IMMUNOREACT 7: Regular aspirin use is associated with immune surveillance activation in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Long-term daily use of aspirin reduces incidence and mortality due to colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to analyze the effect of aspirin on the tumor microenvironment, systemic immunity, and on the healthy mucosa surrounding cancer. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of CRC operated on from 2015 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed (METACCRE cohort). Expression of mRNA of immune surveillance-related genes (PD-L1, CD80, CD86, HLA I, and HLA II) in CRC primary cells treated with aspirin were extracted from Gene Expression Omnibus-deposited public database (GSE76583). The experiment was replicated in cell lines. The mucosal immune microenvironment of a subgroup of patients participating in the IMMUNOREACT1 (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04915326) project was analyzed with immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. RESULTS: In the METACCRE Cohort, 12% of 238 patients analyzed were aspirin users. Nodal metastasis was significantly less frequent (p = .008) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte infiltration was higher (p = .02) among aspirin users. In the CRC primary cells and selected cell lines, CD80 mRNA expression was increased following aspirin treatment (p = .001). In the healthy mucosa surrounding rectal cancer, the ratio of CD8/CD3 and epithelial cells expressing CD80 was higher in aspirin users (p = .027 and p = .034, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggested that regular aspirin use may have an active role in enhancing immunosurveillance against CRC.

Nurses' experiences of caring for nursing care-dependent ICU patients: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Nursing care dependency is a key, yet under-studied, nursing phenomenon. Patients in intensive care units are highly dependent on nursing care. Patients find dependency challenging, experiencing feelings of powerlessness and shame. The nurse-patient care relationship can influence patients' perception of dependency. Understanding how nurses experience their care for dependent patients is crucial, as nurses might not always grasp the impact of their actions on patients' dependency experiences. AIM: To explore and interpret ICU nurses' perceptions of patients' nursing care dependency and their experiences in caring for nursing care-dependent patients. METHODS: A qualitative interpretative phenomenological study inspired by Merleau-Ponty's philosophical stance was conducted using focus groups with nurses who had been caring for adult patients for at least 6 months in ICUs of two hospitals. Data analysis followed Smith et al.'s guidance. Researchers immersed themselves in the transcripts, noted individual's experiences before transitioning to shared insights, coded significant phrases and generated themes and superordinate themes. RESULTS: Four focus groups were conducted with 18 nurses with widely ranging ages and work experience. Four superordinate themes emerged: 'Time and context define dependency', 'Empathetic relationships help nurses understand patients' experience of dependency', 'Trusting nurse-patient relationships change the dependency experience' and 'Nurses' skills help patients to recover independence'. CONCLUSION: This study increases critical care nurses' awareness of the overlooked phenomenon of caring for nursing care dependent patients and offers them an opportunity to reflect on their care for dependent patients and adapt it to patients' experiences. Further studies are needed with nurses and patients in different ICUs, cultures and countries, to gain a broader picture of experiences of nursing care dependency. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: ICU nurses need strong relational skills to offer high-quality care for dependent patients, facilitating meaningful nurse-patient relationships based on empathy and trust. These relationships can significantly impact the patient's experience of dependence.

High prevalence of abdominal aortic calcification in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism as evaluated by Kauppila score.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is unknown. We assessed both prevalence and severity of AAC in PHPT postmenopausal women. METHODS: In this study 70 PHPT postmenopausal women and 70 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Each participant underwent biochemical evaluation, lateral spine radiograph, bone mineral density (BMD) measurement (lumbar, femoral, radial sites), and kidney ultrasound. Lateral lumbar films were analyzed in the region of L1-L4 vertebrae and the Kauppila score (a semi-quantitative grading system) was used to assess the severity of AAC. RESULTS: There were no differences regarding demographic and cardiovascular risk factors in the two groups. PHPT patients had higher prevalence of kidney stones (30% vs 7%, P=0.0008) and lower radial BMD values (0.558±0.071 vs 0.588±0.082 g/cm(2), P<0.05) compared with controls. PHPT patients showed higher prevalence of AAC (31 vs 18, P=0.03), with more severe calcifications (Kauppila score 7.35±6.1 vs 5.05±3.5, P=0.007). PHPT patients with AAC were older and had been suffering from the disease for a longer period compared with those without ACC. Moreover, PHPT patients with severe AAC had mean higher serum parathyroid hormone levels compared with patients with moderate or mild calcifications. In PHPT patients with AAC, multiple regression analysis, adjusted for age and years since diagnosis, showed that only parathyroid hormone significantly correlated with Kauppila score. CONCLUSION: We found a higher prevalence and severity of AAC in PHPT related to parathyroid hormone effect.

Arrhythmias in primary hyperparathyroidism evaluated by exercise test.

BACKGROUND: Hypercalcemia induces arrhythmias and shortening of QT. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors for occurrence of arrhythmias in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) during bicycle ergometer exercise test (ET). METHODS: Thirty PHPT postmenopausal women (mean age, 60·9 ± 8·0 years) and 30, sex and age-matched, controls underwent ET, echocardiogram and mineral metabolism biochemical evaluation. The following stages were considered during ET: rest, peak exercise, recovery (early recovery, 2 and 10 min after peak exercise). QT was corrected with Bazett's formula (QTc). RESULTS: Compared with controls, PHPT patients showed an increased occurrence of ventricular premature beats (VPBs) during ET (26·6% vs. 6·6%, P = 0·03). Being affected by PHPT predicted the onset of VPBs at peak exercise (P = 0·04) and recovery (P = 0·03), as shown by logistic regression analysis. In PHPT patients, serum calcium level was a predictor of VPBs at peak exercise (P = 0·05). QTc in patients with PHPT was in the normal range. Serum calcium level showed a negative correlation with QTc (P = 0·01) in whole sample. Compared with controls, PHTP patients had QTc significantly shorter for every stage of ET, except at peak exercise. Physiological reduction of QTc interval from rest to peak exercise was not seen in patients with PHPT, QTc at rest being the only predictor of QTc in every stage, as shown by multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with PHPT, an increased occurrence of VPBs and a different QTc adaptation during ET were observed and may represent risk factors for major arrhythmias.

Primary sarcoma of the specialised prostatic stroma: a case report and review of the literature.

Primary sarcoma tumours of the prostate are rare and are classified, according to their histology, as stromal tumours of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP) and stromal prostatic sarcoma (PS; low and high grade). We describe a case of a 71-year-old man that developed progressive urinary obstruction symptoms and was subjected to a transurethral prostatic resection (TURP). Histologically, there is a diffuse proliferation of epithelioid and spindle cells that showed rare atypical mitotic figures. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells express diffusely CD34 and focally progesterone whereas no immunoreactivity was seen for cytocheratin, desmin, S-100, Bcl-2, chromogranin, CD117, and actin smooth muscle. A final diagnosis of low-grade prostatic stromal sarcoma (LG-PS) was made. This is a really rare neoplasm; in the literature, in fact, to our knowledge, only 6 cases are described and all of these were alive and free of disease at followup. Our patient too is free of disease at 15 months from the diagnosis.

Intermitochondrial cement (nuage) in a spermatocytic seminoma: comparison with classical seminoma and normal testis.

The nuage, an ultrastructural marker of normal human germ cells (spermatogonia type A and primary spermatocytes), may be found associated with mitochondria (intermitochondrial cement) and/or free in the cytoplasm. Eight specimens from germ cell-related tumours were reviewed to assess whether the nuage could have diagnostic significance in testicular neoplasms. The nuage of neoplastic cells from seven classical seminomas and one spermatocytic seminoma was compared with that from two normal testes. The ultrastructural study demonstrated that only spermatocytic seminoma cells contained both types of nuage and that significantly fewer spermatocytic seminoma cells (28%) contained intermitochondrial cement compared with control spermatogonia type A (81.1%) and primary spermatocytes (47.6%). The data indicate that (1) the detection of the nuage confirms that the phenotype of spermatocytic seminoma is more differentiated than that of classical seminoma; (2) the intermitochondrial cement is an additional example of how a distinctive organelle of a normal cell is preserved in its neoplastic counterpart and (3) if the intermitochondrial cement were found in other cases of spermatocytic seminoma, this organelle of the normal germ cell lineage could be considered as a new ultrastructural marker of the neoplasm.