Mortality,length of stay and costs associated with acute graft-versus-host disease during hospitalization for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Objective: Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a common and life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The extent to which aGVHD increases inpatient costs associated with allo-HSCT has not been thoroughly evaluated. In this analysis, mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS) and costs associated with aGVHD during allo-HSCT admissions are evaluated.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of discharge records from the National Inpatient Sample database for patients receiving allo-HSCT between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2013. Allo-HSCT discharges with an aGVHD diagnosis were included in the aGVHD group and those without any graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) diagnosis comprised the non-GVHD group. Mortality, LOS and costs were compared between the two groups, as well as within subgroups, including age (<18 vs. ≥18 years) and survival status (alive vs. deceased) at discharge.

Results: Overall, mortality (16.2% vs. 5.3%; p?<?.01), median hospital LOS (42.0 vs. 26.0 days; p?<?.01) and median total costs ($173,144 vs. $98,982; p?<?.01) were significantly increased in patients with aGVHD versus those without GVHD during hospitalizations for allo-HSCT, irrespective of age group. Patients with aGVHD who were <18 years of age had a lower mortality rate but greater hospital LOS and total costs versus patients aged ≥18 years. Patients who died during allo-HSCT hospitalization had longer LOS and incurred greater costs than those who survived in both the aGVHD and non-GVHD groups.

Conclusion: Occurrence of aGVHD during allo-HSCT admissions resulted in a tripling of the mortality rate and a near doubling of hospital LOS and total costs. In addition, death during allo-HSCT hospitalizations was associated with greater healthcare utilization and costs. Effectively mitigating aGVHD may improve survival and substantially reduce hospital LOS and costs for allo-HSCT.     

Rabs and axonal regeneration

Membrane trafficking processes are presumably vital for axonal regeneration after injury, but mechanistic understanding in this regard has been sparse. A recent loss-of-function screen had been carried out for factors important for axonal regeneration by cultured cortical neurons and the results suggested that the activity of a number of Rab GTPases might act to restrict axonal regeneration. A loss of Rab27b, in particular, is shown to enhance axonal regeneration in vitro, as well as in C. elegans and mouse central nervous system injury models in vivo. Possible mechanisms underlying this new finding, which has important academic and translational implication, are discussed.     

Cefoperazone-sulbactam and risk of coagulation disorders or bleeding: a retrospective cohort study

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Limited evidence has suggested that cefoperazone-sulbactam causes coagulation disorders and bleeding.

Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective study to compare patients receiving cefoperazone-sulbactam versus those treated with cefoperazone-tazobactam or ceftazidime. Propensity-score matching was used to explore whether treatment with cefoperazone-sulbactam increased the risk of prothrombin time (PT) prolongation, coagulation disorders, and bleeding, or decreased platelets (PLT).

Results: The cohort included 23,242 patients. Among patients receiving cefoperazone-sulbactam, the risk of PT prolongation, coagulation disorders, decreased PLT, and bleeding was 5.3%, 9.2%, 15.7%, and 4.2%, respectively. Propensity-score matching analyses suggested that cefoperazone-sulbactam increased the risk of PT prolongation (aOR 2.26, 95% CI 1.61–3.18), coagulation disorders (aOR 1.81, 95% CI 1.43–2.30), and decreased PLT (aOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.25–1.72), but not increase bleeding (aOR 1.05, 95% CI 0.79–1.40) compared with ceftazidime. Patients receiving cefoperazone-sulbactam had higher risk of PT prolongation (aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.11–2.10), coagulation disorders (aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.21–1.95), but not decreased PLT (aOR 0.93, 95% CI 0.81–1.07) or bleeding (aOR 1.11, 95% CI 0.87–1.42), compared with those receiving cefoperazone-tazobactam.

Conclusion: Cefoperazone-sulbactam may be associated with a higher risk of PT prolongation and coagulation disorders compared with cefoperazone-tazobactam and ceftazidime.     

髋臼爆裂骨折伴股骨头脱位21例手术治疗体会

目的:通过对21例髋臼爆裂性骨折伴股骨头脱位的手术治疗,探讨处理此类损伤应注意的几个问题。方法:术前 X片及CT片明确骨折及脱位类型,采用患侧扩大的髂股入路或Langenbeck-Kocher入路,显露髂骨内外板及小骨盆内壁、髋臼前后柱,必要时显露坐骨大切迹,保持股骨头于脱位状态,直视下复位各骨折块尽量达到髓关节内软骨面光滑圆弧,在骨折复位状态下行内固定,之后使股骨头复位入髋臼,术后皮牵引,早期锻炼。结果:术后21例随访12～36个月, 骨折均愈合好,髋臼内壁形态光滑,元再脱位或创伤性关节炎症状出现。结论:髋臼爆裂性骨折伴股骨头脱位的病例,早期手术恢复髋臼内壁软骨面光滑圆弧可最大限度的恢复患肢功能,能有效地防止髓关节创伤性关节炎的发生,手术切口的选择是复位成功的关键,同时深静脉栓塞、坐骨神经的损伤及异位骨化的预防应予以重视。     

Phase I trial of doxorubicin-containing low temperature sensitive liposomes in spontaneous canine tumors.

PURPOSE: To determine the maximum tolerated dose, dose-limiting toxicities, and pharmacokinetic characteristics of doxorubicin encapsulated in a low temperature sensitive liposome (LTSL) when given concurrently with local hyperthermia to canine solid tumors. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Privately owned dogs with solid tumors (carcinomas or sarcomas) were treated. The tumors did not involve bone and were located at sites amenable to local hyperthermia. LTSL-doxorubicin was given (0.7-1.0 mg/kg i.v.) over 30 minutes during local tumor hyperthermia in a standard phase I dose escalation study. Three treatments, given 3 weeks apart, were scheduled. Toxicity was monitored for an additional month. Pharmacokinetics were evaluated during the first treatment cycle. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were enrolled: 18 with sarcomas and 3 with carcinomas. Grade 4 neutropenia and acute death secondary to liver failure, possibly drug related, were the dose-limiting toxicities. The maximum tolerated dose was 0.93 mg/kg. Other toxicities, with the possible exception of renal damage, were consistent with those observed following free doxorubicin administration. Of the 20 dogs that received > or = 2 doses of LTSL-doxorubicin, 12 had stable disease, and 6 had a partial response to treatment. Pharmacokinetic variables were more similar to those of free doxorubicin than the marketed liposomal product. Tumor drug concentrations at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg averaged 9.12 +/- 6.17 ng/mg tissue. CONCLUSION: LTSL-doxorubicin offers a novel approach to improving drug delivery to solid tumors. It was well tolerated and resulted in favorable response profiles in these patients. Additional evaluation in human patients is warranted.     

高压氧综合治疗持续植物状态30例疗效分析

目的评估高压氧综合治疗持续植物状态的疗效和探讨最佳治疗方案。方法回顾性分析了1999年—2005年应用高压氧治疗的30例持续植物状态病例,主要分析了原发病因、高压氧治疗次数以及高压氧治疗时机与疗效的关系。结果脑外伤组显效率和好转率明显高于非脑外伤组(P<0.05),开始治疗时间≤30d组及31～60d组好转率明显高于≥61d组(P<0.05)。结论高压氧综合治疗对脑外伤所致持续植物状态患者60d以内开始行高压氧治疗的患者疗效较好。     

从天价医药费事件折射出当前我国医疗机构存在的问题

目前，我国许多医院的医疗卫生工作人员在为患者进行医疗卫生服务的过程中，为了医院和个人的经济利益，存在着过度医疗消费现象。最典型的是哈尔滨医科大学第二附属医院发生的天价医药费事件。导致这种现象出现的原因是由于法律的不健全、制度的不完善等而导致的监督力度不够，加之有些医务工作者在经济利益的驱使下使自己的职业道德滑坡，从而导致了老百姓看病贵现象的出现。