ObjectiveTo compare clinical effects of extended thymectomy for the treatment of thymic abnormalities with myasthenia gravis (MG) between subxiphoid and subcostal arch thoracoscopic resection (SR) and the unilateral thoracoscopic resection (UR) by a propensity-score matching analysis.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 612 patients who presented with MG and were admitted to Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University between December 2011 and December 2018. Of these patients, 520 patients underwent subxiphoid and subcostal arch thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (a SR group) and 92 unilateral thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (a UR group). Ninety-two patients in the SR group were matched with the UR group by propensity-score matching analysis. There were 52 males and 40 females with an average age of 26-70 (50.2±10.3) years in the SR group, and 47 males and 45 females with an average age of 20-73 (51.5±12.1) years in the UR group. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, thoracic drainage time, postoperative hospital stay, thorough adipose tissue removal, postoperative remission of MG, patients’ satisfaction score, pain and complications were compared and analyzed between the two groups.ResultsAll operations were accomplished successfully, without conversion to thoracotomy of the two groups. There were statistical differences between the two groups in operation time (46.2±19.5 min vs. 53.4±23.5 min), chest drainage duration (0 d vs. 3.4±1.2 d), hospital stay (2.9±1.9 d vs. 3.6±1.7 d), patients’ satisfaction score (7.9±2.1 points vs. 6.7±1.2 points) and pain scores (all P<0.05). There were no statistical differences between the two groups in intraoperative blood loss (52.2±12.7 mL vs. 51.2±10.3 mL), peripheral adipose tissue removal (8.1±0.6 vs. 7.9±0.9), remission rate of MG (89.1% vs. 85.9%) and rate of postoperative complications (10.9% vs. 6.5%) (all P>0.05). ConclusionSubxiphoid and subcostal arch thoracoscopic extended thymectomy is a safe and feasible minimally invasive procedure for the management of MG with thymic abnormalities.
Integrins is a family of multi-functional cell-adhesion molecules, heterodimeric receptors that connect extracellular matrix to actin cytoskeleton in the cell cortex, thus regulating various physiological and pathological processes. Risuteganib (Luminate®) is a novel broad-spectrum integrin inhibitor. Based on multiple biological functions of anti-angiogenesis, vitreolysis, and neuroprotection, risuteganib is hopeful in treating several fundus diseases such as diabetic macular edema, vitreomacular traction, and non-exudative age-related macular degeneration. By far, risuteganib has successfully met the endpoints for three phase 2 studies and is preparing to enter the phase 3 of diabetic macular edema clinical trials. Overall the risuteganib is safe with no serious ocular or systemic adverse events. Given the unique mechanism of action and longer duration of efficacy, intravitreal injection of risuteganib has the potential to serve as a primary therapy, or adjunctive therapy to anti-VEGF agents.
Objective To explore the components of passive movement resistance in the wrist flexor in subjects after stroke, and investigate the correlations between these components and clinical scales such as Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). Methods From March to August 2017, a cross-sectional study was performed in 15 stroke survivors in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University. MAS and FMA were assessed by an experienced physical therapist. Components of passive movement resistance in the flexors of wrist and finger were recorded by NeuroFlexor (Aggro MedTech AB, Solna, Sweden), then the average resisting force in one second ensued the passive stretch at 5°/s was took as peak resisting force (PRF). The PRF between paretic side and non-paretic side was compared. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to test the relation between the components and clinical scales. Results The PRF of the paretic side during the slow passive stretch (5°/s) was significantly higher than that of the non-paretic side [(10.49±1.65) vs. (8.98±1.11) N, P<0.05]. Correlations between MAS and the components/PRF were insignificant (P>0.05). FMA had a significant correlation with neural component of the paretic side (rs=–0.645, P=0.009). Conclusions The higher PRF of slow passive stretch in the paretic side may be attributed to the higher muscle stiffness. Neural component of the paretic wrist is correlated with FMA. These findings could be applied in clinical evaluation of functional performance of the wrist muscle of stroke survivors.
Uveitis is the most common extra-articular manifestation of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, typically as chronic anterior uveitis with insidious onset. Delayed and inadequate treatment may result in loss of patients' vision and even blindness. For refractory or severe uveitis related to juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic immunosuppressive agents should be used as early as possible. With the advantage of controlling ocular inflammation, avoiding ocular complications and reducing the use of traditional immunosuppressant drugs and glucocorticoid, tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors have been new therapeutic options for uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, although methotrexate is known as the first-line approach. However, there are no internationally unified guidelines for clinical issues regarding the timing of application, reduction and withdrawal of tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors, and no agreement on the application of tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors in the management of ocular complications either. An in-depth understanding of the application status and progress of tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis has important clinical significance.
ObjectiveTo determine the expressions of Lgr5 protein and Ki-67 protein in gastric cancer tissues, and to analyze the possible function in the carcinogenesis and development of gastric cancer.MethodsThe SABC immunohistochemical method was adopted to examine the expressions of Lgr5 protein and Ki-67 protein in the 69 paraffin slices of gastric cancer from the patients, with the adjacent normal gastric tissue as the control group. The statistical relationship between the expressions of these two kinds of proteins and clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer was examined respectively.ResultsIn the gastric cancer tissue group, the expressions of Lgr5 protein and Ki-67 protein upregulated in comparison to the adjacent normal gastric tissue group [Lgr5 protein: 87.0% (60/69) versus 16.7% (5/30), χ2=45.81, P<0.001; Ki-67 protein: 79.7% (55/69) versus 36.7% (11/30), χ2=17.43, P<0.001]. The expressions of Lgr5 protein and Ki-67 protein all upregulated in the N1–N3 stage groups, lowly differentiated+undifferentiated groups and positive Helicobacter pylori (HP) groups. The expression of Lgr5 protein upregulated in the T3+T4 stage groups in comparison to T1+T2 stage groups, while, no significant relationship was found in the expression of Ki-67 protein and tumor T staging. No significant relationship was found between the gender or metastasis and the expression of these two proteins. There was a positive correlation between the Lgr5 protein expression and the Ki-67 protein expression in the gastric cancer (rs=0.340, P=0.004).ConclusionsIn the development progress of gastric cancer, the Lgr5 protein might get involved in the mechanism of tumor invasion, lymph nodal metastasis, and low differentiation. Ki-67 protein might get involved in the mechanism of lymph nodal metastasis and low differentiation. The two proteins, together with the HP infection, might play a synergistic role in tumorigenesis and development.
ObjectivesThe present network meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the potential efficacy and safety of various surgical approaches in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with enlarged prostate.MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Clinicaltrials.gov and CNKI databases were electronically searched to identify eligible studies. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and evaluated risk of bias and the ADDIS 1.16.8 software was used to conduct meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 23 studies involving 2 849 patients with 5 approaches including open prostatectomy (OP), holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), plasmakinetic/bipolar plasmakinetic enucleation of the prostate (PK/BPEP), transurethral vaporization of the prostate (TUVP), and laparoscopic prostatectomy (LSP) were included. HoLEP, PK/BPEP and OP were superior to the other methods in improving the objective indicators and subjective feelings of patients during both short and medium-term follow-up. However, compared with OP, HoLEP and PK/BPEP were observed to result in a significantly lower hemoglobin level (MD=1.65, 95%CI 0.35 to 4.41; MD=2.62, 95%CI 0.64 to 2.90), longer postoperative irrigation time (MD=4.67, 95%CI 1.29 to 10.66; MD=2.67, 95%CI 1.32 to 6.63), as well as indwelling catheter after operation (MD=1.64, 95%CI 0.48 to 4.15; MD=2.52, 95%CI 0.60 to 3.78). In terms of short-term complications, PK/BPEP (RR=0.45, 95%CI 0.13 to 1.29) was found to be significantly lower than that of OP.ConclusionsHoLEP and PK/BPEP can be probably used as a superior treatment option for large volume benign prostatic hyperplasia because of its better curative effect, higher safety and quick postoperative recovery.
Pachychoroid spectrum diseases includes central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy, pachychoroid neovasculopathy, and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, which share common characteristics, including focal or diffused increased choroidal thickness, choroidal hyper-permeability, and dilated choroidal vessels. These diseases are likely to represent a continuum of the same pathogenic process. Similar features and association among them suggest that they may have similar etiology. It is of great clinical significance to understand the composition and typical morphological changes of pachychoroid-related diseases and to explore its possible pathogenesis.
ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness of dynamic hip screw (DHS) and intralesional curettage via Watson-Jones approach in treatment of benign bone lesions of the proximal femur.MethodsBetween March 2012 and December 2016, 20 patients (21 lesions) with benign bone tumors or tumor like conditions of proximal femurs were treated with DHS and intralesional curettage via Watson-Jones approach. Their average age was 27.8 years (range, 11-51 years), including 13 males and 7 females. The pathological diagnosis were fibrous dysplasia in 11 cases, simple bone cyst in 2 cases, aneurysmal bone cyst in 2 cases, benign fibrous histocytoma in 2 cases, giant cell tumor in 2 cases, and chondroblastoma in 1 case, including 3 pathological fractures. According to the Enneking staging system, 18 patients were in stage S1, 3 patients with pathological fractures in stage S2. There was no varus deformity or valgus deformity. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and time of full weight-bearing were recorded. X-ray film and CT were used to observe the bone graft fusion and location of DHS. Complications were recorded. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring were used to evaluate function of lower limbs.ResultsThe average operation time was 177.1 minutes (range, 110-265 minutes). The average intraoperative blood loss was 828.6 mL (range, 200-2 300 mL). There was superficial incision infection in 1 case, deep incision infection in 1 case, and hip discomfort in 1 case, respectively. All patients were followed up 6-63 months (mean, 27.4 months). The time of full weight-bearing was 2 days in 2 patients with giant cell tumor and 2 to 13 weeks with an average of 7.2 weeks in the other patients. At last follow-up, VAS and MSTS were 0.19±0.51 and 29.62±0.97 respectively, showing significant differences when compared with the values before operation (3.52±2.62 and 23.71±8.77) (t=5.565, P=0.000; t=–3.020, P=0.007 ). X-ray film showed the all bone grafts fusion with mean time of 8.2 months (range, 5-12 months). There was no pathological fracture of the femur, local tumor recurrence, chronic hip pain, dislocation, or femoral head necrosis during follow-up.ConclusionThe treatment of benign bone lesion of the proximal femur using DHS and intralesional curettage via Watson-Jones approach is a safe and effective method.
The cardiovascular surgery in China has reached a stable platform, with notable progress been achieved in the past several decades. However, significant divergency regarding the healthcare quality was also observed, which requiring effective intervention to start the transition from the focus on "quantity" to the pursuit of "quality". Quality improvement program, including the establishment of a national cardiovascular surgery database, the conformation of a standard key quality evaluation indicator system, and the conduction of quality intervention and improvement initiatives, are promising to consolidate and expand the advantages of cardiac surgery and lead to better patient outcomes.
ObjectiveTo explore the status of common comorbidities in adult epilepsy patients in western China, and to explore the related risk factors.MethodsThe Chinese version of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7, neurological disorders depression inventory for epilepsy (NDDI-E) scales, pittsburgh sleep quality index scale (PSQI) and epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) were used to evaluate the 199 epilepsy patients between April 2017 and March 2018 in the Epilepsy Center of Neurology Department of Sichuan People's Hospital. Logistic regression analysis was performed on the risk factors of epilepsy comorbidity.ResultsIn the 199 adult epilepsy patients, 28.1% had anxiety, 17.1% had depression, 33.2% had sleep disorder, and 2.5% had migraine. 140 patients received monotherapy, including 15 patients with carbamazepine (CBZ), 20 patients with lamotrigine (LTG), 26 patients with levetiracetam (LEV), 31 patients with topiramate (TPM), 25 patients with oxcarbazepine (OXC), and 23 patients with Valproate (VPA).Multivariate logistic regression analysis of epilepsy patients treated with monotherapy showed that seizure occurring more than once a month, LEV, TPM, sleep disorders were independent risk factors for anxiety in patients with epilepsy (P<0.05). Unemployment, seizure occurrence in the last three months, sleep disorders were independent risk factors for comorbid depression (P<0.05). Anxiety, depression, daytime sleepiness, CBZ, LTG were independent risk factors for comorbid sleep disorders (P<0.05).ConclusionsAnxiety, depression and sleep disorder are common comorbidities in adults with epilepsy in westChina. For patients with affective disorder and sleep disorder, early identification and intervention may be important to improve the quality of life and prognosis of patients. In addition, patients treated with LEV or TPM monotherapy had a higher risk of anxiety than other drugs. Patients with LTG and CBZ monotherapy are more likely to comorbid sleep disorders.