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We probed the associations of preoperative modified geriatric nutritional risk index (mGNRI) values with prognosis in patients receiving surgery for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). This retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of 333 patients with OCSCC and undergoing surgery between 2008 and 2017. The preoperative mGNRI was calculated using the following formula: (14.89/C-reactive protein level) + 41.7 × (actual body weight/ideal body weight). We executed receiver operating characteristic curve analyses to derive the optimal mGNRI cutoff and employed Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazard model to probe the associations of the mGNRI with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The optimal mGNRI cutoff was derived to be 73.3. We noted the 5-year OS and DFS rates to be significantly higher in the high-mGNRI group than in the low-mGNRI group (both p < 0.001). A preoperative mGNRI below 73.3 was independently associated with unfavorable DFS and OS. A mGNRI-based nomogram was constructed to provide accurate OS predictions (concordance index, 0.781). Hence, preoperative mGNRI is a valuable and cost-effective prognostic biomarker in patients with OCSCC. Our nomogram facilitates the practical use of mGNRI and offers individualized predictions of OS., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) may demonstrate secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), characterized by parathyroid hormone oversecretion in response to electrolyte imbalance (e.g., hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia). Moreover, this electrolyte imbalance may affect vocal cord muscle contraction and lead to voice change. Here, we explored the effects of SHPT on the voices of patients with ESRD. We used data of 147,026 patients with ESRD from the registry for catastrophic illness patients, a sub-database of Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We divided these patients into 2 groups based on whether they had hyperparathyroidism (HPT) and compared vocal dysfunction (VD) incidence among them. We also prospectively included 60 ESRD patients with SHPT; 45 of them underwent parathyroidectomy. Preoperatively and postoperatively, voice analysis was used to investigate changes in vocal parameters. In the real-world database analysis, the presence of HPT significantly increased VD incidence in patients with ESRD (p = 0.003): Cox regression analysis results indicated that patients with ESRD had an approximately 1.6-fold increased VD risk (p = 0.003). In the clinical analysis, the "jitter" and "shimmer" factors improved significantly after operation, whereas the aerodynamic factors remained unchanged. In conclusion, SHPT was an independent risk factor for VD in patients with ESRD, mainly affecting their acoustic factors.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) might increase deep neck infection (DNI) risk, but evidence supporting this hypothesis is limited. In this retrospective follow-up study, the SLE-DNI association was investigated using data from the Registry for Catastrophic Illness Patients, which is a subset of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. All patients newly diagnosed as having SLE in 1997-2011 were identified, and every SLE patient was individually matched to four patients without SLE according to sex, age, and socioeconomic status. The study outcome was DNI occurrence. DNI treatment modalities and prognoses in SLE and non-SLE patients, along with the association of steroid dose with DNI risk, were also studied. In total, 17,426 SLE and 69,704 non-SLE patients were enrolled. Cumulative DNI incidence was significantly higher in the SLE cohort than in the non-SLE cohort (p < 0.001). The Cox regression model demonstrated that SLE significantly increased DNI risk (hazard ratio: 4.70; 95% confidence interval: 3.50-6.32, p < 0.001). Moreover, in the sensitivity and subgroup analyses, the effect of SLE on DNI was stable. Relatively few SLE-DNI patients received surgical interventions (15.6% vs. 28.6%, p = 0.033). The between-group differences in tracheostomy use and hospitalisation duration were nonsignificant. In SLE patients, high steroid doses significantly increased DNI incidence (≥3 vs. <3 mg/day = 2.21% vs. 0.52%, p < 0.001). This is the first study demonstrating that SLE increases DNI risk by approximately five times and that high steroid dose increases DNI incidence in SLE patients.

The hallmark of drug-coated balloon (DCB) therapy for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease is that it allows for reopening of the narrowed lumen and local drug delivery without the need for a permanent indwelling metal implant such as a stent. Current DCB designs rely on transferring drugs such as paclitaxel to the arterial vessel using a variety of biocompatible excipients coated on the balloons. Inherent procedural challenges, along with limited understanding of the interactions between the coating and the artery, interactions between the coating and the balloon as well as site-specific differences, have led to DCB designs with poor drug delivery efficiency. Our study is focused on two clinically significant DCB excipients, urea and shellac, and uses uniaxial mechanical testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and biophysical modeling based on classic Hertz theory to elucidate how coating microstructure governs the transmission of forces at the coating-artery interface. SEM revealed shellac-based coatings to contain spherical-shaped microstructural elements whereas urea-based coatings contained conical-shaped microstructural elements. Our model based on Hertz theory showed that the interactions between these intrinsic coating elements with the arterial wall were fundamentally different, even when the same external force was applied by the balloon on the arterial wall. Using two orthogonal cell-based assays, our study also found differential viability when endothelial cells were exposed to titrated concentrations of urea and shellac, further highlighting the need to maximize coating transfer efficiency in the context of DCB therapies. Our results underscore the significance of the excipient in DCB design and suggest that coating microstructure modulates acute drug transfer during device deployment.

Medialization laryngoplasty is the standard surgical treatment for unilateral vocal fold paralysis. This study presents a modified approach in which a thyroid cartilage graft is implanted in medialization laryngoplasty. 22 patients who underwent this approach were included in the study. The results revealed that glottal incompetence and vocal performance were markedly improved following surgery, and the follow-up period ranged from 6 to 74 months (mean, 21.4 months). Acoustic analysis revealed significant improvements in the maximum phonation time (from 3.51 to 7.89 seconds, p < 0.001), F0 (from 221.7 to 171.0 Hertz, p = 0.025), and jitter (from 7.68 to 3.19, p < 0.001). Perceptual assessment revealed a significant decrease in voice grading (from 2.59 to 1.41, p < 0.001), roughness (from 1.82 to 1.23, p = 0.004), and voice breathiness (from 2.55 to 1.23, p < 0.001). None of the patients exhibited severe wound infection, tissue rejection, or other complications attributed to the surgical procedure. In conclusion, autologous thyroid cartilage implantation in medialization laryngoplasty medializes the vocal cord, minimizes the glottal gap, and improves the voice of patients with vocal fold paralysis. This procedure is characterized by simplicity, safety, and acceptable results.