Fibrinogen, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Rate and Platelet-to-Neutrophil Rate as Novel Acute Phase Indicators in Patients with Thromboangiitis Obliterans.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The acute exacerbations and progressive deterioration seen in thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) have been related to poor clinical outcomes. Here, we have studied the association of laboratory biomarkers with the acute phase of TAO (AP-TAO). METHODS/RESULTS: We conducted a retrospective case-control study on 112 patients with TAO and 98 healthy controls; comparing the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte rate (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte rate (LMR), platelet-to-neutrophil rate (PNR), fibrinogen (FIB), and apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I). Significantly higher NLR level, as well as lower LMR, PNR, and ApoA-I levels were observed in patients with TAO, particularly the acute phase. Significantly increased FIB was only observed in AP-TAO. A positive correlation was found between NLR and with C-reactive protein (CRP) in the acute phase (r = 0.817, P < 0.001). Moreover, NLR, PNR, and FIB levels of 3.38, 45.12, and 3.69 were shown to be the predictive cut-off values for the AP-TAO (sensitivity 72.5, 82,4, and 66,7%, specificity 92.2, 78.4, and 96.1%; area under the curve [AUC] 0.875, 0.855, and 0.872), respectively. The FIB level was independently associated with the AP-TAO (OR = 11.420, P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: NLR, PNR, and FIB may be useful markers for the identification of inflammation and the AP-TAO. FIB may be an independent risk factor for the acute phase.

Morphologic Study of Superior Temporal Sulcus-Amygdaloid Body and Lateral Fissure-Amygdaloid Body Surgical Approach by Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volume Rendering.

In this research, 83 patients were measured by magnetic resonance imaging volume rendering technique. The authors acquired the curve length of the superior temporal sulcus and the lateral fissure on the cerebral hemisphere, the shortest distance from the superior temporal sulcus and the lateral fissure to the center of amygdaloid body separately, the vertical diameter, the transversal diameter, and the anteroposterior diameter of the amygdaloid body and the 2 approach angles between the median sagittal plane and the shortest segment from the superior temporal sulcus to the center of amygdaloid body and the shortest segment from lateral fissure to the center of the amygdaloid body. At the same time, we preliminarily oriented the 2 points of the superior temporal sulcus and the lateral fissure, which are closest to the center of amygdaloid body, aimed at finding out the best entrance points of surgical approach through the superior temporal sulcus and the lateral fissure to the amygdaloid body and reducing the damage to the nerve fibers or blood vessels during the operation. The results indicate that the point at the front side 1/4 of the superior temporal sulcus may be the ideal surgical approach entrance point and the point at the front side 1/3 of the lateral fissure. There is no difference between 2 cerebral hemispheres (P < 0.05).

Anatomic Landmarks for Localization of the Vertical Segment of Facial Nerve on Multislice CT Multiplanar Reconstruction Images.

The facial nerve decompression via mastoid is simple and easy to expose the vertical segment of the facial nerve (VFN). The objective of this study was to find out the relationship between the VFN and anatomic landmarks to facilitate prediction of the location of VFN during facial nerve decompression. The different landmarks were cochlear window (CW), oval window (OW), promontorium tympani (PT), and mastoid antrum (MA). Parameters of 140 patients (280 observations) with healthy middle ears were measured on high-resolution spiral multislice computed tomographic multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) images that were parallel to the base plane. The data gained were analyzed by statistical method and were also analyzed with respect to side and gender. The angle between orientation of VFN to the CW of the longest distance and horizontal axis was larger on the left side than that of the right (P < 0.05). Our results may provide more detailed information to predict the location of VFN during facial nerve decompression through mastoid.

Risk factors for at-risk foot and peripheral artery disease among the population with diabetes: A multicommunity-based cross-sectional study.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and influence factors of the at-risk foot with diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: This study included 3030 DM patients from the at-risk foot screening program of Shanghai in China between March 21 and April 30 in 2021. Data were collected from the questionnaire survey, physical examination, and fasting blood sample. RESULTS: The prevalence of at-risk foot was 27.8% among DM patients. After adjusted, the risk of higher at-risk grade increased with age and urinary albumin creatinine ratio (OR = 1.04, 95%CI = 1.02-1.06; OR = 1.001, 95%CI = 1.000-1.002, respectively), whereas decreased with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (OR = 0.991, 95%CI = 0.984-0.998). The incidence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) was 11.1% in all people with DM, and age, pulse rate, and low-density lipoprotein were independent risk factors for PAD. In contrast, high-density lipoprotein, eGFR, and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio were independent protective factors for PAD. Glycated hemoglobin HbA1c was not an independent risk factor for increased risk grade or more severe PAD. CONCLUSIONS: The at-risk foot accounted for a high percentage among DM patients. Advanced age and renal dysfunction are independent risk factors for the at-risk foot. Glycemic control does not reduce the risk grade of at-risk foot and the incidence of PAD.

Comparison between endovascular aneurysm repair-selected and endovascular aneurysm repair-only strategies for the management of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms: An 11-year experience at a Chinese tertiary hospital.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to review our management experience of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (RAAAs) using an endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR)-only strategy, and discuss the feasibility of this strategy. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical data was performed in patients with RAAAs from January 2009 to October 2020. Our strategy toward operative treatment for RAAAs evolved from an EVAR-selected (from January 2009 to April 2014) to an EVAR-only (from May 2014 to October 2020) strategy. Baseline characteristics, thirty-day mortality, perioperative complications, and long-term outcomes of patients were compared between the two periods. Results: A total of 93 patients undergoing emergent RAAA repair were eventually included. The overall operation rate in RAAAs at our centre was 70.5% (93/132). In the EVAR-only period, all 53 patients underwent ruptured endovascular aneurysm repair (rEVAR). However, only 47.5% (19/40) of patients in the EVAR-selected period underwent rEVAR, and the remaining 21 patients underwent emergent open surgery. Thirty-day mortality in the EVAR-only group was 22.6% (12/53) compared with 25.0% (10/40) for the EVAR-selected group (P = 0.79). Systolic blood pressure ≤70 mmHg [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.99, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-22.08, P = 0.03] and abdominal compartment syndrome (adjusted OR 3.72, 95% CI, 1.12-12.32, P = 0.03) were identified as independent risk factors responsible for 30-day mortality. After 5 years, 47.5% (95% CI, 32.0-63.0%) of patients in the EVAR-selected group were still alive versus 49.1% (95% CI, 32.3-65.9%) of patients in the EVAR-only group (P = 0.29). Conclusion: The EVAR-only strategy has allowed rEVAR to be used in nearly all the RAAAs with similar mortality comparing with the EVAR-selected strategy. Due to the avoidance of operative modality selection, the EVAR-only strategy was associated with a more simplified algorithm, less influence on haemodynamics, and a shorter operation and recovery time.

Autologous peripheral blood-derived stem cells transplantation for treatment of no-option angiitis-induced critical limb ischemia: 10-year management experience.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that no-option angiitis-induced critical limb ischemia (NO-AICLI) could be significantly improved by transplantation of peripheral blood-derived stem cells (PBDSCs). Additionally, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) recently conducted by us suggested that peripheral blood-derived purified CD34+ cells (PCCs) were not inferior to non-purified peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) at limb salvage in treatment of NO-AICLI. However, most of these clinical trials whether RCT or single-arm studies were characterized with a small sample size and absence of long-term outcomes. METHODS: To analyze long-term clinical outcomes of PBDSCs transplantation for NO-AICLI, we reviewed clinical data of patients with NO-AICLI receiving PBDSCs transplantation at our center during the past decade. Meanwhile, we first compared the long-term safety and efficacy of intramuscular transplantation of PCCs versus PBMNCs in a sizable number of patients with NO-AICLI. RESULTS: From May 2009 to December 2019, a total of 160 patients with NO-AICLI patients were treated by PBDSCs transplantation (82 with PCCs, 78 with PBMNCs) at our center. Baseline characteristics between two groups were similar. Up to June 2020, the mean follow-up period was 46.6 ± 35.3 months. No critical adverse events were observed in either group. There was one death during the follow-up period. A total of eight major amputations occurred. The cumulative major amputation-free survival (MAFS) rate at 5 years after PBDSCs transplantation was 94.4%, without difference between two groups (P = .855). Wound healing, rest pain, pain-free walking time, ankle-brachial index, transcutaneous oxygen pressure, and quality of life (QoL) also significantly improved after PBDSCs transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous PBDSCs intramuscular transplantation could significantly decrease the major amputation rates and improve the QoL in patients with NO-AICLI. Long-term observation of a large sample of patients confirmed that the clinical benefits of PBDSCs transplantation were durable, without difference between the PCCs and PBMNCs groups.