Effects of tamoxifen on normal breast tissue histological composition: Results from a randomised six-arm placebo-controlled trial in healthy women

Tamoxifen prevents recurrence of breast cancer and is suggested for preventive risk-reducing therapy. Tamoxifen reduces mammographic density, a proxy for therapy response, but little is known about its effects in remodelling normal breast tissue. Our study, a substudy within the double-blinded dose-determination trial KARISMA, investigated tamoxifen-specific changes in breast tissue composition and histological markers in healthy women. We included 83 healthy women randomised to 6 months daily intake of 20, 10, 5, 2.5, 1 mg of tamoxifen or placebo. The groups were combined to “no dose” (0-1 mg), “low-dose” (2.5-5 mg) or “high-dose” (10-20 mg) of tamoxifen. Ultrasound-guided biopsies were collected before and after tamoxifen exposure. In each biopsy, epithelial, stromal and adipose tissues was quantified, and expression of epithelial and stromal Ki67, oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) analysed. Mammographic density using STRATUS was measured at baseline and end-of-tamoxifen-exposure. We found that different doses of tamoxifen reduced mammographic density and glandular-epithelial area in premenopausal women and associated with reduced epithelium and increased adipose tissue. High-dose tamoxifen also decreased epithelial ER and PR expressions in premenopausal women. Premenopausal women with the greatest reduction in proliferation also had the greatest epithelial reduction. In postmenopausal women, high-dose tamoxifen decreased the epithelial area with no measurable density decrease. Tamoxifen at both low and high doses influences breast tissue composition and expression of histological markers in the normal breast. Our findings connect epithelial proliferation with tissue remodelling in premenopausal women and provide novel insights to understanding biological mechanisms of primary prevention with tamoxifen.     

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.     

RWMAs in critically ill patients with non-obstructed coronary arteries

Introduction

Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is estimated to occur in 10%–25% of the general intensive care unit (ICU) population and is frequently seen as regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMAs). Although RWMA is mostly attributed to myocardial ischemia or infarction, some studies have suggested that nonischemic RWMA might also be prevalent. We sought to establish that RWMA can be seen in critically ill patients with normal coronary arteries and to explore reasons for RWMA in this population.

Methods

In this retrospective study, data from the hospital angiography register and the ICU register were collated between 2012 and 2019. Patients were identified who underwent angiography in conjunction with their ICU stay and had RWMA on echocardiography. Patients were divided into either those with non-obstructed or those with obstructed coronary arteries. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) examinations were reviewed if they had been performed on patients with non-obstructed coronaries.

Results

We identified 53 patients with RWMA and non-obstructed coronary arteries and 204 patients with RWMA and obstructed coronary arteries. Patients with non-obstructed coronary arteries were more often female, younger, and had fewer cardiovascular risk factors. They less commonly had ST elevation, but more frequently had T-wave inversion or serious arrhythmias. Troponin levels were higher in patients with obstructed coronary arteries, but NT-proBNP was similar between the groups. There were no differences in risk-adjusted 90-day mortality between patients with non-obstructed versus obstructed coronary arteries (OR 1.21, [95% CI 0.56–2.64], p = .628). In those with non-obstructed coronary arteries, follow-up echocardiography was available for 38 patients, of whom 30 showed normalization of cardiac function. Of the 14 patients with non-obstructed coronary arteries on whom cMRI was performed, 7 had a tentative diagnosis of Takotsubo syndrome or myocardial stunning; 4 had a myocardial infarction (preexisting in 3 cases); 1 patient had acute myocarditis; 1 patient had post-myocarditis; and 1 patient was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Conclusion

RWMA can be seen to occur in critically ill patients in the absence of coronary artery obstruction. Several conditions can cause regional hypokinesia, and cMRI is useful to evaluate the underlying etiology.     

Correction: Thrombotic and bleeding events,mortality, and anticoagulant use among 546,656 hospitalized patients with COVID‑19 in the United States: a retrospective cohort study

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis -     

核医学学科新增医疗服务项目定价方法研究

目的：基于以价值为基础的定价方法，计算核医学学科新增医疗服务项目镭[²²³ Ra]骨转移瘤治疗的医疗服务价格。为相关新增医疗服务项目的申报和定价打下循证基础，为合理补偿医务人员劳动价值、提升患者服务项目可及性提供依据。方法：采集2021年3—12月使用“镭核素[²²³ Ra]骨转移瘤治疗资源投入及费用数据采集表”相关数据，开展专家访谈进行系数赋值和基线对照项目确定，得到镭[²²³ Ra]骨转移瘤治疗服务各个环节的成本和新增服务的价值。结果：镭[²²³ Ra]骨转移瘤治疗服务按服务特点分为注射前评估、治疗计划、给药、给药后监测、废弃物处理与监测等环节，各环节3地平均人力耗时分别为104分钟、39分钟、25分钟、72分钟和56分钟，中位物耗成本为48.20元，3地总成本(平均人力成本+中位物耗成本)为763.68元。结合系数赋值结果和基线对比项目，得到新增项目的价值为810.19元。结论：运用基于技术难度和风险程度的价值定价理论，计算镭[²²³ Ra]骨转移瘤治疗新增医疗服务项目的服务价值，建议以价值作为服务定价依据。该定价公式和研究方法不仅可用于其他核医学学科新增服务项目的定价，还适用于现行医疗服务项目的价格动态调整，为未来学科价格工作提供方法学参考。     

基于网络药理学和分子对接技术探讨黄芪干预腹膜纤维化的机制

目的 运用网络药理学方法及分子对接技术探讨黄芪干预腹膜纤维化的可能机制。方法 利用中药系统药理学数据库及分析平台(TCMSP)检索黄芪的主要化学成分及靶点,并补充文献报道相关药理作用的成分作为潜在活性成分。以"peritoneal fibrosis"为关键词分别在OMIM、Genecards获取目前已知的与腹膜纤维化相关的疾病靶点,后取两者的交集靶点;对交集基因通过STRING数据库与Cytoscape 3.7.2软件构建"药物-成分-靶点-疾病"网络及蛋白互作(PPI)网络并筛选核心网络。基于R软件使用Bioconductor生物信息软件对核心靶点进行GO及KEGG富集分析,最终采用AutoDock软件将主要有效成分与核心靶点进行分子对接,得出其结合能力。结果 筛选出20个黄芪活性成分及文献报道有相关药理作用4个, 457药物作用靶点,与674个腹膜纤维化病靶点取交集,得到86个共同靶点。GO功能富集分析提示黄芪拮抗腹膜纤维化主要参与了蛋白激酶B信号转导的调节、细胞对化学的应激反应、炎症反应的调节等通路; KEGG通路富集分析主要涉及调控肿瘤、磷脂酰肌醇-3-羟激酶-蛋白激酶B(PI3K-Akt)、晚期糖基化终末产物/晚期糖基化终末产物受体(AGE-RAGE)、人类巨细胞病毒感染、HIF-1信号通路等;分子对接结果显示关键靶点与活性成分具有较好的结合能力。结论 黄芪治疗腹膜纤维化的分子机制,可能与抑制炎症及氧化应激反应、调节多种信号通路等相关。     

基于动脉自旋标记技术的麻痹性痴呆患者脑血流量特点及其与认知障碍相关性

目的探讨麻痹性痴呆（GPI）患者脑血流量（CBF）特点及其与认知障碍的相关性。 方法纳入2018年1月至2019年12月于首都医科大学附属北京地坛医院就诊的GPI患者18例和健康体检者18例（健康对照组），采用蒙特利尔认知评估量表评定认知功能。采用磁共振动脉自旋标记技术扫描评估其各个脑区CBF，并进一步应用Spearman相关分析CBF异常区域与认知功能的相关性。 结果GPI患者蒙特利尔认知评估量表评分低于健康对照组[（16.00 ± 7.19）vs. （27.90 ± 1.21）：t =－7.853、P < 0.001）]。18例GPI患者中，头颅MRI正常5例，脑白质病变1例，脑萎缩9例，3例患者同时存在脑萎缩和脑白质病变。健康对照组头颅MRI均未见异常。GPI患者脑13、14、28、37、38、41、42、43、44、46、48、49、50、51、52、69、70、77、78、83、84、88、109、117、165、166、167、168、169、177、178、179、187、188、211、212、213、214、215、216、219、223、227、237和238区CBF显著高于健康对照组（P均< 0.001）。GPI患者认知障碍中的注意力障碍与脑69、70、77、78、166和168区CBF异常有一定的负相关性（r =－0.476、P = 0.046，r =－0.487、P = 0.034，r =－0.604、P = 0.008，r = －0.545、P = 0.019，r =－0.544、P = 0.02，r =－0.522、P = 0.026）。 结论GPI患者存在全脑血流量升高。GPI患者认知功能障碍中的注意力障碍可能与局部脑区血流量升高有一定相关性。局部CBF越高，注意力障碍越严重。这可能也是GPI发病机制之一。     

Oxygen sensing,anaesthesia and critical care: a narrative review

In 2019, the scientists who discovered how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability were awarded the Nobel Prize. This elegant sensing pathway is conserved throughout evolution, and it underpins the physiology and pathology that we, as clinicians in anaesthesia and critical care, encounter on a daily basis. The purpose of this review is to bring hypoxia-inducible factor, and the oxygen-sensing pathway as a whole, to the wider clinical community. We describe how this unifying mechanism was discovered, and how it orchestrates diverse changes such as erythropoiesis, ventilatory acclimatisation, pulmonary vascular remodelling and altered metabolism. We explore the lessons learnt from genetic disorders of oxygen sensing, and the wider implications in evolution of all animal species, including our own. Finally, we explain how this pathway is relevant to our clinical practice, and how it is being manipulated in new treatments for conditions such as cancer, anaemia and pulmonary hypertension.