Efficacy of plastinated specimens in anatomy education: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Plastination, a permanent preservation method for human tissues and organs, is increasingly being used in anatomy education. However, there is a paucity of systematic reviews and meta-analyses summarizing the educational efficacy of plastinated specimens. This meta-analysis compared the assessment scores of students exposed to plastinated specimens against those exposed to other common instructional methods. A systematic search was conducted through four databases, from 2000 to July 2022. Titles and abstracts of the retrieved records were screened according to predetermined eligibility criteria. Of the 159 records screened, 18 were subjected to full-text review. Among the 18 studies, five articles reported post-intervention test scores for intervention (plastinated) and control (other modalities) groups. Studies were subjected to GRADE quality assessment, and four studies with moderate to high ratings were included for meta-analysis. Students' perceptions (n = 15 studies) were qualitatively analyzed using an inductive narrative analysis. No significant effect was detected between the intervention (n = 417) and control groups (n = 422) (standardized mean difference = 0.08; 95% CI [-0.36, 0.52]; p = 0.73). Four themes emerged from students' perceptions: ease of use, motivation to study, spatial understanding, and learning preference. Overall, student performance outcomes comparing the use of plastinated specimens versus other instructional modalities are very limited. This meta-analysis suggests that knowledge gained from plastinated specimens is comparable to learning achieved through other modalities; though this outcome should be interpreted with caution as there is currently insufficient evidence for definitive conclusions.

Extending the diabetic retinopathy screening intervals in Singapore: methodology and preliminary findings of a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The Diabetic Retinopathy Extended Screening Study (DRESS) aims to develop and validate a new DR/diabetic macular edema (DME) risk stratification model in patients with Type 2 diabetes (DM) to identify low-risk groups who can be safely assigned to biennial or triennial screening intervals. We describe the study methodology, participants' baseline characteristics, and preliminary DR progression rates at the first annual follow-up. METHODS: DRESS is a 3-year ongoing longitudinal study of patients with T2DM and no or mild non-proliferative DR (NPDR, non-referable) who underwent teleophthalmic screening under the Singapore integrated Diabetic Retinopathy Programme (SiDRP) at four SingHealth Polyclinics. Patients with referable DR/DME (> mild NPDR) or ungradable fundus images were excluded. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, medical and clinical information was obtained from medical records and interviewer-administered questionnaires at baseline. These data are extracted from medical records at 12, 24 and 36 months post-enrollment. Baseline descriptive characteristics stratified by DR severity at baseline and rates of progression to referable DR at 12-month follow-up were calculated. RESULTS: Of 5,840 eligible patients, 78.3% (n = 4,570, median [interquartile range [IQR] age 61.0 [55-67] years; 54.7% male; 68.0% Chinese) completed the baseline assessment. At baseline, 97.4% and 2.6% had none and mild NPDR (worse eye), respectively. Most participants had hypertension (79.2%) and dyslipidemia (92.8%); and almost half were obese (43.4%, BMI ≥ 27.5 kg/m2). Participants without DR (vs mild DR) reported shorter DM duration, and had lower haemoglobin A1c, triglycerides and urine albumin/creatinine ratio (all p < 0.05). To date, we have extracted 41.8% (n = 1909) of the 12-month follow-up data. Of these, 99.7% (n = 1,904) did not progress to referable DR. Those who progressed to referable DR status (0.3%) had no DR at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: In our prospective study of patients with T2DM and non-referable DR attending polyclinics, we found extremely low annual DR progression rates. These preliminary results suggest that extending screening intervals beyond 12 months may be viable and safe for most participants, although our 3-year follow up data are needed to substantiate this claim and develop the risk stratification model to identify low-risk patients with T2DM who can be assigned biennial or triennial screening intervals.

When is it safe to return to driving after distal radius fracture fixation? A prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: After surgical fixation of distal radius fractures, many patients are keen to return to driving. There are however limited guidelines assisting surgeons. The aims of this study were to determine when patients could return to driving safely after distal radius fracture fixation and determine the clinical parameters (range of motion and grip strength) that patients needed to achieve before return to safe driving could be advised. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective grant-funded clinical study was conducted. Patients above the age of 21 years who underwent surgical fixation with a volar plate, possessed a class 3 standard motorcar license, and were regular drivers were recruited in a single institution from 2017 to 2019. A hand surgeon and an occupational therapist who sees routine hand therapy cases, assessed the patients at regular intervals from 2 to 12-weeks post-surgery. Clinical parameters of pain, wrist range of motion and grip strength were measured. Patients underwent off and on-road driving assessments. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients were recruited, with 21 successfully completing the driving assessment. Median time post-surgery to passing the driving test was 6 and 8-weeks for off and on-road assessments respectively. Pain score was observed to decrease over time, with a significant decrease from week 2 to week 4. Range of motion improved over time, with maximal improvement between 2 to 4-weeks post-surgery. When compared with the unaffected wrist, the difference in pronation, supination and radial deviation in the affected hand was consistently no longer statistically significant 4 to 6-weeks post-surgery. CONCLUSION: Patients with isolated surgically treated distal radius fractures can be recommended for a driving assessment as early as 4-6 weeks post-surgery if pain control is adequate, and clinical parameters for pronation and supination are met.

Anaesthetic modality and post-surgical oncological outcomes for paediatric tumours: is there a link?

INTRODUCTION: Children with solid organ tumours often present for curative surgery. Even with the best surgical technique, micrometastases can occur. Preclinical studies support the postulation that neuraxial anaesthesia maintains the body's immune and inflammatory milieu against metastasis. However, human retrospective adult studies showed varying results, and no study has been done in children. We aimed to find out if intraoperative epidural, perioperative opioid and volatile dose are associated with relapse-free survival (RFS) in children with solid organ tumours. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of 126 children from a tertiary paediatric unit who were diagnosed with solid organ tumours (neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma or sarcoma) over a 16-year period. RFS, stratified by tumour subtypes, was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were obtained from multivariable Cox regression models after taking potential covariates into account. RESULTS: Of 126 children with solid organ tumours (51.6% neuroblastoma, 34.9% sarcoma and 13.5% hepatoblastoma), 53.2% received combined general anaesthesia (GA)/epidural. A total of 21 (31.3%) and 20 (33.9%) patients relapsed during the study period in the combined GA/epidural group and the GA alone group, respectively. Patients with sarcoma receiving combined GA/epidural had a clinically meaningful lower risk of relapse compared to patients receiving GA alone (aHR 0.51, 95% confidence interval 0.14-1.79), although this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated some clinically meaningful associations, especially in paediatric sarcoma patients. Overall, however, there was no statistically significant association between epidural use and an improved RFS.

Effects of Cast Immobilisation on Skin Barrier Function.

INTRODUCTION: Cast immobilisation remains the mainstay of treatment for various fractures in paediatric patients, yet patients commonly complain of skin irritation and discomfort. This study aimed to perform a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the effects of cast immobilisation on the skin of children and adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients aged 6-17 years of age with a fracture treated in a fiberglass short-arm or short-leg cast were recruited. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum (SC) hydration, hair density and presence of any skin signs were assessed before and after cast. Patients were required to complete a weekly questionnaire to rate itch, malodour, warmth, and dampness of the skin under the cast. RESULTS: A total of 60 subjects completed the study. Thirty-six patients received a short-arm cast; 24 received a short-leg cast. Upon cast removal, TEWL was significantly increased on the volar surface of the arms and legs (P <0.05), and the dorsal surface of the arm (P <0.05). Likewise, SC hydration was significantly increased at most sites (P <0.05), except the volar surface of the leg (P = 0.513). There was no change in hair density. Throughout the duration of casting, there was an increase in itch and malodour scores. CONCLUSION: Moderate but significant changes in TEWL, SC hydration and subjective symptoms were observed during the duration of cast immobilisation, demonstrating that cast immobilisation for up to 4 weeks exerts moderate adverse impact on patients' skin. Further studies to explore the use of better materials for cast immobilisation to improve skin barrier function and overall patient satisfaction are warranted.

Randomized control trial comparing an Alvarado Score-based management algorithm and current best practice in the evaluation of suspected appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: An objective algorithm for the management of suspected appendicitis guided by the Alvarado Score had previously been proposed. This algorithm was expected to reduce computed tomography (CT) utilization without compromising the negative appendectomy rate. This study attempts to validate the proposed algorithm in a randomized control trial. METHODS: A randomized control trial comparing the management of suspected acute appendicitis using the proposed algorithm compared to current best practice, with the rate of CT utilization as the primary outcome of interest. Secondary outcomes included the percentage of missed diagnosis, negative appendectomies, length of stay in days, and overall cost of stay in dollars. RESULTS: One hundred sixty patients were randomized. Characteristics such as age, ethnic group, American Society of Anesthesiologist score, white cell count, and symptom duration were similar between the two groups. The overall CT utilization rate of the intervention arm and the usual care arm were similar (93.7% vs 92.5%, p = 0.999). There were no differences in terms of negative appendectomy rate, length of stay, and cost of stay between the intervention arm as compared to the usual care arm (p = 0.926, p = 0.705, and p = 0.886, respectively). Among patients evaluated with CT, 75% (112 out of 149) revealed diagnoses for the presenting symptoms. CONCLUSION: The proposed AS-based management algorithm did not reduce the CT utilization rate. Outcomes such as missed diagnoses, negative appendectomy rates, length of stay, and cost of stay were also largely similar. CT utilization was prevalent as 93% of the study cohort was evaluated by CT scan. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03324165, Registered October 27 2017).

The Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile as a Predictor of Clinical Outcomes of Admission for Pneumonia or Choking in Dysphagic Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Dysphagia increases risk of pneumonia in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no studies have investigated the association between objective measures of swallowing dysfunction and clinical outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to study the link between scores obtained on the modified barium swallow impairment scale profile (MBSImP) and hospital admissions for pneumonia and choking, in groups of patients with PD on different feeding modes. 157 patients who completed MBS studies were divided into three groups based on their feeding modes (oral, enteral, and rejected enteral feeding with oral feeding at own risk). Videos were analysed using the MBSImP. We evaluated the association of the oral, pharyngeal, and combined scores, with risk of admission for pneumonia and choking. Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank tests were used to compare survival distributions among feeding groups. Cox regression models were generated to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals. Patients in the group that rejected enteral feeding scored the highest on the MBSImP, followed by enteral then oral feeding. Within the group that rejected enteral feeding, higher pharyngeal (HR = 3.73, p = 0.036) and combined scores (HR = 1.63, p = 0.034) significantly increased the risk of pneumonia and choking. In the enteral feeding group, higher oral subscores (HR = 2.16, p = 0.011) increased risk for the event, while higher pharyngeal (HR = 0.40, p = 0.004) subscores reduced risk for pneumonia and choking. This is the first study to analyse the association of MBSImP scores with clinical outcomes in PD patients. Patients who rejected enteral feeding had the highest risk for pneumonia and choking that could be predicted by their MBSImP scores. In the enteral feeding group, this risk was partially reversed. Compliance with feeding modes reduces the risk of pneumonia and choking.

Clinical Outcomes of Zone 2 Flexor Tendon Repairs Using the Modified Lim/Tsai Technique.

BACKGROUND: The single looped suture modified Lim/Tsai technique is widely used for flexor tendon repairs. It has been shown to possess better biomechanical properties and require less repair time per tendon as compared to the double looped suture original Lim/Tsai technique. However, there is no clinical data on the modified technique. METHODS: The retrospective study included zone 2 flexor tendon repairs made using the modified Lim/Tsai technique from January 2008 to December 2014. Clinical outcome was assessed using the revised Strickland and Glogovac criteria, which categorises repairs based on the total active motion of the repaired digit. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients with 74 digits were included. The overall mean total active motion was 122°. The overall satisfactory outcome of the modified Lim/Tsai technique was 81.1%. The rupture rate of the modified Lim/Tsai technique was 2.7%. Using multivariate linear regression model, we found that outcomes were negatively influenced by subzone 2C and crush/saw injuries, but not by concomitant neurovascular injuries or post-operative follow-up duration. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this retrospective study of patients with zone 2 flexor tendon injuries, the clinical outcomes of modified and original Lim/Tsai techniques are comparable. As such, there is no clinical evidence favouring one over the other.

Suicide in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a potentially preventable event. Suicidal ideation is common in Parkinson's disease (PD), but literature on completed suicides is scarce. In this case-control study, we compared the clinical characteristics of PD subjects who completed suicide (case) with those who died from natural causes (control). METHODS: PD patients from the National Neurosciences Institute's movement disorders database from 2002 till 2012 were identified. The database was linked to the Singapore National Registry of Disease Office for mortality information, and suicide deaths were confirmed with the coroner's office. The demographic and clinical variables were compared between the cases and controls and the significant factors were further analyzed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, 366 deaths were recorded and suicide accounted for 11 deaths. Ten subjects with suicide deaths with complete clinical information were compared with randomly selected 30 PD subjects who had died from natural causes. PD suicide patients were younger (65.9 vs. 74.48 years), had less comorbidities (CWI: 2.6 vs. 4.63), better cognition (MMSE: 25.75 vs. 21.36), lower 'ON' UPDRS motor scores (20.83 vs. 41.63), lower H &Y stage (2.16 vs. 3.86), and higher use of Entacapone than the PD non-suicide group. CONCLUSION: Suicide is potentially preventable tragedy. PD patients with the identified clinical characteristics should be closely monitored for suicide ideations. Motor fluctuation is a treatable factor in such patients and should be aggressively managed.

Serum uric acid level and its association with motor subtypes and non-motor symptoms in early Parkinson's disease: PALS study.

OBJECTIVE: Uric acid has been found to be potentially neuroprotective in Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated the relationship between serum uric acid levels and both motor and non-motor features in a prospective early PD cohort study. METHODS: Fasting serum uric acid levels were measured from 125 early PD patients. Demographic, clinical characteristics, motor and non-motor assessments were performed. Patients were categorized into three motor subtypes: tremor-dominant (TD), postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD), and mixed. Non-motor symptoms were classified as present or absent based on the appropriate cut-offs for each non-motor instrument. RESULTS: Most patients had TD (n = 51, 40.8%) and mixed (n = 63, 50.4%) motor subtypes, while a minority had PIGD (n = 11, 8.8%) motor subtype. The mean serum uric acid levels were significantly different between the three motor subtypes (p = 0.0106), with the mixed subtype having the lowest serum uric acid levels. Using the TD subtype as reference, patients with higher serum uric acid levels were less likely to have the mixed (OR = 0.684; p = 0.0312) subtype as opposed to the TD subtype. Uric acid levels were not significantly different between the TD and PIGD subtypes. For non-motor symptoms, higher serum uric acid levels were significantly associated with less fatigue (OR = 0.693; p = 0.0408). CONCLUSION: Higher serum uric acid levels were associated with TD motor subtype and less fatigue in early PD, which could be related to its anti-oxidative properties. Uric acid could be an important biomarker for specific motor features and symptoms of fatigue in PD.

Evaluation of Long-Term Outcomes of Microsatellite Instability Status in an Asian Cohort of Sporadic Colorectal Cancers.

PURPOSE: Microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its long-term outcomes remains poorly studied in Asians. We investigate the prognostic significance of microsatellite instability in an Asian population and assess its clinical impact in patients who undergo adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: Six hundred fifty-four consecutive CRC patients who underwent surgical resection between January 2010 and December 2012 were recruited. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier approach. Univariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios for variables associated with survival. A subgroup analyses was performed for stage III patients who underwent chemotherapy to evaluate the prognostic significance of microsatellite instability in this group. RESULTS: Five hundred ninety-one (90.4%) patients were microsatellite stable (MSS) while 63 (9.6%) were microsatellite instable (MSI). Three years recurrence-free survival (RFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were 83.7 versus 73.7% (p = 0.295) and 87.1 versus 91.2% (p = 0.307) in MSS and MSI tumors, respectively. Among stage III patients who received adjuvant therapy, MSI status was found to be an adverse prognostic factor for RFS (HR 2.74 (95% CI 1.43-5.26), p = 0.002). This remained significant on multivariate analysis (HR 2.38 (95% CI 1.15-4.93), p = 0.018). Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with survival benefit for patients with MSS tumors (HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17-0.69, p = 0.002) but not MSI tumors (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.08-8.15, p = 0.750). CONCLUSIONS: MSI status is not a prognostic indicator in the general CRC population but appears to be an adverse prognostic indicator for RFS in stage III CRC patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy.

Predictors of Midterm Outcomes after Medial Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty in Asians.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate predictors of good outcomes following medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) in Asian patients. METHODS: Registry data of patients who underwent primary unilateral medial UKA from 2006 to 2011 were collected. Outcomes studied were the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and the Physical Component Score (PCS) of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. These outcome scores were collected prospectively, pre- and postoperatively up to 5 years. Good outcome was defined as an overall improvement in score greater than or equal to the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). The MCID for the OKS was 5 while the MCID for the PCS was 10. Regression analysis was used to identify predictors of good outcomes following medial UKA. RESULTS: Primary medial UKA was performed in 1,075 patients. Higher (poorer) preoperative OKS (odds ratio [OR], 1.27; p < 0.001), lower (poorer) preoperative PCS (OR, 1.08; p < 0.001), lower (poorer) preoperative Knee Society Knee Score (KSKS; OR, 1.02; p < 0.001) and higher (better) preoperative SF-36 Mental Component Score (MCS; OR, 1.02; p < 0.001) were significant predictors of good outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with poorer OKS, PCS and KSKS and better SF-36 MCS preoperatively tended to achieve good outcomes by the MCID criterion at 5 years following the index surgery.

Risk factors of ICU or high dependency requirements amongst hospitalized pediatric pertussis cases: A 10 year retrospective series, Singapore.

INTRODUCTION: Pertussis causes the highest complication rates and deaths in the infant group. Our study explored risk factors for ICU/high dependency (HD) admissions and intubation/non-invasive ventilation (NIV). METHODS: A retrospective review of pertussis admissions over 10 years from 2007 to 2016 was done at KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. To understand risk factors for severe pertussis infection, we compared cases requiring ICU/HD care with controls admitted to the general ward. Risk factors for intubation/NIV were also studied. Vaccine efficacy for protection against ICU/HD admission or intubation/NIV was also calculated. RESULTS: There were 200 pertussis patients with a median age of 2.75 months. Sixty-one % were ≤3 months and 14.5% were <6 weeks old. Majority of patients (77%) had no prior pertussis vaccination. After removing 3 patients with missing vaccination records, 20 cases were compared with 177 controls. On univariate analysis, risk factors for ICU/HD admission comprised: Age ≤3 months, contact history, underlying co-morbidity, prematurity, absent DTaP vaccination, lymphocytosis, hyperleukocytosis (wbc ≥50×109/L), thrombocytosis (platelet ≥500×109/L), and pneumonia. Multivariate analysis revealed that age ≤3 months (OR 40, 95% CI 4.57-1111.11, p=.007), co-morbidity (OR 8.46 (95% CI 1.47-56.89, p=.019), pneumonia (OR 18.08, 95% CI 3.22-132.15, p=.002), white cell count (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.14, p=.023) and cyanosis (OR 5.09, 95% CI 1.31-24.71, p=.026) were risk factors for ICU/HD admission. Prior DTaP vaccination had a vaccine effectiveness of 86.5% in preventing ICU/HD admission and 82.1% in preventing intubation/NIV. CONCLUSIONS: As the majority of pertussis patients were infants ≤3 months old who are at high risk for ICU/HD admission and intubation/NIV, prevention is key to reducing pertussis morbidity. Even though not statistically significant, DTaP vaccination had a role in preventing ICU/HD admission and intubation/NIV.

Meta-analysis of first-line therapies with maintenance regimens for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in molecularly and clinically selected populations.

Evidence has suggested survival benefits of maintenance for advanced NSCLC patients not progressing after first-line chemotherapy. Additionally, particular first-line targeted therapies have shown survival improvements in selected populations. Optimal first-line and maintenance therapies remain unclear. Here, currently available evidence was synthesized to elucidate optimal first-line and maintenance therapy within patient groups. Literature was searched for randomized trials evaluating first-line and maintenance regimens in advanced NSCLC patients. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed within molecularly and clinically selected groups. The primary outcome was combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits. A total of 87 records on 56 trials evaluating first-line treatments with maintenance were included. Results showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits with particular first-line with maintenance treatments, (1) first-line intercalated chemotherapy+erlotinib, maintenance erlotinib in patients with EGFR mutations, (2) first-line afatinib, maintenance afatinib in patients with EGFR deletion 19, (3) first-line chemotherapy + bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab in EGFR wild-type patients, (4) chemotherapy+conatumumab, maintenance conatumumab in patients with squamous histology, (5) chemotherapy+cetuximab, maintenance cetuximab or chemotherapy + necitumumab, maintenance necitumumab in EGFR FISH-positive patients with squamous histology, and (6) first-line chemotherapy+bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab or first-line sequential chemotherapy+gefitinib, maintenance gefitinib in patients clinically enriched for EGFR mutations with nonsquamous histology. No treatment showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients with EGFR L858R or nonsquamous histology. Particular first-line with maintenance treatments show meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients selected by EGFR mutation or histology. Further research is needed to achieve effective therapy for patients with EGFR mutation L858R or nonsquamous histology.

Predicting Pneumonia in Acute Ischaemic Stroke: Comparison of Five Prediction Scoring Models.

INTRODUCTION: Although pneumonia is a major complication after acute ischaemic stroke (AIS), pneumonia prediction scores have not been extensively validated. This study aimed to compare the discrimination performance of 5 pneumonia prediction scores in AIS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive adult AIS patients whom presented to our emergency department within 4.5 hours of symptom-onset between January 2012 and February 2015. Diagnosis had to be made by a neurologist and infarcts confirmed by neuroimaging. We excluded patients with pneumonia on presentation. Pneumonia predictors were based on the 5 prediction scoring models: Kwon's score, Chumbler's score, Acute Ischaemic Stroke-Associated Pneumonia Score (AIS-APS), A2DS2 score and ISAN score. The definition of stroke-associated pneumonia was based on the criteria by the Pneumonia in Stroke Consensus Group. Analysis using area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) was performed. RESULTS: Forty (5.5%) out of 731 patients analysed had stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP). A2DS2 score had the highest discrimination capacity (AUROC 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.92), followed by AIS-APS (AUROC 0.87; 95% CI, 0.83 to 0.91), Kwon's score (AUROC 0.86; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.92), Prestroke Independence, Sex, Age and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (ISAN) score (AUROC 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.90) and Chumbler's score (AUROC 0.79; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.84). However, there was no statistical difference of discrimination capacity among A2DS2 score, AIS-APS and Kwon's score. CONCLUSION: A2DS2 , AIS-APS and Kwon's scores performed comparably in discriminating SAP in AIS patients.

Physiological and Metabolic Changes During the Transition from Hyperthyroidism to Euthyroidism in Graves' Disease.

BACKGROUND: The serum metabolomic profile and its relationship to physiological changes during hyperthyroidism and restoration to euthyroidism are not known. This study aimed to examine the physiological, adipokine, and metabolomic changes that occur when subjects with Graves' disease transition from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism with medical treatment. METHODS: Chinese women between 21 and 50 years of age and with newly diagnosed Graves' disease attending the endocrine outpatient clinics in a single institution were recruited between July 2012 and September 2014. All subjects were treated with thioamides to achieve euthyroidism. Clinical parameters (body weight, body composition via bioelectrical impedance analysis, resting energy expenditure and respiratory quotient via indirect calorimetry, and reported total energy intake via 24 h food diary), biochemical parameters (thyroid hormones, lipid profile, fasting insulin and glucose levels), serum leptin, adiponectin, and metabolomics profiles were measured during hyperthyroidism and repeated in early euthyroidism. RESULTS: Twenty four Chinese women with an average age of 36.3 ± 8.6 years were included in the study. The average duration of treatment that was required to reach euthyroidism for these subjects was 38 ± 16.3 weeks. There was a significant increase in body weight (52.6 ± 9.0 kg to 55.3 ± 9.4 kg; p < 0.001) and fat mass (14.3 ± 6.9 kg to 16.8 ± 6.5 kg; p = 0.005). There was a reduction in resting energy expenditure corrected for weight (28.7 ± 4.0 kcal/kg to 21.5 ± 4.1 kcal/kg; p < 0.001) and an increase in respiratory quotient (0.76 to 0.81; p = 0.037). Resting energy expenditure increased significantly with increasing free triiodothyronine levels (p = 0.007). Significant increases in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were noted. There was no significant change in leptin levels, but adiponectin levels increased significantly (p = 0.018). Significant reductions in fasting C2, medium-chain, long-chain, and total acylcarnitines were observed, but no changes in the fat-free mass, branched chain amino acid levels, or insulin sensitivity during recovery from hyperthyroidism were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Serum metabolomics profile changes complemented the physiological changes observed during the transition from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism. This study provides a comprehensive and integrated view of the changes in fuel metabolism and energy balance that occur following the treatment of hyperthyroidism.

Critical appraisal of laparoscopic vs open rectal cancer surgery.

AIM: To evaluate the long-term clinical and oncological outcomes of laparoscopic rectal resection (LRR) and the impact of conversion in patients with rectal cancer. METHODS: An analysis was performed on a prospective database of 633 consecutive patients with rectal cancer who underwent surgical resection. Patients were compared in three groups: Open surgery (OP), laparoscopic surgery, and converted laparoscopic surgery. Short-term outcomes, long-term outcomes, and survival analysis were compared. RESULTS: Among 633 patients studied, 200 patients had successful laparoscopic resections with a conversion rate of 11.1% (25 out of 225). Factors predictive of survival on univariate analysis include the laparoscopic approach (P = 0.016), together with factors such as age, ASA status, stage of disease, tumor grade, presence of perineural invasion and vascular emboli, circumferential resection margin < 2 mm, and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The survival benefit of laparoscopic surgery was no longer significant on multivariate analysis (P = 0.148). Neither 5-year overall survival (70.5% vs 61.8%, P = 0.217) nor 5-year cancer free survival (64.3% vs 66.6%, P = 0.854) were significantly different between the laparoscopic group and the converted group. CONCLUSION: LRR has equivalent long-term oncologic outcomes when compared to OP. Laparoscopic conversion does not confer a worse prognosis.

Risk and prognostic factors for pneumonia and choking amongst Parkinson's disease patients with dysphagia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the time to hospitalisation and baseline factors associated with pneumonia/choking in Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients. BACKGROUND: Although dysphagia and pneumonia are common problems in PD, scarce research has been performed. METHODS: A total of 194 PD patients who underwent a VFS evaluation were retrospectively selected. The mode of feeding and admissions for pneumonia/choking were analyzed. Baseline clinical and demographic variables were compared between feeding groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate time to pneumonia/choking. Clinical variables significantly associated with pneumonia/choking free survival were identified using Cox regression. RESULTS: Hospitalisation for pneumonia/choking occurred in 89 out of 194 patients, with the highest admission rate in rejected enteral feeding group (66.7%), followed by enteral feeding (61.8%) and oral feeding (38.8%) groups. The estimates of median time to event were 11, 14, and 47 months for rejected enteral feeding, enteral and oral feeding groups respectively (log-rank test p < 0.001). The rejected enteral feeding group had the highest risk of pneumonia/choking (HR 4.61, 95%CI:2.33-9.08, p < 0.001), followed by enteral feeding group (HR 2.29, 95%CI:1.25-4.19, p = 0.007), when compared to oral feeding group after adjusting for possible confounders. A stepwise Cox regression showed that the rejected enteral feeding (HR 4.89, 95%CI:2.19-10.88, p < 0.001), enteral mode of feeding (HR 2.43, 95%CI:1.11-5.32, p = 0.026), and Charlson weighted index of co-morbidity (HR 1.27, 95%CI:1.03-1.58, p = 0.028) were independently associated with higher hazard of pneumonia/choking. CONCLUSIONS: Compliance to feeding recommendations is important to reduce the risk of hospitalisation for pneumonia/choking. The recommended mode of feeding and comorbidity index was significantly associated with pneumonia/choking risk.