Plasma Level of Homocysteine Associated with Severe Vertebral Fracture in Postmenopausal Women

The aim of this cross-sectional cohort study was to clarify risk factors for severe vertebral fractures in postmenopausal Japanese women. Subjects were ambulatory volunteers age over 50 years who were recruited from a population of outpatients at a primary care institute. At registration, age, body mass index (BMI), bone mineral density (BMD), and present illness were investigated. Biochemical parameters including urinary levels of type I collagen cross-linked N-telopeptides (NTXs), and pentosidine and plasma levels of homocysteine were measured. Values were compared with different fracture grades (grade 0–3). A total of 1,475 postmenopausal women (66.6 ± 9.0 years) were included in the present study. Distributions of vertebral fracture grades were grade 1, 137 cases (9.3 %); grade 2, 124 cases (8.4 %); and grade 3, 162 cases (11.0 %). Age, BMI, BMD, NTX, pentosidine, and homocysteine were significantly associated with vertebral fracture in unadjusted analysis. In addition, a higher prevalence of hypertension was observed in patients with severe fracture. When comparing vertebral fracture grade 0 versus grade 2–3 by multiple regression analysis, pentosidine and homocysteine levels were a significant risk for moderate/severe vertebral fracture (odds ratio [OR] = 1.17, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.00–1.38, p = 0.049; OR = 1.22, 95 % CI 1.03–1.46, p = 0.013). Homocysteine levels were also a significant risk when comparing vertebral fracture grade 0 versus grade 3 (OR = 1.27, 95 % CI 1.04–1.58, p = 0.021). Plasma level of homocysteine was an independent risk for severe vertebral fractures.     

Safety measures for gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy

Aim: Owing to carelessness of endoscopists, invasive procedures, such as biopsy, are sometimes carried out inadvertently in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively evaluate the actual status of such careless mistakes and the efficacy of new safety measures. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted in 34 endoscopists at Toranomon Hospital about experiences of careless mistakes and experiences of anxiety before and after the procedure. ‘Anxiety before procedure’ was defined as the experience of discontinuing a given procedure because endoscopists remembered that the patient was receiving antithrombotic therapy, and ‘anxiety after procedure’ was defined as the experience of feeling anxious about the status of medication after the invasive procedure. A new measure was introduced at Health Management Center in August 2009. In this measure, endoscopists directly interview each patient about the status of medication just before examination, and attach forceps valves of one of two colors depending on the status of medication. A blue forceps valve is attached for patients undergoing antithrombotic therapy, and a conventional black forceps valve is attached for patients not undergoing antithrombotic therapy. Six months after introduction, a questionnaire survey was conducted in 10 endoscopists in this center. Results: Approximately half of endoscopists (18/34) experienced such careless mistakes. ‘Anxiety’ had been experienced by approximately 80%. After introduction, there was no report of careless mistakes and frequency of ‘anxiety’ evaluated by visual analog scale score decreased significantly. Conclusion: This new safety measure is expected to facilitate safer gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy.     

Developing a novel custom cutting guide for curved peri-acetabular osteotomy

Purpose

Curved peri-acetabular osteotomy (CPO) produces excellent clinical results, but the surgical procedure is technically demanding, and severe complications related to the osteotomy have been reported. To provide a safe, accurate surgical procedure, we have developed a novel method for setting the cutting line and direction. We have designed and made a custom cutting guide for individual patients. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of this new method and cutting guide.

Methods

The cutting line was designed on a full-scale three-dimensional plaster model made from computed tomography (CT) data for each case. The surface of each plaster model was colour-coded according to the distance from the centre of the femoral head. A custom cutting guide was designed based on this cutting line on the workstation. A titanium custom cutting guide was fabricated using rapid prototyping technology. The cutting guide directed the cutting direction of the osteotome. We evaluated the outcomes for seven consecutive hips in seven patients who underwent CPO using the system between April and December 2011. All peri-operative complications were recorded. The accuracy of the cutting line was evaluated using CT data obtained two weeks after the operation.

Results

There were no major complications related to the osteotomy such as posterior column fracture or intra-articular osteotomy. The actual cutting line corresponded almost exactly to the planned cutting line in all cases.

Conclusions

The colour-coded plaster model and the custom cutting guide were effective for avoiding severe complications associated with a CPO.     

Usefulness of an Inflammation-Based Prognostic Score (mGPS) for Predicting Survival in Patients with Unresectable Malignant Biliary Obstruction

Background

An inflammation-based prognostic score, the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), has been established as a useful tool for predicting postoperative outcome in patients with cancer. However, no studies have investigated the usefulness of the mGPS for prognostication in patients undergoing palliative surgery for unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (UMBO). The present study was conducted to investigate whether the mGPS is useful for predicting the postoperative survival of patients undergoing intraoperative placement of an expandable metal stent for UMBO, or not.

Methods

The mGPS was calculated as follows: patients with both an elevated level of C-reactive protein (CRP) (>1.0 mg/dL) and hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dL) were allocated a score of 2. Patients with only an elevated CRP level were allocated a score of 1, and patients without an elevated CRP level (≤1.0 mg/dL) were allocated a score of 0. Postoperative survival was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier analysis and log rank test. The significance of risk factors for postoperative survival was evaluated with the Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that patients with mGPS 0 (n = 36) and 1 (n = 7) had better postoperative survival (p = 0.017) than patients with mGPS 2 (n = 17). The 6-month and 1-year survival rates of patients with mGPS 0 and 1 were 58.1 and 27.3 %, and those for patients with mGPS 2 were 25.0 and 6.2 %, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that mGPS (0, 1/2) was a significant risk factor for postoperative survival (hazard ratio 3.271; 95 % CI 1.109–9.649; p = 0.032).

Conclusion

The mGPS is not only one of the most significant predictors of postoperative survival for UMBO patients receiving intraoperative biliary stenting but also a useful indicator capable of dividing such patients into two independent groups before surgery.     

Reconstructive considerations after resection of malignant melanoma in the head and neck

Little has been written about reconstructive methods after resection of melanomas in the head and neck region. We investigated reconstructive methods retrospectively related to the site and size of the melanomas resected by examining the medical records of 28 patients who had malignant melanomas of the head and neck resected at our hospital from 1984 to 2001. The tumour distribution was 12 in the cheek, 6 in the conjunctiva, 2 in the upper lip, 2 in the lower lip, one each in the lower eyelid, eyebrow, scalp, nose, and auricle. Reconstructive methods were 18 skin grafts, seven local flaps, and three free flaps. Three patients who had skin grafts required secondary reconstruction using free flaps. No local recurrences were observed. Reconstructions with local flaps give better aesthetical and functional results than free flaps and skin grafts. Immediate reconstruction with a flap is safe and it does not affect observation of local recurrences.     

Whole‐exome sequencing of a unique brain malformation with periventricular heterotopia,cingulate polymicrogyria and midbrain tectal hyperplasia

We report a case of an infant with unique and unreported combinations of brain anomalies. The patient showed distinctive facial findings, severe delay in psychomotor development, cranial nerve palsy and seizures. Brain magnetic resonance imaging performed at 5 days of age revealed complex brain malformations, including heterotopia around the mesial wall of lateral ventricles, dysmorphic cingulate gyrus, and enlarged midbrain tectum. The patient unexpectedly died at 13 months of age. Postmortem pathological findings included a polymicrogyric cingulate cortex, periventricular nodular heterotopia, basal ganglia and thalamic anomalies, and dysmorphic midbrain tectum. Potential candidate genes showed no abnormalities by traditional PCR‐based sequencing. Whole‐exome sequencing confirmed the presence of novel gene variants for filamin B (FLNB), guanylate binding protein family member 6, and chromosome X open reading frame 59, which adapt to the autosomal recessive mode or X‐linked recessive mode. Although immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the expression of FLNB protein in the vessel walls and white matter in autopsied specimens, there may be functional relevance of the compound heterozygous FLNB variants during brain development.     

Efficient palatal expansion with a quadhelix appliance: an in vitro study using an experimental dental arch model

This study used an experimental dental arch model to examine the orthodontic forces generated by a quadhelix appliance in terms of parallel expansion, fan expansion, or a combination of the two. Strain gauges were attached to experimental brass rods that represented the teeth arranged in the shape of an average dental arch to detect forces in the buccal, lingual, mesial, and distal directions. Orthodontic forces generated by different types of activation were compared by Scheffe's multiple test. The largest orthodontic force generated during parallel expansion was observed at the first molar in the buccal direction. When fan expansion was applied, significant orthodontic force was observed at the canine in the mesial and labial directions, whereas force in the mesial and lingual directions was noted at the first molar. When a combination of 3 mm parallel and 5 mm fan expansion was used, the forces generated at the canine and first and second premolar, and first molar were nearly equivalent. Depending on the type of malocclusion, the most appropriate expansion technique may be parallel or fan expansion or a combination of the two. When expanding the entire dental arch simultaneously, a combination of 3 mm parallel and 5 mm fan expansion may be the most suitable.