纳米碳与吲哚菁绿导航腹腔镜胃癌根治术淋巴结清扫的对比性研究

目的对比纳米碳与吲哚菁绿(ICG)在腹腔镜胃癌根治术淋巴结清扫方面的优劣性。方法回顾性分析2016年1月至2019年12月接受腹腔镜胃癌根治术的167例患者资料,根据所使用的示踪剂种类,分为纳米碳组130例、ICG组37例,应用GraphPad Prism 8.0统计软件进行分析,围术期指标及淋巴结清扫数目等计量资料以(±s)表示,采用独立t检验;术后并发症、二次手术率等计数指标比较采用χ²检验,P<0.05为差异有统计学意义。结果两种示踪剂对不同病理分期胃癌的淋巴结清扫效果差异无统计学意义。在各种胃癌根治术式中,淋巴结分拣均有助于提高淋巴结总检出数。纳米碳组较ICG组更有助于提高根治性全胃切除术第5站淋巴结的清扫数目(P=0.02)、根治性近端胃切除术第1站淋巴结的清扫数目(P=0.03)以及根治性远端胃淋巴结的总清扫数目(P=0.03)。在提高淋巴结检出率方面,两种示踪剂差异无统计学意义。结论纳米碳与吲哚菁绿在不同病理分期中的总体淋巴结清扫效果差异无统计学意义。无论使用何种示踪剂,均提倡淋巴结分拣。纳米碳较吲哚菁绿更有助于提高根治性全胃第5站淋巴结的清扫数、根治性近端胃第1站淋巴结的清扫数以及根治性远端胃淋巴结的总清扫数目。     

Performance of EAST in diagnosing inhalant allergens in children with allergic rhinitis

The performance of enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (EAST) for identifying six indoor allergens was evaluated using skin prick test (SPT) as reference tests in 154 children with allergic rhinitis. Sensitivity of EAST ranged from 9% (cat) to 54% (HDM) with specificity of 74%(cockroach) to 100% (cat) with an agreement ranged from 58 to 86%. Cut off values ?> ?0.35 kU/L showed best sensitivity and specificity. Our findings agree with extant literature which suggests that the ability of EAST to determine the precipitating allergen is moderate. Assays for definitively identifying the inhalant allergen are currently not available.     

Plasma matrix metalloproteinase 7, CC-chemokine ligand 18, and periostin as markers for pulmonary sarcoidosis

BackgroundSome patients with sarcoidosis experience worsening of pulmonary lesions. However, no biomarker has been identified that reflects pulmonary disease status in sarcoidosis. We investigated the usefulness of potential markers of pulmonary fibrosis in patients with sarcoidosis.MethodsPlasma matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7), CC-chemokine ligand 18 (CCL-18), and periostin levels were evaluated in 60 patients with sarcoidosis and 30 healthy controls; bronchoalveolar lavage fluid levels were analyzed in 22 patients with sarcoidosis. To determine the usefulness of these markers, we explored potential correlations between these markers and sarcoidosis clinical characteristics.ResultsPlasma MMP-7, CCL-18, and periostin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with sarcoidosis than those in healthy controls. MMP-7 concentrations in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were higher in patients with sarcoidosis with parenchymal infiltration than in those without lung lesions. Moreover, MMP-7 concentration was negatively correlated with pulmonary function.ConclusionAmong these novel biomarkers, MMP-7 most precisely reflected pulmonary sarcoidosis disease status and thus, might be useful for diagnosing and evaluating sarcoidosis, particularly in patients with pulmonary parenchymal lesions.     

Freezing of gait subtypes have different cognitive correlates in Parkinson's disease

BackgroundFreezing of gait (FOG) is a major concern for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients because it is a leading cause of falls and is associated with poor quality of life. The pathophysiology is unknown but it is hypothesized that it relates to cognitive abnormalities; particularly executive and visuospatial dysfunction. However, prior results have been discrepant. Pharmacologic subtypes of FOG include those that are responsive and unresponsive to levodopa.ObjectiveTo determine whether executive and visuospatial dysfunction are associated specifically with the levodopa unresponsive subtype of FOG.Methods135 PD subjects completed a single assessment included FOG questionnaire, UPDRS motor scale, comprehensive cognitive battery and measure of hallucinations. Analyses compared unresponsive (n = 16), responsive (n = 20) and no FOG (n = 99) subtypes.ResultsThe unresponsive subtype had a significantly older age of onset of PD than the responsive group (p = .03) and had worse motor scores (p = .003) than the no FOG group. Longer disease duration was associated with the responsive group compared to the no FOG group (p = .002). The unresponsive FOG group had significantly poorer visuospatial ability (p = .001) and executive functioning (p = .02) than both the no and responsive FOG subgroups. These latter groups were not significantly different. The responsive FOG group was associated with the presence of hallucinations.ConclusionAside from pharmacological differences, unresponsive FOG is associated with executive and visuospatial dysfunction implicating frontostriatal pathways while responsive FOG is associated with hallucinations suggesting involvement of posterior cortical regions. Further study and treatment of FOG should include appropriate subtype classification.