Impact of partial pressure of arterial oxygen and radiologic findings on postoperative acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia in patients with lung cancer.

PURPOSE: To establish accurate diagnostic criteria and predictors of treatment response for postoperative acute exacerbation (AE) in patients with lung cancer and idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). METHODS: Among 93 patients with IIP who underwent surgery for lung cancer, suspected postoperative AE developed in 20 (21.5%). Patients were divided into a progressive AE group, comprising patients with bilateral alveolar opacities and decreasing PaO2 ≥ 10 mmHg (n = 5); an incipient AE group, comprising patients with unilateral alveolar opacities and decreasing PaO2 ≥ 10 mmHg (n = 10); and an indeterminate AE group, comprising patients with alveolar opacities but decreasing PaO2 < 10 mmHg (n = 5). RESULTS: The progressive AE group had significantly higher 90-day mortality (80%) than the incipient AE group (10%, P = 0.017) or the indeterminate AE group (0%, P = 0.048). Bilateral opacities may indicate advanced AE and poor prognosis, whereas unilateral opacities may indicate an early stage of AE and a good prognosis. PaO2 < 10 mmHg may indicate conditions other than AE. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with lung cancer and IIP, decreasing PaO2 and HRCT findings may allow for the initiation of rapid and accurate treatment strategies for postoperative AE.

Fracture risks and their mechanisms in atopic dermatitis, focusing on receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand.

Recent multiple studies have shown that the long-term consequences of atopic dermatitis (AD) include an increased risk of osteoporosis and fracture, especially an increase in hip, pelvic, spinal and wrist fractures. AD is very common worldwide, and some kinds of fractures, such as hip fractures, are associated with increased mortality, which has a substantial socioeconomic impact; however, the precise mechanisms for this remain unclear. Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β (RANK) ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are members of the tumour necrosis factor ligand and receptor family, members of which also are known as bone biomarkers. Alterations in the RANKL/RANK/OPG system and the balance among these factors (represented by the RANKL/OPG ratio) are central to the pathogenesis of bone loss from osteoporosis, and it is postulated that there is a potential association between the serum levels of RANKL and OPG, and bone density or fracture. Recently, our research group demonstrated that the serum RANKL/OPG ratio positively correlated with AD severity and suggests fracture risk in older women with AD. This review summarizes and discusses the risk and mechanisms of osteoporotic fracture in AD. RANKL may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD, regarding not only bone abnormality but also inflammation. Although further investigation will be needed to verify the hypotheses, recent findings may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of AD and therapeutic targets.

Effect of posterior decompression with and without fixation on a kyphotic cervical spine with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.

STUDY DESIGN: Biomechanical study. OBJECTIVE: Cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (C-OPLL) causes myelopathy. Though posterior decompression for C-OPLL showed positive results, poor outcomes were seen in patients with a kyphotic alignment. Posterior decompression with fusion (PDF) tends to show better results compared to posterior decompression. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of the posterior procedures for C-OPLL. SETTING: Yamaguchi University. METHODS: Based on 3D finite element C2-C7 spine created from medical images and a spinal cord, the following compression models were created: the intact model, K-line 0 mm model, and K-line 2 mm model. These models were used to analyze the effects of posterior decompression with varied lengths of fixation. The stress of the spinal cord was calculated for intact, K-line 0 mm, and K-line 2 mm as preoperative models, and laminectomy (LN)-K-line 0 mm, PDF (C4-C5)-K-line 0 mm, PDF (C3-C6)-K-line 0 mm, LN-K-line 2 mm, PDF (C4-C5)-K-line 2 mm, and PDF (C3-C6)-K-line 2 mm model as operative models in a neutral, flexion, and extension. RESULTS: As the compression increased, stress on the spinal cord increased compared to the intact model. In the neutral, posterior decompression decreased the stress of the spinal cord. However, in flexion and extension, the stress on the spinal cord for LN-K-line 0 or 2 mm, PDF (C4-C5)-K-line 0 or 2 mm, and PDF (C3-C6)-K-line 0 or 2 mm models decreased by more than 40%, 43%, and 70% respectively compared to the K-line 0 or 2 mm model. CONCLUSIONS: In kyphotic C-OPLL, it is essential to control intervertebral mobility in the posterior approach.

Forgotten joint score is worse when the affected leg perceived longer than shorter after total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: One of the causes of patient dissatisfaction after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is leg length discrepancy (LLD). Even when radiographic LLD (R-LLD) is within 5 mm, some people perceive the affected side to be longer, while others perceive it is shorter. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived LLD (P-LLD), R-LLD, and Forgotten Joint Score (FJS-12) after THA. METHODS: A retrospective study of 164 patients with unilateral hip disease was conducted. Based on P-LLD after THA, they were classified into three categories: perceived short (PS 21 patients), no LLD (PN 121 patients), and perceived long (PL 22 patients). On the other hand, based on R-LLD after THA, they were divided into < - 5 mm (RS 36 patients), - 5 mm ≤ x < 5 mm (RN 99 patients), and 5 mm ≥ (RL 29 patients), respectively. The proportion of P-LLD in the RN group was also evaluated. In each group, the relationship between P-LLD, R-LLD and FJS-12 was investigated. RESULTS: After THA, the PL group had significantly worse FJS-12 (PS: 68.3 ± 26.2, PN: 75.0 ± 20.9, PL: 47.3 ± 25.2, P < .0001). In the R-LLD evaluation, there was no difference in FJS-12 among the three groups (RS: 73.7 ± 21.1, RN: 70.0 ± 24.5, RL: 67.7 ± 25.4, P < .53). The RN group perceived leg length to be longer (RN-PL) in 12.1% of cases, and the RN-PL groups had significantly worse FJS-12 (RN-PS: 65.4 ± 24.8, RN-PN: 73.8 ± 23.1, RN-PL: 41.8 ± 27.6, P < .0001). CONCLUSION: One year after THA, patients with longer P-LLD had worse FJS-12, even if the R-LLD was less than 5 mm.

Evaluation of the reproducibility of preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography planning for posterolateral approach total hip arthroplasty.

The anteversion of the stem is occasionally intentionally changed by the surgeon for patients with smaller femoral neck anteversion during total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the reproducibility of preoperative planning with increasing anteversion has been rarely assessed. The present study investigated it using two types of stems. This retrospective study included patients who underwent primary posterolateral THA using taper-wedge (TS group; 73 hips) and anatomical (AS group; 70 hips) stems. Characteristics of sex and age were matched in the two groups by propensity score matching. In both groups, the relationship between the preoperative three-dimensional planning and postoperative stem position, and the relationship between postoperative stem position and femoral neck anteversion (FNA) were evaluated. In the TS group, there were no significant differences in average stem anteversion (SA) between preoperative planning and postoperative placement (36.1° ± 7.0° and 36.6° ± 11.1°, respectively: p = 0.651). The absolute error of SA was 8.1° ± 6.4°. In the AS group, the postoperative SA was significantly smaller than the preoperative planning SA (22.7° ± 11.6° and 30.0° ± 9.3°, respectively: p < 0.001). The absolute error of SA was 9.0° ± 5.8°. The postoperative SA was significantly larger than the FNA in the TS group (36.6° ± 11.1° and 26.3° ± 10.9°, respectively: p < 0.001). However, no significant differences between the two were observed in the AS group (23.7° ± 10.1° and 22.7° ± 11.6°, respectively: p = 0.253). The preoperative planning of intentional increasing anteversion did not show high reproducibility with taper-wedge and anatomical stems. The anatomical stem was placed according to the femoral medullary canal regardless of preoperative planning with increased SA.

Tumor size exceeding 5 cm as a valid prognostic factor in all stages of thymic epithelial tumors.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the prognostic factors of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) to identify patients who require multidisciplinary treatment and improve the TET prognosis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 268 TET patients. Prognostic variables for the overall survival (OS) were analyzed in all TET stages (n = 268), and the recurrence-free survival (RFS) was analyzed in patients who achieved complete resection (n = 164). RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 7 years; thymic carcinomas (TCs) and advanced stages of tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) classification had the worse prognosis according to a Kaplan-Meier analysis. The cut-off value of the tumor size to predict the OS and RFS was determined using modified Harrell's c-index calculated by a Cox regression analysis of the OS. Regarding the OS, a multivariate analysis revealed that age > 70 years old (p = 0.011), tumor size > 5 cm (p < 0.001), and TCs (p = 0.002) were significant prognostic factors aside from the TNM stage (p < 0.001). Regarding the RFS, tumor size > 5 cm was the only significant prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.002) aside from the TNM stage (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor size > 5 cm was shown to be a prognostic predictor in addition to the WHO and TNM classifications. Therefore, multidisciplinary treatment should be developed for TET patients with poor prognostic factors, specifically tumor size.

Accuracy of cup placement using computed tomography-based navigation system in total hip arthroplasty through the direct anterior approach.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to elucidate the accuracy of cup placement with the computed tomography (CT)-based navigation system (CTN) in the direct anterior approach (DAA)-total hip arthroplasty (THA) in the supine position compared with the mechanical cup alignment guide (MG) or the fluoroscopy (FS). METHODS: A total of 171 hips of 156 patients undergone primary THA were classified into the following three groups (the MG group: 63 hips, the FS group: 58 hips, the CTN group: 50 hips). Comparing the preoperative planning with postoperative CT measurement by three-dimensional templating software, the accuracy of cup placement was investigated in the three groups. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the mean absolute error of radiographic inclination (RI) between the MG group (4.4° ± 3.2°) and the CTN group (2.8° ± 2.5°) (p = 0.01). The mean absolute error of radiographic anteversion (RA) also showed significant differences between the CTN group (2.8° ± 1.9°) and the MG group (5.8° ± 4.7°) (p = 0.0001) or the FS group (4.8° ± 4.1°) (p = 0.02). Regarding the cup center position, the mean absolute error of vertical position from preoperative planning was the smallest in the CTN group (1.8 ± 1.4 mm) compared with those in other groups (MG: 3.3 ± 3.2 mm, p = 0.007, FS: 3.2 ± 3.0 mm, p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: The CTN guarantees accurate cup placement in the DAA-THA in the supine position compared with the MG and FS groups.

Oncological and functional outcomes of planned and unplanned excision of soft tissue sarcoma: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: In soft tissue sarcomas, the oncological and functional outcomes between planned excision and unplanned excision with additional wide resection remains controversial. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of unplanned excision on oncological and functional outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective single-center study was performed. Patients with soft tissue sarcoma surgically treated in 2005-2019 were included in this study. A total of 120 patients consisting of planned excision (PE) group (n = 88), and unplanned excision (UE) group (n = 32) were included. Overall-survival (OS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), metastasis-free survival (MFS), disease-free survival (DFS), incidence rate of reconstructive surgery and musculoskeletal tumor society (MSTS) score were assessed. Propensity score matching method was used in statistical analysis. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rate of OS, LRFS, MFS, and DFS did not differ between the PE and UE groups, however, rates of reconstructive surgery were higher in the UE group (PE: 48% vs. UE: 84%, p < 0.001). These results did not differ (PE: 41% vs. UE: 82%, p = 0.012) after propensity score matching was performed to align the backgrounds with difference in tumor size and depth. For MSTS score, the total score and "pain" and "emotional acceptance" scores were higher in the PE group before propensity score matching. The "pain" and "emotional acceptance" scores were higher in the PE group after propensity score matching also. CONCLUSIONS: Unplanned excision did not deteriorate oncological outcomes, however unplanned excision lead to unnecessary reconstructive surgery. Unplanned excision adversely affected patient-reported outcomes without worsening pure functional outcomes.

Factors associated with improvement in tibialis anterior weakness due to lumbar degenerative disease.

BACKGROUND: The weakness of the tibialis anterior remains to be a controversial topic. There has been no study that used electrophysiological assessment of the function of the lumbar and sacral peripheral motor nerves. The aim is to evaluate surgical outcomes in patients with weakness of the tibialis anterior using neurological and electrophysiological assessments. METHODS: We enrolled 53 patients. Tibialis anterior weakness was quantified by muscle strength, as assessed using a manual muscle test on a scale of 1 through 5, with scores <5 indicating weakness. Postoperative improvement in muscle strength was classified as excellent (5 grades recovered), good (more than one grade recovered), or fair (less than one grade recovered). RESULTS: Surgical outcomes for tibialis anterior function were categorized as "excellent" in 31, "good" in 8, "fair" in 14 patients. Significant difference in outcomes were observed depending on diabetes mellitus status, type of surgery, and the compound muscle action potentials amplitudes of the abductor hallucis and extensor digitorum brevis (p < 0.05). Surgical outcomes were classified into two groups, patients with excellent and good outcomes (Group 1) and patients with fair outcome (Group 2). Using the forward selection stepwise method, sex and the compound muscle action potentials amplitudes of the extensor digitorum brevis were identified as significant factors for their positive association with Group 1 status. The diagnostic power of the predicted probability was as high as 0.87 in terms of area under curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant correlation between the prognosis of tibialis anterior weakness and sex and the compound muscle action potentials amplitude of extensor digitorum brevis, suggesting that recording the compound muscle action potentials amplitude of extensor digitorum brevis will aid the outcome assessment of future surgical interventions for tibialis anterior weakness.

Current Concepts of Biomaterial Scaffolds and Regenerative Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a catastrophic condition associated with significant neurological deficit and social and financial burdens. It is currently being managed symptomatically, with no real therapeutic strategies available. In recent years, a number of innovative regenerative strategies have emerged and have been continuously investigated in preclinical research and clinical trials. In the near future, several more are expected to come down the translational pipeline. Among ongoing and completed trials are those reporting the use of biomaterial scaffolds. The advancements in biomaterial technology, combined with stem cell therapy or other regenerative therapy, can now accelerate the progress of promising novel therapeutic strategies from bench to bedside. Various types of approaches to regeneration therapy for SCI have been combined with the use of supportive biomaterial scaffolds as a drug and cell delivery system to facilitate favorable cell-material interactions and the supportive effect of neuroprotection. In this review, we summarize some of the most recent insights of preclinical and clinical studies using biomaterial scaffolds in regenerative therapy for SCI and summarized the biomaterial strategies for treatment with simplified results data. One hundred and sixty-eight articles were selected in the present review, in which we focused on biomaterial scaffolds. We conducted our search of articles using PubMed and Medline, a medical database. We used a combination of "Spinal cord injury" and ["Biomaterial", or "Scaffold"] as search terms and searched articles published up until 30 April 2022. Successful future therapies will require these biomaterial scaffolds and other synergistic approaches to address the persistent barriers to regeneration, including glial scarring, the loss of a structural framework, and biocompatibility. This database could serve as a benchmark to progress in future clinical trials for SCI using biomaterial scaffolds.

Comparing inter- and intraobserver reliability between two-dimensional and three-dimensional measurements in the tibial component position of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

In unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA), the tibial component has a small coronal plane width, the tibia and tibial component rotations are mismatched, and the large tibial component posterior tilt may make accurate measurements of component positions difficult in radiography. The study aimed to assess the intra- and interobserver reliabilities of radiographic (2D) and 3D computed tomography (3D-CT) measurements and to determine the minimum detectable change (95% confidence level, MDC95) in the tibial component position measurements in UKA. The study included 23 females and 7 males. Two surgeons measured the tibial component position. Intraclass and interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to obtain reliability, and Bland-Altman analysis was performed to assess systematic errors. The MDC95 was calculated according to MDC95 = standard error of measurement × 1.96 × âˆš2. In the 2D and 3D- CT measurements, intraobserver reliability for coronal and sagittal positions of the tibial component were sufficiently reliable, where ICCs were >0.8. In the coronal plane, the ICCs for interobserver reliability were lower in 2D (ICC, 0.5-0.7) than in 3D-CT (ICC > 0.9). Bland-Altman plots showed systematic bias in sagittal alignment in the 2D assessment. In the 3D assessment of intra- and interobserver reliability, the MDC95 of the coronal, sagittal, and axial planes was <2°. In the 2D intra- and interobserver reliability, the MDC95 of the coronal and sagittal planes was >2°. The 2D measurement had a risk of misidentifying the tibial component position in UKA.

[Surgical Technique and Prognosis of Limited Resection in High-risk Patients with Primary Lung Cancer].

OBJECTIVES: To identify adaptations of limited resection for poor-risk patients with primary lung cancer and the efficacy of ensuring an adequate surgical margin. METHODS: A total of 139 poor-risk patients who underwent limited resection for their primary lung cancer in our institution between 2005 and 2020 were included. The efficacy of ensuring a surgical margin was determined by analyzing the rate of recurrence, and the prognosis was analyzed via the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Wedge resection was performed for 105 patients, and segmentectomy was performed for 34 patients. Recurrence was observed in 29 (20.8%) patients, while stump recurrence was observed in only 4( 3.8%) patients with wedge resection. The median surgical margin was 15 mm, which was equal to the median tumor size, and all histopathological margins were negative. An analysis of the 68 patients excluding those with multiple lung cancer showed that the pathological stage was not related to the prognosis. Surgical death and severe complications were not observed, and only 3 patients died of lung cancer during the observational period of 3.4 years. CONCLUSIONS: Limited resection improves the patient's prognosis and ensures an adequate surgical margin to control recurrence.

[Validity of Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery for Thymoma].

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the validity of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for thymoma, including myasthenia gravis( MG). METHODS: A total of 20 patients who underwent VATS for thymoma at our institution between 2011 and 2019 were included in the study. Preoperative complications and prognosis were analyzed to detect the safety and efficiency of VATS thymectomy. MG improvement after VATS extended thymectomy was evaluated using a quantitative myasthenia gravis score( QMGS) and Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America post-intervention status( MGFA-PIS). RESULTS: The median tumor size was 2.6 cm (range, 1.0-8.0 cm). All thymomas were classified as TNM stageⅠ. Two patients had type A thymoma, five had type AB, six had type B1, six had type B2, and one had type B3. Postoperative complications were only observed in one patient with pneumonia. The median follow-up period was 5.1 years;no recurrence and disease-related deaths were observed. However, three patients died of other diseases. In patients with MG, postoperative crisis was not observed, and the symptoms improved in all the patients as evaluated by QMGS and MGFA-PIS. CONCLUSIONS: VATS thymectomy and VATS extended thymectomy for patients with thymoma may be effective methods to improve not only prognosis but also MG, provided the range of resections are comparable to that of conventional open surgery.

Thromboembolism and bleeding in patients with autoimmune blistering disease.

The prevention and early detection of venous thromboembolism (VTE), including pulmonary embolism (PE), is essential in daily medical practice. We previously reported the risk of VTE in patients with autoimmune blistering disease (AIBD). We have also experienced multiple cases of pemphigus or pemphigoid that developed severe complications related to abnormal blood coagulation other than VTE. This study summarizes and discusses those cases. Nine patients with AIBD developed thromboembolism and/or bleeding; these included (some patients overlapped) six patients with VTE, including five patients with PE; three patients with severe bleeding; one patient with sudden critical limb ischaemia resulting in thigh amputation; and one patient with cerebral infarction. Although five patients developed PE, only one had apparent respiratory symptoms with PE, and a second developed severe bleeding during the treatment for PE. Clinicians should be aware of the systemic complications related to abnormal blood coagulation when treating patients with AIBD.

Thrombotic microangiopathy with transiently positive direct Coombs test in an adult with poststreptococcal acute glomerulonephritis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: To date, a few case reports have described the association between poststreptococcal acute glomerulonephritis (PSAGN) and hemolytic anemia/thrombocytopenia, both with or without a pathology similar to that of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). However, the detailed mechanism leading to the complication of TMA in PSAGN patients remains to be clarified. In contrast, infection with neuraminidase-producing Streptococcus pneumoniae is a well-known cause of TMA, and it has been reported that transient positivity of the direct Coombs test is observed in up to 90% of such patients. CASE PRESENTATION: A 44-year-old man was hospitalized for acute nephritic syndrome 3 weeks after developing pharyngitis. PSAGN was suspected owing to a low complement C3, increased antistreptolysin-O and serum creatinine (5.46 mg/dL), and hematuria/proteinuria. The throat antigen test for group A Streptococcus was positive. He developed hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia from hospital day 9. TMA was suspected owing to minimal coagulation abnormalities. ADAMTS-13 activity was normal, whereas the direct Coombs test was transiently positive. Renal biopsy demonstrated glomerular endocapillary proliferation without crescents, but with severe tubulitis and peritubular capillaritis on light microscopy. Immunofluorescence demonstrated C3 deposition along the glomerular capillary walls, and many subepithelial humps were observed on electron microscopy. The deposition of nephritis-associated plasmin receptor (NAPlr), a nephritogenic protein of Streptococcus pyogenes, was observed only in glomeruli. Thus, the histological diagnosis was typical PSAGN, but with atypical severe tubulointerstitial lesions. A positive direct Coombs test is often observed in pneumococcal TMA patients, which is attributed to the exposure of Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antigen by neuraminidase. As Streptococcus pyogenes is one of the neuraminidase-producing bacteria other than Streptococcus pneumoniae, T-antigen exposure was analyzed in the renal tissue of this patient using labelled peanut lectin as a probe, which has strong and specific binding affinity for T-antigen. Exposure of T-antigen was found on tubular epithelial cells and small vessels in the tubulointerstitial area, but not in the glomeruli of this patient. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that 2 pathogenic proteins of Streptococcus pyogenes, i.e., NAPlr and neuraminidase, induced glomerular lesions of PSAGN and tubulointerstitial inflammation with TMA, respectively, resulting in severe acute kidney injury in this patient.

The 2021 Association Research Circulation Osseous Classification for Early-Stage Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head to Computed Tomography-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: The Association Research Circulation Osseous developed a novel classification for early-stage (precollapse) osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). We hypothesized that the novel classification is more reliable and valid when compared to previous 3 classifications: Steinberg, modified Kerboul, and Japanese Investigation Committee classifications. METHODS: In the novel classification, necrotic lesions were classified into 3 types: type 1 is a small lesion, where the lateral necrotic margin is medial to the femoral head apex; type 2 is a medium-sized lesion, with the lateral necrotic margin being between the femoral head apex and the lateral acetabular edge; and type 3 is a large lesion, which extends outside the lateral acetabular edge. In a derivation cohort of 40 early-stage osteonecrotic hips based on computed tomography imaging, reliabilities were evaluated using kappa coefficients, and validities to predict future femoral head collapse by chi-squared tests and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. The predictability for future collapse was also evaluated in a validation cohort of 104 early-stage ONFH. RESULTS: In the derivation cohort, interobserver reliability (k = 0.545) and intraobserver agreement (63%-100%) of the novel method were higher than the other 3 classifications. The novel classification system was best able to predict future collapse (P < .05) and had the best discrimination between non-progressors and progressors in both the derivation cohort (area under the curve = 0.692 [0.522-0.863], P < .05) and the validation cohort (area under the curve = 0.742 [0.644-0.841], P = 2.46 × 10-5). CONCLUSION: This novel classification is a highly reliable and valid method of those examined. Association Research Circulation Osseous recommends using this method as a unified classification for early-stage ONFH. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, diagnostic study.

The reference intervals of intraoperative posterior tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials.

BACKGROUND: A reference interval exists for posterior tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (PTN-SEPs) in awake. However, the reference interval for intraoperative- PTN-SEPs (I-PTN-SEPs) remains unclear. As a substitute for PTN-SEPs in awake, we considered I-PTN-SEPs can provide functional information about the dorsal somatosensory system. No report evaluated the physiologic and analytical issues in the measurement of I-PTN-SEPs. We investigated the sources of variation and reference intervals for I-PTN-SEPs. METHODS: We studied 143 patients with unilateral radiculopathy and without neurologic deficit who underwent surgery. Stimulation was delivered to the PTN at the ankle. The scalp recording electrode was placed at the Cz with a reference electrode located on the forehead at the Fz. SEPs were recorded from patients during electrical stimulation of the I-PTN. RESULTS: P1 and N1 latencies showed significant positive linear correlations with age (P1 latency = 36.52 + 0.0814 × age, P = 0.00003; N1 latency = 46.21 + 0.081 × age, P = 0.00022), and body height (P1 latency = 16.94 + 14.91 × body height, P = 0.00000; N1 latency = 25.42 + 15.64 × body height, P = 0.00002). In contrast, I-PTN-SEPs amplitude showed no correlation with age or body height. The 95% confidence interval for I-PTN-SEPs amplitude, or the reference interval, was determined as 0.31-5.91 µV. CONCLUSIONS: The lower normal limit value was 0.31 µV, and this reference interval may be useful to evaluate function of the posterior funiculus, such that as during surgery for patients with intramedullary tumor.

JAK1/2 inhibition impairs the development and function of inflammatory dendritic epidermal cells in atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are a new class of therapeutic compounds for dermatological diseases. In atopic dermatitis (AD), data of clinical phase III trials show rapid improvement of pruritus and significant reduction of inflammation within the first weeks with a favorable safety profile. However, their mode of action in AD is not fully understood. OBJECTIVES: In our study, we investigate the effect of different JAK inhibitors on cell differentiation, phenotype, and function of inflammatory dendritic epidermal cells (IDECs). METHODS: We analyzed the JAK expression in IDEC from ex vivo skin and in vitro generated IDECs using flow cytometry and PCR. Further, we studied in vitro the effect of different JAK inhibitors on IDEC cell differentiation, phenotype, and maturation. RESULTS: IDECs express JAK1 and JAK2 ex vivo and in vitro. We found that JAK1 and JAK2 were upregulated during the differentiation from monocytes to IDECs. Conversely, JAK2 inhibition by ruxolitinib (JAK1/2 inhibitor) or BMS-911543 (JAK2 inhibitor) abrogated the differentiation from monocytes into IDECs. Differentiated IDECs can redifferentiate into a more monocyte-like phenotype in the presence of ruxolitinib or BMS-911543. Furthermore, we showed that concomitant inhibition of JAK1/2 rather than blocking JAK1 or JAK2 alone, impaired maturation and the release of proinflammatory cytokines on lipopolysaccharide stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that inhibition of JAK1/2 impairs IDEC differentiation and function. We provide new insight into the mode of action of JAK inhibitors in AD and highlight the role of JAK1/2 inhibitors for the treatment of patients with AD.

Geographic distribution of the incidence of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in Japan and its relation to smoking prevalence.

OBJECTIVES: Alcohol intake and smoking are modifiable lifestyle-related risk factors for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). We investigated geographic differences in ONFH incidence in Japan and the correlation with alcohol intake and smoking to develop prevention strategies for ONFH in Japan. METHODS: This ecological study was conducted in Japan primarily using the following data sources: nationwide epidemiological survey and national survey. We estimated the annual ONFH incidence and the prevalence of alcohol drinking and smoking in each prefecture. Prefectural incidence and prevalence were calculated by sex and age-standardization. RESULTS: The mean annual ONFH incidence per 100,000 population was 3.08 in men and 1.63 in women, respectively. There was no significant correlation between ONFH incidence and the prevalence of any levels of alcohol intake, while smoking ≥20 cigarettes/day showed a significant and moderate correlation in men (r = 0.47, p = .01). This correlation remained significant after adjustment for the prevalence of any levels of alcohol intake (standardized partial regression coefficient = 0.47-0.49, p = .009-.01). CONCLUSION: ONFH incidence is geographically variable in Japan, and this may be partly explained by the distribution of smoking prevalence. Smoking cessation may contribute to an effective decline in the overall ONFH incidence in Japan.

Epidemiological study of osteonecrosis of the femoral head using the national registry of designated intractable diseases in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) using the designated intractable diseases (DID) database in Japan. METHODS: Data on patients who had received public subsidies for medical costs due to ONFH from 2012 to 2013 were extracted from the DID database. The incidence and prevalence of ONFH, distribution of gender, age, and the prevalence of associated risk factors were assessed. These epidemiological characteristics were compared with those of another nationwide ONFH survey conducted during a similar period. RESULTS: Data on 3264 newly diagnosed patients (incident cases) and 20,042 patients registered until 2013 (prevalent cases) were evaluated. The corrected annual incidence and prevalence of ONFH per 100,000 were 3.0 and 18.2-19.2, respectively. The ratio of males to females was 1.4 in 2012 and 1.2 in 2013, respectively. Peak distribution was observed at ages 40s and 60s in males and females, respectively. The prevalence of the risk factors were steroid-associated: 39%, alcohol-associated: 30%, both: 4%, and none: 27%. CONCLUSIONS: The DID database data showed a similar distribution of gender and age to that in other nationwide surveys but lower incidence and prevalence of ONFH. Sampling bias may affect the epidemiological characteristics of ONFH.