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BackgroundBackground parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI has been associated with breast cancer risk, both based on qualitative and quantitative assessments.PurposeTo investigate whether BPE of the contralateral breast on preoperative DCE-MRI is associated with therapy outcome in ER-positive, HER2-negative, node-negative invasive breast cancer.Study typeRetrospective.PopulationIn all, 289 patients with unilateral ER-positive, HER2-negative, node-negative breast cancer larger than 5 mm.Field strength/sequence3T, T1 -weighted DCE sequence.AssessmentBPE of the contralateral breast was assessed qualitatively by two dedicated radiologists and quantitatively (using region-of-interest and automatic breast segmentation).Statistical testsCox regression analysis was used to determine associations with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DFS). Interobserver variability for parenchymal enhancement was assessed using kappa statistics and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).ResultsThe median follow-up time was 75.8 months. Multivariate analysis showed receipt of total mastectomy (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.497) and high Ki-67 expression level (HR: 5.956) were independent factors associated with worse RFS (P

Objective: To investigate the relationship of serum uric acid (Uacid) and derived parameters as predictors of insulin resistance (IR) and elevated liver transaminases in children and adolescents Methods: Data of 1648 participants aged 10–18 years was analyzed using nationwide survey. Logistic regression analysis was performed with IR and elevated liver transaminases as dependent variables, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for tertiles 2 and 3 of each parameter in comparison to tertile 1, which served as the reference. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to assess predictability of the parameters for IR and elevated liver transaminases. Results: Hyperuricemia, IR, and elevated liver transaminases were significantly associated with each other. All Uacid and derived markers showed continuous increase in ORs and 95% CIs for IR and elevated liver transaminases across the tertiles of several biochemical and metabolic variables of interest (all p < 0.001), and were also significantly predictive in ROC curve. Overall, Uacid combined with obesity indices showed higher ORs and area under the curve (AUC) compared to Uacid alone. Uacid-body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score presented the largest AUC for IR. For elevated liver transaminases, Uacid-BMI and Uacid-waist-to-height ratio showed the largest AUC. Conclusions: Uacid combined with obesity indices are robust markers for prediction of IR and elevated liver transaminases in children and adolescents. Uacid and derived markers have potential as simple markers which do not require fasting for screening of IR and elevated liver transaminases in children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Reducing opioid exposure in common pediatric surgeries is of paramount importance. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of regional nerve blocks in reducing opioid exposure while preserving high success rates. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective matched cohort study (1:1) including patients with elbow fractures < 12 years old who underwent treatment with percutaneous pinning. Patients were divided into general-anesthesia (GA) and GA-followed-by-supraclavicular-brachial-plexus-block (GA-SCB) groups. The primary outcome was the number of patients administered postoperative rescue opioids. The secondary outcomes included intraoperative and postoperative opioid administration, the time to first request for rescue analgesia, pain scores, block success rate, block performing time, and block-related complications. Results: In a total of 478 patients, 363 underwent percutaneous pinning, and 86 were cohort-matched (GA: n = 43, GA-SCB: n = 43). On the first postoperative day, 34 (79.0%) patients in the GA group were administered postoperative rescue opioids, compared with 12 (27.9%) in the GA-SCB group (p < 0.001). All the patients in the GA-SCB group were opioid-free during the intraoperative period. No SCB-associated complications were observed. Total opioid consumption was significantly lower in the GA-SCB group than in the GA group until the first postoperative day (GA vs. GA-SCB, 3.2 ± 3.0 mg vs. 0.9 ± 1.8 mg, p < 0.001). Conclusions: SCB application in pediatric patients who underwent elbow fracture surgery significantly reduced opioid exposure and had a high success rate when performed using ultrasound guidance by an expert. Furthermore, the complication risk and surgical delay were minimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is useful for assessing the depth and regional lymph node involvement in rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). However, evidence regarding the effectiveness of EUS in identifying residual lesions in patients with incompletely resected NET is limited. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of EUS in identifying residual rectal NETs and the clinical outcomes of salvage endoscopic treatment. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who were transferred to Chosun University Hospital and received salvage treatment for incompletely resected rectal NETs between January 2012 and October 2021. Results: This study included 68 incompletely resected rectal NET, of which 59 were margin-positive and 9 were margin-indeterminate. EUS detection (odds ratio (OR), 8.44; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.18–41.35) and visual detection (OR, 7.00; 95% CI, 1.50–47.48) were associated with residual lesion in patients with incompletely resected NET. EUS detection of residual lesions showed a sensitivity of 94%, specificity of 71%, positive predictive value of 88%, negative predictive value of 83%, and accuracy of 87%. All patients underwent salvage treatment with band-ligation endoscopic mucosal resection (58.8%) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (41.2%). Residual NETs were diagnosed in 47 of 68 patients (69.1%), and no recurrence was noted during the follow-up period of 51.8 ± 22.9 months. Conclusions: EUS is a more sensitive method than visual detection for evaluating residual rectal NETs. Salvage endoscopic treatment for incompletely resected NETs is safe and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of polycythemia vera (PV) is important. The presence of JAK2 mutations is important in the diagnosis of PV, and serum levels of erythropoietin (EPO) also play a supporting role. However, serum EPO levels show some limitations. The neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are a readily available marker of inflammation. Thus, we examined whether NLR & PLR might diagnose PV in erythrocytosis patients. We compared NLR & PLR and EPO diagnostic values. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical and laboratory data from two referral hospitals. Two hundred and eighty‐five patients with erythrocytosis who underwent a test for the JAK2 mutation were included. It wac classified as the PV group and the secondary polycythemia (SP) group. Results: The median NLR & PLR in the PV group (n = 70) was significantly higher than that in the SP group (n = 170) (NLR: 6.04 vs. 1.77, PLR: 283.18 vs. 101.56, respectively, p < 0.001). In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve of NLR & PLR was significantly higher than that of serum EPO (NLR vs EPO: 0.921 vs. 0.827, p = 0.003; PLR vs EPO: 0.917 vs 0.827, p = 0.003). Conclusion: In conclusion, NLR & PLR were higher in PV than in SP and showed better diagnostic value than serum EPO level, highlighting their potential as minor diagnostic criteria in patients with PV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify a specific population of patients with rheumatic diseases receiving rituximab treatment for whom the benefit from primary prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) outweighs the risk of adverse events (AEs). Methods: This study included 818 patients treated with rituximab for rheumatic diseases, among whom 419 received prophylactic trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) with rituximab, while the remainder did not. Differences in 1‐year PJP incidence between the groups were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Risk–benefit assessment was performed in subgroups stratified according to risk factors based on the number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent 1 case of PJP and the number needed to harm (NNH) due to severe AEs. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied to minimize the confounding by indication. Results: During the 663.1 person‐years, there were 11 PJP cases, with a mortality rate of 63.6%. Concomitant use of high‐dose glucocorticoids (≥30 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent during 4 weeks after rituximab administration) was the most important risk factor. The PJP incidence (per 100 person‐years) was 7.93 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.91–17.25) in the subgroup receiving high‐dose glucocorticoids compared with 0.40 (95% CI 0.01–2.25) in the subgroup without high‐dose glucocorticoid use. Although prophylactic TMP/SMX significantly reduced the overall PJP incidence (HR 0.11 [95% CI 0.03–0.43]), the NNT to prevent 1 case of PJP (146) was higher than the NNH (86). In contrast, the NNT fell to 20 (95% CI 10.7–65.7) in patients receiving concomitant high‐dose glucocorticoids. Conclusion: The benefit associated with primary PJP prophylaxis outweighs the risk of severe AEs in patients with rheumatic diseases receiving rituximab and concomitant high‐dose glucocorticoid treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Radical gastrectomy is pivotal for gastric cancer treatment with guidelines advocating for the dissection of at least 16 lymph nodes. However, the optimal number is debated, with some suggesting over 30 nodes. This research assessed the efficacy of ICG-guided robotic gastrectomy (an MIS technique) in ensuring thorough lymph node dissection. Analyzing data from 393 stage II or III gastric cancer patients, the study found that ICG-guided robotic surgery significantly increased the chances of achieving proper lymphadenectomy. This suggests its potential as a promising surgical approach for selected gastric cancer cases. Radical gastrectomy is essential for gastric cancer treatment. While guidelines advise dissecting at least 16 lymph nodes, some research suggests over 30 nodes might be beneficial. This study assessed ICG-guided robotic gastrectomy's effectiveness in thorough lymph node dissection. We analyzed data from 393 stage II or III gastric cancer patients treated at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital from 2016–2022. Patients were categorized into conventional laparoscopy (G1, n = 288), ICG-guided laparoscopy (G2, n = 61), and ICG-guided robotic surgery (G3, n = 44). Among 391 patients, 308 (78.4%) achieved proper lymphadenectomy. The ICG-robotic group (G3) showed the highest success rate at 90.9%. ICG-guided robotic surgery was a significant predictor for achieving proper lymphadenectomy, with an odds ratio of 3.151. In conclusion, ICG-robotic gastrectomy improves lymphadenectomy outcomes in selected gastric cancer cases, indicating a promising surgical approach for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patella tendon rupture with multi-ligament injury is a rare injury. We observed patients with patella tendon rupture (or patella inferior pole fracture) with multi-ligament injury. This study intends to inspect the mechanism of the injury and classify them. Methods: This is a case series involving patients from two hospitals. Twelve patients who had patella tendon rupture (PTR) with multi-ligament injury were studied. Results: The incidence of multi-ligament injury in patella tendon rupture patients found to be 13% in retrospective search. Two types of injury were observed. First type is relatively low energy injury involving ACL and patella tendon which does not involve rupture of PCL. Second type is high energy injury involving PCL and patella tendon. Treatment differed among the patients, due to severity of trauma. Two-staged operation was the basis of treatment. Patella tendon was repaired in first stage. Reconstruction of ligaments was done in second stage. The patients who had infection or stiffness did not have a second surgery. Conclusion: Patella tendon rupture with multi-ligament injury can be classified into low energy rotational injury and high energy dashboard injury. Two-staged surgery is the basis of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Time elapsed since pain onset might affect the likelihood of neuropathic component in low back pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between neuropathic pain component and pain duration in patients with low back pain and to identify factors associated with neuropathic pain component. Methods: Patients with low back pain who received treatment at our clinic were enrolled. Neuropathic component was assessed using the painDETECT questionnaire at the initial visit. PainDETECT scores and the results for each item were compared according to pain duration category (< 3 months, 3 months to 1 year, 1 year to 3 years, 3 years to 10 years, and ≥ 10 years). A multivariate analysis was used to identify factors associated with neuropathic pain component (painDETECT score ≥ 13) in low back pain. Results: A total of 1957 patients, including 255 patients who reported neuropathic‐like pain symptoms (13.0%), fully satisfied the study criteria for analysis. No significant correlation between painDETECT score and pain duration was observed (ρ = −0.025, p = 0.272), and there were no significant differences between median painDETECT score or trend of change in the proportion of patients with neuropathic component and the pain duration category (p = 0.307, p = 0.427, respectively). The electric shock‐like pain symptom was frequently reported in patients with acute low back pain, and the persistent pain pattern with slight fluctuations was predominant in chronic low back pain. The pattern of attacks with pain between them was much less common in patients with pain for 10 years or longer. Multivariate analysis revealed that a history of lumbar surgery, severe maximum pain, opioid use, lumbosacral radiculopathy, and sleep disturbance were significantly associated with a neuropathic component in low back pain. Conclusion: Time elapsed since current pain onset did not correlate with neuropathic pain component in patients with low back pain. Therefore, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for this condition should be based on a multidimensional evaluation at assessment and not on pain duration alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In computer-assisted diagnostics for pancreatic cancer, attributes featuring irregular contours and indistinct boundaries on CT images present challenges in acquiring high-quality annotations. In response to this issue, we have devised an innovative self-supervised learning algorithm, engineered to enhance the differentiation of malignant and benign lesions. This innovation obviates the necessity for radiologist intervention, thus facilitating the precise classification of pancreatic cancer. By employing a pseudo-lesion segmentation self-supervised learning model, which capitalizes on automatically generated high-quality training data, we have managed to significantly elevate the performance of both convolutional neural network-based and transformer-based deep learning models. The aim of this study was to develop a novel deep learning (DL) model without requiring large-annotated training datasets for detecting pancreatic cancer (PC) using computed tomography (CT) images. This retrospective diagnostic study was conducted using CT images collected from 2004 and 2019 from 4287 patients diagnosed with PC. We proposed a self-supervised learning algorithm (pseudo-lesion segmentation (PS)) for PC classification, which was trained with and without PS and validated on randomly divided training and validation sets. We further performed cross-racial external validation using open-access CT images from 361 patients. For internal validation, the accuracy and sensitivity for PC classification were 94.3% (92.8–95.4%) and 92.5% (90.0–94.4%), and 95.7% (94.5–96.7%) and 99.3 (98.4–99.7%) for the convolutional neural network (CNN) and transformer-based DL models (both with PS), respectively. Implementing PS on a small-sized training dataset (randomly sampled 10%) increased accuracy by 20.5% and sensitivity by 37.0%. For external validation, the accuracy and sensitivity were 82.5% (78.3–86.1%) and 81.7% (77.3–85.4%) and 87.8% (84.0–90.8%) and 86.5% (82.3–89.8%) for the CNN and transformer-based DL models (both with PS), respectively. PS self-supervised learning can increase DL-based PC classification performance, reliability, and robustness of the model for unseen, and even small, datasets. The proposed DL model is potentially useful for PC diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The endotracheal cuff pressure depends on the airway pressure during positive-pressure ventilation. A high endotracheal cuff pressure may be related to intraoperative coughing, which can be detrimental during neurosurgery. We investigated the incidence of intraoperative coughing and its association with peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) during neurosurgery under general anesthesia without neuromuscular blockade. Methods: This retrospective study divided 1656 neurosurgical patients who underwent total intravenous anesthesia without additional neuromuscular blockade after tracheal intubation into high (PIP > 21.6 cmH2O, n = 318) and low (PIP ≤ 21.6 cmH2O, n = 1338) PIP groups. After propensity score matching, 206 patients were selected in each group. Demographic, preoperative, surgical, and anesthetic data were collected retrospectively from electronic medical records and continuous ventilator, infusion pump, and bispectral index data from a data registry. Results: Intraoperative coughing occurred in 30 (1.8%) patients, including 9 (0.5%) during the main surgical procedure. Intraoperative coughing was more frequent in the high PIP group than in the low PIP group before (14/318 [4.4%] vs. 16/1338 [1.2%], P < 0.001) and after (13/206 [6.3%] vs. 1/206 [0.5%], P = 0.003) propensity score matching. In multivariable logistic regression analysis after propensity score matching, a high PIP (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 14.22 [1.81-111.73], P = 0.012), tidal volume divided by predicted body weight (mL/kg, 1.36 [1.09–1.69], P = 0.006), and surgical duration (min, 1.01 [1.00–1.01], P = 0.025) predicted intraoperative coughing. Conclusion: The incidence of intraoperative coughing was 1.8% in neurosurgical patients undergoing general anesthesia without neuromuscular blockade and might be associated with a high PIP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preclinical data have shown the immunomodulatory effects of metformin and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors in patients with diabetes. However, its clinical impact remains unclear in lung cancer. Methods: Between 2017 and 2021, 466 patients received ICI monotherapy. Patients were categorized into concurrent (MET; metformin or combination of metformin and DPP4 inhibitor) and without concomitant (NMET; nonmetformin/DPP4 inhibitors) administration of metformin and DPP4 inhibitors groups at least 8 weeks before and during ICI therapy. The primary objectives were the objective response rate (ORR) and progression‐free survival (PFS). The second objective was to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and the occurrence of immune‐related adverse events (irAEs). Results: Among 466 patients, 89 (19.0%) and 377 (81%) were categorized into the MET and NMET groups, respectively. MET group had a significantly higher ORR (MET group: 24.7% vs. NMET group: 14.8%, p = 0.025) and longer PFS than those in the NMET group (MET group 5.1 month vs. NMET group 2.8 months, p = 0.018). After patients were stratified based on the prior line of therapy and PD L1 expression status, the PFS of the second‐line therapy and PD L1 ≥50 was significantly higher in the MET than in the NMET group. The proportion of patients experiencing all‐grade irAEs was numerically higher in the MET group (19.1%) than in the NMET group (14.3%), without statistical significance (p = 0.382). Conclusions: Concurrent use of metformin and DPP4 inhibitors with ICIs significantly improved the clinical outcomes without increasing the incidence of irAEs in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knee pain is one of the commonest symptoms in patients who attend the Orthopaedic outpatient clinics. Chondral defects result in a painful knee. Incidence of chondral defect is reported to be between 5 and 10% over the age of 40. It is well documented that chondral defects can lead to osteoarthritis. Early detection of these lesions and cartilage repair surgery can delay the onset of osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study is to highlight the incidence, associations and correlations between opposing cartilage defects in patients who present to the knee clinic with pain. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out on patients who had Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans for painful knees between June 2017 and May 2019. About 227 consecutive knees were studied for the incidence of chondral defects, number of lesions, grade and size of lesion, geographical location and associated pathology in the knee. Results: All the 227 patients had chondral lesions. Most patients had 2–3 lesions (66.1%) with patellar lesions (76.6%) being the commonest followed by medial femoral condyle (59.9%). Significant correlation was found in grade and size between opposing surface lesions in patella-trochlea, Medial Femoral Condyle-Medial Tibial Plateau and Lateral Femoral Condyle-Lateral Tibial Plateau. Females were more predisposed to patella lesions. Significance between age and lesions were established. Conclusion: Incidence of cartilage defects in the knee is very high. Kissing lesions must be considered when treating cartilage lesions. Volume index could be a promising method to quantify lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the measured fall risk score that more accurately reflects the changeable conditions in acute care settings, and to efficiently evaluate the association between falls and fall risk score. Background: The Morse Fall Scale (MFS) is a well‐known easy‐to‐use tool, while the Johns Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment Tool (JHFRAT) consists of items with high specificity. Evaluating suitable fall‐risk assessment tools to measure these changeable conditions may contribute to preventing falls in acute care settings. Design: Retrospective case–control study using the STROBE checklist. Methods: In an acute care setting (708‐bedded university hospital with a regional emergency medical centre), the non‐fall group was adjusted to fall group using propensity score matching. According to the fall rate of 3–5%, non‐fall groups for each tool were selected (1386 and 1947) from the before adjusted data, and the fall groups included 42 and 59. The applied covariates were individual characteristics that ordinarily changed such as age, gender, diagnostic department and hospitalisation period. The adjusted data were analysed using generalised estimating equations and mixed effect model. Results: After adjustment, the fall group measured using the JHFRAT had a significantly higher difference between the initial and re‐measured total score than the non‐fall group. The JHFRAT, especially with the re‐measured score, had a higher AUC value for predicting falls than the MFS. MFS's sensitivity was 85.7%, and specificity was 58.8% at 50 points; for JHFRAT, these were 67.8% and 80.2% at 14 points, respectively. These cut‐off points were used to evaluate validity during tool development and are commonly used as reference scores. Conclusions: JHFRAT more accurately reflects acute changeable conditions related to fall risk measurements after admission. Relevance to clinical practice: JHFRAT may be useful for effective fall prevention activities in acute care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysphagia is one of the main serious issues for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients because of causing malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia. Early detection and management of dysphagia are essential for the long-term survival. In this study, videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) results of bulbar and spinal onset ALS patients were compared. VFSS results and revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) score were also analyzed to assess the correlation between dysphagia and functional status of patients. ALS patients with swallowing difficulties who underwent VFSS were recruited retrospectively. Two oral, seven pharyngeal, and two esophageal components of VFSS were evaluated. An ALSRFRS-R bulbar subtype score < 9 was used to divide the groups with severe bulbar symptoms. Total 109 Korean ALS patients (39 bulbar vs 70 spinal) were included. Bulbar ALS patients exhibited a significantly longer oral transit time (OTT) then spinal ALS patients, especially in severe bulbar patients with low ALSRFRS-R bulbar subscale. In bulbar ALS patients, penetration (thick liquid), aspiration, OTT, and Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) were significantly correlated with ALSFRS-R bulbar subscale score. However, in spinal ALS patients, only OTT (thin liquid) and aspiration (thick liquid) were significantly correlated with ALSFRS-R bulbar subscale score. Bulbar ALS patients demonstrated significantly longer OTT than spinal ALS patients, and ALSFRS-R bulbar subscale score also correlated well with bulbar ALS patients. Therefore, high vigilance and aggressive treatment for dysphagia especially in bulbar ALS patients rather than spinal ALS patients are mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of uterine artery embolization (UAE) to treat postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and determine the factors associated with clinical outcomes. This study included 117 patients who underwent UAE for PPH between January 2010 and November 2018. Their medical records were retrospectively reviewed to assess the mode of delivery, causes of bleeding, detailed laboratory results, clinical outcomes, time from delivery to UAE, and embolizing material used. The clinical UAE success rate was 99.1%. Late complications were found in 11 patients. Two total hysterectomies were performed. Most PPH cases treated with UAE had early-onset PPH caused by uterine atony. Late-onset PPH was caused by placenta-related problems (remnant placenta, placenta accreta). Body mass index, cesarean section, the use of mixed embolizing materials, placenta abruption as the cause of PPH, and transferred patients were associated with uterine necrosis. Age, re-embolization, and the use of mixed embolizing materials were associated with adverse complications. Although UAE is a safe and effective way to manage PPH, a long-term follow-up is needed to determine the complications of UAE. When uterine necrosis is suspected, prompt and adequate treatment should be performed due to the effects of necrosis on menstrual cycles, fertility, and subsequent pregnancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess whether pulmonary vein injury is detectable on CT and associated with air embolism after percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) in a tertiary referral hospital.Methods: Between January 2012 and November 2021, 11,691 consecutive CT-guided PTNBs in 10,685 patients were retrospectively evaluated. Air embolism was identified by reviewing radiologic reports. Pulmonary vein injury was defined as the presence of the pulmonary vein in the needle pathway or shooting range of the cutting needle with the presence of parenchymal hemorrhage. The association between pulmonary vein injury and air embolism was assessed using logistic regression analysis in matched patients with and without air embolism with a ratio of 1:4.Results: A total of 27 cases of air embolism (median age, 67 years; range, 48-80 years; 24 men) were found with an incidence of 0.23% (27/11,691). Pulmonary vein injury during the procedures was identifiable on CT in 24 of 27 patients (88.9%), whereas it was 1.9% (2/108) for matched patients without air embolism The veins beyond the target lesion (70.8% [17/24]) were injured more frequently than the veins in the needle pathway before the target lesion (29.2% [7/24]). In univariable and multivariable analyses, pulmonary vein injury was associated with air embolism (odds ratio, 485.19; 95% confidence interval, 68.67-3428.19, p <.001).Conclusion: Pulmonary vein injury was detected on CT and was associated with air embolism. Avoiding pulmonary vein injury with careful planning of the needle pathway on CT may reduce air embolism risk.Key Points: • Pulmonary vein injury during CT-guided biopsy was identifiable on CT in most of the patients (88.9% [24/27]). • The veins beyond the target lesion (70.8% [17/24]) were injured more frequently than the veins in the needle pathway before the target lesion (29.2% [7/24]). • Avoiding the distinguishable pulmonary vein along the pathway or shooting range of the needle on CT may reduce the air embolism risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tumor budding is associated with lymph node (LN) metastasis in submucosal colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the rate of LN metastasis associated with the number of tumor buds is unknown. Here, we determined the optimal tumor budding cut-off number and developed a composite scoring system (CSS) for estimating LN metastasis of submucosal CRC.Methods: In total, 395 patients with histologically confirmed T1N0-2M0 CRC were evaluated. The clinicopathological characteristics were subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) values of the multivariate models were evaluated to identify the optimal cut-off number. A CSS for LN metastasis was developed using independent risk factors.Results: The prevalence of LN metastasis was 13.2%. Histological differentiation, lymphatic or venous invasion, and tumor budding were associated with LN metastasis in univariate analyses. In multivariate models adjusted for histological differentiation and lymphatic or venous invasion, the AIC value was lowest for five tumor buds. Unfavorable differentiation (odds ratio [OR], 8.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.80-36.89), lymphatic or venous invasion (OR, 5.91; 95% CI, 2.91-11.97), and five or more tumor buds (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.21-7.69) were independent risk factors. In a CSS using these three risk factors, the rates of LN metastasis were 5.6%, 15.5%, 31.0%, and 52.4% for total composite scores of 0, 1, 2, and ≥ 3, respectively.Conclusions: For the estimation of LN metastasis in submucosal CRC, the optimal tumor budding cut-off number was five. Our CSS can be utilized to estimate LN metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background active screening can improve health outcomes for people with prediabetes. However, its efficacy in older adults remains uncertain. Objective the study aimed to analyse the progression from prediabetes to diabetes in older adults, including associated complications and mortality rates, to determine the benefits of active screening. Design retrospective cohort study. Setting Korean National Health Insurance Service claims database. Subjects a total of 36,946 adults aged ≥65 years who underwent national health examinations from 2006 to 2008. Methods follow-up was until 31 December 2015. Cox's proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for death and diabetic complications. Results over a median follow-up of 8.2 years, 19.3% of older adults with prediabetes progressed to diabetes. Compared with normoglycaemic adults, the multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CI) for major adverse cardiovascular events were 1.01 (0.95–1.07), 1.08 (0.95–1.23), 1.14 (1.05–1.23) and 1.50 (1.35–1.68) in adults with prediabetes, newly diagnosed diabetes, diabetes not on insulin and diabetes on insulin, respectively. The corresponding HRs (95% CI) for diabetic retinopathy risk were 1.28 (1.15–1.43), 3.16 (2.71–3.69), 6.58 (6.02–7.19) and 9.17 (8.21–10.24). Diabetic nephropathy risk also significantly increased. Conclusions progression from prediabetes to diabetes is an important concern among older adults. Prediabetes is associated with the risk of microvascular complications, but not cardiovascular complications and mortality. Therefore, active regular screening for prediabetes is necessary to prevent microvascular complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although survival based outcomes of lung cancer patients have been well developed, institutional transition of cancer care, that is, when patients transfer from primary visiting hospitals to other hospitals, and mortality have not yet been explored using a large-scale representative population-based sample.Methods: Data from the Korean National Elderly Sampled Cohort survey were used to identify patients with lung cancer who were diagnosed during 2005-2013 and followed up with for at least 1 year after diagnosis (3738 patients with lung cancer aged over 60 years). First, the authors examined the distribution of the study population by mortality, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves/log-rank test were used to compare mortality based on institutional transition of cancer care. Survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model was conducted after controlling for all other variables.Results: Results showed that 1-year mortality was higher in patients who underwent institutional transition of cancer care during 30 days after diagnosis (44.2% vs. 39.7%, p = .027); however, this was not associated with 5-year mortality. The Cox proportional hazard model showed that patients who underwent institutional transition of cancer care during 30 days after diagnosis exhibited statistically significant associations with high mortality for 1 year and 5 years (1-year mortality, Hazard ratio [HR]: 1.279, p = .001; 5-year mortality, HR: 1.158, p = .002).Conclusion: This study found that institutional transition of cancer care was associated with higher mortality among elderly patients with lung cancer. Future consideration should also be given to the limitation of patients' choice when opting for institutional transition of care since there are currently no control mechanisms in this regard. Results of this study merit health policymakers' attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early fluid management is considered a key element affecting mortality in critically ill patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Most studies have primarily focused on patients with intrinsic acute kidney injury requiring CRRT, although end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients generally exhibit greater vulnerability. We investigated the association between fluid balance and short-term mortality outcomes in ESKD patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis and requiring CRRT.Methods: This retrospective study included 110 chronic hemodialysis patients who received CRRT between 2017 and 2019 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. The amounts of daily input and output, and cumulative 3-day and 7-day input and output, were assessed from the initiation of CRRT. The participants were classified into two groups based on 7-day and 14-day mortalities. Cox regression analyses were carried out on the basis of the amounts of daily input and output, cumulative input and output, and cumulative fluid balance.Results: During follow-up, 7-day and 14-day mortalities were observed in 24 (21.8%) and 34 (30.9%) patients. The patients were stratified into two groups (14-day survivors vs. non-survivors), and there were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between the two groups. However, diabetes mellitus was more common among survivors than among non-survivors. Univariate analyses showed that the amounts of daily output at 48, and 72 h, and 3-day cumulative input and output, were significantly associated with 7-day mortality risk regardless of the cumulative fluid balance (HR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12-0.70, p = 0.01 for daily output at 48 h; HR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13-0.85, p = 0.02 for daily output at 72 h.; HR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.61-0.86, p = 0.01 for 3-day cumulative input; HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.41-0.90, p = 0.01 for 3-day cumulative output). Adjusted multivariate analyses showed that the lower 3-day cumulative output is an independent risk factor for 7-day and 14-day mortality.Conclusions: In our study, increased cumulative output were significantly associated with reduced short-term mortality risk in chronic hemodialysis patients undergoing CRRT regardless of cumulative fluid balance. Further prospective studies to investigate the association between fluid balance and mortality in ESRD patients requiring CRRT are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) may experience low back pain (LBP) and radiating pain (RP). Currently, there is no substantial clinical benefit (SCB) of assessing both LBP and RP due to LDH. OBJECTIVE: To determine enhanced SCB values by simultaneously assessing LBP and RP. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated hospitalized LDH patients with concomitant LBP and RP between June 1, 2012, and May 31, 2013, and determined the numeric rating scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores at admission and discharge. Furthermore, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was computed to assess diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: SCB as per NRS for both LBP and RP was - 2.50 in the 186 enrolled patients (AUC: 0.699 and 0.704, respectively). SCB as per ODI was - 18.78 (AUC: 0.771). SCB for the mean of the two NRS scores for LBP and RP was - 2.75 (AUC: 0.757). SCB for NRS score with a larger change in LBP and RP was - 3.50 (AUC: 0.767). CONCLUSIONS: SCB may be determined by comprehensively considering LBP and RP and choosing the mean NRS or NRS score with a large change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) reflects immunonutritional status. We evaluated the effects of postoperative PNI and perioperative changes in the PNI on overall survival (OS) in glioblastoma (GBM) patients.Methods: Demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were retrospectively collected from 335 GBM patients. Preoperative and postoperative PNIs were calculated from serum albumin concentration and lymphocyte count, which were measured within 3 weeks before surgery and 1 month after surgery. Patients were classified into high (n = 206) or low (n = 129) postoperative PNI groups according to the postoperative PNI cutoff value and further classified into four groups according to the cutoff values of the preoperative and postoperative PNIs, as follows: Group HH (both high PNIs, n = 92), Group HL (high preoperative and low postoperative PNI, n = 70), Group LH (low preoperative and high postoperative PNI, n = 37), and Group LL (both low PNIs, n = 136).Results: The median OS was significantly longer in the high postoperative PNI (PNI ≥ 50.2) group than the low postoperative PNI (PNI < 50.2) group (24.0 vs. 15.0 months, p <  0.001). In multivariate analysis, high postoperative PNI was a significant predictor of OS. OS was significantly longer in Group HH than in Group LL and seemed longer in Group HH than in Group HL and in Group LH than in Group LL. OS was not different between Groups HH and LH or between Groups HL and LL.Conclusions: High postoperative PNI was associated with improved OS and perioperative changes in PNI may provide additional important information for prognostic prediction in GBM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To review the study design, type, protocol, and treatment outcomes of miniplate-anchored maxillary protraction (MAMP) in adolescent patients with unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate.Setting/sample Population: Five retrospective and two prospective studies (n = 138 patients) were selected as per the inclusion criteria.Materials and Methods: The study design, type, protocol of MAMP and the amount of skeletodental change were investigated.Results: Two studies adopted type 1 (two miniplates at the infrazygomatic crest with a facemask), four studies adopted type 2 (four miniplates at the infrazygomatic crest and mandibular symphysis and use of intermaxillary elastics), and one study compared the two types. The mean start age was older than 10 years except one study. The mean duration was less than 1 year in two studies, between 1 and 2 years in three studies, and more than 2 years in two studies. The type 1 used 500 g/side for 12-14 h/d, and the type 2 used three increase methods (100, 200, 250 g/side; 75, 150, 250 g/side; 150, 200, and 250 g/side) for 24 h/d. The ranges of A point advancement were 0.5°-4.2° in ΔSNA and 1.7-5.6 mm in ΔA-vertical reference plane, respectively. The ranges of rotation of the palatal plane, occlusal plane, and mandibular plane were -1.5° to 2.0°, -2.0° to 2.0°, -1.5° to 3.2°, respectively. The increase of overjet was ranged from 2.3 to 5.8 mm.Conclusion: The MAMP therapy is effective for the correction of maxillary hypoplasia in adolescent cleft patients despite different types and protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an established treatment for non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that have demonstrated durable clinical benefits (DCBs). Previous studies have suggested NY‐ESO‐1 and LAG‐3 to be surrogate markers of ICI responses in NSCLC; therefore, we explored the predictive value of their expression in NSCLC. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 38 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with anti‐PD‐1 monoclonal antibodies from 2013 to 2016 at Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital after failed platinum‐based chemotherapy. Tumor tissues from each patient were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis to determine NY‐ESO‐1, LAG‐3, and PD‐L1 expression, whose ability to predict progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was then analyzed alongside their positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values. Results: NY‐ESO‐1 or LAG‐3 expression was detected in all tumor samples from patients with high PD‐L1 expression and was significantly associated with favorable outcomes, unlike PD‐L1 expression. Patients with both NY‐ESO‐1‐ and LAG‐3‐expressing tumors had a high DCB rate and those with triple‐positive PD‐L1, LAG‐3, and NY‐ESO expression had a superior median OS and PFS than those with triple‐negative expression. Furthermore, LAG‐3 and NY‐ESO‐1 co‐expression was an independent predictor of both PFS and OS, while LAG‐3 displayed a good NPV. Conclusions: Patients with NSCLC who co‐express NY‐ESO‐1 or LAG‐3 with PD‐L1 exhibit greater DCBs and improved long‐term survival following anti‐PD‐1 therapy. Moreover, NY‐ESO‐1 and LAG‐3 could be novel predictive biomarkers of survival and should be considered in the future use of ICIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We evaluated the characteristics and outcomes of culture-negative versus culture-positive septic shock.Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study of data from a prospective registry from 2014 to 2018. A total of 2,499 adult patients with septic shock were enrolled. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality, and the secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay, a requirement for mechanical ventilation or renal replacement therapy, and in-hospital mortality.Results: Of 1,718 patients with septic shock, 1,012 (58.9%) patients were culture-positive (blood 803, urine 302, sputum 102, others 204) and the median pathogen detection time was 9.5 h (aerobic 10.2 h and anaerobic 9.0 h). The most common site of culture-positive infection was the hepatobiliary tract (39.5%), while for the culture-negative it was the lower respiratory tract (38.2%). The culture-negative group had a lower mean body temperature (37.3 vs 37.7 ℃), lactate (2.5 vs. 3.2 mmol/L), C-reactive protein (11.1 vs 11.9 mg/dL), and sequential organ failure assessment score (7.0 vs. 8.0) than that of the culture-positive group. However, 90-day mortality between the groups was not significantly different (32.7 vs 32.2%, p = 0.83), and the other clinical outcomes also did not differ significantly. Moreover, a shorter culture detection time was correlated with a higher sequential organ failure assessment score but not with mortality.Conclusion: Patients with septic shock are frequently culture-negative, especially in cases where the infection focus is in the lower respiratory tract. Although culture-negative was associated with a degree of organ dysfunction, it was not an independent predictor of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze differences in body composition between affected and unaffected limbs using segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis in hemiparetic stroke patients. Design: The segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis results and body composition of 213 hospitalized hemiparetic stroke patients were retrospectively reviewed. Subjects were divided into acute, subacute, and chronic groups according to the period after the onset of stroke. Segmental lean mass and segmental body water values were compared between affected and unaffected upper and lower limbs in all subjects and in subgroups. The mean differences of body compositions between the affected and unaffected limbs between the three groups were also compared. Results: No significant differences in segmental lean mass and segmental body water values were observed between the affected and unaffected upper and lower limbs in total and in three subgroups. The mean differences in segmental lean mass and segmental body water values between the affected and unaffected upper limbs in the chronic group were larger than those in the acute and subacute groups. Conclusions: There were no significant differences in body composition between affected and unaffected limbs in patients with hemiparetic stroke. The differences in body composition in the affected and unaffected upper limbs in chronic stroke patients were larger than those in acute and subacute stroke patients. Further longitudinal studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify CT features distinguishing neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) of pancreas from well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) according to the World Health Organization 2017 and 2019 classification systems.Methods: This retrospective study included 69 patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms who underwent dynamic CT (17, 17, 18, and 17 patients for well-differentiated grade 1, 2, 3 NET and NEC, respectively). CT was used to perform qualitative analysis (component, homogeneity, calcification, peripancreatic infiltration, main pancreatic ductal dilatation, bile duct dilatation, intraductal extension, and vascular invasion) and quantitative analysis (interface between tumor and parenchyma [delta], arterial enhancement ratio [AER], portal enhancement ratio [PER], and dynamic enhancement pattern). Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify features indicating NEC. Optimal cutoff values for enhancement ratios were determined.Results: NECs demonstrated significantly higher frequencies of main pancreatic ductal dilatation, bile duct dilatation, vascular invasion, and significantly lower delta (i.e., lower conspicuity), AER, and PER than well-differentiated NET (p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, PER was the only independent factor selected by the model for differentiation of NEC from well-differentiated NET (odds ratio, < 0.001; 95% confidence interval [CI], < 0.001-0.012). PER < 0.8 showed the sensitivity of 94.1% (95% CI, 71.3-99.9) and the specificity of 88.5% (95% CI, 76.6-95.6). When three significant CT features were combined, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing NEC were 88.2% and 88.5%, respectively.Conclusions: Tumor-parenchyma enhancement ratio in portal phase is a useful CT feature to distinguish NECs from well-differentiated NETs. Combining qualitative and quantitative CT features may aid in achieving good diagnostic accuracy in the differentiation between NEC and well-differentiated NET.Key Points: • Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the pancreas should be distinguished from well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor in line with the revised grading and staging system. • Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the pancreas can be differentiated from well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor on dynamic CT based on assessment of the portal enhancement ratio, arterial enhancement ratio, tumor conspicuity, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct or bile duct, and vascular invasion. • Tumor-parenchyma enhancement ratio in portal phase of dynamic CT is a useful feature, which may help to distinguish neuroendocrine carcinoma from well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on breast tissue composition with mammographic automated volumetric measurement.Methods: This retrospective study included 168 breast cancer patients who were treated with NAC and underwent serial mammography (pre-treatment, mid-treatment, and post-treatment) between January 2015 and October 2018. Automated volumetric measurements of the contralateral breast volume (BV), fibroglandular volume (FGV), and breast density (BD) were performed using Volpara software. BD grades were divided into 4 groups by Volpara density grade (VDG). The longitudinal changes in BV, FGV, BD, and their associated factors were evaluated.Results: Repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated a significant reduction in BV, FGV, and BD over time (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.002, respectively). BV showed a greater reduction in the second half than in the first half (- 28.6 cm3 vs. - 15.2 cm3), BD showed a greater reduction in the first half than in the second half (- 0.8% vs. - 0.1%), and FGV steadily decreased (- 4.6 cm3 and - 3.9 cm3 in the first and second halves). On multivariable linear regression analysis, chemotherapy regimen was associated with BV change between pre- and post-treatment (p = 0.002); age (p = 0.024) and VDG (p = 0.027) were associated with FGV change; age (p = 0.037), VDG (p = 0.002), and chemotherapy regimen (p = 0.003) were associated with BD change.Conclusions: NAC affects breast tissue composition, reflected as reductions in BV, FGV, and BD. Mammography with automated volumetric measurement can capture quantitative changes in these breast tissue parameters during NAC.Key Points: • Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) affects breast tissue composition with different patterns of reduction in breast volume, fibroglandular volume, and breast density. • Age, Volpara density grades, and NAC regimen were independent factors associated with breast density change between pre-treatment and post-treatment. • Mammography with automated volumetric measurement enables identification of longitudinal changes in breast tissue composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The Good Outcome Following Attempted Resuscitation (GO-FAR) score is useful for identifying patients post-arrest with very poor neurologic outcomes and may thus be utilized when counseling family members on do-not-attempt-resuscitation (DNAR) order. We validated the GO-FAR score for neurologically intact survival in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) in an East Asian country in which DNAR order not common.Methods: Retrospective study about patients who experienced IHCA from 2013 to 2017 with a primary outcome of neurologically intact survival, defined as a CPC score 1 or 2 at discharge. GO-FAR score categorizes the patients into 4 groups: a very low (<1%), low (1%-3%), average (>3%-15%), or higher than average (>15%) likelihood of neurologically intact survival.Results: Of the 1011 included patients, the rates of survival discharge and neurologically intact survival at discharge were 25.4% and 16.0%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of GO-FAR score for good neurological outcome was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.78-0.84). Patients with low or very low probability of survival had a likelihood of 0.9% (95% CI, 0.0-2.0), but for those under 40 years old, it was increased to 4.2% (95% CI, 0.0-12.2). Patients with average or above-average probabilities had likelihoods of of 18.5% (95% CI, 15.3-21.6) and 50.5% (95% CI, 40.6-60.5), respectively.Conclusions: The GO-FAR score well-predicted the neurologically intact survival of East Asian patients with IHCA. This tool may be used as part of a shared decision regarding DNAR orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Prognostic Index (IPI) and other prognostic models cannot accurately classify risks in patients with lower-risk diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This study retrospectively analyzed serum levels of ferritin (500 and ≥ 500 ng/mL) and other reported risk factors for survival in 312 patients. High and high-intermediate risk IPI scores (hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] 2.22 [1.33, 3.72], P = 0.002 and 2.29 [1.33, 3.93], P = 0.003, respectively) and ferritin concentration ≥ 500 ng/mL (HR [95% CI] 2.22 [1.37, 3.60], P = 0.001 and 2.18 [1.31, 3.63], P = 0.003, respectively) were independent poor prognostic factors for 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates in all patients. Additionally, high ferritin level (≥ 500 ng/mL) was an independent poor prognostic factor for PFS and OS in patients with lower-risk IPI (HR [95% CI] 3.37 [1.36, 8.33], P = 0.009 and 3.29 [1.23, 8.83], P = 0.0018, respectively). In conclusion, serum ferritin levels may be helpful in predicting survival in patients with DLBCL, especially in those with lower-risk IPI scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited-stage (Ann Arbor stage I or II) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an extremely rare disease. Thus, there is little data on the clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients with early-stage MCL. We examined consecutive stage I or II MCL 41 cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2016 in 16 institutions of the Consortium for Improving Survival of Lymphoma group. All cases were pathologically confirmed and systemic evaluation was performed for staging. The clinical features were reviewed, and the treatment outcomes were analyzed. The median age of patients was 66 years (range 19-85 years); there were more men (n = 31, 75.6%) than women. Most patients (n = 28, 68.3%) had stage 2 disease, and 29 (70.7%) were symptomatic. The elevation of lactate dehydrogenase (n = 2, 4.9%) was not common; thus, 39 patients (95.1%) had a low-risk score (0 or 1) for the International Prognostic Index, and 28 (68.3%) had a low-risk score (1-3) for the MCL International Prognostic Index. Most patients (n = 37, 90.1%) received chemotherapy as the first therapeutic strategy, while some received radiotherapy (n = 2), surgical resection (n = 1), or no treatment (n = 1). Of the patients who received chemotherapy, 23 (56.9%) received a rituximab-containing regimen, and R-CHOP (n = 17) and R-bendamustine (n = 5) were commonly used. The best response was noted in 97.4% (n = 38) of patients, including 32 who showed a complete response (78%). With a median follow-up duration of 40.6 months, the 42 months relapse-free survival was 59.1%, and the 5-year overall survival rate was 80.4%. Limited-state MCL showed indolent clinical and low-risk prognostic features. Chemotherapy could be effective for controlling localized MCL lesions, with high complete response rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a perturbed cerebral blood flow (CBF) has been reported in patients with Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE), its clinical meaning is still elusive. A retrospective analysis of 10 patients (male, 6; mean age, 57.7 years) with WE between October 2012 and May 2018 was performed. Brain imaging was performed using fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI), and contrasted enhanced T1-weighted imaging. All patients had symmetric high signal intensity lesions in the vulnerable areas on FLAIR or DWI with focal hyperintensity on ASL-PWI (100% sensitivity). CBFlesion was variable (from 70 mL/100 g/min to 190.0 mL/100 g/min). CBFlesion/CBFwhite matter was elevated, ranging from 2.5 to 5.5. Focal hyperintensity on ASL in the vulnerable areas can be a diagnostic clue for WE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite recent advances in treating non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), their role in ALK‐positive NSCLC patients is unclear. We investigated the efficacy of ICIs in patients with ALK‐positive NSCLC. Methods: Between 2011 and 2018, a total of 14 ALK‐positive NSCLC patients treated with ICIs were evaluated retrospectively. Clinicopathologic features including age, PD‐L1 expression, and treatment outcomes were analyzed. RNA expression level and cytolytic activity by ALK positivity were analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI) data sets. Results: A total of 13 patients (92.9%) received ALK inhibitors. Patients received a median of three (range 2–8) courses of therapy. The study included nine patients (64.3%) who were PD‐L1‐high (>50%) and four (28.6%) who were PD‐L1‐low (<50%). The objective response rate was 14.3% (2/14). The median progression‐free survival time was 2.18 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13 months‐not reached [NR]). The median overall survival time was 5.67 months (95% CI 3.00 months‐NR). RNA expression levels of CD274 were similar between the ALK‐positive and negative groups in both TCGA and NCCRI datasets. RNA levels of CD8A in both TCGA and NCCRI data sets were nonsignificantly lower in the ALK‐positive group. Cytolytic activity scores including interferon‐γ‐related response were lower in the ALK‐positive group in the NCCRI but not TCGA dataset. Conclusions: Despite high PD‐L1‐positive rates, ICIs show limited efficacy in ALK‐positive NSCLC. Decreased interferon‐γ‐related response may underlie these findings. Key points: From retrospective review of 14 ALK‐positive NSCLC patients in South Korea treated with ICIs, the role of ICI in ALK‐positive NSCLC was navigated. Despite high PD‐L1‐positive rates, ICIs show limited efficacy (ORR 14.3%; median PFS 2.18 months; median OS 5.67 months). From TCGA and NCCRI dataset analysis, decreased interferon‐γ‐related response may underlie these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The neurotrophic drug Cerebrolysin is composed of low-molecular-weight peptides and amino acids and has been shown to have neuroprotective and neuroplastic properties. Cerebrolysin has been reported to promote the recovery of motor functions in central nervous system disorders; however, the effects on the consciousness improvements in post-stroke patients have not yet been studied extensively. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effectiveness of Cerebrolysin on improving the consciousness level of stroke patients with minimally conscious state (MCS). Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study we included ischemic and/or hemorrhagic stroke patients with MCS according to the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), who were admitted to our hospital between 2014 and 2017. All patients received comprehensive rehabilitation therapy including physical and occupational therapy. We compared patients treated with Cerebrolysin against patients who did not receive Cerebrolysin. Patients were included in the verum group if they received 10 mL of Cerebrolysin IV for at least 20 days. CRS-R scores were assessed at admission and discharge. Results: Of 1,531 patients screened, 75 were included in the study (Cerebrolysin, n = 43; control, n = 32). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. At discharge, ~2 months after onset of stroke, Cerebrolysin-treated patients improved significantly in the CRS-R (p = 0.010) after adjustment for confounders using linear mixed model (LMM), especially in the Oromotor (p = 0.003) and Arousal subscales (p = 0.038). No safety issues were observed. Conclusion: This retrospective study suggests that Cerebrolysin may improve the level of consciousness in stroke patients with MCS, which should be further investigated in a well-designed, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of subcutaneous tunneling on peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement in terms of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs).Methods: Our dual-facility central institutional review board approved this retrospective study. We compared 302 of 327 consecutive recipients (mean age [± SD], 68.0 ± 15.9 years; men, 134; women, 168) of tunneled PICCs (October 2017 to May 2018) with 309 of 328 consecutive recipients (mean age, 68.7 ± 14.6 years; men, 142; women, 167) of conventional PICCs (April 2016 to September 2017). Tunnels were made near puncture sites (~ 1 in. away) using hemostats or puncture needles. In each group, procedure times and rates of complications, including CLABSI, entry-site infection, dislocation, thrombophlebitis, and occlusion, were examined. Risk factors for CLABSI were analyzed via logistic and Cox regression models.Results: Subcutaneous tunnels were achieved in all patients, enabling successful peripheral vein cannulations. Group procedure times were similar (p = 0.414). CLABSI proved to be significantly less frequent after tunneling (8/6972 catheter-days) than after conventional (28/7574 catheter-days) PICC placement (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.328; 95% confidence interval, 0.149-0.721). Other risk factors (i.e., age, gender, comorbidity, PICC duration, veins, hospital stay, and intensive care unit stay) showed no significant correlations with CLABSI.Conclusions: Compared with conventional means, a subcutaneous tunneling approach for PICC placement significantly reduces the rate of CLABSI.Key Points: • Subcutaneous tunnels created to place peripherally inserted central catheters significantly reduced catheter-associated bloodstream infections. • Subcutaneous tunnel creation did not significantly prolong procedural time. • There were no subcutaneous tunnel-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although blood pressure (BP) variability has been regarded as a risk factor for hemorrhagic transformation (HTF) after intravenous thrombolysis, its effect on HTF after endovascular recanalization therapy (ERT) remains to be elucidated. We aimed to study the relationship between BP variability and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) after successful recanalization with ERT.Methods: A total of 211 patients with acute ischemic stroke and successful recanalization (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2b or 3) after ERT were included between January 2013 and May 2017. The BP data following ERT was obtained over the first 24 hours using parameters including mean, maximum, minimum, difference between maximum and minimum, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, successive variations, and time rate (TR) of BP variation for systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP. sICH was defined as parenchymal hemorrhage type 2 with neurological deterioration of 4 points of more on the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale.Results: Among the included patients, 20 (9.5%) developed sICH after successful ERT. The parameters linked with BP fluctuation over time were significantly related to sICH. After adjusting for confounders, the TR of SBP (per 0.1 mmHg/min increase) variation was independently associated with sICH (odds ratio = 1.71, 95% confidence interval = 1.013-2.886).Interpretation: Time-related BP variability in the first 24 hours following successful ERT was more correlated with sICH than other absolute BP levels. This suggests that maintaining a stable BP may be an important factor in preventing sICH after successful ERT. Ann Neurol 2019;85:574-581. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Objective screening tool for patients at a high risk of developing acute brain injury (ABI) is necessary for the proper treatment of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning patients. The aim of this study is to identify clinical factors that could predict ABI due to CO poisoning in patients with an altered mental status. Methods: A prospectively collected CO poisoning registry at a single academic medical center was retrospectively analyzed. CO poisoning patients with an altered mental status at the emergency department, defined as unalert on the alert/responsive to voice/responsive to pain/unresponsive scale and underwent diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW‐MRI) between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015, were included. ABI was defined as the presence of acute hypoxic brain lesions. Clinical predictors of ABI were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Of 180 patients, 67 (37.2%) had ABI as revealed by DW‐MRI. Multivariate analysis showed that CO exposure duration > 5 hours (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 7.082; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.463–15.014; p < 0.001) defined as the time between CO exposure and rescue, abnormal white blood cell count (AOR = 2.568, 95% CI = 1.188–5.700, p = 0.02), and abnormal creatinine concentration (AOR = 2.667, 95% CI = 1.110–6.605, p = 0.03) were predictors of ABI. CO exposure duration had the highest predictive value (area under the curve, 0.815), and the optimal cutoff value was 5 hours. Moreover, increasing exposure durations (quartile) indicated a stepwise increase in the risk of ABI. Conclusions: In CO poisoning patients with an altered mental status, CO exposure duration was useful for predicting ABI, which may help clinicians or paramedics identify high‐risk patients and provide treatment on priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the survival outcomes based on molecular subtypes of breast cancer in patients with brain metastasis. Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed 106 breast cancer patients treated for brain metastases, from January 2005 to May 2016. Patients were divided into four groups based on the tumor molecular subtype: luminal A (Estrogen Receptor [ER]/Progesterone Receptor [PR] positive, human epithelial growth factor receptor‐2 [HER2] negative), luminal B (ER/PR positive, HER2 Positive), HER2 (HER2 positive and ER/PR negative), and Triple negative (TNBC). Results: The median follow‐up time for surviving patients was 22 months (range: 11.2‐51.1 months). The median survival of all patients was 14 months, with a 1‐year overall survival (OS) rate of 57.5% and a 2‐year OS rate of 32.1%. Thirty patients (28.3%) had a solitary brain metastasis while 62 (58.5%) patients had multiple metastases. A significant difference was observed in the survival rates of the two groups. Based on the Karnofsky performance score, the performance status of the patients at the time of brain metastasis was also found to affect survival. Patients with different molecular subtypes had different survival rates; the luminal A group showed the highest median survival (luminal A: 23.1, luminal B: 15.0, HER2: 12.5 and TNBC: 6.4 months, respectively), which was statistically significant. Conclusion: In breast cancer patients with brain metastasis, survival rates were different based on the molecular subtype of the tumor, despite various local and systemic treatments. Appropriate and tailored treatment approaches should, therefore, be considered for the different molecular subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both-side synchronous involvement has been reported to account for 7-24% of ocular adnexal marginal zone lymphoma (OAML). We conducted a retrospective analysis to identify the clinical features and treatment outcomes of synchronous bilateral OAML (SB-OAML) by treatment modality. We analyzed patients with a histologic diagnosis of SB-OAML, excluding metachronous bilateral involved OAML. We enrolled a total of 95 patients for this analysis, 36 males and 59 females; the median patient age was 42 years (range 16-77 years). Eleven (11.6%) patients had been treated with chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy (eight R-CVP, two CVP, and one R-CHOP). The median number of treatments was 6 (range 6-8); there were 9 complete responses (CRs; 81.8%) and 2 partial responses (PRs; 18.2%). Nearly all patients (88.4%) received radiotherapy in both eyes, and the median radiation dose was 27 Gy (range 20-40 Gy) to each eye; 68 CRs (80.9%) and 14 PRs (16.7%) were achieved. Ten-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 79.8 and 91.1%, respectively. Radiotherapy continued to be an independent prognostic marker, with the hazard of progression (P = 0.036). Eleven patients (13.1%) had surgery for cataract treatment during follow-up, and patients who received low-dose radiation (< 30.3 Gy) experienced fewer cataract operations. SB-OAML was predominantly observed in young females, and they had good response and prognosis regardless of treatment modalities. Low-dose radiotherapy to both eyes showed a tendency of longer PFS than did chemotherapy and could decrease cataract operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]