Significance and clinical impact of routinely tested urinary ethyl glucuronide after liver transplantation – development of a risk score

Alcohol abuse after liver transplantation can seriously impact graft and patient survival. However, to date, there is no defined standard procedure to identify patients consuming alcohol after liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze the diagnostic value and clinical impact of routinely measured urinary ethyl glucuronide (uEtG) – a metabolite of ethanol – in patients after liver transplantation. Data of 362 consecutive patients after liver transplantation who visited the University Hospital of Tuebingen for outpatient follow-up were analyzed. Forty-eight patients (13%) displayed positive uEtG results. The uEtG positive group contained significantly more patients with pretransplant alcoholic liver disease. However, two thirds of the uEtG positive patients had no history of pretransplant alcoholic liver disease. Several clinical parameters were significantly associated with positive uEtG. In order to enable a more cost-effective application of uEtG in the future, a clinical risk score was developed (specificity 0.95). In conclusion, routine testing for uEtG reveals a considerable percentage of patients practicing alcohol intake after liver transplantation. Application of our proposed risk score could help focusing uEtG testing on patients at risk.     

To screen or not to screen? The development of a prediction model for aorto-iliac stenosis in kidney transplant candidates

Screening for aorto-iliac stenosis is important in kidney transplant candidates as its presence affects pre-transplantation decisions regarding side of implantation and the need for an additional vascular procedure. Reliable imaging techniques to identify this condition require contrast fluid, which can be harmful in these patients. To guide patient selection for these imaging techniques, we aimed to develop a prediction model for the presence of aorto-iliac stenosis. Patients with contrast-enhanced imaging available in the pre-transplant screening between January 1st, 2000 and December 31st, 2018 were included. A prediction model was developed using multivariable logistic regression analysis and internally validated using bootstrap resampling. Model performance was assessed with the concordance index and calibration slope. Three hundred and seventy-three patients were included, 90 patients (24.1%) had imaging-proven aorto-iliac stenosis. Our final model included age, smoking, peripheral arterial disease, coronary artery disease, a previous transplant, intermittent claudication and the presence of a femoral artery murmur. The model yielded excellent discrimination (optimism-corrected concordance index: 0.83) and calibration (optimism-corrected calibration slope: 0.91). In conclusion, this prediction model can guide the development of standardized protocols to decide which patients should receive vascular screening to identify aorto-iliac stenosis. External validation is needed before this model can be implemented in patient care.     

Elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is associated with poor long-term survival and graft failure after lung transplantation

PurposeWe aimed to assess the prognostic value of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) on long-term outcomes and graft dysfunction after lung transplantation.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed all patients receiving a lung transplant at our institution from 2011 to 2014. The primary exposure was elevated NLR at the time of transplant, defined by NLR>4. The primary outcomes were graft failure and three-year all-cause mortality. Multivariate logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to analyze outcomes.Results95 patients were included. 40 patients (42%) had an elevated NLR. Elevated NLR was associated with graft failure (OR: 4.7 [1.2–18.8], p = 0.02), and three-year mortality (OR: 5.4 [1.3–23.2], p = 0.03) on multivariate logistic regression. Patients with elevated NLR demonstrated significantly lower survival on Kaplan-Meier analysis (50% versus 74%, p = 0.02). The c-statistic for our multivariate model was 0.91.ConclusionElevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is associated with poor long-term survival and graft failure after lung transplantation.     

Anaesthetic considerations for fertility-sparing surgery and uterine transplantation

A number of benign and malignant gynaecological conditions can cause infertility. Advancements in assisted reproductive technologies have facilitated the rapidly evolving subspecialty of fertility preservation. Regardless of clinical indication, women now have the reproductive autonomy to make fully informed decisions regarding their future fertility. In particular, there has been an increasing interest and demand among patients and healthcare professionals for fertility-sparing surgery. Gynaecologists find themselves continually adapting surgical techniques and introducing novel procedures to facilitate this rapidly emerging field and anaesthetists need to manage the consequent physiological demands intra-operatively. Not only is it important to understand the surgical procedures now undertaken, but also the intra-operative management in an ever evolving field. This article reviews the methods of fertility-sparing surgery and also describes important anaesthetic challenges including peri-operative care for women undergoing complex fertility-sparing surgeries such as uterus transplantation.     

Validation of the factors influencing family consent for organ donation in the UK

Between 2013 and 2019, there was an increase in the consent rate for organ donation in the UK from 61% to 67%, but this remains lower than many European countries. Data on all family approaches (16,896) for donation in UK intensive care units or emergency departments between April 2014 and March 2019 were extracted from the referral records and the national potential donor audit held by NHS Blood and Transplant. Complete data were available for 15,465 approaches. Consent for donation after brain death was significantly higher than for donation after circulatory death, 70% (4260/6060) vs. 60% (5645/9405), (OR 1.58, 95%CI 1.47–1.69). Patient ethnicity, religious beliefs, sex and socio-economic status, and knowledge of a patient's donation decision were strongly associated with consent (p < 0.001). These factors should be addressed by medium- to long-term strategies to increase community interventions, encouraging family discussions regarding donation decisions and increasing registration on the organ donor register. The most readily modifiable factor was the involvement of an organ donation specialist nurse at all stages leading up to the approach and the approach itself. If no organ donation specialist nurse was present, the consent rates were significantly lower for donation after brain death (OR 0.31, 95%CI 0.23–0.42) and donation after cardiac death (OR 0.26, 95%CI 0.22–0.31) compared with if a collaborative approach was employed. Other modifiable factors that significantly improved consent rates included less than six relatives present during the formal approach; the time from intensive care unit admission to the approach (less for donation after brain death, more for donation after cardiac death); family not witnessing neurological death tests; and the relationship of the primary consenter to the patient. These modifiable factors should be taken into consideration when planning the best bespoke approach to an individual family to discuss the option of organ donation as an end-of-life care choice for the patient.     

肝脏耐受性树突状细胞与肝移植免疫研究进展

树突状细胞是调节机体免疫的关键细胞,其中具有免疫抑制功能的耐受性树突状细胞(Tol-DC)在诱导和维持免疫耐受中发挥着重要作用。近年来发现的具有呈递抗原水平低下、抑制T细胞活化与增殖的一类肝脏Tol-DC成为减轻肝移植排斥反应的研究热点。目前已有多种策略用以诱导表型稳定的Tol-DC,为其临床应用奠定了基础。本文总结了肝脏Tol-DC和其调控肝移植免疫机制方面的研究进展。     

清热消炎宁片治疗冠状病毒感染的作用及机制研究

目的 研究清热消炎宁抗冠状病毒的作用,为评价其防治冠状病毒感染提供实验依据。方法 雌雄各半的96只BALB/c小鼠随机分为对照组、模型组、连花清瘟胶囊(0.546 g/kg)组和清热消炎宁片低、中、高剂量(8.72、17.44、34.89g/kg)组,每组16只。采用ip环磷酰胺联合HCoV-229E冠状病毒感染BALB/c小鼠,建立冠状病毒感染模型,通过小鼠体质量、肺指数、病毒载量、血凝滴度、肺组织病理改变来评价清热消炎宁的治疗作用;通过ELISA检测肺泡灌洗液中白细胞介素-1β(interleukin-1β,IL-1β)、IL-4、肿瘤坏死因子-α(tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)、γ干扰素(interferon-γ,IFN-γ)和血管细胞黏附分子-1(vascular cell adhesion molecule-1,VCAM-1)水平;流式细胞术检测肺组织巨噬细胞、淋巴细胞(CD3⁺、CD4⁺)及NK细胞比例;Western blotting检测肺组织Toll样受体4(Toll-like receptor ...     

胰腺炎基础研究进展与展望

近年来,胰腺炎的病理生理机制研究取得了诸多实质性进展。其中,急性胰腺炎领域热点内容众多,如胰蛋白酶原异常激活、病理性钙超载、线粒体功能障碍、自噬、内质网应激、NF-κb激活、细胞程序性死亡等。慢性胰腺炎领域的研究则更多集中于胰腺星状细胞激活对慢性胰腺炎纤维化的影响,以此为主干,又可进一步研究自噬、外泌体等与胰腺星状细胞活化的关系。在胰腺炎的基础研究中,可以进行机制的深入发掘,而机制的发掘又为寻找疾病分子标记物、新药研发、治疗靶点选择等提供了源源不断的新思路。此外,免疫、肠道微生态等作为当前基础研究的热点领域,其在胰腺炎发生、发展中的作用值得进一步探索。     

胆道恶性肿瘤免疫治疗进展

胆道恶性肿瘤发病率逐年升高,其异质性高,早期诊断困难,一经确诊多为晚期。晚期胆道肿瘤病人临床治疗手段有限,预后差。以吉西他滨或氟脲类为基础的药物化疗是该类病人的基础化疗方案,国内外尚无针对胆道肿瘤标准的一、二线治疗方案的结论。近年来精准治疗和免疫治疗在多种恶性实体肿瘤中取得了很大的突破,在晚期胆道肿瘤中也显示了初步的疗效及较好的安全性,为晚期胆道肿瘤的治疗带来了新的希望。     

Raji-MG63细胞共培养体系中心肌营养蛋白样细胞因子1(CLCF1)对RANKL/OPG比值及成骨细胞分化的影响

目的探讨Raji-MG63细胞共培养体系中,心肌营养蛋白样细胞因子1(cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1,CLCF1)基因对骨保护素(osteoprotegerin,OPG)、核因子κB受体活化因子配体(receptor activator of NF-κB ligand,RANKL)和成骨细胞分化的影响。方法通过CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术构建CLCF1基因敲除Raji细胞系,实验分2组:对照组(Control组)和CLCF1敲除组(CLCF1-KO组)。应用Transwell技术建立Raji-MG63细胞共培养体系,通过蛋白质印迹法(western blot,WB)检测CLCF1、OPG、RANKL及JAK2/STAT3蛋白的变化。运用碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性检测和茜素红染色观察成骨细胞分化能力。结果WB结果显示,与对照组比较,CLCF1敲除组OPG(P<0.01)蛋白明显下调,RANKL/OPG比值升高(P<0.001),磷酸化JAK2(P<0.001)和STAT3(P<0.01)蛋白明显下调,差异具有统计学意义;ALP活性检测和茜素红染色结果显示,Raji-MG63细胞共培养体系中,CLCF1敲除组MG63细胞ALP活性和矿化形成能力降低,与对照组比较差异具有统计学意义(P<0.001)。结论CLCF1基因能通过调控RANKL/OPG比值和JAK2/STAT3通路影响成骨细胞分化。