Diagnostic efficacy of three suction techniques for endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy of solid pancreatic lesions: protocol for a multicenter randomized cross-over clinical trial

BackgroundHow suction technique affects endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition (EUS-TA) remains unclear. A standardized protocol is currently lacking, with most previous studies being restricted to EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). The research related to EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) is sparse.AimsThe aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy, cellularity, tissue acquisition, blood contamination and adverse event rate of three common suction techniques (standard suction, slow-pull, and wet suction) used for EUS-FNB of solid pancreatic masses.MethodsThis is a multicenter single-blind randomized cross-over superiority trial. A total of 300 patients with suspected pancreatic malignancy will be enrolled from digestive endoscopic centers at five large tertiary hospitals in China. All three suction techniques will be performed on each patient using a 25G ProCore needle, with the sequence of suction techniques determined by randomization. Cytological and histological specimens obtained with each of the three techniques will be assessed independently. Outcomes among the three suction techniques will be compared.DiscussionTo the best of our knowledge, this is the largest multicenter randomized cross-over trial designed to determine the optimal suction technique for the diagnosis of solid pancreatic masses. This study may contribute to standardizing the suction technique for EUS-FNB.     

Clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients with gastrointestinal symptoms: A report of 164 cases

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical characteristics of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.MethodsThe clinical data of 164 COVID-19 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were extracted and analysed retrospectively.ResultsIn total, 505 COVID-19 patients were divided into two groups: those with gastrointestinal symptoms (G group) and those without gastrointestinal symptoms (NG group). Common gastrointestinal symptoms included inappetence, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Significantly higher proportions of patients with fever, dizziness, myalgia, and fatigue were noted in group G than in group NG. Compared with patients without fever, there was a significant difference between G group and NG group in moderate fever or above, while there was no significant difference between the two groups in low fever. The laboratory results showed that patients in the G group had significantly higher C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase levels than those in the NG group. Moreover, the proportion of patients with severe pneumonia was significantly higher in the G group than in the NG group.ConclusionIn Wuhan, the proportion of COVID-19 patients who experience gastrointestinal symptoms is relatively high. Patients who experience gastrointestinal symptoms are more likely to suffer from severe pneumonia, which may help clinicians identify patients at high risk of COVID-19 and thus reduce the incidence of this condition.     

肝细胞型胆汁淤积诊治进展

胆汁淤积是由于肝内外胆管阻塞或肝细胞功能障碍所致的胆汁不能到达十二指肠而在肝细胞和血液积聚的一种病理学状态。肝细胞是胆汁合成和分泌的主要场所。当肝细胞上的胆盐输出泵(bile salt export,BSEP)、ATP结合盒(ATP-binding cassette,ABC)转运蛋白、多耐药相关蛋白2(multidrug resistance-associated protein,MRP2)功能障碍或受抑制,则可导致胆汁酸或其结合胆盐在肝细胞和血清中聚积引起肝细胞型胆汁淤积[1]。引起肝细胞型胆汁淤积的常见病因包括细菌、病毒、真菌和寄生虫等感染、酒精或非酒精性脂肪性肝炎、自身免疫性或药物相关性肝损伤、全胃肠外营养、重症相关(缺血性)肝内胆汁淤积、良性复发性肝内胆汁淤积(benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis,BRIC)、进展性家族性肝内胆汁淤积(progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis,PFIC)、ABCB4基因缺乏、妊娠期肝内胆汁淤积(intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy,ICP)、霍奇金病、转移性肿瘤、肉芽肿性肝炎和肉芽肿病、血管性疾病(如布加综合征和肝窦阻塞综合征)和各种原因的肝硬化等[2]。     

褪黑素对血管内皮细胞损伤的保护作用及机制

目的研究褪黑素对脂多糖引起的人脐静脉内皮细胞损伤的保护作用,以及对其机制探讨。方法在体外建立脂多糖血管内皮细胞损伤模型,添加不同浓度的褪黑素（低剂量组100μmol／L,高剂量组500μmol／L）,采用MTT法观察褪黑素对血管内皮细胞存活率的影响;用流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡率,细胞免疫荧光技术检测细胞色素C的释放;用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）法测定细胞裂解液中超氧化物歧化酶的浓度;用划痕修复实验检测血管内皮细胞的迁移功能。结果脂多糖损伤后,血管内皮细胞存活率减少约50％,凋亡细胞百分比增加35．7％,细胞色素c大量释放到细胞质中,细胞裂解液中超氧化物歧化酶浓度下降约50％,且血管内皮细胞的迁移能力受损。加入褪黑素后,可明显减轻脂多糖对细胞的损伤作用,恢复细胞存活率至70％-80％,减少细胞凋亡率至15．1％-20．6％,保护细胞的迁移能力,且呈剂量依赖性,高剂量组的效果明显好于低剂量组,各指标差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论褪黑素可保护和修复脂多糖引起的血管内皮细胞损伤,其作用途径可能与抑制细胞凋亡．减轻氧化损伤以及保护迁移功能有关。     

Resting Oxygen Consumption and Heart Failure: Importance of Measurement for Determination of Cardiac Output With the Use of the Fick Principle

BackgroundResting oxygen consumption (VO₂) is often estimated and frequently used to guide therapeutic decisions in symptomatic heart failure (HF) patients. The relationship between resting VO₂ and symptomatic HF and the accuracy of estimations of VO₂ in this population are unknown.Methods and ResultsWe performed a cross-sectional study of HF patients (n = 691) and healthy control subjects (n = 77). VO₂ was measured with the use of a metabolic cart, and estimated VO₂ was calculated with the use of the Dehmer, LaFarge, and Bergstra formulas and the thermodilution method. The measured and estimated VO₂ were compared and the potential impact of estimations determined. In the multivariable model, resting VO₂ decreased with increasing New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class in a stepwise fashion (β NYHA functional class IV vs control = −36 mL O₂/min; P < .001). Estimations of VO₂ with the use of derived equations diverged from measured values, particularly for patients with NYHA functional class IV limitations. The percentage difference of measured VO₂ versus estimated VO₂ was >25% in 39% (n = 271), 25% (n = 170), 82% (n = 566), and 39% (n = 271) of HF patients when using the Dehmer, LaFarge, Bergstra, and thermodilution-derived estimations of VO₂ respectively.ConclusionsResting VO₂ decreases with increasing NYHA functional class and is lower than in control subjects. Using estimations of VO₂ to calculate CO may introduce clinically important error.     

In-Hospital Management of Sleep Apnea During Heart Failure Hospitalization: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased mortality and readmissions in patients with heart failure (HF). The effect of in-hospital diagnosis and treatment of OSA during decompensated HF episodes remains unknown.Methods and ResultsA single-site, randomized, controlled trial of hospitalized patients with decompensated HF (n = 150) who were diagnosed with OSA during the hospitalization was undertaken. All participants received guideline-directed therapy for HF decompensation. Participants were randomized to an intervention arm which received positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy during the hospitalization (n = 75) and a control arm (n = 75). The primary outcome was discharge left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The LVEF changed in the PAP arm from 25.5 ± 10.4 at baseline to 27.3 ± 11.9 at discharge. In the control group, LVEF was 27.3 ± 11.7 at baseline and 28.8 ± 10.5 at conclusion. There was no significant effect on LVEF of in-hospital PAP compared with controls (P = .84) in the intention-to-treat analysis. The on-treatment analysis in the intervention arm showed a significant increase in LVEF in participants who used PAP for ≥3 hours per night (n = 36, 48%) compared with those who used it less (P = .01). There was a dose effect with higher hours of use associated with more improvement in LVEF. Follow-up of readmissions at 6 months after discharge revealed a >60% decrease in readmissions for patients who used PAP ≥3 h/night compared with those who used it <3 h/night (P < .02) and compared with controls (P < .04).ConclusionsIn-hospital treatment with PAP was safe but did not significantly improve discharge LVEF in patients with decompensated HF and newly diagnosed OSA. An exploratory analysis showed that adequate use of PAP was associated with higher discharge LVEF and decreased 6 months readmissions.     

High-Choline Diet Exacerbates Cardiac Dysfunction,Fibrosis, and Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

BackgroundTrimethylamine N-oxide, a gut microbe-dependent metabolite of dietary choline and other trimethylamine-containing nutrients, has been associated with a poor prognosis for patients with cardiovascular disease. However, the role and underlying mechanisms of trimethylamine N-oxide in the cardiac function of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have not been elucidated.Methods and ResultsC57BL/6 mice were fed a normal diet, high-choline (1.2%) diet, and/or 3-dimethyl-1-butanol diet 3 weeks before the operation (uninephrectomy followed by a continuous saline or aldosterone infusion). Mice were assessed for 4 weeks after the operation. Echocardiographic and hemodynamic measurements were performed. Blood samples were evaluated for choline, trimethylamine N-oxide, and inflammatory factor levels. Left ventricular tissues were collected to assess myocardial fibrosis and inflammation. Left ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary congestion, and diastolic dysfunction were markedly exacerbated in HFpEF mice fed high-choline diets compared with mice fed the control diet. Myocardial fibrosis and inflammation were markedly increased in HFpEF mice fed high-choline diets compared with animals fed the control diet. Additionally, 3,3-dimethyl-1-butanol DMB markedly ameliorated cardiac diastolic dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis and inflammation in the choline-fed HFpEF mice.ConclusionsA high-choline diet exacerbates cardiac dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, and inflammation in HFpEF mice, and 3,3-dimethyl-1-butanol ameliorates the high-choline diet-induced cardiac remodeling.