Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on children´s sleep quality, physical activity, screen time, and diet.

BACKGROUND: this study aimed to assess how the COVID-19 lockdown (March to June 2020) affected children's sleep quality, physical activity, screen time, and nutrition. MATERIAL AND METHODS: the survey consisted of 479 children from the SENDO project, a pediatric cohort in Spain, aged 4-5 years. The BEAR questionnaire was used to evaluate sleep quality. Hierarchical models with two-level clustering were used to account for intra-cluster correlation between siblings, and the difference regression method was used to study the association between changes in screen consumption and physical activity and changes in sleep quality. RESULTS: the results showed an increase in the consumption of homemade pastries and snacks. Sleep quality worsened significantly during confinement, with a mean score on the BEAR scale of 0.52 before, 1.43 during, and 1.07 after confinement. Although sleep quality improved significantly after the end of confinement, it remained worse than before. The average daily screen time increased from 1.13 hours before confinement to 2.65 hours during confinement. Physical activity decreased during confinement, with the mean number of hours per day decreasing from 1.27 to 0.79. Children who spent more time on screens during confinement had worse sleep quality, as indicated by their higher scores on the BEAR scale. We used the difference regression method to identify a statistically significant association between the increased screen time for leisure hours and the worsening of children's sleep quality during confinement. CONCLUSION: we observed a significant relationship between confinement and reduced sleep quality. Although the end of the lockdown led to a slight improvement, the average BEAR scale score remained higher post-confinement, suggesting that the consequences of the lockdown may persist over time.

Thyroid dysfunction caused by immune-checkpoint-inhibitors improves cancer outcomes.

A common immune-related adverse event (irAE) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is thyroid dysfunction (TD-irAEs). The clinical presentation can be varied and its association with prognosis remains unclear. We investigated the characteristics of TD-irAEs and their association with clinical outcomes among cancer patients treated with ICIs in a real-life setting. Response to treatment was assessed using RECIST v1.1. We calculated the probability of recurrence and survival associated with TD-irAEs using multivariable-adjusted regression and Cox proportional hazards models. In this single-centre retrospective analysis, we included 238 patients (72% male) with median age of 69.5 years. Primary tumours were melanoma (23.1%), lung (60.5%), or urothelial cancer (16.4%), treated with atezolizumab (23.1%), pembrolizumab (44.5%), ipilimumab (0.4%) and/or nivolumab (25.6%). Seventy (29%) patients developed TD-irAEs in a median time of 69 days (41-181). The incidence of TD-irAEs with combination therapy was higher than with monotherapy (67% vs. 6.3%, p=0.011). TD-irAE patients showed a higher objective response rate (ORR) than those without TD-irAEs (60% vs. 42.3%, p=0.013) and longer overall survival (OS) 45 vs. 16 months, p<0.006. Patients who developed TD-irAEs had a relative reduction of 77% (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.11-0.47) in the risk of progression and of 47% in the risk of mortality (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.36-0.80), independent of age, sex, primary tumour, or ICI regimen. TD-irAEs occur in nearly 30% of our patients receiving ICIs. In our analysis, TD-irAEs appeared to be associated with higher ORR and longer OS and showed a reduction in the risk of progression and mortality.

SUCCOR morbidity: complications in minimally invasive versus open radical hysterectomy in early cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of intra-operative and post-operative complications in open and minimally invasive radical hysterectomy for patients with early-stage cervical cancer. METHODS: Data were collected from the SUCCOR database of 1272 patients with stage IB1 cervical cancer (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), 2009) who underwent radical hysterectomy in Europe between January 2013 and December 2014. We reviewed the duration of the surgeries, estimated blood loss, length of hospital stay, intra-operative and post-operative complications. The inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years and histologic type (squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or adenosquamous carcinoma). Pelvic MRI confirming a tumor diameter ≤4 cm with no parametrial invasion and a pre-operative CT scan, MRI, or positron emission tomography CT demonstrating no extra-cervical metastatic disease were mandatory. Outcomes of interest were any grade >3 adverse events, intra-operative adverse events, post-operative adverse events, length of hospital stay, length of operation, and blood loss. RESULTS: The study included 1156 patients, 633 (54%) in the open surgery group and 523 (46%) in the minimally invasive surgery group. Median age was 46 years (range 18-82), median body mass index 25 kg/m2 (range 15-68), and 1022 (88.3%) patients were considered to have an optimal performance status (ECOG Performance Status 0). The most common histologic tumor type was squamous carcinoma (n=794, 68.7%) and the most frequent FIGO staging was IB1 (n=510, 44.1%). In the minimally invasive surgery group the median duration of surgery was longer (240 vs 187 min, p<0.01), median estimated blood loss was lower (100 vs 300 mL, p<0.01), and median length of hospital stay was shorter (4 vs 7 days, p<0.01) compared with the abdominal surgery group. There was no difference in the overall incidence of intra-operative and post-operative complications between the two groups. Regarding grade I complications, the incidence of vaginal bleeding (2.9% vs 0.6%, p<0.01) and vaginal cuff dehiscence was higher in the minimally invasive surgery group than in the open group (3.3% vs 0.5%, p<0.01). Regarding grade III post-operative complications, bladder dysfunction (1.3% vs 0.2%, p=0.046) and abdominal wall infection (1.1% vs 0%, p=0.018) were more common in the open surgery group than in the minimally invasive surgery group. Ureteral fistula was more frequent in the minimally invasive group than in the open surgery group (1.7% vs 0.5%, p=0.037). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that there was no significant difference in the overall incidence of intra-operative and post-operative complications between minimally invasive radical hysterectomy and the open approach.

An international worldwide retrospective cohort observational study comparing primary cytoreductive surgery with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval cytoreductive surgery in patients with carcinoma of the ovary, fallopian tubes, and peritoneum (SUROVA trial).

BACKGROUND: Currently, a lively debate exists within the scientific community regarding the most suitable procedure for treating stages IIIB-IVB carcinoma of the ovary, fallopian tubes, and peritoneum. The options under most consideration are primary cytoreductive surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval cytoreductive surgery. PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To compare overall survival at 5 years in patients who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval cytoreductive surgery for stage IIIB-IVB ovarian cancer STUDY HYPOTHESIS: The treatment with primary cytoreductive surgery results in superior patient survival compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval cytoreductive surgery. TRIAL DESIGN: This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort observational study. Data will be collected from patients undergoing surgery in hospitals worldwide. Two arms will be compared: primary cytoreductive surgery and neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval cytoreductive surgery. MAJOR INCLUSION/EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients must have suspected or histologically confirmed International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages IIIB-IVB ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancers. They must have undergone primary surgery or first course of neoadjuvant chemotherapy between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019. Based on all available information before the surgery (primary or interval), the patient must have been considered completely resectable. PRIMARY ENDPOINT: Overall survival at 5 years from the first treatment (chemotherapy in the case of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and cytoreduction in the case of primary cytoreductive surgery). SAMPLE SIZE: An estimated total of 5000 patients will be enrolled in the study. ESTIMATED DATES FOR COMPLETING ACCRUAL AND PRESENTING RESULTS: March 2025 TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT06223763.

Post-Operative Increase in Serum Interleukin-6 Is Associated With Longer Hospital Stay in Children Operated on for Acute Appendicitis: A Pilot Study.

Background: Pediatric acute appendicitis (PAA) involves a substantial consumption of health and economic resources. The identification of serum biomarkers that may help predict the post-surgical evolution of these patients is a field of great interest. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, observational substudy within the Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Appendicitis in Pediatrics (BIDIAP) cohort aimed at evaluating the association between post-surgical increase in serum IL-6 and different outcomes related to the clinical evolution of children operated on for PAA. Sixty-nine children with a confirmed diagnosis of acute appendicitis and both pre-operative and post-operative serum IL-6 were included in the study. Three multivariable-adjusted linear regression models were fitted to analyze the association between an increase of >10% in post-operative serum IL-6 level with the length of stay, the number of post-operative emetic episodes, and the onset of oral feeding. Two multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were fitted to assess the association of the same exposure with the indication of antibiotherapy at discharge and with positivity in peritoneal fluid culture. Results: Thirteen children showed an increase of >10% in the post-operative serum IL-6 value (group 1) whereas 56 showed only a minor increase, or no change (group 2). After accounting for potential confounders, children in group 1 had a mean of three-day longer hospital stay (difference, 3.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-6.09) and higher odds of a positive result in peritoneal fluid culture (odds ratio [OR], 37.43; 95% CI, 1.02-1361.28) than children in group 2. Conclusions: An increase of >10% in post-operative serum IL-6 value could predict longer hospital stay and higher odds of positive peritoneal fluid culture. Future prospective studies are needed to replicate these findings and to broaden the range of biomarkers that could predict the post-operative evolution of children operated on for PAA.

Flow cytometric characterization of cecal appendix lymphocyte subpopulations in children: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Scientific literature regarding the characterization of lymphocyte subpopulations of the cecal appendix is sparse, with few precedents limited to immunohistochemical techniques. METHODS: We conducted a prospective pilot study to characterize lymphocyte subpopulations of the cecal appendix in children. Participants were divided into three groups: (1) patients without histological acute appendiceal inflammation, (2) patients with histological uncomplicated acute appendicitis, and (3) patients with histological complicated acute appendicitis (gangrenous, perforated). A fresh sample of the base of the appendix was taken from all patients and a flow cytometric study was performed. Quantitative variables were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: This study included 57 patients divided into Group 1 (n = 5), Group 2 (n = 37), and Group 3 (n = 15). Median values (IQR) of the percentage of B-lymphocytes were 67.8 [66.8-68.1] in group 1, 61.15 [53.74-66.4] in group 2, and 52.1 [33-62.02] in group 3 (p = 0.02). Median values (IQR) of the percentage of NK-lymphocytes were 0.26 [0.2-0.3] in group 1, 0.55 [0.37-0.66] in group 2, and 0.84 [0.35-1.45] in group 3 (p = 0.008). Median values (IQR) of the percentage of T-lymphocytes were 31.9 [31.7-33.1] in group 1, 37.68 [32.15-45.69] in group 2, and 46.9 [37.03-67] in group 3 (p = 0.02). Pair comparisons of groups 2 and 3 also showed significant differences in the percentage of B lymphocytes (p = 0.03) and NK-lymphocytes (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in lymphocyte subpopulations were identified according to the histologic grade of the cecal appendix. More specifically, a lower percentage of B-lymphocytes and a higher percentage of T- and NK-lymphocytes were observed in cases of acute appendicitis. These findings must be confirmed and their etiopathogenic, diagnostic, and prognostic implications elucidated in future studies with larger sample sizes.

SUCCOR Nodes: May Sentinel Node Biopsy Determine the Need for Adjuvant Treatment?

BACKGROUND: The SUCCOR cohort was developed to analyse the overall and disease-free survival at 5 years in women with FIGO 2009 stage IB1 cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to compare the use of adjuvant therapy in these women, depending on the method used to diagnose lymphatic node metastasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used data from the SUCCOR cohort, which collected information from 1049 women with FIGO 2009 stage IB1 cervical cancer who were operated on between January 2013 and December 2014 in Europe. We calculated the adjusted proportion of women who received adjuvant therapy depending on the lymph node diagnosis method and compared disease free and overall survival using Cox proportional-hazards regression models. Inverse probability weighting was used to adjust for baseline potential confounders. RESULTS: The adjusted proportion of women who received adjuvant therapy was 33.8% in the sentinel node biopsy + lymphadenectomy (SNB+LA) group and 44.7% in the LA group (p = 0.02), although the proportion of positive nodal status was similar (p = 0.30). That difference was greater in women with negative nodal status and positive Sedlis criteria (difference 31.2%, p = 0.01). Here, those who underwent a SNB+LA had an increased risk of relapse [hazard ratio (HR) 2.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98-6.33, p = 0.056] and risk of death (HR 3.49, 95% CI 1.04-11.7, p = 0.042) compared with those who underwent LA. CONCLUSIONS: Women in this study were less likely to receive adjuvant therapy if their nodal invasion was determined using SNB+LA compared with LA. These results suggest a lack of therapeutic measures available when a negative result is obtained by SNB+LA, which may have an impact on the risk of recurrence and survival.

The BIDIAP index: a clinical, analytical and ultrasonographic score for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric acute appendicitis (PAA) continues to be a diagnostic challenge today. The diagnostic performance of classical indices is only moderate, especially in pediatric population. This study aimed to define a clinical, radiological and analytical index for the diagnosis of PAA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 151 patients divided into two groups: (1) 53 patients with non-surgical abdominal pain (NSAP) and (2) 98 patients with a confirmed PAA. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were compared between groups using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Fisher exact test. To identify the predictors of PAA, we performed a multivariable logistic regression using a forward stepwise analysis and we assigned multiples of integer values to the selected variables. The diagnostic performance of the index was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Intra-cohort calibration was assessed with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS: We developed the BIDIAP index (BIomarkers for the DIagnosis of Appendicitis in Pediatrics), which included three variables that independently predicted higher odds of PAA: appendiceal caliber (≥ 6.9 mm), systemic immune-inflammation index (≥ 890) and peritoneal irritation, which scored 4, 3 and 2 points, respectively. Mean (SD) score of the participants was 2.38 (2.06) in group 1 and 7.89 (1.50) in group 2. The area under the ROC was 0.97 (95% CI 0.95-0.99). The cut-off point was established at 4 points, resulting in a sensitivity of 98.98% and a specificity of 77.78%. CONCLUSIONS: The BIDIAP index has an exceptional diagnostic performance in PAA. The importance of these results lies in its novelty and in the simplicity of the index. Although external validation will be necessary, initial results look promising.

Cooperation and Scientific Contribution: The Search for a Common Nexus.

International cooperation in pediatrics and pediatric surgery entails important barriers such as sociocultural differences, language difficulties, lack of infrastructure and resources, and short duration of campaigns. In this work, we share our personal experience in relation to the scientific publication of works carried out in pediatric international cooperation, and we make a critical reflection on the aspects to be considered for this field to develop in the future.

Diagnostic performance of calprotectin and APPY-1 test in pediatric acute appendicitis: a systematic review and a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric acute appendicitis (AA) is a challenging pathology to diagnose. In the last decades, multiple biomarkers have been evaluated in different human biological samples to improve diagnostic performance. This study aimed to examine the diagnostic performance of serum, fecal and urinary calprotectin as well as the role of the APPY-1 biomarker panel in pediatric acute appendicitis. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the literature that involved an extensive search in the main databases of medical bibliography (Medline, PubMed, Web of Science and SciELO). Two independent reviewers selected the relevant articles based on the previously defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodological quality of the selected article was rated using the QUADAS2 index. Data extraction was performed by two independent reviewers. A synthesis of the results, a standardization of the metrics and two random-effect meta-analyses, one for serum calprotectin and one for APPY-1, were performed. RESULTS: The research resulted in 173 articles. Thirty-eight duplicates were removed. Among the remaining 135 articles, we excluded 125 following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in the 10 studies included in this review. This systematic review included data from of 3901 participants (1276 patients with confirmed diagnosis of AA and 2625 controls). The age of the participants ranged from 0 to 21 years. Four of the studies compared serum calprotectin values and reported significant differences between groups, but inconsistent results regarding cutoff points, sensitivity and specificity. Two publications compared urinary values of calprotectin and presented inconsistent results regarding sensitivity and specificity as well. One publication evaluated the diagnostic performance of fecal calprotectin, but it did not provide data on measured values. Four studies evaluated the diagnostic performance of APPY-1 test in pediatric acute appendicitis. The calculated pooled sensitivity and specificity of those studies were 97.37 (95% CI 95.60-98.44) and 36.74 (95% CI 32.28-41.44), respectively, and the calculated pooled NLR, 0.0714 (95% CI 0.041-0.115). CONCLUSION: Serum calprotectin has limited diagnostic yield in pediatric acute appendicitis. Its performance seems to increase with the hours of clinical evolution and in advanced AA, although the evidence is limited. There is not enough evidence on the usefulness of urinary or fecal calprotectin in the diagnosis of pediatric acute appendicitis. On the other hand, the APPY-1 is a reliable test to exclude the diagnosis of AA in patients at low or moderate risk according to PAS and Alvarado Score.

Development and validation of a low-cost laparoscopic simulation box.

INTRODUCTION: The acquisition of laparoscopic technique skills in an operating room is conditioned by the expertise of the tutor and the number of training interventions by the trainee. For students and surgeons to use a laparoscopic simulator to train their skills, it must be validated beforehand. METHODS: A laparoscopic simulator box was designed, along with 6 interchangeable training games. The simulator was validated by a group of 19 experts, physicians with an experience from at least 100 laparoscopic surgeries, and 20 students of 4th to 6th grades of medical school (non-experts). To evaluate its construct validity, time-to-completion and the number of successfully completed games were assessed. We used 11 and 9-item questionnaires to gather information on content and face validity respectively. In both questionnaires, answers were collected through Likert-type scales, scored from 1 to 5. RESULTS: The group of experts required less time and successfully completed more games than the group of non-experts (p < 0.01). The group of non-experts gave a score ≥ 4 points on each of the questions regarding the content validity of the tool, however, the experts rated with a significant lower mean score the need for the simulator to learn the surgical technique (3.68 points; p < 0.01). Regarding the face validity, all items were graded with a score ≥ 4 points except for the question relating to the spatial realism (3.82 points). CONCLUSION: The laparoscopy simulation box and the games were valid means for training surgeons and medical students to develop the skills required for the laparoscopic technique.

Development and clinical application of a new sternal zenithal traction system in video-assisted percutaneous thoracoplasty.

INTRODUCTION: Video-assisted percutaneous thoracoplasty involves a complex surgical access with risk of damaging vital structures during the procedure. Historically, different traction and sternal elevation systems have been applied during the intervention to minimize the risk associated with the passage of the instruments between the sternum and the pericardium. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A new sternal traction system is presented by means of an illustrated description. Clinical and sociodemographic data were extracted from the 36 patients operated in our center for Pectus Excavatum between July 2017 and August 2021. The Haller index was not applied as a criterion to determine the use or not of the sternal traction system. Patients were classified according to whether the sternal traction system (TE) or not (ST) had been employed. Statistical analysis of the data collected was performed with STATA, version 15.0 (StataCorp). RESULTS: Both groups were comparable. Haller's Index was 4.19 ± 0.7 for the sternal traction (TE) group and 3.79 ± 0.3 for the no sternal traction (ST) group. In 25 of the patients the described traction system was used, and in 11 no traction system was used. All patients were operated on by the same surgeon. The mean operative time in minutes was 97.73 ± 46.2 for the ST group and 88.13 ± 18.1 for the TE group (p = 0.87). The mean total days of admission was 7.67 ± 0.82 (TE) and 7.73 ± 1.35 (ST). Mean days of intravenous PCA was 6.08 ± 0.72 (TE) and 5.89 ± 1.45 (ST). The mean number of epidural PCA days was 3.79 ± 0.5 (TE) and 3.36 ± 0.5 (ST) (p = 0.01). All patients presented a favorable postoperative evolution. None of the patients presented discomfort at the level of the sternal wounds during hospitalization. Cosmetic evolution was favorable in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: The sternal traction system presented provides safety when performing retrosternal dissection and placement of the thoracoplasty bar, leading to a decrease in surgical time in cases with a Haller Index higher than 3.5. There have been no complications associated with its use, nor has there been an increase in the number of days of hospitalization or analgesic requirements. There are no aesthetic sequelae for the patients.

Alterations and diagnostic performance of capillary ketonemia in pediatric acute appendicitis: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: The diagnostic performance of capillary ketonemia (CK) has been previously evaluated in context of pediatric acute gastroenteritis. To our knowledge, there is no literature on its performance in the setting of pediatric acute appendicitis (PAA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 151 patients were prospectively included and divided into two groups: (1) patients with non-surgical abdominal pain in whom the diagnosis of PAA was excluded (n = 53) and (2) patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PAA (n = 98). In 80 patients (Group 1, n = 23 and group 2, n = 57) a CK was measured at the time of diagnosis. The PAA group was further classified into complicated (n = 18) and uncomplicated PAA (n = 39). Quantitative variables were compared between groups using the Mann-Whitney U test. Diagnostic performance of CK was evaluated with ROC curves. RESULTS: CK values were 0.3 [0.1-0.9] mmol/L in group 1 and 0.7 [0.4-1.4] mmol/L in group 2 (p = 0.01). Regarding the type of PAA, CK values were 0.6 [0.4-0.9] mmol/L in uncomplicated PAA and 1.2 [0.8-1.4] mmol/L in complicated PAA (p = 0.02). The AUC for the discrimination between groups 1 and 2 was 0.68 (95% IC 0.53-0.82) (p = 0.24) and the AUC for the discrimination between uncomplicated PAA and complicated PAA was 0.69 (95% IC 0.54-0.85) (p = 0.04). The best cut-off point (group 1 vs group 2) resulted in 0.4 mmol/L, with a sensitivity of 80.7% and a specificity of 52.2%. The best cut-off point (non-complicated vs complicated PAA) resulted in 1.1 mmol/L, with a sensitivity of 61.1% and a specificity of 76.9%. CONCLUSIONS: This study found significantly higher levels of CK in patients with PAA than in those with NSAP. Similarly, significantly higher levels were observed in patients with complicated than in those with uncomplicated PAA. Nevertheless, the diagnostic performance of CK was only moderate in the two settings analyzed. The potential usefulness of CK determination as a tool to guide the preoperative rehydration regimen of patients with PAA to prevent postoperative hyporexia and vomiting is a promising line of research and should be evaluated in future studies.

Diagnostic performance of serum pentraxin-3 in pediatric acute appendicitis: a prospective diagnostic validation study.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric acute appendicitis (PAA) is a pathology with a high rate of diagnostic error. The search for new diagnostic tools is justified by the high morbidity and healthcare costs associated with diagnostic error. METHODS: We designed a prospective study to validate serum pentraxin-3 (PTX3) as a diagnostic tool in PAA. Participants were divided into three groups: (1) patients with no underlying pathology (2) patients with non-surgical abdominal pain and (3) patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PAA. For further analyses, patients in group 3 were divided into complicated or uncomplicated PAA. Quantitative variables were expressed as medians and interquartile ranges and categorical variables as percentages. Quantitative variables were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Diagnostic performance was evaluated with ROC curves. RESULTS: This study included 215 patients divided into group 1 (n = 63), group 2 (n = 53) and group 3 (n = 99). Median serum PTX3 values were 2.54 (1.70-2.95) ng/mL, 3.29 (2.19-7.64) ng/mL and 8.94 (6.16-14.05) in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively (p = 0.001). Patients with complicated PAA showed significantly higher values than patients with uncomplicated PAA (p = 0.04). The AUC (group 2 vs. 3) was 0.77 (95% CI 0.69-0.85) and the best cut-off point was at 7.28 ng/mL, with a sensitivity of 61.3% and a specificity of 73.1%. The AUC (complicated vs. uncomplicated PAA) was 0.65 (95% CI 0.54-0.77) and the best cut-off point was 12.33 ng/mL, with a sensitivity of 51.72% and a specificity of 72.73%. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic ability of serum PTX3 in PAA is only moderate and therefore it cannot be considered a definitive diagnostic test. The discriminatory ability of PTX3 between complicated and uncomplicated PAA is poor. These findings, which contrast with those reported to date, should be validated with future properly designed prospective studies.

SUCCOR quality: validation of ESGO quality indicators for surgical treatment of cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether compliance with European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) surgery quality indicators impacts disease-free survival in patients undergoing radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, 15 ESGO quality indicators were assessed in the SUCCOR database (patients who underwent radical hysterectomy for International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage 2009 IB1, FIGO 2018 IB1, and IB2 cervical cancer between January 2013 and December 2014), and the final score ranged between 0 and 16 points. Centers with more than 13 points were classified as high-quality indicator compliance centers. We constructed a weighted cohort using inverse probability weighting to adjust for the variables. We compared disease-free survival and overall survival using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis in the weighted cohort. RESULTS: A total of 838 patients were included in the study. The mean number of quality indicators compliance in this cohort was 13.6 (SD 1.45). A total of 479 (57.2%) patients were operated on at high compliance centers and 359 (42.8%) patients at low compliance centers. High compliance centers performed more open surgeries (58.4% vs 36.7%, p<0.01). Women who were operated on at centers with high compliance with quality indicators had a significantly lower risk of relapse (HR=0.39; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.61; p<0.001). The association was reduced, but remained significant, after further adjustment for conization, surgical approach, and use of manipulator surgery (HR=0.48; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.75; p=0.001) and adjustment for adjuvant therapy (HR=0.47; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.74; p=0.001). Risk of death from disease was significantly lower in women operated on at centers with high adherence to quality indicators (HR=0.43; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.97; p=0.041). However, the association was not significant after adjustment for conization, surgical approach, use of manipulator surgery, and adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with early cervical cancer who underwent radical hysterectomy in centers with high compliance with ESGO quality indicators had a lower risk of recurrence and death.

Discriminatory capacity of serum total bilirubin between complicated and uncomplicated acute appendicitis in children: a systematic review and a diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis.

This study aimed to examine the ability of serum total bilirubin (STB) to discriminate between complicated and uncomplicated paediatric acute appendicitis (PAA). We conducted a systematic review of the literature that involved an extensive search in the main databases of medical bibliography (Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, Scopus, Cochrane Library). Two independent reviewers selected the relevant articles based on the previously defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodological quality of the selected articles was assessed using the QUADAS2 index. Data extraction was performed by two independent reviewers. A synthesis of the results, a standardization of the metrics and a random-effect meta-analysis were performed. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed in subgroup analysis by study design. In addition, a diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) meta-analysis was performed. This review included 8 studies with data from 3634 participants aged between 0 and 18 years (2230 with uncomplicated PAA and 1404 with complicated PAA). The random-effects meta-analysis showed significantly higher mean STB in the complicated PAA group than in the uncomplicated PAA group (difference = 0.27; 95% CI 0.06-0.48) and high heterogeneity (I2 = 96%). In subgroup analyses by study design, the difference remained significant in prospective studies. The DTA meta-analysis resulted in an AUC of 0.83 (95% CI 0.79-0.86) and pooled sensitivity and specificity of 68.53% (95% CI 48.35%-83.51%) and 81.12% (95% CI 67.76%-89.78%), respectively. Mean values of STB are higher in children with complicated than uncomplicated acute appendicitis, and the diagnostic yield of STB seems to be high. Due to the high heterogeneity between studies, these results must be interpreted with caution.

Discriminatory capacity of serum interleukin-6 between complicated and uncomplicated acute appendicitis in children: a prospective validation study.

BACKGROUND: Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) has a moderate diagnostic performance in pediatric acute appendicitis (PAA). The evidence regarding its capacity to discern between complicated and uncomplicated PAA is scarce. METHODS: We designed a prospective observational study to validate serum IL-6 as a marker for diagnostic classification between complicated and uncomplicated PAA. This study included 205 patients divided into three groups: (1) patients who underwent major outpatient surgery (n = 57); (2) patients with non-surgical abdominal pain (NSAP) in whom the diagnosis of PAA was excluded (n = 53), and (3) patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PAA (n = 95). The PAA patients were further classified as uncomplicated or complicated PAA. IL-6 concentration was determined in all patients at diagnosis. Comparative statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test, the Fisher exact test and the Kruskall Wallis test. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) were calculated. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range, IQR) serum IL-6 values were 2 pg/mL (2.0-3.4) in group 1, 3.9 pg/mL (2.4-11.9) in group 2, and 23.9 pg/mL (11.1-61.0) in group 3 (P < 0.001). Among the participants in group 3, those with uncomplicated PAA had median (IQR) serum IL-6 values of 17.2 pg/mL (8.5-36.8), and those with complicated PAA had 60.25 pg/mL (27.1-169) serum IL-6 (P < 0.001). At the cut-off point of 19.55 pg/mL, the AUC for the discrimination between patients in group 2 vs. 3 was 0.83 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76-0.90], with a sensitivity of 61.3% and a specificity of 86.8. The AUC for the discrimination between patients with uncomplicated and complicated PAA was 0.77 (95% CI 0.68-0.86) and the cut-off point was 25.90 pg/mL, with a sensitivity and specificity of 84.6% and 65.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Serum IL-6 has a good performance in discerning between complicated and uncomplicated PAA. A score including clinical and radiological variables may increase the diagnostic performance of this molecule.