A new model to predict acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery in patients with renal insufficiency

ObjectiveTo establish a simple model for predicting postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with renal insufficiency (CKD stages 3–4) who underwent cardiac surgery.MethodsA total of 330 patients were enrolled. Among them, 226 were randomly selected for the development group and the remaining 104 for the validation group. The primary outcome was AKI requiring RRT. A nomogram was constructed based on the multivariate analysis with variables selected by the application of the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Meanwhile, the discrimination, calibration, and clinical power of the new model were assessed and compared with those of the Cleveland Clinic score and Simplified Renal Index (SRI) score in the validation group. Results: The rate of RRT in the development group was 10.6% (n = 24), while the rate in the validation group was 14.4% (n = 15). The new model included four variables such as postoperative creatinine, aortic cross‐clamping time, emergency, and preoperative cystatin C, with a C-index of 0.851 (95% CI, 0.779–0.924). In the validation group, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the new model, SRI score, and Cleveland Clinic score were 0.813, 0.791, and 0.786, respectively. Furthermore, the new model demonstrated greater clinical net benefits compared with the Cleveland Clinic score or SRI score.ConclusionsWe developed and validated a powerful predictive model for predicting severe AKI after cardiac surgery in patients with renal insufficiency, which would be helpful to assess the risk for severe AKI requiring RRT.     

MicroRNA-144在结肠癌中的表达水平及临床意义

目的探讨microRNA-144在结肠癌中的表达水平及其与临床病理特征的相关性。方法提取38例结肠癌及其正常结肠黏膜组织标本的总RNA,采用逆转录实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(RT-qPCR)方法检测microRNA-144的表达量,并分析其与临床分期、分化程度、淋巴结转移等临床病理特征的关系。结果癌与癌旁正常结肠黏膜组织比较,microRNA-144在癌组织中高表达,相对表达量的中位数是2.30。其表达与TNM分期(P<0.05)、分化程度(P<0.05)相关,受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析显示,以相对表达量1.70为临界点时,microRNA-144作为评价结肠癌细胞分化程度,敏感性为88%,特异性为61.5%。结论 microRNA-144在结肠癌中的异常表达可能与结肠癌的发生、发展有关。     

Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatic Metastases: Factors Influencing Local Tumor Progression

Background

Although radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of nonresectable hepatic metastases has gained wide acceptance by showing survival benefit in selected patients, scattered reports are available regarding risk factors of local control of percutaneous RFA. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the factors influencing local tumor progression after percutaneous RFA of hepatic metastases.

Methods

Sixty-nine hepatic metastatic lesions in 54 patients were treated by percutaneous RFA. Efficacy was evaluated by contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging at 1 month after ablation, then at 3-month intervals for the first year and biannually thereafter.

Results

The results of the log-rank test showed that tumor size of <3 cm (p = 0.024) and the absence of tumor contiguous with large vessels (p = 0.002) significantly correlated with local control for hepatic metastases. Cox regression analysis showed that the tumor size <3 cm and the absence of tumor contiguous with large vessels were independent factors (p = 0.055 and 0.009, respectively). The results of the log-rank test showed that neither the threshold post-ablation margin of 1.8 cm (p = 0.064) nor the presence of a tumor with subcapsular location (p = 0.134) correlated with the success of local control.

Conclusions

Percutaneous RFA is more effective in achieving local control in patients with hepatic metastases when the tumor size is <3 cm and not contiguous with large vessels.     

Metabolic Risk Factors Are Associated with the Disease Severity and Prognosis of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Acute on Chronic Liver Failure

Background/AimsMetabolic risk factors could accelerate hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related mortality; however, their impacts on disease severity in HBV-related acute on chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) patients remain unexplored. In this study, we assessed the effects of metabolic risk factors on the outcome of HBV-ACLF patients.MethodsThis study retrospectively enrolled antiviral therapy naïve HBV-ACLF patients from a single center in China. Patients were evaluated according to Child-Turcotte-Pugh score, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, 30-day, 90-day mortality and survival rate to estimate the prognosis of HBV-ACLF. The impacts of different metabolic risk factors were further analyzed.ResultsA total of 233 patients, including 158 (67.8%) with metabolic risk factors and 75 (32.2%) without metabolic risk factors, were finally analyzed. Patients with metabolic risk factors had significantly higher MELD score (22.6±6.1 vs 19.8±3.8, p<0.001), 90-day mortality rate (56.3% vs 38.7%, p=0.017), and shorter median survival time (58 days vs 75 days hazard ratio, 1.553; 95% confidence interval, 1.061 to 2.274; p=0.036) than patients without them. Moreover, metabolic risk factors were independently associated with patients’ 90-day mortality (hazard ratio, 1.621; 95% confidence interval, 1.016 to 2.585; p=0.043). Prediabetes/diabetes and hypertension were related to higher rates of infection and worse renal function in HBV-ACLF patients.ConclusionsHBV-ACLF patients with metabolic risk factors, especially prediabetes/diabetes or hypertension, could have more severe disease and lower survival rates. In addition, the existence of metabolic disorder is an independent risk factor for HBV-ACLF patients’ 90-day mortality.     

Aldosterone biosynthesis in extraadrenal tissues

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低分子肝素与分次给予普通肝素治疗进展型脑梗死临床疗效对比

目的观察普通肝素钠与低分子量肝素钠治疗进展型脑梗死临床疗效及其安全性。方法将72例急性进展性脑梗死患者随机分为治疗组(36例)与对照组(36例),两组除常规治疗外,治疗组加用肝素钠50mg,2/d静脉滴注,连用5d。对照组给予低分于肝素钠5000U皮下注射,2/d,连用5d,于治疗前和治疗后14d比较两组神经功能缺缺损程度评分。结果治疗组神经功能缺损积分较对照组明显减少(P>0.05)。结论普通肝素分次静点较低分子量肝素钠治疗进展型脑梗死疗效好且相对安全。