No association between pulmonary artery catheter use and postoperative complications in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: a single-center pilot study.

BACKGROUND: A pulmonary artery catheter is often used in cardiac surgery despite its uncertain effectiveness. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the associations between the use of a pulmonary artery catheter and clinical outcomes in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: Patients over 20 years of age who had undergone off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting between December 2018 and November 2021 were enrolled in this single-center retrospective pilot study. The propensity score of pulmonary artery catheterization was calculated. Multivariate analysis including the propensity score as a covariate was performed to assess clinical outcomes. The primary outcome was the composite outcome of in-hospital death, unplanned intraoperative conversion to cardiopulmonary bypass, resuscitated cardiac arrest, mechanical circulatory support, myocardial infarction, stroke, new initiation of renal replacement therapy, inhaled nitric oxide, re-intubation and tracheostomy. RESULTS: Among the 315 patients who were enrolled, 298 were included in the final analysis. A pulmonary artery catheter was inserted in 131 patients. There were 50 patients with the composite outcome including two in-hospital deaths. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that pulmonary artery catheterization was not significantly related to the composite outcome. Clinical outcomes worsened significantly as the number of anastomoses increased (odds ratio: 1.450, 95% confidence interval: 1.040-2.040, P=0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary artery catheterization did not improve the clinical outcomes in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in this pilot study.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as an early marker of outcomes in patients with recurrent oral squamous cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab.

The immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), nivolumab, has revolutionised the treatment of recurrent and metastatic oral cancer. However, the response rate to ICIs remains low, and identifying predictors of nivolumab response is critical. Although the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been suggested as a predictive marker of nivolumab response in patients with various types of cancer, its utility in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not been elucidated. In this retrospective multicentre cohort study, we evaluated the association between NLR and outcome of nivolumab treatment in 64 patients with OSCC treated between 2017 and 2020. The objective response and disease control rates were 25.1% and 32.9%, respectively. The rates for complete and partial responses were 15.7% (10/64) and 9.4% (6/64), respectively; stable and progressive disease rates were 7.8% (5/64) and 67.1% (43/64), respectively. Complete and partial responses were classified as responders, and stable and progressive diseases were classified as non-responders. The median (range) pre-treatment NLR among responders was 4.3 (2.8-8.0), which decreased to 4.0 (2.6-6.3) after nivolumab treatment, and the median (range) pre-treatment NLR among non-responders was 5.1 (2.7-7.9), which increased to 6.4 (4.0-14.0) with tumour growth. Moreover, overall survival was significantly worse in the group with a higher post-treatment NLR (≥5) than in the group with a lower NLR (<5). Patients with a post-treatment NLR of ≥6 had worse outcomes for salvage chemotherapy following nivolumab treatment. Thus, post-treatment NLR could be a useful marker for predicting the response to nivolumab treatment or salvage chemotherapy in patients with OSCC.

Robot-assisted and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for thymoma: comparison of the perioperative outcomes using inverse probability of treatment weighting method.

Background: Minimally invasive surgery is the standard treatment for early-stage thymoma. We compared the perioperative outcomes between robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for thymoma. Methods: Between April 2011 and August 2021, patients with thymoma who underwent thymectomy by RATS (n=20) or VATS (n=37) at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated the postoperative quality of life (QOL), surgical outcomes, complications, mortality, and pain grade. Postoperative QOL was assessed according to the time to achieve "B duration" and "CIII duration" based on the Nursing Dependency Score and Nursing Criteria, respectively. Results: After the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), the B duration and CIII duration were significantly shorter with RATS than with VATS (P<0.001 and P=0.037, respectively). These superior results of RATS group compared to those of the VATS group were confirmed with logistic regression analysis (OR 0.25, 95% CI: 0.10-0.63, P=0.003; and OR 0.31, 95% CI: 0.12-0.76, P=0.011, respectively). After the IPTW, the VATS group had significantly fewer patients with epidural analgesia than the RATS group (P=0.018). In contrast, additional regular analgesics (including those for wound pain and neuralgia) were prescribed significantly more often during postoperative hospitalization in the VATS group (P=0.033). Patients in both groups had no myasthenic crisis or mortality. The postoperative pain grade at the first and second follow-ups did not significantly differ between the two groups after the IPTW (P=0.376 and P=0.109, respectively). Conclusions: RATS offered the advantages of improved postoperative QOL according to nursing care systems compared to VATS.

Nursing Activities Score at Discharge from the Intensive Care Unit Is Associated with Unplanned Readmission to the Intensive Care Unit.

This study evaluated the accuracy of predicting unplanned the intensive care unit (ICU) readmission using the Nursing Activities Score (NAS) at ICU discharge based on nursing workloads, and compared it to the accuracy of the prediction made using the Stability and Workload Index for Transfer (SWIFT) score. Patients admitted to the ICU of Sapporo Medical University Hospital between April 2014 and December 2017 were included, and unplanned ICU readmissions were retrospectively evaluated using the SWIFT score and the NAS. Patient characteristics, such as age, sex, the Charlson Comorbidity Index, and sequential organ failure assessment score at ICU admission, were used as covariates, and logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate the odds ratios for the SWIFT score and NAS. Among 599 patients, 58 (9.7%) were unexpectedly readmitted to the ICU. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of NAS (0.78) was higher than that of the SWIFT score (0.68), and cutoff values were 21 for the SWIFT and 53 for the NAS. Multivariate analysis showed that the NAS was an independent predictor of unplanned ICU readmission. The NAS was superior to the SWIFT in predicting unplanned ICU readmission. NAS may be an adjunctive tool to predict unplanned ICU readmission.

Clinical and histopathologic effects of neoadjuvant intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin in combination with oral S-1 on stage III and IV oral cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the clinical and histopathologic effects of neoadjuvant intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy (IACRT) using cisplatin in combination with oral S-1 (tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil potassium) on stage III and IV oral squamous cell carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty patients received infusions of superselective intra-arterial cisplatin 60 mg/m2 by the Seldinger method and conventional external beam radiotherapy (total 40 Gy) combined with oral S-1 on the day of irradiation. Curative surgery and neck dissection were performed 4 to 6 weeks after IACRT. The clinical response of the primary lesion was evaluated approximately 4 weeks after IACRT. The surgically resected specimens were examined for histologic features according to the grading system for histologic evaluation and for residual tumor grade (RGrades). RESULTS: Histopathologic evaluation of the therapeutic effect was grade 2 in 10 patients and grade 3 in 16 patients. According to the distribution of RGrades, the remaining tumor cells were mostly in the central area of the primary lesion, as seen in 24 patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that neoadjuvant IACRT with cisplatin and oral S-1 was an effective treatment, suggesting the possibility of reducing the extent of curative surgery based on RGrades.

Novel strategy to predict high risk of inferior alveolar nerve injury during extraction of lower third molars based on assessment of computed tomographic images of multiple anatomical features.

Preoperative assessment is essential to prevent inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury during surgical extraction of the lower third molar (LM3). Here, we aimed to establish an assessment system to predict IAN injury during surgical extraction of the LM3. We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 115 patients diagnosed as 'high-risk' based on our previous risk assessment method involving three anatomical features of the inferior alveolar canal using computed tomographic (CT) images. We evaluated the occurrence of neurosensory impairment in these high-risk patients, and its association with novel anatomic features based on CT images. Neurosensory impairments were observed in 19 patients (16.5%). The inferior alveolar canal major diameter (p < 0.0001) and lingual bone thickness (p = 0.0039) were significantly associated with the occurrence of neurosensory impairment during LM3 extraction. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine cut-off values of these quantitative factors to specifically predict IAN injury. Preoperative risk assessment with quantitative factors based on anatomical features observed on CT images may facilitate more appropriate surgical planning for patients at a high risk of IAN injury.

Cancer risk and genotype-phenotype correlation in Japanese patients with Cowden syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Cowden syndrome (CS) is an autosomal-dominant hereditary disorder caused by a germline PTEN variant and characterized by multiple hamartomas and a high risk of cancers. However, no detailed data on CS in Asian patients nor genotype-phenotype correlation have been reported. METHODS: We performed the first Japanese nationwide questionnaire survey on CS and obtained questionnaire response data on 49 CS patients. RESULTS: Patients included 26 females (median age 48 years). The incidence of breast, thyroid, endometrium, and colorectal cancer was 32.7%, 12.2%, 19.2% (among females), and 6.1%, respectively. The incidence of any cancers was relatively high among all patients (46.9%, 23/49), and particularly female patients (73.1%, 19/26), compared with previous reports from Western countries. Gastrointestinal (GI) polyps were more frequently found throughout the GI tract compared with previous studies. PTEN variants were detected in 95.6% (22/23) of patients; 12 in the N-terminal region (11 in phosphatase domain) and 10 in the C-terminal (C2 domain) region. The incidence of cancer in the C2 domain group was significantly higher than in the N-terminal region (phosphatase) group. All female patients with C2 domain variant had breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that Japanese patients with CS, particularly female patients and patients with C2 domain variant may have a high risk of cancers.

Colorectal carcinoma occurring via the adenoma-carcinoma pathway in patients with serrated polyposis syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Although serrated polyposis syndrome (SPS) is associated with an increased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, the carcinogenic mechanisms remain unknown. We investigated clinicopathological characteristics and genetic abnormalities in colorectal polyps and CRC to elucidate carcinogenic mechanisms in SPS. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological features of colorectal polyps in 44 SPS patients, and examined mutations of genes including APC, RAS, BRAF, and TP53, and microsatellite instability (MSI) in CRC tissues. RESULTS: Of the 44 patients, 25 (56%) fulfilled WHO criterion 1, 11 (25%) fulfilled criterion 2, and 8 (18%) fulfilled both. A total of 956 polyps were observed; 642 (67%) hyperplastic polyps (HP), 204 (21%) sessile serrated lesions (SSL), 10 (1%) traditional serrated adenoma (TSA), and 100 (11%) adenomas. The median numbers of polyps (/patient) were 10.5 (IQR 2.75-23) HPs, 4.0 (2.0-6.0) SSLs, 0 (0-0) TSA, and 1 (0-3.3) adenoma. SSL and HP located preferentially in the proximal and distal colon, respectively. Twenty-two CRCs were found in 18 patients. Based on the histological coexistence of SSL/TSA, BRAF mutation and MSI, 5 CRCs (26%) were classified as serrated-neoplasia pathway. Conversely, based on the coexistence of adenoma, APC/RAS and TP53 mutations, 11 CRCs (58%) were classified as adenoma-carcinoma pathway. The remaining three were unclassifiable. Most CRCs through adenoma-carcinoma pathway were located in the left-side colorectum and patients bearing those met criterion 2, characterized by many HP and advanced adenomas. Adenoma was a significant risk factor for CRC. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that more than half of the CRCs, particularly those in the left-side colorectum, developed through the adenoma-carcinoma pathway in SPS patients. Adenoma was a risk factor for CRCs, suggesting its importance in colorectal carcinogenesis.

A Suggested Link Between Antithrombin Dose and Rate of Recovery from Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in Patients with Severe Organ Failure.

INTRODUCTION: The efficacy of antithrombin (AT) supplementation against septic disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) may depend on various pre-existing factors, particularly the AT dose and multiple organ dysfunction severity. This study aimed to identify the impactful factors for early DIC recovery. METHODS: Patients' clinical records, including AT therapy and septic DIC data, were retrospectively extracted from January 2015 to December 2020. The patients were divided into those with early DIC recovery (n = 34) and those without (n = 37). Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined significant independent factors. Time-to-event analysis confirmed how these factors affected the DIC recovery time. RESULTS: The AT dose per patient body weight (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 2.879 [1.031-8.042], P = 0.044) and pre-existing organ dysfunction severity (0.333 [0.120-0.920], P = 0.034) were significant independent factors affecting early DIC recovery. A higher AT dose significantly shortened the DIC recovery time among patients with severe organ dysfunction (P < 0.01), but not among non-severe patients (P = 0.855). CONCLUSION: The therapeutic efficacy of AT treatment for septic DIC might depend on the severity of pre-existing organ failure and the AT dose per patient body weight.

Efficacy of Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy for Patients With Sepsis and Low Immunoglobulin G Levels: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: The efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration in patients with sepsis or septic shock remains unclear. A single-center retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the association between IVIG supplementation and favorable outcomes in patients with sepsis and low serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels. METHODS: A total of 239 patients with sepsis were identified whose serum IgG levels were determined upon admission to the intensive care unit between January 2014 and March 2021. Patients with low IgG levels (<670 mg/dL) were divided into the IVIG and non-IVIG groups. Patient data were collected from electronic medical records to evaluate the patients' characteristics, sepsis severity, and prognosis. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. The propensity score was calculated by using the following variables: age, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, immunocompromised status, and serum IgG levels. Logistic regression analysis using propensity score as the adjusted variable was performed to evaluate the outcome. FINDINGS: Of 239 patients, 87 had low IgG levels. Of these patients, 47 received IVIG therapy. The 28-day (odds ratio [OR], 0.15; 95% CI, 0.04-0.54; P = 0.004) and 90-day (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.11-0.83; P = 0.020) mortality rates were significantly lower in the IVIG group than in the non-IVIG group. Moreover, the number of days free from renal replacement therapy was significantly higher in the IVIG group than in the non-IVIG group (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.11; P = 0.025). Serum IgG levels in the IVIG group showed no significant difference compared with those in the non-IVIG group. No significant differences in the patients' characteristics were observed between the groups. IMPLICATIONS: This study found that IVIG administration in patients with sepsis and low serum IgG levels was associated with improved prognosis. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the validity of IVIG therapy for patients with sepsis and low serum IgG levels.

Comparison of the National Early Warning Scores and Rapid Emergency Medicine Scores with the APACHE II Scores as a Prediction of Mortality in Patients with Medical Emergency Team Activation: a Single-centre Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: The medical emergency team enables the limitation of patients' progression to critical illness in the general ward. The early warning scoring system (EWS) is one of the criteria for medical emergency team activation; however, it is not a valid criterion to predict the prognosis of patients with MET activation. AIM: In this study, the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) and Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) was compared with that of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score in predicting the prognosis of patients who had been treated a medical emergency team. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this single-centre retrospective cohort study, patients treated by a medical emergency team between April 2013 and March 2019 and the 28-day prognosis of MET-activated patients were assessed using APACHE II, NEWS, and REMS. RESULTS: Of the 196 patients enrolled, 152 (77.5%) were men, and 44 (22.5%) were women. Their median age was 68 years (interquartile range: 57-76 years). The most common cause of medical emergency team activation was respiratory failure (43.4%). Univariate analysis showed that APACHE II score, NEWS, and REMS were associated with 28-day prognostic mortality. There was no significant difference in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of APACHE II (0.76), NEWS (0.67), and REMS (0.70); however, the sensitivity of NEWS (0.70) was superior to that of REMS (0.47). CONCLUSION: NEWS is a more sensitive screening tool like APACHE II than REMS for predicting the prognosis of patients with medical emergency team activation. However, because the accuracy of NEWS was not sufficient compared with that of APACHE II score, it is necessary to develop a screening tool with higher sensitivity and accuracy that can be easily calculated at the bedside in the general ward.

Prognostic Value of CD45Ro+ T-Cell Expression in Patients With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The role of tumour-infiltrating CD45Ro+ T-cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate prognostic biomarkers for OSCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We determined the density of tumour-infiltrating CD45Ro+ T cells in the parenchyma and stroma at the tumour centre (TCe) and invasive front (IF) and examined the association between the density of these cells and histopathological status in 142 patients. RESULTS: Five-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival were favourable in patients with high CD45Ro+ T-cell density in the TCe stroma. OS was favourable in patients with high CD45Ro+ T-cell density in the IF stroma. Stepwise Cox regression model analysis indicated that CD45Ro+ T-cells in the stroma of the IF and TCe were an independent prognostic factor for OS. CONCLUSION: CD45Ro+ T-cells in the stroma of the IF and TCe play a role in cancer immune surveillance and may be a useful prognostic factor.

Oncological and prognostic analysis of soft tissue sarcoma of the elbow: report using the bone and soft tissue tumor registry in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: Soft tissue sarcomas in the elbow are extremely rare, and they have primarily been described in case series. Definitive concerning the prevalence and prognostic factors of elbow soft tissue sarcomas remain unknown. We examined the outcome of patients with elbow soft tissue sarcomas and identified the relevant prognostic factors. METHODS: In total, 219 patients with elbow soft tissue sarcomas were identified using data from the bone and soft tissue tumor registry in Japan. Differences in demographics, disease characteristics, treatment and survival were compared among the patients. Survival analyses including local recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and overall survival were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank tests and the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Two hundred nineteen patients with elbow soft tissue sarcomas were identified, including 119 males (54.3%) and 100 females (45.7%). In total, 189 patients (86.3%) underwent surgery including re-excision. Of the surgically treated patients, 180 (95.2%) underwent limb salvage surgery, and nine patients (4.8%) underwent amputation. The 5-year overall survival, local recurrence-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival rates for the entire patient cohort were 76.3, 70.1, and 69.3%, respectively. After adjusting for clinically relevant factors, overall survival was significantly worse among patients with tumors: >10 cm (hazard ratio = 4.34; 95% confidence interval = 1.03-18.2) and metastatic disease (hazard ratio = 6.94; 95% confidence interval = 1.55-31.0). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor size was identified as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis.

Differential diagnosis of fibroma of tendon sheath and giant cell tumor of tendon sheath in the finger using signal intensity on T2 magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: The differential diagnosis of fibroma of tendon sheath (FTS) and giant cell tumor of tendon sheath (GCTTS) on the basis of clinical and radiographic characteristics remains difficult. PURPOSE: To evaluate the quantitative measurement of signal intensity (SI) obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the differential diagnosis of FTS and GCTTS in just the finger. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients with FTS (n = 6) and GCTTS (n = 22) of the finger who were treated at our hospitals between April 2011 and August 2019. Two researchers independently reviewed the MRIs and measured the regions of interest (ROIs) in the tumor and flexor tendon from the same image. The SI ratio obtained for the tumor and tendon ROIs was measured and compared using receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses. Sensitivity and specificity analyses were performed. RESULTS: The SI ratios (mean ± SD) of FTS and GCTTS were 1.83 ± 0.64 and 6.34 ± 3.16 for researcher 1 and 1.82 ± 0.60 and 6.10 ± 3.22 for researcher 2, respectively. The areas under the curve were 0.970 and 0.970 for researchers 1 and 2, respectively. The cut-off values of the SI ratio as determined by researchers 1 and 2 for differentiating FTS from GCTTS were 3.00 and 3.00, respectively (sensitivity = 95.5%, specificity = 100%). CONCLUSIONS: The SI ratio is useful for differentiating FTS from GCTTS independent of a combination of tumor signal and shape.

Low immunoglobulin G level is associated with poor outcomes in patients with sepsis and septic shock.

BACKGROUND: Despite studies on low immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels in critically ill patients, their association with clinical outcomes in sepsis patients remains disputed. Herein, we determined the association between low IgG levels and clinical outcomes and investigated the 28-day mortality in patients with low IgG levels. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 238 patients whose serum IgG levels were measured upon intensive care unit admission using medical record data collected between January 2013 and August 2018. We extracted data on patient characteristics, severity scores (APACHE II, SOFA score), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), procalcitonin levels, and serum IgG levels and calculated the cut-off value for the IgG level according to the evaluated clinical outcomes. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in NLR and procalcitonin levels between survivors and non-survivors; serum IgG levels were significantly higher in survivors than in non-survivors (P = 0.004). A serum IgG cut-off value of 670 mg/dL was calculated from receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and serum IgG levels significantly predicted survival with an area under the curve of 0.63 (95% CI, 0.54-0.72) (P = 0.004). Patients with low IgG levels (<670 mg/dL) had significantly higher mortality rates than those with normal IgG levels (≥670 mg/dL) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results reveal that low IgG levels (<670 mg/dL) in critically ill patients are associated with poor clinical outcomes related to 28-day mortality. In patients with sepsis, low IgG levels could be a predictor of poor outcome.

The effect of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin on renal function and mortality in septic disseminated intravascular coagulation patients with acute kidney injury: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical evidence showing the effectiveness of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhTM) for treating sepsis-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and organ dysfunction (particularly renal injury) is limited because of differences in the inclusion criteria and disease severity among patients. This study aimed to assess the association between rhTM and outcomes in septic DIC patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS: This retrospective observational study analyzed the data of patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a single center between January 2012 and December 2018, and diagnosed with sepsis-induced DIC and AKI. Data were extracted as follows: patients' characteristics; DIC score, as calculated by the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine and the International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis criteria; serum creatinine levels; and ICU and 28-day mortality rates. The primary outcome was the dependence on renal replacement therapy (RRT) at ICU discharge. The propensity score (PS) was calculated using the following variables: age, sex, septic shock at admission, DIC score, and KDIGO classification. Subsequently, logistic regression analysis was performed using the PS to evaluate the outcome. RESULTS: In total, 97 patients were included in this study. Of these, 52 (53.6%) patients had received rhTM. The dependence on RRT at ICU discharge was significantly lower in the rhTM than in the non-rhTM group (odds ratio [OR], 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.19-0.97; P = 0.043). The serum creatinine levels at ICU discharge (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13-0.72; P = 0.007) and hospital discharge (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.11-0.60; P = 0.002, respectively), and the 28-day mortality rate (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.17-0.93; P = 0.033) were significantly lower in the rhTM than in the non-rhTM group. Moreover, the Kaplan-Meier survival curve revealed significantly lower mortality rates in the rhTM than in the non-rhTM group (P = 0.009). No significant differences in the DIC score and AKI severity were observed between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among sepsis-induced DIC patients with AKI, rhTM administration was associated with lower dependence on RRT at ICU discharge, improvement in renal function, and lower 28-day mortality rate.

Quantitative examination of isolated finger flexion associated with function of the flexor digitorum superficialis.

[Purpose] Isolated finger flexion associated with function of the flexor digitorum superficialis has been qualitatively assessed using standard and modified tests. The purpose of this study was to quantify isolated finger flexion in healthy participants. [Participants and Methods] We assessed 100 volunteers (mean age: 44.6 years) without upper limb dysfunction using the standard and modified flexor digitorum superficialis tests. The sum of the isolated active flexion angles of the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints of the test finger was also calculated, with the other three fingers held in an extended position with our original jig. [Results] The mean isolated flexion angles were, respectively, 152.4° and 154.8° for the right and left index fingers, 161.1° and 160.4° for the middle fingers, 160.6° and 158.2° for the ring fingers, 129.4° and 134.6° for the independent flexor digitorum superficialis function, 85.8° and 74.7° for the common flexor digitorum superficialis function, and 75.8° and 71.2° for absent flexor digitorum superficialis function in the small finger. The functional variations of the flexor digitorum superficialis of the small fingers showed symmetry in 65.0% of the fingers but asymmetry in 35.0%. [Conclusion] The data obtained in this study provide normal reference values for the examination of independent movement disorders of the fingers.

Prognostic value of FoxP3 and CTLA-4 expression in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes include tumor-reactive lymphocytes and regulatory T-cells. However, the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. METHODS: We used immunohistochemistry to evaluate the presence of tumor-infiltrating FoxP3⁺ T-cells and CTLA-4⁺ cells in four distinct histological compartments (tumor parenchyma and stroma at the tumor center, and parenchyma and stroma at the invasive front) and assessed the association between the prevalence of these cells and the histopathological status of 137 patients with OSCC. RESULTS: Five-year overall survival, disease-specific survival, and recurrence-free survival were favorable in patients with high numbers of FoxP3⁺ T-cells in the parenchyma of the invasive front. Recurrence-free survival and metastasis-free survival were decreased in patients with high numbers of CTLA-4⁺ cells in the parenchyma of the invasive front. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of FoxP3⁺ T-cells in the parenchyma of the invasive front may be a useful prognostic factor. Our results indicate that FoxP3⁺ T-cells may exert site-specific anti-tumor effects but may not play an immunosuppressive role in OSCC. In addition, our results suggest that CTLA-4+ cells suppress the function of FoxP3+ T-cells and promote anti-tumor immunity in OSCC.

Pulmonary metastasectomy is associated with prolonged survival among patients with bone and soft tissue sarcoma.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the survival impact of surgical resection among patients with pulmonary metastases from bone and soft tissue sarcomas. A total of 34 consecutive patients with ≤5 pulmonary metastases from bone and soft tissue sarcomas were retrospectively reviewed. The patients included 19 men and 15 women, with a median age of 64.0 years and a median follow-up of 14.5 months. The oncological outcome was compared between patients who underwent surgical and non-surgical treatment. A total of 22 patients underwent surgery and 12 patients did not undergo surgery. The surgery group had 3- and 5 year overall survival rates of 62 and 53%, respectively. None of the patients in the non-surgery group survived to 3 years. Compared with the non-surgery group, surgery achieved significantly better 3- and 5 year overall survival rates. Pulmonary metastasectomy was associated with significantly improved survival among patients who were aged <64 years (P=0.0155), as well as those who were aged ≥64 years (P=0.0444), which indicated that age was not associated with a difference in survival between the two groups. Therefore, pulmonary metastasectomy may improve the prognosis of patients with pulmonary metastases from bone and soft tissue sarcomas.

Prognostic value of HLA class I expression in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class Ⅰ molecules play a central role in anticancer immunity, but their prognostic value in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. We examined HLA class I expression in 2 distinct tumor compartments, namely, the tumor center and invasive front, and evaluated the association between its expression pattern and histopathological status in 137 cases with OSCC. Human leukocyte antigen class Ⅰ expression was graded semiquantitatively as high, low, and negative. At the invasive front of the tumor, HLA class I expression was high in 72 cases (52.6%), low in 44 cases (32.1%), and negative in 21 cases (15.3%). The HLA class I expression in the tumor center was high in 48 cases (35.0%), low in 58 cases (42.4%), and negative in 31 cases (22.6%). The 5-year overall survival and disease-specific survival rates were good in cases with high HLA class I expression at the invasive front; however, there was no significant difference in survival based on HLA class I expression in the tumor center. In addition, high HLA class I expression was correlated with high CD8+ T cell density, whereas negative HLA class I expression was correlated with low CD8+ T cell density at the invasive front. These results suggest that it is easier for CD8+ T cells to recognize presented peptides in the case of high HLA class Ⅰ expression at the tumor invasive front and could be a prognostic factor for OSCC.