Non-pharmaceutical interventions for depressive symptoms in patients with breast cancer: protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with breast cancer often suffer from depressive symptoms throughout various stages of cancer, significantly impacting their quality of life and treatment outcomes. Non-pharmaceutical interventions such as psychotherapy, mind-body therapies and physical exercise have shown effectiveness in addressing cancer-related depression. However, the efficacy and safety of different non-pharmacological interventions remain a topic of debate. Therefore, to provide an objective assessment and comparison of the impact of different non-pharmaceutical interventions on depression, we will conduct a network meta-analysis (NMA) to explore the effects of different non-pharmaceutical interventions on reducing depressive symptoms among patients with breast cancer. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will search nine Chinese and English-language databases, from database inception to 31 July 2023, for randomised controlled trials published in Chinese or English. The English-language databases are PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Chinese databases are CBM, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang. Two independent researchers will perform information extraction from eligible articles. The primary outcome will be the changes in depressive symptoms, while the secondary outcome will include adverse events. STATA V.15.0 will be used to conduct paired meta-analysis and NMA. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation will be used to assess the quality of evidence, and the Cochrane tool for assessing the risks of bias in randomised trials V.2 will be used for risk of bias assessment. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study does not require ethical approval as it will analyse data from existing studies. It is expected that the results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant conferences. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023450494.

Continuous infusion of lidocaine in pediatric colonoscopy: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Propofol is commonly used for providing procedural sedation during pediatric colonoscopy. Intravenous (i.v.) lidocaine can mitigate visceral pain and reduce propofol requirements during surgery. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of i.v. lidocaine on perioperative propofol and sufentanil dose, pulse oxygen saturation, postoperative pain score, and recovery time during pediatric colonoscopy. METHODS: We designed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and enrolled 40 children aged from 3 to 10 years who underwent colonoscopy. After titration of propofol to achieve unconsciousness, the patients were given i.v. lidocaine (1.5 mg/kg later 2 mg/kg/hour) or the same volume of saline. Sedation was standardized and combined propofol with sufentanil. The primary outcome variables were intraoperative propofol and sufentanil requirements, and the number of oxygen desaturation episodes. Secondary outcome variables were recovery time after colonoscopy and post-colonoscopy pain. RESULTS: Lidocaine infusion resulted in a significant reduction in propofol requirements: (median (quartile) 1.8 (1.5-2.0) vs. 3.0 (2.8-3.3) mg/kg respectively; P < 0.001) and sufentanil requirements: (median (quartile) 0.06 (0.05-0.08) vs. 0.1 (0.1-0.1) µg/kg respectively; P < 0.001). The number of subjects who experienced oxygen desaturation below 95% in the lidocaine group was also significantly less than that in the control group: 1 vs. 6 (P = 0.04). The mean (SD) recovery time was significantly shorter in the lidocaine group: (19.2 (2.6) vs. 13.3 (2.6) min respectively; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in post-colonoscopy pain. CONCLUSION: Continuous infusion of lidocaine resulted in reduction of propofol and sufentanil requirements, recovery time, and risk of hypoxemia during pediatric colonoscopy.

Suppression of Development of Ankylosing Spondylitis Through Soluble Flt-1.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Circulating monocytes/macrophages are origins of osteoclasts that mediate the development of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Moreover, infiltrated macrophages facilitate the AS progression through production and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, suppression of the recruitment of circulating monocytes/macrophages may be an effective AS treatment, which is, however, not available so far in clinic. Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) is a decoy receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to compete with VEGF receptor (VEGFR2) for VEGF binding in endothelial cells, while its application in treating AS and effects on the recruitment of circulating monocytes/macrophages has not been reported before. METHODS: We used a proteoglycan-induced arthritis (PGIA) mouse model for human AS. We injected sFlt-1 into the articular cavity and evaluated its effects on PGIA by incidence of arthritis, and clinical and pathological arthritis severity. We isolated and analyzed macrophages and endothelial cells in the articular cavity before and after treatment. RESULTS: Injection of sFlt-1 significantly decreased the incidence and severity of PGIA in mice, and significantly reduced the number of infiltrated macrophages, possibly through reduction of vessel permeability, in a VEGFR2-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that sFlt-1 may have a therapeutic effect on AS, resulting from suppression of VEGF signaling-mediated recruitment of circulating monocytes/macrophages.

Overexpression of miR-506 inhibits growth of osteosarcoma through Snail2.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a prevalent primary bone malignancy and its distal metastasis accounts for the majority of OS-related death. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles during cancer metastasis. Thus, elucidation of the involvement of specific miRNAs in the metastasis of OS may provide novel therapeutic targets for OS treatment. Here, we showed that in the OS specimens from patients, the levels of miR-506 were significantly decreased and the levels of Snail2 were significantly increased, compared to the paired normal bone tissue. MiR-506 and Snail2 inversely correlated in patients' specimen. Bioinformatics analyses predicted that miR-506 may target the 3'-UTR of Snail2 mRNA to inhibit its translation, which was confirmed by luciferase-reporter assay. Moreover, miR-506 overexpression inhibited Snail2-mediated cell invasiveness, while miR-506 depletion increased Snail2-mediated cell invasiveness in OS cells. Together, our data suggest that miR-506 suppression in OS cells may promote Snail2-mediated cancer metastasis.

[Case-control study on close manipulative reduction combined with minimally invasive percutaneous plate fixation for the treatment of proximal humeral fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effects of close manipulative reduction combined with minimally invasive percutaneous plate fixation(MIPPO) and conventional open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for the treatment of proximal humerus fractures. METHODS: From April 2008 to March 2013, among the 75 patients with fractures of proximal humerus, 26 patients were male and 49 patients were female, ranging in age from 22 to 80 years; 18 patients had injuries caused by traffic accident and 57 patients had injuries caused by falling down. According to Neer classification, there were 49 cases of two-part fractures and 26 cases of three-part fractures. All the patients were divided into two groups: MIPPO group and ORIF group. There were 12 males and 21 females in the MIPPO group,including 22 cases of Neer two parts and 11 cases of Neer three parts, who were treated with close manipulative reduction combined with MIPPO. While the other 42 patients were in the ORIF group,including 16 males and 26 females. Among those patients,27 cases belonged to Neer two parts and 15 cases of Neer three parts, who were treated with ORIF. Length of the incision, blood loss, operating time, early postoperative pain(recorded by VAS), neck-shaft angle of proximal humerus and postoperative function of shoulder(recorded by Constant-Murley score, including pain, function, ROM and muscle length) were compared. RESULTS: The mean lengths of incision were (6.74 +/- 0.38) cm in MIPPO group and (16.82 +/- 1.74) cm in ORIF group;blood losses were (110.15 +/- 29.49) ml in MIPPO group and (326.19 +/- 59.71) ml in ORIF group; operation times were (48.60 +/- 10.18) min in MIPPO group and (68.84-16.22) min in ORIF group. VAS of patients in MIPPO group on the 1st and 3rd days postoperatively were lower than those of patients in the ORIF group. The postoperative radiographs verified good position of all screws and satisfactory reduction of bone fracture reduction in both groups. All the patients were followed up,and the durig ranged from 8 to 24 months (mean 14.2 months). In the MIPPO group, there was no humeral head necrosis and all patients gained bone union; while in the ORIF group, 3 patients sustained nonunion and received reoperation for bone grafting, and 2 patients sustained humeral head necrosis. The mean Constant-Murley scores of shoulder were 88.94 +/- 2.57 in the MIPPO group and 86.00 +/- 3.36 in the ORIF group. CONCLUSION: The close manipulative reduction combined with MIPPO is a better choice for fixation of proximal humerus fractures, compared with conventional plate. This method possesses such advantages as a shorter incision, less disturbance of the blood supply and stable fixation of the fracture, allowing early exercise so that the function of shoulder recovers rapidly.

[Study on the diagnostic value of whole-organ magnetic resonance imaging score (WORMS) in knee osteoarthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnostic value of whole-organ magnetic resonance imaging score (WORMS) in knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: From November 2009 to January 2011,70 patients with KOA combined with knee effusion among outpatient and inpatient were analyzed retrospectively. Among the patients, 12 patients were male, 58 patients were female,ranging in age from 46 to 75 years,with a mean age of (59.66 +/- 9.93) years. The clinical symptoms were evaluated by WOMAC, the imaging of KOA was assessed by K-L score and WORMS, and COMP and CTX- II were measured respectively by ELISA. The correlation analyses and multiple linear regression analysis were studied to determine associations among biomarkers, clinical variables and radiographic findings of knee joints. RESULTS: The average scores of WOMAC and WORMS were (57.50 +/- 8.20) and (64.54 +/- 16.45) respectively. The median of CTX- II nd COMP were 2.42 ng/ml and 4.56 ng/ml respectively. Grouped by less than the lowest quartile and more than the highest quartile of WORMS, COMP was significantly different (Z=2.04, P=0.039), but there was no significant difference in CTX-II (Z=0.79, P=0.427). WORMS were positively correlated with WOMAC and K-L score (r=0.777, P<0.01; r=0.716, P<0.01; respectively); WOMAC was also positively correlated with K-L score (r=0.692, P<0.01). WORMS's cartilage, osteophytes and synovitis were positively correlated with WOMAC, K-L score and COMP respectively (r=0.771, P<0.01; r=0.509, P<0.01; r=0.917, P<0.01). It was determined by stepwise regression that the KOA was mainly affected by WORMS, K-L score (P=0.015, P=0.025 respectively) when WOMAC as a dependent variable, age, gender, K-L score, WORMS, COMP and CTX- II as independent variables (F=20.327, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: WORMS has a better reference value for diagnosis of KOA. The expression of COMP is high in the synovial fluid when WORMS at the high point. The clinical symptoms of knee osteoarthritis are mainly affected by WORMS and K-L score.