Host and environmental factors shape upper airway microbiota and respiratory health across the human lifespan.

Our understanding of the normal variation in the upper respiratory tract (URT) microbiota across the human lifespan and how these relate to host, environment, and health is limited. We studied the microbiota of 3,104 saliva (<10 year-olds)/oropharynx (≥10 year-olds) and 2,485 nasopharynx samples of 3,160 Dutch individuals 0-87 years of age, participating in a cross-sectional population-wide study (PIENTER-3) using 16S-rRNA sequencing. The microbiota composition was strongly related to age, especially in the nasopharynx, with maturation occurring throughout childhood and adolescence. Clear niche- and age-specific associations were found between the microbiota composition and host/environmental factors and health outcomes. Among others, social interaction, sex, and season were associated with the nasopharyngeal microbial community. By contrast, the oral microbiota was more related to antibiotics, tobacco, and alcohol use. We present an atlas of the URT microbiota across the lifespan in association with environment and health, establishing a baseline for future research.

A vertebral skeletal stem cell lineage driving metastasis.

Vertebral bone is subject to a distinct set of disease processes from long bones, including a much higher rate of solid tumour metastases1-4. The basis for this distinct biology of vertebral bone has so far remained unknown. Here we identify a vertebral skeletal stem cell (vSSC) that co-expresses ZIC1 and PAX1 together with additional cell surface markers. vSSCs display formal evidence of stemness, including self-renewal, label retention and sitting at the apex of their differentiation hierarchy. vSSCs are physiologic mediators of vertebral bone formation, as genetic blockade of the ability of vSSCs to generate osteoblasts results in defects in the vertebral neural arch and body. Human counterparts of vSSCs can be identified in vertebral endplate specimens and display a conserved differentiation hierarchy and stemness features. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that vSSCs contribute to the high rates of vertebral metastatic tropism observed in breast cancer, owing in part to increased secretion of the novel metastatic trophic factor MFGE8. Together, our results indicate that vSSCs are distinct from other skeletal stem cells and mediate the unique physiology and pathology of vertebrae, including contributing to the high rate of vertebral metastasis.

[Analysis of the clinical characteristics and therapeutic effect of refractory juvenile dermatomyositis to tofacitinib].

Objective: To elucidate the clinical features of patients with refractory juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), and to explore the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in the treatment of refractory JDM. Methods: A total of 75 JDM patients admitted to the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology in Shenzhen Children's Hospital from January 2012 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, and to analyze the clinical manifestations, efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in the treatment of refractory JDM. Patients were divided into refractory group with using of glucocorticoids in combination with two or more anti-rheumatic drugs for treatment, and the presence of disease activity or steroid dependence after a one-year follow-up. The non-refractory group is defined as clinical symptoms disappeared, laboratory indicators were normal, and clinical remission was achieved after initial treatment, and the clinical manifestations and laboratory indexes of the two groups were compared. The Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher's precision probability test was used for intergroup comparison. Binary Logistic multivariate regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for refractory JDM. Results: Among the 75 children with JDM, 41 were males and 34 were females with a age of onset of 5.3 (2.3, 7.8) years. The refractory group consisted of 27 cases with a age of onset of 4.4 (1.5, 6.8) years, while the non-refractory group consisted of 48 cases with a age of onset of 5.9 (2.5, 8.0) years. Compared with 48 cases in the non-refractory group, the proportion of interstitial lesions and calcinosis in the refractory group was higher than that in the non-refractory group (6 cases (22%) vs. 2 cases (4%), 8 cases (30%) vs. 4 cases (8%), both P<0.05). Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that observation group were more likely to be associated with to interstitial lung disease (OR=6.57, 95%CI 1.22-35.31, P=0.028) and calcinosis (OR=4.63, 95%CI 1.24-17.25, P=0.022). Among the 27 patients in the refractory group, 22 cases were treated with tofacitinib, after treatment with tofacitinib, 15 of 19 cases (86%) children with rashes showed improvement, and 6 cases (27%) with myositis evaluation table score less than 48 score both were improved, 3 of 6 cases (27%) had calcinosis were relieved, and 2 cases (9%) had glucocorticoid-dependence children were successfully weaned off. During the tofacitinib treatment, there was no increase in recurrent infection, blood lipids, liver enzymes, and creatinine were all normal in the 22 cases. Conclusions: Children with JDM with calcinosis and interstitial lung disease are more likely to develop refractory JDM. Tofacitinib is safe and effective for refractory JDM.

[Efficacy of decitabine combined with low dose chemotherapy on children with acute myeloid leukemia].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of decitabine combined with low dose chemotherapy (LDC) in the treatment of high-risk, refractory and relapsed pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods: Clinical data of 19 AML children treated with decitabine combined with LDC in the Department of Hematology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University from April 2017 to November 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The therapeutic response, adverse effects and survival status were analyzed,and the outcomes of patients were followed up. Results: Among 19 AML cases, there were 10 males and 9 females. Five cases were high-risk AML, 7 cases were refractory AML, and 7 cases were relapsed AML. After one course of decitabine+LDC treatment, 15 cases achieved complete remission, 3 cases got partial remission, and only 1 case didn't get remission. All patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as consolidation therapy. The follow-up time of all cases was 46 (37, 58) months, 14 children had survived. The cumulative three-year overall survival rate was (79±9) %, events free survival rates was (68±11) %, and recurrence free survival rate was (81±10) %. The most common adverse effects related to the induction treatment were cytopenia (19 cases) and infection (16 cases).There were no treatment-related death during the therapy. Conclusion: Decitabine combined with LDC is a safe and effective option for high-risk, refractory and relapsed AML children, which provides an opportunity for HSCT.

Discovery of a Vertebral Skeletal Stem Cell Driving Spinal Metastases.

Vertebral bone is subject to a distinct set of disease processes from those of long bones, notably including a much higher rate of solid tumor metastases that cannot be explained by passive blood flow distribution alone. The basis for this distinct biology of vertebral bone has remained elusive. Here we identify a vertebral skeletal stem cell (vSSC), co-expressing the transcription factors ZIC1 and PAX1 together with additional cell surface markers, whose expression profile and function are markedly distinct from those of long bone skeletal stem cells (lbSSCs). vSSCs display formal evidence of stemness, including self-renewal, label retention and sitting at the apex of their differentiation hierarchy. Lineage tracing of vSSCs confirms that they make a persistent contribution to multiple mature cell lineages in the native vertebrae. vSSCs are physiologic mediators of spine mineralization, as genetic blockade of the ability of vSSCs to generate osteoblasts results in defects in the vertebral neural arch and body. Human counterparts of vSSCs can be identified in vertebral endplate specimens and display a conserved differentiation hierarchy and stemness. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that vSSCs contribute to the high rates of vertebral metastatic tropism observed clinically in breast cancer. Specifically, when an organoid system is used to place both vSSCs and lbSSCs in an identical anatomic context, vSSC-lineage cells are more efficient than lbSSC-lineage cells at recruiting metastases, a phenotype that is due in part to increased secretion of the novel metastatic trophic factor MFGE8. Similarly, genetically targeting loss-of-function to the vSSC lineage results in reduced metastasis rates in the native vertebral environment. Taken together, vSSCs are distinct from other skeletal stem cells and mediate the unique physiology and pathology of vertebrae, including contributing to the high rate of metastatic seeding of the vertebrae.

[Applications of digital medical techniques for dental dysplasia].

Dental dysplasia are abnormalities in teeth structure, morphology, number and eruption caused by genetic and environmental factors during dental development. Digital medical techniques, as the current hot spot of medical research, bring great challenges and opportunities to modern stomatology. The applications of digital techniques, such as digital diagnosis method, digital virtual simulated design, three-dimensional printing, static and dynamic guidance and artificial intelligence, can provide a more accurate, efficient, automatic and intelligent modern concepts and patterns for epidemiology, diagnosis, multidisciplinary treatment and outcome assessment of dental developmental anomalies.

Higher off-target amplicon detection rate in MiSeq v3 compared to v2 reagent kits in the context of 16S-rRNA-sequencing.

One of the most widely used techniques in microbiota research is 16S-rRNA-sequencing. Several laboratory processes have been shown to impact sequencing results, especially in low biomass samples. Low biomass samples are prone to off-target amplification, where instead of bacterial DNA, host DNA is erroneously amplified. Knowledge on the laboratory processes influencing off-target amplification and detection is however scarce. We here expand on previous findings by demonstrating that off-target amplification is not limited to invasive biopsy samples, but is also an issue in low bacterial biomass respiratory (mucosal) samples, especially when below 0.3 pg/µL. We show that off-target amplification can partly be mitigated by using gel-based library purification methods. Importantly, we report a higher off-target amplicon detection rate when using MiSeq reagent kit v3 compared to v2 (mean 13.3% vs 0.1% off-target reads/sample, respectively), possibly as a result of differences in reagents or sequencing recipes. However, since after bioinformatic removal of off-target reads, MiSeq reagent kit v3 still results in a twofold higher number of reads when compared to v2, v3 is still preferred over v2. Together, these results add to the growing knowledge base on off-target amplification and detection, allowing researchers to anticipate this problem in 16S-rRNA-based microbiome studies involving low biomass samples.

A comparative study for the evaluation of CT-based conventional, radiomic, combined conventional and radiomic, and delta-radiomic features, and the prediction of the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma manifesting as ground-glass nodules.

AIM: To investigate and compare the performance of conventional, radiomic, combined, and delta-radiomic features to predict the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma manifesting as ground-glass nodules (GGNs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present retrospective study included 216 GGNs confirmed surgically as pulmonary adenocarcinomas. All the thin-section computed tomography (CT) images were imported into the software of the United Imaging Intelligence research portal, and radiomic features were extracted with three-dimensional (3D) regions of interest. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator was used to select the optimal radiomic features. Four models were constructed, including conventional, radiomic, combined conventional and radiomic, and delta-radiomic models. The receiver operating characteristic curves were built to evaluate the validity of these. RESULTS: The type, long diameter, shape, margin, vacuole, air bronchus, vascular convergence, and pleural traction exhibited significant differences between pre-invasive lesions (PILs)/minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA), and invasive adenocarcinoma (IA) groups were selected for conventional model building. Nine radiomic features were selected to build the radiomic model. The four models indicated optimal performance (AUC > 0.7). The radiomic and combined models exhibited the highest diagnostic efficiency, and their AUC were 0.89 and 0.88 in the training set, and 0.87 and 0.88 in the validation set, respectively. The delta-radiomic model indicated that the AUC was 0.83 in the training set, and 0.76 in the validation set. Finally, the conventional model exhibited an AUC in the training and validation sets of 0.78 and 0.76. CONCLUSIONS: The radiomic model and combined model, in particular, and the delta-radiomic model all demonstrated improved diagnostic efficiency in differentiating IA from PIL/MIA than that of the conventional model.

Two-year outcomes of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass vs medical treatment in type 2 diabetes with a body mass index lower than 32.5 kg/m2: a multicenter propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has been widely reported to be safe and feasible, and has a powerful effect on improving metabolism and weight loss in patients with a high body mass index (BMI). A few studies have focused on the comparison of RYGB with medical treatment in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with a lower BMI. OBJECTIVES: To compare the metabolic effects and safety of RYGB versus medical treatment during a 2 years follow-up in T2D patients with a BMI of 25 to 32.5 kg/m2. METHODS: This retrospective and multicenter cohort study participants were extracted from the T2D patients with a lower BMI (25-32.5 kg/m2) from three bariatric centers between 2009 and 2018. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize bias, and each patient in the surgical group was matched 1:2 to the patients in the medical group with the closest propensity score. Finally, 71 patients who received RYGB and 142 patients who underwent medical treatment with a 2 years follow-up were enrolled to compare the effects of RYGB and medical treatment. The primary endpoint was achievement of the triple endpoint (the simultaneous achievement of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) < 7.0%, fasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) < 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 130 mmHg at the year-1 visit). Changes in weight, BMI, medication usage, complications, and adverse events were assessed. RESULTS: In total, 213 patients (mean age of 47.4 ± 9.5 years, 70.4% male, mean BMI of 28.6 ± 2.2 kg/m2) were included in this study. At the end of the first year, 17 patients (23.9%) in the surgical group and 10 (7.0%) in the medical group had achieved the composite triple endpoint (OR 4.64; 95% CI 1.82-11.81; p = 0.001). Additionally, 43 patients (60.6%) in the surgical group and 11 patients (19.7%) in the medical group experienced remission of T2D. However, more complications were observed in the surgical group (36 vs. 22, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Among T2D patients with a BMI between 25.0 and 32.5 kg/m2, RYGB was more effective than medical treatment in resolving metabolic disorders and also resulted in more complications. The risk for complications should be considered in the clinical decision-making process for T2D patients with a low BMI.

Factors influencing hypertension and diabetes mellitus control among Syrian refugees in Zaatari refugee camp.

OBJECTIVE: Syrian refugees in Zaatari Refugee Camp are in dire need of investigations of the control status of different chronic diseases. The current study aims to evaluate hypertension (HTN) and diabetes (DM) control among Syrian refugees in the Zaatari Refugee Camp. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Patients' files were collected from the Zaatari camp database. Participants who had an HbA1c of less than 7 were considered to have controlled DM and a cut-off point of 130/80 was used for HTN. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 418 patients (276 females) were included in the study. None of the patients-controlled blood pressure and only 25 controlled DM. Univariate analysis showed an association of smoking status with HbA1c and mean arterial pressure (MAP) (p-value=0.007 and <0.001 respectively), while taking insulin and Triglyceride (TyG) index had an association with HbA1c alone (p-value<0.001). Significant in the MANCOVA analysis were smoking status, taking insulin, and TyG index (p-value<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that refugees in Zaatari Refugee Camp have uncontrollable DM and HTN. More focus should be highlighted on controlling these diseases in order to prevent future complications.

[Application and prospect of static/dynamic guided endodontics for managing pulpal and periapical diseases].

Root canal therapy and endodontic surgery are conventional treatments for pulpal and periapical diseases. Compared with naked-eye operations, the application of dental operating microscope has enhanced the procedural accuracy and prognosis efficiently. However, root canals with pulp calcification/obliteration, apical lesions with thick cortical bone or adjacent to important anatomic structures are even challenging for experienced operators to achieve predictable clinical outcomes. Recently, with the advances in the field of digitalized information sciences, the above mentioned complicated endodontic cases can be solved under static and dynamic guidance. Before the treatment begins, virtual path is designed from data collected by cone-beam CT and oral image scanning using guidance software. Afterwards, root canal therapy and endodontic surgery can be performed precisely under the assistance of three-dimensional printed guide or dynamic guidance system. The present review describes the classification, features and clinical applications of the guided endodontics.

P-selectin antibody treatment after blunt thoracic trauma prevents early pulmonary arterial thrombosis without changes in viscoelastic measurements of coagulation.

INTRODUCTION: Previously, in a murine model of blunt thoracic trauma, we provided evidence of primary pulmonary thrombosis associated with increased expression of the cell adhesion molecule, P-selectin. In this study, mice are treated with P-selectin blocking antibody after injury to investigate the clinical viability of this antibody for the prevention of pulmonary thrombosis. In addition, viscoelastic testing is performed to investigate if P-selectin inhibition has a detrimental impact on normal hemostasis. METHODS: A murine model of thoracic trauma was used. Mice were divided into sham control and experimental injury groups. Thirty minutes after trauma, mice were treated with the following: P-selectin blocking antibody, isotype control antibody, low-dose heparin, high-dose heparin, or normal saline. At 90 minutes, whole blood was collected for characterization of coagulation by viscoelastic coagulation monitor (VCM Vet; Entegrion, Durham, NC). Mean clotting time, clot formation time, clot kinetics (α angle), and maximum clot firmness were compared between each treatment group. RESULTS: Mice that received P-selectin antibody 30 minutes after blunt thoracic trauma had four- to fivefold less (p < 0.001) arterial fibrin accumulation than those that received the isotype control. In both sham and trauma groups, compared with vehicle (normal saline) alone, no statistical difference was noted in any coagulation parameters after injection with P-selectin antibody, isotype control, or low-dose heparin. In addition, blinded histopathological evaluation yielded no difference in hemorrhage scores between injured mice treated with P-selectin blocking antibody and those treated with isotype antibody control. CONCLUSION: This study supports the clinical use of P-selectin blocking antibody for the prevention of pulmonary thrombosis by confirming its efficacy when given after a blunt thoracic trauma. In addition, we demonstrated that the administration of P-selectin antibody does not adversely affect systemic coagulation as measured by viscoelastic testing, suggesting that P-selectin antibody can be safely given during the acute posttraumatic period.

MyPal-Child study protocol: an observational prospective clinical feasibility study of the MyPal ePRO-based early palliative care digital system in paediatric oncology patients.

INTRODUCTION: Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) have tremendous potential to optimise palliative and supportive care for children with cancer, their families and healthcare providers. Particularly, these children and their families are subjected to multiple strains caused by the disease and its treatment. The MyPal digital health platform is designed to address these complex demands by offering pursuant ePRO-based functionalities via two mobile applications, one developed for children and the other for their parents. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this observational prospective feasibility study, 100 paediatric oncology patients aged between 6 and 17 years and at least one of their parents/legal guardians will be recruited at three clinical sites in two European countries (Germany and Czech Republic). They will use the mobile applications which are part of the novel digital health platform. During a 6-month study period, participants will complete various ePROs via the applications addressing quality of life, satisfaction with care and impact of the disease on the family at monthly intervals. Additionally, priority-based symptom reporting is integrated into a serious game for children. Outcomes that will be assessed concern the feasibility and the evaluation of the newly designed digital health platform to contribute to the evidence base of clinical ePRO use in paediatric oncology and palliative care process. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The MyPal-Child study obtained ethical approval from the Ethics Committee responsible for the University of Saarland, that is, the Ärztekammer des Saarlandes, the Ethics Committee of the Medical School Hannover and the Ethics Committee of the University of Brno. Study results will be disseminated through scientific publications, presentations at international conferences, congresses and a final report to the European Commission. General publicly accessible information can be found on the project website (www.mypal-project.eu) and social media. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS: U1111-1251-0043, DRKS00021458, NCT04381221.

Individual and Group Response of Treatment with Ivacaftor on Airway and Gut Microbiota in People with CF and a S1251N Mutation.

Ivacaftor has been shown to restore the functionality of the S1251N (also known as c.3752G>A) mutated CFTR, which may cause alterations in both airway and gut physiology and micro-environment, resulting in a change of microbiota in these organs. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of ivacaftor on the microbial community composition of both airway and gut in subjects with CF carrying one S1251N mutation, using a 16S rRNA gene-based sequencing approach. In 16 subjects with CF, repetitive samples from airways and gut were collected just before, and 2 months after, and, for 8 patients, also 9 and 12 months after, start of ivacaftor. 16S rRNA based sequencing identified 344 operational taxonomical units (OTUs) in a total of 139 samples (35 nasopharyngeal, 39 oropharyngeal, 29 sputum, and 36 fecal samples). Ivacaftor significantly enhanced bacterial diversity and overall microbiota composition in the gut (p < 0.01). There were no significant changes in the overall microbial composition and alpha diversity in upper and lower airways of these patients after ivacaftor treatment. Treatment with ivacaftor induces changes in gut microbiota whereas airway microbiota do not change significantly over time.

Development of a posterior sagittal anorectal surgical teaching model.

BACKGROUND: An Anorectal Malformation (ARM) is a rare congenital malformation, which requires proper correction to ensure the best long-term prognosis. These procedures are relatively infrequent and complex, in which a structured approach is important. Therefore, training on an affordable model could be beneficial. METHODS: A low-cost ARM model was developed. The base was reusable and the perineal body disposable. Both expert pediatric surgeons (Experts) and residents/fellows (Target group) were recruited for this study. After testing the model, they completed a questionnaire regarding the realism and didactic value of the model, using a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS: Forty-four participants were recruited (Target group n = 20, Experts n = 24). The model has high mean scores of 3.8-4.4 for the total group and even higher on several aspects by the Target group. The experts regarded the haptics and manipulation of the fistula less realistic than the Target group (3.7 versus 4.3, p = 0.021 and 4.2 versus 4.6, p = 0.047). It was considered to be a very good training tool (mean 4.3), without significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results show general consensus that this model is a potent training tool for the component steps of the repair of an ARM with recto-perineal fistula by sagittal approach.

Long non-coding RNA PVT1 functions as an oncogene in ovarian cancer via upregulating SOX2.

Since this article has been suspected of research misconduct and the corresponding authors did not respond to our request to prove originality of data and figures, "Long non-coding RNA PVT1 functions as an oncogene in ovarian cancer via upregulating SOX2, by M.-F. Zou, J. Ling, Q.-Y. Wu, C.-X. Zhang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2018; 22 (21): 7183-7188-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201811_16251-PMID: 30468460" has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/16251.

[Effect of enterostomy on analgesic pattern in patients with advanced digestive tract cancer].

Objective: To explore the effect of enterostomy on analgesic pattern in advanced digestive tract cancer. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out, which was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (E2018026). Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1)age and gender were not limited; (2) all the gastrointestinal malignancies were confirmed histologically, and local recurrence or metastasis were confirmed by CT or MR; (3) numerical rating scale (NRS) ≥4 points, opioid analgesic drugs were required; (4) informed consents were signed by patients of their own. Exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) malignancies of early stage; (2) suspicious adverse mental states which might lead to poor administration compliance; (3) hypersensitivity or allergic reactions to opioids. Clinical data of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer receiving comprehensive treatment at the Medical Oncology Department of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from September 2016 to April 2017 were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into the stoma group and the non-stoma group. The clinical findings of two groups were analyzed, including age, sex, ostomy status, pain location, presence or absence of intestinal obstruction, pain characteristics, selection of opioid analgesic agents, treatment of side effects of analgesics. Pain was assessed using brief pain inventory(BPI) table and NRS score. Strong opioids were prescribed for patients of NRS ≥4. Patients who were intolerant to opioids required opioid titration. The titration drugs included oral or IV morphine and oxycodone. After achievement of adequate pain control, long-acting opioids were administered, which included sustained-release morphine tablets, controlled release oxycodone and transdermal fentanyl. Criteria for pain relief included NRS≤3, breakthrough pain <3 times/day and duration of adequate pain control >3 days. The χ(2) test and the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test (nonparametric test) were used to analyze the clinical features of patients in the stoma and non-stomach groups. In order to find the factors associated with maintenance therapy and the use of laxatives, the variables were compared as well as in multivariate analysis with multiple regression models. For all the statistical tests, a value of P<0.05 in a two-tailed test was established as the alpha significance level. Result: A total of 123 patients were enrolled in this study, including 79 males (64.2%) and 44 females (35.8%) with a median age of 51 years. Fifty-two patients were in stoma group, including 30 (24.4%) of ileostomy and 22 (17.9%) of colostomy, and 71 patients were in non-stoma group. Pain of 40 (76.9%) patients in stoma group located in abdomenopelvic site while the pain of 44 (62.0%) patients in non-stoma group located in other sites. Compared with non-stoma group, cases in stoma group complained more abdominopelvic pain (73% vs. 62.0%, P<0.001).The median NRS pain score before treatment in the stoma group and the non-stoma group was 5.7 and 5.6, respectively, without statistically significant difference (P=0.741). After analgesic management, the above scores reduced to 2.1 and 2.3, respectively, without statistically significant difference as well (P=0.092). Analgesic treatment was effective in 111 cases (90.2%), including 49 cases (94.2%) in the stoma group, and 62 cases (87.3%) in the non-stoma group, and there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.202). There was more application of fentanyl transdermal patch [34.6%(18/52) vs. 9.8%(7/71)] in the stoma group, while more application of lactulose laxative [78.9%(56/71) vs. 61.5%(32/52)](χ(2)=10.023, P=0.002) in the non-stoma group. Multivariate analysis revealed that ostomy (OR=0.290, 95%CI: 0.102-0.824, P=0.009) and pain site (OR=5.691, 95%CI:1.709-18.948, P=0.005) were independent factors affecting the choice of the first line opioid sustained release agent. Of the 123 patients with maintaining analgesia, 98 had available data of laxative use, of whom 46 used laxatives to prevent or treat constipation, and the proportion of laxatives in stoma group (21.2%, 11/52) was significantly lower than that in non-stoma group (49.3%, 35/71) (χ(2)=6.957, P=0.008). Multivariate analysis of the application of laxative use showed that age (OR=0.281, 95% CI: 0.123-0.684, P=0.010) and ostomy (OR=2.621, 95% CI: 1.033-6.687, P=0.045) were independent factors affecting the use of lactulose laxatives. Conclusions: Enterostomy may affect the analgesic pattern in advanced digestive tract cancer. Patients with stoma are more likely to use fentanyl transdermal patches and younger patients with stoma do not need prophylactic use of laxatives.

Epiphrenic oesophageal diverticulum managed via laparoscopic transhiatal approach.

Epiphrenic oesophageal diverticulum is a rare disorder affecting the distal oesophagus. Surgical techniques for this condition evolve over time from open transthoracic and trans-abdominal approaches to minimally invasive surgery. We report a case of an 82-year-old male who presented with symptomatic epiphrenic oesophageal diverticulum over the last 1 year. He underwent laparoscopic transhiatal diverticulectomy, myotomy and anterior partial fundoplication and was discharged well. He remains asymptomatic after a follow-up of 6 months.