The impact of long-term corticosteroid use on acute postoperative complications following lumbar decompression surgery

BackgroundCorticosteroids have a negative impact on the human immune system’s ability to function at an optimal level. Studies have shown that patients on long-term corticosteroids have higher infection rates. However, the rates of infection and other complications following lumbar decompression surgery remains under-investigated. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of preoperative long-term corticosteroid usage on acute, 30-day postoperative complications in a subset of patients undergoing lumbar spine decompression surgery, without fusion or instrumentation. We hypothesize that patients on long-term corticosteroids will have higher rates of infection and other postoperative complications after undergoing lumbar decompression surgery of the spine.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using data collected from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database data from 2005 to 2016. Lumbar decompression surgeries, including discectomies, laminectomies, and others were identified using CPT codes. Chi-square analysis was used to evaluate differences among the corticosteroid and non-corticosteroid groups for demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and postoperative complications. Logistic regression analysis was done to determine if long-term corticosteroid use predicts incidence of postoperative infections following adjustment.Results26,734 subjects met inclusion criteria. A total of 1044 patients (3.9%) were on long-term corticosteroids prior to surgical intervention, and 25,690 patients (96.1%) were not on long-term corticosteroids. Patients on long-term corticosteroids were more likely to be older (p < 0.001), female (p < 0.001), nonsmokers (p < 0.001), and have a higher American Society of Anesthesiologist class (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that long-term corticosteroid usage was associated with increased overall complications (odds ratio [OR]: 1.543; p < 0.001), and an independent risk factor for the development of minor complications (OR: 1.808; p < 0.001), urinary tract infection (OR: 2.033; p = 0.002), extended length of stay (OR: 1.244; p = 0.039), thromboembolic complications (OR: 1.919; p = 0.023), and sepsis complications (OR: 2.032; p = 0.024).ConclusionLong-term corticosteroid usage is associated with a significant increased risk of acute postoperative complication development, including urinary tract infection, sepsis and septic shock, thromboembolic complications, and extended length of hospital stay, but not with superficial or deep infection in patients undergoing lumbar decompression procedures. Spine surgeons should remain vigilant regarding postoperative complications in patients on long-term corticosteroids, especially as it relates to UTI and propensity to decompensate into sepsis or septic shock. Thromboembolic risk attenuation is also imperative in this patient group during the postoperative period and the surgeon should weigh the risks and benefits of more intensive anticoagulation measures.     

胸部DR高仟伏成像与CT成像在尘肺病诊断中的价值比较

目的 探讨DR高仟伏成像和胸部CT成像在尘肺病诊断中的差异。方法 采用随机数字表法选取2013年6月至2019年12月在合肥市第三人民医院（合肥市职业病防治院）住院的40例尘肺病患者的影像学资料，比较DR高仟伏成像和胸部CT成像对尘肺病患者及其合并症检出率的差异，并评价两种方法在尘肺病分期中的价值。结果 DR高仟伏成像和胸部CT成像对尘肺病检出的一致性较好（Kappa=0.648，P<0.001）。DR高仟伏成像对Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ期尘肺病患者的检出率分别为73.1%（19/26）、87.5%（7/8）和100.0%（6/6），而CT成像的检出率分别为92.3%（24/26）、100.0%（8/8）和100.0%（6/6）。对于Ⅰ期尘肺者，CT的检出率明显高于DR高仟伏胸片成像（P=0.003）。CT成像对尘肺病患者肺大泡、胸膜增厚及纵隔淋巴结肿大等合并症的检出率均高于DR高仟伏成像（χ_肺大泡²=4.501，P_肺大泡=0.034，χ_胸膜增厚²=6.275，P_胸膜增厚=0.012，χ_{淋巴结肿大}²=4.507，P_{淋巴结肿大}=0.034）。结论 胸部DR高仟伏成像和CT成像对尘肺病的检出率一致，但胸部CT检查更易早期发现尘肺病患者的影像学改变及肺部合并症。     

感音神经性聋患儿伴分泌性中耳炎同期人工耳蜗植入效果分析

目的探讨伴分泌性中耳炎的感音神经性聋患儿同期植入人工耳蜗术后的听觉言语康复效果。方法回顾性分析安徽医科大学第一附属医院2015年1月到2017年12月期间伴分泌性中耳炎同期植入人工耳蜗的感音神经性聋患儿30例(A组)的临床资料,并与同期不伴分泌性中耳炎的感音神经性聋患儿30例(B组)比较。所有患儿均采用面隐窝入路植入人工耳蜗,术后随访24个月,采用听觉行为分级(categories of auditory performauce-Ⅱ,CAP-Ⅱ)和言语可懂度分级(speech intelligibility rating,SIR)评估并比较两组患儿的听觉言语康复效果。结果 A组患儿同期植入人工耳蜗后均未出现术后并发症,术前A组CAP-II评分为0.87±1.07分,SIR评分为1.07±0.37分,术后分别为5.07±0.91和3.73±0.87分,术后较术前明显提高(P<0.01)。B组术前CAP-II评分为0.93±1.17分,SIR评分为1.10±0.40分,术后分别为5.23±0.77和3.77±0.73分,术后较术前明显提高(P<0.01)。A组与B组之间术前、术后CAP-II和SIR评分差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论感音神经聋患儿伴分泌性中耳炎患儿同期人工耳蜗植入安全可行,且分泌性中耳炎对术后听觉言语康复效果无明显影响。     

中西医结合护理对四肢远端骨折术后恢复的影响

目的:观察中西医结合护理对四肢远端骨折术后恢复的影响。方法:选取88例四肢远端骨折术后患者,按随机数字表法分为对照组与观察组各44例。对照组行常规护理,观察组行中西医结合护理,比较2组术后疼痛程度、肢体功能恢复情况及并发症发生率。结果:术后1 d,2组VAS评分比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。术后3 d、7 d,2组VAS评分均较术后1 d降低(P<0.05),观察组VAS评分均低于同期对照组(P<0.05)。观察组肢体功能恢复优良率86.36%,高于对照组的68.18%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。观察组术后并发症发生率11.36%,低于对照组的29.55%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:中西医结合护理可有效缓解四肢远端骨折患者术后疼痛度,提升肢体功能恢复效果,减少并发症发生。     

Patient frailty predicts worse perioperative outcomes and higher cost after radical cystectomy

Background: Relatively few studies investigated the importance of frailty in radical cystectomy (RC) patients. We tested the ability of frailty, using the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups indicator, to predict early perioperative outcomes after RC.Methods: RC patients were identified within the National Inpatient Sample database (2000–2015). The effect of frailty, age and Charlson Comorbidity Index were tested in five separate multivariable models predicting: (1) complications, (2) failure to rescue (FTR), (3) in-hospital mortality, (4) length of stay (LOS) and (5) total hospital charges (THCs). All models were weighted and adjusted for clustering, as well as all available patient and hospital characteristics.Results: Of 23,967 RC patients, 5833 (24.3%) were frail, 7721 (32.2%) were aged ≥75 years and 2832 (11.8%) had CCI ≥2. Frailty, age ≥75 years and CCI ≥2 were non-overlapping in 86.3% of the cohort. Any two or three of these features were recorded in 12.4 and 1.3%, respectively. Frailty was an independent predictor of all five examined endpoints and the magnitude of its association was stronger or at least equal than that of age ≥75 years and CCI ≥2.Conclusion: Frailty, advanced age and comorbidities represent non-overlapping patients’ characteristics. Of those, frailty represents the most consistent and strongest predictor of early adverse outcomes after RC. Ideally, all three indicators should be considered in retrospective, as well as prospective analyses. Pre-surgical recognition of frail patients should be ideally incorporate in clinical practice in order to address these patients to multimodal pre-habilitation programs that may potentially improve the perioperative prognosis.