Suggested Flowchart Through Integrated C-Reactive Protein and White Blood Cell Count Analysis for Screening for Early Complications After Gastric Bypass: a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Early leakage detection following bariatric procedures is crucial, but a standardized evaluation method is lacking. The aim was to validate the potential benefits of postoperative day 1 (POD1) C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and white blood cell (WBC) counts in distinguishing at-risk patients following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) while considering the impact of obesity-related chronic inflammation. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 261 consecutive patients aged 18-65 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 32.5-50 kg/m2 who underwent primary RYGB between 2017 and 2022. Sequential changes in CRP levels and WBC counts measured 48 h preoperatively and on POD1 morning were collected and compared between patients with/without complications and in patients without complications stratified by preoperative CRP levels. RESULTS: Female patients and those with a higher BMI tended to have higher baseline CRP levels, which were positively related to postoperative CRP. Patients experiencing complications had higher WBC counts and a higher prevalence of WBC counts >14,000/µl (77.8% vs. 25.4%; p<0.001) than those without complications. Baseline CRP ≥ 0.3 mg/dl, a longer operative time, and blood loss >10 ml were significantly more common with WBC counts above 14,000/µl; a reasonable range of change in WBC count (∆WBC) derived from its positive correlation to postoperative WBC count (r=0.6695) may serve as a useful complementary indicator. CONCLUSION: An individualized CRP threshold setting and integrated interpretation of the WBC count can be more appropriate than using static criteria for differentiating at-risk patients after RYGB. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and determine their generalizability.

Effectiveness of a preoperative orlistat-based weight management plan and its impact on the results of one-anastomosis gastric bypass: A retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim was to first investigate the efficacy of a preoperative weight management program centered on orlistat, which is mechanistically similar to gastrointestinal bypass procedures in that it restricts dietary fat absorption, and then assess its impact on the results of one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of consecutive patients aged 20-65 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 42.5 kg/m2 who underwent primary OAGB from 2014 to 2020. Eligible patients who adhered to a 10-14 day orlistat regimen as part of a 4-6-week diet/lifestyle modification plan preceding surgery were stratified into weight reduction (Group 1) and weight gain (Group 2) groups post treatment. The correlation between pre- and postoperative weight loss and perioperative outcomes was assessed. RESULTS: Of 62 eligible patients, 55 met the inclusion criteria and complied with treatment; 35 (64%) patients in Group 1 lost a median of 2.0 kg, and Group 2 had a median weight gain of 2.9 kg. Group 1 had a significantly higher initial BMI (48.9 kg/m2 vs. 44.6 kg/m2; p = 0.003), more females (54% vs. 25%) and a shorter operation time than Group 2 (107 min vs. 140 min; p = 0.109). There was no difference in the incidence of 30-day complications. Weight loss did not differ between the groups at 24 months. CONCLUSION: Effective weight control through an orlistat-containing regimen benefitted two-thirds of patients who underwent OAGB; however, further weight loss was not observed at 2 years post-surgery.

mRNA markers associated with malignant pleural effusion.

Malignant pleural effusions (MPE) commonly result from malignant tumors and represent advanced-stage cancers. Thus, in clinical practice, early recognition of MPE is valuable. However, the current diagnosis of MPE is based on pleural fluid cytology or histologic analysis of pleural biopsies with a low diagnostic rate. This research aimed to assess the diagnostic ability of eight previously identified Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)-associated genes for MPE. In the study, eighty-two individuals with pleural effusion were recruited. There were thirty-three patients with MPE and forty-nine patients with benign transudate. mRNA was isolated from the pleural effusion and amplified by Quantitative real-time PCR. The logistic models were further applied to evaluate the diagnostic performance of those genes. Four significant MPE-associated genes were discovered in our study, including Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6), MDM2 proto-oncogene (MDM2), Ring finger protein 4 (RNF4), and WEE1 G2 Checkpoint Kinase (WEE1). Pleural effusion with higher expression levels of MDM2 and WEE1 and lower expression levels of RNF4 and DUSP6 had a higher possibility of being MPE. The four-gene model had an excellent performance distinguishing MPE and benign pleural effusion, especially for pathologically negative effusions. Therefore, the gene combination is a suitable candidate for MPE screening in patients with pleural effusion. We also identified three survival-associated genes, WEE1, Neurofibromin 1 (NF1), and DNA polymerase delta interacting protein 2 (POLDIP2), which could predict the overall survival of patients with MPE.

Improvement of the Identification of Seniors at Risk scale for predicting adverse health outcomes of elderly patients in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the validity of the Chinese version of the Identification of Seniors at Risk (ISAR) screening tool in emergency rooms (ERs) to identify elderly patients prone to adverse outcomes after being discharged from the ER. METHODS: A prospective single-center observational study design was adopted and included 497 elderly (aged ≥65 years) ER patients of a medical center in northern Taiwan. Before discharge from the ER, baseline sociodemographic and clinic data were collected by researchers and the ISAR was administered. Adverse health outcomes (ER revisits, readmissions, and mortality) at 30 days were evaluated by medical records and follow-up telephone interviews. RESULTS: ISAR screening showed that 334 (67.2%) elderly patients in the ER were at high risk after discharge. Higher-risk patients were older, had had a fall within the previous 6 months, and had complex comorbidities. The ISAR had good sensitivity (0.77∼1.00) for screening adverse health outcomes in these elderly patients. The discrimination of the ISAR for adverse health outcomes was 0.60∼0.77, and it increased to 0.64∼0.80 when the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) was simultaneously considered. CONCLUSIONS: The ISAR exhibited good sensitivity for screening adverse outcomes for elderly patients at risk. The ACCI is recommended to simultaneously be considered to improve the prognostic performance of the ISAR.

A Shared Decision-making Process may Affect Bariatric Procedure Selection and Alter Surgical Outcomes: a Single-unit Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: A shared decision-making (SDM) process centered on the patient perspective may increase understanding and treatment satisfaction. This study aimed to investigate whether SDM would increase the acceptance of bariatric/metabolic surgeries, change treatment decisions, and affect 1-year results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective analysis enrolled 315 consecutive patients with a body mass index between 32.5 and 50 kg/m2 and aged 20-65 years who underwent consultation for a primary bariatric/metabolic procedure within 2 years before (pre-SDM) or after (post-SDM) SDM program implementation to assist in the decision to undergo Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) surgery. Consent rate, procedure choice, weight loss, comorbidity remission, etc., were compared between periods and procedures. Statistical tests were two-sided, with p < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: More eligible patients underwent metabolic/bariatric procedures post-SDM than pre-SDM (115/159 [72%] vs. 106/156 [68%]; p = 0.395), and a stronger preference for RYGB post-SDM was observed (71% vs. 62%; p = 0.153). Significantly more patients with diabetes (28 [34.1%] vs. 5 [15.2%]; p = 0.041) chose RYGB over SG post-SDM. Patients who underwent RYGB had a higher diabetes remission rate both pre-SDM (70.0% vs. 58.3%; p = 0.571) and post-SDM (76.2% vs. 66.7%; p = 0.712) than those who underwent SG. While 1-year weight loss was similar between procedures, adherence to nutritional supplementation did not appear to be broadly enhanced post-SDM. CONCLUSION: SDM influenced procedure selection toward RYGB, which was more popular than SG among patients with diabetes. Higher diabetes remission was achieved with RYGB, although the results of other effects deserve further study.

Environmental risks and sphingolipid signatures in adult asthma and its phenotypic clusters: a multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Adult asthma is phenotypically heterogeneous with unclear aetiology. We aimed to evaluate the potential contribution of environmental exposure and its ensuing response to asthma and its heterogeneity. METHODS: Environmental risk was evaluated by assessing the records of National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) and residence-based air pollution (particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) and PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)), integrating biomonitoring analysis of environmental pollutants, inflammatory markers and sphingolipid metabolites in case-control populations with mass spectrometry and ELISA. Phenotypic clustering was evaluated by t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) integrating 18 clinical and demographic variables. FINDINGS: In the NHIRD dataset, modest increase in the relative risk with time-lag effect for emergency (N=209 837) and outpatient visits (N=638 538) was observed with increasing levels of PM2.5 and PAHs. Biomonitoring analysis revealed a panel of metals and organic pollutants, particularly metal Ni and PAH, posing a significant risk for current asthma (ORs=1.28-3.48) and its severity, correlating with the level of oxidative stress markers, notably Nε-(hexanoyl)-lysine (r=0.108-0.311, p<0.05), but not with the accumulated levels of PM2.5 exposure. Further, levels of circulating sphingosine-1-phosphate and ceramide-1-phosphate were found to discriminate asthma (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively), correlating with the levels of PAH (r=0.196, p<0.01) and metal exposure (r=0.202-0.323, p<0.05), respectively, and both correlating with circulating inflammatory markers (r=0.186-0.427, p<0.01). Analysis of six phenotypic clusters and those cases with comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) revealed cluster-selective environmental risks and biosignatures. INTERPRETATION: These results suggest the potential contribution of environmental factors from multiple sources, their ensuing oxidative stress and sphingolipid remodeling to adult asthma and its phenotypic heterogeneity.

Luminal pressure gradient and risk of arteriovenous fistula nonmaturation.

While arteriovenous fistula (AVF) nonmaturation is a major issue of hemodialysis care, an effective treatment to improve AVF maturation remains lacking. AVF introduces pulsatile arterial blood flow into its venous limb and produces high luminal pressure gradient, which may have adverse effect on vascular remodeling. As such, the aim of the present study is to investigate effect of luminal pressure gradient on AVF nonmaturation. This single-center, prospective observational study includes patients receiving autologous AVF creation. Participants received early postoperative ultrasound 5-7 days after surgery to collect parameters including diameters, flow rates, and volume at inflow and outflow sites. Luminal pressure gradient was estimated by using modified Bernoulli equation. The outcome was spontaneous AVF maturation within 8 weeks after surgery without intervention. Thirty patients were included, of which the mean age was 66.9 years and 70% were male. At the end of study, 13 (43.3%) patients had spontaneous AVF maturation. All demographic and laboratory characteristics were similar between patients with mature and nonmature AVF. Regarding ultrasonographic parameters, nonmature AVF showed significantly higher inflow/outflow diameter ratio, inflow velocity, and luminal pressure gradient. While these 3 parameters were significantly correlated, multivariate logistic regression showed their significant association with AVF nonmaturation. Receiver operating characteristic curve exhibited their high predictive value for AVF nonmaturation. Our findings showed that higher inflow/outflow ratio, inflow velocity, and AVF luminal pressure gradient in early postoperative ultrasound predicted risk of AVF nonmaturation. Reducing inflow/outflow diameter ratio or inflow rate may be an approach to improve AVF maturation. The predictive value of this early assessment might have impact on the clinical practice of AVF care.

Home Dust Mites Promote MUC5AC Hyper-Expression by Modulating the sNASP/TRAF6 Axis in the Airway Epithelium.

House dust mites (HDMs) are a common source of respiratory allergens responsible for allergic asthma and innate immune responses in human diseases. Since HDMs are critical factors in the triggering of allergen-induced airway mucosa from allergic asthma, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms of Toll-like receptors (TLR) in the signaling of the HDM extract that is involved in mucus hypersecretion and airway inflammation through the engagement of innate immunity. Previously, we reported that the somatic nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein (sNASP)/tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) axis controls the initiation of TLRs to maintain the homeostasis of the innate immune response. The present study showed that the HDM extract stimulated the biogenesis of Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) in bronchial epithelial cells via the TLR2/4 signaling pathway involving MyD88 and TRAF6. Specifically, sNASP binds to TRAF6 in unstimulated bronchial epithelial cells to prevent the activation of TRAF6-depenedent kinases. Upon on HDMs' stimulation, sNASP is phosphorylated, leading to the activation of TRAF6 downstream of the p38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. Further, NASP-knockdown enhanced TRAF6 signaling and MUC5AC biogenesis. In the HDM-induced mouse asthma model, we found that the HDM extract promoted airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), MUC5AC, and allergen-specific IgE production as well as IL-5 and IL-13 for recruiting inflammatory cells. Treatment with the PEP-NASP peptide, a selective TRAF6-blocking peptide, ameliorated HDM-induced asthma in mice. In conclusion, this study indicated that the sNASP/TRAF6 axis plays a regulatory role in asthma by modulating mucus overproduction, and the PEP-NASP peptide might be a potential target for asthma treatment.

Air quality in a hospital dental department.

Background/purpose: Documented studies demonstrated that particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) are relatively high in dental clinics. However, the PM2.5 composition is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the dental department's air quality in a teaching hospital. Materials and methods: The SKC AirChek XR5000 pumps and canister samplers were used to collect PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The PM2.5 composition analysis (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals) was conducted, and in the dental clinic and waiting room, the air quality comparison was investigated. Moreover, the dental clinic's air quality was compared before and after air purifier use. Results: In the dental clinic and waiting room, the results revealed high PM2.5 concentration exceeding the standard of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (35 µg/m3); the values were 41.08-108.23 µg/m3 and 17.89-62.72 µg/m3, respectively. In both investigated locations, VOCs had no significant difference. Among 16 priority PAHs, the result indicated high level of benzo(b)fluoranthene (B(b)f), benzo(k)fluoranthene (B(k)f), benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)p), and indenopyrene (IP). B(b)f and B(k)f and lead (Pb) concentrations were detected with a significant difference in the clinic as compared to the waiting room. In addition, after air purifier use, the B(b)f concentration in the dental clinic reduced from 0.08 to 0.42 ug/m3 to 0.06-0.18 ug/m3 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: For dental practitioners, an appropriated air quality regulation needs to be considered, due to high air pollutant concentration. In addition, using air purifier can efficiently reduce air pollutants.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate and CRP as potential combination biomarkers in discrimination of COPD with community-acquired pneumonia and acute exacerbation of COPD.

BACKGROUND:  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant public health concern. The patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) and pneumonia have similar clinical presentations. The use of conventional diagnostic markers, such as complete blood count with differential and C-reactive protein (CRP), is the current mainstream method for differentiating clinically relevant pneumonia from other mimics. However, those conventional methods have suboptimal sensitivity and specificity for patients with a clinical suspicion of infection. The limitations often cause the ambiguity of the initiation of antibiotic treatment. Recently, our pilot study suggested that the patients with pneumonia have significantly higher plasma Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) levels than controls. The initial findings suggest that plasma S1P is a potential biomarker for predicting prognosis in pneumonia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of S1P and CRP for discriminating COPD with pneumonia and AECOPD in an Emergency Department (ED) setting. METHODS:  Patients diagnosed with AECOPD or COPD with pneumonia were recruited from the Emergency Department of Wan Fang Hospital. The clinical data, demographics, and blood samples were collected upon ED admission. The concentration of plasma S1P was measured by ELISA. RESULTS:  Thirty-nine patients with AECOPD and 78 with COPD plus pneumonia were enrolled in this observational study. The levels of blood S1P and CRP were significantly higher in patients with COPD plus CAP compared to those in AE COPD patients. The area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve for the S1P and CRP for distinguishing between patients with COPD plus CAP and AECOPD is 0.939 (95% CI: 0.894-0.984) and 0.886 (95% CI: 0.826-0.945), whereas the combination of S1P and CRP yielded a value of 0.994 (95% CI: 0.897-1.000). By comparing with CRP or S1P, combining CRP and S1P had significantly higher AUC value for differentiating between the COPD with pneumonia group and the AECOPD group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that S1P is a potential diagnostic biomarker in distinguishing COPD with CAP from AECOPD. Additionally, the diagnostic ability of S1P can be improved when used in combination with CRP.

Echogenic swirling pattern, carcinoembryonic antigen, and lactate dehydrogenase in the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion.

The echogenic swirling pattern has a role in predicting malignant pleural effusion (MPE). However, its predictive ability is suboptimal, and its clinical utility remains to be defined. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic potential of the echogenic swirling pattern combined with pleural carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and routine laboratory tests of pleural effusion in MPE. The 80 consecutive patients with underlying malignancy and pleural effusions were recruited. All patients underwent one diagnostic thoracentesis with a cytologic examination of pleural fluid. Our study showed that the sensitivity of echogenic swirling patterns in MPE diagnosis was 67.7%, specificity was 72.2%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 89.4%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 39.4%. Both CEA and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) had acceptable sensitivity (71.0% and 60.7%) and specificity (72.2% and 77.8%). Combining the echogenic swirling pattern, pleural CEA, and pleural LDH, the highest sensitivity (95.2%) with a good PPV (86.8) was reached. In this clinical study, we found that combining the echogenic swirling pattern, pleural CEA, and pleural LDH had a higher sensitivity and a high positive predictive value for the diagnosis of MPE. This combination is a potentially suitable method for MPE screening in cancer patients with pleural effusions.

Inhibition of ß-catenin signaling attenuates arteriovenous fistula thickening in mice by suppressing myofibroblasts.

BACKGROUND: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the most important vascular access for hemodialysis; however, preventive treatment to maintain the patency of AVFs has not been developed. In endothelium, ß-catenin functions in both the intercellular adherens complex and signaling pathways that induce the transition of endothelial cells to myofibroblasts in response to mechanical stimuli. We hypothesize that mechanical disturbances in the AVF activate ß-catenin signaling leading to the transition of endothelial cells to myofibroblasts, which cause AVF thickening. The present study aimed to test this hypothesis. METHODS: Chronic kidney disease in mice was induced by a 0.2% adenine diet. AVFs were created by aortocaval puncture. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used in the cell experiments. A pressure-culture system was used to simulate mechanical disturbances of the AVF. RESULTS: Co-expression of CD31 and smooth muscle alpha-actin (αSMA), loss of cell-cell adhesions, and the expression of the myofibroblast marker, integrin subunit ß6 (ITGB6), indicated transition to myofibroblasts in mouse AVF. Nuclear translocation of ß-catenin, decreased axin2, and increased c-myc expression were also observed in the AVF, indicating activated ß-catenin signaling. To confirm that ß-catenin signaling contributes to AVF lesions, ß-catenin signaling was inhibited with pyrvinium pamoate; ß-catenin inhibition significantly attenuated AVF thickening and decreased myofibroblasts. In HUVECs, barometric pressure-induced nuclear localization of ß-catenin and increased expression of the myofibroblast markers, αSMA and ITGB6. These changes were attenuated via pretreatment with ß-catenin inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that mechanical disturbance in AVF activates ß-catenin signaling to induce the transition of endothelial cells to myofibroblasts. This signaling cascade can be targeted to maintain AVF patency.

Factors that Hinder 24-Hour Discharge After Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: a Retrospective Analysis at a Low-Volume Center.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify factors that hinder 24-h patient discharge after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) in a low-volume practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Consecutive patients who fulfilled regional criteria and underwent primary LRYGB from 2018 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were discharged on the morning of the first postoperative day (POD1) after meeting the predefined criteria. The assessed outcome measures (POD1 vital signs, laboratory findings, pain scores and nausea/vomiting) and 30-day postoperative complications were compared between the early (stay ≤ 24 h) and delayed (>24 h) groups. RESULTS: For 107 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 48 (44.9%) were discharged within 24 h. There were no differences in the baseline demographics, except that the early group was more likely to have a previous abdominal operation (35.4% vs. 16.9%). Both groups had similar operation durations (89 min vs. 92 min), but the early group had a markedly shortened length of stay (23 (24-22) h vs. 27 (47-26) h). The POD1 parameters were the same between the groups, except that the delay group had a significantly higher visual analog scale score, with fewer patient scores of 0. Patients who were younger and female were more likely to need additional IV analgesics. No POD1 antiemesis was required throughout the study. There was no increase in the 30-day complications. CONCLUSION: Patient discharge at 24 h post-LRYGB is feasible and safe in a low-volume practice. A more comprehensive pain relief strategy may be required before generalizing this approach.

The factor influencing the rate of ROSC for nontraumatic OHCA in New Taipei city.

ABSTRACT: Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is critical for the Emergency Medical Services System. When compared to other developed countries, Taiwan has lower rate of ROSC in OHCA patients.We conducted a retrospective study of cardiac arrest using The Emergency Medical Service Dispatching Center in Northern Taiwan and The Prehospital Care System of New Taipei City Paramedic Service. Patients suffering from nontraumatic OHCA between August of 2019 to February of 2020 were included. We analyzed the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) quality parameters such as chest compression interruptions, bystander CPR, shockable rhythm, CPR interruption, chest compression fraction (CCF) average, patient transportation in buildings, and adrenaline injection during CPR. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between potential independent variables and ROSC.In our study, we involved 1265 subjects suffering from nontraumatic OHCA, among which 587 patients met inclusion criteria. We identified that CCF> 0.8, chest compression interruption greater than 3 times, and patient transportation in the building were the most critical factors influencing ROSC. However, patient transportation in a building was identified as a dependent predictor variable (P = .4752).We concluded that CCF > 0.8 and chest compression interruption greater than 3 times were essential factors affecting the CPR ROSC rate. The most significant reason for suboptimal CCF and CPR interruption is patient transportation in a building. Improving the latter point could facilitate high-quality CPR.

A novel approach: Simulating multiple simultaneous encounters to assess multitasking ability in emergency medicine.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this feasibility study is to develop and validate a new assessment tool and scoring system for multitasking competency for physicians in-training in a timed simulated setting. The multitasking competency includes ability to appropriately prioritize and implement tasks for different patients who present simultaneously. METHODS: We designed three single task stations with different levels of difficulty and priority. These skill stations were then combined to create a multitasking simulation scenario. Skill checklists and the global rating scale were utilized to assess the participants' performance. A multitasking score, multitasking index, and priority score were developed to measure the multitasking ability of participants. RESULTS: Thirty-three first-year postgraduate physicians were recruited for this prospective study. The total performance scores were significantly higher for the single-tasking stations than for the multitasking scenario. In terms of the time needed to complete the tasks, the participants spent more time on the multitasking scenario than on the single-tasking scenario. There were significant correlations between the global rating scale and the multitasking score (rho = 0.693, p < 0.001) and between the global rating scale and the multitasking index (rho = 0.515, p < 0.001). The multitasking score, multitasking index, and priority score did not have any significant correlations with the total single-tasking score. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the use of a simulated multitasking scenario could be an effective method of assessing multitasking ability and allow assessors to offer better quality feedback.

Efficacy of doxycycline versus azithromycin for the treatment of rectal chlamydia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the most common sexually transmitted infectious disease and carries a risk of complications. However, the optimal treatment for rectal chlamydial infection remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of doxycycline and azithromycin for the treatment of rectal chlamydia by undertaking a systematic review and meta-analysis of published data. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and clinicaltrials.gov databases from inception to 7 July 2021 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that compared the efficacy of doxycycline and single-dose azithromycin on rectal chlamydia cure rates. Data were synthesized using a random-effects model, and subgroup analysis was conducted. RESULTS: All included studies were conducted in developed countries. Two RCTs and nine observational studies, with a total of 2457 patients, were analysed. Doxycycline had a higher microbiological cure rate than azithromycin (risk ratio = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.15-1.28; P < 0.05). Pooled results from two RCTs also revealed a higher microbiological cure rate for doxycycline than azithromycin (risk ratio = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.20-1.35; P < 0.05). The results remained consistent in subgroups of different study designs, countries and sexes. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of our findings, we recommend doxycycline rather than azithromycin as a first-line treatment for rectal chlamydia in developed countries. More RCTs from developing countries are warranted.

Diagnostic Performance of Conventional X-ray for Detecting Foreign Bodies in the Upper Digestive Tract: A Systematic Review and Diagnostic Meta-Analysis.

Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common clinical problem in acute settings. Detecting FBs in the upper digestive tract is challenging. The conventional X-ray is usually the first-line imaging tool to detect FBs. However, its diagnostic performance is inconsistent in the literature. In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the diagnostic performance of the conventional X-ray for detecting FBs in the upper digestive tract. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus until 1 August 2020. Prospective or retrospective studies investigating the diagnostic accuracy of conventional X-rays for detecting FBs in the upper digestive tract in patients of all ages were included. The Quality Assessment of Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy-2 tool was used to review the quality of included studies. We used a bivariate random-effects model to calculate diagnostic accuracy parameters. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics. We included 17 studies (n = 4809) in the meta-analysis. Of the 17 studies, most studies were rated as having a high risk of bias. Conventional X-rays had a pooled sensitivity of 0.58 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.36-0.77, I2 = 98.52) and a pooled specificity of 0.94 (95% CI = 0.87-0.98, I2 = 94.49) for detecting FBs in the upper digestive tract. The heterogeneity was considerable. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.91 (95% CI = 0.88-0.93). Deek's funnel plot asymmetry test results revealed no significant publication bias (p = 0.41). The overall sensitivity and specificity of conventional X-rays were low and high, respectively, for detecting FBs in the upper digestive tract. Hence, conventional X-rays to exclude patients without upper FBs in the digestive tract are not recommended. Further imaging or endoscopic examinations should be performed for at-risk patients.

Parathyroid Hormone Induces Transition of Myofibroblasts in Arteriovenous Fistula and Increases Maturation Failure.

CONTEXT: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation failure remains a clinical dilemma, and its pathobiology is largely unclear. Secondary hyperparathyroidism is a complication of chronic renal failure that is associated with cardiovascular disease. While parathyroid hormone (PTH) has a prosclerotic effect on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), its role in AVF maturation failure remained unknown. OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to investigate the association between plasma PTH and AVF maturation. METHODS: Patients receiving AVF creation were enrolled retrospectively. A mouse model of secondary hyperparathyroidism and aortocaval AVF was used to investigate the effect of PTH on an AVF lesion. A cell model of VSMCs treated with PTH in a pressurized culture system was used to disclose the signaling pathway underlying the effect of PTH on an AVF lesion. RESULTS: In patients receiving AVF creation, higher PTH was associated with an increased risk for maturation failure. In a mouse model, vascular wall thickness and myofibroblasts of AVF significantly increased with higher PTH. When the same mice were treated with cinacalcet, AVF lesions were attenuated by suppression of PTH. A cell model showed that PTH increased the marker of myofibroblasts, integrin ß6 subunit (ITGB6), via the phosphorylated protein kinase B pathway. Finally, in the same model of mice AVF, higher PTH also increased the expression of ITGB6 in the smooth muscle layer of AVF, suggesting the transition to myofibroblast. CONCLUSION: Overall, our results suggest that higher PTH increased the risk of AVF maturation failure through increasing the transition of VSMCs to myofibroblasts. Lowering PTH may be a strategy to enhance AVF maturation.