Trajectories and Predictors of Weight-Bearing and Non-Weight-Bearing Pain in Knee Osteoarthritis: A 9-Year Follow-Up Study.

Objective: To identify distinct developmental trajectories of weight-bearing pain (WBP) and non-weight-bearing pain (NWBP) and examine the trajectory predictors in individuals with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis. Methods: We included 971 participants from the Osteoarthritis Initiative whose baseline magnetic resonance imaging data and 9-year follow-up data on pain were available. We applied group-based trajectory modeling to identify WBP and NWBP trajectories over 9 years. Univariate and multivariate multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the predictors of identified trajectories. Results: Three distinct WBP trajectories were identified: "no pain" (32.4%), "mild pain" (44.6%), and "moderate pain" (23%). Three distinct NWBP trajectories were identified: "no pain" (50.9%), "mild pain" (33.4%), and "moderate pain" (15.7%). In multivariate analyses, high body mass index, depression, multisite pain, radiographic knee OA, and comorbidities were associated with worse development trajectories for WBP and NWBP. Weak quadriceps strength and bone marrow lesion were only associated with worse WBP trajectories, whereas low education level was only associated with worse NWBP trajectories. Conclusion: The developmental course of pain is heterogeneous in WBP or NWBP. Quadriceps strength and bone marrow leisure may be WBP-specific predictors, whereas education level may be a NWBP-specific predictor. The assessment of knee pain should be more accurate, which may help select appropriate therapeutic targets.

Pain-Related Risk Factors Among Radiologic Stages of Knee Osteoarthritis: Data From the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether risk factors related to pain vary at different stages of knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative with available Kellgren/Lawrence (K/L) grade and numerical rating scale (NRS) data at baseline were included in this study. Pain severity was classified into 3 categories based on NRS scores: no pain, mild pain, and moderate/severe pain. Knee OA severity was stratified into 4 categories according to the K/L system. Pain risk factors were evaluated using generalized ordinal logistic regression analysis, and a heatmap was created to compare differences in standardized regression coefficients between subgroups of patients with different knee OA severities. RESULTS: A total of 4,446 subjects were included in this study: 1,574 individuals without pain (35.4%), 1,138 individuals with mild pain (25.6%), and 1,734 individuals with moderate/severe pain (39.0%). For the entire population and subjects in the premorbid-stage subgroup, knee injury history, diabetes mellitus, depression, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and valgus malaligned knees were associated with more severe pain. Older age and stronger quadriceps muscles were associated with milder pain. As the disease progressed, the number of significant risk factors decreased. Only age and quadriceps muscle force remained significant in end-stage disease. CONCLUSION: Multiple factors are associated with pain in patients with knee OA. As the disease progresses, the number of significant risk factors gradually reduces. These findings suggest that strategies for managing pain related to knee OA should vary depending on radiographic grades.

Pial arteriovenous fistula resembling the vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation, treated with staged endovascular embolization: a case report.

A 41-month-old boy was presented to our hospital because of an intracranial mass suspected of cerebrovascular malformation. He was admitted and received cerebral angiography. The angiography result confirmed the intracranial mass was the dilated vein of Galen resulting from a pial arteriovenous fistula, which quite resembling the vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation. Considering one-time embolization of the fistula may greatly change the distribution of intracranial blood flow, we decided to perform staged embolization. In the first stage, we partially embolized the fistula, resulting in a sharp decrease in blood flow to the lesion. The second intervention was performed one month later, and completely embolized the fistula. The boy recoverd well and returned to normal childhood without any neurological deficits. Follow-up MR images obtained at 10 months after the last procedure showing total obliteration of the pAVF, gradually shrinking of the varix, and remodeling of the vein of Galen.

[Design and Verification of Human Metabolic Measurement System Based on STM32].

A high-precision human metabolic measurement system is designed. The system uses STM32F103 as the main control chip to acquire oxygen, carbon dioxide and flow signals to calculate four quantitative indicators: oxygen consumption(VO2), carbon dioxide production(VCO2), respiratory entropy(RQ) and resting energy metabolism(REE), and finally uses an upper computer to display the calculation results.In this paper, the signal acquisition circuit design was carried out for the oxygen sensor, carbon dioxide sensor and flow sensor, and the validity of the device was verified with the American machine MGCDiagnositcs using Bland-Altman analysis method, and the results showed that the four parameters of VO2,VCO2, RQ and REE of both devices fell in the agreement interval of more than 95%. The device thus provides accurate metabolic measurements and offers an effective tool for the field of general health and clinical nutrition support in China.

Ultra-early versus delayed coil treatment for ruptured poor-grade aneurysm.

INTRODUCTION: The timing of definitive aneurysm treatment (coiling or clipping) in poor-grade (Hunt-Hess IV or V) subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) patients has been a controversial topic. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyse whether ultra-early coiling of ruptured intracranial aneurysms improves the clinical outcomes of poor-grade SAH patients. METHODS: The records of patients with aneurysmal SAH who were treated with endovascular coiling were retrieved. The patients were classified into two groups: group A (patients coiled within 24 h of SAH) and group B (patients coiled ≥ 24 h after SAH). For each group, the patient demographics, Fisher grade, aneurysm characteristics and clinical outcomes were recorded. Outcomes were measured at 6 months using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were coiled within 24 h of SAH (group A), and fourteen patients were coiled ≥24 h after SAH (group B). Groups A and B had similar clinical and angiographic characteristics. The clinical outcomes showed that a total of 58.1% of the patients (18 of 31) in group A were independent (mRS 0-2) compared with 21.4% of the patients (3 of 14) in group B (P = .028). Univariate analysis demonstrated that ultra-early coiling (P = .028) proved to be an independent predictor of better clinical outcomes (mRS 0-2). CONCLUSIONS: Ultra-early (<24 h after SAH) coiling of ruptured aneurysms was associated with improved clinical outcomes compared to coiling at ≥24 h in poor-grade SAH patients. Larger, prospective studies are required to adequately assess the outcome differences between these two groups.

A new tonometric device for radial augmentation index and subendocardial viability ratio: potential use in health screening.

Augmentation index (AIx) and subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR) are widely accepted indices of wave reflection and myocardial oxygen demand relative to supply. This study aimed to validate a new tonometric device (IIM-2010A) for obtaining AIx and SEVR from radial artery. A total of 68 outpatients (32 men and 36 women) aged 20 to 76 years (44.7±16.6 years) recruited from a health screening center participated in the study. AIx was obtained from radial pressure using the HEM-9000AI and IIM-2010A devices, while SEVR was measured from carotid pressure with the tonometric method and from radial pressure by the IIM-2010A device. In a subgroup of 24 patients, the measurements of AIx and SEVR were repeated after an interval of 10 minutes. The correlation of radial AIx between the IIM-2010A and HEM-9000AI devices was highly significant (r=0.956, P<.01). Radial SEVR determined from IIM-2010A was also highly related to carotid SEVR (r=0.864, P<.01), although the value was about 13.1% lower. There was no statistically significant difference between the repeated measurements of both indices. The lower coefficient of variation (2.9% vs 4.3% for AIx, 3.3% vs 4.1% for SEVR) and higher intraclass correlation coefficient (0.96 vs 0.91 for AIx, 0.93 vs 0.86 for SEVR) of IIM-2010A confirmed better short-term reproducibility, compared with the HEM-9000AI device and carotid tonometry. The new tonometric device IIM-2010A is effective and reproducible in calculating radial AIx and SEVR and has potential use in health screening.

Improvement of working memory after stenting for cervicocerebral artery stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the working memory of patients with cervicocerebral artery stenosis and its change after stenting. METHODS: 35 patients with cervicocerebral artery stenosis (≥50% with related symptoms of cerebral ischemia, or ≥70% with or without related symptoms of cerebral ischemia) underwent endovascular stenting. Working memory of all 35 patients before and within 3 weeks of stenting was evaluated by memory quotient (MQ) scores. Change in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was assessed by single photon emission CT (SPECT) for 13 of the patients. MQ scores were compared according to location and degree of stenosis for all patients, as well as changes in rCBF for the 13 patients. RESULTS: Mean MQ scores were significantly lower than normal for patients with carotid artery stenosis alone and for patients with carotid stenosis in addition to vertebrobasilar and/or subclavical stenosis, but not for patients with vertebrobasilar and/or subclavical stenosis. MQ scores were significantly increased after stenting for all patients, especially those with carotid stenosis. There was no significant difference between patients with moderate stenosis and those with severe (>70%) stenosis in MQ increments pre- and post-stenting (p=0.085). Nine of the 13 patients who received SPECT showed an improvement in rCBF after stenting, and their MQ increments were significantly higher than those without an improvement in rCBF (p=0.020). CONCLUSIONS: Working memory impairment can be observed in patients with cervicocerebral artery stenosis, especially those with carotid stenosis. Endovascular stenting of stenosis might improve the impairment by alleviating cerebral perfusion deficit.