Machine learning-based classifiers to predict metastasis in colorectal cancer patients.

Background: The increasing prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Iran over the past three decades has made it a key public health burden. This study aimed to predict metastasis in CRC patients using machine learning (ML) approaches in terms of demographic and clinical factors. Methods: This study focuses on 1,127 CRC patients who underwent appropriate treatments at Taleghani Hospital, a tertiary care facility. The patients were divided into training and test datasets in an 80:20 ratio. Various ML methods, including Naive Bayes (NB), random rorest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), neural network (NN), decision tree (DT), and logistic regression (LR), were used for predicting metastasis in CRC patients. Model performance was evaluated using 5-fold cross-validation, reporting sensitivity, specificity, the area under the curve (AUC), and other indexes. Results: Among the 1,127 patients, 183 (16%) had experienced metastasis. In the predictionof metastasis, both the NN and RF algorithms had the highest AUC, while SVM ranked third in both the original and balanced datasets. The NN and RF algorithms achieved the highest AUC (100%), sensitivity (100% and 100%, respectively), and accuracy (99.2% and 99.3%, respectively) on the balanced dataset, followed by the SVM with an AUC of 98.8%, a sensitivity of 97.5%, and an accuracy of 97%. Moreover, lower false negative rate (FNR), false positive rate (FPR), and higher negative predictive value (NPV) can be confirmed by these two methods. The results also showed that all methods exhibited good performance in the test datasets, and the balanced dataset improved the performance of most ML methods. The most important variables for predicting metastasis were the tumor stage, the number of involved lymph nodes, and the treatment type. In a separate analysis of patients with tumor stages I-III, it was identified that tumor grade, tumor size, and tumor stage are the most important features. Conclusion: This study indicated that NN and RF were the best among ML-based approaches for predicting metastasis in CRC patients. Both the tumor stage and the number of involved lymph nodes were considered the most important features.

Outcomes of Different Donor and Recipient Vessel and Ureteral Anastomoses in En Bloc Kidney Transplant From Pediatric Deceased Donors: A Retrospective Cohort.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the possible role of different donor and recipient vessel and ureteral anastomoses on survival and functional outcomes in en bloc kidney transplants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort included 99 en bloc kidney transplants performed from December 2005 to March 2022. Recipients were grouped based on donor's vessel (distal [n = 84] or proximal [n = 15] abdominal aorta), recipient's vessel (abdominal aorta [n = 3], external [n = 21], internal [n = 50], or common [n = 25] iliac artery), and ureteral anastomosis (separate [n = 32] or common [n = 67]). Patient and graft survival, complication rates, and estimated glomerular filtration rate trends were compared between groups. RESULTS: Pediatric brain dead donors had a mean age and weight of 37 ± 22 months and 14 ± 4 kg, respectively. Donor and recipient vessel and ureteral anastomoses did not affect overall survival (P = .306, .296, and .225), graft survival (P = .720, .172, and .124), and vascular (P = .347, .689, and .264) and urinary (P = .587, .172, and .385) complication rates. Lymphoceles requiring intervention were significantly more prevalent in the recipient external iliac artery group (P = .008) but were independent of donor vessel and ureteral anastomosis (P = .587 and 1.00). Estimated glomerular filtration rate trend was independentofdonor(P=.921) andrecipient vessel(P=.878 and .536). CONCLUSIONS: We found that different arterial and ureteral anastomoses appear to have comparable outcomes in en bloc kidney transplant with the exception of recipient external iliac artery, which may be slightly inferior because of the relatively higher rate of lymphoceles requiring intervention.

Oncologic Outcomes and Predictors in Patients with Stage PT3aNxM0 Renal Cell Carcinoma Following Radical Nephrectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate oncologic outcomes in patients with PT3aNxM0 renal cell carcinoma following radical nephrectomy and also to investigate these outcomes in each specific subgroup of PT3a renal cell carcinoma and to determine predictive factors of recurrence, metastasis, and mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we included 94 patients with stage PT3a renal cell carcinoma who had undergone radical nephrectomy from 2011 to 2016. All patients who had survived had at least 60 months of follow-up. Demographic and clinical data were collected; univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of metastasis, recurrence, and cancer-related mortality. RESULTS: Patients' mean age was 58.07 ± 11.17 years and 62/94 (65.9%) were male. The mean follow-up time was 48.1 ± 25.5 months. Forty-three patients (45.7%) had experienced cancer-related mortality. The mean cancer-specific survival time was 60.94 months and the mean metastasis-free and local recurrence-free survival times were 57.06 and 88.72 months, respectively. Metastasis and local recurrence had occurred in 42 (44.6%) and 4 (4.25%) patients, respectively. After performing multivariate analysis, higher nuclear Fuhrman's grade (P < .001) and simultaneous involvement of the renal vein and perinephric fat (P < .001) were found to be predictive of cancerrelated mortality. Advanced nuclear Fuhrman's grade was the only independent predictor of metastasis (P=.001). CONCLUSION: Based on our results, advanced nuclear Fuhrman's grade and sarcomatoid change can independently predict mortality in patients with stage PT3aNxM0 renal cell carcinoma. Close monitoring during the follow-up period is recommended in patients with the mentioned risk factors.

Ultrasound/MRI-targeted biopsy versus saturated trans-rectal ultrasound guided biopsy of prostate in patients with primary negative conventional biopsy and still elevated PSA: a prospective randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate and compare the rate of cancer detection by two methods Saturated TRUS guided biopsy and ultrasound/magnetic resonance imaging (US/MRI)-targeted biopsy in patients with primary negative prostate cancer in standard 12 cores biopsy evaluation but still have elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 105 patients who met our inclusion criteria, 53 patients underwent US/MRI-targeted biopsy and 52 remaining patients underwent Saturated 20 core TRUS guided biopsy in a prospective randomized clinical trial. RESULTS: The mean age (±SD) was 62.2 (±8.2) year. The mean PSA (±SD) was 11.8 (±7.5) ng/ml. The mean prostate volume was 56.1 (±24.8) ml. Adenocarcinoma of prostate was detected in 9/52 (17.3%) patients in groups saturated biopsy and 14/53 (26.4%) patients in US/MRI-targeted biopsy group and there was no difference in cancer detection rate between 2 groups (P=0.252). except four patients with fever (two in each group), there was no other serious complication (Clavien grade 3 or higher) occurred in the patients. In the multivariate analysis, higher pre-procedure PSA, lower size of the prostate, pathology of ASAP and presence of nodule in DRE were independent predictors for cancer detection in second biopsy (P=0.036, P<0.001, P=0.013 and P=0.031, respectively). CONCLUSION: We didn't find any superiority in cancer detection rate and any different in complication rate between these two methods saturated TRUS guided biopsy and US/MRI-targeted biopsy.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Intravesical Instillation of BCG by Modified Maintenance Method in Patients With High-Risk Ta and T1 Bladder Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: It is estimated that 75% of urothelial bladder cancers are non-muscle-invasive cancers (NMIBCs). The development of more effective methods for optimizing the management of this subset of patients is of paramount importance. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and side effects of modified maintenance Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy in patients with high-risk NMIBC. Methods: A total of 84 patients with NMIBC who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into 2 groups of 42 patients after receiving intravesical BCG weekly, 1 month after transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURT) for 6 weeks as the induction. In group I, patients continued monthly intravesical instillation of BCG for 6 months as maintenance, whereas group II patients did not. All patients were followed up for recurrence and progression for 2 years. Results: Although the recurrence rate was lower in group I (16.7% vs 31%), there was no significant difference among groups (P = .124). Pathology progression was also lower in group I (7.1% vs 11.9%) with no significant difference among groups (P = .713). Complications were not statistically different among groups (P = .651). A statistically significant difference was not observed between the groups in the acceptance rate of patients (97.6% in group I vs 100% in group II). Conclusions: The recurrence rate and progression rate in NMIBC patients with maintenance-free induction therapy after TURT were almost twice as high as those with 6-month maintenance therapy; however, it was not statistically significant. Modified BCG maintenance protocol made favorable compliance for patients. Trial registration: This study was retrospectively registered at Iranian Registery of Clinical Trials with the code IRCT20220302054165N1.

Lifestyle and occupational risks assessment of bladder cancer using machine learning-based prediction models.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers globally, can be regarded as considerable morbidity and mortality for patients. The bladder is an organ that comes in constant exposure to the environment and other risk factors such as inflammation. AIMS: In the current study, we used machine learning (ML) methods and developed risk prediction models for bladder cancer. METHODS: This population-based case-control study is focused on 692 cases of bladder cancer and 692 healthy people. The ML, including Neural Network (NN), Random Forest (RF), Decision Tree (DT), Naive Bayes (NB), Gradient Boosting (GB), and Logistic Regression (LR), were applied, and the model performance was evaluated. RESULTS: The RF (AUC = .86, precision = 79%) had the best performance, and the RT (AUC = .78, precision = 73%) was in the next rank. Based on variable importance analysis in RF, recurrent infection, bladder stone history, neurogenic bladder, smoking and opium use, chronic renal failure, spinal cord paralysis, analgesic, family history of bladder cancer, diabetic mellitus, low dietary intake of fruit and vegetable, high dietary intake of ham, sausage, can and pickles were respectively the most important factors, which effect on the probability of bladder cancer. CONCLUSION: Machine learning approaches can predict the probability of bladder cancer according to medical history, occupational risk factors, and dietary and demographical characteristics.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of complications of artificial urinary sphincters in female patients with urinary incontinence due to internal sphincter insufficiency.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common worldwide rising health issue among women with a prevalence of 5 to 70%. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the most common subtype of UI. There are different treatments for UI, including AUS (artificial urinary sphincter) implantation, as one of the surgical options for treating SUI. The aim of this study was to determine the complication rate of AUS, exclusively in female patients with SUI, which resulted from ISD (intrinsic sphincter deficiency). We also compared the complication rate between minimally invasive (laparoscopic or robotic surgery) and open approaches. METHODS: Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched for studies regarding complications in AUS implantation surgery, from the beginning of the project to March 2022. After screening and reviewing of full text, the general characteristics of the study and study population including follow-up time, type of surgery, and the number of complications that occurred such as necrosis, atrophy, erosion, infection, mechanical failure, revision, and leak, were extracted. RESULTS: We found that atrophy occurred in 1 of 188 (0.53%) patients treated with minimally invasive surgery and in 1 of 669 (0.15%) patients treated with open surgery. None of the 17 included studies reported the occurrence of necrosis in the patients under study. Erosion occurred in 9 of 188 (4.78%) patients treated with minimally invasive surgery and in 41 of 669 (6.12%) patients treated with open surgery. Infection occurred in 12 of 188 (6.38%) patients treated with minimally invasive surgery and in 22 of 669 (3.2%) patients treated with open surgery. The mechanical failure occurred in 1 of 188 (0.53%) patients treated with minimally invasive surgery and in 55 of 669 (8.22%) patients treated with open surgery. Reconstructive surgery occurred in 7 of 188 (3.72%) patients treated with minimally invasive surgery and in 95 of 669 (14.2%) patients treated with open surgery. Leaks occurred in 4 of 188 (2.12%) patients treated with minimally invasive surgery and in 6 of 669 (0.89%) patients treated with open surgery. The type of surgery was associated with a statistically significant increase in mechanical failure (p-value = 0.067) and infection (p-value = 0.021), and reconstructive surgery (p-value = 0.049). Out of the 857 participats in the study,469 were studied for less than five years and 388 were studied for more than five years.21 of 469 (4.4%) (p-value = 0.08) patients and 81 of 388 (20.8%) (p-value = 0.001) patients required reconstructive surgery. Erosion occurred in 23 of 469 (4.9%) (p-value = 0.01)patients with following time less than five years and in 27 of 388 (6.9%) (p-value = 0.001) patients with following time more than five years. CONCLUSION: The use of artificial urinary sphincters in the treatment of UI causes complications such as atrophy, erosion, and infection; the amount of which is influenced by the surgical method and the duration of using the artificial urinary sphincter. It seems that the use of new surgical methods, such as laparoscopic surgery, is useful in reducing the incidence of complications.

Predicting metastasis in gastric cancer patients: machine learning-based approaches.

Gastric cancer (GC), with a 5-year survival rate of less than 40%, is known as the fourth principal reason of cancer-related mortality over the world. This study aims to develop predictive models using different machine learning (ML) classifiers based on both demographic and clinical variables to predict metastasis status of patients with GC. The data applied in this study including 733 of GC patients, divided into a train and test groups at a ratio of 8:2, diagnosed at Taleghani tertiary hospital. In order to predict metastasis in GC, ML-based algorithms, including Naive Bayes (NB), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Neural Network (NN), Decision Tree (RT) and Logistic Regression (LR), with 5-fold cross validation were performed. To assess the model performance, F1 score, precision, sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and precision-recall AUC (PR-AUC) were obtained. 262 (36%) experienced metastasis among 733 patients with GC. Although all models have optimal performance, the indices of SVM model seems to be more appropiate (training set: AUC: 0.94, Sensitivity: 0.94; testing set: AUC: 0.85, Sensitivity: 0.92). Then, NN has the higher AUC among ML approaches (training set: AUC: 0.98; testing set: AUC: 0.86). The RF of ML-based models, which determine size of tumor and age as two essential variables, is considered as the third efficient model, because of higher specificity and AUC (84% and 87%). Based on the demographic and clinical characteristics, ML approaches can predict the metastasis status in GC patients. According to AUC, sensitivity and specificity in both SVM and NN can be regarded as better algorithms among 6 applied ML-based methods.

Comparison of histopathological features, survival, and oncological outcome between patients under and above 55-year-old with prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND: To compare the disease course, histopathological features and survival rates of prostate cancer (PCa) between patients aged ⩽ 55 and > 55 year old. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we enrolled 644 patients with organ-confide prostate cancer who had undergone radical prostatectomy from 2005 to 2018. Seventy-six (11.8%) patients were under 55 years of age (group 1) and 568 (88.2%) patients were >55 years old (group 2). RESULTS: Pre-operative hypertension was detected in 4 (5.3%) patients of group 1 and 80 (14.1%) patients of groups 2 (p = 0.029). The mean (±SD) prostate volume was higher in group 2 compared with group 1 (34.1(±8.4) ml vs 54.1(±9.9) ml, p < 0.001). Positive surgery margin was observed in 15 (19.7%) and 58 (10.2%) patients in group 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.020). Co-existence of diabetes mellitus, mean pre-operative PSA, Gleason's score, and permanent pathology and pathologic stage were similar between the two groups. Log-rank test failed to show any statistical difference in terms of biochemical-relapse free survival, local recurrence-free survival, and metastasis-free survival between the two groups (p = 0.316, 0.441, 0.654, respectively). After performing multivariate analysis, positive surgical margin was the only factor that was independently predictive of biochemical relapse (p < 0.001) and local recurrence/metastasis (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: No difference was observed in terms of histopathologic features, biochemical relapse, and local recurrence/metastasis-free survival rates between patients younger and older than 55 years of age.

Fistulectomy and primary sphincteroplasty in complex anal fistula treatment: a hospital-based long-term follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is no agreement on the best treatment for complex anal fistulas with the least recurrence and lowest complication rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term recurrence and incontinence after fistulectomy and primary sphincteroplasty (FIPS) in a group of patients with complex perianal fistula. METHODS: This prospective observational study was done at the colorectal ward of Taleghani Hospital of Tehran from January 2010 to December 2020. Patients with anal fistula who underwent FIPS were studied. After surgery, patients were evaluated regularly by a colorectal surgeon for fistula recurrence and incontinence. Recurrence was described as a new fistula tract formation after the initial cure and failure of healing in the operation site or any purulent discharge from the fistula tract and openings. In addition, the patient's continence was assessed based on the Wexner score. RESULTS: There were 335 patients (66 men and 269 women, mean age 42.74 ± 12.44 years), 191 of them with low fistula and 144 with high fistula. Thirteen patients (3.90%) experienced recurrence (all had a low fistula). Thirty-nine patients (11.64%), 19 patients with high and 20 patients with low fistula, had a Wexner score ≥ 3 during the follow-up. Fifteen patients were lost to follow-up. Male patients (OR = 2.67, 95% CI 0.84, 8.45, p = 0.094, adjusted OR = 4.41, 95% CI 1.05, 18.48, p = 0.042), patients with low fistula (p = 0.001), and recurrent cases had a significantly higher rate of recurrence (OR = 10.38, 95% CI 3.24-33.20 p ≤ 0.001, adjusted OR = 23.36, 95% CI 4.35-125.39, p ≤ 0.001). A significant correlation between body mass index > 35 kg/m2 and incontinence was found (OR = 4.40, 95% CI 1.35, 14.33, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, an acceptable healing rate and a low percentage of complications following FIPS were seen in patients with complex anal fistula. Randomized clinical trials with appropriate follow-up duration and sample size comparing different surgical methods in these patients are needed to confirm these results.

Epigenetic regulation of gastrointestinal cancers mediated by long non-coding RNAs.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), as well-known modulator of the epigenetic processes, have been shown to contribute to normal cellular physiological and pathological conditions such as cancer. Through the interaction with epigenetic regulators, an aberrant regulation of gene expression can be resulted due to their dysregulation, which in turn, can be involved in tumorigenesis. In the present study, we reviewed the lncRNAs' function and mechanisms that contributed to aberrant epigenetic regulation, which is directly related to gastrointestinal cancer (GI) development and progression. Findings indicated that epigenetic alterations may involve in tumorigenesis and are valuable biomarkers in case of diagnosing, assessing of risk factors, and predicting of GI cancers. This review summarized the accumulated evidence for biological and clinical application to use lncRNAs in GI cancers, including colorectal, gastric, oral, liver, pancreatic and oesophageal cancer.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Department Referrals with Urologic Complaints; a Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Medical and surgical priorities were dramatically changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of this pandemic on presentation to emergency department (ED) with urologic complaint. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary urology referral center in Tehran, Iran. The data of all ED admissions were collected and the frequency of admissions with urologic complain and their outcomes were compared between two 90-day periods (before and during COVID-19 era). Results: 480 ED admissions were studied. The number of patients visiting the ED with urologic complaint during COVID-19 era was significantly lower than the same period in the pre-COVID-19 period (125 vs. 355 admissions; p = 0.01). The mean hospitalization days for patients in the pre-COVID-19 period were significantly higher (5.6 ± 4.4 vs. 3.2 ± 4.2 days; p <0.001). The most common patient complaints before and during COVID-19 period were flank pain (32.7%) and gross hematuria (32.8%), respectively. The number of patients discharged against medical advice in the COVID-19 period was significantly higher than before (22 (17.6%) vs. 10(2.8%); p < 0.001). The number of patients who developed severe complications was significantly higher in the COVID-19 period than in the pre-COVID-19 period (p = 0.001). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic we were faced with decreasing frequency of admission with urologic complaint, change in the pattern of referrals, decrease in the duration of hospitalization, increase in the number of patients discharged against medical advice, and increase in the number of cases with irreversible urologic complications or complications requiring surgery due to deferred treatment.

Development of web-based dynamic nomogram to predict survival in patients with gastric cancer: a population-based study.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most frequent malignancy worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-associated mortality. The study's goal was to construct a predictive model and nomograms to predict the survival of GC patients. This historical cohort study assessed 733 patients who underwent treatments for GC. The univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard (CPH) survival analyses were applied to identify the factors related to overall survival (OS). A dynamic nomogram was developed as a graphical representation of the CPH regression model. The internal validation of the nomogram was evaluated by Harrell's concordance index (C-index) and time-dependent AUC. The results of the multivariable Cox model revealed that the age of patients, body mass index (BMI), grade of tumor, and depth of tumor elevate the mortality hazard of gastric cancer patients (P < 0.05). The built nomogram had a discriminatory performance, with a C-index of 0.64 (CI 0.61, 0.67). We constructed and validated an original predictive nomogram for OS in patients with GC. Furthermore, nomograms may help predict the individual risk of OS in patients treated for GC.

Oncologic Outcomes Following Positive Surgical Margins in Patients who Underwent Open Versus Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate oncological outcomes in patient with positive surgical margin (PSM) following partial nephrectomy (PN). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we enrolled the data of patients who underwent PN between 2008 and 2017. The inclusion criteria were a definite diagnosis of kidney tumor who underwent PN with at least one year follow up. RESULTS: From the 450 patients who underwent PN, The PSM was found in 35 (22 male/13 female) patients. 18/237 (7.6%) and 17/213 (7.9%) of them were in open and laparoscopic group, respectively. Clear cell RCC was the most prevalent pathology (18 patients) in the PSM patients. The mean time of follow up was 46 ± 2.02 months. Recurrence was developed in 5 (14.2%) patients. There was no correlation between recurrence and sex (p=1.00), surgery type (p = 0.658), age (p = 0.869), tumor size (p = 0.069), pathology (p = 0.258) and stage (p = 0.744) in PSM patients. Recurrence free survival was similar between the open and laparoscopy groups in PSM patients (p = 0.619). CONCLUSION: Beside numerous advantages of minimally invasive techniques, laparoscopic approach would be comparable to conventional open partial nephrectomy in terms of oncologic outcomes. The rate of recurrence following partial nephrectomy in PSM patients is considerable and closely monitoring is mandatory.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia: Who will benefit from surgical intervention? A single center experience.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the pre-operative factors affecting clinical response to prostate surgery in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, 172 patients who underwent surgical intervention for BPH (either as open prostatectomy (n = 78) or monopolar-trans-urethral resection of prostate (n = 94) from February 2017 to October 2019 were consecutively enrolled. Pre-operative conventional three-lumen urodynamic study and transabdominal sonography were performed for all patients to determine peak flow rate (Qmax), detrusor pressure at the peak flow rate (PdetQmax), post-void residual volume (PVR), presence of detrusor overactivity (DO), prostate volume and median lobe size, and bladder wall thickness with empty and full bladder. Uroflowmetry and cystoscopy were performed during follow-up, whenever indicated. Successful surgical outcome was defined as subjective satisfaction of the patient and a Qmax of more than 15 ml/s on post-operative uroflowmetry. RESULTS: At 1-year follow-up, complete resolution of lower urinary tract syndrome (LUTS) was detected in 138 (80.2%) patients; however, 21 (12.2%) still had pure obstructive LUTS, 9 (5.2%) had pure storage LUTS, and 4 (2.3%) were still suffering from both storage and obstructive LUTS. After performing multivariable analysis, shorter duration of pre-operative medical treatment and higher pre-operative bladder contractility index (BCI) were found to be independent predictors of successful surgery (p = 0.012 and p < 0.001, respectively). Results of the ROC curve analysis showed that a preoperative BCI level more than 90.95 and pre-surgical medical treatment duration less than 14.45 months have the most specificity and sensitivity to predict the success of surgical outcome. We also observed that the probability of recovery decreased considerably over time following surgery. CONCLUSION: Shorter duration of pre-operative medical treatment and increased pre-operative BCI can independently predict favorable outcome of BPH surgery. These factors could be used for better patient management and appropriate planning and consultation before BPH surgery.

The trend analysis of neurological disorders as major causes of death and disability according to human development, 1990-2019.

This study aims to assess the trends in the incidence rate of neurological disorders in developed and developing countries worldwide during 1990-2019. The age-standardized incidence rate (per 100000 persons) of neurological disorders was the primary outcome, extracted from the Global Burden of Disease database for 189 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019. Using the Human Development Index (HDI), countries were classified into developed (HDI ≥ 0.7) and developing (HDI < 0.7) groups. Longitudinal analysis was performed using the Latent Growth Model (LGM) to assess the change in the incidence rate of neurological disorders over time in these groups. In developed countries, the most increasing rate is related to depressive disorders, with a rising rate of 40.15 in 100000 every five years (p = 0.001). Alzheimer's and dementia, Parkinson and multiple sclerosis are in the next rank, with increasing rates of 8.77, 1.24, and .02, respectively (all p < 0.001). Over time, the significant decreasing trend has been determined related to conducting disorder, attention-deficit and hyperactivity, meningitis, anxiety, and eating disorders, with the rates of - 13.92, - 4.96, - 2.7, - 1.6, and - 1.44, respectively (all p < 0.05). In developing countries, meningitis, conduct disorder, attention-deficit and hyperactivity, stroke, and autism spectrum showed a significant decreasing trend over time, with rates of - 15.45, - 5.84, - 2.56, - 1.86, and - 1.07, respectively (all p < 0.05). Headache disorder has the most increasing rate of 79.5, following depressive (rate 35.32), substance use (rate 14.99), anxiety (rate 7.18), and eating (rate 3.4) disorders. Also, Alzheimer's and dementia, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Parkinson's, brain and central nervous system cancer, and multiple sclerosis are in the next rank and had significant increasing trends (all p < 0.05). Given the high economic and social burden of neurological disorders, the rate of these diseases in most countries does not seem to have dropped remarkably. The heterogeneous incidence rate in some world countries seems to be due to underestimating and gaps in epidemiological information. It is necessary to provide exact registry systems for health policies, especially in developing countries.

Nomogram to Predict the Overall Survival of Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Multicenter National Study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third foremost cause of cancer-related death and the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer globally. The study aimed to evaluate the survival predictors using the Cox Proportional Hazards (CPH) and established a novel nomogram to predict the Overall Survival (OS) of the CRC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A historical cohort study, included 1868 patients with CRC, was performed using medical records gathered from Iran's three tertiary colorectal referral centers from 2006 to 2019. Two datasets were considered as train set and one set as the test set. First, the most significant prognostic risk factors on survival were selected using univariable CPH. Then, independent prognostic factors were identified to construct a nomogram using the multivariable CPH regression model. The nomogram performance was assessed by the concordance index (C-index) and the time-dependent area under the ROC curve. RESULTS: The age of patients, body mass index (BMI), family history, tumor grading, tumor stage, primary site, diabetes history, T stage, N stage, and type of treatment were considered as significant predictors of CRC patients in univariable CPH model (p < 0.2). The multivariable CPH model revealed that BMI, family history, grade and tumor stage were significant (p < 0.05). The C-index in the train data was 0.692 (95% CI, 0.650-0.734), as well as 0.627 (0.670, 0.686) in the test data. CONCLUSION: We improved a novel nomogram diagram according to factors for predicting OS in CRC patients, which could assist clinical decision-making and prognosis predictions in patients with CRC.

Association of leptin G2548A and leptin receptor Q223R polymorphisms and their serum levels with infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss in Iranian women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Adipokine leptin plays a crucial role in metabolic and reproductive functions. Leptin receptor has a soluble form that binds to leptin, thus modulating its level in the circulation. It has been indicated that the levels of leptin and leptin receptor and also LEP rs7799039 and LEPR rs1137101 polymorphisms are associated with metabolic disorders. In the present study, we assessed the levels of leptin and soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R), and also the frequency of rs7799039 and rs1137101 polymorphisms in healthy fertile women and patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), inclusive of PCOS-infertile and PCOS-recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) subjects. METHODS: A total of 324 PCOS patients- including 199 infertile cases and 125 patients with a history of RPL- and 144 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Biochemical parameters and plasma leptin and sOB-R levels were measured by ELISA and the genotypes of rs7799039 and rs1137101 polymorphisms were determined using PCR- RFLP. RESULTS: Plasma leptin and sOB-R levels were significantly higher and lower in PCOS, PCOS-infertile and PCOS RPL groups, respectively. The GG genotype frequencies of rs7799039 and rs1137101 polymorphisms were significantly different between PCOS-infertile women and non-PCOS subjects (P = 0.043, OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.22-0.97, and P = 0.01, OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.12-0.75, respectively). Increased LEP levels were associated with the risk of PCOS and RPL in women with PCOS (P = 0.039, OR = 1.203, 95%CI = [1.009-1.435] and P = 0.012, OR = 1.267, 95% CI = [1.054-1.522], respectively). CONCLUSION: Polymorphisms rs7799039 and rs1137101 and circulating leptin and sOB-R levels were associated with infertility in Iranian women with PCOS. Further studies are needed to reveal the role of leptin in PCOS pathogenesis.

Efficacy of daily GnRH agonist for luteal phase support following GnRH agonist triggered ICSI cycles versus conventional strategy: A Randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) as an alternative for human chronic gonadotropin (hCG) trigger has potential benefits, but the optimal luteal phase support (LPS) following GnRHa trigger remains to be elucidated. We aimed to investigate a new strategy (daily GnRH agonist for LPS following GnRH agonist trigger) as an alternative for the conventional approach to the patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial study, 44 ICSI patients were randomly assigned into two groups: group 1, patients received standard strategy (hCG trigger [10000 IU] and progesterone bid [400 mg/BD] for LPS); group 2, patients received a dose of GnRHa (0.2 mg) for ovulation trigger and subcutaneous injection of GnRHa bid (0.2 mg) for LPS. RESULTS: The pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth rates for the patients undergoing LPS following the GnRHa trigger were similar to those of patients undergoing the standard strategy. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that a daily subcutaneous injection of GnRHa for LPS following the GnRHa trigger can be successfully performed as an alternative to the standard strategy, with comparable pregnancy and live birth rates in ICSI patients.