Epicardial adipose tissue is increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

ObjectiveMorbidity and mortality secondary to premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remain significant issues. The pathogenesis of CVD in SLE patients has not been fully explored. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is believed to contribute to atherosclerosis development, through a paracrine and systemic inflammatory effect. We measured EAT volume in 162 SLE patients and 86 matched controls to assess the association of EAT with markers of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular risk and immunoactivation.MethodsClinical and laboratory characteristics collected included anthropomorphic measures, disease activity and damage indices, blood pressure measurement, lipid profile, inflammatory indices, adipokine levels and measures of adiposity. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) and EAT volume were measured using non-contrast cardiac computed tomography.ResultsEAT volume was greater in patients with SLE [(mean ± SD) 96.8 ± 45.9 cm³] than controls (78.2 ± 40.7 cm³; P = 0.001). The EAT volume was 31% larger (95% CI, 16.5%–47.4%) in SLE patients than controls (P < 0.001 adjusted for age, sex, and race; after additional adjustment for waist circumference P = 0.007). Within SLE patients, after adjusting for age, race, sex, and waist circumference, EAT volume was associated with cumulative corticosteroid dose (P = 0.007), current corticosteroid use (P < 0.001), HDL cholesterol (P = 0.033), and triglycerides (P = 0.005). EAT was significantly correlated with CAC score (P < 0.001), but the association was attenuated after adjustment for Framingham risk score (P = 0.051).ConclusionThe increased EAT volume seen in SLE patients is associated with corticosteroid use. Corticosteroids could have adverse cardiovascular effects in SLE via an increase in EAT volume, a marker of risk in the general population.     

Bolton指数指导正畸的临床应用

正畸治疗的目标就是要达到口颌系统功能的平衡,以及实现牙齿、颅、面型的美观和理想的咬合。Bolton于20世纪提出前牙比和全牙比的概念,并被广泛采纳和接受,成为错畸形的诊断、设计和预测错畸形治疗的一个常规指标和重要方法。Bolton指数还受很多因素的影响,但其决定因素还有待研究。     

Serum uric acid: a marker of metabolic syndrome and subclinical atherosclerosis in Korean men

Serum uric acid (SUA) is a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis. We assessed the relationship between SUA and subclinical atherosclerosis in Korean men (n = 3010). Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and ultrasonographic measurements of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), respectively, are markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. Odds ratios (ORs) of CAC score and cIMT across SUA levels were 1.101 (P = .046) and 1.266 (P = .002), respectively, after adjustment for several variables. The independent association between CAC and cIMT was observed (OR = 1.231, P < .001). Serum uric acid was independently associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) with an OR of 1.415 (P < .001). Metabolic syndrome was only independently associated with cIMT, with an OR of 2.103 (P = .003). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein was positively correlated with SUA (r = .125, P < .001). Serum uric acid level is independently associated with CAC, cIMT, and MetS in Korean men.     

The effectiveness of the TAX 327 nomogram in predicting overall survival in Chinese patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Based on the results of TAX 327, a nomogram was developed to predict the overall survival of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer （mCRPC） after first-line chemotherapy. The nomogram, however, has not been validated in an independent dataset, especially in a series out of clinical trials. Thus, the objective of the current study was to validate the TAX 327 nomogram in a community setting in China. A total of 146 patients with mCRPC who received first-line chemotherapy （docetaxel or mitoxantrone） were identified. Because clinical trials are limited in mainland China, those patients did not receive investigational treatment after the failure of first-line chemotherapy. The predicted overall survival rate was calculated from the TAX 327 nomogram. The validity of the model was assessed with discrimination, calibration and decision curve analysis. The median survival of the cohort was 21 months （docetaxel） and 19 months （mitoxantrone） at last follow-up. The predictive c-index of the TAX 327 nomogram was 0.66 （95% CI： 0.54-0.70）. The calibration plot demonstrated that the 2-year survival rate was underestimated by the nomogram. Decision curve analysis showed a net benefit of the nomogram at a threshold probability greater than 30%. In conclusion, the present validation study did not confirm the predictive value of the TAX 327 nomogram in a contemporary community series of men in China, and further studies with a large sample size to develop or validate nomograms for predicting survival and selecting therapies in advanced prostate cancer are necessary.     

Laparoscopic ampullectomy for an ampullarian adenoma

Lesions involving the ampulla of Vater are rare entities (0.1–0.2 %) with high malignant potential (90 %) [1]. As a treatment, the surgical procedure known as duodenopancreatectomy was the main option, whatever the tumor’s stage or nature. Yet with improvements of endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, management of these lesions has been modified, enabling endoscopic removal of adenoma and adenocarcinoma-in situ. Thus, when endoscopic treatment is not possible, surgical ampullectomy is still an alternative option to duodenopancreatectomy [1, 2]. The continuous improvements in surgical techniques and instruments now allow the safe realization of laparoscopic ampullectomy, despite the few cases described in the literature [3, 4]. Here we present a surgical technique in a 52-year-old patient with an ampulloma. The ampulloma was discovered during a gastroscopy for abdominal pain. The endoscopic ultrasound with biopsy revealed a 15-mm adenoma with moderate-grade dysplasia. The thoracoabdominal CT scan was normal. The procedure was performed as shown. The tumor histology showed a R0 resection (5-mm surgical margin) of an adenoma with focal high-grade dysplasia. At 3-year follow-up, outcomes were unremarkable, without any complications.     

Surgical treatment of brain tumor coexisted with intracranial aneurysm—case series and review of the literature

Coexistence of brain tumor and intracranial aneurysm was previously considered as an uncommon phenomenon. Actually it is not rare in neurosurgical procedures, and its incidence rate may be underestimated. Furthermore, there remains a lack of consensus regarding numerous aspects of its clinical management. We performed a retrospective study of 12 cases of coexistent brain tumor and intracranial aneurysm in our database. Then a systematic PubMed search of English-language literature published between 1970 and 2012 was carried out using the keywords: “brain tumor” and “intracranial aneurysm” in combination with “associate” or “coexist.” A consensus panel of neurosurgeons, anesthetists, interventional neurologists, and intensivests reviewed this information and proposed a treatment strategy. In the majority of patients, clinical symptoms were caused by tumor growth, whereas aneurysm rupture was seen only in a few cases. Meningioma was the commonest tumor associated with aneurysm. In most patients, both lesions occurred within the adjacent area. Treatment of both pathologies in one session was performed in most patients. All of our patients were alive within the period of follow-up. Coexistence of brain tumor and intracranial aneurysm may be a coincidence. The treatment strategy should be designed according to the conditions of tumor and aneurysm, locations of both lesions, and pathologic nature of tumor.     

Impact of Adjuvant Radiotherapy on Survival after Pancreatic Cancer Resection: An Appraisal of Data from the National Cancer Data Base

Purpose

The impact of adjuvant radiotherapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC) remains controversial. We examined effects of adjuvant therapy on overall survival (OS) in PAC, using the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB).

Methods

Patients with resected PAC from 1998 to 2002 were queried from the NCDB. Factors associated with receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy (ChemoOnly) versus adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (ChemoRad) versus no adjuvant treatment (NoAdjuvant) were assessed. Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to examine effect of adjuvant therapy type on OS. Propensity scores (PS) were developed for each treatment arm and used to produce matched samples for analysis to minimize selection bias.

Results

From 1998 to 2002, a total of 11,526 patients underwent resection of PAC. Of these, 1,029 (8.9 %) received ChemoOnly, 5,292 (45.9 %) received ChemoRad, and 5,205 (45.2 %) received NoAdjuvant. On univariate analysis, factors associated with improved OS included: younger age, higher income, higher facility volume, lower tumor stage and grade, negative margins and nodes, and absence of adjuvant therapy. On multivariate analysis with matched PS, factors independently associated with improved OS included: younger age, higher income, higher facility volume, later year of diagnosis, smaller tumor size, lower tumor stage, and negative tumor margins and nodes. ChemoRad had the best OS (hazard ratio 0.70, 95 % confidence interval 0.61–0.80) in a PS matched comparison with ChemoOnly (hazard ratio 1.04, 95 % confidence interval 0.93–1.18) and NoAdjuvant (index).

Conclusions

Adjuvant chemotherapy with radiotherapy is associated with improved OS after PAC resection in a large population from the NCDB. On the basis of these analyses, radiotherapy should be a part of adjuvant therapy for PAC.     

胶质瘤干细胞研究进展

随着对肿瘤干细胞（tumor stem cells）理论的深入认识和分离、培养肿瘤干细胞实验技术的不断进步,胶质瘤内肿瘤干细胞的存在已经有较多的证据和研究。这方面的研究不仅有助于深化人们对胶质瘤发生、复发和侵袭机制的认识,更重要的是可能改变以往胶质瘤的治疗策略,影响十分深远。新近,有学者将来自胶质瘤的肿瘤干细胞或具有干细胞特性的胶质瘤细胞称为“胶质瘤干细胞（glioma stem cells,GSC）”,较好地反映了这类细胞的特性。     

70岁以上住院老年慢性病病人抑郁和焦虑的调查

随着医学科学技术的飞速发展和人民物质精神生活水平的日益提高，我国人口的平均预期寿命不断增长，现已接近70岁。据统计：目前我国老年病人口（我国以60岁以上为老年病人）总数已近I．3亿，约占总人口数的10．09％，而75岁以上老年病人以每年平均3．62％的速度增长，预测到2025年将上升到20％，2050年将达到顶峰25．5％。老年人是慢性病的主要患病人群。因此，本研究针对70岁以上患慢性病的住院普通老年人和住院离休干部进行调查，采用Brink老年抑郁量表（GDS）、Zung焦虑自评量表（SAS），以了解住院老年人中存在的焦虑、抑郁情况以及分析两组病人的性别、年龄、文化程度、婚姻状况、个人习惯和经济收入情况。现将结果报道如下。[第一段]