classified as high-grade, while CLL (n=52), mantle cell (n=20), marginal zone (n=25), follicular (n=21), and lymphoplasmacytic lymphomas (n=5) as low-grade. Baseline clinical, staging, and laboratory information was collected including hospital admissions, date of death, and number of infections. Preliminary results for overall survival, 3-year survival and 5-year survival were also analyzed. Multivariate logistic models were used to predict outcomes dichotomized for baseline IGG and high/low grade cancers. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox model were performed to analyze the overall survival data. Results: The incidence of pre-treatment hypogammaglobulinemia was 47% in the high-grade B-cell lymphoma cohort and 57% the low-grade B-cell lymphoma cohort (p=.9371). Across all NHL subtypes, individuals with baseline IgG&amp;lt; 500 showed an increased rate of hospitalization (4.453, CI: 1.955-10.54, p= 0.0005) and higher mortality (3.325, CI:1.258, 8.491, p= 0.013), yet no association in number of infections when compared with those with IgG&amp;gt;500. There was no statistical difference in patients' hospitalization rate when they were treated with IVIG only, rituximab only, or a combination (p=.141792). Additionally, there was no statistically significant correlation with COVID infections when evaluating grade of lymphoma (p=.8527) or IgG level (p=.6535). There was no statistically significant difference in individuals who were alive after three years and five years in those with baseline IgG&amp;lt;500. Discussion: Our study is the first to analyze incidence of hypogammaglobulinemia at time of diagnosis of NHL as a potential biomarker of interest for future outcomes including hospitalization and infection. These findings demonstrate an association between hypogammaglobulinemia when comparing the rate of hospitalization and mortality across the spectrum of B-cell NHL. This effect was further amplified in patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Given the common use of monoclonal antibodies to treat B cell lymphomas of all subtypes and the known risk of hypogammaglobulinemia from these treatments and the common finding of hypogammaglobulinemia at diagnosis of B cell NHL, pretreatment screening of IgG levels may be important to identify patients at risk for infection, hospitalization and death. Further clinical equipoise exists requiring a randomized clinical trial to indicate the use as a prognostic factor for infection, hospitalization, and mortality.

Impact of procedure-related increase in plasma creatinine after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a nationwide study

Abstract Background In patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), the impact of plasma creatinine (PCreat) increase on the prognosis and on future kidney function is sparsely examined and data from large, nationwide cohorts are warranted. Purpose To examine the long-term risk of dialysis treatment, mortality, and major adverse kidney event according to PCreat level increments in the periprocedural setting of TAVI. Methods With Danish nationwide registries, we identified all patients undergoing TAVI from 2014–2021. According to two PCreat blood samples (the latest measured value between 365–7 days prior to TAVI and the highest measured value within 21 days after TAVI), patients were classified according to percent increase in PCreat: 1) &amp;lt;25%, 2) 25–49%, and 3) ≥50%. With a maximum of one year of follow-up, we used Aalen-Johanson estimator to examine the cumulative incidence frequency (CIF) of first-time dialysis treatment and major adverse kidney event and Kaplan-Meier estimates to assess all-cause mortality. Major adverse kidney event was defined as either of three: initiation of dialysis treatment, mortality, or an admission with a diagnosis code of acute kidney injury. Adjusted rates of outcomes were assessed, using multivariable Cox analysis, with patients with &amp;lt;25% PCreat increase serving as reference. Results We identified 4,029 patients undergoing a first-time TAVI procedure (57.0% male, median age 81 year); 3,343 (83.0%) patients with &amp;lt;25% PCreat increase, 462 (11.5%) with 25–49% PCreat increase, and 224 (5.6%) with ≥50% PCreat increase. Compared with &amp;lt;25% PCreat increase, the adjusted one-year rate of dialysis treatment showed no statistical difference in patients with 25-49% PCreat increase (hazard ratio [HR] 1.52 [95%CI, 0.74–3.11]), while patients with ≥50% PCreat increase had an increased associated one-year rate of dialysis treatment (HR 3.62 [95%CI, 1.90–6.90]) (Figure). The adjusted one-year rate of mortality was increased in both patients with 25-49% PCreat increase (HR 1.78 [95%CI, 1.29–2.45]) and ≥50% PCreat increase (HR 2.87 [95%CI, 1.97–4.18]). The adjusted one-year rate of major adverse kidney event was increased in both patients with 25-49% PCreat increase (HR 1.69 [95%CI, 1.25–2.28]) and ≥50% PCreat increase (HR 3.03 [95%CI, 2.17–4.23]). Conclusion In patients undergoing TAVI, a PCreat increase of ≥25% was associated with increased one-year rates of mortality and major adverse kidney event, while an increase ≥50% carried a more than threefold increased rate of incident dialysis treatment and increased rates of mortality and major adverse kidney event.

Fly and treat: Endovascular treatment of ruptured aneurysms at an insular tertiary center

(Objectives) Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a life-threatening condition associated with poor outcomes. Early intervention is critical, particularly in low-volume hospitals, which are advised to transfer aSAH patients to high-volume centers. This study examines a novel protocol implemented in 2016 at Região Autónoma da Madeira, a Portuguese island. It involves the mobilization of experienced neurointerventionalists from high-volume hospitals to provide aSAH treatment. (Methods) We conducted a retrospective analysis on 30 aSAH patients who underwent endovascular treatment at the island center between November 2016 and April 2022. Additionally, we included a comparison group of 74 aSAH patients, treated with the endovascular approach at Hospital de Braga (high volume center at Portugal mainland). (Results) There was no statistical difference in patients' clinical severity between both hospitals (median WFNS score of 1). Although 90 % of patients in the novel protocol group received treatment within 3 days, we observed a significant delay compared to Hospital de Braga. Rates of aneurysm occlusion and intra-procedure complications between the two groups were similar. At the 3-months follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences between groups regarding patients that achieved a modified Rankin score of 2 or less. However, the island center exhibited a significantly higher mortality rate. (Conclusions) Overall, our results suggest that making the neurointerventionalist fly to an insular center is feasible and allows most patients to be treated within the first 72 h, as recommended. We highlight some potential recommendations for implementing this model and discuss possible causes that might justify the high mortality rate.

Clinical Efficacy of Distal Tibial Hounsfield Unit for the Diagnosis of Osteoporosis in Ankle Fractures

Category: Trauma; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Ankle fracture is one of the most common fractures over the age of 50 years. However, there is a lack of research on osteoporotic ankle fractures compared to other osteoporotic fractures. Recently, some studies have been published that Hounsfield Unit(HU) measuring bone attenuation from CT scan is used for assessing the bone density of not only the hip and spine but also extremities such as the distal radius and proximal humerus. This study aims to evaluate the correlation between HU of distal tibia without ankle fracture and DEXA-BMD and determine the cut-off value of HU for osteoporosis diagnosis. Additionally, this study determines whether the HU of the distal tibia obtained from the preoperative CT scan of ankle fractures helps evaluate patients with osteoporotic ankle fractures. Methods: From June 2016 to August 2020, We retrospectively studied foot and ankle traumatic patients who are postmenopausal women or men over 50 years. They conducted a foot or ankle CT scan containing the axial images of the distal tibia and DEXA- BMD within three months. Patients with open fractures with severe displacement or arthritic change were excluded. The mean HU was obtained from two sequential axial images of the distal tibial metaphysis's largest region of interest (ROI), more than 1cm proximal to the tibial plafond. We divided the patients into Group A without ankle fractures and Group B with distal tibia or fibula fractures in the ankle. The correlation analysis was done between the distal tibial HU and DEXA-BMD. We obtained the cut-off value of the distal tibial HU for osteoporosis using receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves and compared the results between the two groups. Results: Group A was 38 cases(mean age 69.9), and Group B was 59 (mean age 71.0). There were no statistical differences in patients' characteristics, the mean distal tibial HU, bone density, T-score, and rate of osteoporosis in BMD. All HU values in both groups showed excellent inter- and intra-observer reliability(All intraclass coefficients&gt;0.9). Both groups had significant correlations between the distal tibial HU and DEXA-BMD, especially in the femur neck and L3 spine(r=0.706, 0.622, p&lt; 0.001 in Group A, r=0.625,0.499, p&lt; 0.001 in Group B). The cut-off value for osteoporosis of the distal tibial HU was 153.15(sensitivity 73.9%, specificity 86.7%; area under the curve(AUC) 0.841, 95% CI 0.716-0.965, p&lt; 0.001) in Group A. The cut-off value of Group B was 167.35(sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 75.9%; AUC 0.737, 95% CI 0.610-0.865, p=0.002). Conclusion: The distal tibial HU values on the axial images on the CT showed a significant correlation with the central bone of DEXA-BMD. The distal tibial HU value showed excellent reliability with or without fracture. HU value can be easily obtained using a preoperative ankle CT scan without additional cost &amp; radiation exposure to patients with ankle fractures. Therefore, it can help treat osteoporotic ankle fractures by screening for osteoporosis and deciding the fixation method of surgery.

Association between QTc-interval prolongation and increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia in critically ill patients

Background Prolongation of the QT interval is associated with lethal arrhythmias. Early identification of QT/QTc prolongation followed by appropriate clinical interventions can avert this potentially lethal arrhythmia. Aim of the study To assess the association between QTc-interval prolongation and increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia in critically ill patients. Research design A descriptive correlational research design was utilized. Setting The study was conducted in the Critical Care Department, Al-Manial University Hospital, Cairo University. Patients and methods A purposive sample consisted of 270 adult patients. Tools of data collection An assessment sheet consists of two parts: part I: patients’ demographic and medical data, and part II: QT-interval monitoring sheet. Results The mean age of the study sample was 60.16±16.05, and 53.3% were males. Also, there was a statistically significant difference in patients’ QTc mean through five observations (f=19.086; P≤0.001). Moreover, there was no significant statistical difference in patients’ QT average means through five observations by their laboratory investigations and their diagnosis (P&gt;0.05, P=0.133), respectively. Conclusion The highest prolongation of QTc was in torsade de pointes, and the lowest QTc prolongation was in atrial fibrillation. Recommendation Nursing assessment of critically ill patients in association with QTc calculation for early detection of lethal cardiac arrhythmia.

Preoperative Discrimination of CDKN2A/B Homozygous Deletion Status in Isocitrate Dehydrogenase-Mutant Astrocytoma: A Deep Learning-Based Radiomics Model Using MRI.

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A/B (CDKN2A/B) homozygous deletion has been verified as an independent and critical biomarker of negative prognosis and short survival in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant astrocytoma. Therefore, noninvasive and accurate discrimination of CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion status is essential for the clinical management of IDH-mutant astrocytoma patients. To develop a noninvasive, robust preoperative model based on MR imagefeatures for discriminating CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion status of IDH-mutant astrocytoma. Retrospective. Two hundred fifty-one patients: 107 patients with CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion and 144 patients without CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion. 3.0 T/1.5 T: Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo inversion recovery sequence (CE-T1WI) and T2-weighted fluid-attenuation spin-echo inversion recovery sequence (T2FLAIR). A total of 1106 radiomics and 1000 deep learning features extracted from CE-T1WI and T2FLAIR were used to develop models to discriminate the CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion status. Radiomics models, deep learning-based radiomics (DLR) models and the final integrated model combining radiomics features with deep learning features were developed and compared their preoperative discrimination performance. Pearson chi-square test and Mann Whitney U test were used for assessing the statistical differences in patients' clinical characteristics. The Delong test compared the statistical differences of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) of different models. The significance threshold is P < 0.05. The final combined model (training AUC = 0.966; validation AUC = 0.935; test group: AUC = 0.943) outperformed the optimal models based on only radiomics or DLR features (training: AUC = 0.916 and 0.952; validation: AUC = 0.886 and 0.912; test group: AUC = 0.862 and 0.902). Whether based on a single sequence or a combination of two sequences, radiomics and DLR models have achieved promising performance in assessing CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion status. However, the final model combining both deep learning and radiomics features from CE-T1WI and T2FLAIR outperformed the optimal radiomics or DLR model. 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Del nido versus conventional blood cardioplegia in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Myocardial protection is essential in cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass The Del Nido cardioplegia which was initially used in pediatric cardiac surgery, has been increasingly used in adult cardiac surgery recently. However, no literature has reported the efficacy of DNC in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. This retrospective study involved elective patients who underwent extended surgical myectomy with or without concomitant cardiac surgical procedures between September 2017 and June 2022. Patients were distributed into two groups, the DNC and the CBC group. The primary outcome was high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-TnI) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) levels at the 0, 1, and 2 postoperative days. The secondary outcomes contained: intraoperative LVEF, return to spontaneous rhythm; postoperative myocardial infarction, worsening or deteriorating of EF, mechanical circulatory support; new-onset atrial fibrillation; mechanical ventilation duration; intensive care unit hours; in-hospital days. Fifty-nine patients were included and divided into the CBC (n = 15) and the DNC group (n = 44). There was no statistical difference in patients' demographics and preoperative parameters between the two groups. No in-hospital mortality. The total cardioplegia volume [21.93(18.36,26.07) vs. 25.68(23.17,37.12), p = 0.012] and infusion times [1(1,1) vs. 2(2,3), p = 0.000] were less and the incidence of return to spontaneous rhythm after declamping was higher in the DNC group [97.7% vs. 73.3%, p = 0.013]. Postoperative hs-TnI and CK-MB levels were comparable between the two groups. A longer DNC infusion interval was associated with higher levels of CK-MB on postoperative day 1 and day 2 (p = 0.009 and p = 0.011, respectively). The use of DNC in extended surgical myectomy procedure was as safe and effective as CBC. However, DNC infusion interval over 60 minutes was associated with increased postoperative CK-MB levels.

Determination of Factors Influencing the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Adherence to Intravitreal Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Among Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema (DME).

Background Diabetic macular edema (DME) isbecoming one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide with a significant impact on quality of life.The effectiveness of intravitreal (IVT) anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy has been established byclinical trials and has become the treatment of choice in the majority of DME patients in reducing macular edema and improving visual acuity. Frequent drop-out and discontinuation of treatment are major issues. Lack of compliance can lead to worsening outcomes and be a burden to patients and the healthcare system. Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess multiple factors that affect adherence to IVT anti-VEGF treatment among patients with DME, including socioeconomic causes and the Health Belief Model(HBM) domains, in addition to exploring the relationship between them. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among DME patients in Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from December 2020 to June 2021.We identified eligible patients using a retrospective chart review of clinical findings and optical coherence tomography (OCT)findings. Included subjects were of Malaysian nationality, aged 18 years and above, who were initiated or re-initiated IVT anti-VEGF treatment regime and on follow-up for at least six months from initial injection from January 2019 onwards. A translated and validated self-administered questionnaire was given to the respondents. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).Demographics of the patient were summarized using descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test was used to compare the difference in components of the HBM questionnaire. Linear regression was further used to explore the relationship between patients' demographics and the HBM component. Results A total of 141 patients participated in this study, of whom56.2% patients were adherent to treatment. The majority were aged 60 years and above (56.7%), male (52.5%), Malay (38.9%), and married (71.6%). There was a significant statistical difference in patients who were adherent to treatment, in terms of life entourage (p=0.004, Fisher Exact test). HBM domains that influenced adherence to treatment included perceived severity, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, cues to action, and self-efficacy (p<0.05, independent sample t-test).Further, multiple logistic regression tests on sociodemographic factors and HBM domains after eliminating confounding factors narrowed down the significant variables to perceived susceptibility (p= 0.023), perceived benefits (p< 0.001), and self-efficacy (p< 0.001). Conclusion Patients' adherence to IVT anti-VEGF is influenced by perceived susceptibility to complications from DME, perceived benefits to the treatment, and self-efficacy.

Quality of life in patients with lower extremities deep venous thrombosis using veines-qol/sym questionnaire

Acute venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a common disorder with an annual incidence rate of 1-2 cases per 1000 persons. Health-related quality of life in patients after having DVT is impaired if not treated correctly. The VEINES - QOL (Sym) is a disease-specific instrument used to assess health-related quality of life in patients with chronic venous disease of the legs. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 32 patients diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and treated at Vietnam National Heart Institute and Hanoi Medical University hospital. Our study indicated statistical differences in patients’ quality of life (QOL) before and one month after treatment. Mean difference for VEINES-QOL was 1.4 (p-value = 0.02), for VEINES-Sym was 1.6 (p-value = 0.01). Our study brought conclusions: anticoagulation therapy increased QOL in patients with DVT; and the principal factors influencing long-term QOL were oldage, BMI, recurrent DVT, and proximal DVT.

SOD2 Gene Variants (rs4880 and rs5746136) and Their Association with Breast Cancer Risk.

The superoxide dismutase (SOD) is the principal antioxidant defense system in the body that is activated by a reactive oxygen species. Some variants of the SOD2 gene have been associated with cancer. The rs4880 variant was determined by PCR real-time and the rs5746136 variant by PCR-RFLP in healthy subjects and in breast cancer (BC) patients. The rs4880 and rs5746136 variants were associated with BC susceptibility when BC patients and the control group were compared for the CT, TT, CTCC, and the T alleles (p &lt; 0.05). The CT genotype of the rs4880 variant showed significant statistical differences in patients and controls aged ≤ 45 years old, and with hormonal consumption (p &lt; 0.05). The rs4880 variant was associated with BC patients with CTTT genotype and obesity, the presence of DM2-SAH, and a non-chemotherapy response (p &lt; 0.05). Additionally, the rs5746136 variant was associated with susceptibility to BC with Ki-67 (≥20%), luminal A type BC, and a chemotherapy partial response (p &lt; 0.05) in BC patients who carry TT, TC, and CTTT genotypes, respectively. The haplotype T/T (OR 1.98; 95% CI 1.20-3.26, p = 0.005) was observed to be a risk factor for BC. The rs4880 and rs5746136 variants in the SOD2 gene were associated with BC susceptibility.

High-Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy versus Non-Invasive Ventilation for AECOPD Patients After Extubation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of high-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNC) and non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) after extubation.Research MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statements. The primary outcome measures analyzed included: reintubation rate, mortality, complication rate, and ICU length of stay.ResultsEight studies were included, with a total of 612 subjects, including 297 in the HFNC group and 315 in the NIV group. The effect of HFNC and NIV on the reintubation rate of AECOPD patients after extubation, RR (1.49 [95% CI,0.95 to 2.33], P = 0.082). Subgroup analysis with or without hypercapnia according to the included AECOPD population, with hypercapnia, RR (0.69 [95% CI,0.33 to 1.44], P=0.317), without hypercapnia, RR (2.61 [95% CI,1.41 to 4.83], P=0.002). Mortality, RR (0.92 [95% CI,0.56 to 1.52], P = 0.752). ICU length of stay, MD (−0.44 [95% CI,-1.01 to 0.13], P = 0.132). Complication rate, RR (0.22 [95% CI,0.13 to 0.39], P = 0.000). After subgroup analysis, the reintubation rate of HFNC and NIV has no statistical difference in patients with hypercapnia, but NIV can significantly reduce the reintubation rate in patients without hypercapnia. In the outcome measures of complication rate, HFNC significantly reduced complication rate compared with NIV. In mortality and ICU length of stay, analysis results showed that HFNC and NIV were not statistically different.ConclusionAccording to the available evidence, the application of HFNC can be used as an alternative treatment for NIV after extubation in AECOPD patients with hypercapnia, but in the patients without hypercapnia, HFNC is less effective than NIV.

Immunotherapy and Antivascular Targeted Therapy in Patients' Treatment with Concurrent Malignant Tumors after Organ Transplantation: Opportunity or Challenge.

Objective To analyze the therapeutic effects and organ rejection of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy or antivascular targeting therapy on patients with combined malignancies after organ transplantation. Methods We collected retrospective studies on “post-transplantation, cancer, immunotherapy, and vascular targeting therapy” in Embase, Wanfang database, Cochrane Library, VIP databases, CNKI, and PubMed, and the case data were organized and analyzed. Results Data from only 40 papers met our requirements, which included 2 literature reviews, 4 original researches, and 34 case reports from 2016 to 2020. A total of 40 studies involving 66 patients were included, who were divided into 3 groups (patients using CTLA-4 inhibitors, group 1; patients who received sequential or concurrent anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 therapy, group 2; and patients using PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, group 3). There was no statistical difference in patients' DCR between the three groups (P > 0.05). Also, compared with group 2, there was no statistically significant difference in recipient organ rejection in group 1 and group 3 (P > 0.05). The DCR rate for antivascular targeted therapy is approximately 60%. Conclusions Immunotherapy should be carefully selected for patients with combined malignancies after organ transplantation. Antivascular targeted therapy is one of the options worth considering; the risk of side effects of drug therapy is something that needs to be closely monitored when combined with immunotherapy.

Evaluation of changes in lymph node size and metabolism by PET CT in patients with cancer who have been immunized against COVID 19: A Mexican study.

e13647 Background: The risk of developing COVID-19 in patients with cancer has increased, directly influenced by age and the magnitude of comorbidities. In this population, the estimated mortality is 10.9%. With this, the urgent need for patients with cancer to get vaccinated against SARS COV 2 has generated an international response. With the ongoing vaccination campaign, experts in nuclear medicine have observed an increment in lymph node uptake in PET CT with 18 FDG. Increased uptake in lymph nodes in patients with a neoplastic diagnosis on PET CT 18 FDG must be closely followed and well-studied to differentiate disease progression from an inflammatory, fleeting reaction. Methods: Amongst the inclusion criteria were patients over 18 years of age with solid tumors, including lymphomas, who were on active oncologic treatment with chemotherapy, immune therapy, radiotherapy or under surveillance between April 2021 and July 2021 who underwent a PET CT scan and had at least one dose of a COVID 19 vaccine, and a prior PET CT to the vaccine for comparison. Patients were excluded who showed evidence of progression or disease recurrence of the primary tumor. We evaluated lymph node size and metabolism measured by SUV max in the PET CT scan prior to being vaccinated and posterior to, as well as patients’ clinical characteristics. Results: A total of 92 patients who met inclusion criteria were included in the study. Amongst those, 54.3% were women, the median age was 68 years (27 - 95 years), the most common neoplastic diagnoses were breast cancer (19.6%), gastrointestinal tumors (17.4%), urothelial tumors (9.8%), lymphomas (9.8%) and ovarian cancer (8.7%). 52.2% of patients were under surveillance and 47.8% were under active treatment. 79% of patients had at least 2 vaccine doses. 59% had received Pfizer vaccines and the measurable adenopathies were axillary in 32.7% and mediastinal in 27%. The medium size of the measured lymph nodes prior to receiving the vaccine was 2.86 mm with an SUV max of 1.24, while after vaccination were 6.01 and 2.27 respectively. A Kruskal Wallis test was conducted to compare median results according to histopathologic reports, with no statistical difference. A Mann Whitney U test was conducted to compare breast cancer to other cancer histologies, where a statistical difference was found for SUV max, p = 0.003 and size with p = 0.033. Conclusions: This work details significant differences between lymph node size and SUV max in oncologic patients pre and post vaccination for COVID 19, showing a statistical difference in patients with breast cancer. This increment in lymph node uptake in patients with a neoplastic diagnosis PET CT 18 FDG must be closely followed and well-studied to differentiate disease progression from an inflammatory reaction.

Efficacy of Spinal Epidural Anesthesia and Sub Diaphragmatic Lidocaine with Spinal Anesthesia in reduction of shoulder pain: Randomized Clinical trial

To determine the efficacy of spinal anesthesia with sub diaphragmatic lidocaine for gynecological laparoscopic surgery at the commencement of the procedure to spinal anesthesia for get pain relief Methods: It was a randomized clinical trial conducted at Ali Medical Hospital in Islamabad. A total of 84 patients were given sub diaphragmatic lidocaine spinal anesthesia, only spinal epidural anesthesia and general anesthesia. During procedure, 2, 4, 6 and 12 hours after surgery, and before discharge, patients' pain perception was measured using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Results: Outcomes showed no significant difference in perception of pain at different time intervals in all three groups. (F 4, 77 = 0.38, p = 0.81). At all-time intervals following surgery, patients' pain levels were similar between groups (F 2, 77 = 0.53, p = 0.57). Conclusions: The use of sub diaphragmatic lidocaine at the onset of surgery together with the spinal anesthesia did not result in a prominent statistical difference in patients' postoperative VAS scores when compared to general anesthesia and spinal epidural anesthesia after and prenatal invasive techniques.

Novel predictor of the occurrence of DKA in T1DM patients without infection: A combination of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and white blood cells.

The role of inflammation has been identified in the pathogenesis of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and white blood cells (WBC) can be used to predict a systemic inflammatory response. Changes in NLR and WBC levels have never been explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients with DKA and an uninfected state. This retrospective study included a total of 644 participants. NLR and WBC were measured in the control group (n = 316) and in T1DM patients with mild-DKA (n = 92), severe-DKA (n = 52), and non-DKA (n = 184) in an uninfected state. Then, we assessed the independent predictors of DKA occurrence in T1DM patients in an uninfected state. The diagnostic performance of variables was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Serum NLR of T1DM patients is significantly higher than that of normal controls, and if DKA occurs, NLR increases further and increases with the severity of DKA. In addition to diastolic blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and WBC, NLR was also independently associated with DKA in T1DM patients with an uninfected state (OR = 1.386, 95% CI: 1.127–1.705, p = 0.002). Furthermore, the diagnosis analysis showed that except for NLR and WBC, the area under the curve (AUC) of indicators with a statistical difference in patients with and without DKA were 0.747 for DKA diagnosis, and after the addition of NLR and WBC, the AUC was 0.806. The increased NLR level represents a low-cost and highly accessible predictor for DKA in T1DM patients with an uninfected state. The addition of inflammation indicators can play a statistically significant role in the prediction model of the DKA occurrence.