Study on the expression level of NF-κB and clinical evaluations in spinal tuberculosis patients.

Spinal tuberculosis or tuberculous spondylitis is one of the most common types of skeletal tuberculosis. Complications of the spine and spinal cord tuberculosis include destruction of the vertebrae, deformity, and paraplegia. Since in some patients, the clinical manifestations of tuberculosis are unusual and timely diagnosis and treatment of this disease can prevent its serious consequences, so in the present study, some cases of rare manifestations of tuberculosis were investigated. The expression of the NF-κB gene in these patients was also evaluated. In this regard, 36 patients with spinal tuberculosis and 30 healthy individuals (as a control group) were assessed. Clinical symptoms, imaging, laboratory tests, pathology, and response to treatment related to patients with spinal tuberculosis and spinal cord tuberculosis were evaluated. NF-κB expression was also evaluated using the PCR technique in peripheral white blood cell samples. The obtained results were analyzed using SPSS ver. 16, χ2 and T-test statistical methods. Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric tests were used to analyze non-parametric data. The results showed that out of 36 cases of spinal tuberculosis, 29 cases had spinal tuberculosis, five cases had tuberculous radiculomyelitis, one case had spinal intramedullary tuberculoma, and one case had syringomyelia. 52.78% of patients were male, and 70% of cases were observed between the ages of 35 and 55 years. Fever and back pain were seen in more than 80% of cases. The study of NF-κB expression in the control and case groups showed that the NF-κB expression in the case group increased compared to the control group. This increase was statistically significant (P = 0.0071). In general, in the present study, the methods of clinical diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis were evaluated. Also, the amount of NF-κB transcription factor was evaluated as an effective genetic factor in the diagnosis of this disease.

The role of postoperative levels of neutrophil extracellular traps in deep vein thrombosis after total knee arthroplasty / 中华骨科杂志

Objective To investigate the role of circulating neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) levels in the postoperative formation of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods Circulating NET levels were measured preoperatively and on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7 in 30 patients diagnosed with DVT by venography after TKA and 30 controls from May 2014 to July 2015. Results In patients with DVT, the mean circulating NET levels were significantly higher on postoperative days 1 and 3 compared with those in the non?DVT group (postoperative day 1, 1.598 ± 0.067 vs. 1.212 ± 0.037, t=7.514, P=0.000;postoperative day 3, 1.305±0.044 vs. 1.167±0.032, t=2.675, P=0.015). ROC curve analysis revealed the inferior sensitivity and specificity of NET levels on postoperative day 3 compared with postoperative day 1. Area under the curve (AUC) postoperative day 1 was 0.828 (95%CI:0.722, 0.933, P=0.000);AUC postoperative day 3 was 0.677 (95%CI:0.541, 0.814, P=0.018). The cutoff point for NET levels on postoperative day 1 was 1.294, with a sensitivity of 80%, a specificity of 80%, a posi?tive predictive value of 80%, and a negative predictive value of 80%. After Logistic regression, the NET level on postoperative day 1 was considered an independent predictor of DVT (OR:24.08, 95%CI:4.94, 117.28, P=0.000). Conclusion High circulating NET levels are associated with DVT in patients who undergo TKA. NETs may serve as a potential biological marker to delineate patients undergoing TKA who are most at risk for DVT.