Patient education by smartphones for bowel preparation before colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We aim to evaluate the effect of smartphone education on the bowel preparation quality of patients undergoing colonoscopy by meta-analysis. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials using smartphones to educate patients on bowel preparation for colonoscopy were screened from the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases from inception to August 31, 2021. After extracting the data, Review Manager software was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 12 randomized controlled trials with 4165 patients were included in the meta-analysis. There were 2060 patients in the smartphone group, including 1784 patients with adequate bowel preparation, with a rate of 86.6%, and 2105 patients in the control group, including 1614 patients with adequate bowel preparation, with a rate of 76.7%, and pooled risk ratio (RR) was 1.15 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-1.23, P < 0.01). Eight included studies reported the adenoma detection rate. The adenoma detection rate in the smartphone group was 26.2%, and the rate in the control group was 19.3%, with an RR of 1.29 (95% CI: 1.03-1.62, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Using smartphones to educate patients on bowel preparation for colonoscopy improved the quality of bowel preparation and increased the adenoma detection rate.

Surgery for Cronkhite-Canada syndrome complicated with intussusception: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) is a rare nonhereditary disease with a syndrome of multiple gastrointestinal polyps, skin pigmentation, hair loss, and fingernail/toenail dystrophy. Intussusception is a serious condition with an occurrence rate of 5% in adults, which is mainly caused by intestinal tumors or other intestinal occupations. CASE SUMMARY: A 57-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital due to abdominal distension and pain for the past year. Her nausea and vomiting symptoms had been aggravated for the past month. Previous transoral enteroscopy results one year prior showed chronic erosive gastritis protuberans, duodenitis, and jejunitis. She had sparse body hair and brown pigmentation on the skin of her hands and bilateral anterior tibias. The nails of both hands were pale and lacked luster, and the fingernail of her ring finger was longitudinally cracked. Gastroscopy showed extensive diffuse polypoid lump changes in the gastric body and antrum, of 0.5-3 cm in size. Colonoscopy showed multiple polypoid mucosal bulges in the terminal ileum and multiple polyps (0.3-5 cm) throughout the colon. The patient was diagnosed with CCS and underwent partial excision of the polyps, but she refused hormone therapy. One month later, the patient complained of nausea and vomiting, accompanied by abdominal pain and inability to pass gas or stool. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen showed gastrointestinal polyposis and ileocecal intussusception. She underwent stomach and bowel surgery. CONCLUSION: CCS, as a rare disease with poor prognosis, should be treated aggressively. Systematic steroids, immunosuppressive agents, and biological agents were not applied; thus, the patient's symptoms quickly progressed, and intussusception occurred. She had to undergo surgery. Improved compliance may lead to a better prognosis.

Characteristics and potential malignancy of colorectal juvenile polyps in adults: a single-center retrospective study in China.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal juvenile polyps are rare and generally considered benign in adults. Carcinogenesis or neoplastic changes are rarely mentioned in the literature. We systematically evaluated the characteristics and potential malignancy of colorectal juvenile polyps in adults. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 103 adults diagnosed with colorectal juvenile polyps from September 2007 to May 2020 at our hospital. The characteristics, endoscopic findings, occurrence of intraepithelial neoplasia, carcinogenesis and diagnostic value of chicken skin mucosa (CSM) were analyzed. RESULTS: The average age of patients with juvenile polyps was 43.2 years (range, 19 to 78 years). A total of 101 patients (101/103, 98.1%) had a single juvenile polyp, and two patients had multiple polyps (107 polyps in total). Polyp sizes ranged from 0.5 to 5 cm. One (1/107, 0.9%) juvenile polyp was cancerous, and 7 (7/107, 6.5%) developed low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Neoplasia and cancerization did not appear in the two patients with multiple polyps. A 27-year-old female had a 2-cm polyp with well-differentiated adenocarcinoma in the mucosa in the sigmoid colon with erosion on the surface. CSM was observed adjacent to 17 polyps, which were all located in the rectum and sigmoid colon, and one polyp showed low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal juvenile polyps occur in a wide range of locations and in variable sizes and numbers. These polyps are solitary in most patients and have neoplastic potential. CSM is not a tumorigenic marker in colorectal juvenile polyps and usually occurs in the distant colorectum. Colorectal juvenile polyps in adults may progress from low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia to high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and then to carcinoma and should be treated when discovered and regularly followed as colorectal adenomas.

Association of Timing of Biliary Drainage with Clinical Outcomes in Severe Acute Cholangitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: The guidelines recommend urgent biliary drainage (BD) for severe acute cholangitis, without a clear definition of "urgent". To explore the optimal time, we identified the impact of timing of BD on clinical outcomes in severe acute cholangitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of patients with severe acute cholangitis was conducted based on the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. Multivariable regressions were used to identified the effect of timing of BD on in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, and the length of stay (LOS) in hospital and the intensive care unit (ICU) with adjustment for confounding factors. RESULTS: A total of 106 severe acute cholangitis patients underwent BD with a median time of 14.14 hours (IQR: 7.60-32.59). Among them, 67.9% were performed within 24 hours and 80.2% within 48 hours. Median length of stay was 2.65 days (IQR: 1.70-5.12) in the ICU and 7.54 days (IQR: 4.49-17.17) in hospital. The in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were 13.2% and 14.2%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, every 1-day delay of BD increased 1.49 days of stay in hospital (P<0.0001). Delayed BD (>48 hours) was linked with 5.56 days longer ICU LOS (P = 0.0096), while urgent BD (<24 hours) did not significantly shorten the ICU stay (P = 0.0997). No significant increase was observed on in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.03; 95% CI 0.93-1.13) nor 30-day mortality (OR=1.01; 95% CI 0.87-1.14) with BD delay in this population. CONCLUSION: In severe acute cholangitis patients, delay in BD increased in-hospital LOS. BD after 48 hours was associated with longer ICU LOS. Yet, BD within 24 hours did not significantly reduce the mortality nor shortened the ICU LOS.

Poorer prognosis for neuroendocrine carcinoma than signet ring cell cancer of the colon and rectum (CRC-NEC): a propensity score matching analysis of patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

PURPOSE: Colorectal neuroendocrine carcinomas (CRC-NECs) are rare, comprising < 1% of colorectal cancers. This study aimed to assess the incidence, clinicopathologic characteristics, prognostic factors, and treatment outcomes of CRC-NEC. METHODS: We analysed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify patients from 20 to 74 years old diagnosed with CRC-NEC or common CRC (non-NEC) during 2004-2013. Log-rank testing was conducted to assess survival differences. A competing-risks regression model was used to adjust for covariate effects in the propensity score-matched (PSM) cohort, and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for the raw and PSM cohorts. RESULTS: We identified 67,484 patients (344 CRC-NEC and 67,140 non-NEC). Lymph node metastasis (LNM) was more common in CRC-NEC (75.29%, n = 259) than in non-NEC (51.53%, n = 34,600) (P < 0.001); 56.40% (n = 194) of CRC-NECs were located on the right side, while 18.31% (n = 63) were located on the left side, with a statistically significant difference in distribution (P < 0.001) compared to that in non-NEC CRC. Multivariate analysis indicated that a left-side location was an independent adverse prognostic factor for CRC-NEC (P = 0.043). CRC-NEC had the poorest cancer-specific survival (median CSS, 9.0 months) among assessed cancers, even poorer than that of signet ring cell cancer (median CSS, 24.0 months). However, both radical operation (P = 0.007) and chemotherapy (P = 0.008) were beneficial for CSS. CONCLUSION: NEC is a rare and extremely aggressive tumour with a poor prognosis. Right-side NEC has a better prognosis than left-side NEC. Early diagnosis, radical surgery, and chemotherapy are imperative for improving survival.

Circular RNA expression profile and m6A modification analysis in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the stomach.

Aims: To profile and characterize the circular RNA (circRNA) expression pattern in poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma (PDGA). Methods & materials: CircRNA expression profiles in PDGA and adjacent nontumor tissues were analyzed by microarray. Five randomly selected differentiated expressed circRNAs (DECs) were validated by real-time quantitative PCR. m6A qualification of the top 20 DECs was conducted by m6A-immunoprecipitation and real-time quantitative PCR. Results: A total of 65 DECs were found in PDGA compared with the control. Hsa_circRNA_0077837 had the largest area under the curve. Most DECs had m6A modifications, the trend of m6A modification alteration was mainly consistent with the circRNA expression level. Conclusion: Our study revealed a set of DECs and their m6A modification alterations, which may provide new insight for their potential function in PDGA.

Diagnosis and management of a solitary colorectal juvenile polyp in an adult during follow-up for ulcerative colitis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Juvenile polyps are the most common type of polyps in children but are rare in adults. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients have a similar spectrum of symptoms as patients with juvenile polyps. Both patients with juvenile polyps and those with active IBD have high fecal calprotectin levels. Four cases of children with ulcerative colitis (UC) with solitary juvenile polyps and one case of an adult with UC with juvenile polyposis syndrome have been reported upon diagnosis of UC, while there have been no cases of adults with UC with solitary juvenile polyp reported in the literature. CASE SUMMARY: A 37-year-old man with a 12-year history of UC was admitted to our clinic because of increased stool frequency. UC was diagnosed at the age of 25. As the lesion was confined to the rectum, sulfasalazine suppositories or mesalazine suppositories were used. The patient was followed in an outpatient clinic, and colonoscopy was performed every one or two years. The latest examination was undertaken three years prior in the presence of proctitis. Recently, the patient complained of three to five bowel movements a day. There was mucus in the stool but no visible blood. Colonoscopy revealed a solitary polyp, about 1.5 cm in diameter, with a short and broad peduncle in the transverse colon surrounded by congestive and edematous mucosa. The patient had no family history of colorectal polyps or cancer. The polyp was successfully removed by endoscopic mucosal resection. Histopathological examination revealed that the polyp was a juvenile polyp without any malignant signs. Immunohistochemical staining for p53 showed wild-type expression and p53 overexpression was not detected. Ki-67 labeling index was 3%. CONCLUSION: This is the first case of an adult UC patient with a solitary juvenile polyp at the 12-year follow-up. The correlation between juvenile polyps and the activity of IBD needs further study.

Comparison of efficacy of pharmacological therapies for gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection-induced ulcers: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of various anti-ulcer medications in preventing delayed bleeding and promoting ulcer healing after ESD.Methods: Asystematic search was conducted for articles up to August2019. The treatments of iatrogenic ulcer were analyzed by Bayesian network meta-analysis.Results: The analysis included 28 studies. Six treatments were compared. For the prevention of delayed bleeding, potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) alone was superior to proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) alone [RR = 1.02, 95%CI (1.00, 1.05)]. Treatments based on P-CAB tended to be better than the non-P-CAB groups [RR = 1.05, 95%CI (1.03, 1.07)]. Concerning the ulcer healing rate at 4 weeks, the combined treatment of PPI and mucoprotective agent (MP) was superior to PPI alone [RR = 1.81, 95%CI (1.19, 2.76)] and P-CAB alone [RR = 2.75, 95%CI (1.02, 7.44)]. At 8 weeks, PPI+MP and P-CAB+MP tend to be superior to than the other four groups. The healing effect of MP-based therapies was better than that of non-MP groups at 4 weeks [RR = 1.63, 95%CI (1.32, 2.01)] and 8 weeks [RR = 1.06, 95%CI (1.02, 1.11)].Conclusion: P-CAB may prevent delayed bleeding, but not significantly. MP agents have the potential to heal post-ESD ulcers.

Diagnostic value of X-ray, endoscopy, and high-resolution manometry for hiatal hernia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hiatal hernia (HH) has been found in a large number of people, but there has been no unified way to diagnose it. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic efficiency of X-ray, endoscopy, and high-resolution manometry (HRM) in the diagnosis of HH using surgical diagnosis of HH as the gold standard. METHODS: Two biomedical databases (PubMed and EMBASE) were systematically searched through January 26, 2019. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the SROC curve (AUC) were calculated, and the AUC statistical significance was compared by Tukey's multiple comparisons test. RESULTS: A total of 5337 patients in seven articles were included. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC for X-ray were 0.63 (0.46-0.77), 0.85 (0.69-0.94), and 0.80 (0.77-0.84), respectively, for diagnosing HH. The pooled estimates for endoscopy in diagnosing HH were as follows: sensitivity, 0.72 (0.39-0.91); specificity, 0.80 (0.70-0.87); and AUC, 0.82 (0.78-0.85). Similarly, the corresponding values for HRM were 0.77 (0.70-0.83); 0.92 (0.85-0.96), and 0.9527. Tukey's multiple comparisons tests were used to compare the AUCs of the three diagnostic methods: No significant differences were found between X-ray and endoscopy (P = 0.7293), and HRM was superior to X-ray (P = 0.0127) and endoscopy (P = 0.0442). CONCLUSIONS: High-resolution manometry may exhibit a better diagnostic performance for hiatal hernia. In contrast, X-ray and endoscopy may not be the best methods, and there was no significant difference in diagnostic efficiency between the X-ray and endoscopy.

Systematic Review with Meta-analysis: Association of Helicobacter pylori Infection with Esophageal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is an important carcinogenic factor in gastric cancer. Studies have shown that Helicobacter pylori infection is inversely associated with certain diseases such as esophageal cancer and whose infection appears to have a "protective effect." At present, the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and esophageal cancer remains controversial. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk of esophageal cancer in different regions and ethnicities. METHODS: Systematic search of the articles on the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and esophageal cancer from the database with the duration time up to December 2018. This systematic review was performed under the MOOSE guidelines. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 35 studies with 345,886 patients enrolled. There was no significant correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the general population (OR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.64-1.09/OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.54-0.97). However, a significant correlation was found in the Middle East (OR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.22-0.52/95% CI: 0.26-0.44). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori between the case group and the control group in esophageal adenocarcinoma (8.87% vs. 9.67%). The pooled OR was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.43-0.70) or 0.23 (95% CI: 0.15-0.36). When grouped by match or not, the pooled OR of the nonmatching group and the matching group was 0.48/0.21 (95% CI: 0.36-0.65/95% CI: 0.13-0.36) and 0.73/0.71 (95% CI: 0.57-0.92/95% CI: 0.60-0.84), respectively. CONCLUSION: In the general populations, no significant association was found between Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. However, lower risk was found in the Middle East. Helicobacter pylori infection may reduce the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, but such "protection effect" may be overestimated.

Serum C-Reactive Protein and Max Polyp Diameter Are Useful Markers of Complications of Small-Intestinal Polypectomy.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to identify the risk factors of complications after small-intestinal polypectomy by single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE), and to assess the value of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and the max polyp diameter (Dmax) in predicting postoperative complications of small-intestinal polypectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between April 2017 and April 2018, clinical data from 37 patients who underwent small-intestinal polypectomy were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS Thirty-seven small-intestinal polypectomy procedures (18 oral and 19 anal) were carried out in 37 patients (M: F 20: 17; age 35.6±13.0 years). A total of 1081 small-intestine polyps were removed. Three patients (8.1%) had bleeding and 3 patients (8.1%) had perforation after small-intestinal polypectomy. Based on multivariate logistic analysis, CRP [1.104 (95% CI 1.022-1.191)] was the only risk factor for complications among the patients. According to the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve, CRP (27.5 mg/L), Dmax (3.5 cm), and the combination of CRP + Dmax appear to be predictive factors for complications after small-intestinal polypectomy. CONCLUSIONS SBE is an effective endoscopic tool for patients with small-intestinal polyps. CRP, Dmax, and the combination of CRP+Dmax may be potential predictors of complications from small-intestinal polypectomy.

Prognostic Value and Clinicopathologic Features of Platelet Distribution Width in Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND The association between platelet distribution width (PDW) and cancer has been evaluated by a few studies, but the influence of PDW on cancer prognosis is unclear. Therefore, we conducted the present meta-analysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS We identified relevant research using identical search strategies. The influence of PDW level on cancer prognosis, as well as clinical characteristics, was analyzed. RESULTS A total of 11 studies comprising 2625 cancer patients were included in our meta-analysis. The results suggested that high PDW level was obviously related to poor OS (HR=1.54, 95%CI 1.18-2.00), especially for breast cancer (HR=1.21, 95%CI 1.07-1.36) and pharyngolaryngeal cancer (HR=3.06, 95%CI 1.68-5.57). Furthermore, high PDW was obviously related to poor OS both in older and younger subgroups, with combined HR estimates of 1.58 (95%CI 1.15-2.16) and 1.64 (95%CI 1.19-2.26), respectively. High PDW level was notably related to poor OS in the cut-off value ³16% subgroup (HR=1.84, 95%CI 1.01-3.40). Moreover, high PDW level was obviously associated with lymph node metastasis (OR=1.43, 95%CI 1.04-1.99). CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that PDW is an effective and convenient indicator of cancer prognosis. Furthermore, high PDW level is obviously associated with lymph node metastasis.

TGFß1 Promotes Breast Cancer Local Invasion and Liver Metastasis by Increasing the CD44high/CD24- Subpopulation.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown that the transforming growth factor ß1 pathway plays an important role in breast cancer metastasis to the liver. However, the mechanism of this metastasis has not been fully clarified. Cancer stem cells are essential for the initiation and propagation of tumor metastasis. The objective of our current study was to define the role of cancer stem cells in transforming growth factor ß1-mediated breast cancer hepatic metastases. METHOD: Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to assess the formation of breast cancer liver metastases and local invasion. Cancer stem cells surface markers (CD44, CD24, and Epithelial cell adhesion molecule [EpCAM]), luminal/mesenchymal markers (keratin8 and alpha smooth muscle actin), and proliferation markers (Ki-67 and cyclinD1) were detected by immunohistochemistry assays. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the effect of transforming growth factor ß1 on the CD44+/CD24- cancer stem cell population. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to assess the gene expression of the stem cell self-renewal markers nanog, pou5f1 (coding for Oct4), and sox2. RESULTS: Transforming growth factor ß1 increased the formation of liver metastases by the MDA-MB231 (MDA) breast cancer cell line but did not affect the liver metastasis of CD44+/CD24+ noncancer stem cells. Transforming growth factor ß1 treatment did not significantly affect tumor proliferation in vitro or in vivo. Transforming growth factor ß1 promoted mammary tumor local invasion. Furthermore, the CD44high/CD24- cancer stem cell population was also significantly increased by transforming growth factor ß1 treatment. Besides, the gene expression of the stem cell self-renewal markers (nanog, pou5f1, and sox2) and another stem cell surface marker (EpCAM) was increased by transforming growth factor ß1 treatment. Finally, clusters of CD44-positive breast cancer cells were observed in the livers of mice from the control and transforming growth factor ß1 pretreatment groups. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that transforming growth factor ß1 increases the local invasive capacity and liver metastasis of breast cancer cells by inducing the CD44high/CD24- cancer stem cell population.

Usnic Acid Induces Cycle Arrest, Apoptosis, and Autophagy in Gastric Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo.

BACKGROUND Usnic acid (UA), a secondary metabolite, is mainly derived from certain lichen species. Growing evidence suggests that UA has antitumor, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and other activities in a variety of cancer cells. However, the antitumor effect of UA in gastric cancer cells (GC) is unclear. The aim of this investigation was to assess the antitumor effect of UA in GC cells in vitro and in vivo, and to explore the underlying mechanisms. MATERIAL AND METHODS Cell proliferation was measured by CCK8 assay, the arrest of cell cycle was assessed by flow cytometry, and cellular apoptosis was observed via Hoechst 33258 staining assay. Expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins (activated caspase-3 and PARP, Bax, Bcl2) and autophagy-associated proteins (LC3-II and p62) were verified through Western blot analysis. H&E staining and immunohistochemistry were carried out in the subcutaneously implanted BGC823 tumor model in a nude mouse experiment. RESULTS In vitro, we demonstrated that UA was significantly effective in inducing morphological changes, inhibiting the cell proliferation dose- and time-dependently, arresting the cell cycle phase, promoting cancer cellular apoptosis, and inducing autophagy activity. In vivo, compared to mice treated with 5-FU alone, UA treatment was significantly more effective in suppressing the tumor growth without affecting body weight, and in regulating the amount of Bax and Bcl2 in tumor tissues. CONCLUSIONS UA induces cell cycle arrest and autophagy and exerts anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects by modulating expression of apoptosis-related proteins in stomach neoplasm cells, and has a better antitumor effect compared to 5-Fu in the xenograft model.

Improvement of atropine on esophagogastric junction observation during sedative esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Although sedation esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is now widely used, previous research has reported that sedation during EGD exhibits a negative effect on esophagogastric junction (EGJ) exposure. Atropine might improve EGJ exposure, as noted in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to examine whether sedation had a negative effect on EGJ observation in the Chinese population, and whether atropine had some ability to act as an antidote to this unexpected secondary effect of sedation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, subjects were divided into the following three groups according to the methods of EGD examination: the non-sedation group, the propofol-fentanyl combined sedation group and the combined sedation with atropine administration group. The EGJ observation was assessed by a key photograph taken with the endoscopic camera 1 cm from the EGJ, which was rated on the following four-degree scale: excellent (score = 4), good (score = 3), fair (score = 2) and poor (score = 1). RESULTS: The EGJ exposure was better in the sedation group administered atropine (score = 2.64±1.05) than in the sedation group (score = 1.99±1.08, P<0.05) but not as good as in the non-sedation group (score = 3.24±1.12, P<0.05). Reduced detection of EGJ diseases in the sedation group was also found, compared to the non-sedation group (P<0.05). Only the use of atropine (OR = 2.381, 95%CI: 1.297-4.371, P = 0.005) was independently associated with excellent observation of the EGJ during sedation EGD. CONCLUSIONS: Combined propofol-fentanyl sedation reduces the extent of exposure of the EGJ during EGD and reduces the detection of EGJ diseases. The application of atropine in the sedation endoscopy examination helped to achieve better EGJ observation, but still cannot achieve an equal extent of exposure compared to non-sedation EGD.

Serum Albumin and C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio Are Useful Biomarkers of Crohn's Disease Activity.

BACKGROUND Serum albumin (ALB) may be low during acute inflammation, but it is also affected by nutritional status. Therefore, we hypothesized that ALB and the C-reactive protein/ALB ratio (CRP/ALB) may be associated with disease activity in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). MATERIAL AND METHODS Altogether, 100 patients with CD and 100 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were retrospectively enrolled in the current study. The patients with CD were subdivided into patients with active disease (Crohn's Disease Activity Index >150) and those in remission. ALB levels, CRP levels, and lipid profiles were measured. RESULTS ALB and CRP levels and the CRP/ALB ratio were the most useful for differentiating between active and nonactive CD. ALB levels (r=-0.50, P<0.01), CRP levels (r=0.39, P<0.01), and CRP/ALB ratio (r=0.42, P<0.01) all correlated with CD activity. These correlations were more prominent in males. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) representing ALB (0.79) was higher than the AUC representing CRP (0.73) or CRP/ALB ratio (0.75; P>0.05). The AUCs corresponding to ALB level, CRP level, and CRP/ALB ratio were more prominent in males versus females (P<0.05). CRP level (14.55 mg/L), ALB level (34.35 g/L), and CRP/ALB ratio (0.69) had sensitivities of 67.7%, 72.6%, and 59.7%, and specificities of 73.7%, 78.9%, and 81.6%, respectively, for CD activity. CONCLUSIONS In the present retrospective study, we found that ALB level and CRP/ALB ratio were useful biomarkers for identifying CD activity, especially in males. These results suggest that, in addition to inflammation, assessment of patient nutritional status could also aid in identifying CD activity.

The value of the apoB/apoAΙ ratio and the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio in predicting carotid atherosclerosis among Chinese individuals with metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), which is a good predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, among individuals with MetS, direct comparative data regarding the utility of the apoB/apoAΙ ratio and the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio to diagnose carotid atherosclerosis are scarce, particularly in Chinese populations. We aimed to determine the relationship between the apoB/apoAΙ ratio and the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio and carotid atherosclerosis among Chinese individuals with MetS. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 5822 Chinese participants who underwent a routine health screening examination. Lipid profiles, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, CRP, apoB, apoAΙ and CIMT were measured. RESULTS: We observed that among Chinese individuals with MetS, men (53.95±0.58 ys) developed carotid atherosclerosis at a younger age than women (58.47±1.17 ys) (P<0.001). Both the apoB/apoAΙ ratio and the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio positively correlated with carotid atherosclerosis among Chinese individuals with MetS, particularly among women. Meanwhile, CIMT increased progressively across the quartiles of the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio (P for trend, <0.05). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that the AUC of the apoB/apoAΙ ratio (0.561) was higher than that of the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio (0.522) in men (P<0.05) and the AUC of the apoB/apoAΙ ratio (0.640) was lower than that of the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio (0.695) in women (P<0.05). Among Chinese individuals with MetS, the AUC of the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio was more prominent among women compared with men (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that among individuals with MetS, Chinese men develop carotid atherosclerosis at a much younger age than women. There were no significant differences between the apoB/apoAΙ ratio and the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio for the prediction of carotid atherosclerosis among Chinese individuals with MetS. Among Chinese individuals with MetS, the utility of the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio was found to be greater among women than among men.

Decision tree analysis of traditional risk factors of carotid atherosclerosis and a cutpoint-based prevention strategy.

BACKGROUND: Reducing the exposure to risk factors for the prevention of cardio-cerebral vascular disease is a crucial issue. Few reports have described practical interventions for preventing cardiovascular disease in different genders and age groups, particularly detailed and specific cutpoint-based prevention strategies. METHODS: We collected the health examination data of 5822 subjects between 20 and 80 years of age. The administration of medical questionnaires and physical examinations and the measurement of blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and blood lipids [total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C)] were performed by physicians. Carotid ultrasound was performed to examine the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), which was defined as carotid atherosclerosis when CIMT ≥0.9 mm. Decision tree analysis was used to screen for the most important risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis and to identify the relevant cutpoints. RESULTS: In the study population, the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis was 12.20% (men: 14.10%, women: 9.20%). The statistical analysis showed significant differences in carotid atherosclerosis incidence between different genders (P<0.0001) and age groups (P<0.001). The decision tree analysis showed that in men, the most important traditional risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis were TC (cutpoint [CP]: 6.31 mmol/L) between the ages of 20-40 and FPG (CP: 5.79 mmol/L) between the ages of 41-59. By comparison, LDL-C (CP: 4.27 mmol/L) became the major risk factor when FPG ≤5.79 mmol/L. FPG (CP: 5.52 mmol/L) and TG (CP: 1.51 mmol/L) were the most important traditional risk factors for women between 20-40 and 41-59 years of age, respectively. CONCLUSION: Traditional risk factors and relevant cutpoints were not identical in different genders and age groups. A specific gender and age group-based cutpoint strategy might contribute to preventing cardiovascular disease.

Cantharidin induces G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis in human gastric cancer SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of cantharidin (CTD) on human gastric cancer cells and to explore the underlying mechanisms of these effects. The human gastric cancer SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cell lines were treated with CTD. MTS assays were then employed to examine cellular proliferation, flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle and apoptosis, and western blot analysis was used to determine protein expression levels. It was found that CTD inhibited the proliferation of the human gastric cancer SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner in vitro. CTD also induced G2/M phase arrest and cellular apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, CTD increased the levels of p21, caspase-7, -8 and -9, activated caspase-3, poly ADP ribose polymerase and Bad, but decreased the levels of cyclin-dependent kinase 1, cyclin A and B, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bid. The present results suggested that CTD may inhibit the proliferation of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells in vitro by inducing G2/M phase arrest and cell apoptosis. CTD may induce cellular G2/M phase arrest by regulating cycle-associated proteins and induce apoptosis by activating a caspase cascade or regulating the Bcl-2 family proteins.