Amorphous oxide--a platform for drug delivery.

Usually, a drug is loaded onto the metallic surface of a medical device by applying a polymer layer containing the drug. Unfortunately, polymer coatings on the metallic surface may exhibit numerous problems after implantation, such as late thrombosis, inflammation, and restenosis. Current research was conducted to investigate whether a suitable oxide layer can be used as a polymer-free platform for drug loading, especially for cardiovascular stents. The loading of heparin onto, as well as eluting of heparin from, the amorphous oxide film on the 316LVM stainless steel wire was confirmed by experimental studies using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and activated clotting time (ACT). Evidence shows that amorphous oxide can be an ideal substitute for the polymer coating of drug-loaded stents to minimize metallic corrosion, inflammation, late-thrombosis, and restenosis.     

Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract sparing only the esophagus: a case report

Lymphomas presented in any organ or tissue other than lymph nodes or the spleen are considered primary extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and the most common non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are of the gastrointestinal tract. The most common histological subtypes are marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and typically only one to two organs are affected. Patients present with a wide variety of vague complaints, making early diagnosis problematic. Herein, we report the case of a 76-year-old male with extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma involving the entire gastrointestinal tract, sparing only the esophagus, who was Helicobacter pylori-negative. He underwent six courses of chemotherapy with R-CHOP regimen, and achieved complete remission.     

Significance of preoperative biopsy in radiological solid-dominant clinical stage I non-small-cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVESThe present study aimed to clarify the association between preoperative biopsy and surgical outcomes in clinical stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with different proportions of ground-glass opacity (GGO).Open in a separate windowMETHODSData on patients who underwent pulmonary resection for NSCLC from 2006 to 2016 were drawn from a prospective registered database and analysed retrospectively. Patient characteristics collected included tumour size, location and staging, surgical approach, consolidation–tumour ratio, histopathology and the presence or absence of preoperative biopsy to identify the independent prognostic factors of disease-free survival (DFS) and cancer-specific survival. A 1:1 propensity score matching was conducted between the preoperative biopsy and reference groups based on their baseline characteristics measured before the decision for preoperative biopsy.RESULTSA total of 1427 patients were collected to achieve an overall 5-year DFS as 84.5% (median follow-up: 67.3 months), stratified to be 99.5% in the GGO-dominant group (n = 430) and 78.2% in the solid-dominant group (n = 997). Only 2 patients (0.5%) in the GGO-dominant group experienced tumour recurrence. For solid-dominant tumours matched with propensity scores (279 in preoperative biopsy vs 279 in reference group), the independent predictors of DFS included preoperative biopsy, sublobar resection, pathological staging and angiolymphatic invasion. Preoperative biopsy was a predictor of cancer-specific survival in univariable analysis but was not in multivariable analysis. Significant differences were also found between matched groups in those with late-delay surgery, but not in patients receiving preoperative biopsy with early-delay surgery (≤21 days).CONCLUSIONPreoperative biopsy may worsen surgical outcomes in patients with clinical stage I, solid-dominant NSCLC.     

Cholecystectomy reduces subsequent cholangiocarcinoma risk in choledocholithiasis patients undergoing endoscopic intervention

BACKGROUNDCholangiocarcinoma is a disease with a high mortality rate. Our previous study revealed that cholelithiasis patients who undergo endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES)/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation are at a higher risk for subsequent cholangiocarcinoma than cholelithiasis patients who undergo cholecystectomy.AIMTo clarify the relationship between recurrent biliary events and subsequent cholangiocarcinoma risk in choledocholithiasis patients.METHODSFrom one million random cases in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database 2004–2011, we selected symptomatic choledocholithiasis patients older than 18 years who were admitted from January 2005 to December 2009 (study group). Cases for a control group were defined as individuals who had never been diagnosed with cholelithiasis, matched by sex and age in a 1:3 ratio. The study group was further divided into ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation, both ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation and cholecystectomy, and no intervention groups.RESULTSWe included 2096 choledocholithiasis patients without previous intervention or cholangiocarcinoma. A total of 12 (2.35%), 11 (0.74%), and 1 (1.00%) subsequent cholangiocarcinoma cases were diagnosed among 511 ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation patients, 1485 patients with no intervention, and 100 ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation and cholecystectomy patients, respectively. The incidence rates of recurrent biliary event were 527.79/1000 person-years and 286.69/1000 person-years in the subsequent cholangiocarcinoma and no cholangiocarcinoma group, showing a high correlation between subsequent cholangiocarcinoma risk and recurrent biliary events.CONCLUSIONCholedocholithiasis patients who undergo further cholecystectomy after ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation have decreased subsequent cholangiocarcinoma risk due to reduced recurrent biliary events.     

Predictors of response and survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with nivolumab: real-world experience

Real-world predictors of the treatment efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are unknown. This retrospective study enrolled 87 consecutive patients with unresectable HCC from May 2017 to December 2019 at two hospitals. Of the 87 patients, 7, 9, 60, and 11 patients had Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stages A, B, C, and D, respectively, and 45, 30, and 10 patients were Child-Pugh class A, B, and C, respectively. The median injection numbers of nivolumab and treatment duration were 6 (3-8) and 2.53 (1.47-4.23) months, respectively, and 64.4% of patients received combination therapy. Radiological imaging was not assessed for 25 patients. Objective response (OR) and disease control rates were 19.5% and 39.1%, respectively. A single tumor (odds ratio: 9.542, P = .015) and ≥20% decline in serum α-fetoprotein protein (AFP) levels within the first 3 months of treatment (defined as AFP response, odds ratio: 5.997, P = .042) were predictors of OR. Lack of macrovascular invasion, combination therapy, and AFP response were predictors of progression-free survival. A Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score of 0-2 (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.717, P = .004) and grade 1-2 immune-related adverse events (irAEs, HR: 2.217, P = .049) were predictors of overall survival (OS) in the entire cohort, and a CLIP score of 0-2 (HR: 3.257, P = .009) was a predictor of OS in evaluable patients. IrAEs ≥ grade 3 were noted in 14 patients, and three died as a result. Having a single tumor and AFP response were predictors of OR, and CLIP score was a predictor of OS.     

Surgeon Elective Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Volume and Outcomes of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair: A 12-year Nationwide Study

Background

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of surgeon elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair volume on outcomes after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) repair.

Methods

A nationwide claims database was used to identify patients who underwent rAAA repair from 1998 to 2009. Surgeon elective open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EAR) volume was classified as low, medium, or high. Associations between surgeon EAR volume and in-hospital mortality, overall survival, and complications after open rAAA repair (RAR) were compared with multivariate analysis. Associations between surgeon elective endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EER) volume and outcomes after endovascular rAAA repair (RER) were also analyzed.

Results

A total of 537 patients who underwent rAAA repair were identified, including 498 who underwent RAR and 39 who underwent RER. In-hospital mortality rates after RAR were 49, 38, and 24 % in the low, medium, and high EAR volume groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Patients in the low surgeon EAR volume group had higher in-hospital mortality than those in the high surgeon EAR volume group [odds ratio 3.39, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.52, 7.59; p = 0.003]. Patients in the low surgeon EAR volume group also had higher long-term mortality (hazard ratio 1.86, 95 % CI 1.21, 2.85; p = 0.005). There were no significant differences in complication rates among the surgeon EAR volume groups or in-hospital mortality after RER among the surgeon EER volume groups.

Conclusions

Surgeon EAR volume is associated with in-hospital mortality and long-term survival after RAR.     

Endovascular stenting for nutcracker syndrome

Nutcracker syndrome (NCS) is a rare pathology manifested by pain or hematuria in males and females alike. It can be easily overlooked, and should be considered in young men or women with symptoms of extended duration. We present a case of a 54-year-old female with chronic lower abdominal pain radiating to the left thigh of 4 years in duration. Computed tomography (CT) eventually revealed engorged left renal, gonadal, and uterine veins due to compression between the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and the abdominal aorta, consistent with NCS. After a successful endovascular stenting and a 6-month period of antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy, the patient returned to stable health. NCS, while rare, should be suspected in patients of both sexes with persistent pain or hematuria.     

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A: a clinical, electrophysiological, pathological, and genetic study

Various clinical manifestations, electrophysiological findings, and sural nerve biopsies are reported in a Taiwanese family with type 1A Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT-1A). In addition, molecular genetic studies for duplication of the peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) gene were also performed. There were 3 patients (2 men and 1 woman) with ages at onset ranging from 37 to 44 years. The onset of symptoms was insidious, and the neurological manifestations included distal muscle weakness and wasting, mild sensory loss, and hyporeflexia or areflexia. The severity of clinical manifestations varied from mild to severe, although with very prominent demyelinating polyneuropathy in electrophysiological studies. The sural nerve biopsy study revealed demyelination and an onion-bulb appearance. The molecular genetic studies confirmed duplication of the PMP22 gene in chromosome 17p11.2-12. We conclude that the clinical presentations, electrophysiological studies, and pathological studies as well as the molecular genetic analysis remain important in the clinical diagnosis of CMT-1A.