Sialylation on vesicular integrin ß1 determined endocytic entry of small extracellular vesicles into recipient cells.

BACKGROUND: Small extracellular vesicles (sEV) are closely associated with the development and metastasis of many types of mammalian cancer. Glycoconjugates are highly expressed on sEV and play important roles in sEV biogenesis and their interaction with other cells. However, the study on vesicular glycoconjugates are far behind proteins and nucleic acids. Especially, the functions of sialic acids which are the terminal components of glycoconjugates, are poorly understood in sEV. METHODS: Sialic acid levels on sEV from plasma and bladder cancer cells were determined by ELISA and lectin blotting. Effects of sialylation on sEV uptake were determined by flow cytometry. Vesicular glycoproteins bearing sialic acids responsible for sEV uptake was identified by proteomics and density gradient centrifugation, and their site-specific sialylation functions were assayed by N-glycosylation site mutation. Effects of integrin ß1 bearing sialic acids on the pro-metastatic function of sEV in vivo were explored using Balb/c nu/nu mice. RESULTS: (1) Increased sialic acid levels were observed in sEV from malignant bladder cancer cells. (2) Elimination of sialic acids on sEV impaired sEV uptake by recipient cells. (3) Vesicular integrin ß1 bearing sialic acids was identified to play a key role in sEV uptake. (4) Desialylation of the hybrid domain of vesicular integrin ß1 inhibited its binding to matrix fibronectin, and reduced sEV entry into recipient cells. (5) Sialylation on integrin ß1 affected pro-metastatic function of sEV in Balb/c nu/nu mice. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our findings indicate important functional roles of sialic acids in sEV uptake and reprogramming plasticity of surrounding normal epithelial cells.

Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy for Upper Lumbar Disc Herniation versus lower lumbar disc herniation: clinical outcomes and technical consideration.

BACKGROUND: Upper lumbar disc herniation (ULDH) accounts for 1-10% of all lumbar disc herniations (LDH). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with ULDH who underwent percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) compared with those with lower LDH. METHODS: 60 patients with ULDH or L4-L5 LDH treated with PTED between May 2016 and October 2021. MacNab criteria, visual analog scale (VAS) of back pain and leg pain, and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) were evaluated before and after surgery. RESULTS: In the L1-L3 group, 59.1% of the patients had a positive femoral nerve tension test, and 81.8% of the patients had a sensory deficit. Both groups showed significant improvements in VAS scores for low back and leg pain, and JOA scores postoperatively. No significant differences in the degree of improvement were observed between the two groups. The excellent/good rate was 81.8% in the L1-L3 group and 84.2% in the L4-L5 group, showing no significant difference. CONCLUSION: PTED has comparable efficacy in treating ULDH as it does in treating lower LDH, it is a safe and effective treatment method for ULDH.

Clinical outcome of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar decompression in treatment of elderly patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: a matched retrospective study.

PURPOSE: This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar decompression (PELD) in elderly patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). STUDY DESIGN: A matched retrospective study. SETTING: The research was conducted in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, China. METHODS: This study included patients treated with PELD for LSS from September 2016 to September 2020. Patients with LSS aged ≥ 80 years were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria as the study group, and then the same number of patients with LSS aged 50-80 years were matched according to gender, stenosis type, and surgical segment as the control group. Preoperative patient status was assessed using the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification score. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores, modified Macnab criteria, radiological parameters and complication rates. RESULTS: A total of 624 LSS patients met the screening criteria between September 2016 and September 2020, with 47 LSS patients ≥ 80 years old serving as the study group. Forty-seven LSS patients aged 50-80 years were matched to the study group according to gender, stenosis type, and stenosis segment. The CCI score (1.77 ± 1.67) and ASA classification (2.62 ± 0.74) of the study group were significantly higher than the CCI score (0.66 ± 0.96) and ASA classification (1.28 ± 0.54) of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. Compared with preoperative data, postoperative ODI, leg pain VAS scores and back pain VAS scores were significantly improved in both groups (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between two groups in preoperative and postoperative ODI, leg pain VAS scores and back pain VAS scores (p > 0.05). The operation time and postoperative hospital stay in control group were significantly lower than those in study (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in blood loss between the two groups (p > 0.05). Besides, overall radiological parameters were comparable in elder and younger patients (p > 0.05), and disc height (DH), lumbar lordosis and segmental lordosis decreased after two year follow-up in both groups (p < 0.05). In addition, complication rates were similar between the two groups (p > 0.05), and no serious complications and deaths were found. LIMITATIONS: Single-centre retrospective design, non-randomized sample, small sample size. CONCLUSION: Although elderly LSS patients (≥ 80 years old) are less fit and have more comorbidities, satisfactory outcomes can be achieved with PELD, comparable to those of LSS patients < 80 years old, and without increased complications.

Real-world systemic sequential therapy with regorafenib for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: analysis of 93 cases from a single center.

BACKGROUND: Regorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor and became the first second-line systemic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following the phase III RESORCE trial. This single-center study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and follow-up results of patients with recurrent HCC treated with regorafenib and discussed the prognostic factors to provide guidance for clinical treatment. METHODS: Ninety-three recurrent HCC patients were enrolled in the research and follow up from December 2017 to December 2020. Clinical and pathological data were collected. SPSS software v26.0 was used (Chicago, IL, USA) for statistical analysis. A two-sided P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The patients included 81 males and 12 females with a median age of 57 years. Eighty-seven patients had hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The objective response rate (ORR) was 14.0%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 62.4%. The median overall survival (mOS) and median time to progression (mTTP) were 15.9 and 5.0 months. Multivariate analysis showed that Child-Pugh classification, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), combined treatment, and the time from first diagnosis of HCC to second-line treatment were independent factors affecting the prognosis of recurrent HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: This real-world study demonstrated similar findings to those of the RESORCE trial. Regorafenib could effectively improve the prognosis of patients after first-line treatment failure. Combination therapy under multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) team guidance could be effective in impeding tumor progression and improving the prognosis of recurrent HCC patients.

Vocal emotion perception in schizophrenia and its diagnostic significance.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive and emotional impairment are among the core features of schizophrenia; assessment of vocal emotion recognition may facilitate the detection of schizophrenia. We explored the differences between cognitive and social aspects of emotion using vocal emotion recognition and detailed clinical characterization. METHODS: Clinical symptoms and social and cognitive functioning were assessed by trained clinical psychiatrists. A vocal emotion perception test, including an assessment of emotion recognition and emotional intensity, was conducted. One-hundred-six patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) and 230 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. RESULTS: Considering emotion recognition, scores for all emotion categories were significantly lower in SCZ compared to HC. Considering emotional intensity, scores for anger, calmness, sadness, and surprise were significantly lower in the SCZs. Vocal recognition patterns showed a trend of unification and simplification in SCZs. A direct correlation was confirmed between vocal recognition impairment and cognition. In diagnostic tests, only the total score of vocal emotion recognition was a reliable index for the presence of schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that patients with schizophrenia are characterized by impaired vocal emotion perception. Furthermore, explicit and implicit vocal emotion perception processing in individuals with schizophrenia are viewed as distinct entities. This study provides a voice recognition tool to facilitate and improve the diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Factors associated with severe corneal endothelial damage following acute primary angle closure in Chinese subjects.

PURPOSE: To investigate the corneal endothelial damage caused by acute primary angle closure (APAC) and related risk factors for severe corneal endothelial cell damage in Chinese subjects. METHODS: In this multicentre retrospective study, 160 Chinese patients (171 eyes) diagnosed with APAC were recruited. Endothelial cell density (ECD) and morphological changes short after APAC were studied. Univariate regression and multivariate regression were used to identify risk factors associated with the extent of ECD reduction, including age, gender, education level, patients' location, systemic diseases, APAC duration (hours), highest recorded intraocular pressure (IOP), and presenting IOP. Factors associated with the probability of severe corneal damage (ECD lower than 1000/mm2) were analysed based on a linear function. RESULTS: After one APAC episode, 12.28% eyes had ECD lower than 1000/mm2, 30.41% had ECD between 1000 and 2000/mm2, and 57.31% had ECD more than 2000/mm2. Attack duration was the only factor associated with severe endothelial damage (p < 0.0001). If the attack were to be subsided within 15.0 h, possibility of ECD lower than 1000/mm2 could be controlled under 1%. CONCLUSION: Shortly after the abortion of APAC, 12.28% patients experienced severe endothelial cell damage with ECD less than 1000/mm2. The only factor associated with severe ECD decrease was attack duration. Immediate and effective treatment is pivotal for preserving corneal endothelial function in APAC patients.

Use of a Linguistically Appropriate Decision Aid for Cervical Cancer Screening of South Asian Ethnic Minority Women in Hong Kong: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Decision aids have been shown to be effective in assisting the decision-making process in healthcare settings. This study aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a linguistically appropriate printed decision aid for cervical cancer screening in South Asian women and to preliminarily estimate its effects on decisional conflicts, clarity of values, risk perception, the screening decision and screening uptake. METHODS: This was a pilot randomised controlled trial. Forty-eight South Asian women aged 25 to 64 years were recruited and allocated to either the intervention group or control group. The participants in the intervention group read a linguistically appropriate printed decision aid. RESULTS: All of the participants in the intervention group agreed that the decision aid was useful in aiding their decision-making. These participants showed significantly greater improvement in decisional conflicts, clarity of values and risk perceptions than those in the control group (all p < 0.05). The screening uptake rate was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The decision aid was feasible and acceptable among South Asian women, and it resulted in reduced decisional conflict and increased screening uptake compared with usual care. To improve the convenience of using decision aids, they could be developed in various forms, such as printed and mobile application forms, to meet individual requirements. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 23 October 2021 (ChiCTR2100052225).

Comparative efficacy and complications of single and dual growing rods for early-onset scoliosis: an updated meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This updated meta-analysis aimed to compare single and dual growing rods, including both traditional growing rod and magnetically controlled growing rod (MCGR) used in the treatment of early-onset scoliosis (EOS) with regard to deformity correction, spinal growth, and complications. METHODS: This meta-analysis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines using articles extracted from PubMed, EMBASE databases, and Cochrane Library databases. Only articles reporting the complications and the imaging parameters before and after growing rods in the patients diagnosed with EOS were included. We extracted and statistically analyzed the data deemed relevant for this study, and used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess the risk of bias in each study. Data synthesis and statistical analyses were performed using R software. RESULTS: Fifteen eligible articles containing 409 participants (n = 185, single growing rods; n = 224, dual growing rods) were identified. The meta-analysis found no significant differences in the preoperative and postoperative major Cobb angle, T1-S1 distance, thoracic kyphosis, and coronal balance between single and dual rods groups. The final follow-up major Cobb angle (P = 0.01; standardized mean difference, - 0.42 [95% confidence interval (CI), - 0.74 to - 0.10]; I2 = 23%) was significantly smaller in dual rods group than single-rod group. However, no significant differences in the correction rate of angle (major Cobb angle and kyphosis angle) and changes in the T1-S1 distance between the two groups were observed. Moreover, there were no significant differences in the metalwork failure, infection, or proximal junctional kyphosis between single and dual rods groups. However, total complications (P = 0.03; risk ratio (RR), 0.79 [95% CI, 0.63-0.98]; I2 = 29%) and distraction failure in MCGR (P = 0.04; RR, 0.38 [95% CI, 0.14-0.98]; I2 = 11%) were significantly lower in dual rods group than single-rod group. CONCLUSION: This updated meta-analysis found that patients with dual growing rods had fewer complications, especially distraction failure in MCGR, than those with single growing rod. However, none of deformity correction, spinal growth, or other complications differed between single and dual growing rods. Therefore, we believe that dual growing rods do not provide strong advantages over single growing rod in the treatment of EOS.

Morphometric change in intervertebral foramen after percutaneous endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy: an in vivo radiographic study based on three-dimensional foramen reconstruction.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to perform in vivo three-dimensional (3D) quantitative measurements of morphometric changes in the foramen in patients with lumbar foraminal stenosis (LFS) undergoing percutaneous endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy (PELF) and investigate the relationship between anatomical changes in the foramen and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with LFS treated with PELF between January 2016 and September 2020 at our centre. Clinical outcomes were evaluated. Foraminal volume (FV) and foraminal minimal area (FMA) were calculated using a novel vertebral and foramen segmentation method. A comparison of the anatomical parameters of the foramen were conducted between the satisfied and unsatisfied groups divided based on the modified MacNab criteria. RESULTS: A total of 26 eligible patients with a mean follow-up of 3.6 years were enrolled. A significant increase was found in overall FV (71.5%) from 1.436 ± 0.396 to 2.464 ± 0.719 cm3 (P < 0.001) and FMA (109.5%) from 0.849 ± 0.207 to 1.780 ± 0.524 cm2. All clinical outcomes were significantly improved (P < 0.001) after PELF. No significant difference was found in changes in neither FV nor FMA between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Clinical results and foraminal dimensions improved significantly after PELF, indicating that PELF was a prominent technique suitable for LFS because of the direct decompression at impingement structures. No relationship was found between morphometric changes and clinical outcomes, revealing that full-scale endoscopic decompression is necessary and adequate for LFS, and unsatisfactory outcomes are less likely to result from decompression procedure.

Immunofluorescence Assay of Ablated Colorectal Liver Metastases: The Frozen Section of Image-Guided Tumor Ablation?

PURPOSE: To validate an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) detecting residual viable tumor (VT) as intraprocedural thermal ablation (TA) zone assessment and demonstrate its prognostic value for local tumor progression (LTP) after colorectal liver metastasis (CLM) TA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study, approved by the institutional review board, included 99 patients with 155 CLMs ablated between November 2009 and January 2019. Tissue samples from the ablation zone (AZ) center and minimal margin underwent immunofluorescent microscopic examination interrogating cellular morphology and mitochondrial viability (IFA) within 30 minutes after ablation. The same tissue samples were subsequently evaluated with standard morphologic and immunohistochemical methods. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of IFA versus standard morphologic and immunohistochemical examination were calculated. The LTP-free survival rates were evaluated for the 12-month follow-up period. RESULTS: Of the 311 tissue samples stained, 304 (98%) were deemed evaluable. Of these specimens, 27% (81/304) were considered positive for the presence of VT. The accuracy of IFA was 94% (286/304). The sensitivity and specificity were 100% (63/63) and 93% (223/241), respectively. The 18 false-positive IFA assessments corresponded to samples that included viable cholangiocytes. The 12-month LTP-free survival was 59% versus 78% for IFA positive versus negative for VT AZs, respectively (P < .001). There was no difference in LTP between margin positive only and central AZ-positive tumors (25% vs 31%, P = 1). CONCLUSIONS: The IFA assessment of the AZ can be completed intraprocedurally and serve as a valid real-time biomarker of complete tumor eradication or detect residual VT after TA. This method could improve tumor control by TA.

IV segment portal vein reconstruction in split-liver transplantation with extended right grafts.

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation is one of the most effective treatments for end-stage liver disease. Split liver transplantation (SLT) can effectively improve the utilization efficiency of grafts. However, split liver transplantation still faces shortcomings and is not widely used in surgery. How to improve the effective transplantation volume of split liver transplantation and promote the postoperative recovery of patients has important clinical significance. METHODS: In our study, the donor's liver was split into the extended right graft and left lateral sector, and the IV segment occur ischemia. To guarantee the functional graft size, and avoid complications, we reconstructed the IV segment portal vein and left portal vein. And we analyzed the operation time, intraoperative bleeding, liver function, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: In our research, 14 patients underwent IV segment portal vein reconstruction, and 8 patients did not undergo vascular reconstruction. We found that the ischemic area of the IV segment decreased significantly after IV segment portal vein reconstruction. We found that there was no significant difference in operation time and postoperative complications between the patients of the groups. There were significant differences in ALT on the 1st day and albumin on the 6th day after the operation. CONCLUSION: It indicates that IV segment reconstruction in SLT surgery can alleviate the graft ischemic and promote the recovery of liver function after the operation. And, IV segment reconstruction as a novel operating procedure may be widely used in SLT.

The effects of smoking on clinical and structural outcomes after rotator cuff repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Several factors have been reported to adversely affect clinical and structural outcomes after rotator cuff repair (RCR). However, the effects of smoking on rotator cuff healing and clinical outcomes remain controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and structural outcomes after RCR between smokers and nonsmokers. We hypothesized that there would be no significant difference in the clinical scores after RCR and that smoking would be associated with a significantly increased risk of retear and reoperation. METHODS: This systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines using the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases. We included only articles in which patients underwent arthroscopic and open RCR, the clinical outcome scores were reported for smokers and nonsmokers, and the number of rotator cuff retears and reoperations were reported. Data relevant to this study were extracted and statistically analyzed. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess the risk of bias in each study and calculated the I2 value to quantify the effect of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Fourteen eligible articles were identified, with 73,817 participants (8553 smokers and 65,264 nonsmokers). The meta-analysis demonstrated that there were no significant differences in the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (P = .10), Simple Shoulder Test score (P = .19), University of California-Los Angeles score (P = .09), or visual analog scale score (P = .19) between smokers and nonsmokers after surgery, but the Constant score was significantly lower (P = .005) for smokers. Smoking was significantly associated with an increased risk of retear (P = .002; risk ratio, 2.06 [95% confidence interval, 1.30-3.28]; I2 = 31%) and reoperation (P < .001; risk ratio, 1.29 [95% confidence interval, 1.20-1.40]; I2 = 36%) in patients after RCR. CONCLUSION: Besides the Constant score, which was lower in smokers, there were no significant differences in the clinical scores after RCR between smokers and nonsmokers. However, smoking was associated with a significantly increased risk of retear and reoperation.

Radiographic adjacent segment degeneration and risk factors for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures treated with percutaneous kyphoplasty.

PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to clarify whether osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) following percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) was associated with a high risk for radiographic adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) and to identify the risk factors for radiographic ASD in these individuals. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with OVCFs who underwent PKP at our institution between November 2015 and January 2021. The incidence of radiographic ASD was calculated and specific subgroups of ASD were identified. Univariate and multivariate analyses of demographic, clinical baseline, and radiologic data were performed to identify risk factors associated with radiographic ASD. RESULTS: With a mean follow-up time of 27.3 months, a total of 95 eligible patients were enrolled. The incidence of radiographic ASD distinguished from natural degeneration was 52.6%. Patients with OVCFs who underwent PKP had a high risk of developing radiographic ASD, particularly disc degeneration. Intradiscal cement leakage (odds ratio [OR], 5.706; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.039-15.970; P = 0.001) and preoperative disc height (OR, 0.681; 95% CI, 0.518-0.895; P = 0.006) were identified as independent risk factors. CONCLUSION: Patients with OVCFs who underwent PKP were more likely to develop radiographic ASD, and their progression was distinguished from natural degeneration. Disc degeneration was the most common type of degeneration. Intradiscal cement leakage and preoperative disc height were identified as independent risk factors for developing radiographic ASD in these patients. Further validation through prospective multicenter studies is required.

Clinically significant genomic alterations in the Chinese and Western patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study is to disclose the clinically significant genomic alterations in the Chinese and Western patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: A total of 86 Chinese patients were enrolled in this study. A panel of 579 pan-cancer genes was sequenced for the qualified samples from these patients. Driver genes, actionability, and tumor mutational burden were inferred and compared to a cohort of Western patients. RESULTS: Totally, 36 and 12 driver genes were identified in the Chinese and Western cohorts, respectively. Of them, seven driver genes (IDH1, KRAS, TP53, BAP1, PBRM1, ARID1A, and NRAS) were shared by the two cohorts. Four driver genes (SPTA1, ARID2, TP53, and GATA1) were found significantly correlated with the tumor mutational burden. For both cohorts, half of the patients had actionable mutations. The two cohorts shared the most actionable genes but differed much in their frequency. Though KRAS mutations were at the first and second actionable rank respectively for the Chinese and Western populations, they were still at a relatively low level of actionable evidence. CONCLUSIONS: The study on the clinical significance of genomic alterations directs the future development of precision medicine for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma treatment.

Forkhead domain inhibitory-6 attenuates subconjunctival fibrosis in rabbit model with trabeculectomy.

Antiproliferative therapies are crucially important for improving the success rate of the glaucoma filtration surgeries. In this study, we investigated the potential efficacy of Forkhead Domain Inhibitory-6 (FDI-6) in inhibiting post-trabeculectomy subconjunctival fibrosis. In vitro, the effect of FDI-6 (10 µM) on fibrotic response and its underlying mechanism were investigated in rabbit tenon's fibroblasts (RTFs) treated with or without transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1, 20 ng/mL). In vivo, FDI-6 (40 µM) was injected subconjunctivally to a rabbit trabeculectomy model. Intraocular pressure (IOP) changes were monitored within the 14-day period post-surgery. Bleb morphology and subepithelial fibrosis at the operating area were evaluated with slit lamp and confocal microscopic examinations and with histologic examinations. The results showed that, in cell culture studies, FDI-6 suppressed the proliferation, migration, collagen gel contraction and the expression levels of fibronectin (FN) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in RTFs with TGF-ß treatment by down-regulating the TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway. In animal studies, the IOPs of the FDI-6-treated group were significantly lower than those of the saline-treated group after trabeculectomy. The FDI-6-treated eyes showed a better bleb appearance with fewer blood vessels compared to the saline-treated eyes. The analysis of confocal microscopy in vivo and histopathology revealed that subconjunctival fibrosis after trabeculectomy was significantly attenuated in the FDI-6-treated group compared to the controls. In conclusion, our studies indicate that FDI-6 exerts an inhibitory effect on subconjunctival fibrosis caused by trabeculectomy, holding potentials as a new antiproliferative agent used in anti-glaucoma filtration surgeries in the future.

Correlation Analysis of Pleural Effusion and Lung Infection After Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to probe the association of pleural effusion with lung infection in patients with liver transplantation and to provide a theoretical foundation for preventing, diagnosing, and remedying pulmonary complications after liver transplantation. METHODS: Our team harvested clinical data of patients undergoing orthotopic allogeneic liver transplantation complicated with pleural effusion after surgery in our institution from May 2018 to July 2019. Based on whether puncture drainage was needed, patients were allocated to either control group or observation group. The differences in pleural effusion depth, lung function, lung infection, serum inflammatory factor levels and 6-month survival before and after surgery were compared. Finally, ROC curves were constructed for dissecting the correlation of pleural effusion with lung infection. RESULTS: On day 3 after surgery, (1) pleural effusion depth of the observation group was 5.70 ± 1.20 cm, which was saliently greater than that of control group (p < 0.05); (2) in comparison to control group, lung function indexes FVC, FEV1.0, MVV, and PaO2 of observation group declined (all p < 0.05); (3) sputum culture evinced that the lung infection rates of the control group and observation group were 17.24% and 71.70%, respectively, and the observation group harbored brilliantly higher infection rate (p < 0.05); (4) in comparison to the control group, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in observation group were increased (p < 0.05); (5) AUC of pleural effusion depth and lung infection was 0.849, 0.805, and 0.853, respectively on days 1, 2, and 3 after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: A positive correlation existed between pleural effusion and lung infection after liver transplantation. When patients have persistent pleural effusion, the incidence of lung infection should be prevented and reduced.

What is the impact of scoliotic correction on postoperative shoulder imbalance in severe and rigid scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: Although recent studies have investigated the risk factors for PSI, few studies have focused on the impact of scoliotic correction on postoperative shoulder imbalance (PSI), especially in severe and rigid scoliosis (SRS). The purpose of the study was to study the effect of scoliotic correction on PSI in SRS. METHODS: The preoperative, postoperative, and minimum 2-year follow-up radiographs of 48 consecutive patients with SRS who underwent posterior spinal fusion surgery were evaluated. We regarded radiographic shoulder height (RSH) as a shoulder balance parameter and divided the patients into improved and aggravated groups of PSI from pre- to post-operation and from post-operation to last follow-up, respectively. In addition, patients were divided into nine groups based on the observed changes in PSI after surgery and at follow-up, and the correction rate ratios were calculated among the groups. Independent samples T test and Chi-squared test were performed between the improved and aggravated groups of PSI. RESULTS: After surgery, the proximal thoracic curve (PTC) flexibility (P = 0.040), correction rate of the main thoracic curve (MTC) (P = 0.010), and Cobb angle of the lumbar curve (LC) (P = 0.037) were significantly higher, while the ratio of the correction rate of the PTC to the MTC (P = 0.042) was smaller in the aggravated group. At follow-up, the improved group had significantly larger PTC flexibility (P = 0.006), larger ratio of the correction rate of PTC to MTC (P = 0.046), a larger ratio correction rate of PTC to LC (P = 0.027), and a smaller correction rate of LC (P = 0.030). The correction rate ratios of the groups after surgery were as follows: negative to negative (N-N) (1.08) > negative to balance (N-B) (0.96) > negative to positive (N-P) (0.67), B-N (1.26) > B-B (0.94) > B-P (0.89), and P-N (0.34) > P-P (0.83). The order of the correction rate ratio at follow-up was as follows: N-N (0.96) > N-B (0.51), B-B (0.97) > B-P (0.90), and P-B (0.87) > P-P (0.84). CONCLUSION: Harmonizing the correction rate ratio of the PTC, MTC, and LC should be recommended for intraoperative correction and postoperative compensation of PSI. In addition, greater PTC flexibility plays an important role in the spontaneous correction and compensation of PSI in SRS.

What is the impact of knee morphology on posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture in men and women: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Several studies on the relationship between morphological parameters and traumatic diseases of the knee have already been conducted. However, few studies focused on the association between knee morphology and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) avulsion fracture in adults. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of knee morphology on PCL avulsion fracture. METHODS: 76 patients (comprised 40 men and 36 women) with PCL avulsion fracture and 76 age- and sex-matched controls without PCL avulsion fracture were studied from 2012 to 2020. MRI measurements of the knee were acquired in the sagittal, coronal, and axial planes. The assessed measurements including intercondylar notch width index, coronal tibial slope, and medial/lateral posterior tibial slopes were compared between men and women, and between case and control groups respectively using independent sample t-tests. In addition, binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors of PCL avulsion fracture. RESULTS: Except notch width index (coronal) (p = 0.003) in the case groups, there was no statistical difference in the assessed measurements including notch width index (axial), coronal tibial slope, medial posterior tibial slope, and lateral posterior tibial slope between men and women in the case and control groups (p > 0.05). When female patients were analyzed, the notch width index (coronal) was significantly smaller (p = 0.0004), the medial posterior tibial slope (p = 0.018) and the lateral posterior tibial slope (p = 0.033) were significantly higher in the case group. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that the notch width index (coronal) (B = -0.347, OR = 0.707, p = 0.003) was found to be an independent factor of PCL avulsion fracture. However, none of the assessed measurements was found to have a statistical difference between the case and control groups in men (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Notch width index (coronal), medial posterior tibial slope, and lateral posterior tibial slope were found to affect PCL avulsion fracture in women, but no such measurements affected the PCL avulsion fracture in men. Furthermore, a smaller notch width index (coronal) in women was found to be a risk factor in PCL avulsion fracture.

Complications and risk factors of percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.

BACKGROUND: With the advancements in surgical methods, optical designs, and surgical instruments, percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy (PETD) has become an effective and minimally invasive procedure to treat lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) in recent years. Few studies have focused on the complications associated with the treatment of LSS using percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD). This study aimed to summarize the complications of PETD and identify the associated risk factors. METHODS: Complications in a total of 738 consecutive LSS patients who underwent single-level PETD were retrospectively recorded and analyzed between January 2016 and July 2020. In addition, a matched case-control study was designed, and according to the date of operation, the control group was matched with patients without complications, with a matching ratio of 1:3. Demographic parameters included age, sex, BMI, smoking and drinking status, comorbidity, and surgical level. The radiological parameters included grade of surgical-level disc degeneration, number of degenerative lumbar discs, grade of lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative lumbar scoliosis, lumbar lordosis, disc angle, and disc height index. Univariate analysis was performed using independent samples t-test and chi-squared test. RESULTS: The incidence of different types of complications was 9.76% (72/738). The complications and occurrence rates were as follows: recurrence of LSS (rLSS), 2.30% (17/738); persistent lumbosacral or lower extremity pain, 3.79% (28/738); dural tear, 1.90% (14/738); incomplete decompression, 0.81% (6/738); surgical site infection, 0.41% (3/738); epidural hematoma, 0.27% (2/738); and intraoperative posterior neck pain, 0.27% (2/738). Univariate analysis demonstrated that age, the grade of surgical-level disc degeneration (P < 0.001) and the number of disc degeneration levels (P = 0.004) were significantly related to the complications. CONCLUSION: Complications in the treatment of LSS using PELD included rLSS, persistent pain of the lumbosacral or lower extremity, dural tear, incomplete decompression, surgical site infection, epidural hematoma, and intraoperative posterior neck pain. In addition, old age, severe grade of surgical-level disc degeneration and more disc degeneration levels significantly increased the incidence of complications.

Compositional and drug-resistance profiling of pathogens in patients with severe acute pancreatitis: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Infection is one of the important causes of death in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), but the bacterial spectrum and antibiotic resistance are constantly changing. Making good use of antibiotics and controlling multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections are of vital importance in improving the cure rate of SAP. We conducted a retrospective study in the hope of providing references for antibiotic selection and control of drug-resistant bacteria. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on the data of patients hospitalized in our hospital due to acute pancreatitis (AP) in the past 5 years. General data were classified and statistically analyzed. Subsequently, the bacterial spectrum characteristics and the data related to drug-resistant bacterial infection of 569 AP patients were analyzed. Finally, unconditional logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the risk factors of MDR infection. RESULTS: A total of 398 patients were enrolled in this study and the hospitalization data and associated results were analyzed. A total of 461 strains of pathogenic bacteria were detected, including 223 (48.4%) gram-negative bacterial strains, 190 (41.2%) gram-positive bacterial strains and 48 (10.4%) fungal strains. The detection rates of resistance in gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial strains were 48.0% (107/223) and 25.3% (48/190), respectively. There were significant differences between the MDR group and the non-MDR group for the factors of precautionary antibiotic use, kinds of antibiotics used, receipt of carbapenem, tracheal intubation, hemofiltration and number of hospitalization days in the intensive care unit. Unconditional logistic regression revealed 2 risk factors for MDR bacterial infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our results illustrate that gram-negative bacteria were the most common pathogens in SAP infection, and the proportion of gram-positive bacteria increased notably. The rate of antibiotic resistance was higher than previously reported. Unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that using more types of antibiotics and the number of hospitalization days in the ICU were the risk factors associated with MDR bacterial infection.