Body Mass Index and Hormone Receptor Status Influence Recurrence Risk in HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer Patients

IntroductionA reliable risk stratification on the basis of tumor biology and host factors of HER2-positive (HER2⁺) early breast cancer (eBC) patients is needed. The aim of our study was to assess the prognostic role of body mass index (BMI) and hormone receptor (HR) expression in this setting.Patients and MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated 238 women with stage I to III HER2⁺ breast cancer who completed adjuvant chemotherapy (CHT) and 1 year of treatment with trastuzumab. The end point was 3-year distant disease-free survival (3yDDFS). Survival analysis was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox proportional-hazards model adjusting for HR status, BMI, tumor staging, size, nodal status, and type of adjuvant CHT. Association among categorical variables was assessed using χ² test.ResultsThe early recurrence rate after 3 years resulted as 4.2% (40% HR⁺ patients and 60% HR⁻ patients). Neither HR status nor BMI alone showed an association with 3yDDFS in multivariate analysis. However, the hazard ratios for patients with HR⁻ tumors who had also BMI ≥25 (3yDDFS 86.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 75.0%-97.7%) were amplified compared with patients with HR⁺ tumors and with BMI <25 (3yDDFS 98%; 95% CI, 94.8%-100.0%) and other subgroups (P = .003). This observation was confirmed in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.04-3.07; P = .03).ConclusionOur real-life data highlight a different risk of eBC recurrence after grouping patients according to HR status and BMI. These results might help clinicians to identify correct treatment strategies. Patients who are HR⁻ and have BMI ≥25 might benefit from escalation approaches, whereas those who are HR⁺ and have BMI <25 might be eligible for a shorter duration of adjuvant treatment with anti-HER2 agents.     

甲状旁腺切除术用于难治性肾性继发性甲状旁腺功能亢进的安全性及近远疗效

背景与目的:甲状旁腺切除术(PTX)是治疗药物不能控制的难治性肾性继发性甲状旁腺功能亢进症(SHPT)的重要手段,但PTX术后仍有可能发生永久性甲状旁腺功能减退,无动力性骨病或难治性骨软化症,且国内尚缺乏对PTX术后远期的疗效观察的研究。本研究进一步评价PTX治疗难治性肾性SHPT的安全性与近远期疗效。方法:纳入2011年1月—2014年12月在安徽医科大学第二附属医院行PTX治疗的139例伴有难治性肾性SHPT的维持性透析患者。收集患者术前及术后3 d、6个月及1、2、3年的临床资料、血全段甲状旁腺激素(iPTH)、血钙、血磷、血红蛋白(Hb)及红细胞压积(Hct)等,观察并记录术后症状缓解情况、术后并发症和随访情况。结果:139例患者的PTX手术成功率为95.7%(133/139),术中共计切除甲状旁腺腺体537枚,平均切除3.86枚/例。12例(8.6%)术后发生一过性喉返神经损伤,其中声音嘶哑9例(6.5%),饮水呛咳3例(2.2%),未予处理术后3个月内均自行好转。术后低钙血症或缺乏维生素D者120例(86.3%),给予西那卡塞、补钙及补充活性维生素D治疗后得到有效控制。全组未发生切口感染、出血、窒息及甲状腺功能减退等外科并发症。患者的贫血状况均有不同程度地改善,Hb和Hct术后6个月明显升高并在随访期间保持稳定;术后iPTH明显降低,术后3 d的血钙、磷、钙磷乘积水平最低,随访3年仍低于手术前,所有变化与术前均有统计学差异(均P0.05)。随访期间无死亡病例。患者术前的骨痛、顽固性皮肤瘙痒、失眠、异位钙化、肌无力伴萎缩症状在术后1 d即明显缓解;身高缩短、骨骼畸形患者随访期间无进行性加重;纳差、全身营养状况及自理能力术后3个月内不同程度地改善。11例(7.9%)持续性SHPT,包括4例(2.9%)术中未完全切除甲状旁腺腺体,1例(0.7%)术中1枚腺体较小而未切除完全,6例(4.3%)术后检查存在纵隔异位甲状旁腺。随访期间,5例(3.5%)腺体未切除完全者的iPTH均800 pg/mL,肌无力及顽固性皮肤瘙痒临床症状明显,再次行PTX;6例(4.3%)存在异位甲状旁腺腺体者,因手术风险较大患者拒绝再次手术,予以药物治疗;8例(5.8%)术后复发,其中6例(4.3%)系前臂移植物复发所致,均在局麻下行前臂皮下移植物切除;2例(1.4%)系颈部原位残留腺体过度增生,予以二次手术,术后症状缓解。所有进行二次手术的患者在随访结束时无明显的临床症状,均未复发。结论:PTX可改善难治性肾性SHPT患者临床症状、贫血及钙磷代谢,且近远期疗效均较好,是治疗难治性SHPT的安全有效方法。     

CYP2C19*3基因多态性对癫痫患者奥卡西平活性代谢产物MHD浓度的影响

目的：分析CYP2C19*3基因多态性与癫痫患者奥卡西平（oxcarbazepine，OXC）活性代谢产物10，11-二氢-10-羟基卡马西平（monohydroxycarbazepine，MHD）血药浓度的相关性。方法：纳入120例OXC单药治疗1个月以上且症状控制良好的癫痫患者，采集清晨服药前空腹血，采用高效液相色谱法测定MHD稳态谷浓度。通过PCR和sanger测序判定患者CYP2C19*3基因型。结果：120例癫痫患者快代谢患者64例，MHD血浆浓度为（18.17±7.34）μg·mL^-1；中代谢型患者36例，MHD血浆浓度为（19.31±9.17）μg·mL^-1；慢代谢型患者20例，MHD血浆浓度为（25.79±7.51）μg·mL^-1，3种基因型的MHD浓度有显著性差异（F=7.077，P=0.0013）。多因素分析显示，日剂量作为影响血药浓度的重要指标呈现出显著相关性（P<0.05）。结论：CYP2C19*3基因多态性影响MHD血药浓度，并且日剂量越高，MHD血药浓度越大，两者成显著正相关，临床应进行血药浓度监测。     

Effects of pomegranate supplement on menopausal symptoms and quality of life in menopausal women: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial

BackgroundMenopausal symptoms have negative effects on the aspects of quality of life and impose a high cost on the health system. In traditional Persian medicine, pomegranate is recommended to alleviate menopausal symptoms.Material and methodsA randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial was performed among 78 healthy women. Participants were interviewed three times: Before receiving the supplement/placebo, after completing the treatment, and after 3 weeks with no intervention. They filled out the demographic information sheet, modified-Kupperman index, and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaires.ResultsThe mean scores of the modified-Kupperman index and MENQOL characteristics before and after the treatment and after the follow-up period were significantly different between pomegranate and placebo groups in both modified-Kupperman and MENQOL scores (p < 0.001).ConclusionThis study demonstrated that 4 weeks' treatment with the pomegranate supplement significantly ameliorates the irritating symptoms of menopause and improves the quality of life in menopausal women even after 4 weeks' medicine deprivation.     

Hemorrhage promotes chronic adverse remodeling in acute myocardial infarction: a T1, T2 and BOLD study

Hemorrhage is recognized as a new independent predictor of adverse outcomes following acute myocardial infarction. However, the mechanisms of its effects are less understood. The aim of our study was to probe the downstream impact of hemorrhage towards chronic remodeling, including inflammation, vasodilator function and matrix alterations in an experimental model of hemorrhage. Myocardial hemorrhage was induced in the porcine heart by intracoronary injection of collagenase. Animals (N = 18) were subjected to coronary occlusion followed by reperfusion in three groups (six/group): 8 min ischemia with hemorrhage (+HEM), 45 min infarction with no hemorrhage (I ? HEM) and 45 min infarction with hemorrhage (I + HEM). MRI was performed up to 4 weeks after intervention. Cardiac function, edema (T₂, T₁), hemorrhage (T₂*), vasodilator function (T₂ BOLD), infarction and microvascular obstruction (MVO) and partition coefficient (pre‐ and post‐contrast T₁) were computed. Hemorrhage was induced only in the +HEM and I + HEM groups on Day 1 (low T₂* values). Infarct size was the greatest in the I + HEM group, while the +HEM group showed no observable infarct. MVO was seen only in the I + HEM group, with a 40% occurrence rate. Function was compromised and ventricular volume was enlarged only in the hemorrhage groups and not in the ischemia‐alone group. In the infarct zone, edema and matrix expansion were the greatest in the I + HEM group. In the remote myocardium, T₂ elevation and matrix expansion associated with a transient vasodilator dysfunction were observed in the hemorrhage groups but not in the ischemia‐alone group. Our study demonstrates that the introduction of myocardial hemorrhage at reperfusion results in greater myocardial damage, upregulated inflammation, chronic adverse remodeling and remote myocardial alterations beyond the effects of the initial ischemic insult. A systematic understanding of the consequences of hemorrhage will potentially aid in the identification of novel therapeutics for high‐risk patients progressing towards heart failure.     

Hormone exposure and its suppressive effect on risk of high-grade gliomas among patients with breast cancer

BackgroundPrior reports demonstrate the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in high-grade gliomas (HGGs), but the relationship between hormone receptor-positive disease and risk of HHGs in patients with breast cancer (BC) remains uncharacterized.MethodsUsing the SEER 18 registries (2000–2017), we examined the temporal trend of the incidence of HGGs and BC. The standardized incidence ratio was calculated to assess the risk of subsequent HGG in BC patients.ResultsDuring the study period, the incidence of BC and HGGs remained comparable for men and women. Among 976,134 patients with BC, we found a decreased incidence of HGGs in females, but not in males. Female BC patients with hormone receptor-positive disease were at a lower risk of developing glioblastoma and anaplastic astrocytoma.ConclusionOur study findings allude to the protective role of hormone exposure in the development of HGGs, which may lead to the development of therapies targeting hormonal pathways.