Fibrosis Progression According to Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Transition Profile: A Randomized Trial of Everolimus Versus CsA

Markers of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) may identify patients at high risk of graft fibrogenesis who could benefit from early calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) withdrawal. In a randomized, open‐label, 12‐month trial, de novo kidney transplant patients received cyclosporine, enteric‐coated mycophenolate sodium (EC‐MPS) and steroids to month 3. Patients were stratified as EMT+ or EMT? based on month 3 biopsy, then randomized to start everolimus with half‐dose EC‐MPS (720 mg/day) and cyclosporine withdrawal (CNI‐free) or continue cyclosporine with standard EC‐MPS (CNI). The primary endpoint was progression of graft fibrosis (interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy [IF/TA] grade increase ≥1 between months 3–12) in EMT+ patients. 194 patients were randomized (96 CNI‐free, 98 CNI); 153 (69 CNI‐free, 84 CNI) were included in histological analyses. Fibrosis progression occurred in 46.2% (12/26) CNI‐free EMT+ patients versus 51.6% (16/31) CNI EMT+ patients (p = 0.68). Biopsy‐proven acute rejection (BPAR, including subclinical events) occurred in 25.0% and 5.1% of CNI‐free and CNI patients, respectively (p < 0.001). In conclusion, early CNI withdrawal with everolimus initiation does not prevent interstitial fibrosis. Using this CNI‐free protocol, in which everolimus exposure was relatively low and administered with half‐dose EC‐MPS, CNI‐free patients were overwhelmingly under‐immunosuppressed and experienced an increased risk of BPAR.

     

A Wearable Magnet-Based System to Assess Activity and Joint Flexion in Humans and Large Animals

Functional outcomes, such as joint flexion and gait, are important indicators of efficacy in musculoskeletal research. Current technologies that objectively assess these parameters, including visual tracking systems and force plates, are challenging to deploy in long-term translational and clinical studies. To that end, we developed a wearable device that measures both physical activity and joint flexion using a single integrated sensor and magnet system, and hypothesized that it could evaluate post-operative functional recovery in an unsupervised setting. To demonstrate the feasibility of measuring joint flexion, we first compared knee motion from the wearable device to that acquired from a motion capture system to confirm that knee flexion measurements during normal human gait, predicted via changes in magnetic field strength, closely correlated with data acquired by motion capture. Using this system, we then monitored a porcine cohort after bilateral stifle arthrotomy to investigate longitudinal changes in physical activity and joint flexion. We found that unsupervised activity declined immediately after surgery, with a return to pre-operative activity occurring over a period of 2 weeks. By providing objective, individualized data on locomotion and joint function, this magnet-based system will facilitate the in vivo assessment of novel therapeutics in translational orthopaedic research.     

Development of a New Index Based on Preoperative Serum Lipocalin 2 to Predict Post-LSG Weight Reduction

Obesity Surgery - Bariatric surgery is the most effective therapy for obesity, but targeted weight reduction is not always achieved. Serum lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is closely associated with obesity, but...     

多西他赛联合内分泌疗法治疗转移性激素敏感性前列腺癌的疗效研究

目的探讨多西他赛联合内分泌疗法治疗转移性激素敏感性前列腺癌的临床疗效。方法回顾性分析长海医院2004年1月至2018年7月收治的497例转移性激素敏感性前列腺癌患者的病例资料。患者确诊年龄为(72.1±8.7)岁。治疗前中位PSA为100.0(42.3~999.0)ng/ml。TNM临床分期分别为:T2期213例(42.9%)、T3期160例(32.2%)、T4期124例(24.9%);N0期319例(64.2%)、N1期144例(29.0%)、Nx期34例(6.8%);M0期100例(20.1%)、M1a期51例(10.3%)、M1b期332例(66.8%),M1c期9例(1.8%)、Mx期5例(1.0%)。穿刺Gleason评分≤7分146例(29.4%)、8分103例(20.7%)、≥9分248例(49.9%)。根据治疗方式分为2组,采用单独内分泌治疗(单独治疗组)459例,多西他赛联合内分泌治疗(联合治疗组)38例。采用倾向评分匹配方法,卡钳值设置为0.02,对两组数据实行1∶1匹配。共37对匹配成功,匹配后两组的年龄(P=0.102)、PSA(P=0.713)、T分期(P=0.113)、N分期(P=0.226)、M分期(P=0.514)、Gleason评分(P=0.612)、肿瘤负荷(P=0.812)比较差异均无统计学意义。采用log-rank和Breslow-wilcoxon检验比较两组的无进展生存期和肿瘤特异性生存期。绘制两组患者年龄、临床TNM分期、Gleason评分、肿瘤负荷及是否接受过姑息性电切手术等各亚组生存情况的森林图,并针对高肿瘤负荷亚组比较两组间的无进展生存期差异。结果匹配后单独治疗组和联合治疗组的中位随访时间分别为22.6个月和13.7个月;发生去势抵抗的患者例数分别为23例和17例;死亡患者例数分别为3例和6例。单独治疗组和联合治疗组患者进展为去势抵抗的中位时间差异无统计学意义(10.3个月与16.5个月,P>0.05);平均前列腺癌特异性生存期分别为21.9个月和14.8个月,但均未达到中位生存期,且差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。高肿瘤负荷亚组中,联合治疗组的中位无进展生存期明显优于单独治疗组(10.6个月与7.2个月,P=0.044),但低肿瘤负荷亚组中两组平均无进展生存期分别为10.5个月和12.6个月,均未达到中位生存期,且差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论多西他赛联合内分泌治疗可以延长高肿瘤负荷激素敏感性前列腺癌患者的无进展生存期,但低肿瘤负荷患者无明显获益。     

双人观察对肠镜息肉检出率影响的前瞻性研究

目的了解医护双人观察在结肠镜检查退镜过程是否可以提高息肉检出率。方法连续性收集内镜室诊断性结肠镜检查患者,前瞻性地随机分医护双人观察组和医生单人观察组,记录比较两组的息肉检出率。结果在4个月研究期间共完成985例诊断性结肠镜检查,其中271例检出息肉,总704枚。498例医护双人观察组和487例医生单人观察组的息肉检出率分别为30.5%和24.4%,差异有统计学意义(P=0.032)。在医生单人观察组中,护士证实医生在21例患者中共漏检息肉27枚。结论医护双人观察在结肠镜检查退镜过程中协助医生共同观察可以提高息肉检出率。