Hyperamylasemia grade versus drain fluid amylase: which better predicts pancreatectomy outcomes?

BackgroundThe clinical importance of postoperative hyperamylasemia (POHA) grade is unknown. Our objectives were to evaluate the association of POHA grade with clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) and compare its prognostic utility against postoperative day 1 drain fluid amylase (DFA-1).MethodsPatients who underwent pancreatectomy from January 2019 through March 2020 were identified in the ACS NSQIP pancreatectomy-targeted dataset. POHA grade was assigned using post-operative serum amylase and clinical sequelae. The primary outcome was CR-POPF within 30 days. The association of POHA grade with CR-POPF was assessed using multivariable logistic regression, and c-statistics were used to compare POHA grade versus DFA-1.ResultsPOHA occurred in 520 patients at 98 hospitals, including 261 (50.2%) with grade A, 234 (45.0%) with grade B, and 25 (4.8%) with grade C POHA. CR-POPFs were increased among patients with grade B (66.2%, OR 9.28 [5.84–14.73]) and C (68.0%, OR 10.50 [3.77–29.26]) versus grade A POHA (19.2%). POHA-inclusive models better predicted CR-POPF than those with DFA-1 alone (p < 0.002) and models with both predictors outperformed POHA alone (p = 0.039).ConclusionPOHA grade represents a measure of post-pancreatectomy outcomes that predicts CR-POPF and outperforms DFA-1 but must be aligned with new international definitions.     

The largest western experience on salvage hepatectomy for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: propensity score-matched analysis on behalf of He.RC.O.Le.Study Group

BackgroundWe aimed to evaluate, in a large Western cohort, perioperative and long-term oncological outcomes of salvage hepatectomy (SH) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC) after primary hepatectomy (PH) or locoregional treatments.MethodsData were collected from the Hepatocarcinoma Recurrence on the Liver Study Group (He.RC.O.Le.S.) Italian Registry. After 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis (PSM), two groups were compared: the PH group (patients submitted to resection for a first HCC) and the SH group (patients resected for intrahepatic rHCC after previous HCC-related treatments).Results2689 patients were enrolled. PH included 2339 patients, SH 350. After PSM, 263 patients were selected in each group with major resected nodule median size, intraoperative blood loss and minimally invasive approach significantly lower in the SH group. Long-term outcomes were compared, with no difference in OS and DFS. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed only microvascular invasion as an independent prognostic factor for OS.ConclusionSH proved to be equivalent to PH in terms of safety, feasibility and long-term outcomes, consistent with data gathered from East Asia. In the awaiting of reliable treatment-allocating algorithms for rHCC, SH appears to be a suitable alternative in patients fit for surgery, regardless of the previous therapeutic modality implemented.     

Effets d'une prise chronique de salbutamol au cours d'un exercice maximal

IntroductionThe aim of the study is to assess the effects of chronic therapeutical β₂-agonist intake on performance during maximal dynamic exercise.SynthesisWe studied, according to a double blind, randomized cross-over protocol, the effects of chronic salbutamol intake during a classic maximal VO_2max test in 14 healthy female volunteers. Performance, metabolic and hormonal parameters were monitored in this study. Sal did not modify significantly maximal aerobic power or VO_2max. In parallel, no change was found in the metabolic and hormonal parameters investigated.ConclusionOn the contrary to sub- and supramaximal exercise, short-term salbutamol intake did not induce any ergogenic or metabolic effects during a classic maximal exercise.     

成都379例新型冠状病毒肺炎的临床分析

目的分析新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)患者的临床特征及预后。方法纳入成都市公共卫生临床医疗中心2020年1月16日至11月30日收治的379例COVID-19确诊病例,按照年龄分为老年组(42例,年龄≥60岁)和非老年组(337例,年龄<60岁),比较两组患者的流行病学、临床特征、实验室检查、治疗及预后。结果379例患者年龄2个月至87岁,平均41.2岁,其中男286例(75.5%),女93例。老年组平均年龄为69.5岁,女性更多见(占61.9%),大多为武汉输入和本土续发(占73.8%),以普通型和危重型为主(88.1%)。非老年组的平均年龄为37.8岁,男性更多见(80.1%),主要来自境外输入(75.7%),以轻型和普通型为主(95.0%)。179例患者(47.2%)合并一种或多种基础疾病,老年组以高血压病(15例,35.7%)及糖尿病(11例,26.2%)多见,而非老年组则以非酒精性脂肪性肝炎(132例,39.2%)多见。最常见的临床表现是发热(138例,36.4%)和咳嗽(129例,34.0%),但老年组的发热、咳嗽、呼吸困难及乏力等症状较非老年组更多见(P<0.05)。与非老年组相比,老年组的总淋巴细胞计数、CD4⁺及CD8⁺T淋巴细胞计数更低,而心肌损伤标志物及炎症指标更高(P<0.05)。139例患者(36.7%)的心脏彩色超声心动图异常,主要为左室舒张功能降低(22.7%)及心脏瓣膜反流(14.0%),且老年组患者的心脏彩色超声心动图异常率明显高于非老年组(85.7%vs.30.6%,P<0.05)。经治疗后,除老年组死亡3例外,其余均已治愈出院;但老年组的住院时间较非老年组更长(22.1 d vs.18.8 d,P=0.033)。结论成都老年COVID19患者主要来自武汉输入和本地续发,以普通型和危重型为主,常合并高血压或糖尿病等基础疾病;成都非老年COVID-19患者主要来自境外输入,以轻型和普通型为主,常合并非酒精性脂肪性肝炎;经治疗后,患者大多预后良好。     

Clinical application of18F-FUdR in glioma patients — PET study of nucleic acid metabolism

Summary Positron emission tomography was used to investigate the metabolism of nucleic acids by¹⁸F-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine (¹⁸F-FUdR) in 22 patients with gliomas. Sixteen cases of high grade glioma clearly demonstrated a region of high activity with a differential absorption rate (DAR) of 0.64 ± 0.34. Six cases of low grade glioma failed to reveal a positive image of the tumor and the DAR in tumor was 0.21 ± 0.042 (p < 0.01). This PET-¹⁸F-FUdR study succeeded in differentiating high and low grade gliomas from the view point of nucleic acid metabolism.