Impact of modified-release opioid use on clinical outcomes following total hip and knee arthroplasty: a propensity score-matched cohort study

Modified-release opioids are often prescribed for the management of moderate to severe acute pain following total hip and knee arthroplasty, despite recommendations against their use due to increasing concerns regarding harm. The primary objective of this multicentre study was to examine the impact of modified-release opioid use on the incidence of opioid-related adverse events compared with immediate-release opioid use, among adult inpatients following total hip or knee arthroplasty. Data for total hip and knee arthroplasty inpatients receiving an opioid analgesic for postoperative analgesia during hospitalisation were collected from electronic medical records of three tertiary metropolitan hospitals in Australia. The primary outcome was the incidence of opioid-related adverse events during hospital admission. Patients who received modified with or without immediate-release opioids were matched to those receiving immediate-release opioids only (1:1) using nearest neighbour propensity score matching with patient and clinical characteristics as covariates. This included total opioid dose received. In the matched cohorts, patients given modified-release opioids (n = 347) experienced a higher incidence of opioid-related adverse events overall, compared with those given immediate-release opioids only (20.5%, 71/347 vs. 12.7%, 44/347; difference in proportions 7.8% [95%CI 2.3–13.3%]). Modified-release opioid use was associated with an increased risk of harm when used for acute pain during hospitalisation after total hip or knee arthroplasty.     

Immunotherapy: A new standard in the treatment of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell cancer (RCC) represents 2%-3% of all adulthood cancers and is the most common malignant neoplasm of the kidney (90%). In the mid-nineties of the last century, the standard of treatment for patients with metastatic RCC was cytokines. Sunititib and pazopanib were registered in 2007 and 2009, respectively, and have since been the standard first-line treatment for metastatic clear cell RCC (mccRCC). Renal cell cancer is a highly immunogenic tumor with tumor infiltrating cells, including CD8+ T lymphocytes, dendritic cells, natural killer cells (NK) and macrophages. This observation led to the design of new clinical trials in which patients were treated with immunotherapy. With the growing evidence that proangiogenic factors can have immunomodulatory effects on the host’s immune system, the idea of combining angiogenic drugs with immunotherapy has emerged, and new clinical trials have been designed. In the last few years, several therapeutic options have been approved [immunotherapy and immunotherapy/tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI)] for the first-line treatment of mccRCC. Nivolumab/ipilimumab is approved for the treatment of patients with intermediate and poor prognoses. Several checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab, nivolumab, avelumab) in combination with TKI (axitinib, lenvatinib, cabozantinib) are approved for the treatment of patients regardless of their International mRCC Database Consortium prognostic group and PD-L1 expression. There is no specific and ideal biomarker that could help in selecting the ideal patient for the appropriate first-line treatment.     

CNS Maturation Process in Children and Adolescents in the Northern Region of the Russian Federation and Its Reflection in the Dynamics of Integral EEG Parameters

Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology - We present here results from analysis of the formation of brain bioelectrical activity in children and adolescents living in the northern region of Russia...     

治伤巴布剂对大鼠急性软组织损伤模型P38MAPK、AKT信号通路的影响＊

目的 观察治伤巴布剂对急性软组织损伤（acute soft tissue injury， ASTI）模型p38丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（mitogen-activated protein kinase，MAPK）、丝/苏氨酸蛋白激酶（AKT）信号通路的影响，探讨治伤巴布剂干预ASTI的可能作用机制。方法 将40只雄性SD大鼠按照随机数字表法分为正常对照组、模型对照组、治伤巴布剂组、p38MAPK信号通路抑制剂组、AKT信号通路抑制剂组，每组8只。除正常对照组外，其余四组均予以左侧后肢小腿ASTI造模。造模成功后，治伤巴布剂组于标记部位立即予治伤巴布剂（修剪成1.5x3cm大小）外敷，并用胶布固定；其余四组均予等剂量赋形剂（修剪成1.5×3 cm大小）外敷处理，胶布固定；持续外敷，共持续24 h。p38MAPK信号通路抑制剂组在造模前30 min予腹腔注射p38MAPK信号通路抑制剂SB203580（400 μg/kg/天）1次；AKT信号通路抑制剂组在造模前30 min予腹腔注射AKT信号通路抑制剂perifosine（20 mg/kg/天）1次。分别于0（造模前）、2h、4h、8h、12h、24h测量受伤小腿肌肉处的周长，并计算肌肉肿胀率（muscle swelling rate，MSR）。24 h药物干预结束后，采用颈椎脱臼法处死大鼠。后将左侧后肢小腿损伤中心部位进行取材，分成三份。一部分用于观察组织病理学形态变化；一部分用于逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测核因子-κB（nuclear factor kappa-B，NF-κB）p65 mRNA、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）mRNA、白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）mRNA表达水平；剩下部分用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）法检测骨骼肌组织TNF-α、IL-1β含量水平及蛋白质免疫印迹（Western-blot）法测定p38MAPK、AKT、NF-κB p65、核因子抑制蛋白α（inhibitor kappa B alpha， IκBα）表达水平。结果 与正常对照组相比，模型对照组MSR显著增加（P<0.01）；病理形态学上，骨骼肌组织可见大面积肌细胞排列紊乱，肌细胞变性坏死，间质内可见红细胞聚集及大量炎症细胞浸润；骨骼肌组织TNF-α、IL-1β含量水平显著升高（P<0.01）；磷酸化p38MAPK（p-p38）/总p38MAPK（t-p38），磷酸化-AKT（p-AKT）/总-AKT（t-AKT）明显升高（P<0.01），NF-κB p65及NF-κB p65mRNA表达水平明显升高（P<0.01）。与模型对照组相比，治伤巴布剂组MSR在治疗第8 h、12 h、24 h显著下降（P<0.01），且在治疗第24 h，其MSR较p38MAPK、AKT信号通路抑制剂组下降更明显（P<0.05）；病理学评分显著下降（P<0.01），且较p38MAPK、AKT信号通路抑制剂组下降更显著（P<0.05）；骨骼肌组织TNF-α、IL-1β含量水平明显下降（P<0.01），且较p38MAPK、AKT信号通路抑制剂组更显著（P<0.05）；p-p38/t-p38及p-AKT/t-AKT明显下降（P<0.01），NF-κB p65及NF-κB p65 mRNA表达水平显著下降（P<0.01），且较p38MAPK、AKT信号通路抑制剂组在降低NF-κB p65及NF-κB p65 mRNA相对表达值方面更显著（P<0.01）。结论 治伤巴布剂可能同时对p38MAPK、AKT信号通路产生了一定的抑制作用，引起NF-κB活性下调，NF-κB p65蛋白的表达下调，进而引起骨骼肌组织TNF-α、IL-1β炎性细胞因子含量水平下调，减轻ASTI炎症反应，从而改善ASTI。     

特发性肺纤维化急性加重期证候与血清生物标志物的相关性研究＊

目的 通过分析特发性肺纤维化急性加重期（AE-IPF）患者证候与血清生物标志物的关系，为中医辨证治疗提供参考。方法 采用观察性研究设计，收集2019年3月至2019年11月三个中心的AE-IPF患者76例，其中痰热壅肺证26例、痰浊阻肺证50例，并纳入健康志愿者10例作为对照。采用ELISA测定患者血清CCL18、HMGB1、KL-6、MMP-7、SP-A和SP-D水平，分析与中医证候的相关性。结果 AE-IPF患者血清CCL18、HMGB1、KL-6、MMP-7、SP-A和SP-D水平均显著高于健康对照组。血清CCL18、HMGB1、KL-6、MMP-7和SP-D水平在痰热壅肺证和痰浊阻肺证患者间无显著性差异（P＞0.05），而血清SP-A水平存在显著性差异（P＜0.05）。结论 血清SP-A与AE-IPF证候存在一定的相关性，血清SP-A的浓度升高，与痰热壅肺证关系越密切，反之，血清SP-A浓度降低，则与痰浊阻肺证关系越密切。AE-IPF痰热壅肺证患者的预后可能较痰浊阻肺证患者更差。