Accuracy of hyaluronic acid level for predicting liver fibrosis stages in patients with hepatitis C virus

Background

In patients with chronic hepatitis C virus, liver biopsy is the gold standard for assessing liver disease stage; nevertheless, it is prone to complications, some of them serious. Non-invasive methods have been proposed as surrogate markers for liver fibrosis. It was shown that serum hyaluronic acid (HA) level increases with the development for liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of HA as well as to determine the HA level cut-off for predicting the presence or absence of fibrosis, severe fibrosis, and cirrhosis.

Results

405 patients with chronic hepatitis C were prospectively included with biomarker measurement and liver biopsy done the same day: 151 in the training set (only biopsy lengths of 25 mm or more) and 254 in the validation set. For the discrimination of significant fibrosis, severe fibrosis, and cirrhosis in the training set, the areas under curve (AUCs) were 0.75 ± 0.03, 0.82 ± 0.02, and 0.89 ± 0.03, respectively. Absence of significant fibrosis, severe fibrosis, and cirrhosis can be predicted by HA levels of 16, 25, and 50 μg/l, respectively (with negative predictive values of 82%, 89%, and 100%, in the same order). Presence of significant fibrosis, severe fibrosis, and cirrhosis can be predicted by HA levels of 121, 160, and 237 μg/l, respectively (with positive predictive values of 94%, 100%, and 57%, in the same order).

Conclusion

In the validation set, HA was accurate in predicting significant fibrosis, severe fibrosis, and cirrhosis with AUCs of 0.73, 0.77, and 0.97, respectively. Moreover, accurate HA level cut-offs were defined for predicting significant fibrosis, severe fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Thus, the study supports that HA level may be clinically useful as a non-invasive marker for liver fibrosis and/or cirrhosis.     

Intraosseous access using butterfly needle.

Butterfly needle (18 G) was used for intraosseous administration of fluids and drugs in 22 children with shock. All except one patient could be stabilized successfully. Fifteen children had severe dehydration because of diarrhoea. The intraosseous route needs to be popularized as an option for rehydration in areas, where diarrhoeal dehydration continues to be an important cause of child mortality.     

Acute pancreatitis in children

OBJECTIVES: Currently, there is no scoring system for predicting severity in acute pancreatitis in children. Our intent was to evaluate the performance of existing scoring systems in children, to develop a system for children, and to examine the etiology of acute pancreatitis in children. METHODS: A chart review of children with acute pancreatitis was conducted at six centers, three serving as criterion centers and three as validation centers. Ranson and Glasgow scores were calculated for each admission. Additional clinical data were collected, and parameters correlating with severity were incorporated into a new scoring system. Performance characteristics were calculated for each system. RESULTS: A total of 301 admissions were reviewed, 202 in the criterion group and 99 in the validation group. Eight parameters were included in a new scoring system for children. The parameters were as follows: age (<7 yr), weight (<23 kg), admission WBC (>18,500), admission LDH (>2,000), 48-h trough Ca2+ (<8.3 mg/dl), 48-h trough albumin (<2.6 g/dl), 48-h fluid sequestration (>75 ml/ kg/48 h), and 48-h rise in BUN (>5 mg/dl). When the cut-off for predicting a severe outcome was set at 3 criteria, the new system had better sensitivity versus Ranson and Glasgow scores (70% vs 30% and 35%, respectively) and a better negative predictive value (91% vs 85% and 85%). The specificity (79% vs 94% and 94%) and positive predictive value (45% vs 57% and 61%) fell slightly. CONCLUSION: The new scoring system performs better in this group than do existing systems.     

Ultrasonographic Quantification of Hepatic–Renal Echogenicity Difference in Hepatic Steatosis Diagnosis

Background and Aim

Ultrasound (US) is recommended for hepatic steatosis screening. The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of US hepatic-renal echo-intensity (HR) difference in the quantitative assessment of hepatic steatosis.

Methods

Consecutive patients undergoing liver biopsy were prospectively enrolled. Using US histogram technique, the mean gray level of hepatic parenchyma and right renal parenchyma at selected regions of interest were evaluated on the same day of biopsy. With steatosis assessed by histology as the reference, the diagnostic performances of HR difference in predicting the degree of steatosis was analyzed. The optimal cut-off level, diagnostic validity and post-test probability were assessed.

Results

A total of 175 patients were enrolled (M/F, 103/72; mean age, 48.6 ± 11.7). There were 64 (36.5 %), 42 (24 %), 29 (16.6 %), 12 (6.9 %) and 28 (16 %) patients with steatosis of <5, 5–9, 10–19, 20–29 and ≥30 %, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed HR difference correlated with the severity of steatosis (R ² = 0.425, p < 0.001) with positive correlation between HR difference and the severity of steatosis (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). The diagnostic performances were 0.927, 0.890, 0.816 and 0.760 for steatosis ≥30, ≥20, ≥10 and ≥5 %, respectively. The cut-off is 7 for diagnosing steatosis ≥30 %, with a negative predictive value of 97.6 %. The cut-off is 4 in predicting steatosis ≥5 %, with a positive predictive value of 79 %. The prevalence of steatosis influenced the post-test probability.

Conclusions

Quantitative assessment of HR difference with US histogram technique is useful in excluding moderate to severe hepatic steatosis.     

血栓弹力图对老年重症患者深静脉血栓形成的预测价值

目的探讨血栓弹力图（thrombelastogram, TEG）对老年重症患者深静脉血栓（deep vein thrombosis, DVT）形成的预测价值。 方法选取2017年2月至2018年5月嘉兴市第一医院收治的59例老年重症患者作为研究对象,收集其入院1、3、5、7 d的静脉血,记录TEG和常规凝血试验（conventional coagulation test, CCT）的检测结果。采用t检验/秩和检验或χ²检验比较DVT组与非DVT组患者TEG和CCT各指标的差异。采用ROC曲线评价TEG与CCT各项指标对老年重症患者DVT的预测价值。 结果CCT检测结果显示,DVT组与非DVT组仅D-二聚体水平的差异有统计学意义（t=2.345,P<0.05）;TEG检测结果显示,DVT组凝集块形成速度、最大振幅、综合凝血指数均明显高于非DVT组,差异有统计学意义（t=2.151、2.614,F=13.750;P<0.05）;两组患者仅入院第5天的最大振幅差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。ROC曲线分析结果可见临床预测DVT价值较好的指标依次为最大振幅、凝集块形成速度、综合凝血指数和D-二聚体,其敏感度分别为94.4%、50.0%、44.4%、95.1%,特异度分别为48.8%、85.4%、85.4%、33.3%,ROC曲线下面积分别为0.762、0.662、0.656、0.651。入ICU第5天最大振幅为67.5,是预测DVT发生的最佳临床诊断界值。 结论TEG预测老年重症患者DVT发生的准确性高于常规凝血试验指标。     

Incomplete remission with short-term prednisolone treatment in collagenous colitis: a randomized study

BACKGROUND: Microscopic colitis is a disease of unknown aetiology characterized by chronic watery diarrhoea and diarrhoea can be eliminated by budesonide but frequently recurs when budesonide is stopped. We studied whether prednisolone could induce remission in patients with disabling, chronic diarrhoea due to microscopic colitis. METHODS: A double-blind, randomized (3:1) trial of oral prednisolone 50 mg daily or placebo for 2 weeks. Remission was defined as stool weight < or = 200 g/day or frequency < or = 2/day; effect was defined as > 50% reduction of either stool frequency or weight. Six centres screened 31 consecutive patients and included 11 with collagenous colitis and 1 with lymphocytic colitis. Median duration of diarrhoea was 9 months. Patients had a normal colonoscopy, and no evidence of coeliac disease, bile acid or lactose malabsorption. Patients with gastrointestinal infection, previous gastrointestinal surgery, abnormal biochemical screening or recent treatment with immunosuppressive agents were excluded. RESULTS: Stool weight (grams) declined in 7 of 9 patients given prednisolone and in 1 of 3 receiving placebo; changes in median weight were from 430 to 278 and from 825 to 489, respectively. Stool frequency (per day) declined from 6 to 3 and from 8 to 5. Remission was obtained in 2 and 0, and effect in 5 and 0, respectively (NS; Fisher exact test). CONCLUSIONS: Prednisolone 50 mg daily for 2 weeks induces incomplete remission in patients with chronic diarrhoea due to collagenous colitis.     

重症病毒性肺炎患者28天死亡风险因素分析

目的： 分析重症病毒性肺炎患者28 d死亡风险因素。方法： 回顾性分析57例重症病毒性肺炎患者的临床病历资料，根据患者28 d内是否死亡分为存活组38例和死亡组19例。采用多因素Logistic回归分析确定重症病毒性肺炎患者死亡风险因素，并利用受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）评估各指标对患者28 d死亡风险的预测价值。 结果：与死亡组比较，存活组患者的年龄偏小、机械通气时间长、中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值（NLR）及血清淀粉样蛋白A（SAA）水平较低；氧合指数（PaO2/FiO2）、淋巴细胞计数（LYM）较高（P均<0.05）。二元Logistic回归方程分析显示入院时年龄、机械通气时间、NLR、SAA是重症病毒性肺炎患者28d死亡的独立危险因素（P均<0.05）。NLR预测重症病毒性肺炎患者28 d死亡风险的ROC曲线下面积为0.790，最佳截断值为11.12，敏感度81.62%，特异性63.24%。SAA预测重症病毒性肺炎患者28 d死亡风险的ROC曲线下面积为0.707，最佳截断值为171.00，敏感度73.77%，特异性58.10%。结论：年龄大、机械通气时间短、高水平的NLR和SAA是重症病毒性肺炎患者死亡的高危因素，其中高水平NLR对患者28 d死亡风险具有良好的预测价值。     

An early post-operative ACTH suppression test can safely predict short- and long-term remission after surgery of Cushing’s disease

Purpose

The present study evaluates the usefulness of an ACTH suppression test shortly after surgery, and to determine optimal cut-off values of included laboratory analyses, in predicting short- and long-term remission after surgery of Cushing’s disease.

Methods

A 48 h suppression test with betamethasone 2 mg/day applied after 45 transphenoidal adenomectomies in 28 patients was evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-curves were created for the included assays: plasma cortisol, plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and urinary free cortisol (UFC). Plasma levels of cortisol and ACTH were measured both at 24 and 48 h. Youden’s index was used to determine cut-off with the highest sensitivity and specificity in predicting short- (3 months) and long-term (5 years or longer) remission. The area under curve (AUC) illustrated the clinical accuracy of the different assays.

Results

Plasma cortisol after 24 h with betamethasone was most accurate in predicting both short- and long-term remission. 3 months remission with cut-off 107 nmol/L: sensitivity 0.85, specificity 0.94, positive predictive value (PPV) 0.96 and AUC 0.92 (95% CI 0.85–1). 5 years remission with cut-off 49 nmol/L: sensitivity: 0.94, specificity 0.93, PPV 0.88, AUC 0.98 (95% CI 0.95–1). Analyses of ACTH or UFC did not improve diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusions

A 48 h, 2 mg/day betamethasone suppression test after transphenoidal surgery of Cushing’s disease could predict short- and long-term remission with a high accuracy. Suppression of plasma cortisol after 24 h with betamethasone to values excluding Cushings disease in the diagnostic setting yielded the highest accuracy in predicting long-term remission.

     

终末期肝病模型评价慢性乙型重型肝炎的预后

目的 研究终末期肝病模型（MELD和MELD-Na）评分系统预测慢性乙型重型肝炎患者预后的价值。方法 采用药物治疗的慢性乙型重型肝炎住院患者42例,记录人院时、1、2和3周的MELD和MELD-Na评分,应用c-statistic（等同于ROC曲线下面积）评估每一预测模型的准确性。观察的终点时间为3个月。结果 患者入院时MELD和MELD-Na评分c-statistic分别为0.728和0.731;入院1周后c-statistic均为0.883。入院1周后判断患者3月内预后的最佳临界值分别是26.14（敏感性91.7%,特异性81.8%）和29.02（敏感性100.0%,特异性77.3%）。结论 MELD和MELD-NA评分系统可以预测慢性乙型重型肝炎短期预后,入院后1周评分优于入院时评分。     

Interleukin-6 significantly improves predictive value of systemic inflammatory response syndrome for predicting severe acute pancreatitis

Background

Predicting severe acute pancreatitis (AP) is important for triage, prognosis, and designing therapeutic trials. Persistent systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) predicts severe AP but its diagnostic accuracy is suboptimal. Our objective was to study if cytokine levels could improve the predictive value of clinical variables for the development of severe AP.

Soluble IL-2R Levels at Baseline Predict the Development of Severe Respiratory Failure and Mortality in COVID-19 Patients

Risk stratification of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients by simple markers is critical to guide treatment. We studied the predictive value of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) for the early identification of patients at risk of developing severe clinical outcomes. sIL-2R levels were measured in 197 patients (60.9% males; median age 61 years; moderate disease, n = 65; severe, n = 132, intubated and/or died, n = 42). All patients received combined immunotherapies (anakinra ± corticosteroids ± intravenous immunoglobulin ± tocilizumab) according to our local treatment algorithm. The endpoint was the composite event of intubation due to severe respiratory failure (SRF) or mortality. Median (interquartile range) sIL-2R levels were significantly higher in patients with severe disease, compared with those with moderate disease (6 (6.2) vs. 5.2 (3.4) ng/mL, p = 0.017). sIL-2R was the strongest laboratory predictive factor for intubation/death (hazard ratio 1.749, 95%CI 1.041–2.939, p = 0.035) after adjustment for other known risk factors. Youden’s index revealed optimal sIL-2R cut-off for predicting intubation/death at 9 ng/mL (sensitivity: 67%; specificity: 86%; positive and negative predictive value: 57% and 91%, respectively). Delta sIL-2R between the day of event or discharge minus admission date was higher in patients that intubated/died than in those who did not experience an event (2.91 (10.42) vs. 0.44 (2.88) ng/mL; p = 0.08)). sIL-2R on admission and its dynamic changes during follow-up may reflect disease severity and predict the development of SRF and mortality.     

Point-of-Admission Serum Electrolyte Profile of Children less than Five Years Old with Dehydration due to Acute Diarrhoea

Background/Objective: Fluid, electrolytes and acid base disturbances are responsible for most deaths due to acute diarrhoea. The aim of this study is to describe the point-of-admission serum electrolyte profile of children with dehydration due to acute diarrhoea. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the serum electrolyte levels of 185 children with dehydration due to acute diarrhoea were assessed at the point of admission at the Diarrhoea Treatment and Training Unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The age of the study population ranged from 29 days to 59 months. Results: Out of a total of 185 subjects, 30 (16.2%), 114 (61.6%), and 41 (22.2%) had severe, moderate and mild dehydration, respectively. In addition, hyponatraemic dehydration was the most common type of dehydration, accounting for 60.5% of cases. Metabolic acidosis and hypokalaemia occurred in 59.5% and 44.3% of cases, respectively. Only the serum bicarbonate level was significantly affected by degree of dehydration (p = 0.001). Age of more than 12 months and presence of vomiting were significantly associated with hyponatraemia (p = 0.005 & p = 0.02), while age of less than or equal 12 months and absence of vomiting were associated with metabolic acidosis (p = 0.04 & p = 0.03). Conclusion: The degree of dehydration appears to be a good predictor of the occurrence of metabolic acidosis while age is a risk factor for hyponatraemia and metabolic acidosis.     

Factors predictive of obstructive sleep apnea in patients undergoing pre-operative evaluation for bariatric surgery and referred to a sleep laboratory for polysomnography

Objective:

To identify the main predictive factors for obtaining a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients awaiting bariatric surgery.

Methods:

Retrospective study of consecutive patients undergoing pre-operative evaluation for bariatric surgery and referred for in-laboratory polysomnography. Eight variables were evaluated: sex, age, neck circumference (NC), BMI, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score, snoring, observed apnea, and hypertension. We employed ROC curve analysis to determine the best cut-off value for each variable and multiple linear regression to identify independent predictors of OSA severity.

Results:

We evaluated 1,089 patients, of whom 781 (71.7%) were female. The overall prevalence of OSA-defined as an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5.0 events/h-was 74.8%. The best cut-off values for NC, BMI, age, and ESS score were 42 cm, 42 kg/m², 37 years, and 10 points, respectively. All eight variables were found to be independent predictors of a diagnosis of OSA in general, and all but one were found to be independent predictors of a diagnosis of moderate/severe OSA (AHI ≥ 15.0 events/h), the exception being hypertension. We devised a 6-item model, designated the NO-OSAS model

(NC, Obesity, Observed apnea, Snoring, Age, and Sex), with a cut-off value of ≥ 3 for identifying high-risk patients. For a diagnosis of moderate/severe OSA, the model showed 70.8% accuracy, 82.8% sensitivity, and 57.9% specificity.

Conclusions:

In our sample of patients awaiting bariatric surgery, there was a high prevalence of OSA. At a cut-off value of ≥ 3, the proposed 6-item model showed good accuracy for a diagnosis of moderate/severe OSA.     

Incomplete Remission with Short-Term Prednisolone Treatment in Collagenous Colitis: a Randomized Study

Background: Microscopic colitis is a disease of unknown aetiology characterized by chronic watery diarrhoea and diarrhoea can be eliminated by budesonide but frequently recurs when budesonide is stopped. We studied whether prednisolone could induce remission in patients with disabling, chronic diarrhoea due to microscopic colitis. Methods: A double-blind, randomized (3:1) trial of oral prednisolone 50 &#114 mg daily or placebo for 2 weeks. Remission was defined as stool weight &#104 200 &#114 g/day or frequency &#104 2/day; effect was defined as >50% reduction of either stool frequency or weight. Six centres screened 31 consecutive patients and included 11 with collagenous colitis and 1 with lymphocytic colitis. Median duration of diarrhoea was 9 months. Patients had a normal colonoscopy, and no evidence of coeliac disease, bile acid or lactose malabsorption. Patients with gastrointestinal infection, previous gastrointestinal surgery, abnormal biochemical screening or recent treatment with immunosuppressive agents were excluded. Results: Stool weight (grams) declined in 7 of 9 patients given prednisolone and in 1 of 3 receiving placebo; changes in median weight were from 430 to 278 and from 825 to 489, respectively. Stool frequency (per day) declined from 6 to 3 and from 8 to 5. Remission was obtained in 2 and 0, and effect in 5 and 0, respectively (NS; Fisher exact test). Conclusions: Prednisolone 50 &#114 mg daily for 2 weeks induces incomplete remission in patients with chronic diarrhoea due to collagenous colitis.     

Predictive risk factors for clinically relevant pancreatic fistula analyzed in 1,239 patients with pancreaticoduodenectomy: multicenter data collection as a project study of pancreatic surgery by the Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery

Background/purpose

It is important to predict the development of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula (grade B/C) in the early period after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). This study has been carried out as a project study of the Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery (JSHPBS) to evaluate the predictive factors associated with clinically relevant pancreatic fistula (grade B/C).

Method

The data of 1,239 patients from 11 medical institutions who had undergone PD between July 2005 and June 2009 were retrospectively analyzed to review patient characteristics and perioperative and postoperative parameters.

Results

A drain amylase level >4,000 IU/L on postoperative day (POD) 1 was proposed as the cut-off level to predict clinical relevant pancreatic fistula by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of this cut-off level were 62.2, 89.0, and 84.8%, respectively. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that male [odds ratio (OR) 1.7, P = 0.039], intraoperative bleeding >1,000 ml (OR 2.5, P = 0.001), soft pancreas (OR 2.7, P = 0.001), and drain amylase level on POD 1 >4,000 IU/L (OR 8.6, P < 0.001) were the significant predictive factors for clinical pancreatic fistula.

Conclusion

The four predictive risk factors identified here can provide useful information useful for tailoring postoperative management of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula (grade B/C).     

Randomised controlled clinical trial of Lactobacillus sporogenes (Bacillus coagulans), used as probiotic in clinical practice, on acute watery diarrhoea in children

Objective To assess the clinical efficacy of Lactobacillus sporogenes (Bacillus coagulans), as probiotic preparation, against dehydrating diarrhoea in children. Methods Double‐blind, randomised, placebo‐controlled, hospital‐based clinical trial with children aged 6–24 months who had diarrhoea with some dehydration. Children received tablets of L. sporogenes (B. coagulans) or placebo (control group) and oral rehydration salt solution for correction of initial dehydration as well as maintenance therapy. Duration, frequency, volume of diarrhoea and intake of ORS of two groups were compared as outcome variables. Results One hundred and forty‐eight children participated, of whom 78 (Study group) received L. sporogenes (B. coagulans) and 70 received placebo (Control group). Differences in recovery rate (P = 0.2), duration (P = 0.5), frequency (P = 0.05), volume (P = 0.1) of diarrhoea, intake of ORS (P = 0.2) and other fluids (P = 0.1) were not significant between both groups. Neither did a subgroup analysis of children who had rotavirus as sole enteropathogens show any significant differences in duration (P = 0.5), frequency (P = 0.6), volume (P = 0.8) of diarrhoea, intake of ORS (P = 0.8) and other fluids (P = 0.8) among both groups. Conclusion L. sporogenes (B. coagulans), as an adjunct to ORS, had no therapeutic impact on management of acute dehydrating diarrhoea of diverse etiology including rotavirus associated diarrhoea in children.     

An early increase in serum levels of C-reactive protein is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of major complications and 100-day transplant-related mortality after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

We monitored levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in 96 consecutive adult allogeneic BMT patients (age 15-50 years) transplanted in our unit. Major transplant-related complications (MTC) occurred in 32% of cases and included: hepatic veno-occlusive disease, pneumonitis, severe endothelial leakage syndrome and >II acute GVHD. Transplant-related mortality (TRM) before day 100 post-BMT was 13.5%. Variables included in a stepwise logistic regression model were: gender, age, disease category, donor type, T cell depletion, TBI, use of growth factors, bacteremia, mean CRP-levels >50 mg/l between days 0 and 5 (CRP day 0-5) and >100 mg/l between days 6 and 10 (CRP day 6-10) post-BMT. Only high CRP-levels (for MTC and TRM) (P < 0.001) and donor-type (for TRM) (P= 0.02) were independent risk factors. The estimated probability for MTC was 73% (CRP day 6-10 >100 mg/l) vs 17% (CRP day 6-10 <100 mg/l). Using the same cut-off levels, the probabilities for TRM were 36.5% vs 1% in the identical sibling donor situation and 88% vs 12.5% in other donor-type transplants. We conclude that the degree of systemic inflammation, as reflected by CRP-levels, during the first 5-10 days after BMT identifies patients at risk of MTC and TRM. Our data may be useful in selecting patients for clinical trials involving pre-emptive anti-inflammatory treatment.     

Therapeutic methods for diarrhoea in children

Acute diarrhoea may manifest as acute watery diarrhoea or dysentery. The key to the management of acutewatery diarrhoea is correction of dehydration, proper feeding and appropriate use of antibiotic in selectedcases. Correction of dehydration may be done by oral route by using oral rehydration salts solution (ORS)recornmended by WHO/UNICEF or by intravenous administration of fluid and electrolytes, the preferredsolution being Ringer＇s lactate. Antibiotic is required for severe cholera and shigellosis. Antiparasitic drugsare required for amoebiasis or giardiasis. Use of various antidiarrhoeals is strongly discouraged. Feedingduring diarrhoea is very important. It does not worsen diarrhoea rather hastens recovery and preventsmalnutrition. Supplementation of zinc as an adjunct to rehydration therapy has also been suggested.     

Ultrasound,endoscopic ultrasound elastography,and the strain ratio in differentiating benign from malignant lymph nodes

Background and study aims

Endoscopic ultrasound elastography (EUS-elastography), or sono-elastography, has emerged in the past 2 decades as a qualitative method of estimating tissue stiffness. Strain elastography allows for semi-quantitative measurements of the average elasticity of a lesion, and previous studies have proposed the strain ratio (SR) for overcoming the limitations of the elasticity score. The main objective of this study is to assess the specificity, sensitivity and predictive values of the SR measured by EUS-elastography in differentiating benign from malignant lymph nodes (LNs). This study also aims to find significant ultrasonographic features other than the SR which could help in predicting LN malignancy.