Split liver transplantation is utilized infrequently and concentrated at few transplant centers in the United States

Split liver transplantation (SLT) is 1 strategy for maximizing the number of deceased donor liver transplants. Recent reports suggest that utilization of SLT in the United States remains low. We examined deceased donor offers that were ultimately split between 2010 and 2014. SLTs were categorized as “primary” and “secondary” transplants. We analyzed allocation patterns and used logistic regression to evaluate factors associated with secondary split discard. Four hundred eighteen livers were split: 54% from adult, 46% from pediatric donors. Of the 227 adult donor livers split, 61% met United Network for Organ Sharing “optimal” split criteria. A total of 770 recipients (418 primary and 352 secondary) were transplanted, indicating 16% discard. Ninety‐two percent of the 418 primary recipients were children, and 47% were accepted on the first offer. Eighty‐seven percent of the 352 secondary recipients were adults, and 7% were accepted on the first offer. Of the 352 pairs, 99% were transplanted in the same region, 36% at the same center. In logistic regression, shorter donor height was associated with secondary discard (odds ratio 0.97 per cm, 95% CI 0.94‐1.00, P = .02). SLT volume by center was not predictive of secondary discard. Current policy proposals that incentivize SLT in the United States could increase the number of transplants to children and adults.     

Effectiveness and safety of neuroablation for severe and treatment-resistant obsessive–compulsive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundSeveral neuroablative procedures are available for severe and treatment-resistant obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), but limited knowledge about their relative clinical advantages and disadvantages poses obstacles for treatment decision-making.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Knowledge and the Cochrane Library for reports up to February 2019. We reviewed the literature on the effectiveness (assessed using the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale [Y-BOCS]) and safety of various neuroablative interventions for severe and treatment-resistant OCD.ResultsWe included 23 studies involving 487 patients in the systematic review; 21 studies with 459 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, neuroablation achieved a response rate (proportion of patients with ≥ 35% reduction in Y-BOCS) of 55%. Most of the adverse events (88.4%) were mild and transient. The top 3 adverse events were headache (14.9%), cognitive deficits (9.1%) and behaviour problems (8.1%). Severe or permanent adverse events included personality changes (2.3%) and brain edema or brain cyst (1.5%). The response rates associated with capsulotomy, limbic leucotomy and cingulotomy were 59% (95% confidence interval [CI] 54–65), 47% (95% CI 23–72) and 36% (95% CI 23–50), respectively. Interventions with different coverages of the dorsal part of the internal capsule were associated with different adverse-event profiles but were unlikely to modify clinical effectiveness.LimitationsThe level of evidence of most included studies was relatively low.ConclusionAblative surgeries are safe and effective for a large proportion of patients with severe and treatment-resistant OCD. Among the available procedures, capsulotomy seemed to be the most effective. Further research is needed to improve clinical effectiveness and minimize risks.     

竖脊肌平面阻滞超前镇痛对老年胸腔镜肺癌根治术患者心肌的保护作用

目的探讨竖脊肌平面阻滞（ESPB）超前镇痛对老年胸腔镜肺癌根治术患者心肌的保护作用。 方法选择在惠州市中心人民医院择期行胸腔镜肺癌根治术的老年患者40例，按照患者意愿分组，其中19例采用ESPB联合全身麻醉（观察组），21例采用单纯全身麻醉（对照组）。在两组诱导前（T0）、手术开始1 h（T1）、手术结束时（T2）及术后4 h（T3）检测患者的肌钙蛋白Ⅰ（cTnⅠ）、心型脂肪酸结合蛋白（H-FABP）、肌酸激酶同工酶（CK-MB），并记录各时间点的平均动脉压（MAP）和心率。计量资料的组间比较采用t检验，重复测量资料采用重复测量方差分析。 结果两组患者MAP、心率、cTnⅠ、H-FABP、CK-MB的差异均呈现组间效应、时间效应和交互效应（MAP：F=24.021、33.512、9.184，心率：F=10.340、46.992、3.494，cTnⅠ：F=5.354、691.994、64.177，H-FABP：F=7.906、14.067、11.560，CK-MB：F=15.926、84.106、4.116，P<0.05或0.01）。与T0时间点比较，两组患者T1、T2、T3时间点MAP、心率、H-FABP、CK-MB均出现明显变化（P<0.05），T2、T3时间点cTnⅠ出现明显变化（P<0.05）。 结论老年胸腔镜肺癌根治术中应用ESPB超前镇痛，可明显降低心肌损伤相关因子水平，起到心肌保护作用。     

The First Case Report of Schnitzler Syndrome Presenting with Eye Pain

ABSTRACT

Schnitzler syndrome is a rare, auto inflammatory condition known to manifest with bone pain, urticarial rash, fevers, relapsing arthralgia, and fatigue. In this case report, we describe a patient who was diagnosed with Schnitzler Syndrome that had initially presented with a unilateral pressure-type headache with a sensation of a ‘dagger’ stabbing into the back of the eye. He also had an associated ipsilateral redness of the conjunctiva, eyelid swelling, subtle optic disc elevations bilaterally and facial flushing - but with no visual acuity, pupillary, or lacrimatory changes. Anterior segment, fundoscopy, intraocular pressures and extraocular muscle movements were otherwise normal.     

Chromosomal DNA damage measured using the cytokinesis‐block micronucleus cytome assay is significantly associated with cognitive impairment in South Australians

Loss of genome integrity may be associated with increased risk for neurodegenerative disease. The aim of this study was to investigate whether mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's disease (AD) individuals have increased DNA damage relative to age‐ and gender‐ matched controls using the cytokinesis‐block micronucleus cytome (CBMN‐Cyt) assay. DNA damage was measured as micronuclei (MN), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB), and nuclear buds (NBUD) in binucleated cells. The assay was performed on blood samples from 80 participants consisting of (i) MCI cases (N = 20) and age‐ and gender‐ matched controls (N = 20), and (ii) AD cases (N = 20) and age‐ and gender‐ matched controls (N = 20). There was a significant increase in MCI NBUD frequency (P = 0.006) relative to controls, which was also observed in male (P = 0.03) and female (P = 0.04) subgroups. For AD cases, there were no significant differences in assay biomarkers relative to controls. There was a significant negative correlation between Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and (i) MN in all controls, (R = ?0.3, P = 0.04), and AD cases (R = ?0.4, P = 0.03), (ii) NPB in all controls, (R = ?0.4, P = 0.006) and AD cases (R = ?0.5, P = 0.01), and (iii) NBUD in MCI cases (R = ?0.5, P = 0.007) and AD cases (R = ?0.7, P = 0.0002). The results suggest that an increase in lymphocyte CBMN‐Cyt DNA damage biomarkers may be associated with cognitive decline. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 56:32–40, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.