Association between the ROX index and mortality in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although ROX index is frequently used to assess the efficacy of high-flow nasal cannula treatment in acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) patients, the relationship between the ROX index and the mortality remains unclear. Therefore, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the ability of the ROX index to predict mortality risk in patients with AHRF. METHOD: Patients diagnosed with AHRF were extracted from the MIMIC-IV database and divided into four groups based on the ROX index quartiles. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, while in-hospital mortality and follow-up mortality were secondary outcomes. To investigate the association between ROX index and mortality in AHRF patients, restricted cubic spline curve and COX proportional risk regression were utilized. RESULT: A non-linear association (L-shaped) has been observed between the ROX index and mortality rate. When the ROX index is below 8.28, there is a notable decline in the 28-day mortality risk of patients as the ROX index increases (HR per SD, 0.858 [95%CI 0.794-0.928] P < 0.001). When the ROX index is above 8.28, no significant association was found between the ROX index and 28-day mortality. In contrast to the Q1 group, the mortality rates in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups had a substantial reduction (Q1 vs. Q2: HR, 0.749 [0.590-0.950] P = 0.017; Q3: HR, 0.711 [0.558-0.906] P = 0.006; Q4: HR, 0.641 [0.495-0.830] P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The ROX index serves as a valuable predictor of mortality risk in adult patients with AHRF, and that a lower ROX index is substantially associated with an increase in mortality.

A chest CT-based nomogram for predicting survival in acute myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND: The identification of survival predictors is crucial for early intervention to improve outcome in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study aim to identify chest computed tomography (CT)-derived features to predict prognosis for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: 952 patients with pathologically-confirmed AML were retrospectively enrolled between 2010 and 2020. CT-derived features (including body composition and subcutaneous fat features), were obtained from the initial chest CT images and were used to build models to predict the prognosis. A CT-derived MSF nomogram was constructed using multivariate Cox regression incorporating CT-based features. The performance of the prediction models was assessed with discrimination, calibration, decision curves and improvements. RESULTS: Three CT-derived features, including myosarcopenia, spleen_CTV, and SF_CTV (MSF) were identified as the independent predictors for prognosis in AML (P < 0.01). A CT-MSF nomogram showed a performance with AUCs of 0.717, 0.794, 0.796 and 0.792 for predicting the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) probabilities in the validation cohort, which were significantly higher than the ELN risk model. Moreover, a new MSN stratification system (MSF nomogram plus ELN risk model) could stratify patients into new high, intermediate and low risk group. Patients with high MSN risk may benefit from intensive treatment (P = 0.0011). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the chest CT-MSF nomogram, integrating myosarcopenia, spleen_CTV, and SF_CTV features, could be used to predict prognosis of AML.

Competitive Risk Analysis of Prognosis in Older Adults with Sigmoid Colon Adenocarcinoma: A Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to employ a competing risk model based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify prognostic factors for elderly individuals with sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma (SCA) and compare them with the classic Cox proportional hazards model. METHODS: We extracted data from elderly patients diagnosed with SCA registered in the SEER database between 2010 and 2015. Univariate analysis was conducted using cumulative incidence functions and Gray's test, while multivariate analysis was performed using both the Fine-Gray and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Among the 10,712 eligible elderly patients diagnosed with SCA, 5595 individuals passed away: 2987 due to sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma and 2608 from other causes. The results of one-way Gray's test showed that age, race, marital status, AJCC stage, differentiation grade, tumor size, surgical status, liver metastasis status, lung metastasis status, brain metastasis status, radiotherapy status, and chemotherapy status all affected the prognosis of SCA (P < .05). Multivariate analysis showed that sex, age, race, marital status, and surgical status affected the prognosis of SCA (P < .05). Multifactorial Fine-Gray analysis revealed that key factors influencing the prognosis of SCA patients include age, race, marital status, AJCC stage, grade classification, surgical status, tumor size, liver metastasis, lung metastasis, and chemotherapy status (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Data from the SEER database were used to more accurately estimate CIFs for sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma-specific mortality and prognostic factors using competing risk models.

Relationship between the magnitude of haemoglobin changes and long-term mortality in patients with sepsis: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a common and severe disease with a high mortality rate in intensive care unit (ICU). The hemoglobin (HGB) level is a key parameter for oxygen supply in sepsis. Although HGB is associated with the progression of inflammation in sepsis patients, its role as a marker following sepsis treatment remains unclear. Here, we studied the correlation between early temporal changes in HGB levels and long-term mortality rates in septic patients. METHOD: In this retrospective study of data on patients with sepsis from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) IV database, the outcome was long-term mortality. Patients were divided based on the cut-off of the HGB percentage for receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve calculation. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curves and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analyse the associations between groups and outcomes. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to verify the results. RESULTS: In this study, 2042 patients with sepsis and changes in HGB levels at day 4 after admission compared to day 1 were enrolled and divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 1147) for those with reduction of HGB < 7% and group 2 (n = 895) for those with dropping ≥ 7%. The long-term survival chances of sepsis with less than a 7% reduction in the proportion of HGB at day four were significantly higher than those of patients in the group with a reduction of 7% or more. After adjusting for covariates in the Cox model, the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for long-term all-cause mortality in the group with a reduction of 7% or more were as follows: 180 days [HR = 1.41, 95% CI (1.22 to 1.63), P < 0.001]; 360 days [HR = 1.37, 95% CI (1.21 to 1.56), P < 0.001]; 540 days [HR = 1.35, 95% CI (1.20 to 1.53), P < 0.001]; 720 days [HR = 1.45, 95% CI (1.29 to 1.64), P < 0.001]. Additionally, the long-term survival rates, using Kaplan-Meier analysis, for the group with a reduction of 7% or more were lower compared to the group with less than 7% reduction at 180 days (54.3% vs. 65.3%, P < 0.001), 360 days (42.3% vs. 50.9%, P < 0.001), 540 days (40.2% vs. 48.6%, P < 0.001), and 720 days (35.5% vs. 46.1%, P < 0.001). The same trend was obtained after using PSM. CONCLUSION: A ≥ 7% decrease in HGB levels on Day 4 after admission was associated with worse long-term prognosis in sepsis patients admitted to the ICU.

Nomogram predictive model for in-hospital mortality risk in elderly ICU patients with urosepsis.

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common cause of sepsis. Elderly patients with urosepsis in intensive care unit (ICU) have more severe conditions and higher mortality rates owing to factors such as advanced age, immunosenescence, and persistent host inflammatory responses. However, comprehensive studies on nomograms to predict the in-hospital mortality risk in elderly patients with urosepsis are lacking. This study aimed to construct a nomogram predictive model to accurately assess the prognosis of elderly patients with urosepsis and provide therapeutic recommendations. METHODS: Data of elderly patients with urosepsis were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) IV 2.2 database. Patients were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. A predictive nomogram model was constructed from the training set using logistic regression analysis, followed by internal validation and sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: This study included 1,251 patients. LASSO regression analysis revealed that the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, red cell distribution width (RDW), white blood count (WBC), and invasive ventilation were independent risk factors identified from a total of 43 variables studied. We then created and verified a nomogram. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), net reclassification improvement (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and decision curve analysis (DCA) of the nomogram were superior to those of the traditional SAPS-II, APACHE-II, and SOFA scoring systems. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results and calibration curves suggested good nomogram calibration. The IDI and NRI values showed that our nomogram scoring tool performed better than the other scoring systems. The DCA curves showed good clinical applicability of the nomogram. CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram constructed in this study is a convenient tool for accurately predicting in-hospital mortality in elderly patients with urosepsis in ICU. Improving the treatment strategies for factors related to the model could improve the in-hospital survival rates of these patients.

Braden score can independently predict 90-day mortality in critically ill patients with dementia.

BACKGROUND: Dementia is a significant cause of death in the older population and is becoming an important public health issue as the population ages and the prevalence of dementia increases. The Braden score is one of the most commonly used clinical tools to assess the risk of skin pressure injury in patients, and some studies have reported that it may reflect the state of frailty of patients. The present study attempted to explore the association between Braden score and 90-day mortality, pressure injury, and aspiration pneumonia in older patients with dementia in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: The study involved extracting crucial data from the Medical Information Market for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database using Structured Query Language, with a license certificate obtained after completing the necessary training and examination available on the MIMIC-IV website. A retrospective analysis was performed on older patients with dementia, aged 65 or older, who were first admitted to the ICU. Ninth and tenth revision International Classification of Diseases codes were used to identify patients with dementia. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between Braden score and death, and hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Propensity score matching and E-value assessments were employed for sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2892 patients with a median age of approximately 85 years (interquartile range 78.74-89.59) were included, of whom 1625 were female (56.2%). Patients had a median Braden score of 14 (interquartile range 12-15) at ICU admission. Braden score at ICU admission was inversely associated with 90-day mortality risk after adjustment for demographics, severity of illness, treatment and medications, delirium, and sepsis (adjusted HR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87-0.98, p = 0.006). Patients were divided into two groups with a cut-off value of 15: high-risk group and low-risk group. Compared to the low-risk group (Braden score >15), the risk of 90-day mortality was significantly increased in the high-risk group (Braden score ≤15) (adjusted HR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.10-2.09, p = 0.011, E-value: 2.01), the risk of pressure injury (adjusted OR: 2.62, 95% CI: 2.02-3.43, E-value: 2.62) and aspiration pneumonia (adjusted OR: 2.55, 95% CI: 1.84-3.61, E-value: 2.57) was also significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS: The Braden score may be a quick and simple screening tool to identify the risk of adverse outcomes in critically ill older adults with dementia.

Age-specific differences in association of glycosylated hemoglobin levels with the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among nondiabetics: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2018.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has supported the presence of an association between high glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of the present study was to determine whether increased HbA1c levels are associated with high CVD prevalence among nondiabetics. Furthermore, we aimed to explore the possible interaction of HbA1c levels and age in regard to CVD. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data of 28,534 adult participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2018. The association between HbA1c and CVD was assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Propensity score matching was used to reduce selection bias. Subgroup analysis and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to further characterize the association between HbA1c levels and CVD. We modeled additive interactions to further assess the relationship between HbA1c levels and age. RESULTS: In the multivariate logistic regression model, a positive association was found between CVD and increased HbA1c levels (highest quartile [Q4] vs. lowest quartile [Q1]: odds ratio [OR] = 1.277, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.111-1.469, P = 0.001). In the stratified analyses, the adjusted association between HbA1c and CVD was significant for those younger than 55 years (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 1.437, 95% CI = 1.099-1.880, P = 0.008). RCS did not reveal a nonlinear relationship between HbA1c levels and CVD among nondiabetics (P for nonlinearity = 0.609). Additionally, a high HbA1c level was favorably connected with old age on CVD, with a synergistic impact. CONCLUSIONS: Increased HbA1c levels were associated with high CVD prevalence among nondiabetics. However, we still need to carefully explain the effect of age on the relationship between HbA1c and CVD in nondiabetic population. Given the correlations of HbA1c with CVDs and CV events, HbA1c might be a useful indicator for predicting CVDs and CV events in the nondiabetic population.

Does ICU admission dysphagia independently contribute to delirium risk in ischemic stroke patients? Results from a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is prevalent in ischemic stroke patients, particularly those in the intensive care unit (ICU), and it poses a significant burden on patients and caregivers, leading to increased mortality rates, prolonged hospital stays, and impaired cognitive function. Dysphagia, a common symptom in critically ill patients with ischemic stroke, further complicates their condition. However, the association between dysphagia and delirium in this context remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between dysphagia and delirium in ICU patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on adult patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke at a medical center in Boston. Ischemic stroke cases were identified using the ninth and tenth revisions of the International Classification of Diseases. Dysphagia was defined as a positive bedside swallowing screen performed by medical staff on the day of ICU admission, while delirium was assessed using the ICU Confusion Assessment Method and review of nursing notes. Logistic regression models were used to explore the association between dysphagia and delirium. Causal mediation analysis was employed to identify potential mediating variables. RESULTS: The study comprised 1838 participants, with a median age of approximately 70 years, and 50.5% were female. Among the total study population, the prevalence of delirium was 43.4%, with a higher prevalence observed in the dysphagia group (60.7% vs. 40.8%, p < 0.001) compared to the non-dysphagia group. After adjusting for confounding factors including age, sex, race, dementia, depression, sedative medications, history of falls, visual or hearing deficit, sequential organ failure score, and Glasgow coma score, multifactorial logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between dysphagia and an increased likelihood of delirium (odds ratio [OR]: 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-2.05; p = 0.018; E-value = 1.73). Causal mediation analysis revealed that serum albumin levels partially mediated the association between dysphagia and delirium in critically ill patients with ischemic stroke (average causal mediated effect [ACME]: 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.03; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: ICU admission dysphagia may independently contribute to the risk of delirium in patients with ischemic stroke. Early identification and intervention in ischemic stroke patients with dysphagia may help mitigate the risk of delirium and improve patient prognosis.

Potential prognostic value of CSF-targeted proteomics across the Alzheimer's disease continuum.

BACKGROUND: Core biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as Aß42 and tau, have demonstrated high prognostic accuracy but do not fully capture the complex pathophysiology of AD. In this study, our objective was to identify novel cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers using proteomics across the entire AD continuum to predict conversion to AD and explore their involvement in AD pathogenesis. METHODS: A cohort of 186 cognitively normal (CN), 127 subjective memory complaint (SMC), 79 early mild cognitive impairment (EMCI), 249 late MCI (LMCI), and 132 AD individuals was analyzed, with a follow-up period of over 3 years for non-AD participants. CSF 65 peptides, as well as hippocampal and entorhinal volumes were analyzed, and cognitive function was evaluated using the 13-item cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog 13). Cox proportional hazards models and mediation analysis were performed to investigate associations and causal relationships. RESULTS: During the follow-up, approximately one-fourth (146/580) of the non-AD participants progressed to AD. After adjusting for baseline diagnosis (CN to LMCI) and other variables, multivariable Cox regression analysis identified three peptides (VAELEDEK, VSFELFADK, and VVSSIEQK) as significant predictors of conversion to AD. Incorporating these three peptides into the initial model significantly improved the C-statistic from 0.82 to 0.85 for predicting AD conversion, surpassing the predictive ability of Aß42 and P-tau. Moreover, hippocampal and entorhinal volumes mediated 30.3-53.8% of the association between the three peptides and ADAS-Cog 13 scores. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the potential of these three peptides as robust prognostic biomarker candidates for AD conversion across the entire AD continuum, with a mechanism involving the mediation of hippocampal and entorhinal volumes.

High cardiovascular mortality risk among older merkel cell carcinoma patients.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research has primarily focused on the incidence and mortality rates of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), neglecting the examination of cardiovascular mortality (CVM) risk among survivors, particularly older patients. This study aims to assess the risk of CVM in older individuals diagnosed with MCC. METHODS: Data pertaining to older MCC patients were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER). CVM risk was measured using standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and cumulative mortality. Multivariate Fine-Gray's competing risk model was utilized to evaluate the risk factors contributing to CVM. RESULTS: Among the study population of 2,899 MCC patients, 465 (16.0%) experienced CVM during the follow-up period. With the prolongation of the follow-up duration, the cumulative mortality rate for CVM reached 27.36%, indicating that cardiovascular disease (CVD) became the second most common cause of death. MCC patients exhibited a higher CVM risk compared to the general population (SMR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.54-1.86, p < 0.05). Notably, the SMR for other diseases of arteries, arterioles, and capillaries displayed the most significant elevation (SMR: 2.69; 95% CI: 1.16-5.29, p < 0.05). Furthermore, age at diagnosis and disease stage were identified as primary risk factors for CVM, whereas undergoing chemotherapy or radiation demonstrated a protective effect. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the significance of CVM as a competing cause of death in older individuals with MCC. MCC patients face a heightened risk of CVM compared to the general population. It is crucial to prioritize cardiovascular health starting from the time of diagnosis and implement personalized CVD monitoring and supportive interventions for MCC patients at high risk. These measures are essential for enhancing survival outcomes.

Association between socioeconomic status and risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in China: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Socioeconomic status (SES) has been proven to be associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Western populations, but the evidence is very limited in China. This study aimed to investigate the association between SES and the risk of COPD incident. METHODS: This study was based on the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) project in Wuzhong District, Suzhou. A total of 45,484 adults aged 30-79 were included in the analysis during 2004-2008. We used Cox proportional hazard models to investigate the association between SES and the risk of COPD. Household income, education, private property and consumption potential was used to measure SES. Incident COPD cases were ascertained using hospitalization records, death certificates, and active follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 524 COPD cases were identified during a median follow-up of 11.2 years. Household income was inversely associated with the risk of COPD (Ptrend<0.005). The adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for incident COPD were 0.88 (0.69-1.14), 0.77 (0.60-0.99), and 0.42 (0.31-0.57) for participants with annual household income of 10,000 ~ 19,999 yuan, 20,000 ~ 34,999 yuan and ≥ 35,000 yuan respectively, in comparison to participants with an annual household income < 10,000 yuan. Furthermore, we found that education level, refrigerator use, private toilet, private phone, and motor vehicle were adversely associated with COPD risk, while ownership of newly renovated flats was positively correlated with COPD incident. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study suggests that SES is associated with the risk of COPD in Chinese adults. Population-based COPD prevention strategies tailored for people with different SES could help reduce the burden of COPD in Chinese.

Risk factors, prognostic factors, and nomograms for synchronous brain metastases of solid tumors: a population-based study.

In previous literatures, we found that similar studies on the short-term prognosis of synchronous brain metastases (S-BM) from other systems are rare. Our aim was to evaluate the early mortality rate of patients with S-BM from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result (SEER) database and explore the risk factors for early mortality (≤ 1 year). We used Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves to evaluate early mortality in patients with S-BM from the SEER database. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify significant independent prognostic factors in patients with a follow-up time > 12 months. And the meaningful factors were used to construct a nomogram of overall early death. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to test the predictive ability of the model, while the decision curve analysis (DCA) curve was used to validate the clinical application ability of the model. A total of 47,284 patients were used for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to screen variables to constructing a nomogram. In the all-cause early mortality specific model, the area under the ROC (AUC) curve of the training set was 0.764 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.758-0.769), and the AUC of the validation set was 0.761 (95% CI: 0.752-0.770). The DCA calibration curves of the training set and validation set indicate that the 1-year early mortality rate predicted by this model is consistent with the actual situation. We found that the 1-year early mortality rate was 76.4%. We constructed a validated nomogram using these covariates to effectively predict 1-year early mortality in patients with S-BM. This nomogram can help clinical workers screen high-risk patients to develop more reasonable treatment plans.

Single-cell transcriptome analysis upon ECM-remodeling meningioma cells.

Meningiomas are the most common tumours that primarily arise in the central nervous system, but their intratumoural heterogeneity has not yet been thoroughly studied. We aimed to investigate the transcriptome characteristics and biological properties of ECM-remodeling meningioma cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing (ScRNA-seq) data from meningioma samples were acquired and used for analyses. We conducted comprehensive bioinformatics analyses, including screening for differentially expressed genes (DEGs), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analyses, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, and copy number variation (CNV) analysis on single-cell sequencing data from meningiomas. Eighteen cell types, including six meningioma subtypes, were identified in the data. ECM-remodeling meningioma cells (MGCs) were mainly distributed in brain-tumour interface tissues. KEGG and GO enrichment analyses revealed that 908 DEGs were mainly related to cell adhesion, extracellular matrix organization, and ECM-receptor interaction. GSEA analysis demonstrated that homophilic cell adhesion via plasma membrane adhesion molecules was significantly enriched (NES = 2.375, P < 0.001). CNV analysis suggested that ECM-remodeling MGCs showed considerably lower average CNV scores. ECM-remodeling MGCs predominantly localized at the brain-tumour interface area and adhere stably to the basement membrane with a lower degree of malignancy. This study provides novel insights into the malignancy of meningiomas.

Effect of a fall within three months of admission on delirium in critically Ill elderly patients: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is common among elderly patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is associated with prolonged hospitalization, increased healthcare costs, and increased risk of death. Understanding the potential risk factors and early prevention of delirium is critical to facilitate timely intervention that may reverse or mitigate the harmful consequences of delirium. AIM: To clarify the effects of pre-admission falls on ICU outcomes, primarily delirium, and secondarily pressure injuries and urinary tract infections. METHODS: The study relied on data sourced from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. Statistical tests (Wilcoxon rank-sum or chi-squared) compared cohort characteristics. Logistic regression was employed to investigate the association between a history of falls and delirium, as well as secondary outcomes, while Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to assess short-term survival in delirium and non-delirium patients. RESULTS: Study encompassed 22,547 participants. Delirium incidence was 40%, significantly higher in patients with a history of falls (54.4% vs. 34.5%, p < 0.001). Logistic regression, controlling for confounders, not only confirmed that a history of falls elevates the odds of delirium (OR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.97-2.26; p < 0.001) but also showed it increases the incidence of urinary tract infections (OR:1.50; 95% CI:1.40-1.62; p < 0.001) and pressure injuries (OR:1.36; 95% CI:1.26-1.47; p < 0.001). Elderly delirium patients exhibited lower 30-, 180-, and 360-day survival rates than non-delirium counterparts (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals that history of falls significantly heighten the risk of delirium and other adverse outcomes in elderly ICU patients, leading to decreased short-term survival rates. This emphasizes the critical need for early interventions and could inform future strategies to manage and prevent these conditions in ICU settings.

B cell residency but not T cell-independent IgA switching in the gut requires innate lymphoid cells.

Immunoglobulin A (IgA)-producing plasma cells derived from conventional B cells in the gut play an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of gut flora. Both T cell-dependent and T cell-independent IgA class switching occurs in the lymphoid structures in the gut, whose formation depends on lymphoid tissue inducers (LTis), a subset of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). However, our knowledge on the functions of non-LTi helper-like ILCs, the innate counter parts of CD4 T helper cells, in promoting IgA production is still limited. By cell adoptive transfer and utilizing a unique mouse strain, we demonstrated that the generation of IgA-producing plasma cells from B cells in the gut occurred efficiently in the absence of both T cells and helper-like ILCs and without engaging TGF-ß signaling. Nevertheless, B cell recruitment and/or retention in the gut required functional NKp46-CCR6+ LTis. Therefore, while CCR6+ LTis contribute to the accumulation of B cells in the gut through inducing lymphoid structure formation, helper-like ILCs are not essential for the T cell-independent generation of IgA-producing plasma cells.

Assessment of prognostic factors in patients with primary ocular adnexal lymphoma when considering competing risk elements.

BACKGROUND: Accurate prognostic factors for primary ocular adnexal lymphoma (POAL) are scarce. Survival models and prognostic factors derived without considering competing risk factors suffer from major statistical errors. This study aimed to accurately assess prognostic factors in POAL patients using competing risk models, and compare this to the traditional COX proportional hazards model. METHODS: This retrospective study utilised data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program 2010-2015 and included patients with B-cell POAL. The cumulative incidence function and Gray's test for cause-specific survival were calculated as univariate analysis. The competing risk models were a Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard model and a cause-specific model, and a traditional COX model was employed as a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: This study enrolled 846 eligible patients with POAL: 60 patients (7.09%) died from POAL and 123 patients (14.54%) died from other causes. Multivariate competing risk models indicated that age, laterality, histology subtype, the 7th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer stage T, and radiotherapy were independent predictors for cause-specific survival of patients with POAL. There was high consistency between the two competing risk models. The COX model made several misestimations on the statistical significance and hazard ratios of prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study established competing risk models as a method to assess POAL prognostic factors, which was more accurate than traditional methods that do not consider competing risk elements.

Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting in-hospital mortality in ICU patients with infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a disease with high in-hospital mortality. The objective of the present investigation was to develop and validate a nomogram that precisely anticipates in-hospital mortality in ICU individuals diagnosed with infective endocarditis. METHODS: Retrospectively collected clinical data of patients with IE admitted to the ICU in the MIMIC IV database were analyzed using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression to identify potential hazards. A logistic regression model incorporating multiple factors was established, and a dynamic nomogram was generated to facilitate predictions. To assess the classification performance of the model, an ROC curve was generated, and the AUC value was computed as an indicator of its diagnostic accuracy. The model was subjected to calibration curve analysis and the Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) test to assess its goodness of fit. To evaluate the clinical relevance of the model, decision-curve analysis (DCA) was conducted. RESULTS: The research involved a total of 676 patients, who were divided into two cohorts: a training cohort comprising 473 patients and a validation cohort comprising 203 patients. The allocation ratio between the two cohorts was 7:3. Based on the independent predictors identified through LASSO regression, the final selection for constructing the prediction model included five variables: lactate, bicarbonate, white blood cell count (WBC), platelet count, and prothrombin time (PT). The nomogram model demonstrated a robust diagnostic ability in both the cohorts used for training and validation. This is supported by the respective area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.843 and 0.891. The results of the calibration curves and HL tests exhibited acceptable conformity between observed and predicted outcomes. According to the DCA analysis, the nomogram model demonstrated a notable overall clinical advantage compared to the APSIII and SAPSII scoring systems. CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram developed during the study proved to be highly accurate in forecasting the mortality of patients with IE during hospitalization in the ICU. As a result, it may be useful for clinicians in decision-making and treatment.

Braden score predicts 30-day mortality risk in patients with ischaemic stroke in the ICU: A retrospective analysis based on the MIMIC-IV database.

BACKGROUND: Ischaemic stroke remains a significant global health challenge, associated with high mortality rates. While the Braden Scale is traditionally employed to assess pressure ulcer risk, its potential to predict mortality among the intensive care unit (ICU) patients with ischaemic stroke has not been thoroughly investigated. AIM/S: This study evaluates the predictive value of the Braden Scale for 30-day mortality among patients with ischaemic stroke admitted to ICU. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 4710 adult patients with ischaemic stroke from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database. The association between the Braden Scale scores and 30-day mortality was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. RESULTS: Patients with Braden Scale scores ≤ 15.5 showed significantly higher 30-day mortality rates (p-value < 0.001; hazard ratio (HR): 2.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.71-2.53). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.71, demonstrating good predictive performance. Multivariate analysis confirmed the Braden Scale as an independent predictor of mortality, after adjusting for age, gender and comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: The Braden Scale effectively identifies high-risk ischaemic stroke patients in ICU settings, endorsing its integration into routine assessments to facilitate early intervention strategies. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Integrating the Braden Scale into routine ICU evaluations can enhance mortality risk stratification and improve patient care tailoring.

Elderly patients with dysphagia in the intensive care unit: Association between malnutrition and delirium.

BACKGROUND: Dysphagia, as a geriatric syndrome, is prevalent in the intensive care unit (ICU). Malnutrition resulting from swallowing disorders is likely to correlate with adverse ICU outcomes, including delirium, thereby escalating the costs of care and hospitalization. However, malnutrition has not received the attention it deserves in ICU clinical nursing practice. As two preventable and correctable conditions-malnutrition and delirium-the advantages of early identification and intervention are substantial. Exploring the relationship between malnutrition and delirium, starting from the high-risk group of elderly patients with swallowing difficulties in the ICU, will aid us in managing patients promptly and effectively. AIM: To investigate the relationship between malnutrition and the incidence of delirium in elderly patients with dysphagia in the ICU. SUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective study. Data for this study were obtained from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV. All 2273 patients included were dysphagia older patients over 65 years of age admitted to the ICU, and logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between malnutrition and delirium. We also used propensity score matching (PSM) for sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among the included patients with swallowing difficulties, 13% individuals (297/2273) exhibited malnutrition, with a delirium incidence rate of 55.9% (166/297). In the non-malnutrition group (1976/2273), the delirium incidence rate is 35.6% (704/1976). After adjusting for 31 covariates, multifactorial logistic regression showed that malnutrition was significantly positively associated with the incidence of delirium in elderly dysphagic patients in the ICU (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.47-2.62). The results remained stable after analysis by PSM. CONCLUSION: Malnutrition was significantly positively associated with the incidence of delirium in elderly dysphagic patients in the ICU. Malnutrition should be given adequate attention in the ICU. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: ICU nurses should pay particular attention to malnutrition, especially among the high-prevalence group of patients with dysphagia. Early identification and nutritional intervention for these patients may help reduce the costs of care and health care expenditures.

Establishment of a Prognostic Nomogram for Cancer-Specific Survival in Patients With Base-of-Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study Based on the SEER Database.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study was to construct and clinically apply a nomogram for cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients diagnosed with base-of-tongue squamous cell carcinoma (BOTSCC) to predict their survival prognosis. METHODS: We collected 8448 patients diagnosed with BOTSCC during 2004-2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and divided 30% and 70% of them into validation and training cohorts, respectively. We utilized backward stepwise regression in the Cox model to select variables. Predictive variables were subsequently identified from the variables selected above by using multivariate Cox regression. The new survival model was compared with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) prognosis model using the following variables: calibration curve, time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), concordance index (C-index), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), decision-curve analysis (DCA), and net reclassification improvement (NRI). RESULTS: A nomogram was established for predicting the CSS probability in patients with BOTSCC. Factors including sex, race, age at diagnosis, marital status, radiotherapy status, chemotherapy status, TNM AJCC stage, surgery status, tumor size, and months from diagnosis to treatment were selected through multivariate Cox regression as independent predictors of CSS. Calibration plots indicated that the model we established had satisfactory calibration ability. The AUC, C-index, IDI, DCA, and NRI results illustrated that the nomogram performed explicit prognoses more accurately than did the AJCC system alone. CONCLUSION: We identified the relevant factors affecting the survival of BOTSCC patients and analyzed the data on patients suffering from BOTSCC in the SEER database. These factors were used to construct a new nomogram to give clinical staff a more-visual prediction model for the 3-, 5-, and 8-year probabilities of CSS for patients newly diagnosed with BOTSCC, thereby aiding clinical decision making.