Lateral Lymph Nodes in Rectal Cancer: Do we all Think the Same? A Review of Multidisciplinary Obstacles and Treatment Recommendations

Lateral lymph nodes in low, locally advanced, rectal cancer have proven implications for local recurrence rates, which increase drastically in the presence of persistently enlarged lateral lymph nodes. These clinical implications warrant a thorough understanding of lateral nodal disease with awareness and knowledge from all three specialties involved – radiology, radiation oncology, and surgery – to ensure proper treatment. Relevant literature for each specialty, including all current guidelines and perspectives, were examined. Variations in definitions and treatment paradigms were evaluated. There is still no consensus for the standardized treatment of lateral nodal disease. Each discipline works according to their own available evidence, but relevant data are scarce. Current international guidelines and standard recommendations for the diagnostics and treatment of lateral lymph nodes are lacking. This results in differing perspectives and interpretations between the disciplines which can lead to challenging communication in an area where multidisciplinary collaboration is essential. This review addresses this by presenting the current evidence, perspectives and practices of each specialty and makes suggestions for each phase of the diagnostic and treatment process for patients with lateral nodal disease. By doing this, steps are taken toward achieving international consensus, and multidisciplinary collaboration.     

Liver Transplantation Following Life-threatening Abdominal Trauma: A Case Series of 5 Patients at a Single Institution

Managing traumatic liver injury (TLI) is always challenging and demands precise clinical judgment. Currently, treatment of TLI in most circumstances is non-operative; however, surgical therapy might be required for severe TLI, particularly those that result in extensive blood loss. In the current institutional study carried out from June 1995 to April 2017, we describe our experience with 5 patients who received an orthotopic liver transplant for severe TLI. One patient passed away postoperatively from cerebral edema; 1 patient died of renal failure 4 years after the liver transplantation, and 3 patients are still alive. Based on our experience, we conclude that in patients with TLI, especially those with uncontrollable bleeding or those who develop liver failure, liver transplantation should be taken into consideration.     

醛固酮受体拮抗剂螺内酯治疗难治性高血压疗效和安全性的Meta分析

背景难治性高血压是一种特殊类型的高血压，病因复杂，治疗难度大，更易引起靶器官损害。近年研究发现，在难治性高血压患者三联常用降压药物治疗基础上添加小剂量螺内酯能有效控制血压。但这些研究规模普遍较小，其有效性与安全性尚需进一步验证。目的系统评价螺内酯治疗难治性高血压的疗效及安全性。方法计算机检索PubMed、Web of Science、The Cochrane Library、中国知网、维普网、万方数据知识服务平台，筛选螺内酯治疗难治性高血压的随机对照研究，检索时间为建库至2021-05-03。由2名研究员独立筛选文献、提取资料并评价纳入研究的偏倚风险后，采用RevMan 5.3软件进行Meta分析。结果共纳入20项研究。9项研究未报告随机化分组方法，1项研究按纳入顺序编号奇偶分配（错误的随机化方法），7项研究未描述是否采用盲法，4项研究为开放标签，3项研究描述了分配隐藏，1项研究结果数据不完整、未报告对照组治疗后的安全性指标。Meta分析结果显示，疗效方面：与安慰剂和空白对照相比，螺内酯降低诊室血压、24 h动态血压、日间血压及夜间血压的效果好（P<0.05）；与其他降压药物总体相比，螺内酯降低诊室收缩压、24 h动态血压、日间收缩压、夜间收缩压及家庭自测收缩压的效果好（P<0.05）；与肾脏去交感神经术相比，螺内酯降低日间血压及夜间收缩压的效果好（P<0.05）。安全性方面：与安慰剂相比，应用螺内酯患者的血钾及血肌酐水平高（P<0.05）；与其他降压药物总体相比，应用螺内酯患者的血钾水平升高（P<0.05）；与肾脏去交感神经术相比，应用螺内酯患者的血肌酐水平升高（P<0.05）。结论螺内酯治疗难治性高血压是相对有效及安全的，但受纳入研究数量和质量的限制，该结论尚需更多高质量研究予以证实。     

Primary aldosteronism and pregnancy

Hypertension (HT) is a complication of 8% of all pregnancies and 10% of HT cases are due to primary aldosteronism (PA). There is very little data on PA and pregnancy. Given the changes in the renin angiotensin system during pregnancy, the diagnosis of PA is difficult to establish during gestation. It may be suspected in hypertensive patients with hypokalemia. A comprehensive literature review identified reports covering 40 pregnancies in patients suffering from PA. Analysis of these cases shows them to be high-risk pregnancies leading to maternal and fetal complications. Pregnancy must be programmed, and if the patient has a unilateral form of PA, adrenalectomy should be performed prior to conception. It is customary to stop spironolactone prior to conception and introduce antihypertensive drugs that present no risk of teratogenicity. When conventional antihypertensive drugs used during pregnancy fail to control high blood pressure, diuretics, including potassium-sparing diuretics may be prescribed. Adrenalectomy can be considered during the second trimester of pregnancy exclusively in cases of refractory hypertension. A European retrospective study is currently underway to collect a larger number of cases.     

两种利尿剂不同比例联合应用对慢性心力衰竭患者血钾的影响

目的探讨不同比例保钾利尿剂与排钾利尿剂联合应用对慢性心力衰竭患者血钾的影响。方法选取住院心力衰竭患者298例,其中包括单纯心力衰竭者179例,心力衰竭合并肾功能不全者119例。单纯心力衰竭组及心力衰竭合并肾功能不全组分别采用随机数字表法分为A、B及C、D四组,均在常规心力衰竭治疗基础上给予排钾利尿剂呋塞米和保钾利尿剂螺内酯联合治疗,A、B、C、D四组呋塞米与螺内酯口服剂量比例分别为1∶1、1∶2、1∶1、1∶2,并排除饮食、基础血钾对血钾的干扰,监测血钾含量及肾功能。结果 A、B、C、D四组低钾血症的发生率分别为66.3%、4.4%、10.2%、0.0%,四组高钾血症的发生率分别为0.0%、1.1%、8.5%、51.7%,四组再入院率分别为9.0%、4.4%、11.9%、13.3%;单纯心力衰竭组中B组较A组低血钾发生率较低,差异有统计学意义(χ~2=75.047,P0.01);心力衰竭合并肾功能不全组C组较D组高血钾发生低,差异有统计学意义(χ~2=26.301,P0.01)。心力衰竭合并肾功能不全组较单纯心力衰竭组患者的总再入院率较高(12.6%比6.7%),但差异无统计学意义(χ~2=3.021,P=0.082)。合并肾功能不全的心力衰竭亚组分析结果显示血钾水平与患者血肌酐水平具有正相关性(Pearson相关系数为0.967,P0.01)。结论在正常饮食、肾功能和基础血钾情况下,呋塞米与螺内酯按1∶2联合应用对心力衰竭患者的血钾含量影响较小;而当治疗合并肾功能不全的心力衰竭患者时,应视肾功能不全的轻重调整呋塞米与螺内酯的比例。