Clinical implications of changes in metabolic syndrome status after kidney transplantation: a nationwide prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is prevalent in patients with end-stage kidney disease, and kidney transplantation is expected to modify the metabolic status. However, whether changes in metabolic status at the time of transplantation affect recipient outcomes remains unclear. METHODS: We analyzed 4187 recipients registered in a nationwide prospective cohort from 2014 to 2020. MetS was defined as the presence of three or more components of the metabolic syndrome. Patients were classified based on the pre- and post-transplant MetS status: MetS-free, MetS-developed, MetS-recovered and MetS-persistent. Study outcomes were occurrence of death-censored graft loss and a composite of cardiovascular events and death. RESULTS: Among recipients without pre-transplant MetS, 19.6% (419/2135) developed post-transplant MetS, and MetS disappeared in 38.7% (794/2052) of the recipients with pre-transplant MetS. Among the four groups, the MetS-developed group showed the worst graft survival rate, and the MetS-persistent group had a poorer composite event-free survival rate. Compared with the MetS-free group, the MetS-developed group was associated with an increased risk of graft loss [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 2.35; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17-4.98] and the risk of graft loss increased with increasing numbers of dysfunctional MetS components. MetS-persistent was associated with increased risks of cardiovascular events and death (aHR 2.46; 95% CI 1.12-5.63), but changes in the number of dysfunctional MetS components was not. CONCLUSION: Kidney transplantation significantly alters the metabolic status. Newly developed MetS after transplantation was associated with an increased risk of graft loss, whereas persistent MetS exposure before and after transplantation was associated with increased risks cardiovascular events and patient survival.

Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Korea.

Eighty-five Korean kidney transplant recipients who received three doses of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine were tested with anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody and neutralizing antibody. High anti-RBD antibody (≥ 100 U/mL) and neutralizing antibody responses (≥ 30%) were detected in 51/85 (60.0%) patients. When we divided the patients with the time from transplantation to vaccination (< 1, 1-2.4, 2.5-4.9, and ≥ 5-year), anti-RBD antibody titers were 3.2 U/mL, 27.8 U/mL, 370.2 U/mL, and 5,094.2 U/mL (P < 0.001) and anti-neutralizing antibody levels were 2.2%, 11.6%, 45.6%, and 93.0% (P < 0.001), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed increased antibody responses when the time from transplantation to vaccination was five years or longer (odds ratio, 12.0; confidence interval, 2.7-52.8). Korean kidney transplant recipients had suboptimal antibody responses after the third dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. A shorter time from transplantation to vaccination was a risk factor for a low antibody response.

Effects of bisphosphonates on long-term kidney transplantation outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Bisphosphonates are administered to post-transplantation patients with mineral and bone disorders; however, the association between bisphosphonate therapy and long-term renal graft survival remains unclear. METHODS: This nested case-control study investigated the effects of bisphosphonates on long-term graft outcomes after kidney transplantation. We enrolled 3836 kidney transplant recipients treated from April 1979 to June 2016 and matched patients with graft failure to those without (controls). Annual post-transplant bone mineral density assessments were performed and recipients with osteopenia or osteoporosis received bisphosphonate therapy. The associations between bisphosphonate use and long-term graft outcomes and graft survival were analyzed using conditional logistic regression and landmark analyses, respectively. RESULTS: A landmark analysis demonstrated that death-censored graft survival was significantly higher in bisphosphonate users than in non-users in the entire cohort (log-rank test, P < 0.001). In the nested case-control matched cohort, bisphosphonate users had a significantly reduced risk of graft failure than did non-users (odds ratio = 0.38; 95% confidence interval 0.30-0.48). Bisphosphonate use, increased cumulative duration of bisphosphonate use >1 year and increased cumulative bisphosphonate dose above the first quartile were associated with a reduced risk of graft failure, after adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: Bisphosphonates may improve long-term graft survival in kidney transplant recipients.

Enhanced immune-modulatory effects of thalidomide and dexamethasone co-treatment on T cell subsets.

Thalidomide (TM) has been reported to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, and dexamethasone (DX) is known to reduce inflammation and inhibit production of inflammatory cytokines. Many studies have reported that combinatorial therapy with TM and DX is clinically used to treat multiple myeloma and lupus nephritis, but the mechanism responsible for its effects has not been elucidated. In this study, we determined that TM and DX co-treatment had an enhanced immune-modulatory effect on T cells through regulating the expression of co-stimulatory molecules. Splenic naive T cells from C57BL/6 mice were sort-purified and cultured for CD4+ T cell proliferation and regulatory T (Treg) cell conversion in the presence of TM and/or DX. Following incubation with the drugs, cells were collected and OX40, 4-1BB, and glucocorticoid-induced tumour necrosis factor receptor-related protein (GITR) expression was quantified by flow cytometry. TM (1 or 10 µm) decreased CD4+ T cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, whereas TM/DX (0·1 or 1 nm) co-treatment further decreased proliferation. Treg cell populations were preserved following drug treatment. Furthermore, expression of co-stimulatory molecules decreased upon TM/DX co-treatment in effector T (Teff) cells and was preserved in Treg cells. Splenic CD4+ T cells isolated from TM- and DX-treated mice exhibited the same patterns of Teff and Treg cell populations as observed in vitro. Considering the selective effect of TM on different T cell subsets, we suggest that TM may play an immunomodulatory role and that TM/DX combinatorial treatment could further enhance these immunomodulatory effects by regulating GITR, OX40, and 4-1BB expression in CD4+ T cells.

Clinical significance of lactate clearance for the development of early allograft dysfunction and short-term prognosis in deceased donor liver transplantation.

This retrospective study evaluated lactate clearance (LC), measured at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours after reperfusion, as a predictor of early allograft dysfunction (EAD) and short-term outcomes in patients receiving deceased donor liver transplantation. Of 181 transplant recipients, 44 (24.3%) developed EAD and had lower LCs than those who did not develop EAD. A receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that LC determined at 6 hours showed the highest area under curve value of 0.828 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.755-0.990) for predicting the development of EAD at a cutoff value of 25.8% with 76.7% sensitivity and 77.9% specificity. LC values that fell below the cutoff values were significantly associated with EAD in a multivariate analysis, with values at 6 hours having the highest adjusted odds ratio (11.891, 95% CI: 4.469-31.639). In-hospital and 6 month mortalities were higher in patients with LC values below the cutoffs compared with those above the cutoff values at each time point. Thus, LC calculated shortly after reperfusion of an allograft is significantly discriminative for the development of EAD and is associated with short-term prognosis after deceased donor liver transplantation.

Successful launch of an ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation program to overcome the shortage of compatible living donors: experience at a single center
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AIMS: ABO-incompatible (ABOi) kidney transplantation (KT) is being increasingly performed to overcome donor shortages. However, debate persists regarding the post-transplant outcomes of ABOi KT vs. that of ABO-compatible (ABOc) KT. METHODS: A total 454 recipients who underwent living-donor KT (LDKT) between June 2010 and July 2014 at Severance Hospital (Seoul) were retrospectively reviewed. 100 ABOi and 354 ABOc KTs were compared. Recipients with a pretransplant positive crossmatch to their donors, pretransplant donor-specific anti-HLA antibody (DSA), or high panel reactive antibody (PRA ≥ 50%) were excluded from both the ABOi and ABOc KT groups. Finally, the authors compared the transplant outcomes of 95 of these ABOi KTs and 121 ABOc KTs performed over the same period. RESULTS: No significant difference in incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection was observed between the ABOi and ABOc KT groups (p = 0.230), and group glomerular filtration rate of ABOi KT was comparable to that of ABOc KT (p > 0.05 at all time points). 3-year death-censored graft survival rates were similar (96.8 vs. 96.6%, respectively; p = 0.801). However, the incidences of postoperative bleeding, cytomegalovirus infection, fungal infection, and serious infection rates were significantly higher after ABOi KT. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, graft renal function and survival after ABOi KT were excellent, and the incidence of acute rejection was similar to that of ABOc KT. However, efforts are needed to reduce hemorrhagic and infectious complications after ABOi KT. ABOi KT can be a good strategy to overcome ABO antibody barriers and relieve donor shortage.
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The effect of rituximab dose on infectious complications in ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Rituximab (RIT) improves the outcomes of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) kidney transplantation (KT), but it has been associated with infectious complications. The aim of this study was to investigate infectious complications according to the dose of RIT in ABOi KT. METHODS: We analyzed 213 recipients [118 ABO-compatible (ABOc) KT and 95 ABOi KT] who underwent living donor KT between 2010 and 2014. ABOi KT patients were categorized by RIT dose: standard RIT (375 mg/m(2), n = 76) versus reduced RIT (200 mg, n = 19). All patients received basiliximab and maintained on triple immunosuppression consisting of tacrolimus, prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil. Infectious complications and post-transplant outcomes were analyzed for 1 year following KT. RESULTS: The rates of overall infectious complications among the three groups were comparable (22.9% in ABOc KT, 38.2% in standard RIT and 26.3% in reduced RIT, P = 0.069). In the standard RIT group, hepatitis B virus reactivation occurred in three recipients (3.9%) with hepatitis B surface antigen[-]/anti-hepatitis B core antibody[+]. Three cases (3.9%) of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia occurred in the standard RIT group. Serious infections developed in 13 of the ABOc KT (11.0%), 20 from the standard RIT group (26.3%) and 2 from the reduced RIT group (10.5%, P = 0.015). Standard-dose RIT was found to be an independent risk factor for serious infections [hazard ratio: 2.59 (95% confidence interval: 1.33-5.07), P = 0.005]. There were no significant differences in rejection, renal function, graft survival and patient survival between standard and reduced RIT groups. CONCLUSIONS: Standard RIT increased the risk of serious infection when compared with reduced-dose RIT. Reduced-dose RIT might be sufficient for ABOi KT without increasing the risk of serious infection.

De novo C3 glomerulonephritis in a renal allograft.

C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) is a recently described, rare glomerular disease characterized by predominant or sole glomerular C3 deposits. Morphologic features of C3GN are similar to those of dense deposit disease (DDD); however, ribbon-like intramembranous electron-dense deposits are absent in the former. We report a case of de novo C3GN in a renal allograft with morphologic transformation to DDD. A 6-year-old boy presented with congenital left renal agenesis and right ureteropelvic junction obstruction. The patient underwent pyeloplasty but experienced recurrent urinary tract infections. At the age of 22 years, he received a renal allograft from a living related donor. C3GN was diagnosed after 1 year of transplantation; initial histology showed minimal mesangiopathy and this progressed to mesangial proliferation and membranoproliferative features over the next 7 years. Serum creatinine levels were stabilized with anti-rejection treatments for combating repeated episodes of acute rejection; however, glomerular and tubular band-like electron-dense deposits became evident.

Histopathologic fate of resected pulmonary pure ground glass nodule: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Pure ground glass nodules (GGNs) have been increasingly detected through lung cancer screening programs. However, there were limited reports about pathologic characteristics of pure GGN. Here we presented a meta-analysis of the histologic outcome and proportion analysis of pure GGN. Methods: This study included previous pathological reports of pure GGN published until June 14, 2022 following a systematic search. A meta-analysis estimated the summary effects and between-study heterogeneity for pathologic diagnosis of invasive adenocarcinoma (IA), minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA), adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), and atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH). Results: This study incorporated 24 studies with 3,845 cases of pure GGN that underwent surgery. Among them, sublobar resection was undertaken in 60% of the patients [95% confidence interval (CI): 38-78%, I2=95%]. The proportion of IA in cases of resected pure GGN was 27% (95% CI: 18-37%, I2=95%), and 50% of IA had non-lepidic predominant patterns (95% CI: 35-65%, I2=91%). The pooled proportions of MIA, AIS, and AAH were 24%, 36%, and 11%, respectively. Among nine studies with available clinical outcomes, no recurrences or metastases was observed other than one study. Conclusions: The portion of IA in cases of pure GGN is significantly larger that expected. More than half of them owned invasiveness components if MIA and IA were combined. Furthermore, there were quite number of lesions with aggressive histologic patterns other than the lepidic subtype. Therefore, further attempts are necessary to differentiate advanced histologic subtype among radiologically favorable pure GGN.

Limited cryoablation reduces hospital stay and opioid consumption compared to thoracic epidural analgesia after minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum.

pain following minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) is a critical concern that leads to a prolonged hospital stay and high doses of opiates administered to the patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intraoperative cryoanalgesia (cryoablation of the intercostal nerves) during MIRPE. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 64 patients who underwent MIRPE and received cryoanalgesia or epidural analgesia between January 2019 and January 2021. The oral morphine milligram equivalent (MME) was used to calculate the dosage of opioid agents. The median age was 15 years (range, 4-33 years). The median postoperative hospital stay was 4 days (range, 2-6 days), with a median oral MME consumption of 45 mg (ranging from 0 to 1360 mg). Cryoanalgesia was performed in 38 patients, and epidural analgesia was administered to the remaining 26 patients. The cryoanalgesia group had a significantly lesser pain score, shorter postoperative hospital stay and lower oral MME consumption than the epidural analgesia group (5 vs 2; P < .001, 3 days vs 5 days; P < .001, 19 mg vs 634 mg; P < .001). Cryoanalgesia appears to reduce postoperative hospital stay and opioid consumption compared with epidural analgesia. The outcomes of this study indicate that cryoanalgesia might be a safe and effective method for pain control following MIRPE.

Impact of donor hypertension on graft survival and function in living and deceased donor kidney transplantation: a nationwide prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Hypertensive living donors are potential candidates to expand the kidney donor pool. However, the impact of donor hypertension on graft survival and function remains to be clarified. METHODS: We analyzed 3907 kidney transplant recipients registered in a nationwide prospective cohort from 2014 to 2018. Patients were divided by donor types and the presence of donor hypertension. The primary and secondary outcome was the occurrence of death-censored graft failure and renal allograft function, respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension was 9.4% (258/2740) and 19.9% (232/1167) in living and deceased donors, respectively. During a median follow-up of 21.8 months, death-censored graft survival rate was significantly worse in recipients of hypertensive living donors than in those of normotensive living donors ( P  = 0.008). In multivariable analysis, recipients of hypertensive living donors had a significantly increased risk of graft loss (adjusted hazard ratio 2.91; P  = 0.009). The risk of allograft loss was not different between recipients of hypertensive living and normotensive deceased donors. Propensity score-matched analyses had consistent worse graft survival rate in recipients of hypertensive living donors compared to those of normotensive living donors ( P  = 0.027), while it was not different between recipients of hypertensive living and normotensive deceased donors. Hypertension in living donors had a significant negative impact on one-year graft function (adjusted unstandardized ß -3.64; P  = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive living donor recipients have significantly higher risks of renal allograft loss than normotensive living donor recipients, and showed similar outcomes compared to recipients of normotensive deceased donors.

Prognosis of Spontaneous Pneumothorax/Pneumomediastinum in Coronavirus Disease 2019: The CoBiF Score.

Objectives: Pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum are associated with high mortality in invasively ventilated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients; however, the mortality rates among non-intubated patients remain unknown. We aimed to analyze the clinical features of COVID-19-associated pneumothorax/pneumomediastinum in non-intubated patients and identify risk factors for mortality. Methods: We searched PubMed Scopus and Embase from January 2020 to December 2021. We performed a pooled analysis of 151 patients with no invasive mechanical ventilation history from 17 case series and 87 case reports. Subsequently, we developed a novel scoring system to predict in-hospital mortality; the system was further validated in multinational cohorts from ten countries (n = 133). Results: Clinical scenarios included pneumothorax/pneumomediastinum at presentation (n = 68), pneumothorax/pneumomediastinum onset during hospitalization (n = 65), and pneumothorax/pneumomediastinum development after recent COVID-19 treatment (n = 18). Significant differences were not observed in clinical outcomes between patients with pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax (±pneumomediastinum). The overall mortality rate of pneumothorax/pneumomediastinum was 23.2%. Risk factor analysis revealed that comorbidities bilateral pneumothorax and fever at pneumothorax/pneumomediastinum presentation were predictors for mortality. In the new scoring system, i.e., the CoBiF system, the area under the curve which was used to assess the predictability of mortality was 0.887. External validation results were also promising (area under the curve: 0.709). Conclusions: The presence of comorbidity bilateral pneumothorax and fever on presentation are significantly associated with poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax/pneumomediastinum. The CoBiF score can predict mortality in clinical settings as well as simplify the identification and appropriate management of patients at high risk.

Percutaneous Electromagnetic Transthoracic Nodule Localization for Ground Glass Nodules.

BACKGROUND: A recent increase in the incidental detection of ground glass nodules (GGNs) has created a need for improved diagnostic accuracy in screening for malignancies. However, surgical diagnosis remains challenging, especially via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Herein, we present the efficacy of a novel electrical navigation system for perioperative percutaneous transthoracic nodule localization. METHODS: Eighteen patients with GGNs who underwent electromagnetic navigated percutaneous transthoracic needle localization (ETTNL), followed by 1-stage diagnostic wedge resections via VATS between January and December 2020, were included in the analysis. Data on patient characteristics, nodules, procedures, and pathological diagnoses were collected and retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 18 nodules, 17 were successfully localized. Nine nodules were pure GGNs, and the remaining 9 were part-solid GGNs. The median nodule size was 9.0 mm (range, 4.0-20.0 mm); and the median depth from the visceral pleura was 5.2 mm (range, 0.0-14.4 mm). The median procedure time was 10 minutes (range, 7-20 minutes). The final pathologic results showed benign lesions in 3 cases and malignant lesions in 15 cases. CONCLUSION: Perioperative ETTNL appears to be an effective method for the localization of GGNs, providing guidance for a 1-stage VATS procedure.

Early Postoperative Pneumothorax Might Not Be 'True' Recurrence.

OBJECTIVES: To date, there is no consensual definition of what constitutes a postoperative recurrence of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), despite there being many studies reporting a high incidence of recurrence. This study aims to describe the long-term recurrence rates of pneumothorax and to suggest a possible way to differentiate recurrence events based on temporal patterns. METHODS: This single-center study retrospectively evaluated all postoperative recurrence of PSP from January 2007 to May 2019. Patients' demographics, history of pneumothorax, radiologic data, surgical technique, and the time between operation and recurrence were analyzed. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to find potential risk factors related to long-term recurrence. RESULTS: Of the 77 postoperative recurrent cases of pneumothorax, 21 (27.2%) occurred within 30 days after surgery and, thus, were classified as early recurrences (ER), while the remaining cases were classified as late recurrences (LR). There was no difference in preoperative variables between the two groups. However, the rate of incidence of second recurrence (SR), which represented a long-term prognosis, was significantly higher in the LR group (28.6% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.030). On univariate and multivariable analyses, late recurrence was the only significant factor predicting later recurrence events. CONCLUSION: Postoperative recurrence (PoR) within 30 days had a lower SR rate. Therefore, it might not be a 'true' postoperative recurrence with a favorable prognosis. Further studies investigating postoperative recurrence based on temporal patterns would be warranted to improve the classification of PoR.

Synergistic impact of pre-sensitization and delayed graft function on allograft rejection in deceased donor kidney transplantation.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether or not delayed graft function (DGF) and pre-transplant sensitization have synergistic adverse effects on allograft outcome after deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) using the Korean Organ Transplantation Registry (KOTRY) database, the nationwide prospective cohort. The study included 1359 cases between May 2014 and June 2019. The cases were divided into 4 subgroups according to pre-sensitization and the development of DGF post-transplant [non-pre-sensitized-DGF(-) (n = 1097), non-pre-sensitized-DGF(+) (n = 127), pre-sensitized-DGF(-) (n = 116), and pre-sensitized-DGF(+) (n = 19)]. We compared the incidence of biopsy-proven allograft rejection (BPAR), time-related change in allograft function, allograft or patient survival, and post-transplant complications across 4 subgroups. The incidence of acute antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) was significantly higher in the pre-sensitized-DGF(+) subgroup than in other 3 subgroups. In addition, multivariable cox regression analysis demonstrated that pre-sensitization combined with DGF is an independent risk factor for the development of acute ABMR (hazard ratio 4.855, 95% confidence interval 1.499-15.727). Moreover, DGF and pre-sensitization showed significant interaction (p-value for interaction = 0.008). Pre-sensitization combined with DGF did not show significant impact on allograft function, and allograft or patient survival. In conclusion, the combination of pre-sensitization and DGF showed significant synergistic interaction on the development of allograft rejection after DDKT.

Unraveling the Genomic Architecture of the CYP3A Locus and ADME Genes for Personalized Tacrolimus Dosing.

BACKGROUND: Tacrolimus (TAC) is an immunosuppressant widely prescribed following an allogenic organ transplant. Due to wide interindividual pharmacokinetic (PK) variability, optimizing TAC dosing based on genetic factors is required to minimize nephrotoxicity and acute rejections. METHODS: We enrolled 1133 participants receiving TAC from 4 cohorts, consisting of 3 with kidney transplant recipients and 1 with healthy males from clinical trials. The effects of clinical factors were estimated to appropriately control confounding variables. A genome-wide association study, haplotype analysis, and a gene-based association test were conducted using the Korea Biobank Array or targeted sequencing for 114 pharmacogenes. RESULTS: Genome-wide association study verified that CYP3A5*3 is the only common variant associated with TAC PK variability in Koreans. We detected several CYP3A5 and CYP3A4 rare variants that could potentially affect TAC metabolism. The haplotype structure of CYP3A5 stratified by CYP3A5*3 was a significant factor for CYP3A5 rare variant interpretation. CYP3A4 rare variant carriers among CYP3A5 intermediate metabolizers displayed higher TAC trough levels. Gene-based association tests in the 61 absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion genes revealed that CYP1A1 are associated with additional TAC PK variability: CYP1A1 rare variant carriers among CYP3A5 poor metabolizers showed lower TAC trough levels than the noncarrier controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that rare variant profiling of CYP3A5 and CYP3A4, combined with the haplotype structures of CYP3A locus, provide additive value for personalized TAC dosing. We also identified a novel association between CYP1A1 rare variants and TAC PK variability in the CYP3A5 nonexpressers that needs to be further investigated.

Usefulness of 3-Dimensional Body Surface Scanning in the Evaluation of Patients with Pectus Carinatum.

BACKGROUND: Radiographic modalities have been commonly used to evaluate pectus carinatum (PC), and compressive orthotic bracing is the most widely accepted treatment method. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of 3-dimensional (3D) body surface scanning as an alternative modality for the evaluation of PC. METHODS: The medical records of 63 patients with PC who were treated with compressive orthotic bracing therapy between July 2017 and February 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Using both 2-view chest radiography (posteroanterior and lateral view) and 3D body scanning, the height of maximal protrusion of the chest wall was measured both before and after 2 weeks of bracing therapy. The difference between the pre- and post-treatment measurements was calculated for both modalities, and these differences were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: Based on the comparison between the pre- and post-treatment radiographs, bracing therapy produced favorable outcomes in all patients (p<0.001). The measurements obtained via 3D scanning were strongly correlated with those obtained via chest radiography (r=0.60). CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, 3D body surface scanning appears to be an effective, radiation-free, and simple method for the post-treatment follow-up evaluation of PC, and thus can be considered an alternative to radiography.

The role of postoperative radiotherapy in stage II and III thymoma: a Korean multicenter database study.

BACKGROUND: Complete resection is a standard treatment for patients with Masaoka-Koga stages II and III thymoma, however the role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is controversial. We analyzed data collected from 4 Korean hospitals to determine the effectiveness of PORT in stage II and III thymoma patients. METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2013, 1,663 patients underwent surgery for thymic tumors at the 4 hospitals. Among them, 668 patients (527 with stage II and 141 with stage III) were investigated, among whom, 443 received PORT (335 with stage II and 108 with stage III). Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed, and 404 patients (346 with stage II and 58 with stage III) were selected. RESULTS: Perioperative characteristics were similar in the PORT and non-PORT groups after PSM. On survival analysis of stage II patients, the PORT and non-PORT groups showed no difference in either 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) (96.3% vs. 96.6%, P=0.622) or 5-year overall survival (OS) (94.6% vs. 93.8%, P=0.839). However, among stage III patients, the PORT group showed significantly better 5-year RFS (75.7% vs. 50.1%, P=0.040) and 5-year OS (86.5% vs. 54.7%, P=0.001). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, PORT was a significant positive prognostic factor in terms of both RFS (P=0.005) and OS (P=0.004) in patients with stage III thymomas, but not in those with stage II disease (P=0.987 and 0.968, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: PORT improved the RFS and OS in stage III thymoma patients, but showed no survival benefit in stage II patients.

Risk factors associated with postoperative prosthetic graft patency in Leriche syndrome.

BACKGROUND: In Leriche syndrome, postoperative graft thrombosis remains one of the most significant clinical challenges. METHODS: We reviewed 51 patients who underwent surgery for aortoiliac occlusive disease at our hospital from January 2007 to December 2014. The factors associated with graft patency were determined using the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The 2-year prosthetic graft patency rate was 72.5%. Younger age (p = 0.017, Odd ratio (OR) = 1.112), postoperative uncontrolled hypertension (p = 0.044, OR = 3.797), and associated Trans Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus for the Management of Peripheral Arterial Disease II (TASC II) D femoropopliteal lesion (p = 0.008, OR = 11.139) were significantly related factors for prosthetic graft patency after surgical repair. The existing comorbidities of the patients that indicated the need for axillo-bifemoral bypass seemed to be related to lower graft patency or other complications. CONCLUSIONS: For better graft patency after an open surgical repair of Leriche syndrome, strict postoperative hypertension control and distal run-off resolution are necessary.