The prognostic value of elevated neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio for cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are at significant risk of developing postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a widely available inflammatory biomarker which may be of prognostic value in this setting.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting associations between perioperative NLR with postoperative AKI. We searched Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library, without language restriction, from inception to May 2022 for relevant studies. We meta-analysed the reported odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for both elevated preoperative and postoperative NLR with risk of postoperative AKI and need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). We conducted a meta-regression to explore inter-study statistical heterogeneity.

Results

Twelve studies involving 10,724 participants undergoing cardiac surgery were included, with eight studies being deemed at high risk of bias using PROBAST modelling. We found statistically significant associations between elevated preoperative NLR and postoperative AKI (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.18–1.77), as well as postoperative need for RRT (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.50–3.72). Postoperative NLR measurements were not of prognostic significance.

Conclusions

Elevated preoperative NLR is a reliable inflammatory biomarker for predicting AKI following cardiac surgery.     

FOLFCIS Treatment and Genomic Correlates of Response in Advanced Anal Squamous Cell Cancer

Background

Treatment of advanced anal squamous cell cancer (SCC) is usually with the combination of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil, which is associated with heterogeneous responses across patients and significant toxicity. We examined the safety and efficacy of a modified schedule, FOLFCIS (leucovorin, fluorouracil, and cisplatin), and performed an integrated clinical and genomic analysis of anal SCC.

Sexual function in patients presenting to a urogynecology practice

The purpose of this study was to evaluate sexual function in women referred to a urogynecology practice. All new patients were mailed an optional female sexual function index (FSFI) in conjunction with their history forms; other sexual function information was obtained during the physician interview. Over 6 months, four hundred fifty new patients were enrolled. Of these, 243 (54%) were not sexually active. Reasons listed for sexual inactivity included partner problems/no partner (32%), low desire (14%), prolapse (10%), and pain (10%). There were several differences between sexually active and non-sexually active participants; however, after a multivariate analysis, only age, marital status, and stage/grade 1–2 of prolapse remained significant. One hundred nine sexually active patients completed the FSFI; the majority was sexually active two to four times per month. Female sexual dysfunction was noted in 70 (64%) patients. Lowest scores were noted for the domain of desire, followed by arousal, orgasm, lubrication, satisfaction, and pain. Reduced frequency of intercourse was the only factor significantly associated with dysfunction. Ninety-four percent were not embarrassed by the survey. Overall, sexual inactivity is common in patients presenting for urogynecologic care. Those that are sexually active report low rates of sexual activity and high rates of sexual dysfunction. Most sexually active patients will accept a sexual function questionnaire as part of their routine assessment.This research was presented at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists annual clinical meeting, May 10, 2005, San Francisco, CA, USA.     

Quality of object relations versus interpersonal functioning as predictors of therapeutic alliance and psychotherapy outcome

The purpose of the study was to compare an interview measure of quality of object relations to questionnaire and interview measures of recent interpersonal functioning with respect to the prediction of therapeutic alliance and psychotherapy outcome. The sample consisted of 64 patients who had received approximately 20 sessions of short-term individual psychotherapy within a controlled, clinical-trial investigation. Ratings of therapeutic alliance were provided independently by the patient and the therapist after each session. Outcome measures, which were provided by three sources (patient, therapist, and independent assessor), covered the areas of interpersonal functioning, psychiatric symptomatology, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Quality of object relations, which characterizes the patient's lifelong pattern of relationships, was the best predictor. It was significantly related to patient-rated and therapist-rated therapeutic alliance and to patient improvement of both general symptomatology and specific target problems. The study also replicated previous studies that have reported significant relationships between therapeutic alliance and therapy outcome. The advantages of pretherapy predictors of therapy outcome, such as quality of object relations, are discussed.     

Reserpine enhances amphetamine stereotypies without increasing amphetamine-induced changes in striatal dialysate dopamine

Indirect evidence suggests that amphetamine (AMPH) releases dopamine (DA) from an extravesicular, cytoplasmic pool. Disruption of vesicular DA storage by reserpine has been hypothesized to increase the concentration of extravesicular DA available for release by AMPH, which is consistent with the observation that reserpine does not prevent but augments the behavioral response to AMPH. In order to more directly test this hypothesis, the in vivo microdialysis technique was used to concurrently examine the behavioral and striatal dopaminergic response to AMPH (1.25 or 2.5 mg/kg) 24 h following reserpine pretreatment (2.5 mg/kg). Reserpine decreased tissue levels of DA by approximately 90% and reduced baseline dialysate DA concentrations by approximately 80%. Reserpine augmented the behavioural effects of AMPH, particularly increasing the occurrence and intensity of stereotypies. In contrast, reserpine did not alter the amount or duration of AMPH-induced DA release. This observation confirms that DA release by AMPH does not depend on vesicular stores but is inconsistent with the hypothesis that augmentation or behaviour by reserpine results from increased striatal DA release.     

Civil commitment standards and patient mix in England/Wales, Italy, and the United States

Although England/Wales, Italy, and the United States share a common policy of deinstitutionalization, their mental health systems differ considerably. Each country's civil commitment standards define patient eligibility criteria along one of two primary dimensions--need for treatment or degree of dangerousness. These differential selection criteria result in mental health systems serving different subgroups of the total population. The criteria in England/Wales target older women; in the United States, younger men; and in Italy, a group balanced in age and sex. Implications for the current debate on civil commitment policies are considered.     

Fibrin glue in initial treatment of epistaxis in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (Rendu-Osler-Weber disease).

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the haemostatic efficacy of fibrin sealant in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) or Rendu-Osler-Weber disease suffering epistaxis. A retrospective observational study of patients with HHT who were admitted to an emergency room for anterior or posterior epistaxis during May 2000-March 2003. A total of 24 patients were evaluated, of whom 15 were managed with foam nasal packing during May 2000-March 2002 and another nine were treated during March 2002-March 2003 with 0.3 ml fibrin sealant spray (Quixil; Omrix, Belgium). The immediate and the distant results were compared. Immediate haemostasis was achieved in all seven patients treated with fibrin glue, with good healing of bleeding sites, no secondary bleeding, no inflammation, and no plaque or crists. Twelve months of follow-up monitoring (until October 2003) of atrophic changes of nasal mucosa, bleeding frequency and intensity proved absence of atrophy of nasal mucosa and decreased bleeding frequency. In this group, the bleeding episode duration averaged 2 min 35 s since the moment of admittance. In the nasal packing group, we found local swelling, pain, and slow healing of the bleeding site with accidental atrophy of nasal mucosa and no effect on further bleeding frequency and intensity. Removal of nasal packing frequently initiates secondary bleeding. The rates of these side effects were higher in comparison with the fibrin glue group. The bleeding episode duration was also longer. In patients with HHT suffering profuse epistaxis, fibrin glue is more effective and convenient for the patients as compared with foam nasal packing. It is also safer, since it lacks the complications that usually accompany packing as swelling, atrophy of the nasal mucosa, and secondary bleeding provoked by the removal of the pack.