Patterns of axillary staging and management in clinically node positive breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy: Results of a survey amongst breast cancer specialists

IntroductionVarious options for axillary staging after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) are available for breast cancer patients with a clinically positive axillary node (cN+). This survey assessed current practices amongst breast cancer specialists.Materials and methodsA survey was performed amongst members of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and two UK-based Associations: the Association of Breast Surgery and the British Association of Surgical Oncology. The survey included 3 parts: 1. general information, 2. diagnostic work-up and 3. axillary staging after NST.ResultsA total of 310 responses were collected: parts 1, 2 and 3 were fully completed by 282 (91%), 270 (87.1%) and 225 (72.6%) respondents respectively. After NST, 153/267 (57.3%) respondents currently perform ALND routinely and 114 (42.7%) respondents perform less invasive restaging of the axilla with possible omission of ALND. In the latter group, 85% does and 15% does not use nodal response seen on imaging to guide the axillary restaging procedure. Regarding respondents that do use imaging: 95% would perform a less invasive staging procedure in case of complete nodal response on imaging (63% sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), excision of a previously marked positive node with SLNB (21%) and without SLNB (11%)). In case of no nodal response on imaging 77% would perform ALND.ConclusionCurrent axillary staging and management practices in cN + patients after NST vary widely. To determine optimal axillary staging and management in terms of quality of life and oncologic safety, breast specialists are encouraged to include patients in clinical trials/prospective registries.     

Excess salt intake promotes M1 microglia polarization via a p38/MAPK/AR-dependent pathway after cerebral ischemia in mice

A high salt diet (HSD) is among the most important risk factors for many diseases. One mechanism by which HSD aggravates cerebral ischemic injury is independent of blood pressure changes. The direct role of HSD in inflammation after cerebral ischemia is unclear. In this research, after twenty-one days of being fed a high salt diet, permanent focal ischemia was induced in mice via operation. At 12 h and 1, 3 and 5 days postischemia, the effects of HSD on the lesion volume, microglia polarization, aldose reductase (AR) expression, and inflammatory processes were analyzed. We report that in mice, surplus dietary salt promotes inflammation and increases the activation of classical lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglia/macrophages (M1). This effect depends on the expression of the AR protein in activated microglia after permanent middle cerebral artery ligation (pMCAL) in HSD mice. The administration of either the AR inhibitor Epalrestat or a p38-neutralizing antibody blocked the polarization of microglia and alleviated stroke injury.In conclusion, HSD promotes polarization in pro-inflammatory M1 microglia by upregulating the expression of the AR protein via p38/MAPK, thereby exacerbating the development of ischemia stroke.     

女性系统性红斑狼疮患者骨代谢异常的危险因素分析

摘要：目的 探讨骨代谢、骨密度与外周血淋巴细胞亚群的关系，初步探索免疫细胞在系统性红斑狼疮( systemic lupus erythematosus，SLE)骨代谢异常中的作用。方法 采用双能X线吸收法 （dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, DEXA ）检测SLE患者的骨密度，同日检测患者的外周血淋巴细胞亚群分布。结果 共纳入92名SLE女性患者，患者的平均年龄及病程分别为（42.1±14.1）岁、（84.4±73.0）个月。有62.0 %（n=57）患者存在骨代谢异常，其中44.6 %（n=41）患者为骨量减少，17.4 %（n=16）患者并发骨质疏松症，后者还包括9.8 %（n=9）发生脆性骨折的患者。全身骨密度最低值与年龄（r= –0.291，P=0.005）、病程（r=–0.239，P= 0.022）、绝经状态（r= –0.288，P=0.005）及碱性磷酸酶（r= –0.221，P= 0.033）均呈负相关。Logistics分析显示绝经状态（OR=13.0，P＜0.001，95% CI 3.43~49.5）、LDL-C（OR =5.74，P=0.002，95% CI 1.93~17.0）及外周血CD4+T细胞（OR =1.08，P = 0.025，95% CI 1.01~1.16）是骨代谢异常的影响因素，而年龄（OR=1.12，P＜0.001，95% CI 1.06~1.19）是骨质疏松的影响因素。结论 SLE患者骨代谢异常的发生率高，外周血淋巴细胞亚群分布可能与其发病存在相关性。     

Aortitis and periaortitis: The puzzling spectrum of inflammatory aortic diseases

Aortitis and periaortitis are inflammatory diseases of the aorta and its main branches; they differ in the extension of inflammation, which is confined to the aortic wall in aortitis, and spreads to the periaortic space in periaortitis. Aortitis is classified as non-infectious or infectious. Non-infectious aortitis represents a common feature of large-vessel vasculitides but can also be isolated or associated with other rheumatologic conditions. Periaortitis can be idiopathic or secondary to a wide array of etiologies such as drugs, infections, malignancies, and other proliferative diseases. Notably, both aortitis and periaortitis may arise in the context of IgG4-related disease, a recently characterised fibro-inflammatory systemic disease. Prompt recognition, correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential in order to avoid life-threatening complications.     

不同性别系统性红斑狼疮患儿的临床特征及随访比较

目的 对不同性别系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）患儿的临床特征及随访情况进行比较。方法 回顾性分析2008~2018年确诊为SLE的≤14岁患儿79例（男18例，女61例）的临床资料，对男女儿童首发及主要临床症状、器官/系统损害情况、相关实验室指标、随访情况等进行对比研究。结果 首发症状及非首发症状中，男童组以发热发生率最高，女童组以面部红斑发生率最高。男童更易出现肾脏和血液系统的损害（P < 0.05），其中蛋白尿发生率较女童明显升高（P < 0.05）。女童更易出现关节痛（P < 0.05）。两组抗核抗体、抗双链DNA抗体、补体C3、红细胞沉降率的异常率均很高（>80%，P > 0.05）。男童组的疾病活动度在首次就诊及随访至第9年时高于女童组（P < 0.05）。随访结果显示（随访时间1个月至10年），在男童组中，3例失访，1例死亡，7例病情控制良好，但均需口服较大剂量激素或免疫抑制控制病情，2例发展为慢性肾功能衰竭，1例出现狼疮脑病。女童组中，3例失访，5例死亡，34例病情控制良好，其中口服醋酸泼尼松10 mg以下维持的有5例，停药1年的1例，停药2年的2例；4例出现狼疮脑病；1例在患病后第7年出现抑郁焦虑状态并有自杀倾向；2例出现视力下降、视物模糊、绿视；1例在服用激素第3年出现双侧股骨头缺血坏死。结论 不同性别SLE患儿的临床特征、部分实验室指标及预后存在差异。男性SLE患儿可能起病更重，更易发生肾脏及血液系统损害，且远期预后可能更差。女性SLE患儿可能更易累及关节。     

Percentage of residual B cells after 2 weeks of rituximab treatment predicts the improvement of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease

The benefit of rituximab (RTX) for systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) has been shown in previous clinical trials. However, predictors of RTX efficacy have not been clarified. We investigated whether B-cell responsiveness to RTX is related to therapeutic effect. Ten SSc-ILD patients treated with RTX in an independent clinical trial (Japan Registry of Clinical Trials, jRCTs031180373) were included in this analysis. Peripheral B-cell counts were examined retrospectively before RTX administration (baseline) and at 2, 4, 12, and 24 weeks after the first RTX administration, along with percent-predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC) before and 24 weeks after RTX treatment. Relative to baseline, the percentage of residual peripheral blood B cells at 2 weeks after RTX was negatively correlated with the %FVC improvement at the 24-week assessment (r = ?0.41, p = 0.04). In the subgroup with less than 5% B-cell persistence at week 2, %FVC at the 24-week assessment was significantly improved compared to baseline (p = 0.02). In another subgroup with more than 5% residual B cells, %FVC was not significantly different after 24 weeks compared to baseline (p = 0.41). In conclusion, the removal rate of B cells after 2 weeks of RTX treatment may be a useful surrogate marker of subsequent SSc-ILD improvement.