Contemporary Epidemiology of and Risk Factors Associated with Removal of a Pathologically Normal Appendix in Children with Suspected Appendicitis

BackgroundThe goal of this study was to characterize contemporary performance benchmarks and risk factors associated with negative appendectomy (NA) in children with suspected appendicitis.MethodsA multicenter retrospective cohort analysis of children undergoing appendectomy for suspected appendicitis was performed using data from the 2016–2021 NSQIP-Pediatric Appendectomy Targeted Public Use Files. Multivariable regression was used to evaluate the influence of year, age, sex, and WBC count on NA rate, and to generate rate estimates for NA based on different combinations of demographic characteristics and WBC profiles.Results100,322 patients were included from 140 hospitals. The overall NA rate was 2.4%, and rates decreased significantly during the study period (2016: 3.1% vs. 2021: 2.3%, p < 0.001). In adjusted analyses, the highest risk for NA was associated with a normal WBC (<9000/mm³; OR 5.31 [95% CI: 4.87–5.80]), followed by female sex (OR 1.55 [95% CI: 1.42–1.68]) and age <5 years (OR 1.64 [95% CI 1.39, 1.94]). Model-estimated risk for NA varied significantly across demographic and WBC strata, with a 14.4-fold range in rates between subgroups with the lowest and highest predicted risk (males 13–17 years with elevated WBC [1.1%] vs. females 3–4 years with normal WBC [15.8%]).ConclusionsContemporary NA rates have decreased over time, however NA risk remains high in children without a leukocytosis, particularly for girls and children <5 years of age. These data provide contemporary performance benchmarks for NA in children with suspected appendicitis and identify high-risk populations where further efforts to mitigate NA risk should be targeted.Level of EvidenceIII.     

Consenso multidisciplinar para el manejo de la tromboembolia de pulmón

We have updated recommendations on 12 controversial topics that were published in the 2013 National Consensus on the diagnosis, risk stratification and treatment of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). A comprehensive review of the literature was performed for each topic, and each recommendation was evaluated in two teleconferences. For diagnosis, we recommend against using the Pulmonary Embolism Rule Out Criteria (PERC) rule as the only test to rule out PE, and we recommend using a D-dimer cutoff adjusted to age to rule out PE. We suggest using computed tomography pulmonary angiogram as the imaging test of choice for the majority of patients with suspected PE. We recommend using direct oral anticoagulants (over vitamin K antagonists) for the vast majority of patients with acute PE, and we suggest using anticoagulation for patients with isolated subsegmental PE. We recommend against inserting an inferior cava filter for the majority of patients with PE, and we recommend using full-dose systemic thrombolytic therapy for PE patients requiring reperfusion. The decision to stop anticoagulants at 3 months or to treat indefinitely mainly depends on the presence (or absence) and type of risk factor for venous thromboembolism, and we recommend against thrombophilia testing to decide duration of anticoagulation. Finally, we suggest against extensive screening for occult cancer in patients with PE.     

中国抗癌协会神经内分泌肿瘤诊治指南（2022年版）

神经内分泌肿瘤（neuroendocrine neoplasm,NEN）是一类起源于肽能神经元和神经内分泌细胞,具有神经内分泌分化并表达神经内分泌标志物的少见肿瘤,可发生于全身各处,以肺及胃肠胰NEN（gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm, GEP-NEN）最常见。国内外研究数据均提示,NEN的发病率在不断上升。美国流行病学调查结果显示,与其他类型肿瘤相比,NEN的发病率上升趋势更为显著。中国抗癌协会神经内分泌肿瘤专委会在现有循证医学证据基础上,结合已有国内外指南和共识,制订了首版中国抗癌协会神经内分泌肿瘤诊治指南,为临床工作者提供参考。     

MSCT在对比剂外渗的急性腹部创伤性动脉损伤诊断中的应用价值

目的探讨MSCT在对比剂外渗的急性腹部创伤性动脉损伤诊断中的应用价值。方法回顾性分析本院2016年1月～2018年12月收治的44例急性创伤性腹部动脉损伤患者及58例腹部非创伤性动脉病变患者影像资料,分析急性腹部创伤性和非创伤性动脉病变所致对比剂外渗的相关性。结果 44例创伤性腹部损伤患者通过MSCT及图像后处理技术共检出59支动脉损伤,其中对比剂外渗34支、非对比剂外渗共25支;58例急性腹部非创伤组共检出58支动脉病变,其中8支存在对比剂外渗。对比剂外渗征象创伤组出现率明显高于非创伤性组(χ~2=24.42,P0.05)。结论与非创伤组相比,急性腹部创伤性动脉损伤对比剂外渗征象较为常见,MSCT可以较好地显示创伤性对比剂外渗的直接及间接征象。     

内脏利什曼病合并HIV感染患者诊断和治疗研究进展

内脏利什曼病是全球被忽视的传染病之一,危害严重。而利什曼原虫-人类免疫缺陷病毒(human immunodeficiency virus,HIV)合并感染对流行地区造成的威胁更甚。利什曼原虫与HIV存在相互作用,合并感染者在临床表现、诊断及治疗方面具有一定特殊性,其病死率及复发率均高于HIV阴性的内脏利什曼病患者。本文对利什曼原虫-HIV合并感染患者的临床表现、诊断和治疗进展进行综述。     

Polymerase Chain Reaction and Goldmann-Witmer Coefficient Testing in the Diagnosis of Infectious Uveitis in HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Patients in South Africa

Purpose: To use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC) calculation to diagnose infectious uveitis.

Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study.

Results: Twenty-seven of 106 patients had positive PCR and/or GWC results on aqueous humor (AH) sampling and 15 of 27 (55.6%) were HIV-positive. Patients with non-anterior uveitis (NAU) were more likely to be HIV+ (p = 0.005). More than 1 possible pathogen was identified in 9 of 27 patients of whom 7 were HIV+. The final clinical diagnosis was discordant with AH findings in 9 of 27 cases. A positive EBV PCR result was associated with a discordant diagnosis (p = 0.001). All cases of herpetic anterior uveitis (42.9% HIV+) tested PCR-/GWC+ while all cases of herpetic NAU tested PCR+/GWC- (83.3% HIV+). All rubella virus cases were PCR+/GWC+.

Conclusion: PCR is useful to diagnose herpetic NAU in HIV+ patients while GWC is useful to diagnose herpetic anterior uveitis.