ERAS reduces postoperative hospital stay and complications after bariatric surgery: A retrospective cohort study

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a multimodal, multidisciplinary approach for caring surgical patients. The present study aimed to compare the perioperative outcomes of laparoscopic bariatric surgery between patients with ERAS and those with conventional care.The clinical data of all patients undergoing primary laparoscopic bariatric surgery between January 2014 and June 2017 were retrospectively collected and reviewed. Patients were managed with conventional care during 2014 to 2015 (conventional care group) and with ERAS protocols during 2016 to 2017 (ERAS group). The 2 groups were compared in terms of postoperative length of hospital stay (LOS) and postoperative day 1 discharge rate.A total of 435 consecutive patients were included with 198 patients in the conventional care group and 237 patients in the ERAS group. The ERAS group had significantly shorter LOS (2.2 ± 0.9 vs 4.0 ± 2.6 days, P < .01) and significantly higher day 1 discharge rate (15.2% vs 1%, P < .01) compared with the conventional care group. During postoperative 30 days, the ERAS group had significantly less complications (2.1% vs 8.6%, P < .01) and readmissions (1.3% vs 4.5%, P = .02) compared with the conventional care group.Compared with conventional care, ERAS significantly reduces postoperative LOS, complications, and readmissions in patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery.     

Femoral varus derotational osteotomy without pelvic osteotomy in nonambulatory children with cerebral palsy: Minimum 5 years follow-up

Whether femoral varus derotational osteotomy (VDRO) alone or a combination of femoral and pelvic osteotomies should be performed for hip dislocation in nonambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP) remains controversial. Few studies have reported radiographical results after the surgical treatment in nonambulatory children with CP. This study aimed to assess the results and determine predictors indicating progressive hip subluxation and redislocation after VDRO without pelvic osteotomy. We retrospectively analyzed 22 hips in 15 nonambulatory children with CP. All patients underwent VDRO without pelvic osteotomy and were followed up for at least 5 years. The mean follow-up period was 7.3 ± 1.9 years. In radiological assessments, we investigated migration percentage (MP), center-edge angle, neck-shaft angle, teardrop distance, break in Shenton''s line (SL), sharp''s angle, acetabular ridge angle (ARA), and the change ratio of MP (Change MP). We classified patients with an MP of <40% at final follow-up in the Good group and those with an MP of ≥40% in the Poor group. The Good group included 10 children (14 hips), and the Poor group included 8 children (8 hips). No preoperative differences were found in the means of all the radiographical parameters. However, MP was significantly different between the groups from 1 year postoperatively. ARA showed improvement 5 years after surgery in the Good group. Change MP in the Good group was maintained from immediately after surgery to the final follow-up. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that preoperative break in SL and Change MP immediately after surgery were parameters to predict MP at the final follow-up. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the cut-off values were estimated to be 19.2 mm for preoperative SL and 79.0% for Change MP immediately after surgery. Within 7.3 years of follow-up, 63.6% of the patients who underwent VDRO without pelvic osteotomy had good results. Preoperative SL and postoperative Change MP can be considered as predictors of postoperative subluxation and/or dislocation.     

Differential Effects of Bariatric Surgery Versus Exercise on Excessive Visceral Fat Deposits

The aim of the present study was to compare differential impacts of bariatric surgery and exercise-induced weight loss on excessive abdominal and cardiac fat deposition.Excessive fat accumulation around the heart may play an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Recent evidences have suggested that bariatric surgery results in relatively less decrease in epicardial fat compared with abdominal visceral fat and paracardial fat.Sixty-four consecutive overweight or obese subjects were enrolled in the study. Clinical characteristics and metabolic profiles were recorded. The volumes of abdominal visceral adipose tissue (AVAT), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (ASAT), epicardial (EAT), and paracardial adipose tissue (PAT) were measured by computed tomography in the bariatric surgery group (N = 25) and the exercise group (N = 39) at baseline and 3 months after intervention. Subjects in both the surgery and exercise groups showed significant reduction in body mass index (15.97%, 7.47%), AVAT (40.52%, 15.24%), ASAT (31.40, 17.34%), PAT (34.40%, 12.05%), and PAT + EAT (22.31%, 17.72%) (all P < 0.001) after intervention compared with baseline. In both the groups, the decrease in EAT was small compared with the other compartments (P < 0.01 in both groups). Compared with the exercise group, the surgery group had greater loss in abdominal and cardiac visceral adipose tissue (AVAT, ASAT, PAT, EAT+PAT) (P < 0.001), but lesser loss in EAT (P = 0.037).Compared with the exercise group, bariatric surgery results in significantly greater percentage loss of excessive fat deposits except for EAT. EAT, but not PAT, was relatively preserved despite weight reduction in both the groups. The physiological impact of persistent EAT deserves further investigation.     

Association of low fat mass with nontuberculous mycobacterial infection in patients with bronchiectasis

The incidence of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection is high in patients with underlying lung disease such as bronchiectasis. Although previous studies have reported many risk factors contributing to the development of NTM-lung disease (LD), only a few reports on the relationship of the characteristics of patients, such as body mass index (BMI), skeletal mass, and fat mass, with NTM-LD have been published. We aimed to investigate the association between these parameters and NTM-LD in patients with bronchiectasis.A monocentric retrospective study in a university hospital was conducted over 4 years (2013–2016). Parameters including BMI, skeletal mass, and fat mass were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis in noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis patients. Patients were grouped by the presence or absence of NTM-LD, and the differences in BMI, skeletal mass, and fat mass between the 2 groups were compared. In the NTM-LD group, the progression of disease was also followed.Two hundred forty-five patients with bronchiectasis were enrolled in the study. One hundred six subjects (48%) had NTM-LD. These patients with NTM-LD were predominantly female, and had a significantly lower body weight (58.20 ± 8.84 vs 54.16 ± 8.99, P < .001), BMI (22.67 ± 3.04 vs 21.20 ± 2.59 kg/m², P < .001), fat mass (16.19 ± 6.60 vs 14.23 ± 5.79, P = .013), and fat mass index (FMI; 6.79 ± 2.70 vs 5.57 ± 2.27 kg/m², P < .001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that both female sex and lower FMI but not skeletal muscle index were independent risk factors for NTM-LD after adjusting for age, bronchiectasis severity index, and BMI (odds ratio 3.86 (1.99–7.78); 0.72 (0.63–0.82), P < .001, respectively).Our results suggest that lower FMI may contribute to susceptibility to NTM infection in patients with bronchiectasis, independent of age or its severity.     

Impacts of the perioperative fast track surgery concept on the physical and psychological rehabilitation of total hip arthroplasty: A prospective cohort study of 348 patients

Studies have shown that rapid rehabilitation surgery has a positive effect on recovery after major orthopedic surgery. However, very few studies have examined the impact of fast track surgery on physical and psychological rehabilitation in patients who have undergone total hip replacement.This study aimed to investigate the value of the rapid rehabilitation surgical model for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty during the perioperative period.We conducted a prospective cohort study that included patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty at our hospital from January 2015 to December 2018. We divided the patients into 2 groups – the rapid rehabilitation group and the conventional rehabilitation group – and compared their length of hospital stay, time to off-bed activity, pain score, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores, Self-Rating Depression Scale scores, complication rate, and rate of satisfaction during hospitalization.A total of 348 patients were included in the study. Of these, 180 received rapid rehabilitation nursing and 168 patients received conventional nursing. Compared with the patients in the conventional rehabilitation group, those in the rapid rehabilitation group had shorter hospital stays (11.5 ± 1.2 day vs 15.5 ± 2.3 day, P = .021), resumed off-bed activities sooner (20.5 ± 3.4 hours vs 61.8 ± 4.7 hours, P = .001, had less postoperative pain (4.0 ± 1.2 vs 6.5 ± 1.1, P < .001), and lower anxiety and depression scores (anxiety score: 24.4 ± 2.1 vs 47.9 ± 2.9; depression score: 25.8 ± 1.8 vs 43.7 ± 1.7, P < .001).The application of rapid rehabilitation surgery in total hip arthroplasty can accelerate patients’ postoperative recovery, relieve anxiety and depression, and increase the patient''s satisfaction with the treatment.     

Leukocyte Activation in Obese Patients: Effect of Bariatric Surgery

The rising prevalence of obesity is a major global health problem. In severe obesity, bariatric surgery (BS) allows to obtain a significant weight loss and comorbidities improvement, among them one of the factors is the thrombotic risk. In this observational study, we measured indices of leukocyte activation in severely obese patients as markers of increased thrombotic risk in relation with serum markers of inflammation before and after BS.Frequency of polymorphonuclear neutrophil-platelet (PLT) and monocyte (MONO)-PLT aggregates as well as of tissue factor (TF) expressing MONOs was measured in the peripheral blood of 58 consecutive obese patients and 30 healthy controls. In 31 of the 58 obese patients, data obtained at the enrollment were compared with those obtained at 3, 6, and 12 months after BS.Compared with healthy controls, obese patients showed a higher frequency of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL)-PLT aggregates (7.47 ± 2.45 [6.82–8.11]% vs 5.85 ± 1.89 [5.14–6.55]%, P = 0.001), MONO-PLT aggregates (12.31 ± 7.33 [10.38–14.24]% vs 8.14 ± 2.22 [7.31–8.97]%, P < 0.001), and TF expressing MONOs (4.01 ± 2.11 [3.45–4.56]% vs 2.64 ± 1.65 [2.02–3.25]%, P = 0.002). PMNL-PLT and MONO-PLT aggregate frequency was positively correlated with TF expressing MONOs (R² = 0.260, P = 0.049 and R² = 0.318, P = 0.015, respectively).BS was performed in 31 patients and induced a significant reduction of the body mass index, and waist and hip circumferences. These effects were associated with a significant decrease of PMNL-PLT aggregates at 12 months (7.58 ± 2.27 [6.75–8.42]% vs 4.47 ± 1.11 [3.93–5.01]%, P < 0.001), and a reduction of TF expressing MONOs at 6 (3.82 ± 2.04 [3.07–4.57]% vs 1.60 ± 1.69 [0.30–2.90]%, P = 0.008) and 12 months (3.82 ± 2.04 [3.07–4.57]% vs 1.71 ± 0.54 [1.45–1.97]%, P = 0.001) after BS.These data suggest that leukocyte-PLT aggregate formation and MONO activation represent an important mechanism underlying the increased thrombotic risk of obese patients. We also show that BS is effective in normalizing these inflammatory indices.     

Co-infections of SARS-CoV-2 with multiple common respiratory pathogens in infected children: A retrospective study

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, considerable attention has been paid on its epidemiology and clinical characteristics in children patients. However, it is also crucial for clinicians to summarize and investigate the co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 in children.We retrospectively reviewed the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and imaging characteristics of COVID-19 patients in co-infection group (CI, n = 27) and single infection group (SI, n = 54). Samples were tested for multiple pathogens.A high incidence (27/81, 33%) of co-infection in children with COVID-19 was revealed. The most frequent co-infected pathogen was mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP, 20/81, 25%), followed by virus (6/81, 7%), and bacteria (4/81, 5%). No significant difference in clinical characteristics, laboratory examinations, or hospital stay was observed between the patients with co-infections and those with monomicrobial, only lower in white blood cell counts (CI: 5.54 ± 0.36 vs SI: 7.38 ± 0.37, P = .002), neutrophil counts (CI: 2.20 ± 0.20 vs SI: 2.92 ± 0.23, P = .024) and lymphocyte counts (CI: 2.72 ± 0.024 vs SI: 3.87 ± 0.28, P = .006). Compared with the patients with monomicrobial, chest imaging of those with co-infections showed consolidation in more cases (CI: 29.6% vs SI: 11.1%, P = .038) and duration of positive in nucleic acid was shorter (CI: 6.69 ± 0.82 vs SI: 9.69 ± 0.74, P = .015).Co-infection was relatively common in children with COVID-19, almost 1/3 had co-infection, most commonly caused by MP. Co-infection did not cause a significant exacerbation in clinical manifestations.     

Correlations between brachial endothelial function and cardiovascular risk factors: a survey of 2,511 Chinese subjects

Objective

We examined the relationship of several cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) to brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in Chinese subjects.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study. In 2,511 Chinese adults (age 46.86±9.52 years, 1,891 men and 620 women) recruited from people who underwent health screening at The Third Xiangya Hospital, patients’ CVRF [age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), blood pressure (BP), cholesterol parameters, creatinine (Cr), uric acid (UA), glucose level and smoking] and prevalence of present disease (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease and hyperlipidemia) were investigated.

Results

Multivariate analysis revealed that FMD negative correlated with age (β=–0.29, P<0.001), gender (β=–0.12, P<0.001), BMI (β=–0.12, P=0.001), WC (β=–0.10, P=0.011), systolic BP (SBP) (β=–0.12, P<0.001), fasting glucose (β=–0.04, P=0.009), total cholesterol (TC) (β=–0.04, P=0.014), smoking (β=–0.05, P=0.003), and baseline brachial artery diameter (β=–0.35, P<0.001). FMD decreased with increasing age in both genders. In women, FMD was higher than men and age-related decline in FMD was steepest after age 40; FMD was similar in men above 55 years old.

Conclusions

In Chinese subjects, FMD may be a usefully marker of CVRF. Age, gender, BMI, WC, SBP, fasting glucose, TC, smoking, and baseline brachial artery diameter were independent variables related to the impairment of FMD. The influence of CVRF on endothelial function is more in women than men.     

Transcortical approach surgery versus external ventricular drainage in treating intraventricular hemorrhage

Intraventricular hemorrhage is a serious intracerebral hemorrhagic disease with high mortality and poor prognosis. This retrospective study designed to investigate the therapeutic effect of transcortical approach surgery versus extraventricular drainage (EVD) on patients with intraventricular hemorrhage.Patients with intraventricular hemorrhage in Zhongshan City People''s Hospital from January 01, 2014 to June 01, 2019 were retrospectively examined. They were divided into transcortical approach surgery groups and EVD groups to analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis.A total of 96 patients were enrolled in the study (24 in the transcortical approach surgery group and 72 in the EVD group). The efficiency of postoperative operation was 15/19 in the transcortical approach surgery group and 24/48 in the EVD group (P = .012). The Glasgow Outcome Scale was 3.63 ± 1.27 in the transcortical approach surgery group and 2.80 ± 1.87 in the EVD group (P = .049). The postoperative residual blood volume was 9.62 ± 3.64 mL in the transcortical approach surgery group and 33.60 ± 3.53 mL in the EVD group (P < .001). The incidence of hydrocephalus after the operation was 1/23 in the transcortical approach surgery group and 19/53 in the EVD group. The 30-day postoperative mortality was 16/56 in the EVD group and 1/23 in the transcortical approach surgery group. The transcortical approach surgery group was significantly better compared with the EVD group.This study showed that the transcortical approach for ventricular hemorrhage compared with EVD improved the hematoma clearance rate, shortened catheterization time, reduced the incidence of postoperative hydrocephalus, decreased patient mortality, led to a better prognosis, and reduced complications of hydrocephalus.     

Bilateral Shoulder Dysfunction Related to the Lung Resection Area After Thoracotomy

This study aimed to investigate the mobility, pain, and disability of the shoulders after different pulmonary surgical procedures.It is a cross-sectional prospective study. A total of 38 patients who underwent lung surgery via thoracotomy (mean age = 57 ± 10 years) were evaluated in the preoperative period, and first and second postoperative days were assessed for range of motion of shoulder; pain intensity; and application of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index questionnaire. This study compared the 3 days of evaluation, and the subgroups according to the resection area (biopsy/nodulectomy, lung segmentectomy and lobectomy).There was a decrease of flexion (153° ± 16°–98° ± 23°), abduction (151° ± 20°–126° ± 38°), and increased Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (2.4–44.3) in the shoulder ipsilateral to surgery from the preoperative to the first postoperative day (P < 0.05). There was a greater loss of ipsilateral flexion and abduction in the lobectomy subgroup (P < 0.05), and decreased abduction of the contralateral shoulder in the lung segmentectomy and lobectomy subgroups (P < 0.05).After pulmonary surgery, there is bilateral impairment in shoulder range of motion, with greater limitation on ipsilateral shoulder, and larger resections.     

Clinical efficacy of arthroscopic treatment in ischial tuberosity cyst: A retrospective comparison study

Ischial tuberosity cyst is a common disease, and the conventional incision procedure is associated with several disadvantages, leading to unsatisfactory therapeutic outcomes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic treatment for ischial tuberosity cyst and compared it with conventional incision surgery.The clinical data of 57 patients with ischial tuberosity cyst from May 2016 to September 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 49 patients were included. Of these patients, 24 patients received arthroscopic procedure (N = 24) and 25 patients received conventional incision procedure (N = 25). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complications were compared between the 2 groups. Visual analogue scale scores was used to evaluate pain at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after the surgery.All 49 patients were followed up for (11.3 ± 3.3) months. All patients in the arthroscopy group achieved phase I healing while 3 patients in conventional incision group developed complications. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, and hospital stay in the arthroscopy group were (54.7 ± 7.7) minutes, (20.8 ± 3.5) mL, (20.3 ± 5.6) mL, and (2.8 ± 0.6) days, and were significantly better than those of (71.8 ± 8.8) minutes, (67.3 ± 12.0) mL, (103.6 ± 20.3) mL, and (7.8 ± 2.9) days in the conventional incision group, respectively. In the arthroscopy group, the visual analogue scale scores at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after the surgery [(2.6 ± 0.7), (0.5 ± 0.6), (0.3 ± 0.5) points] were significantly lower than those in the conventional incision group [(6.0 ± 0.7), (3.0 ± 1.0), and (1.1 ± 1.0) points], and the differences were statistically significant (P < .05). Finally, no significant difference was observed in the incidence of postoperative complications between the 2 groups (P > .05).In the treatment of ischial tuberosity cysts, arthroscopy has advantages of minimal invasion, less blood loss during perioperative period, milder postoperative pain, and rapid recovery when compared with conventional incision surgery.     

Associations between body composition and cognitive function in an elderly Korean population: A cohort-based cross-sectional study

The prevalence of obesity as well as cognitive impairment increases with age. Previous studies showed that obesity is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Body composition changes occur as part of the aging process; therefore, the assessment of obesity in elderly populations should include body composition as well as body weight. This study investigated the relationship between body mass index (BMI), body composition, and cognitive function in a community-dwelling elderly Korean population.This cohort-based cross-sectional analysis included 2386 elderly participants aged between 70 and 84 years from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study for 2016 to 2017. To investigate the relationship between body composition and cognitive function in community-dwelling individuals, BMI and body composition, including total and trunk fat mass and fat-free mass, were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Fat mass index (FMI), trunk fat mass index (TFMI), and fat-free mass index (FFMI) were used to represent the body composition. A short form of the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer disease was used to assess cognitive function. To evaluate the relationship between variables, simple and fully adjusted multivariable analyses were performed using generalized linear regression models.The mean ages were 76.8 years for males and 76.1 years for females. The BMI of male participants was significantly lower than that of females (23.9 ± 2.89 vs 24.7 ± 3.02 kg/m², P < .001). Among body composition parameters, the differences in FMI (6.44 ± 1.97 vs 9.29 ± 2.3 kg/m²), TFMI (3.68 ± 1.33 vs 5.03 ± 1.43 kg/m²), and FFMI (17.4 ± 1.64 vs 15.3 ± 1.39 kg/m²) were statistically significant. In linear regression analyses, BMI, FMI, and TFMI showed significant positive correlations with mini-mental state examination in the Korean version of the CERAD assessment packet; wordlist memory, recall, and recognition; and frontal assessment battery only in males. The significant positive correlations persisted even after fully adjusting for age, education periods, location of residence, depression, marriage, annual income, presence of diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. However, no significant correlations in either sex were observed between FFMI and cognitive functions in the fully adjusted models.In this study, BMI, and fat mass-related indexes including FMI and TFMI showed a positive linear correlation with cognitive functions but not FFMI. Moreover, the findings were significant only in men. Besides the difference between sexes, the results of this study showed a more apparent correlation in fat mass than in fat-free mass that comprises body weight.     

Gas exchange threshold to guide exercise training intensity of older individuals during cardiac rehabilitation

The gas exchange threshold (GET), which is determined during incremental exercise (Inc-Ex) testing, is often considered a safe training intensity for cardiac rehabilitation. However, there are only a limited number of reports on the actual implementation of this method. We assessed the applicability of GET-guided exercise using a constant load exercise (CL-Ex) protocol.We recruited 20 healthy older individuals (healthy, age: 69.4 ± 6.8 years) and 10 patients with cardiovascular diseases or risk factors (patient, age: 73.0 ± 8.8 years). On day 1, we determined the GET during symptomatic maximal Inc-Ex. On day 2, CL-Ex at work rate (watt: W) where the GET manifested during Inc-Ex (therefore, not corrected for the known oxygen response delay) was maintained for 20 minute. Arterialized blood lactate (BLa) levels were also determined.Oxygen uptake reached a steady state in all participants, with a mean respiratory exchange ratio of < 1.0. The mean BLa at the GET during Inc-Ex was 1.51 ± .29 mmol·l⁻¹ in the healthy group and 1.78 ± .42 mmol·L⁻¹ in the patient group, which was about .5 mmol·L⁻¹ above the resting level. During CL-Ex, BLa increased significantly over the value at the GET (Inc-Ex). However, it reached a steady-state level of 2.65 ± 1.56 (healthy) and 2.53 ± 0.95 (patient) mmol·L⁻¹. The %peak oxygen uptake, %peak heart rate, and %heart rate reserve during CL-Ex were 58.8 ± 11.5, 71.8 ± 10.3, and 44.9 ± 17.4, respectively. All participants could complete CL-Ex with mean perceived exertion ratings (Borg/20) of 11.8 ± 1.3 (healthy) and 12.2 ± 1.3 (patient). These heart rate-related indices and exertion ratings were all within the recommended international guidelines for cardiac rehabilitation.CL-Ex at the GET appears to be the optimal exercise intensity for cardiac rehabilitation.     

Thrombin generation,ProC?Global,prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time in thawed plasma stored for seven days and after methylene blue/light pathogen inactivation

BackgroundMethylene blue pathogen inactivation and storage of thawed plasma both lead to changes in the activity of several clotting factors. We investigated how this translates into a global loss of thrombin generation potential and alterations in the protein C pathway.ResultsThe velocity of thrombin generation increased significantly after methylene blue treatment (increased thrombin generation rate; time to peak decreased) and decreased after storage (decreased thrombin generation rate and peak thrombin; increased lag time and time to peak). The endogenous thrombin generation potential remained stable after methylene blue treatment and storage at 4 °C. Methylene blue treatment and 7 days of storage at 4 °C activated the protein C pathway, whereas storage at room temperature and storage after methylene blue treatment decreased the functional capacity of the protein C pathway. Prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time showed only modest alterations.DiscussionThe global clotting capacity of thawed plasma is maintained at 4 °C for 7 days and directly after methylene blue treatment of thawed plasma. Thrombin generation and ProC^®Global are useful tools for investigating the impact of pathogen inactivation and storage on the clotting capacity of therapeutic plasma preparations.     

Minimally invasive pedicle screw fixation,including the fractured vertebra,combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty for treatment of acute thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fracture in middle-age and elderly individuals: A prospective clinical study

To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of minimally invasive pedicle screw (MIPS) fixation, including the fractured vertebra, combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for the treatment of acute thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fracture in middle-age and elderly individuals.Between January 2016 and August 2019, a total of 30 patients, with a mean age of 69.4 years (range, 58–75 years), who experienced thoracic or lumbar fracture without neurological deficits, underwent the MIPS procedure combined with PVP. Preoperative and postoperative pain were assessed using a visual analog scale and Oswestry Disability Index. Cobb angles and anterior column height were measured on lateral radiographs before surgery and at 3 days, 1, 3, and 6 months, and 1 and 2 years at final follow-up after surgery.All patients underwent surgery successfully, with a mean follow-up of 18.2 ± 5.7 months (range, 12–45 months). Mean preoperative visual analog scale score decreased from 7.3 ± 2.2 to 1.4 ± 0.3 at the final follow-up (P < .05). Mean preoperative Oswestry Disability Index decreased from 84.2 ± 10.3 to 18.8 ± 7.5 (P < .05) at the final follow-up. The Kyphosis angle of operative segment was improved from preoperative (21.38 ± 1.68)° to (4.01 ± 1.38)° 3 days postoperatively and (5.02 ± 1.09)° at final follow-up (P < .05). The anterior vertebral height was improved from preoperative (49.86 ± 6.50)% to (94.01 ± 1.79)% 3 days postoperatively and (91.80 ± 1.88)% at final follow-up (P < .05). No significant changes in vertebral body height restoration were observed during 2 years of follow-up after surgery. In addition, there were no instrumentation failures or complications in any of the patients.MIPS, including the fractured vertebra, combined with PVP, was a reliable and safe procedure, with satisfactory clinical and radiological results for the treatment of thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fracture in patients without neurological deficits.     

Comparison of Clinical and Radiological Improvement Between the Modified Trephine and High-speed Drill as Main Osteotomy Instrument in Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy

High-speed drill is the main osteotomy instrument in pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) currently. Considering the long duration of surgery, the large amount of blood loss, and the high incidence of neurovascular injury, the osteotomy procedure is challenging. Use of trephine for the osteotomy displays high efficiency by shortening surgery time and reducing blood loss in anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion. However, the potential risk of neurological injury is high. We modified the trephine by adding locking instrument, when the serrated top of the trephine reaches the tip of the probe; the locking instrument on the probe restricts the trephine and improves security during the osteotomy procedure.The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological improvement between the modified trephine and high-speed drill as main osteotomy instrument in PSO.From February 2009 to 2013, 50 patients with severe thoracolumbar kyphotic deformity caused by old compressive vertebrae were prospectively reviewed. All patients were randomly assigned to the experimental group (27 patients received PSO with modified trephine) and the control group (23 patients received PSO with high-speed drill). The clinical records were reviewed and compared for surgical time, operative blood loss, functional improvement (Oswestry Disability Index), and pain relief (visual analog scale). The radiological records were reviewed and compared for correction of kyphotic deformity postoperatively and correction loss at 2-year follow-up.All patients successfully finished the PSO procedure, and got satisfactory kyphotic deformity correction and overall function improvement. The surgery time was shorter in the experimental group than that in the control group (132.7 ± 12.6 vs 141.7 ± 16.7 min; P = 0.03). No significant difference was found in blood loss (882.9 ± 98.9 mL vs 902.2 ± 84.9 mL; P = 0.47) or correction of the kyphotic angle (33.4 ± 3.4° vs 32.1 ± 2.5°, P = 0.13) postoperatively between the 2 groups. At 24-month follow-up, no difference was discovered in loss of the correction (4.9 ± 1.6° vs 4.5 ± 1.6°; P = 0.42), change of Oswestry Disability Index (49.4 ± 6.2% vs 48.2 ± 4.2%; P = 0.44), or in back pain relief (6.2 ± 1.4 vs 6.4 ± 1.2 min; P = 0.51) between the 2 groups. No internal fixation related complication occurred and bony fusion was detected in lateral X-ray in all patients. In the control group, 2 patients had transient nerve root deficit, 14 patients at 3-month follow-up and 3 patients at 2-year follow-up experienced graft donor site morbidity, and pain killer medicine was always required.In conclusion, the modified trephine obviously shortens surgery time, and prevents graft donor site morbidity when compared to a high-speed drill. The learning curve for using the modified trephine in PSO procedure is short.     

Abatacept Improves Whole-Body Insulin Sensitivity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Observational Study

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by increased insulin resistance, a well-known risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of abatacept on insulin sensitivity in RA patients with moderate to severe disease despite treatment with methotrexate.Fifteen RA patients were recruited for the present study. Patients were evaluated at time 0 and after 6 months of the treatment with i.v. abatacept at the dosage recommended for weight range. Evaluation included oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at both time points. Insulin sensitivity was estimated with insulin sensitivity index (ISI) by Matsuda, a measure of whole-body insulin sensitivity.ISI significantly increased after the treatment with abatacept from 3.7 ± 2.6 to 5.0 ± 3.2 (P = 0.003) with a mean difference of 1.23. Analysis of glucose and insulin values during OGTT revealed a reduction of both glucose (303.9 ± 73.4 mg/dL min versus 269.2 ± 69.5 mg/dL min, P = 0.009) and insulin (208.4 ± 119.7 mg/dL min versus 158.0 ± 95.3 mg/dL min, P = 0.01) area under the curves (AUCs). Accordingly also glycated hemoglobin significantly improved (5.5 ± 0.4% versus 5.3 ± 0.3%, P = 0.04). No significant differences were found for measures of β-cell function insulinogenic index (1.11 ± 1.19 versus 1.32 ± 0.82, P = 0.77) and oral disposition index (2.0 ± 5.4 versus 6.0 ± 6.0, P = 0.25).Treatment with abatacept seems to be able to improve whole-body insulin sensitivity in RA patients without affecting β-cell function.     

Sagittal Balance in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Radiographic Study of Spinopelvic Compensation After Selective Posterior Fusion of Thoracolumbar/Lumbar (Lenke 5C) Curves

The relationship between spinal sagittal alignment and pelvic parameters is well known in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. However, few studies have reported the sagittal spinopelvic relationship after selective posterior fusion of thoracolumbar/lumbar (TL/L) curves.We evaluated the relationship between spinal sagittal alignment and the pelvis, and analyzed how the pelvic sagittal state is adjusted in Lenke type 5C patients.We conducted a retrospective study of 36 patients with Lenke type 5C curves who received selective posterior TL/L curve fusion. Coronal and spinopelvic sagittal parameters were pre and postoperatively compared. Pearson coefficients were used to analyze the correlation between all spinopelvic sagittal parameters before and after surgery. We also evaluated 3 pelvic morphologies (anteverted, normal, and retroverted) before and after surgery.Preoperatively, the mean pelvic incidence was 46.0°, with a pelvic tilt and sacral slope (SS) of 8.2° and 37.8°, respectively, and 25% (9/36) of patients had an anteverted pelvis, whereas the other 75% had a normal pelvis. Postoperatively, 42% (15/36) of patients had a retroverted pelvis, 53% (19/36) had a normal pelvis, and 2 patients had an anteverted pelvis. Logistic regression analyses yielded 2 factors that were significantly associated with the risk for a postoperative unrecovered anteverted pelvis, including increased lumbar lordosis (LL) (odds ratio [OR] 4.8, P = 0.029) and increased SS (OR 5.6, P = 0.018). Four factors were significantly associated with the risk of a postoperative newly anteverted pelvis, including LL at the final follow-up (OR 6.9, P = 0.009), increased LL (OR 8.9, P = 0.003), LL below fusion (OR 9.4, P = 0.002), and increased SS (OR 11.5, P = 0.001).The pelvic state may be adjusted after selective posterior TL/L curve fusion in Lenke 5C adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. It is difficult to improve an anteverted pelvis in patients who have an LL that is increased by more than 11.6° or an SS that is increased by more than 4.7° after surgery. The anteverted pelvic state will generally occur with posterior correction surgery for patients with an LL that is greater than 63.7°, or an LL or SS that is respectively increased by more than 17.6° or 9.0° postoperatively.     

Analysis of 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Hospital-Based Study

In the present study, we aimed to verify associations between ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a hospital-based population.This was a cross-sectional observational study on children aged 4 to 16 years with OSA-related symptoms from a tertiary referral medical center. All children received overnight polysomnography and 24-hour recording of ABP. Severity of the disease was classified as primary snoring (apnea-hypopnea index, AHI <1), mild OSA (AHI 1–5), and moderate-to-severe OSA (AHI >5).For 195 children enrolled in this study (mean age, 7.8 ± 3.4 years; 69% boy), ABP increased as severity of OSA increased. During daytime, children with moderate-to-severe OSA had significantly higher systolic blood pressure (BP) (117.0 ± 12.7 vs 110.5 ± 9.3 mmHg), mean arterial pressure (MAP) (85.6 ± 8.1 vs 81.6 ± 6.8 mmHg), and diastolic BP load (12.0 ± 9.6 vs 8.4 ± 10.9 mmHg) compared with children with primary snoring. During nighttime, children with moderate-to-severe OSA had significantly higher systolic BP (108.6 ± 15.0 vs 100.0 ± 9.4 mmHg), MAP (75.9 ± 9.6 vs 71.1 ± 7.0 mmHg), systolic BP load (44.0 ± 32.6 vs 26.8 ± 24.5 mmHg), systolic BP index (0.5 ± 13.1 vs −6.8 ± 8.5 mmHg), and higher prevalence of systolic hypertension (47.6% vs 14.7 %) compared with children with primary snoring. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed an independent association between AHI and nighttime systolic BP and MAP after adjusting for adiposity variables.This large hospital-based study showed that children with moderate-to-severe OSA had a higher ABP compared with children who were primary snorers. As elevated BP in childhood predicts future cardiovascular risks, children with severe OSA should be treated properly to prevent further adverse cardiovascular outcomes.