Prognostic value of preoperative inflammatory markers in resectable biliary tract cancer – Validation and comparison of the Glasgow Prognostic Score and Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score in a Western cohort

IntroductionEstablished preoperative prognostic factors for risk stratification of patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC) are lacking. A prognostic value of the inflammation-based Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) and Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) in BTC has been indicated in several Eastern cohorts. We sought to validate and compare the prognostic value of the GPS and the mGPS for overall survival (OS), in a large Western cohort of patients with BTC.Material and methodsWe performed a retrospective single-center study for the period 2009 until 2017. 216 consecutive patients that underwent surgical exploration with a diagnosis of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC), or gallbladder cancer (GBC) were assessed. GPS and mGPS were calculated where both CRP and albumin were measured pre-operatively (n = 168/216). Survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier estimate and uni-/multivariate Cox regression.ResultsGPS and mGPS were negatively associated with survival (p < 0.001/p < 0.001), and the association was significant in all three subgroups. GPS, but not the mGPS, identified an intermediate risk group: with GPS = 1 having better OS than GPS = 2 (p = 0.003), but worse OS than GPS = 0 (p = 0.008). In multivariate analyses of resected patients, GPS (p = 0.001) and mGPS (p = 0.03) remained significant predictors of survival, independent of postoperatively available risk factors.ConclusionsPreoperative GPS and mGPS are independent prognostic factors in BTC. The association to OS was shown in all patients undergoing exploration, in resected patients only, and in both cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer. Furthermore, GPS – which weights hypoalbuminemia higher – could identify an intermediate risk group.     

Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein: an overlooked cardiac biomarker

Abstract

Cardiac troponins (cTn) are currently the standard of care for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain (CP). However, their plasma kinetics necessitate a prolonged ED stay or overnight hospital admission, especially in those presenting early after CP onset. Moreover, ruling out ACS in low-risk patients requires prolonged ED observation or overnight hospital admission to allow serial measurements of c-Tn, adding cost. Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) is a novel marker of myocardial injury with putative advantages over cTn. Being present in abundance in the myocellular cytoplasm, it is released rapidly (<1?h) after the onset of myocardial injury and could potentially play an important role in both earlier diagnosis of high-risk patients presenting early after CP onset, as well as in risk-stratifying low-risk patients rapidly. Like cTn, H-FABP also has a potential role as a prognostic marker in other conditions where the myocardial injury occurs, such as acute congestive heart failure (CHF) and acute pulmonary embolism (PE). This review provides an overview of the evidence examining the role of H-FABP in early diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with CP and in non-ACS conditions associated with myocardial injury.

• Key messages

• Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein is a biomarker that is elevated early in myocardial injury

• The routine use in the emergency department complements the use of troponins in ruling out acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting early with chest pain

• It also is useful in risk stratifying patients with other conditions such as heart failure and acute pulmonary embolism.

     

连续性肾脏替代治疗联合中药灌肠对急性肾损伤患者尿KIM-1、NGAL水平的影响

目的:探讨连续性肾脏替代治疗(CRRT)联合中药灌肠对重症急性肾损伤患者尿肾损伤分子-1(KIM-1)、中性粒细胞明胶酶相关脂质运载蛋白(NGAL)水平和预后的影响。方法:回顾性分析89例重症急性肾损伤患者临床资料,依据不同治疗方式分为对照组43例和研究组46例,对照组采用CRRT治疗,研究组采用CRRT联合中药灌肠治疗。比较两组尿量恢复时间、重症医学科(ICU)住院时间、治疗前后肾功能、尿KIM-1、NGAL水平,序贯器官衰竭估计评分(SOFA)、急性生理与慢性健康评分表(APACHEⅡ)评分和预后情况。结果:研究组尿量恢复时间、ICU住院时间均少于对照组(P<0.05)。治疗前,两组肾功能、尿KIM-1、NGAL水平,SOFA、APACHEⅡ评分比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05); 治疗后,两组肾功能指标、尿KIM-1、NGAL水平,SOFA、APACHEⅡ评分均较治疗前下降,研究组低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。研究组死亡率较对照组低(P<0.05)。结论:CRRT联合中药灌肠能够促进重症急性肾损伤患者肾功能的恢复,降低尿KIM-1、NGAL水平,改善预后。     

加味香砂六君子汤对胃癌大鼠的实验研究

目的:探究并分析加味香砂六君子汤通过抑制Wnt信号通路对胃癌大鼠桩蛋白(paxillin)、大鼠凋亡相关蛋白(RelA)表达的影响。方法:选取健康成年Wistar大鼠120只,按照随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组,每组60只,对2组大鼠进行胃癌造模处理,对照组大鼠又随机分为未处理组、处理(生理盐水)后8周组、处理(生理盐水)后12周组,每组20只。观察组大鼠又随机分为未处理组、处理(汤药)后8周组、处理(汤药)后12周组,每组20只。观察2组大鼠处理前、处理后8周、处理后12周paxillin、RelA。结果:2组大鼠处理前后体质量差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),2组大鼠处理前体质量比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),处理后,2组大鼠体质量有所降低,但观察组大鼠降低程度明显小于对照组(P<0.05);2组大鼠处理前后wnt-1、paxillin、RelA水平差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),2组大鼠处理前wnt-1、paxillin、RelA水平比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),处理后,2组大鼠wnt-1、paxillin、RelA水平呈降低趋势,但观察组大鼠wnt-1、paxillin、RelA水平明显小于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:加味香砂六君子汤能有效通过抑制wnt以降低胃癌大鼠paxillin、RelA的表达。     

早期电针干预对SAMP8小鼠学习记忆能力和海马磷酸化Tau蛋白水平的影响

目的:探讨早期电针"百会""大椎""肾俞"穴对快速老化小鼠(SAMP8小鼠)学习记忆能力和海马磷酸化Tau蛋白表达的影响,为临床电针治疗阿尔茨海默病(AD)时间点的选择提供参考。方法:将36只3月龄SAMP8小鼠随机分为模型组、3月龄电针组、9月龄电针组,每组12只;以12只同龄正常老化SAMR1小鼠作为空白对照组。3月龄电针组及9月龄电针组分别于小鼠3月龄及9月龄时予电针"百会""大椎""肾俞"穴治疗(连续波,2 Hz,1.5~2 mA),20 min/次,每日1次,8 d为一疗程,疗程间隔2 d,共治疗3个疗程。每组小鼠在水迷宫检测学习记忆能力结束后统一于10月龄取材;免疫组织化学法、免疫蛋白印迹法(Western blot)检测小鼠海马磷酸化Tau蛋白的表达,实时荧光定量PCR法检测小鼠海马Tau mRNA表达。结果:与空白对照组比较,模型组小鼠逃避潜伏期明显延长(P<0.01),原平台象限停留时间较短,跨越平台次数减少(P<0.01),海马磷酸化Tau蛋白及Tau mRNA表达较高(P<0.01);与模型组比较,3月龄电针组及9月龄电针组小鼠逃避潜伏期缩短(P<0.05),原平台象限停留时间延长,跨越平台次数增多(P<0.05),小鼠海马磷酸化Tau蛋白及Tau mRNA表达降低(P<0.05);与9月龄电针组比较,3月龄电针组小鼠逃避潜伏期缩短(P<0.05),原平台象限停留时间延长,跨越平台次数增多(P<0.05),海马磷酸化Tau蛋白及Tau mRNA表达降低(P<0.01)。结论:早期电针干预能更有效地改善SAMP8小鼠学习记忆能力并降低其海马磷酸化Tau蛋白水平。     

川芎嗪通过激活PKCα/Nrf2信号转导抑制七氟烷诱导的氧化损伤和血脑屏障破坏研究

目的:研究川芎嗪对七氟烷引起的氧化损伤以及血脑屏障(BBB)生理功能损伤的影响及其机制。方法:将新生幼鼠随机分组,设置对照组,并分别使用七氟烷、七氟烷和溶剂、七氟烷和川芎嗪处理小鼠,暴露于七氟烷中不同时长处死并收集小鼠大脑和海马组织,通过免疫酶联吸附检测ROS,SOD,MDA,GSH和S100β蛋白水平,制作小鼠大脑和海马组织切片并通过免疫化学染色和免疫荧光染色检测小鼠大脑和海马组织中MMP-2、MMP-9、TIMP-1、TIMP-2以及HO-1的表达,并检测Nrf2的核易位,HE染色后通过透射电子显微镜检查海马神经元损伤情况,通过蛋白质印迹分析PKC/Nrf2以及MMP-2、MMP-9表达情况,使用原位酶谱检测明胶酶活性并通过PCR检测ZO-1的表达。结果:与对照组相比,七氟烷组海马神经元损伤明显,而川芎嗪处理可以明显改善七氟烷诱导的海马神经元损伤; 与对照组相比,七氟烷处理后MMP-2、MMP-9表达和明胶酶活性明显增加,ZO-1表达明显减少,BBB通透性显著增加,而TIMP-1和TIMP-2表达无显著改变; 与七氟烷组相比,川芎嗪可以抑制明胶酶活性,促进ZO-1表达,改善BBB生理状态; 与溶剂组和七氟烷组相比,对照组和川芎嗪组ROS和BMD水平明显降低,MDA和GSH活性显著增加,PKCα、Nrf2和HO-1 的表达以及Nrf2的核易位显著增加。结论:川芎嗪可以通过PKCα/Nrf2信号通路以及抑制明胶酶活性,改善BBB通透性,保护海马免受氧化应激的伤害,改善海马体组织病理学结构。