Incidence, prevalence, and global burden of ADHD from 1990 to 2019 across 204 countries: data, with critical re-analysis, from the Global Burden of Disease study.

Data on incidence, prevalence and burden of ADHD are crucial for clinicians, patients, and stakeholders. We present the incidence, prevalence, and burden of ADHD globally and across countries from 1990 to 2019 from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. We also: (1) calculated the ADHD prevalence based on data actually collected as opposed to the prevalence estimated by the GBD with data imputation for countries without prevalence data; (2) discussed the GBD estimated ADHD burden in the light of recent meta-analytic evidence on ADHD-related mortality. In 2019, GBD estimated global age-standardized incidence and prevalence of ADHD across the lifespan at 0.061% (95%UI = 0.040-0.087) and 1.13% (95%UI = 0.831-1.494), respectively. ADHD accounted for 0.8% of the global mental disorder DALYs, with mortality set at zero by the GBD. From 1990 to 2019 there was a decrease of -8.75% in the global age-standardized prevalence and of -4.77% in the global age-standardized incidence. The largest increase in incidence, prevalence, and burden from 1990 to 2019 was observed in the USA; the largest decrease occurred in Finland. Incidence, prevalence, and DALYs remained approximately 2.5 times higher in males than females from 1990 to 2019. Incidence peaked at age 5-9 years, and prevalence and DALYs at age 10-14 years. Our re-analysis of data prior to 2013 showed a prevalence in children/adolescents two-fold higher (5.41%, 95% CI: 4.67-6.15%) compared to the corresponding GBD estimated prevalence (2.68%, 1.83-3.72%), with no significant differences between low- and middle- and high-income countries. We also found meta-analytic evidence of significantly increased ADHD-related mortality due to unnatural causes. While it provides the most detailed evidence on temporal trends, as well as on geographic and sex variations in incidence, prevalence, and burden of ADHD, the GBD may have underestimated the ADHD prevalence and burden. Given the influence of the GBD on research and policies, methodological issues should be addressed in its future editions.

Impact of data extraction errors in meta-analyses on the association between depression and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers: an umbrella review.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that alterations in inflammatory biomarkers are important in depression. However, previous meta-analyses disagree on these associations, and errors in data extraction may account for these discrepancies. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library were searched from database inception to 14 January 2020. Meta-analyses of observational studies examining the association between depression and levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1-ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were eligible. Errors were classified as follows: incorrect sample sizes, incorrectly used standard deviation, incorrect participant inclusion, calculation error, or analysis with insufficient data. We determined their impact on the results after correction thereof. RESULTS: Errors were noted in 14 of the 15 meta-analyses included. Across 521 primary studies, 118 (22.6%) showed the following errors: incorrect sample sizes (20 studies, 16.9%), incorrect use of standard deviation (35 studies, 29.7%), incorrect participant inclusion (7 studies, 5.9%), calculation errors (33 studies, 28.0%), and analysis with insufficient data (23 studies, 19.5%). After correcting these errors, 11 (29.7%) out of 37 pooled effect sizes changed by a magnitude of more than 0.1, ranging from 0.11 to 1.15. The updated meta-analyses showed that elevated levels of TNF- α, IL-6, CRP, but not IL-1ß, are associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that data extraction errors in meta-analyses can impact findings. Efforts to reduce such errors are important in studies of the association between depression and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers, for which high heterogeneity and conflicting results have been continuously reported.

Incidence, prevalence, and global burden of autism spectrum disorder from 1990 to 2019 across 204 countries.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) substantially contributes to the burden of mental disorders. Improved awareness and changes in diagnostic criteria of ASD may have influenced the diagnostic rates of ASD. However, while data on trends in diagnostic rates in some individual countries have been published, updated estimates of diagnostic rate trends and ASD-related disability at the global level are lacking. Here, we used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study data to address this gap, focusing on changes in prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of ASD across the world. From 1990 to 2019, overall age-standardized estimates remained stable globally. Both prevalence and DALYs increased in countries with high socio-demographic index (SDI). However, the age-standardized incidence decreased in some low SDI countries, indicating a need to improve awareness. The male/female ratio decreased between 1990 and 2019, possibly accounted for by increasing clinical attention to ASD in females. Our results suggest that ASD detection in low SDI countries is suboptimal, and that ASD prevention/treatment in countries with high SDI should be improved, considering the increasing prevalence of the disorder. Additionally, growing attention is being paid to ASD diagnosis in females, who might have been left behind by ASD epidemiologic and clinical research previously. ASD burden estimates are underestimated as GBD does not account for mortality in ASD.

Association between uric acid and depressive symptoms in older adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Uric acid is known for its antioxidant capacity; however, whether uric acid is independently associated with depression in the older population remains controversial. The current study aimed to investigate the association between uric acid and depressive symptoms in older adults according to sex, using a large national sample population. METHODS: Data from the 2016, 2018, and 2020 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were analyzed, and 5609 participants older than 60 years were included in this study. We defined a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥5 as indicating the presence of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher in women with lower uric acid levels than in those with higher uric acid levels. In women, the lower levels of uric acid were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in the multivariable logistic regression analysis (odds ratio, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.68; p = 0.005). However, no significant association between uric acid levels and depressive symptoms was observed in men. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that uric acid is associated with depressive symptoms in older women, but not in men. Relatively lower serum uric acid levels in women compared to men and sex differences in oxidative stress may explain the significant association of uric acid levels and depressive symptoms in older women. Further research is needed on sex differences in the relationship between serum uric acid levels and depressive symptoms.

Changes in the mean incidence and variance of orthopedic diseases before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the amount of moderate- to high-intensity physical activity significantly decreased. Therefore, the epidemiology of musculoskeletal diseases could possibly have changed. We assessed changes in the incidence of and variance in non-traumatic orthopedic diseases before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea. METHODS: This study included data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service, which covers the entire Korean population (approximately 50 million), from January 2018 to June 2021. Using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes, 12 common orthopedic diseases were evaluated, including cervical disc disorders, lumbar disc disorders, forward head posture, myofascial pain syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, hip fracture, distal radius fracture, and spine fracture diseases. "Pre-COVID-19" was the period until February 2020, and "COVID-19 pandemic period" was the period starting March 2020. Differences in the mean incidence and variance of diseases before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were compared. RESULTS: In most cases, the incidence of orthopedic diseases decreased at the beginning of the pandemic and then increased thereafter. Among the 12 diseases, the incidence of three diseases showed a statistically significant change. The incidence of myofascial pain syndrome (P < 0.001) was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic than during the pre-COVID-19 period. The incidences of frozen shoulder (P < 0.001) and gout (P = 0.043) were higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than during the pre-COVID-19 period. However, no statistical difference in disease variations was observed between the two periods. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of orthopedic diseases varied during the COVID-19 pandemic among the Korean population. Although the incidence of myofascial pain syndrome was lower, that of frozen shoulder and gout was higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than during the pre-COVID-19 period. No disease variations during the COVID-19 pandemic were found.

Do undertaking rural placements and place of origin inform where allied health graduates work in South Australia?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the principal place of practice after graduation of students who participated in the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) program and allied health students' place of origin. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Graduates who completed their degree in podiatry, occupational therapy and physiotherapy in 2019. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Principal place of practice at first and third years after graduation. RESULTS: In 2020, 40 allied health professionals (AHPs) who graduated from the University of South Australia in 2019 were practising in rural areas but only 26 of them remained in the rural practice in 2022. The retention rate for rural practice was 65% within 2 years. However, in 2022, 25 allied health professionals left their metropolitan employment location and transitioned to rural practice. Of the 25 allied health graduates who joined the rural practice in 2022, most of them (80%, 20/25) had either rural exposure through the RMHT program or were from rural origin. CONCLUSIONS: Rural exposure via the RHMT program and allied health students' rural place of origin have an important role for rural principal place of practice at first and third years after graduation.

Safety and efficacy study of laparoscopic or robotic radical surgery using an endoscopic stapler for inhibiting tumour spillage of cervical malignant neoplasms evaluating survival (SOLUTION): a multi-centre, open-label, single-arm, phase II trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: The Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program database study demonstrated that minimally invasive radical hysterectomy was inferior to abdominal radical hysterectomy in terms of disease recurrence and survival. Among risk factors related to poor prognosis after minimally invasive surgery (MIS), tumour spillage during intracorporeal colpotomy became a significant issue. Thus, we designed this trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive radical hysterectomy using an endoscopic stapler for early-stage cervical cancer. METHODS: This trial is a prospective, multi-centre, open-label, single-arm, non-inferiority phase II study. The nine organisations will participate in this trial after the approval of the institutional review board. Major eligibility criteria include women aged 20 years or older with cervical cancer stage IB1 squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or adenosquamous carcinoma according to the revised 2009 FIGO staging system who will undergo type B2 or C hysterectomy by MIS. The primary endpoint is the 4.5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate between abdominal radical hysterectomy and MIS using an endoscopic stapler. For calculating the sample size, we hypothesised that the 4.5-year DFS rate after MIS using an endoscopic stapler is assumed to be the same after abdominal radical hysterectomy at 90.9%, and the non-inferiority margin was 7.2%. When we consider a three-year accrual and 4.5-year follow-up, at least 13 events must happen, requiring a total of 111 patients assuming a statistical power of 80% and the one-tailed test of 5% significance. A total of 124 patients is needed, considering a drop-out rate of 10%. DISCUSSION: We expect intracorporeal colpotomy using an endoscopic stapler may prevent tumour spillage during MIS for stage IB1 cervical cancer, showing a comparable prognosis with abdominal radical surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ; NCT04370496 ; registration date, May 2020.

Influenza vaccination during pregnancy and influencing factors in Korea: A multicenter questionnaire study of pregnant women and obstetrics and gynecology doctors.

BACKGROUND: Although the World Health Organization and health authorities in most countries recommend that pregnant women receive inactivated influenza virus vaccines, coverage remains low. This study aimed to investigate (1) the proportion of pregnant women who received an influenza vaccination and influencing factors and (2) the proportion of obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) doctors who routinely recommend influenza vaccination to pregnant women and influencing factors. METHODS: Two separate, anonymized questionnaires were developed for physicians and pregnant and postpartum women and were distributed to multicenters and clinics in South Korea. The proportions of women who received influenza vaccination during pregnancy and OBGYN doctors who routinely recommend the influenza vaccine to pregnant women were analyzed. Independent influencing factors for both maternal influenza vaccination and OBGYN doctors' routine recommendations to pregnant women were analyzed using log-binomial regression analysis. RESULTS: The proportion of self-reported influenza vaccination during pregnancy among 522 women was 63.2%. Pregnancy-related independent factors influencing maternal influenza vaccination were "(ever) received information about influenza vaccination during pregnancy" (OR 8.9, 95% CI 4.17-19.01), "received vaccine information about from OBGYN doctors" (OR 11.44, 95% CI 5.46-24.00), "information obtained from other sources" (OR 4.38, 95% CI 2.01-9.55), and "second/third trimester" (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.21-4.82).. Among 372 OBGYN doctors, 76.9% routinely recommended vaccination for pregnant women. Independent factors effecting routine recommendation were "working at a private clinic or hospital" (OR 5.33, 95% CI 2.44-11.65), "awareness of KCDC guidelines" (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.11-8.73), and "awareness of the 2019 national free influenza vaccination program for pregnant women" (OR 4.88, 95% CI 2.34-10.17). OBGYN doctors most commonly chose 'guidelines proposed by the government or public health (108, 46%) and academic committees (59, 25%), as a factor which expect to affect the future recommendation CONCLUSION: This study showed that providing information about maternal influenza vaccination, especially by OBGYN doctors, is crucial for increasing vaccination coverage in pregnant women. Closer cooperation between the government and OBGYN academic societies to educate OBGYN doctors might enhance routine recommendations.

Sex differences in risk factors for depressive symptoms in patients with COPD: The 2014 and 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Although depression is a common comorbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the role of sex remains unexplored. We evaluated sex differences of risk factors of depressive symptoms in adults with COPD. METHODS: This was a population-based cross-sectional study using data from the 2014 and 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Spirometry was used to identify patients with COPD, defined as a FEV1/FVC ratio < 0.7. Presence of depressive symptoms was defined as a total score ≥ 5 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. RESULTS: 17.8% of participants expressed depressive symptoms. Relative regression analysis revealed that female sex (RR 2.38; 95% CI 1.55-3.66; p < 0.001), living alone (RR 1.46; 95% CI 1.08-1.97; p = 0.013), current smoker (RR 1.70; 95% CI 1.15-2.52; p = 0.008), underweight (RR 1.58 95% CI 1.00-2.49; p = 0.049), and GOLD Stage III/IV (RR 1.92; 95% CI 1.19-3.09; p = 0.007) were the risk factors for depressive symptoms. Low income, living alone, multiple chronic disorders, and low BMI were risk factors of depressive symptoms in male, whereas low educational attainment, urban living, and current smoking were risk factors in female. CONCLUSIONS: Female sex is a main risk factor of depressive symptoms in adults with COPD. As risk factors of depressive symptoms in COPD patients vary according to their sex, different approaches are needed to manage depression in males and females with COPD.

Low-loss polysilicon subwavelength grating waveguides and narrowband Bragg reflectors in bulk CMOS.

The performance of a photonic functional device in bulk CMOS has been limited by the high propagation loss in polysilicon strip waveguide. Based on the zero-process-change methodology, we successfully reduce the propagation loss of polysilicon waveguide from 112 dB/cm to only 38 dB/cm by solely engineering the waveguide geometry for the first time. Low propagation loss is attributed to a significantly reduced optical overlap factor of 0.09 to bulk polysilicon using subwavelength grating (SWG) waveguide design. These findings prompt us to demonstrate a narrowband SWG-based cladding-modulated Bragg reflector in bulk CMOS, which provides a full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of 1.63 nm, an extinction ratio of 24.5 dB, and a reduced temperature sensitivity of 27.3 pm/°C. Further reducing the FWHM to 0.848 nm is also achieved by decreasing the grating coupling strength. We believe the achievements made in this work validate a promising design path towards practical photonic-electronic applications in bulk CMOS.

Reduction of cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian or primary peritoneal cancer (ROCOCO): study protocol for a phase III randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Primary debulking surgery (PDS) and adjuvant chemotherapy is the standard treatment for advanced ovarian, fallopian or primary peritoneal cancer. However, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) has been introduced as an alternative, showing similar efficacy and decreased postoperative complications compared with PDS. Although there is still no evidence for whether three or four cycles of NAC used clinically could be adequate, reducing one cycle of NAC is expected to remove more visible tumours and thereby improve prognosis. Thus, we proposed with this study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of reducing one cycle of NAC for advanced ovarian, fallopian or primary peritoneal cancer. METHODS: This study is a prospective, multi-centre, open-label, randomized phase III trial. A total of 298 patients with advanced ovarian, fallopian or primary peritoneal cancer will be recruited and randomly assigned to either three (control group) or two cycles of NAC (experimental group). After the NAC, we will conduct IDS with maximal cytoreduction and then administer the remaining three or four cycles for a total of six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary end point is progression-free survival, and the secondary end points are time to tumour progression, overall survival, tumour response after NAC, IDS and adjuvant chemotherapy, radiologic investigation after IDS, tumour response by positron emission tomography-computed tomography after NAC, quality of life, adverse events, success rate of optimal cytoreduction, surgical complexity, postoperative complications and safety of IDS. We will assess these factors at screening, at every cycle of chemotherapy, at IDS, after the completion of chemotherapy, every 3 months for the first 2 years after the planned treatment and every 6 months thereafter for 3 years. DISCUSSION: We hypothesize that reducing one cycle of NAC will contribute to more resection of visible tumours despite 10% reduction of optimal cytoreduction, which could improve survival. Moreover, two cycles of NAC may increase postoperative complications by 5% compared with three cycles, which may be acceptable. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study has been prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on Oct. 2nd, 2018 (NCT03693248, URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03693248).

Synthesis of Either C2- or C4'-Alkylated Derivatives of Honokiol and Their Biological Evaluation for Anti-inflammatory Activity.

Honokiol, a biphenolic neolignan isolated from Magnolia officinalis, was reported to have a promising anti-inflammatory activity for the treatment of various diseases. There are many efforts on the synthesis and structure-activity relationship of honokiol derivatives. However, regioselective O-alkylation of honokiol remains a challenge and serves as a tool to provide not only some derivatives but also chemical probes for target identification and mode of action. In this study, we examined the reaction condition for regioselective O-alkylation, in which C2 and C4'-alkylated analogs of honokiol were synthesized and evaluated for inhibitory activity on nitric oxide production and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. Furthermore, we successfully synthesized a potential photoaffinity probe consisting of biotin and benzophenone based on a C4'-alkylated derivative.

A soluble form of the pilus protein FimA targets the VDAC-hexokinase complex at mitochondria to suppress host cell apoptosis.

Inhibition of apoptotic response of host cells during an early phase of infection is a strategy used by many enteroinvasive bacterial pathogens to enhance their survival. Here, we report the identification of a soluble form of the pilus protein FimA from the culture supernatants of E. coli K1, Salmonella, and Shigella that can potently inhibit Bax-mediated release of cytochrome c from isolated mitochondria. Similar to the infected cells, HCT116 cells stably expressing FimA display a delay in the integration of Bax into outer mitochondrial membrane induced by apoptotic stimuli. FimA targets to mitochondria through binding to VDAC1, which is a prerequisite step for E. coli K1 to render the short-term blockade of apoptotic death in the host cells. Interestingly, FimA strengthens the VDAC1-hexokinase interaction and prevents dissociation of hexokinase from VDAC1 triggered by apoptotic stimuli. Together, these data thus reveal a paradigm of antiapoptosis mechanism undertaken by the enteroinvasive bacteria.

Usefulness of hemostatic sealants for minimizing ovarian damage during laparoscopic cystectomy for endometriosis.

AIM: We aimed to evaluate the impact of topical hemostatic sealants and bipolar coagulation during laparoscopic ovarian endometriotic cyst resection on ovarian reserve by comparing the rates of decrease in anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). METHODS: A randomized prospective data collection was made on women aged 19-45 years who planned to have laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy at one of two institutions (n = 80), Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea or National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea, from January 2014 to April 2016. Patients were randomly divided into two groups treated with either a topical hemostatic sealant or bipolar coagulation for hemostasis. The hemostatic group was randomized to the FloSeal or TachoSil subgroups. Preoperative and 3-month postoperative AMH levels were checked and the rates of decrease of AMH were compared. All patients enrolled were treated with dienogest (Visanne) for 6-12 months. None were lost to follow-up at postoperative 3 months, but about one-third of the patients had been lost to follow-up by 6-12 months. RESULTS: AMH was significantly decreased in both groups 3 months postoperatively; however, the rate of decrease in the bipolar coagulation group was greater than that in the hemostatic sealant group, 41.9% (interquartile range [IQR], 22.29-65.24) versus 18.1% (IQR, 10.94-29.90), P = 0.007. Between the two hemostatic subgroups, there was no significant difference in AMH decrease rate, 14.95% (IQR, 11.34-21.21) versus 18.1% (IQR 9.76-40.70), P = 0.204. CONCLUSION: Hemostatic sealants may be an alternative to bipolar coagulation for preservation of ovarian reserve after laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy for endometriosis.

Focal Liver Lesions: Real-time 3-Dimensional Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography Compared With 2-Dimensional Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the application of real-time 3-dimensional (3D) contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (US) to diagnose focal liver lesions and to compare these results with those from 2-dimensional (2D) contrast-enhanced US and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Patients with focal liver lesions were examined by 2D contrast-enhanced US, 3D contrast-enhanced US, and contrast-enhanced MRI for lesion characterization, and biopsies and comprehensive clinical diagnoses served as reference standards. The sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, and intermodality agreement were assessed. The number of contrast agent injections and lesions observed per injection were calculated for 3D and 2D contrast-enhanced US. The number and display quality of the feeding arteries observed with 3D and 2D contrast-enhanced US were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients with 151 focal liver lesions were enrolled, including 67 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 51 cases of liver metastasis, and 33 cases of benign liver lesions. No significant differences were found among the modalities. The sensitivity values for 3D contrast-enhanced US, 2D contrast-enhanced US, and contrast-enhanced MRI were 96%, 95%, and 93%, respectively; the specificity values were 87%, 84%, and 89%; and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values were 0.92, 0.90, and 0.92. The intermodality agreement was excellent (κ > 0.77). Fewer contrast agent injections were needed, and more lesions and feeding arteries were more clearly displayed on 3D than 2D contrast-enhanced US (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Real-time 3D contrast-enhanced US is useful for diagnosing focal liver lesions and for observing feeding arteries with fewer contrast agent injections.

Opportunistic Salpingectomy Does Not Affect Ovarian Reserve or Surgical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Myomectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether opportunistic salpingectomy in patients undergoing laparoscopic myomectomy has any deleterious effects on ovarian reserve and surgical risk. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective review of patients who had no desire for future child bearing and who were undergoing laparoscopic myomectomy for symptomatic myomas at 4 institutions. Among them, 41 patients concurrently underwent opportunistic salpingectomy (the opportunistic salpingectomy group) and 65 patients did not undergo salpingectomy at the time of laparoscopic myomectomy (the no-salpingectomy group). The primary and secondary outcome measures were change of ovarian reserve determined by the rate of decline in the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level from before surgery to 3 months post-surgery, and surgical outcomes. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. There were also no differences in surgical outcomes, such as operative time, operative bleeding, hospital stay, or complications between groups. The decline rate in AMH was 18.6% (interquartile range (IQR) 2.6-46.8%) in the opportunistic salpingectomy group and 10.4% (IQR 2.6-46.8%) in the no-salpingectomy group, with no significant difference between groups (p = 0.593). CONCLUSION: Opportunistic salpingectomy at the time of laparoscopic myomectomy was not associated with negative effects on ovarian reserve or increased surgical risk.

Exploratory phase II trial in a multicenter setting to evaluate the clinical value of a chemosensitivity test in patients with gastric cancer (JACCRO-GC 04, Kubota memorial trial).

BACKGROUND: Although postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine, has become a standard of care for gastric cancer in Japan, nonresponders may suffer from the cost and adverse reactions without clinical benefit. This multicenter exploratory phase II trial was conducted to see whether a chemosensitivity test, the collagen gel droplet embedded culture drug sensitivity test (CD-DST), can adequately select patients for chemotherapy. METHODS: The CD-DST using four different concentrations of 5-fluorouracil was conducted with resected specimens from preregistered patients who underwent gastrectomy with D2 or more extensive lymphadenectomy. Patients who were histopathologically confirmed to have stage II or greater disease without distant metastasis were eligible for final enrollment. All patients underwent protocol-specified adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1. Three-year relapse-free survival was compared between patients determined as sensitive by the CD-DST (responders) and those deemed insensitive (nonresponders). Appropriate cutoff values for in vitro growth inhibition were defined when the hazard ratio for relapse in responders and the log-rank P values were at their minimum. RESULTS: Of the 311 patients enrolled, 14 were ineligible and 27 failed to start the protocol treatment. The CD-DST failed in 64 other patients, and survival analyses were conducted with the remaining 206 patients (39 stage II disease, 155 stage III disease, and 12 stage IV disease). The outcome of patients who were determined to be responders was significantly superior to that of nonresponders regardless of the 5-fluorouracil concentrations, although no differences in clinicopathologic characteristics were observed between the two groups, except for age. CONCLUSIONS: The CD-DST identified those who benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. It deserves further evaluation in the setting of a prospective randomized trial. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00287755.

Additional benefit of hemostatic sealant in preservation of ovarian reserve during laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy: a multi-center, randomized controlled trial.

STUDY QUESTION: Is hemostasis by hemostatic sealant superior to that achieved by bipolar coagulation in preserving ovarian reserve in patients undergoing laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy? SUMMARY ANSWER: Post-operative ovarian reserve, determined by serial serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, was significantly less diminished after ovarian hemostasis when hemostatic sealant was used rather than bipolar coagulation. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Hemostasis achieved with bipolar coagulation at ovarian bleeding site results in damage to the ovarian reserve. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: A prospective, multi-center randomized trial was conducted on 100 participants with benign ovarian cysts, between December 2012 and October 2013. PARTICIPANT/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Participants were randomized to undergo hemostasis by use of either hemostatic sealant (FloSeal™) or bipolar coagulation during laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) ovarian cystectomy. The primary end-point was the rate of decline of ovarian reserve calculated by measuring serum AMH levels preoperatively and 3 months post-operatively. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Age, parity, socio-demographic variables, preoperative AMH levels, procedures performed and histologic findings were similar between the two groups of patients. There were also no differences in operative outcomes, such as conversion to other surgical approaches, operative time, estimated blood loss, or perioperative complications between the two groups. In both study groups, post-operative AMH levels were lower than preoperative AMH levels (all P < 0.001). The rate of decline of AMH levels was significantly greater in the bipolar coagulation group than the hemostatic sealant group (41.2% [IQR, 17.2-54.5%] and 16.1% [IQR, 8.3-44.7%], respectively, P = 0.004). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Some caution is warranted because other ovarian reserve markers such as serum markers (basal FSH and inhibin-B) or sonographic markers were not assessed. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The present study shows that the use of a hemostatic sealant during laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy should be considered, as hemostatic sealant provides the additional benefit of preservation of ovarian reserve. STUDY FUNDING/COMPLETING OF INTERESTS: This study was supported by the Medical Research Funds from Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. No conflict of interest is declared. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: www.clinicaltrials.gov, no. NCT01857466.

Barbed suture vs traditional suture in single-port total laparoscopic hysterectomy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare surgical outcomes between barbed suture and traditional suture used in repair of the vaginal vault during single-port total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH). DESIGN: Case-control study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Two institutions. PATIENTS: One hundred two patients with benign uterine disease. INTERVENTIONS: Single-port TLH using barbed suture (n = 43) or traditional suture (n = 59). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patient characteristics (age, body mass index, demographic data), procedures performed, uterine weight, and uterine disease were similar between the 2 study groups. There were also no differences in operative complications, conversion to other surgical approaches, operative blood loss, postoperative pain, and duration of hospital stay between the 2 groups. Use of barbed suture significantly reduced the time required for vaginal cuff suturing (11.4 vs 22.5 minutes; p < .001), as well as total operative time (92.0 vs 105.2 minutes; p = .002). Use of barbed suture is less technically demanding than traditional suture (p < .001). CONCLUSION: Use of barbed suture in single-port TLH may aid surgeons by reducing operative time, suturing time, and surgical difficulty.

Sex differences of the association between handgrip strength and health-related quality of life among patients with cancer.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between handgrip strength (HGS) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), demonstrating HGS as an effective indicator for evaluating HRQoL of patients with cancer. Analyzing 1657 Korean adult cancer patients (644 males, 1013 females) aged ≥ 20 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2014-2019), HGS was standardized based on body mass index and categorized by sex. HRQoL was assessed using the Euro Quality of Life-5-Dimension 3-Level version (EQ-5D-3L) Index. Lower relative HGS was associated with decreased HRQoL in female patients, while no significant association was found in male patients. The lowest quartile of relative HGS exhibited a 2.5-fold decrease in HRQoL compared to the highest quartile (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.59-3.95, p < 0.001). Both male and female patients with cancer were affected by age, subjective health perception, and stress recognition regarding HRQoL. This study suggests that HGS may be associated with the HRQoL of female patients with cancer, emphasizing that the HGS measurement can be effectively utilized as a pivotal tool for evaluating HRQoL in female patients with cancer.