Development and multicenter validation of a nomogram for preoperative prediction of lymph node positivity in pancreatic cancer(NeoPangram)

Background: Neoadjuvant therapy is associated with nodal downstaging and improved oncological outcomes in patients with lymph node(LN)-positive pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to preoperatively predict LN-positive disease. Methods: A total of 558 patients with resected pancreatic cancer were randomly and equally divided into development and internal validation cohorts. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to construct the nomogram. Model performance was evaluated by discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness. An independent multicenter cohort consisting of 250 patients was used for external validation. Results: A four-marker signature was built consisting of carbohydrate antigen 19–9(CA19–9), CA125, CA50, and CA242. A nomogram was constructed to predict LN metastasis using three predictors identified by multivariate analysis: risk score of the four-marker signature, computed tomography-reported LN status, and clinical tumor stage. The prediction model exhibited good discrimination ability, with C-indexes of 0.806, 0.742 and 0.763 for the development, internal validation, and external validation cohorts, respectively. The model also showed good calibration and clinical usefulness. A cut-off value(0.72) for the probability of LN metastasis was determined to separate low-risk and high-risk patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a good agreement of the survival curves between the nomogram-predicted status and the true LN status. Conclusions: This nomogram enables the identification of pancreatic cancer patients at high risk for LN positivity who may have more advanced disease and thus could potentially benefit from neoadjuvant therapy.     

Clinical characteristics and serum inflammatory markers of community-acquired mycoplasma pneumonia in children

Background

To compare the demographic and clinical features, laboratory and imaging findings in mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) children with non-MPP (NMPP) children and general MPP (GMPP) children with refractory MPP (RMPP) children and analysis the relationship with the severity of disease.

Methods

The study included 265 children with MPP and 230 children with NMPP in the Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2020 to 2021. The children with MPP included RMPP (n = 85) and GMPP (n = 180). Demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory and imaging findings of all children were measured as baseline data within 24 h after admission and the differences between MPP and NMPP, RMPP and GMPP patients were compared. ROC curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic and predictive value of different indicators for RMPP.

Results

Fever duration and hospital stay in children with MPP were longer than those with NMPP. The number of patients with imaging features of pleural effusion, lung consolidation and bronchopneumonia in MPP group was significantly higher than that in NMPP group. Compared with NMPP group, the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), serum amyloid A (SAA), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen (FIB) and D-dimer and inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-1β) in MPP group were significantly higher (P < 0.05). The clinical symptoms and pulmonary imaging findings were more severe in RMPP group. The levels of white blood cell (WBC), CRP, PCT, SAA, ESR, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), LDH, ferritin, PT, FIB, D-dimer and inflammatory cytokines in RMPP group were higher than those in GMPP group. There was no significant difference in the level of lymphocyte subsets between the RMPP and GMPP group. IL-6, IL-10, LDH, PT, D-dimer and lung consolidation were independent risk factors for RMPP. IL-6 levels and LDH activity were good predictors of RMPP.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there were differences in clinical characteristics and serum inflammatory markers between MPP group and NMPP group, RMPP group and GMPP group. IL-6, IL-10, LDH, PT and D-dimer can be used as predictive indicators for RMPP.     

剪切波弹性成像技术评估子痫前期胎盘弹性的临床价值

目的评价剪切波弹性成像技术对子痫前期的诊断价值。 方法前瞻性纳入2019年10月至2020年12月在常州第二人民医院超声科检查的晚孕期孕妇177名。根据临床诊断将孕妇分为健康组152名和子痫前期组25例。采用单因素分析比较2组间一般临床资料、二维超声、彩色多普勒超声参数及胎盘（母体面和胎儿面）杨氏模量值（Emean、Emax、Emin）间的差异。采用Spearman相关分析胎盘杨氏模量值与胎儿脐血流参数间的相关性,并建立受试者工作特征曲线,评价胎盘杨氏模量值诊断子痫前期的诊断效能。 结果健康组与子痫前期组孕妇的羊水指数、胎盘厚度以及脐动脉血流收缩/舒张期速度比（S/D）、阻力指数（RI）、搏动指数（PI）比较,差异均无统计学意义（P均＞0.05）。除胎盘母体面Emin以外,子痫前期组孕妇胎盘母体面Emean、Emax及胎儿面Emean、Emax、Emin均高于健康组［（5.87±0.41）kPa vs（5.30±0.53）kPa;8.67（8.30,9.66）kPa vs 8.01（7.56,8.50）kPa;（5.15±0.34）kPa vs（4.65±0.52）kPa;（8.07±0.70）kPa vs（7.11±0.85）kPa;（3.28±0.44）kPa vs（3.01±0.54）kPa］,差异具有统计学意义（t=-6.215、Z=-4.566、t=-6.298、t=-5.376、t=-2.430,P＜0.001、＜0.001、＜0.001、＜0.001、=0.016）。健康组和子痫前期组孕妇胎盘自身的母体面Emean、Emax、Emin均高于胎儿面,差异具有统计学意义（t=11.319、Z=-8.461、t=12.118、t=6.266、Z=-3.807、t=5.416,P均＜0.001）。相关性分析显示2组中各杨氏模量值与脐动脉血流的S/D、RI、PI值均无显著相关性（P均＞0.05）。当截断值为5.85 kPa时,胎盘母体面的Emean值诊断子痫前期的效能最佳,其敏感度、特异度、准确性分别为68.0%、85.5%、83.1%。 结论子痫前期孕妇胎盘的杨氏模量值高于健康孕妇。剪切波弹性成像技术可通过评价胎盘硬度辅助子痫前期的诊断。     

The relationship between functional capacity (FC) and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in senile patients after noncardiac surgery

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the number of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and functional capacity (FC) in the senile patients undergone noncardiac surgery. One hundred and eighty-two senile patients scheduled for elective noncardiac surgery were selected. According to the Duke activity status index (DASI), the FC of each patient was evaluated, and also their CVRFs were recorded. According to the number of CVRFs, the patients were ranked into different groups. The significant differences in FC between the groups^’ were identified using the analysis of variance. The examination showed that FC decreased with the increasing number of CVRFs. As a conclusion, we emphasize that with the increasing number of CVRFs, the FC of senile patients, i.e., their metabolic equivalents (METs) decrease. The occurrence of low FC and higher CVRFs is a common phenomenon in senile patients.     

冠心病患者血浆periostin蛋白与血管内皮生长因子的相关性

目的测定冠心病患者血浆periostin蛋白和血管内皮生长因子水平,分析periostin蛋白与血管内皮生长因子之间的关系并探讨其临床意义。方法采用酶联免疫吸附法测定180例冠心病患者(其中急性心肌梗死患者58例,陈旧性心肌梗死患者30例,不稳定型心绞痛患者40例,稳定型心绞痛患者52例)和52例健康体检者血浆periostin和血管内皮生长因子水平,比较各组间的差异有无统计学意义。结果急性心肌梗死组、陈旧性心肌梗死组、不稳定型心绞痛组和稳定型心绞痛组血浆periostin蛋白及血管内皮生长因子水平显著高于对照组。在不同类型冠心病患者中,血浆periostin蛋白水平除在陈旧性心肌梗死组与稳定型心绞痛组之间以及不稳定型心绞痛组与陈旧性心肌梗死组之间比较差异无无显著性外,其余各组之间两两比较均有统计学差异(P<0.05或P<0.01),且在急性心肌梗死组>不稳定型心绞痛组>陈旧性心肌梗死组>稳定型心绞痛组;在不同类型冠心病患者中,血浆血管内皮生长因子水平在各组之间两两比较均具有统计学差异(P<0.05或P<0.01),且在急性心肌梗死组>不稳定型心绞痛组>陈旧性心肌梗死组>稳定型心绞痛组。冠心病患者血浆peri...     

重症中暑患者合并弥散性血管内凝血的临床分析

目的探讨重症中暑患者弥散性血管内凝血(DIC)的发生率、影响因素、合并症及治疗。方法回顾性分析我院收治的57例重症中暑患者的临床资料与救治经验。结果单因素分析显示重症中暑患者并发DIC与高温暴露时间、体温、休克关系密切,与性别、年龄无关,且发生DIC的重症中暑患者合并肝功能异常、横纹肌溶解发生率明显升高。经降温、抗休克、脏器支持等综合治疗,有5例患者死亡,治疗有效率为91.2%,其中合并DIC的患者病死率为18.2%。结论重症中暑患者合并DIC病死率高,采取集束化救治技术,控制性降温、积极抗休克和脏器保护,可有效提高抢救重症中暑患者的成功率,在DIC抗凝治疗同时需注意保护肝肾功能。