Ferritin as a key risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children with obesity

BackgroundThe association between serum ferritin and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children with obesity is not clear. This study was designed to investigate whether serum ferritin can be an independent predictor for NAFLD.MethodsAccording to the hepatic ultrasound results, a total of 347 children with obesity were enrolled in this study. Among them, 95 patients with NAFLD and 95 without NAFLD were matched for gender, age, blood pressure and body mass index, the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of ferritin and the risk of NAFLD were analyzed.ResultsAfter propensity score matching, ferritin values of the patients with NAFLD were significantly higher than those without NAFLD group. Alanine aminotransferase and ferritin were strongly associated with NAFLD in multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis. The medium and high levels of ferritin increased risk of NAFLD, and the adjusted ORs were 3.298 (95% CI:1.326‐8.204), 7.322 (95% CI:2.725‐19.574) across the ferritin concentration tertiles after adjustment for confounders. Ferritin was shown to be the best predictor for NAFLD with sensitivity and specificity of 60.0% and 77.9%, respectively, area under the curve was 0.733.ConclusionThe results show that serum ferritin can usefully be considered as a predictor of NAFLD in children with obesity.     

Fibrinogen to albumin ratio reflects the activity of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody‐associated vasculitis

BackgroundWe investigated whether fibrinogen to albumin ratio (FAR) at diagnosis could reflect the cross‐sectional activity and predict poor outcomes in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)‐associated vasculitis (AAV).MethodsThis cross‐sectional study included 54 immunosuppressant drug‐naïve patients with AAV who had the results of plasma fibrinogen and serum albumin at diagnosis. Clinical and laboratory data at diagnosis were collected, and all‐cause mortality, cerebrovascular accident, cardiovascular disease, end‐stage renal disease occurrences were assessed as poor outcomes. FAR was calculated by the following equation: FAR = plasma fibrinogen (g/dl)/serum albumin (g/dl).ResultsThe median age was 65.5 years, and 59.3% of patients were men (33 MPA, 13 GPA and 8 EGPA). FAR was significantly correlated with Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS; r = 0.271), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; r = 0.668) and C‐reactive protein (CRP; r = 0.638). High BVAS was defined as BVAS ≥16, and the cut‐off of FAR at diagnosis was set as 0.118. AAV patients with FAR at diagnosis ≥0.118 had a significantly higher risk for the cross‐sectional high BVAS than those without (RR 3.361). In the univariable linear regression analysis, CRP (β = 0.383) and FAR (β = 0.297) were significantly correlated with BVAS at diagnosis. However, in the multivariable analysis, none of them was correlated with the cross‐sectional BVAS. FAR at diagnosis could not predict poor outcomes during follow‐up in AAV patients.ConclusionsFibrinogen to albumin ratio at diagnosis could reflect the cross‐sectional BVAS but could not predict poor outcomes in patients with AAV.     

Inflammatory markers in acute myocardial infarction and the correlation with the severity of coronary heart disease

IntroductionThe inflammatory hypothesis of atherosclerosis is appealing in acute coronary syndromes, but the dynamics and precise role are not established.ObjectivesThe study investigates the levels of C reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and stromal-derived factor 1α (SDF-1α) at the time of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and at 1 and 6 months afterwards, compared with a control group.ResultsIn the acute phase of AMI, CRP and SDF-1α were significantly higher, while IL-1β showed lower levels compared with controls. CRP positively correlated with coronary stenosis severity (rho = 0.3, p=.05) and negatively related with left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) at 1 month (rho= −0.43, p=.05). IL-1β weakly correlated with the severity of coronary lesions (rho =0.29, p=.02) and strongly with LVEF (rho= −0.8, p=.05). SDF-1α, slightly correlated with LVEF at 1 month (rho = 0.22, p=.01) and with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis (rho= −0.41, p=.003).ConclusionsCRP, IL-1β and SDF-1α have important dynamic in the first 6 months after AMI and CRP and SDF-1α levels correlated with the severity of coronary lesions and LVEF at 1 month after the acute ischaemic event.     

乳腺结节超声BI-RADS分类3~5类的量化评分研究

目的探讨基于超声BI-RADS分类的量化评分方法在乳腺结节良恶性风险评估中的应用价值。方法回顾性分析486个最大直径>1 cm的乳腺结节,将其超声征象与患者年龄作为评分指标并进行赋值,计算每个结节的总分并根据设定的BI-RADS 3~5类的分值界限进行BI-RADS分类。绘制ROC曲线,寻找最佳诊断分值界限。结果 486个乳腺结节中良性结节368个,恶性结节118个。ROC曲线下面积为0.952,以总分9分作为诊断界值,其灵敏度、特异度、准确度分别为91.52%、83.69%、85.60%。BI-RADS 3、4a、4b、4c、5类的恶性构成比分别为0%、8.06%、29.09%、65.22%、92.54%。结论基于乳腺结节超声BI-RADS分类的量化评分方法可行性大,对常规超声下乳腺结节的良恶性风险评估有较高的准确度,有助于BI-RADS分类的推广应用。     

改良加速康复外科方案在二级医院腹部微创手术患者围术期的实施与效果评价

目的 探讨个性化的改良加速康复外科（ERAS）方案在二级医院腹部微创手术患者围术期的实施方法与效果。方法 选择在二级医院行腹部微创手术的102例患者,分为观察组51例和对照组49例,对照组患者围术期采用传统的ERAS处理方案,观察组患者围术期采用个性化的改良ERAS处理方案,比较2组患者临床指标及术后并发症发生情况。结果 与对照组相比,观察组术后排气时间较早、术后24 h 疼痛视觉模拟评分较低、住院时间较短（P均< 0.05）。观察组恶心、呕吐、腹胀、肠梗阻及术后低体温等并发症的发生率均低于对照组（P均< 0.05）。结论 在二级医院运用个性化的改良ERAS方案,可减少腹部微创手术患者术后并发症的发生,促进患者早期康复,缩短住院时间。     

Perioperative safety and short-term efficacy of functional minimally invasive esophagectomy

BackgroundStandard minimally invasive McKeown three-field esophagectomy (SMIE) results in high perioperative risk and poor postoperative quality of life owing to considerable surgical damage and numerous postoperative complications. We created a modified procedure, functional minimally invasive esophagectomy (FMIE), which preserves the azygos arch, bronchial artery, pulmonary branch of the vagus nerve, and the mediastinal pleura. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FMIE and to determine whether it has limited invasiveness.MethodsBetween 2018 and 2020, FMIE was performed for 48 patients who were compared with 76 SMIE cases; 44 paired cases were matched using propensity score matching.ResultsOperation time, extubation time, and postoperative hospital stay were significantly lower in the FMIE group. FMIE was also associated with fewer pulmonary infections. Postoperative drainage volume on postoperative day (POD) 1 and POD 2, and white blood cell counts on POD 2 and POD 4 were also significantly lower in the FMIE group. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of dissected lymph nodes, short-term recurrence, metastasis rates, or survival rate between the two groups.ConclusionsFMIE is a less invasive procedure and may be a suitable alternative for lower and early middle esophageal carcinoma.     

Risk factors for 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis-related myocardial injury in intensive care units

ObjectiveThis study aimed to identify the risk factors for death in patients with sepsis-related myocardial injury.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted in 158 patients with sepsis-related myocardial injury in a mixed medical intensive care unit from January 2009 to March 2020. The patients were divided into those who survived and those who died on the basis of whether they survived after 28 days. Demographic and clinical parameters were collected. Multivariate logistic regression was performed.ResultsSixty-nine (43.7%) patients died within 28 days after admission to the intensive care unit. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the oxygenation index (odds ratio [OR]: 0.979, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.970–0.989), acute kidney injury (OR: 4.787, 95% CI: 1.674–13.693), norepinephrine dose (OR: 1.706, 95% CI: 1.375–2.117), and abdominopelvic cavity infection (OR: 0.257, 95% CI: 0.076–0.866) were significantly associated with mortality within 28 days after admission in patients with sepsis-related myocardial injury.ConclusionsPatients with sepsis-related myocardial injury have a high mortality rate. A high oxygenation index, occurrence of acute kidney injury, high norepinephrine dose, and occurrence of abdominopelvic cavity infection are independent risk factors for 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis-related myocardial injury.     

Variables affecting the performance of galactomannan assay in high-risk patients at a Tertiary Care Centre in India

Background: Diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in immunocompromised patients using galactomannan ELISA (GM-ELISA) has shown variable sensitivity and specificity. Objectives: To assess the diagnostic performance of GM-ELISA and analyze the effect of decreasing the cut off value, neutropenia, antifungals and piperacillin-tazobactam (PTZ). Prognostic value using 30 day all-cause mortality was also determined. Materials and Methods: Serum samples from 81 patients categorized into “proven,” “probable,” and “possible,” categories based on revised EORTC/MSG definitions were tested by GM-ELISA. Results: Sensitivity of GM-ELISA in proven, probable and possible cases was 91.7%, 84.6% and 83.3% respectively. At an index cut-off value of 0.5 an increased sensitivity with minimal loss of specificity was observed. Use of antifungals demonstrated a decrease in sensitivity in proven and possible cases whereas it remained unaffected in probable category. Specificity increased from 75% to 100% with a positivity criterion of>2 consecutive samples. Although an increase in specificity was observed in patients not receiving PTZ, it was not statistically significant. Serial GM index values increased significantly in neutropenic patients and were associated with a poor prognosis. Conclusions: GM-ELISA may be a useful diagnostic and prognostic modality for the detection of IA in high risk patients.