Flank versus prone position in percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.

The objective of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of the flank position in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). We searched PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, the Cochrane database libraries, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing PCNL in flank position are included in this meta-analysis. The related trials met the inclusion criteria were analyzed using RevMan 5.4. Seven randomized controlled trials were included, involving a total of 587 patients. We found that there was a lower decrease in hemoglobin levels in the flank position group compared to prone-position group (mean difference [MD] = - 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) - 0.22 to - 0.08, P < 0.00001). Moreover, our meta-analysis demonstrated no significant differences between groups regarding stone-free rate (relative risk [RR] = 1.00, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.06, P = 0.92), operative time(MD = 0.76, 95% CI - 5.31 to 6.83, P < 0.00001), hospital stay (MD = 0.03, 95% CI - 0.32 to 0.32, P < 0.00001), and complications Clavien grade I (RR = 1.01, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.05, P = 0.54), Clavien grade II (RR = 1, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.02, P = 0.78), and Clavien grade III (RR = 1, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.03, P = 0.77). The use of flank position for PCNL is associated with reduced hemoglobin change without an increase in complications. This positioning technique can be considered safe for patients with nephrolithiasis and may be particularly suitable for high-risk individuals such as those who are obese or have decreased cardiopulmonary function. However, further randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Microglia govern the extinction of acute stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors in male mice.

Anxiety-associated symptoms following acute stress usually become extinct gradually within a period of time. However, the mechanisms underlying how individuals cope with stress to achieve the extinction of anxiety are not clear. Here we show that acute restraint stress causes an increase in the activity of GABAergic neurons in the CeA (GABACeA) in male mice, resulting in anxiety-like behaviors within 12 hours; meanwhile, elevated GABACeA neuronal CX3CL1 secretion via MST4 (mammalian sterile-20-like kinase 4)-NF-κB-CX3CL1 signaling consequently activates microglia in the CeA. Activated microglia in turn inhibit GABACeA neuronal activity via the engulfment of their dendritic spines, ultimately leading to the extinction of anxiety-like behaviors induced by restraint stress. These findings reveal a dynamic molecular and cellular mechanism in which microglia drive a negative feedback to inhibit GABACeA neuronal activity, thus facilitating maintenance of brain homeostasis in response to acute stress.

Impact of multimodal analgesia on postoperative anxiety and depression following total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can cause negative emotions, such as anxiety and depression, which can severely affect a patient's long-term quality of life. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the impact of multimodal analgesia (MMA) on postoperative anxiety and depression following total knee arthroplasty. METHODS: This study included 161 patients who underwent TKA from October 2020 to October 2022 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, including 79 cases in the control group and 82 cases in the multimodal analgesia group (MMA). The MMA group were administered acetaminophen 0.5 g/d orally 3 days before the surgery, and an ultrasound-guided fascia iliac compartment block (FICB) with 0.25% ropivacaine 30 ml in the inguinal region ipsilateral to the surgery was performed 1 h before surgery. After the surgery, 100 ml solution includes 100 mg ropivacaine, 2.5 mg morphine, and 0.25 mg epinephrine for intra-articular and periarticular injection. Postoperative conventional intravenous analgesia was used in the control group, including 100 mg ropivacaine, 2.5 mg morphine, and 0.25 mg epinephrine for intra-articular and periarticular injection. Patients were scored for pain, anxiety, and depression in the ward at 3 and 7 days postoperatively, and postoperative patients were scored using telephone callbacks at 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: It was found that the visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain at rest at 3 days, 7 days, and 3 months postoperatively were significantly lower in the MMA group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The scores for pain with movement were significantly lower in the MMA group than in the control group at 3 days and 7 days postoperatively (P < 0.01), but they were similar at 3 months postoperatively. Compared to the control group, the MMA group had significantly higher American Knee Society scores (AKS) at 3 days, 7 days, and 3 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). Compared to the control group, the MMA group had significantly higher Lower Extremity Functional Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores (HADS) (P < 0.05) at 3 days and 7 days postoperatively; compared to the control group, the MMA group had a significantly shorter hospital stay (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Multimodal analgesia can alleviate postoperative anxiety and depression in the short term, reduce perioperative pain, improve postoperative recovery, and shorten the length of hospital stay.

The Effect of Transversus Abdominis Plane Block in Kidney Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of transversus abdominal (TAP) block for postoperative analgesia after renal transplantation. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database for relevant studies. The related trials that met the inclusion criteria were analysed using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS: We found 15 randomized controlled trials and two retrospective studies that, on meta-analysis, showed that TAP block group had significantly lower requirement of opioid consumption (MD -11.89, 95% CI -17.13∼-6.65) at 24 h for pain mitigation and pain intensity VAS at rest at 6h (MD -1.13, 95% CI -1.76∼-0.49), 12 h (MD -0.83, 95% CI -1.30∼-0.36) and 24 h (MD -0.47, 95% CI -0.75∼-0.20). Also, postoperative nausea and vomiting were not statistically significant (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.78∼1.27). CONCLUSION: TAP block appears to significantly reduce renal transplantation pain and the amount of opioid use on the first postoperative day after renal transplantation.

Green light induces antinociception via visual-somatosensory circuits.

Light has been shown to relieve pain, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we show that low-intensity (200 lux) green light treatment exerts antinociceptive effects through a neural circuit from the visual cortex projecting to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in mice. Specifically, viral tracing, in vivo two-photon calcium imaging, and fiber photometry recordings show that green light activated glutamatergic projections from the medial part of the secondary visual cortex (V2MGlu) to GABAergic neurons in the ACC, which drives inhibition of local glutamatergic neurons (V2MGlu→ACCGABA→Glu). Optogenetic or chemogenetic activation of the V2MGlu→ACCGABA→Glu circuit mimics green-light-induced antinociception in both neuropathic and inflammatory pain model mice. Artificial inhibition of ACC-projecting V2MGlu neurons abolishes the antinociception induced by green light. Taken together, our study shows the V2M-ACC circuit as a potential candidate mediating green-light-induced antinociceptive effects.

Efficiency and safety of quadratus lumborum block in percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.

To evaluate the effect of quadratus lumborum block (QLB) for postoperative analgesia after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), we searched Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane library, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing analgesic efficacy of QLB for PCNL are included in this meta-analysis. The related trials met the inclusion criteria were analyzed using RevMan 5.4 software, the weighted mean difference (WMD), with their corresponding 95% CI, was calculated to compare continuous variables. Nine RCTs are included in the meta-analysis showed that QLB group had significantly lower opioids consumption (WMD - 29.59 95% CI - 43.64 to - 15.55; P < 0.00001), lessen visual analog scale (VAS) after surgery 2 h (WMD - 1.35, 95% CI - 1.93 to - 0.76; P < 0.00001), 6 h (WMD - 1.47, 95% CI - 2.04 to - 0.91; P < 0.00001) 12 h (WMD - 1.75, 95% CI - 3.17 to - 0.32; P = 0.02) and 24 h (WMD - 1.4, 95% CI - 1.86 to - 0.94; P < 0.00001), shorter hospital stay(WMD - 0.7, 95% CI -1.26 to - 0.14, P < 0.00001) and reduce intestinal exhaust recovery time (WMD - 7.41, 95% CI - 9.36 to - 5.46, P < 0.00001) than in the control group. QLB offers some potential advantages in terms of opioids consumption, VAS, hospital stay and intestinal exhaust recovery time. However, good quality and large studies with long-term follow-up are warranted for further research.

Predicting difficult intubation: the hyomental distance ultrasound evaluation is superior to the thyromental distance.

BACKGROUND: Hyomental distance (HMD), an anatomical feature of the upper airway, can be measured precisely by ultrasonography. But the sensitivity and specificity of HMD compared to thyromental distance (TMD) to predict difficult airways is still unknown. METHODS: A case-cohort study was conducted. The written informed consent was obtained. Elective surgery adult patients undergoing general anaesthesia and tracheal intubation were recruited. The other inclusion criteria were: no maxillofacial deformity, trauma, airway stenosis, known difficult airway. The exclusion criteria were: tracheal intubations or operations were canceled, or patients' data were missing. HMD ultrasound measurements of patients in a sniffing position and other usual airway evaluations were performed before general anaesthesia induction. The primary outcome was the intubation difficulty level. Predictive values were calculated. RESULTS: We successfully enrolled 2357 patients (62 difficult intubation patients) in the cohort study for analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the HMD and TMD for predicting difficult intubation was 0.86 (95% CI, 0.84-0.87) and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.75-0.78) respectively (comparison: P < 0.001). With an optimal cut-off value of HMD ≤ 4.9 cm, we observed a sensitivity and specificity of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.80-0.96) and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.71-0.75). Meanwhile, with TMD ≤ 7.0 cm, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.65-0.87) and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.63-0.67) respectively. CONCLUSION: In comparison to TMD, HMD measured by ultrasound was more sensitive in predicting difficult intubation.

Early-life inflammation promotes depressive symptoms in adolescence via microglial engulfment of dendritic spines.

Early-life inflammation increases the risk for depression in later life. Here, we demonstrate how early-life inflammation causes adolescent depressive-like symptoms: by altering the long-term neuronal spine engulfment capacity of microglia. For mice exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation via the Toll-like receptor 4/NF-κB signaling pathway at postnatal day (P) 14, ongoing longitudinal imaging of the living brain revealed that later stress (delivered during adolescence on P45) increases the extent of microglial engulfment around anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) glutamatergic neuronal (ACCGlu) spines. When the ACC microglia of LPS-treated mice were deleted or chemically inhibited, the mice did not exhibit depressive-like behaviors during adolescence. Moreover, we show that the fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 mediates stress-induced engulfment of ACCGlu neuronal spines. Together, our findings establish that early-life inflammation causes dysregulation of microglial engulfment capacity, which encodes long-lasting maladaptation of ACCGlu neurons to stress, thus promoting development of depression-like symptoms during adolescence.

Predictors of difficult airway in a Chinese surgical population: the gender effect.

BACKGROUND: Compared with men, women often have a shorter interincisor distance and a shorter thyromental distance but are less likely to have difficult airway. The hypothesis is that the prediction criteria of difficult airway differ between men and women. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the prediction criteria of anatomic predictors for difficult airways in men and women. METHODS: We enrolled adult patients who underwent general anesthesia and tracheal intubation. The interincisor distance, thyromental distance, modified Mallampati test results, upper lip bite test results, and tongue thickness of each patient were evaluated prior to the initiation of anesthesia. The primary outcome was difficult tracheal intubation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and Youden's index were used to determine the criteria for predictors in men and women. RESULTS: In total, 1059 men and 1195 women were examined. Compared with women, men had a higher incidence of difficult tracheal intubation (P<0.001). The cut-off values for predicting difficult tracheal intubation of the interincisor distance, thyromental distance, modified Mallampati test results, upper lip bite test results, and tongue thickness determined by Youden's index were ≤38 mm, ≤70 mm, >3, >2, and >62 mm, respectively, for men, and ≤33 mm, ≤65 mm, >2, >1, and >60 mm, respectively, for women. CONCLUSIONS: The optimal cut-off values of predictors of difficult airway differ between males and females.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy versus retrograde intrarenal surgery for treatment for renal stones 1-2 cm: a meta-analysis.

This study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) versus retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) for the treatment for renal calculi 1-2 cm. PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were researched and hand-searched for relevant congress abstracts and journals about RIRS and ESWL for the treatment for 1- to 2-cm renal stones. The retrieval time ended in September 2014. The related trials met the inclusion criteria were included in the meta-analysis. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of all included studies, and meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.2. Seven literatures were retrieved, including 983 patients. The meta-analysis results showed that, compared to RIRS group, the patients in ESWL group had the following features:(1) the stone-free rate [relative risk (RR) 0.86; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77-0.95, P = 0.005] was significantly different between two groups; (2) The retreatment rate of RIRS group was lower (RR 8.12; 95% CI 4.77-13.83, P < 0.00); (3) The complications were not significantly different between two groups (Grade I RR 1.06; 95% CI 0.67-1.69, P = 0.80; Grade II RR 0.75; 95% CI 0.29-1.91, P = 0.54; Grade III RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.26-2.86, P = 0.80). Compared to ESWL, our results showed that RIRS provided significantly higher stone-free rate and lower retreatment rate and without increase in the incidence of complications. However, further randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Retrograde intrarenal surgery versus percutaneous nephrolithotomy for treatment of renal stones >2 cm: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the efficacy and safety of retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) versus percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for the treatment of renal calculi >2 cm. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database about RIRS and PCNL for the treatment of renal stones. The retrieval time ended in December 2013. All clinical trials were retrieved and their included references investigated. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of all included studies, and the eligible studies were included and analyzed using the RevMan 5.2 software. RESULTS: Two randomized controlled trials and six clinical controlled trials were included, involving a total of 590 patients. Our meta-analysis showed that there were not significant differences in stone-free rate (relative risk [RR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88-1.02, p = 0.11) and fever (RR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.54-1.67, p = 0.85) between RIRS and PCNL. We found that hospital stay (weighted mean difference [WMD] = -2.10, 95% CI -3.08 to -1.11, p < 0.10) and bleeding (RR = 0.20, 95% CI 0.06-0.68, p = 0.01) were lower and operation time was longer (WMD = 19.11, 95% CI 7.83-30.39, p < 0.10) for RIRS. CONCLUSION: RIRS is a safe and effective procedure. It can successfully treat patients with stones >2 cm with a high stone-free rate and significantly reduce hospital stay without increasing complications. RIRS can be used as an alternative treatment to PCNL in selected cases with larger renal stones. However, further randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.

[Detection of bladder cancer by narrow band imaging cystoscopy: a meta-analysis].

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the value of narrow band imaging (NBI) cystoscopy in detection of bladder cancer. METHODS: Literatures on narrow-band imaging cystoscopy in diagnosis of bladder cancer, controlled clinical research was searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library,EMbase, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. The literatures were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Meta-DiSc 1.4 software was used to review management and analysis. RESULTS: The 8 studies met the inclusion criteria. On a per-people analysis, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of NBI cystoscopy and white light imaging (WLI) cystoscopy were respectively 0.943 (95%CI: 0.914-0.964) and 0.848 (95%CI: 0.803- 0.885), 0.847 (95%CI: 0.812-0.878) and 0.870 (95%CI: 0.831-0.903), 7.038 (95%CI: 3.357-14.754) and 6.938 (95%CI: 2.052-23.465), 0.054 (95%CI: 0.012-0.237) and 0.181 (95%CI: 0.091-0.361), 185.32 (95%CI: 45.714-751.260) and 42.931 (95%CI: 8.088-227.880). The areas under the curve (AUC) and Q* of NBI cystoscopy and WLI cystoscopy were 0.978 and 0.894, 0.934 and 0.825 respectively. CONCLUSION: NBI cystoscopy is accurate with high diagnostic precision for diagnosis of bladder cancer. NBI cystoscopy is prior to WLI cystoscopy, but it needs more clinical evidence for further affirmance.

Total tubeless versus standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of total tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) versus standard PCNL. METHOD: MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were researched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinically controlled trials (CCTs) comparing total tubeless PCNL (tubeless and stentless) versus standard PCNL were included in this review. The related studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the meta-analysis. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of each included studies and extracted data. RevMan 5.1. was used for meta-analysis. OUTCOME: Five RCTs and four CCTs were included, involving a total of 652 patients. All patients were divided into the total tubeless PCNL group and the standard PCNL group. The pooled results showed that the total tubeless PCNL group significantly reduced the hospital stay [weighted mean difference (WMD) -1.09 (95% confidence intervals, 95% CI -1.33, -0.85)] and analgesic requirement [standardized mean difference (SMD) -0.59 (95% CI -0.96, -0.23)]. There was no statistically significant difference in the operation time [WMD -4.14 (95% CI -8.27, -0.01)], mean hemoglobin decrease [-0.07 (95% CI -0.20, 0.06)], fever [relative risk (RR) 0.53 (95% CI 0.16, 1.69)], transfusion [RR 0.86 (95% CI 0.40, 1.85)], prolonged urinary drainage [RR 0.58 (95% CI 0.08, 4.09)], and ancillary procedure [extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, RR 0.84 (95% CI 0.29, 2.41), second-look PCNL RR 1.18 (95% CI 0.49, 2.89)]. According to the study design, the subgroup analyses were performed; most results were consistent with the overall findings, except the one that evaluated the analgesic requirement in the CCT subgroup. CONCLUSION: Total tubeless PCNL is a safe and effective procedure. It significantly reduced the hospital stay, analgesic requirement, and the time to return to normal activity without increasing complications. However, further randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Narrow band imaging diagnosis of bladder cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis.

UNLABELLED: What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? In recent years, more attention has focused on the role of narrow band imaging (NBI) in bladder cancer detection and NBI technology has spread rapidly. It is an important method for diagnosing new or recurrent bladder cancer. But its diagnostic accuracy is still uncertain. This paper summarizes the diagnostic accuracy of NBI in bladder cancer and compares NBI with white light imaging. The results show that NBI cystoscopy significantly improves the detection accuracy in bladder cancer, compared with white light imaging. However, some limitations still exist. Multicentre randomized studies are recommended to determine whether the visual advantages of NBI can translate into real therapeutic benefit for individual patients. OBJECTIVE: • To assess the test performance and clinical effectiveness of narrow band imaging (NBI) cystoscopy compared with white light imaging (WLI) cystoscopy in people suspected of new or recurrent bladder cancer. METHODS: • Literature on NBI cystoscopy in the diagnosis of bladder cancer was searched in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE and CNKI, with hand searching of relevant congress abstracts and journals. • The literature was selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Meta-DiSc1.4 software was used to review management and analysis. RESULTS: • Eight studies including 1022 patients assessed test performance. • On a per-person analysis, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio and diagnostic odds ratio of NBI and WLI were respectively 0.943 (95% CI 0.914-0.964) and 0.848 (95% CI 0.803-0.885), 0.847 (95% CI 0.812-0.878) and 0.870 (95% CI 0.831-0.903), 7.038 (95% CI 3.357-14.754) and 6.938 (95% CI 2.052-23.465), 0.054 (95% CI 0.012-0.237) and 0.181 (95% CI 0.091-0.361), and 185.32 (95% CI 45.714-751.26) and 42.931 (95% CI 8.088-227.88). • The area under the curve and Q* of NBI and WLI were respectively 0.9781 and 0.8944, and 0.9337 and 0.8253. • For the characterization of carcinoma in situ, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio and diagnostic odds ratio of NBI were 0.927 (95% CI 0.878-0.960), 0.768 (95% CI 0.730-0.802), 4.545 (95% CI 2.820-7.325), 0.125 (95% CI 0.051-0.304) and 48.884 (95% CI 15.642-152.77) on a per-person analysis. • The area under the curve and Q* were 0.9391 and 0.8763. CONCLUSION: • NBI is an effective method for the identification of abnormal lesions including carcinoma in situ and can provide higher diagnostic precision of bladder cancer than WLI.

[Curcumin down-regulates CX3CR1 expression in spinal cord dorsal horn and DRG in neuropathic pain rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of curcumin on the behavior of chronic constrictive injury (CCI) rats and the CX3CR1 expression in spinal cord dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglia (DRG). METHOD: Seventy-two male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: 1) Sham operation group (Sham); 2) Chronic constrictive injury group (CCI); 3) Curcumin treated group (Cur), administrated with curcumin 100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) ip for 14 days after CCI; 4) Solvent contrast group (SC), administrated with an equal volume of solvent for 14 days after CCI. Paw thermal withdrawal (PTWL) and paw mechanical withdrawal threshold (PMWT) were measured on 2 pre-operative and 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 post-operative days respectively. The lumbar segments L4-5 of the spinal cord and the L4, L5 DRG were removed at 3, 7, 14 days after surgery. The expression of CX3CR1 was determined by immunohistochemical staining. RESULT: Compared with Sham group, PTWL and PMWT in CCI group were significantly lower on each post-operative day (P<0.01), which reached a nadir on the 3rd day after CCI (PTWL was 6.5 +/- 1.1, PMWT was 22.6 +/- 5.1), and the expression of CX3CR1 were markedly increased in spinal cord dorsal horn and DRG. In Cur group, PTWL were higher than in CCI group on 7, 10, 14 post-operative day (P<0.05), and PMWT were higher than those in CCI group on 10 and 14 post-operative day (P<0.05). The administration of curcumin could significantly attenuate the activation of CX3CR1 induced by CCI. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that curcumin ameliorates the CCI-induced neuropathic pain, probably by attenuating the expression of CX3CR1 in spinal cord dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglia.