Type 2 Diabetes-Prevention Diet and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Study.

We aimed to examine whether type 2 diabetes-prevention diet, a dietary pattern previously developed for reducing type 2 diabetes risk, was associated with mortality in a US population. A population-based cohort of 86,633 subjects was identified from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (1993-2015). Dietary information was collected with a food frequency questionnaire. A dietary diabetes risk-reduction score was calculated to reflect adherence to this dietary pattern, with higher scores representing better adherence. Hazard ratios (HRs) and absolute risk differences (ARDs) in mortality rates per 10,000 person-years were calculated. After a mean follow-up of 13.6 years, 17,532 all-cause deaths were observed. Participants with the highest versus the lowest quintiles of dietary diabetes risk-reduction score were observed to have decreased risks of death from all causes (HR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72, 0.80; ARD: -81.94, 95% CI: -93.76, -71.12), cardiovascular disease (HR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.81; ARD: -17.82, 95% CI: -24.81, -11.30), and cancer (HR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.78, 0.94; ARD: -9.92, 95% CI: -15.86, -3.59), which were modified by sex, smoking status, or alcohol consumption in subgroup analyses (P for interaction < 0.05 for all). In conclusion, a type 2 diabetes-prevention diet confers reduced risks of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in this US population.

Low-carbohydrate diets and the risk of pancreatic cancer: a large prospective cohort study.

Low-carbohydrate diets have become a popular approach for weight loss in recent years. However, whether low-carbohydrate diets are associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer remains to be elucidated. Hence, we examined the association of low-carbohydrate diets with the risk of pancreatic cancer in a US population. A population-based cohort of 95 962 individuals was identified. A low-carbohydrate-diet score was calculated to quantify adherence to this dietary pattern, with higher scores indicating greater adherence. Cox regression was used to calculate risk estimate for the association of the low-carbohydrate-diet score with the risk of pancreatic cancer. Subgroup analysis was used to identify the potential effect modifiers. After an average follow-up of 8.87 years (875856.9 person-years), we documented a total of 351 pancreatic cancer cases. In the fully adjusted model, the highest versus the lowest quartiles of the overall low-carbohydrate-diet score were found to be associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer (hazard ratioquartile 4 versus 1: 0.61; 95% confidence interval: 0.45, 0.82; Ptrend < 0.001). Subgroup analysis found that the inverse association of low-carbohydrate diets with the risk of pancreatic cancer was more pronounced in individuals aged ≥65 years than in those aged <65 years (Pinteraction = 0.015). Similar results were obtained for animal and vegetable low-carbohydrate-diet scores. In conclusion, low-carbohydrate diets, regardless of the type of protein and fat, are associated with a lower risk of pancreatic cancer in the US population, suggesting that adherence to low-carbohydrate diets may be beneficial for pancreatic cancer prevention. Future studies should validate our findings in other populations.

Association of ultra-processed food consumption with cardiovascular mortality in the US population: long-term results from a large prospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Ultra-processed foods have now become dominant in the global food system. Whether their consumption is associated with cardiovascular mortality remains controversial. Moreover, data on ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular outcomes are scarce in the US population. We aimed to examine the association of ultra-processed food consumption with cardiovascular mortality in a US population. METHODS: A population-based cohort of 91,891 participants was identified from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. Dietary data were collected through a validated 137-item food frequency questionnaire. Ultra-processed foods were defined by the NOVA classification. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cardiovascular mortality. Restricted cubic spline regression was used to test nonlinearity. Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify the potential effect modifiers. RESULTS: After an average follow-up of 13.5 years (1,236,049.2 person-years), 5490 cardiovascular deaths were documented, including 3985 heart disease deaths and 1126 cerebrovascular deaths. In the fully adjusted model, participants in the highest vs. the lowest quintiles of ultra-processed food consumption had higher risks of death from cardiovascular disease (HRquintile 5 vs. 1, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.36-1.64) and heart disease (HRquintile 5 vs. 1, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.50-1.87) but not cerebrovascular disease (HRquintile 5 vs. 1, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.76-1.17). A nonlinear dose-response pattern was observed for overall cardiovascular and heart disease mortality (all Pnonlinearity < 0.05), with a threshold effect observed at ultra-processed food consumption of 2.4 servings/day and 2.3 servings/day, respectively; below the thresholds, no significant associations were observed for these two outcomes. Subgroup analyses showed that the increased risks of mortality from ultra-processed foods were significantly higher in women than in men (all Pinteraction < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: High consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risks of overall cardiovascular and heart disease mortality. These harmful associations may be more pronounced in women. Our findings need to be confirmed in other populations and settings.

Magnesium intake and primary liver cancer incidence and mortality in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.

Epidemiological studies on magnesium intake and primary liver cancer (PLC) are scarce, and no prospective studies have examined the associations of magnesium intake with PLC incidence and mortality. We sought to clarify whether higher magnesium intake from diet and supplements was associated with lower risks of PLC incidence and mortality in the US population. Magnesium intake from diet and supplements was evaluated through a food frequency questionnaire in a cohort of 104,025 participants. Cox regression was employed to calculate hazard ratios for PLC incidence and competing risk regression was employed to calculate subdistribution hazard ratios for PLC mortality. Restricted cubic spline regression was employed to test nonlinearity. We documented 116 PLC cases during 1,193,513.5 person-years of follow-up and 100 PLC deaths during 1,198,021.3 person-years of follow-up. Total (diet + supplements) magnesium intake was found to be inversely associated with risks of PLC incidence (hazard ratiotertile 3 vs. 1 : 0.44; 95% confidence interval: 0.24, 0.80; ptrend = 0.0065) and mortality (subdistribution hazard ratiotertile 3 vs. 1 : 0.37; 95% confidence interval: 0.19, 0.71; ptrend = 0.0008). Similar results were obtained for dietary magnesium intake. Nonlinear inverse dose-response associations with PLC incidence and mortality were observed for both total and dietary magnesium intakes (all pnonlinearity < 0.05). In summary, in the US population, a high magnesium intake is associated with decreased risks of PLC incidence and mortality in a nonlinear dose-response manner. These findings support that increasing the consumption of foods rich in magnesium may be beneficial in reducing PLC incidence and mortality.

Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of fecal immunochemical test versus colonoscopy in colorectal cancer screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and colonoscopy are the most commonly used strategies for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening worldwide. We aimed to compare their efficacy and cost-effectiveness in CRC screening in an average-risk population. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and National Health Services Economic Evaluation Database were searched. Risk ratio (RR) was used to evaluate the differences in detection rates of colorectal neoplasia between FIT and colonoscopy groups. A random-effects model was used to pool RRs. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of FIT versus colonoscopy. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials and 17 cost-effectiveness studies were included. The participation rate in the FIT group was higher than that in the colonoscopy group (41.6% vs 21.9%). In the intention-to-treat analysis, FIT had a detection rate of CRC comparable with colonoscopy (RR, .73; 95% confidence interval, .37-1.42) and lower detection rates of any adenoma and advanced adenoma than 1-time colonoscopy. Most included cost-effectiveness studies showed that annual (13/15) or biennial (5/6) FIT was cost-saving (ICER < $0) or very cost-effective ($0 < ICER ≤ $25000/quality-adjusted life-year) compared with colonoscopy every 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: FIT may be similar to 1-time colonoscopy in the detection rate of CRC, although it has lower detection rates of any adenoma and advanced adenoma than 1-time colonoscopy. Furthermore, annual or biennial FIT appears to be very cost-effective or cost-saving compared with colonoscopy every 10 years. These findings indicate, at least partly, that FIT is noninferior to colonoscopy in CRC screening in an average-risk population. Our findings should be treated with caution and need to be further confirmed.

Effects of Prostaglandin E1 on Patients Undergoing Major Gastrointestinal Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) in patients who underwent surgery for gastrointestinal (GI) trauma, perforation, or obstruction. BACKGROUND: PGE1 is thought to enhance intestinal blood supply and reduce GI complications during the postoperative period. METHODS: The medical records of 889 patients undergoing major GI surgery were reviewed retrospectively. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for any baseline differences. Clinical outcomes, including early GI function recovery, postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay, were evaluated in all patients. In 278 paired patients, selected nutritional, immunologic, and inflammatory variables were compared based on PGE1 administration. RESULTS: After propensity score 1:1 matching, the baseline characteristics were similar for both groups. PGE1 was associated with prompt postoperative GI function recovery, including first bowel movement [2.6 ±â€Š0.9 vs 3.1 ±â€Š1.0 days after surgery in patients with and without PGE1 treatment, risk ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41-0.65, P < 0.001] and first feeding within postoperative day 3 [179 (64.39%) vs 152 (54.68%); risk ratio 0.61, 95% CI 0.42-0.90, P = 0.012]. A lower overall postoperative complication rate, including infectious complications [45 (16.2%) vs 68 (24.5%); odds ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.39-0.91, P = 0.010] and major complications [23 (8.3%) vs 48 (17.3%); odds ratio 0.43, 95% CI 0.26-0.73, P = 0.001], was noted in patients with PGE1 treatment than in patients without PGE1 treatment. Furthermore, the immunologic and inflammatory variable C-reactive protein on postoperative day 3 was reduced by PGE1 treatment (52.5 ±â€Š36.4 vs 89.6 ±â€Š42.4 mg/L; P = 0.037, t test). CONCLUSIONS: PGE1 is associated with beneficial clinical effects, such as prompt postoperative GI function recovery and reduced overall postoperative complications after emergency GI surgery, which may be attributed to a reduced inflammatory response.

Disease progression of acute pancreatitis in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 10% of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) progress to chronic pancreatitis. Little is known about the factors that affect recurrence of pancreatitis after an initial episode. We retrospectively investigated patients with AP, focusing on their outcomes and the predictors for disease progression. METHODS: Between July 2003 and June 2015, we retrospectively enrolled first-time AP patients with medical records on disease etiology, severity (according to the Atlanta classifications), and recurrence of AP. Independent predictors of recurrent AP (RAP) and chronic pancreatitis were identified using the logistic regression model. RESULTS: Of the total 159 patients, 45 (28.3%) developed RAP, including two episodes of RAP in 19 patients, and 9 (5.7%) developed chronic pancreatitis. The median duration from the time of AP to the onset of RAP was 5.6 ± 2.3 months. RAP patients were identified as more common among patients with idiopathic first-time AP. The presence of severe ascites, pancreatic necrosis, and systemic complications was independent predictors of RAP in pediatric patients. Experiencing over two RAP episodes was the predictor for developing chronic pancreatitis. No influence of age or number of AP episodes was found on the occurrence of abdominal pain, pain severity, and the prevalence of any pain. CONCLUSIONS: Severity of first-time AP and idiopathic first-time AP are related to RAP. Recurrence increases risk for progression to chronic pancreatitis. The risk of recurrence increased with increasing numbers of AP episodes.

Serum bacterial DNA detection in patients with cholangitis after Kasai procedure.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the detectability of bacterial DNA (bactDNA) and associated clinical factors in patients with cholangitis after the Kasai procedure through the identification of bactDNA in blood. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 110 patients who had undergone the Kasai procedure was carried out. A total of 77 patients had cholangitis and 33 did not. Blood samples were obtained on admission or on follow up at the outpatient visit. bactDNA was analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction-based method, DNA nucleotide sequencing, for identification of bacterial species. RESULTS: Rate of bactDNA positivity was higher using the 16SrDNA method than the culture method (58.4% vs 14.3%, P < 0.0001), and more patients with cholangitis were positive for bactDNA compared with the patients without cholangitis (58.4% vs 39.4%, P = 0.095). Bacteria identified on blood 16SrDNA primarily consisted of opportunistic pathogens derived from the gut, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella fexneri, and Enterobacteriaceae bacterium. Treatment with probiotics or antibiotics showed a trend toward reduced prevalence of bactDNA. Pediatric end-stage liver disease score, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and heart rate were all significantly associated with the presence of bactDNA. CONCLUSION: bactDNA is frequently detected in patients with cholangitis after the Kasai procedure compared with those without cholangitis (and controls), and the bacteria are similar to those in the gut, suggesting that it is useful as an early diagnostic tool for cholangitis and other infections (registration number in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-ECC-13003759).

Egg consumption and risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

CONTEXT: Current dietary guidelines recommend eggs as a part of a healthy diet. However, whether egg consumption is associated with risk of mortality remains controversial. Moreover, the dose-response association of egg consumption with risk of mortality has not been determined. OBJECTIVE: To determine the potential dose-response association of egg consumption with risk of mortality in the general population. DATA SOURCES: The PubMed and Embase databases were searched for publications meeting eligibility criteria through November 2021. DATA EXTRACTION: Required data were extracted by 1 reviewer and then checked for accuracy by another reviewer. A random-effects dose-response meta-regression model was used to calculate the pooled risk estimates. A restricted cubic spline model was used to test nonlinearity. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE system. DATA ANALYSIS: Nineteen prospective cohort studies, involving 1 737 893 participants, were included. The pooled hazard ratios for an increase of 1 egg/d were 1.08 (95%CI, 1.01-1.15) for all-cause mortality, 1.07 (95%CI, 0.97-1.18) for cardiovascular disease-caused mortality, and 1.16 (95%CI, 1.04-1.30) for cancer-caused mortality. The certainty of evidence for these observations was rated as very low. Nonlinear dose-response associations were found for egg consumption and all-cause, cardiovascular disease-caused, and cancer-caused mortality. Moreover, the positive association between egg consumption and all-cause mortality was more pronounced in studies with adjustment for blood cholesterol-related covariates than those without (Pinteraction = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Greater amount of egg consumption confers higher risks of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and canc er in a nonlinear dose-response pattern. These findings should be treated with caution and need to be confirmed by future studies.

No difference in hepatocellular carcinoma risk in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with tenofovir vs entecavir: evidence from an updated meta-analysis.

Whether tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is superior to entecavir in reducing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk among treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients remains controversial. We aimed to clarify this controversy. Several databases, including PubMed and Embase, were retrieved through November 2020. Cohort studies comparing the effectiveness of TDF and entecavir in reducing HCC incidence among treatment-naïve CHB patients were included if they reported multivariable-adjusted or propensity-score-matched risk estimates. A random-effects model was used to pool hazard ratios (HRs). Thirteen cohort studies, involving 4097 HCC cases and 80202 CHB patients, were included. Multivariable-adjusted meta-analysis revealed no significant difference in HCC incidence between TDF and entecavir groups (HR 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.72-1.04), which was consistent with propensity-score-matched meta-analysis (HR 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.66-1.03). Subgroup analysis showed that the observed similarity of TDF to entecavir for HCC prevention persisted in studies with follow-up length of ≥4 years but not in those with follow-up length of <4 years (Pinteraction<0.01). In conclusion, TDF is similar to entecavir in reducing HCC incidence among treatment-naïve CHB patients. Heterogeneous results of included studies may result from their disparity in follow-up length. Our findings should be treated with caution and need to be further confirmed.

Multi-Center Prospective Study of Restrictive Post-Operative Antibiotic Treatment of Children with Complicated Appendicitis.

Background: No consensus has been reached regarding the most advantageous duration of antibiotic prophylaxis to decrease post-operative infection complications of appendectomy for acute complex appendicitis. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of short-term antibiotic treatment on post-operative complications in children with complex appendicitis. Methods: A multi-center, parallel group, randomized study was conducted in patients younger than 14 years of age with complicated appendicitis at three hospitals in China. The qualified patients were randomized prospectively to either the restrictive 72-hour short-term antibiotic strategy or the standard antibiotic usage. A comparison of the complications within 24 months, including infectious complications and long-term results, were conducted between the two groups. This trial is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), number ChiCTR1900023941 and is complete. Results: A shorter duration of antibiotic treatment had no effect on intestinal function recovery, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and health-care-associated Clostridium difficile infection and infectious complication, including intra-abdominal abscess development (17.9% vs. 18.0%, p = 0.52). Furthermore, no substantial difference for re-admission requirement and re-operation were found between the two treatment strategies. A sizeable decrease in total duration of hospitalization (p < 0.001) and average total antibiotic duration (p < 0.001) were observed for the restrictive antibiotic strategy group. Conclusion: In complicated appendicitis, the restrictive antibiotic usage was equivalent to standard antibiotic usage in terms of short- and long-term outcomes, but with shorter hospital stays and fewer antibiotic agents.

Adherence to the 2018 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research cancer prevention recommendations and pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Whether adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) cancer prevention recommendations is associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer remains controversial. Additionally, no study has investigated this association in the US population. Hence, we investigated the association of adherence to the 2018 WCRF/AICR cancer prevention recommendations with pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality in a US population. METHODS: A population-based cohort of 95 962 participants was identified. A score incorporating eight WCRF/AICR components was constructed to reflect adherence to the WCRF/AICR guidelines, with higher scores representing greater adherence to the guidelines. Cox and competing risk regression were used to calculate risk estimates for pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality, respectively. Restricted cubic spline functions were used to test nonlinearity. RESULTS: In the fully adjusted model, higher overall WCRF/AICR scores were shown to be associated with lower risks of developing pancreatic cancer (hazard ratiotertile 3 vs 1 :0.67; 95% confidence interval: 0.49, 0.90; Ptrend  = .0099) and mortality due to this cancer (subdistribution hazard ratiotertile 3 vs 1 0.65; 95% confidence interval: 0.47, 0.89; Ptrend  = .0108) in a linear dose-response manner (all Pnonlinearity  > .05). The component "be physically active" was shown to be a key contributor to the observed associations. No association of the diet-specific WCRF/AICR score with pancreatic incidence and mortality was found. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to the 2018 WCRF/AICR guidelines, especially "be physically active," confers reduced risks of pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality in the US population; however, adherence to dietary components alone does not confer such beneficial effects.

Total Antioxidant Capacity and Pancreatic Cancer Incidence and Mortality in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.

BACKGROUND: Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) reflects an individual's overall antioxidant intake. We sought to clarify whether higher TAC is associated with lower risks of pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality in the U.S. general population. METHODS: A total of 96,018 American adults were identified from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. A ferric-reducing ability of plasma score was used to reflect an individual's TAC intake from diet and/or supplements. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for pancreatic cancer incidence, and competing risk regression was used to calculate subdistribution HRs for pancreatic cancer mortality. Restricted cubic spline regression was used to test nonlinearity. RESULTS: A total of 393 pancreatic cancer cases and 353 pancreatic cancer-related deaths were documented. Total (diet + supplements) TAC was found to be inversely associated with pancreatic cancer incidence (HR quartile 4 vs. quartile 1 = 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.72; P trend = 0.0002) and mortality (subdistribution HR quartile 4 vs. quartile 1 = 0.52; 95% confidence interval 0.38-0.72; P trend = 0.0003) in a nonlinear dose-response manner (all P nonlinearity < 0.01). Similar results were observed for dietary TAC. No association of supplemental TAC with pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality was found. CONCLUSIONS: In the U.S. general population, dietary but not supplemental TAC level is inversely associated with risks of pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality in a nonlinear dose-response pattern. IMPACT: This is the first prospective study indicating that a diet rich in antioxidants may be beneficial in decreasing pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality.

HDL-C is associated with mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer in a J-shaped dose-response fashion: a pooled analysis of 37 prospective cohort studies.

OBJECTIVE: The association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and mortality remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the potential dose-response associations between HDL-C levels and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer in the general population. METHODS: PubMed and Embase were searched through April 2019. Prospective cohort studies reporting risk estimates of HDL-C levels and mortality were included. Linear and non-linear dose-response analyses were conducted. A random-effects model was employed to calculate pooled hazard ratio. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies, involving 3,524,505 participants and more than 612,027 deaths, were included. HDL-C level was found to be associated with mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer in a J-shaped dose-response pattern, with the lowest risk observed at HDL-C levels of 54-58 mg/dL, 68-71 mg/dL and 64-68 mg/dL, respectively. Compared with HDL-C level of 56 mg/dL, the pooled hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01, 1.05) and 1.10 (95% CI 1.09, 1.12) for each 10-mg/dL increase and decrease in HDL-C levels, respectively; furthermore, compared with the reference category, the pooled hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were 1.21 (95% CI 1.09, 1.36) and 1.36 (95% CI 1.21, 1.53) for the highest and the lowest categories of HDL-C levels, respectively. Similar results were obtained for cardiovascular and cancer mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In the general population, HDL-C level is associated with mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer in a J-shaped dose-response manner; both extremely high and low HDL-C levels are associated with an increased risk of mortality.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: a meta-analysis.

Whether nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with an increased risk of mortality remains controversial. The present study aimed to clarify this issue. A systematic search of PubMed and Embase was conducted through October 2018. Studies providing risk estimates of NAFLD and mortality were included. A random-effects model was employed to calculate summary risk estimates. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify potential effect modifiers. Fourteen studies, involving 498501 subjects and 24234 deaths, were included. Patients with NAFLD were found to be at an elevated risk of all-cause mortality compared with those without [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17-1.54)]. The significantly positive association between NAFLD and all-cause mortality could not be modified by age, sex, follow-up duration, and adjustment for body mass index, diabetes, smoking or hypertension (all Pinteraction > 0.05), and remained in sensitivity analyses. No significant associations of NAFLD with CVD (HR = 1.13; 95% CI 0.92-1.38) and cancer (HR = 1.05; 95% CI 0.89-1.25) mortality were found. In conclusion, NAFLD is a predictor of increased all-cause mortality but not CVD and cancer mortality. These findings have important implications for decision making in public health and clinical practice, and highlight the urgency of developing effective treatments for NAFLD.

ABO blood group and risk of newly diagnosed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A case-control study in Han Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: ABO blood group has been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, whether ABO blood group is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unknown. The present study aimed to clarify this issue. METHODS: A hospital-based case-control study was performed in southwestern China. A total of 583 newly ultrasound-diagnosed NAFLD cases and 2068 controls were included. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of developing NAFLD were calculated by multivariate logistic regression. A propensity score was developed for adjustment and matching. RESULTS: The proportions of blood groups A, B, AB and O were 31%, 26%, 8% and 35%, respectively. Non-O blood groups were found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of NAFLD (the fully adjusted OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.19, 1.91); moreover, compared with blood group O, the fully adjusted ORs of developing NAFLD were 1.50 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.99) for blood group A, 1.59 (95% CI: 1.19, 2.14) for blood group B, and 1.37 (95% CI: 0.86, 2.18) for blood group AB. Similar results were obtained in both propensity-score-adjusted and propensity-score-matched analyses. No evidence of significant effect modification for the association of ABO blood group with the risk of NAFLD was found (all Pinteraction>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Non-O blood groups are significantly associated with an increased risk of NAFLD. Our findings provide some epidemiological evidence for a possible role of ABO glycosyltransferase in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. However, these findings need to be validated by future studies.

Rotation thromboelastometry (ROTEM) enables improved outcomes in the pediatric trauma population.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the role of rotation thromboelastometry (ROTEM) in managing acute traumatic coagulopathy in pediatric patients with trauma. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of pediatric patients with trauma from six institutes was studied during a 10-year period from 2007 to 2017. The associations between ROTEM-guided, goal-directed coagulation therapy and clinical outcomes were determined. RESULTS: Three hundred thirty-two pediatric patients (age < 15 years) who were treated with ROTEM-guided, goal-directed coagulation therapy were matched to 332 control pediatric patients with conventional plasmatic coagulation tests. The ROTEM protocol was associated with a significant reduction in the interval for admission to acute traumatic coagulopathy treatment, less plasma transfusions in the first 24 hours of admission, and a favorable coagulopathy recovery. Furthermore, the median number of total hospital days was significantly shorter for patients who had the ROTEM protocol than for control patients. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant favorable outcomes, including rapid acute traumatic coagulopathy treatment and a lower 24-hour blood product requirement, following ROTEM-guided, goal-directed coagulation therapy among pediatric patients with blunt trauma.

Prophylactic vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) in the prevention of postoperative surgical site infections in pediatric patients with contaminated laparotomy incisions.

Surgical site infection (SSI) continues to be an issue in abdominal surgery, especially for contaminated (class III) and dirty-infected (class IV) wounds. Vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) was reported effective in the management of various types of wounds or skin grafts. Our goal was to investigate the efficacy of prophylactic VSD to better orient their medicosurgical care of high-risk incisions following laparotomy in a pediatric population.A total of 331 pediatric patients with contaminated (class III) and dirty-infected (class IV) wounds following emergency laparotomy were retrospectively reviewed between January 2005 and January 2013. Among them, 111 cases were placed with prophylactic VSD when incisions were closed. Clinical outcomes, including, overall surgical site complication, device effectiveness, and mean postoperative LOS were evaluated based on VSD usage or not.VSD was applied for an average of 5.8 days (range, 5-7 days), with 3 to 15 mL sucked fluid. The overall SSIs rate was 3% for patients with prophylactic VSD and 17% for patients with convention dressing (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.10-0.71, P = 0.004). In patients with prophylactic VSD, only 1 of 96 wound developed postoperative incision dehiscence, which is significant reduced compared with patients for conventional dressings (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.01-0.95; P = 0.017) (Table 2). It also exhibited a decreased mean postoperative LOS (P < 0.001) for prophylactic VSD over conventional dressings.Our study demonstrated beneficial postoperative clinical effects of prophylactic VSD for high-risk laparotomy incisions following emergency laparotomy, such as shorter length of hospitalization, which may be attributed to the reduced overall SSIs rate.

Contribution of glutaredoxin-1 to S-glutathionylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase for mesenteric nitric oxide generation in experimental necrotizing enterocolitis.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is critical for intestinal microcirculatory perfusion and therefore plays a key role in the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). eNOS-derived nitric oxide (NO) is inhibited by S-glutathionylation of eNOS (eNOS-SSG), which can be reversed by glutaredoxin-1 (Grx1). Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the interplay between Grx1 and eNOS in regulating the following inflammation signal during the development of NEC. Primary mouse intestinal microvascular endothelial cells (MIMECs) and peritoneal macrophages were subjected to lipopolysaccharide treatment, and Grx1-/- mice were subjected to an NEC-inducing regimen of formula feeding in combination with hypoxia and hypothermia. The eNOS-SSG level and its activity were assessed using immunoprecipitated assay and NO production evaluation. NO-mediated Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling and inflammation injury were further defined. NEC severity was significantly increased in Grx1-/- mice. Grx1-/- mice with NEC showed significantly decreased NO and increased O2•- production with increases in eNOS-SSG. Furthermore, TLR4 signaling, which is required for the development of NEC, was enhanced in the Grx1-deficient mice. These results suggest that eNOS-SSG within the MIMECs inhibited NO production and enhanced TLR4 activity, which were implicated in the pathogenesis of NEC. Grx1 deficiency increases the severity of NEC in association with eNOS-SSG.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could reverse the severity of experimental necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) via oxidative stress modulation.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been used successfully to treat a variety of gastroenterological diseases. The alterations of microbiota in mouse models of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) as well as in patients suggested the possibility of treating NEC with FMT. Here we show that FMT caused an improvement in the histopathology and symptoms of NEC in WT mice, but not Grx1-/- mice. FMT eliminated O2•- production and promoted NO production in experimental NEC mice though the modulation of S-glutathionylation of eNOS (eNOS-SSG). FMT decreased the extent of TLR4-mediated proinflammatory signaling though TLR9 in the intestinal mucosa tissue. FMT also suppressed intestinal apoptosis and bacterial translocation across the intestinal barrier, which was accompanied by decreased inflammatory cytokine levels, altered bacterial microbiota, and regulated lymphocyte proportions. FMT is effective in a mouse model of NEC through the modulation of oxidative stress and reduced colon inflammation.