Cancer-related neuropathic pain in out-patient oncology clinics: a European survey

Background

Although pain is frequently experienced by patients with cancer, it remains under-treated. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of cancer-related neuropathic pain (CRNP) in patients with chronic pain who attended an outpatient clinic for standard care in Europe (irrespective of the reason or stage of the cancer). The secondary aims of this study were to characterise pain and cancer in patients with CRNP (including treatment) and to evaluate the usefulness of the painDETECT (PD-Q) screening tool to help physicians identify a potential neuropathic component of cancer-related pain.

Methods

An observational, non-interventional, cross-sectional, multi-centre study of adult patients with cancer using patient and physician case report forms (CRFs). Patients with CRNP were identified by physicians’ clinical assessments after examining the completed PD-Q.

Results

A total of 951 patients visiting outpatient clinics across Europe were enrolled in this study between August 2010 and July 2011. Of these, 310 patients (32.60%; 95% confidence interval 29.62, 35.58) were identified as having CRNP. Twenty-nine of 39 (74.4%) physicians who completed the CRF relating to the PD-Q considered it a useful tool to help detect CRNP in daily practice and 28 of 39 (71.8%) indicated that they would use this tool in the future for most or some of their patients. Data from physicians before and after review of the completed PD-Qs showed a shift in clinical opinion (either to positive CRNP diagnosis [yes] or negative CRNP diagnosis [no]) in respect of 142 patients; about half of which (74) were categorised with an initial diagnosis of unknown. Opinions also shifted from a no to a yes diagnosis in 10 patients and from a yes to a no diagnosis in 51 patients.

Conclusions

Approximately one-third of adults with cancer experiencing chronic pain attending outpatient clinics as part of routine care were considered to have CRNP in the opinion of the physicians after considering scores on the PD-Q. While physicians did not consider the PD-Q to be a useful tool for all patients, shifts in diagnosis before and after the use of this tool indicate that it may help physicians identify CRNP, especially where there is initial uncertainty.

     

超声心动图自动心肌运动定量技术对尿毒症透析患者早期左心室收缩功能的评估

目的探讨超声心动图自动心肌运动定量技术（aCMQ）评估不同透析时间段的尿毒症患者左心室收缩功能的价值。 方法选择2018年5月至2019年2月在浙江省杭州市萧山区第一人民医院血液透析室接受透析治疗的尿毒症患者52例。根据其接受血透时间的不同分为3组,A组为透析时间≤3年的患者,共27例;B组为透析时间＞3年且≤7年的患者,共16例;C组为透析时间＞7年的患者,共9例;正常对照组共60例,既往均无心脏及肾疾病病史,常规心电图及超声心动图检查均未见明显异常。首先运用M型超声心动图,通过Teichholz法获得病例组及对照组左心室射血分数（LVEF）,然后启动X-Plane技术采集4个心动周期的四腔心及两腔心,根据心电图指示分别描记左心室舒张末期及左心室收缩末期,运用双平面Simpson法分别计算出病例组及对照组LVEF,最后运用aCMQ分别获取病例组及对照组研究对象的左心室整体长轴应变（LVGLS）、心尖两腔心长轴应变（LVAP2LS）、心尖四腔心长轴应变（LVAP4LS）及心尖三腔心长轴应变（LVAP3LS）,分析不同透析年限组尿毒症患者左心室长轴应变变化。多组间比较采用方差分析,组间两两比较采用LSD-t检验。 结果Teichholz法测得病例组与对照组LVEF分别为：A组（67.21±6.63）%;B组（64.73±6.47）%;C组（64.58±8.38）%;对照组（67.02±3.62）%。Simpson法测得病例组与对照组LVEF分别为：A组（64.71±4.93）%;B组（64.08±6.02）%;C组（63.91±7.49）%;对照组（66.17±3.14）%。病例组与对照组LVEF比较以及病例组间LVEF比较,差异均无统计学意义（P均＞0.05）。运用aCMQ得到病例组与对照组LVGLS分别为：A组（-20.79±2.70）%、B组（-20.03±3.58）%、C组（-18.32±3.71）%、对照组（-24.39±2.05）%;LVAP4LS分别为：A组（-22.09±2.76）%、B组（-20.11±3.94）%、C组（-19.49±3.73）%、对照组（-24.61±2.37）%;LVAP3LS分别为：A组（-19.32±3.85）%、B组（-19.28±4.37）%、C组（-16.61±4.40）%、对照组（-23.53±6.18）%;LVAP2LS分别为：A组（-20.09±2.53）%、B组（-19.57±2.65）%、C组（-18.09±4.01）%、对照组（-23.51±7.52）%。病例组LVGLS、LVAP2LS、LVAP4LS及LVAP3LS的测值均较对照组减低,差异具有统计学意义（A组 vs 对照组：t=-5.949、-3.844、-6.117、-4.863,P均＜0.001;B组 vs 对照组：t=-5.883、-5.619、-5.036、-4.650,P均＜0.001;C组 vs 对照组：t=-6.541、-5.081、-6.130、-4.854,P均＜0.001）,其中A组LVGLS、LVAP4LS和LVAP3LS测值比C组减低,差异具有统计学意义（t=-2.493、-2.405、-2.012,P=0.014、=0.018、=0.047）,A组与C组LVAP2LS测值比较,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）,A组与B组间以及B组与C组间在LVGLS、LVAP2LS、LVAP3LS、LVAP4LS测值比较,差异也均无统计学意义（P均＞0.05）。 结论aCMQ能早期发现尿毒症透析患者左心室收缩功能的异常,为临床早期预防及治疗心功能衰竭提供了新的途径。     

组合式输尿管软镜钬激光碎石术治疗肾结石47例

目的评价组合式输尿管软镜钬激光碎石术治疗肾结石的临床效果。方法回顾分析我院2012年11月—2013年5月采用组合式输尿管软镜钬激光碎石术治疗肾结石患者47例。结石位于肾中、上盏8例,肾下盏16例,肾盂20例,多肾盏结石3例。结石直径5.0~30.0(16.0±4.0)mm。硬膜外麻醉下,探及结石后使用200μm光纤,0.8~1.0 J/15~20Hz(12~20 W)功率钬激光将结石击碎。术后常规留置5~6 F双J管。术后3 d内尿路平片(KUB)评价碎石效果;术后4周B超或KUB评价结石排净率。结果本组47例中,结石探及率91.5%(43/47);单次碎石成功率93.2%(41/44);手术时间65~155(125±16)min。结论组合式输尿管软镜钬激光碎石术治疗肾结石疗效确切、并发症少,是一种安全、有效的方法。     

Kinase domain of the muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) is sufficient for phosphorylation but not clustering of acetylcholine receptors: Required role for the MuSK ectodomain?

Formation of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) depends upon a nerve-derived protein, agrin, acting by means of a muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase, MuSK, as well as a required accessory receptor protein known as MASC. We report that MuSK does not merely play a structural role by demonstrating that MuSK kinase activity is required for inducing acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering. We also show that MuSK is necessary, and that MuSK kinase domain activation is sufficient, to mediate a key early event in NMJ formation—phosphorylation of the AChR. However, MuSK kinase domain activation and the resulting AChR phosphorylation are not sufficient for AChR clustering; thus we show that the MuSK ectodomain is also required. These results indicate that AChR phosphorylation is not the sole trigger of the clustering process. Moreover, our results suggest that, unlike the ectodomain of all other receptor tyrosine kinases, the MuSK ectodomain plays a required role in addition to simply mediating ligand binding and receptor dimerization, perhaps by helping to recruit NMJ components to a MuSK-based scaffold.     

Transfusion‐associated graft vs. host disease in a patient with high‐grade B‐cell lymphoma. Should cellular products for patients with non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma be irradiated?

We present the case of a 64-year-old man who died from transfusion-associated graft vs. host disease (TA-GVHD) having been treated 2 years earlier for a high-grade, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We suggest that he was at increased risk of developing TA-GVHD as a result of the NHL and its subsequent treatment, and propose that patients with NHL should be added to those 'at risk' groups who receive irradiated cellular blood components.     

Serum selenium and colonic neoplastic risk

BACKGROUND: Selenium deficiency has been associated with cancer risk in several organs. This association was investigated in neoplasia of the colorectum. DESIGN: A case-control study is reported with two patient series, colorectal cancer and colorectal adenomatous polyps, and a control group found to be free of colorectal neoplasia. Diagnosis was determined by colonoscopy and histologic review of suspected neoplasms. Serum drawn at the time of colonoscopy was subsequently assayed for selenium content, and quartiles based on selenium were defined. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95 percent confidence intervals for adenoma related to selenium were calculated, controlling for known or suspected risk factors including gender, age, race, body mass index, family history, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, serum beta carotene, serum alpha tocopherol, and serum ferritin. RESULTS: There were 138 controls who had no neoplastic disease, 139 adenoma patients, and 25 cancer patients. For adenoma,comparing higher quartiles of selenium to the first (lowest selenium), the adjusted odds ratio for the second quartile was 1.7 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.8–3.7), the third quartile was 1.4 (0.7–3.2), and the fourth (highest selenium) quartile was 1.8 (0.9–4). The odds ratios for cancer patients were 0.8 for the second quartile, 1 for the third quartile, and 1.7 for the fourth quartile. CONCLUSION: No trend could be detected toward a protective effect of higher levels of serum selenium for colonic benign or malignant tumors.Supported by grants from The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Research Foundation, the Department of Clinical Investigation of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and Public Health Service Grant CA 36978.Address reprint requests to Dr. Nelson: 1740 West Taylor, Room 2204, M/C 957, Chicago, Illinois 60612.     

椎间撑开解剖复位对于退变性腰椎滑脱症价值的前瞻性比较研究

目的:通过前瞻性研究评价椎间撑开解剖复位对于退变性腰椎滑脱症价值。方法:2006年1月~2009年12月,对56例退变性腰椎滑脱症(II度以上)患者均施行经后路椎体间融合术(poster ior lumbar interbody fusion,PLIF),但随机选择是否在术中进行解剖复位的操作,复位组30例,对照组26例,随访时比较两组病例的影像学、JOA功能障碍评分及并发症。结果:56例均获得13~46个月(平均32月)随访。复位组的影像学结果及最终融合率均优于对照组(P<0.01)。末次随访时,两组患者都有较高的JOA功能障碍评分,复位组略优于对照组(P<0.01)。复位组和对照组的并发症发生率分别为10%和23.1%。结论:经后路椎体间融合术治疗退变性腰椎滑脱症术中进行解剖复位可以获得更为理想的影像学结果、植骨融合及生活质量。     

上颌中切牙180°扭转1例

上颌中切牙扭转病因尚不明确,有家族性倾向。除环境因素外,遗传基因的表达直接影响颅面骨发育以及错牙合畸形类型。本文报道左侧上颌中切牙180°扭转1例,并追溯其家族史,结合相关文献进行讨论。     

The uniqueness of subjective ageing: convergent and discriminant validity

Although a large body of research has demonstrated the predictive power of subjective ageing for several decisive developmental outcomes, there remains some controversy about whether subjective ageing truly represents a unique construct. Thus, information about the convergent and discriminant validity of different approaches to measuring subjective ageing is still critically needed. Using data from the 2014 wave of the German Ageing Survey, we examined how three established subjective ageing measures (subjective age, global attitude toward own ageing, multidimensional ageing-related cognitions) were inter-related as well as distinct from general dispositions (optimism, self-efficacy) and well-being (negative affect, depressive symptoms, self-rated health). Using correlational and multivariate regression analysis, we found that the three subjective ageing measures were significantly inter-related (r = |.09| to |.30|), and that each measure was distinct from general dispositions and well-being. The overlap with dispositional and well-being measures was lowest for subjective age and highest for global attitudes towards own ageing. The correlation between global attitudes towards own ageing and optimism was particularly striking. Despite the high convergent validity of the different dimensions of ageing cognitions, we nevertheless observed stronger associations between specific dimensions of ageing cognitions with negative affect and self-rated health. We conclude that researchers should be aware of the multidimensional nature of subjective ageing. Furthermore, subjective age appears to be a highly aggregated construct and future work is needed to clarify its correlates and reference points.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s10433-019-00529-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.