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Abstract Evidence-based data regarding the timing of the application of invasive mechanical ventilation among adults with septic shock is insufficient. The guidelines fail to provide clear advice about the optimal time to initiate this support. Consequently, we aimed to investigate whether early intubation could improve survival rates in septic shock patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the MIMIC-IV database to evaluate the effectiveness of early intubation on mortality in a cohort of septic shock patients. Adults diagnosed with septic shock, according to the Sepsis-3 definition, were included. They were categorized into an early intubation group (first 8 h after vasopressor initiation) and a non-early intubation group (unexposed). A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to balance the baseline characteristics between the two groups. The primary outcomes were 30-day and 90-day all-cause mortality rates. In addition, we employed the restricted cubic spline to analyze the potential non-linear relationship between the timing of intubation and 30-day or 90-day all-cause mortality. A total of 6864 adult patients, of whom 2048 were intubated in the first 8 h, were evaluated in the final cohort. Following a 1:1 PSM procedure, 2786 patients were successfully paired. At 30 days, 288 of 1393 patients (20.7%) in the early intubation group and 381 of 1393 patients (27.4%) in the non-early intubation group had died (hazard ratio [HR] 0.717; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.616–0.836; p

Background: Whether minor ischemic stroke (MIS) patients can benefit from intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) remains controversial. The association between the efficacy of IVT and baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score is unclear in MIS, while the association in moderate and severe stroke is known. This study aimed to explore the effect of IVT in patients with MIS and analyze its efficacy in patients with different baseline NIHSS scores. Methods: Patients with a NIHSS score ≤5 within 4.5h of stroke onset were screened in 32 centers. Patients with and without IVT were matched to a ratio of 1:1 with propensity scores. An excellent outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≤1 at three months after stroke onset. Safety outcomes included mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Multivariate analysis was used to compute the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for excellent outcomes. The effect of IVT was further analyzed in subgroups according to the baseline NIHSS score. Results: Of the 23,853 screened, 3336 patients with MIS who arrived at the hospital within 4.5h of onset were included. The 1163 patients treated with IVT were matched with 1163 patients without IVT. IVT in minor strokes generated an adjusted OR of 1.38 (95% CI: 1.09-1.75, p=0.009) for excellent outcomes. There were no significant differences in mortality (0.17% vs. 0.09%, p=1.000) and sICH (0.69% vs. 0.86%, p=0.813) between patients with and without IVT. Subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant effect of IVT in the baseline NIHSS 0-1 or 2-3 subgroups, with adjusted OR of 0.816 (95% CI 0.437-1.53, p=0.525) and 1.22 (95% CI 0.845-1.77, p=0.287), respectively. In patients with NIHSS score of 4-5, IVT was significantly effective, with an adjusted OR of 1.53 (95% CI 1.02-2.30, p=0.038). Conclusion: IVT can improve MIS outcomes. The risks of sICH and mortality did not increase, especially in patients with NIHSS scores 4 to 5, who could benefit from IVT significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose We developed a novel guider-assisted osteotomy (GAO) procedure to improve the safety of open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) and aimed to compare its efficacy and complications with the conventional pendulum-saw osteotomy (PSO). Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing either GAO or PSO procedure in the OWHTO to treat varus knee osteoarthritis, who had a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. Patients were propensity score matched (PSM) in a 1:1 ratio based on demographic and clinical data with a caliper width of 0.02. The outcomes assessed involved the hospital for special surgery (HSS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, and the Intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results 199 patients were included in each group after PSM. The mean duration of follow-up was 38.3 ± 8.9 months. The GAO group had a shorter operation duration (104.5 ± 35.7 vs. 112.1 ± 36.0 min, p = 0.027) and fewer times of intraoperative fluoroscopy (4.2 ± 1.4 vs. 6.0 ± 1.4, p 0.05). In addition, the intraoperative complications (0.5% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.068) and the postoperative bone delayed union and nonunion (1.0% vs. 4.5%, p = 0.032) were marginally or significantly reduced in the GAO versus PSO group. Conclusion GAO demonstrates improvements in intraoperative radiation exposure and complications, with comparable short-term efficacy to PSO, and could be considered a viable alternative in clinical practice.

Purpose: We developed a novel guider-assisted osteotomy (GAO) procedure to improve the safety of open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) and aimed to compare its efficacy and complications with the conventional pendulum-saw osteotomy (PSO). Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing either GAO or PSO procedure in the OWHTO to treat varus knee osteoarthritis, who had a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. Patients were propensity score matched (PSM) in a 1:1 ratio based on demographic and clinical data with a caliper width of 0.02. The outcomes assessed involved the hospital for special surgery (HSS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, and the Intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: 199 patients were included in each group after PSM. The mean duration of follow-up was 38.3 ± 8.9 months. The GAO group had a shorter operation duration (104.5 ± 35.7 vs. 112.1 ± 36.0 min, p = 0.027) and fewer times of intraoperative fluoroscopy (4.2 ± 1.4 vs. 6.0 ± 1.4, p < 0.001). At the last follow-up, clinical scores for knee achieved significant improvements in both GAO and PSO groups: HSS (67.5 ± 10.5 vs. 90.2 ± 7.0, p < 0.001; 69.4 ± 8.2 vs. 91.7 ± 6.8, p < 0.001) and WOMAC (65.7 ± 11.6 vs. 25.2 ± 10.4, p < 0.001; 63.3 ± 12.2 vs. 23.8 ± 9.5, p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was observed between groups for any measures (p > 0.05). In addition, the intraoperative complications (0.5% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.068) and the postoperative bone delayed union and nonunion (1.0% vs. 4.5%, p = 0.032) were marginally or significantly reduced in the GAO versus PSO group. Conclusion: GAO demonstrates improvements in intraoperative radiation exposure and complications, with comparable short-term efficacy to PSO, and could be considered a viable alternative in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the association of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) use with cardiovascular (CV) clinical outcomes in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods Data of T2D patients hospitalized for ACS at Civil Aviation General Hospital from January 2019 to December 2022 were collected. Based on SGLT2i use or not, patients were stratified as SGLT2i group and SGLT2i-free group. A 1:1 nearest-neighbor propensity score-matched (PSM) was performed to adjust for the confounding factors and facilitate the robust comparisons between groups. The first occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) with 1 year follow-up, which consisted of CV death, all cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or stroke, coronary revascularization or heart failure readmission, was assessed. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regressions were conducted to evaluate the prognostic significance of SGLT2i use. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess the interaction between subgroups and SGLT2i use. Results A total of 925 patients were included, and the SGLT2i use increased from 9.9% in 2019 to 43.8% in 2022. 226 pairs were finally matched using the PSM model. During 1 year follow-up period, a total of 110 patients experienced MACE in the matched cohort, with a rate of 24.3%. Survival analyses showed cumulative incidence of MACE, CV death, and heart failure readmission in the SGLT2i group were significantly lower than the SGLT2i-free group. Additionally, the adjusted Cox analyses demonstrated that SGLT2i was associated with a 34.1% lower risk of MACE (HR 0.659, 95% CI 0.487–0.892, P = 0.007), which was primarily driven by a decrease in the risk of CV death by 12.0% (HR 0.880, 95% CI 0.7830.990, P = 0.033), and heart failure readmission by 45.5% (HR 0.545, 95% CI 0.332–0.893, P = 0.016). This MACE preventive benefit was consistent across different subgroups (P interaction > 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusions In T2D patients with ACS, there was a clear increasing trend in SGLT2i use. SGLT2i was associated with a significantly lower risk of MACE, driven by the decrease in the risk of CV death, and heart failure readmission. Our study confirmed real-world use and efficacy of SGLT2i in a general T2D population with ACS.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) use with cardiovascular (CV) clinical outcomes in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: Data of T2D patients hospitalized for ACS at Civil Aviation General Hospital from January 2019 to December 2022 were collected. Based on SGLT2i use or not, patients were stratified as SGLT2i group and SGLT2i-free group. A 1:1 nearest-neighbor propensity score-matched (PSM) was performed to adjust for the confounding factors and facilitate the robust comparisons between groups. The first occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) with 1 year follow-up, which consisted of CV death, all cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or stroke, coronary revascularization or heart failure readmission, was assessed. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regressions were conducted to evaluate the prognostic significance of SGLT2i use. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess the interaction between subgroups and SGLT2i use. Results: A total of 925 patients were included, and the SGLT2i use increased from 9.9% in 2019 to 43.8% in 2022. 226 pairs were finally matched using the PSM model. During 1 year follow-up period, a total of 110 patients experienced MACE in the matched cohort, with a rate of 24.3%. Survival analyses showed cumulative incidence of MACE, CV death, and heart failure readmission in the SGLT2i group were significantly lower than the SGLT2i-free group. Additionally, the adjusted Cox analyses demonstrated that SGLT2i was associated with a 34.1% lower risk of MACE (HR 0.659, 95% CI 0.487–0.892, P = 0.007), which was primarily driven by a decrease in the risk of CV death by 12.0% (HR 0.880, 95% CI 0.7830.990, P = 0.033), and heart failure readmission by 45.5% (HR 0.545, 95% CI 0.332–0.893, P = 0.016). This MACE preventive benefit was consistent across different subgroups (P interaction > 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusions: In T2D patients with ACS, there was a clear increasing trend in SGLT2i use. SGLT2i was associated with a significantly lower risk of MACE, driven by the decrease in the risk of CV death, and heart failure readmission. Our study confirmed real-world use and efficacy of SGLT2i in a general T2D population with ACS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Palliative primary tumor resection (pPTR) can benefit colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis. Whether pPTR benefiting gastric cancer (GC) patients with liver metastasis is still controversial. Methods: Data on patients with metastatic GC diagnosed between 2010 to 2019 was extracted from SEER database. Propensity score analysis with 1:1 matching was performed. The univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to explore prognostic factors. Kaplan–Meier method was used to analyze survival outcomes. Results: Of 5691 GC patients with liver metastasis, 468 were included in the matched cohorts. The results showed that the median survival time was 6 months in the non-surgery groups and 14.5 months in the surgery groups (p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that surgery was a protective prognostic factor for overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.416] as well as cancer-specific survival (HR = 0.417). Also, pPTR was only recommended for GC patients with isolated liver metastasis. Moreover, pPTR combined with chemotherapy brought the greatest therapeutic effect. Conclusion: pPTR benefits GC patients with isolated liver metastasis, and GC patients with liver metastasis receiving pPTR combined with chemotherapy had the best survival outcomes than any other therapeutic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) and flexible ureterorenoscopy (F-URS) are recommended as the first choice for non-lower pole kidney stones. Therefore, we conducted a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and cost of SWL versus F-URS in patients with solitary non-lower pole kidney stones ≤ 20 mm under the COVID-19 pandemic. This prospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital from June 2020 to April 2022. Patients who underwent lithotripsy (SWL or F-URS) for non-lower pole kidney stones were enrolled in this study. The stone-free rate (SFR), retreatment rate, complications, and cost were recorded. Propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis was performed. A total of 699 patients were finally included, of which 81.3% (568) were treated with SWL and 18.7% (131) underwent F-URS. After PSM, SWL showed equivalent SFR (87.9% vs. 91.1%, P = 0.323), retreatment rate (8.6% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.169), and adjunctive procedure (2.6% vs. 4.9%, P = 0.385) compared with F-URS. Complications were scarce and also comparable between SWL and F-URS (6.0% vs 7.7%, P > 0.05), while the incidence of ureteral perforation was higher in the F-URS group compared with the SWL group (1.5% vs 0%, P = 0.008). The hospital stay was significantly shorter (1 day vs 2 days, P < 0.001), and the cost was considerably less (1200 vs 30,083, P < 0.001) in the SWL group compared with the F-URS group. This prospective cohort demonstrated that SWL had equivalent efficacy with more safety and cost benefits than F-URS in treating patients with solitary non–lower pole kidney stones ≤ 20 mm. During the COVID-19 pandemic, SWL may have benefits in preserving hospital resources and limiting opportunity for virus transmission, compared to URS. These findings may guide clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe direct acting antiviral remdesivir (RDV) has shown promising results in randomized clinical trials. This study is a unique report of real clinical practice RDV administration for COVID-19 from alpha through delta variant circulation in New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA). Patients in NOLA have among US worst pre-COVID health outcomes, and the region was an early epicenter for severe COVID.MethodsData were directly extracted from electronic medical records through REACHnet. Of 9,106 adults with COVID, 1,928 were admitted to inpatient care within 7 days of diagnosis. The propensity score is based upon 22 selected covariates, related to both RDV assignment and outcome of interest. RDV and non-RDV patients were matched 1:1 with replacement, by location and calendar period of admission. Primary and secondary endpoints were, death from any cause and inpatient discharge, within 28 and 14 days after inpatient admission.ResultsOf 448 patients treated with RDV, 419 (94%) were successfully matched to a non-RDV patient. 145 (35%) patients received RDV for < 5 days, 235 (56%) for 5 days, and 39 (9%) for > 5 days. 96% of those on RDV received it within 2 days of admission. RDV was more frequently prescribed in patients with pneumonia (standardized difference: 0.75), respiratory failure, hypoxemia, or dependence on supplemental oxygen (0.69), and obesity (0.35) within 5 days prior to RDV initiation or corresponding day in non-RDV patients (index day). RDV patients were numerically more likely to be on steroids within 5 days prior to index day (86 vs. 82%) and within 7 days after inpatient admission (96 vs. 87%). RDV was significantly associated with lower risk of death within 14 days after admission (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.69, p = 0.002) but not within 28 days (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.36 to 1.07, p = 0.08). Discharge within 14 days of admission was significantly more likely for RDV patients (p < 0.001) and numerically more likely within 28 days after admission (p = 0.06).ConclusionOverall, our findings support recommendation of RDV administration for COVID-19 in a highly comorbid, highly impoverished population representative of both Black and White subjects in the US Gulf South.

Abstract Background Robot-assisted and endoscopic thyroidectomy are superior to conventional open thyroidectomy in improving cosmetic outcomes and postoperative quality of life. The procedure of these thyroidectomies was similar in terms of surgical view, feasibility, and invasiveness. However, it remains uncertain whether the robotic-assisted bilateral axilla-breast approach (BABA) was superior to the endoscopic bilateral areolar approach (BAA) thyroidectomy. This study aimed to investigate the clinical benefit of these two surgical procedures to evaluate the difference between these two surgical procedures by comparing the pathological and surgical outcomes of endoscopic BAA and robotic-assisted BABA thyroidectomy in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Methods From November 2018 to September 2021, 278 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma underwent BABA robot-assisted, and 49 underwent BAA approach endoscopic thyroidectomy. Of these patients, we analyzed 42 and 135 patients of endoscopic and robotic matched pairs using 1:4 propensity score matching and retrospective cohort study methods. These two groups were retrospectively compared by surgical outcomes, clinicopathological characteristics, and postoperative complications. Results The mean operation time was significantly longer in the EG than in the RG (p

Aims: To investigate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of older adults (aged ≥ 60 years) after tibial plateau fracture (TPF) compared to preinjury and population matched values, and what aspects of treatment were most important to patients. Methods: We undertook a retrospective, case-control study of 67 patients at mean 3.5 years (SD 1.3; 1.3 to 6.1) after TPF (47 patients underwent fixation, and 20 nonoperative management). Patients completed EuroQol five-dimension three-level (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaire, Lower Limb Function Scale (LEFS), and Oxford Knee Scores (OKS) for current and recalled prefracture status. Propensity score matching for age, sex, and deprivation in a 1:5 ratio was performed using patient level data from the Health Survey for England to obtain a control group for HRQoL comparison. The primary outcome was the difference in actual (TPF cohort) and expected (matched control) EQ-5D-3L score after TPF. Results: TPF patients had a significantly worse EQ-5D-3L utility (mean difference (MD) 0.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.00 to 0.16; p < 0.001) following their injury compared to matched controls, and had a significant deterioration (MD 0.140, 95% CI 0 to 0.309; p < 0.001) relative to their preoperative status. TPF patients had significantly greater pre-fracture EQ-5D-3L scores compared to controls (p = 0.003), specifically in mobility and pain/discomfort domains. A decline in EQ-5D-3L greater than the minimal important change of 0.105 was present in 36/67 TPF patients (53.7%). Following TPF, OKS (MD -7; interquartile range (IQR) -1 to -15) and LEFS (MD -10; IQR -2 to -26) declined significantly (p < 0.001) from pre-fracture levels. Of the 12 elements of fracture care assessed, the most important to patients were getting back to their own home, having a stable knee, and returning to normal function. Conclusion: TPFs in older adults were associated with a clinically significant deterioration in HRQoL compared to preinjury level and age, sex, and deprivation matched controls for both undisplaced fractures managed nonoperatively and displaced or unstable fractures managed with internal fixation. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(4):273–282.

Thotsaporn Morasert,1 Orakarn Kriengwattanakul,2 Prapasri Kulalert3 1Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Suratthani Hospital, Surat Thani, 84000, Thailand; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Suratthani Hospital, Surat Thani, 84000, Thailand; 3Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, ThailandCorrespondence: Thotsaporn Morasert, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Suratthani Hospital, Surat Thani, 84000, Thailand, Tel +66 88 753 2006 ; +66 77 915 600, Email thot_kwan@hotmail.comObjective: This study aimed to assess whether the short-term use of macrolide antibiotics during hospitalization can reduce in-hospital all-cause mortality compared to non-macrolide treatment in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).Methods: A propensity score (PS) matching analysis was performed using retrospective data from the admission records of AECOPD patients in the medical general ward and medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care center between October 2015 and September 2018. The multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was performed to eliminate residual confounding after the PS analysis.Results: The mortality rate was 11.1% of 1528 admissions in the PS matching cohort. Approximately 70% of patients had respiratory failure requiring intubation on initial admission, and 34% had pneumonia. Macrolide treatment significantly reduced in-hospital mortality among AECOPD patients (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval 0.32– 0.96; P=0.034). Clarithromycin was the most commonly prescribed macrolide (80%).Conclusion: Macrolide antibiotics reduced in-hospital mortality in hospitalized AECOPD patients. The combination of antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects of macrolide treatment could play an essential role.Keywords: macrolides, AECOPD, mortality, propensity score-matched

Aim: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the effect of age on cancer relapse and survival in breast cancer patients undergoing different treatments. Methods: The propensity score method was used to correct for disparities between two groups; 2049 young patients were matched to 4053 older patients. Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess disease-free survival. Results: In the original cohort, young patients showed higher lymph node metastasis, hormone-receptor positivity and high Ki-67 levels. After propensity score matching, the disease-free survival of young patients with the luminal B-like subtype who received mastectomy with early stage disease exhibited inferior survival. Conclusion: Decisions about biology-driven systemic treatment strategies for young patients are worthy of discussion with a multidisciplinary tumor board. Young age was an independent prognostic factor associated with poor prognosis in T1–2N0 patients undergoing mastectomy. More comprehensive monitoring and a biology-driven adjuvant therapy system might improve clinical outcomes of young early luminal B-like breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This study aimed to assess the clinical implications of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) in patients with right-sided colon cancer (RCC) after complete mesocolic excision (CME). Methods A total of 441 patients with RCC who underwent CME were included. The optimal cut-off value for the ALI was determined using the X-tile software. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for postoperative complications and long-term outcomes. Predictive nomograms for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were constructed after propensity score matching (PSM), and their performance was assessed using the net reclassification improvement index (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement index (IDI), and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (time-ROC) curve analysis. Results The optimal preoperative ALI cut-off value was 36.3. After PSM, ASA classification 3/4, operative duration, and a low ALI were independently associated with postoperative complications in the multivariate analysis (all P60 years, a carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level >37 U/mL, pathological N+ stage, and a low ALI were independently correlated with OS (all P37 U/mL, pathological N+ stage, lymphovascular invasion, and a low ALI were independent predictors of DFS (all P

Abstract Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of the modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients. Methods The study enrolled 311 patients with advanced esophageal SCC from January 2012 to December 2018. Univariate and multivariate analyses were calculated by the Cox proportional hazards regression model in advanced esophageal SCC patients. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to evaluate the ability of the mGPS for survival rates. Propensity score‐matched (PSM) analysis was carried out to balance imbalanced variables. Results The Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that factors including M stage, ECOG, mGPS group, and sex were identified as independent predictors. The mGPS presented a good level of overall survival (OS) prediction with a risk‐adopted classification for advanced esophageal SCC patients. The survival rates in advanced esophageal SCC patients with mGPS 0, 1, and 2 were 18.8%, 8.4%, and 4.2%, respectively (p

Purpose: Laparoscopic central pancreatectomy (LCP) has been implemented in pancreatic surgery; however, open surgery is still the predominant approach for central pancreatectomy (CP). Our objective was to compare LCP with open CP (OCP). Methods: Data were collected from patients with tumours located in the pancreatic neck and proximal body who underwent CP in the Department of Pancreatic Surgery West China Hospital from January 1, 2010, to June 30, 2019. A comparison between the LCP and OCP groups was performed. Results: Fifteen patients underwent CP via the laparoscopic approach, and 96 patients underwent CP via the open approach. Using 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM), 12 patients in the LCP group were matched to 21 in the OCP group. Regarding safety, postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) was not significantly different between the two groups (13.3% vs. 12.5%, P = 1.000), even with PSM (16.7% vs. 14.3%, P = 1.000). However, regarding effectiveness, the operative time in the OCP group was significantly shorter than that in the LCP group before (307.0 ± 92.3 ml vs. 220.6 ± 63.6 ml, P < 0.000) and after (300.3 ± 90.2 ml vs. 212.7 ± 44.4 ml, P = 0.002) PSM. Regarding length of stay (LOS), there was no difference between the two groups before (13.1 ± 13.7 days vs. 12.7 ± 10.1 days, P = 0.376) and after PSM (14.4 ± 15.1 days vs. 14.5 ± 16.2 days, P = 0.985). The length of the resected pancreas was shorter in the OCP group than in the LCP group before PSM (50.0 ± 13.2 mm vs. 41.1 ± 11.1 mm, P = 0.043). However, there was no difference between the two groups after PSM (47.9 ± 12.5 mm vs. 37.9 ± 10.4 mm, P = 0.084). Moreover, the other variables showed no difference between the two groups before and after PSM. Conclusion: LCP can demonstrate similar safety and effectiveness to OCP, even in the early stages of the learning curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sepsis is life‐threatening organ dysfunction caused by infection‐related inflammatory response. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) can remove inflammatory mediators and benefit patients in different disease settings. However, no solid evidence showed the efficacy and safety of TPE in sepsis. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Critically ill patients with sepsis were divided into two groups according to whether treated with TPE. The primary outcome was the delta Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score from days 1 to 7. Secondary outcomes included new‐onset organ failure, intensive care unit (ICU)‐free and alive days to day 28, and 28‐day mortality. Propensity score‐matched (PSM) analysis was applied to control confounders. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and logistic regression were used to assess the association between TPE and selected outcomes. Results: Among the 2772 critically ill patients enrolled in the trial, 742 patients with sepsis were selected and 22 patients received TPE were matched with 22 control patients. No significant difference was found in the delta SOFA score and 28‐day mortality between TPE group and control group. The ICU‐free and alive days in the TPE group were significantly shorter than the control group. Conclusions: TPE may be not associated with improvement of organ failure and mortality in critically ill patients with sepsis and may be associated with a prolonged ICU stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to explore the role of postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting symptomatic anastomotic leakage in patients who underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data of patients who underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection from May 2009 to May 2019. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the cut-off values with the best predictive efficacy of a symptomatic anastomotic leakage. In addition, a propensity score-matched analysis was performed by considering all covariate variables, and 61 patients with or without symptomatic anastomotic leakage were included in the analysis. Results: The present study included 306 patients; of these, 17 (5.56%) developed symptomatic anastomotic leakage after surgery. On postoperative day 5, compared with patients without symptomatic anastomotic leakage, those with leakage had significantly higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte levels. Notably, a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte cut-off score of 6.54 indicated the best area under the curve of 0.818 (95% confidence interval: 0.697–0.940, p < 0.001) in predicting symptomatic anastomotic leakage, with a sensitivity and specificity of 76.5% and 79.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Although evidence for the predictive role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is accumulating, it remains inconclusive. In addition, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte levels should be considered a predictive biomarker for symptomatic anastomotic leakage; however, it can more accurately be viewed as an adjunct that helps increase the clinical suspicion of emerging symptomatic anastomotic leakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Spinal tumor surgery usually involved long operation time, large area of soft tissue resection and long wound, and was prone to hypothermia during the operation. Therefore, actively promoting insulation and optimizing the intraoperative insulation program have great potential in reducing the incidence of hypothermia and reducing the incidence of postoperative complications. In this study, we compared patients who did not implement multi-mode nursing insulation program (MNIP) with those who implemented MNIP, observing and comparing clinical outcomes, and complications in both groups, with the aim of developing an optimal management plan for the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods, respectively. Methods We selected 2 periods of 1 year, before (n = 120 patients) and after MINP implementation (n = 120 patients). Data were collected on patient demographics, operative, perioperative details, temperature changes, anesthesia recovery effect, incidence of postoperative wound infection, length of hospital stay and complications. PS analyses were used for dealing with confounding bias in this retrospective observational study. Results After PS matching, the outcomes of 120 well-balanced pairs of patients were compared (No-MNIP vs MNIP). There was no significant difference concerning the satisfaction survey. The results indicated that the MNIP had better insulation effect at 90 min, 120 min, 150 min after anesthesia induction and after surgery. There were 16 cases of complications in the No-MNIP group and 5 cases in the MNIP group postoperative, which have significant statistical difference. Conclusion In this study, the incidence of intraoperative hypothermia was effectively reduced by adopting the multi-mode insulation scheme, thus reducing the incidence of incision infection and shortening the length of hospital stay of patients.

Background: Metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. The effectiveness of chemotherapy (CT) for MBC remains controversial. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CT combined hormone receptor (HR) status on MBC patients with high risk (T1-4N2-3M0 and T4N0-1M0) by propensity-score matching (PSM). Methods: A retrospective study was performed to analyze MBC from the SEER database. Breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier curve. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess BCSS. PSM was used to make 1:1 case-control matching. Results: This study identified 3116 patients. The median follow-up time was 44 months (range, 1–321 months). About 62.5 % of patients received CT. 23.0 % of patients were HR-positive. Recurrence risk had a significant difference between the HR-negative and HR-positive groups. In the multivariable Cox regression model, CT had no benefit for MBC patients. HR status was not associated with a better prognosis. In subgroup analysis, the Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that HR-negative MBC with intermediate-risk benefited from CT. For HR-positive MBC, patients with intermediate and high risk also benefited from CT. After PSM, neither CT nor HR status was not related to better BCSS. Moreover, the use of CT could only improve the survival of HR-positive MBC patients with high risk. Conclusion: PSM analysis showed that HR status was not associated with a better prognosis. CT was not a significant prognostic factor for prognosis. However, HR-positive MBC patients with high risk might benefit from CT.

Background: Dorsal approach is the potentially effective strategy for minimally invasive liver resection. This study aimed to compare the outcomes between robot-assisted and laparoscopic hemihepatectomy through dorsal approach., Methods: We compared the patients who underwent robot-assisted hemihepatectomy (Rob-HH) and who had laparoscopic hemihepatectomy (Lap-HH) through dorsal approach between January 2020 and December 2022. A 1:1 propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis was performed to minimize bias and confounding factors., Results: Ninety-six patients were included, 41 with Rob-HH and 55 with Lap-HH. Among them, 58 underwent left hemihepatectomy (LHH) and 38 underwent right hemihepatectomy (RHH). Compared with Lap-HH group, patients with Rob-HH had less estimated blood loss (median: 100.0 vs. 300.0 mL, P = 0.016), lower blood transfusion rates (4.9% vs. 29.1%, P= 0.003) and postoperative complication rates (26.8% vs. 54.5%, P = 0.016). These significant differences consistently existed after PSM and in the LHH subgroups. Furthermore, robot-assisted LHH was associated with decreased Pringle duration (45 vs. 60 min, P = 0.047). RHH subgroup analysis showed that compared with Lap-RHH, Rob-RHH was associated with less estimated blood loss (200 vs. 400 mL, P = 0.013). No significant differences were found in other perioperative outcomes among pre- and post-PSM cohorts, such as Pringle duration, operative time, and hospital stay., Conclusions: The dorsal approach was a safe and feasible strategy for hemi-hepatectomy with favorable outcomes under robot-assisted system in reducing intraoperative blood loss, transfusion, and postoperative complications., (Copyright © 2024 First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study aimed to assess the clinical implications of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) in patients with right-sided colon cancer (RCC) after complete mesocolic excision (CME). Methods: A total of 441 patients with RCC who underwent CME were included. The optimal cut-off value for the ALI was determined using the X-tile software. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for postoperative complications and long-term outcomes. Predictive nomograms for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were constructed after propensity score matching (PSM), and their performance was assessed using the net reclassification improvement index (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement index (IDI), and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (time-ROC) curve analysis. Results: The optimal preoperative ALI cut-off value was 36.3. After PSM, ASA classification 3/4, operative duration, and a low ALI were independently associated with postoperative complications in the multivariate analysis (all P<0.05). Cox regression analysis revealed that an age >60 years, a carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level >37 U/mL, pathological N+ stage, and a low ALI were independently correlated with OS (all P<0.05). A CA19-9 level >37 U/mL, pathological N+ stage, lymphovascular invasion, and a low ALI were independent predictors of DFS (all P<0.05). Predictive nomograms for OS and DFS were constructed using PSM. Furthermore, a nomogram combined with the ALI was consistently superior to a non-ALI nomogram or the pathological tumor-node-metastasis classification based on the NRI, IDI, and time-ROC curve analysis after PSM (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The ALI was an effective indicator for predicting short- and long-term outcomes in patients with RCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of the modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients. Methods: The study enrolled 311 patients with advanced esophageal SCC from January 2012 to December 2018. Univariate and multivariate analyses were calculated by the Cox proportional hazards regression model in advanced esophageal SCC patients. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to evaluate the ability of the mGPS for survival rates. Propensity score‐matched (PSM) analysis was carried out to balance imbalanced variables. Results: The Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that factors including M stage, ECOG, mGPS group, and sex were identified as independent predictors. The mGPS presented a good level of overall survival (OS) prediction with a risk‐adopted classification for advanced esophageal SCC patients. The survival rates in advanced esophageal SCC patients with mGPS 0, 1, and 2 were 18.8%, 8.4%, and 4.2%, respectively (p < 0.001). Moreover, before and after PSM, the mGPS was associated with 3‐year survival rates of advanced esophageal SCC patients in the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. In addition, the mGPS for OS prediction demonstrated better performance than sex and ECOG score. The area under curve (AUC) of the mGPS combined with M stage for the prognosis of advanced esophageal SCC was 0.677 (0.592–0.763). Conclusion: The mGPS is a cost‐effective, accessible tool capable of prognosticating in this cohort. It could be a useful surveillance system of prognosis in advanced esophageal SCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgery is the primary treatment option for Lung adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) patients. However, no study compares the benefits of lobectomy and sublobar resection in ASC patients. Methods: A total of 1379 patients in the Surveillance, epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and 466 patients in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital (SPH) were enrolled. Survival benefits were evaluated after possible confounders were eliminated by propensity score matching (PSM). Results: After 1:3 PSM, 463 SEER database patients and 244 SPH patients were enrolled. Lobectomy was associated with better overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than sublobar resection for ASC patients (5-year OS of SEER: 46.9% vs. 33.3%, P =0.017; 5-year OS of SPH: 35.0% vs. 16.4%, P =0.002; 5-year DFS of SPH: 29.5% vs. 14.8%, P =0.002). Similar results were observed in stage I patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that sublobar resection was an adverse prognostic factor independently (SEER: HR: 1.40, 95%CI: 1.08-1.81, P =0.012; SPH: HR: 1.73, 95%CI: 1.11-2.70, P =0.015). Subgroup analysis showed that all of the ASC patient subtypes tended to benefit more from lobectomy than sublobar resection. Conclusions: Lobectomy remains the primary option for ASC patients compared to sublobar resection, including stage I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) patients remains unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of HER2 status on MBC patients by propensity-score matching (PSM). Methods: The SEER data from 2010 to 2016 were extracted. The breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) of MBC patients, diagnosed from 2001 to 2016, was compared using Kaplan–Meier analysis. The multivariate Cox proportional model between groups was performed. PSM was used to make 1:1 case-control matching. Results: We included 1887 patients with a median follow-up time of 28 months (range 1-83 months). 1749 (92.7%) and 138 (7.3%) patients presented in the HER2-negative group and HER2-positive group. 833 (44.1%) patients received post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT). The HER2-positive group had younger patients, lower tumor grades, and more advanced tumor stages. The prognoses were related to age of diagnosis, race/ethnicity, TNM stage, and PMRT in multivariate Cox analysis. ER status and HER2 status had no impact on BCSS. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, PMRT was associated with a better prognosis. Importantly, patients with HER2-negative status can benefit from PMRT, but not those with HER2-positive status. After PSM, on multivariate Cox analysis, the prognosis was related to HER2 status and PMRT. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, PMRT was related to a better prognosis for HER2-negative patients. Conclusions: Our findings supported that PMRT and HER2-positive status were associated with a better prognosis after PSM. However, HER2-negative, but not HER2-positive patients could benefit from PMRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe role of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) patients remains unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of HER2 status on MBC patients by propensity-score matching (PSM).MethodsThe SEER data from 2010 to 2016 were extracted. The breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) of MBC patients, diagnosed from 2001 to 2016, was compared using Kaplan–Meier analysis. The multivariate Cox proportional model between groups was performed. PSM was used to make 1:1 case-control matching.ResultsWe included 1887 patients with a median follow-up time of 28 months (range 1-83 months). 1749 (92.7%) and 138 (7.3%) patients presented in the HER2-negative group and HER2-positive group. 833 (44.1%) patients received post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT). The HER2-positive group had younger patients, lower tumor grades, and more advanced tumor stages. The prognoses were related to age of diagnosis, race/ethnicity, TNM stage, and PMRT in multivariate Cox analysis. ER status and HER2 status had no impact on BCSS. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, PMRT was associated with a better prognosis. Importantly, patients with HER2-negative status can benefit from PMRT, but not those with HER2-positive status. After PSM, on multivariate Cox analysis, the prognosis was related to HER2 status and PMRT. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, PMRT was related to a better prognosis for HER2-negative patients.ConclusionsOur findings supported that PMRT and HER2-positive status were associated with a better prognosis after PSM. However, HER2-negative, but not HER2-positive patients could benefit from PMRT.

Background: Whether minor ischemic stroke (MIS) patients can benefit from intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) remains controversial. The association between the efficacy of IVT and baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score is unclear in MIS, while the association in moderate and severe stroke is known. This study aimed to explore the effect of IVT in patients with MIS and analyze its efficacy in patients with different baseline NIHSS scores., Methods: Patients with a NIHSS score ≤5 within 4.5 h of stroke onset were screened in 32 centers. Patients with and without IVT were matched to a ratio of 1:1 with propensity scores. An excellent outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≤1 at three months after stroke onset. Safety outcomes included mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Multivariate analysis was used to compute the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for excellent outcomes. The effect of IVT was further analyzed in subgroups according to the baseline NIHSS score., Results: Of the 23,853 screened, 3336 patients with MIS who arrived at the hospital within 4.5 h of onset were included. The 1163 patients treated with IVT were matched with 1163 patients without IVT. IVT in minor strokes generated an adjusted OR of 1.38 (95% CI: 1.09-1.75, p  = 0.009) for excellent outcomes. There were no significant differences in mortality (0.17% vs. 0.09%, p =  1.000) and sICH (0.69% vs. 0.86%, p =  0.813) between patients with and without IVT. Subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant effect of IVT in the baseline NIHSS 0-1 or 2-3 subgroups, with adjusted OR of 0.816 (95% CI 0.437-1.53, p  = 0.525) and1.22 (95% CI 0.845-1.77, p  = 0.287), respectively. In patients with NIHSS score of 4-5, IVT was significantly effective, with an adjusted OR of 1.53 (95% CI 1.02-2.30, p  = 0.038)., Conclusion: IVT can improve MIS outcomes. The risks of sICH and mortality did not increase, especially in patients with NIHSS scores 4 to 5, who could benefit from IVT significantly.

This study was to assess the alteration of circulating complement factor Ba (CFBa) within 11 to 17 weeks of gestation and its association with subsequent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and its delivery outcome. Biochemical parameters and blood samples were collected from 399 pregnant women within 11 to 17 weeks of gestation. At 24 to 28 weeks of gestation, all participants underwent 75-g oral glucose tolerance test and were assigned to GDM group (n = 80) and normal control group (n = 319). Perinatal data were collected after delivery. A propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the impact of confounding factors on glucose metabolism during pregnancy between the two groups. Two groups of 74 well-matched patients who maintained balance in terms of baseline characteristics. The levels of CFBa in pregnant women who later developed GDM were significantly higher than those in healthy pregnant women [0.4(0.1–0.8) vs. 0.2(0.2–0.3), p = 0.024]. Logistic regression analysis results confirmed that the level of CFBa was an independent impact factor for the occurrence of GDM (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.118–2.210, p = 0.009). Further grouping according to the median level of CFBa, it was found that the incidence of GDM in category two (>0.23 ng/ml, n = 74) was markedly higher than that in the first category (≤0.23 ng/ml, n = 74) (p = 0.021). High level of the CFBa within 11 to 17 weeks of gestation increases the risk of subsequent GDM, and maybe a biomarker for predicting GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal tumor surgery usually involved long operation time, large area of soft tissue resection and long wound, and was prone to hypothermia during the operation. Therefore, actively promoting insulation and optimizing the intraoperative insulation program have great potential in reducing the incidence of hypothermia and reducing the incidence of postoperative complications. In this study, we compared patients who did not implement multi-mode nursing insulation program (MNIP) with those who implemented MNIP, observing and comparing clinical outcomes, and complications in both groups, with the aim of developing an optimal management plan for the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods, respectively. Methods: We selected 2 periods of 1 year, before (n = 120 patients) and after MINP implementation (n = 120 patients). Data were collected on patient demographics, operative, perioperative details, temperature changes, anesthesia recovery effect, incidence of postoperative wound infection, length of hospital stay and complications. PS analyses were used for dealing with confounding bias in this retrospective observational study. Results: After PS matching, the outcomes of 120 well-balanced pairs of patients were compared (No-MNIP vs MNIP). There was no significant difference concerning the satisfaction survey. The results indicated that the MNIP had better insulation effect at 90 min, 120 min, 150 min after anesthesia induction and after surgery. There were 16 cases of complications in the No-MNIP group and 5 cases in the MNIP group postoperative, which have significant statistical difference. Conclusion: In this study, the incidence of intraoperative hypothermia was effectively reduced by adopting the multi-mode insulation scheme, thus reducing the incidence of incision infection and shortening the length of hospital stay of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. The effectiveness of chemotherapy (CT) for MBC remains controversial. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CT combined hormone receptor (HR) status on MBC patients with high risk (T1-4N2-3M0 and T4N0-1M0) by propensity-score matching (PSM). A retrospective study was performed to analyze MBC from the SEER database. Breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier curve. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess BCSS. PSM was used to make 1:1 case-control matching. This study identified 3116 patients. The median follow-up time was 44 months (range, 1–321 months). About 62.5 % of patients received CT. 23.0 % of patients were HR-positive. Recurrence risk had a significant difference between the HR-negative and HR-positive groups. In the multivariable Cox regression model, CT had no benefit for MBC patients. HR status was not associated with a better prognosis. In subgroup analysis, the Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that HR-negative MBC with intermediate-risk benefited from CT. For HR-positive MBC, patients with intermediate and high risk also benefited from CT. After PSM, neither CT nor HR status was not related to better BCSS. Moreover, the use of CT could only improve the survival of HR-positive MBC patients with high risk. PSM analysis showed that HR status was not associated with a better prognosis. CT was not a significant prognostic factor for prognosis. However, HR-positive MBC patients with high risk might benefit from CT. • Metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. • Hormone receptor (HR) status was not associated with a better prognosis. • Chemotherapy (CT) was not a significant prognostic factor for prognosis. • HR-positive MBC patients with high risk might benefit from CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The healthcare registries in Denmark present a unique opportunity to gain novel insights into the outcomes associated with both transcatheter and surgical approaches to aortic valve replacement. Our objective is to enhance shared decision-making by comparing long-term mortality and clinical outcomes between treatments., Methods: This observational study included all patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing elective isolated transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in Western Denmark between January 2016 and April 2022. Patient population and clinical data were identified from the Western Danish Heart Registry and the National Danish Patient Registry, respectively. A propensity score-matched population was generated. Outcomes were investigated according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-3., Results: A total of 2269 TAVI patients and 1094 SAVR patients where identified. The propensity score-matched population consisted of 468 TAVI patients (mean[SD]age, 75.0[5.3] years) and 468 SAVR patients (mean[SD] age, 75.1[4.6]years). The Kaplan-Meier estimate for the 5-year all-cause mortality was 29.8% in the TAVI group and 16.9% for in the SAVR group (P = 0.019). The risk of all stroke or transient ischaemic attack after five year was 15.1% in the TAVI group and 11.0% in the SAVR group (P = 0.047)., Conclusions: This study underscores the importance of evaluating all patient factors when choosing an aortic valve replacement method. Surgical aortic valve replacement was an excellent choice, especially for patients with New York Heart Association class I/II, ≥75 age, left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50%, or longer life expectancy., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

Gui-Fen Ma,1,* Hai-Ge Zhang,1,* Juan Liu,1 Yi-Xing Chen,1 Han Xiao,1 Xue-Fei Wang,2 Jian He,1 Zhao-Chong Zeng,1 Jing Sun,1 Tian-Shu Liu3,41Department of Radiotherapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China; 4Center of Evidence-Based Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: For patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) after D2 gastrectomy, the survival benefits of receiving adjuvant chemoradiotherapy versus adjuvant chemotherapy are unclear. This study aimed to compare the 5- and 7-year overall survival (OS) in the two groups and to identify which patients can benefit more from adjuvant chemoradiotherapy.Methods: Retrospective data were collected from January 2009 to December 2014. The 5- and 7-year OS and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between the two groups using the Chi-square test. The association of OS with prognostic factors was identified using the Cox’s proportional hazard model, which was then adjusted for survival coparison using propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis. The association of OS with each clinical/demographic factor was compared between the two groups using the Kaplan–Meier analysis.Results: A total of 415 eligible patients were identified (135 adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, 280 adjuvant chemotherapy). Significant 5- and 7-year OS and DFS benefits were found in the adjuvant chemoradiotherapy group versus chemotherapy group. Multivariate analysis showed that age, TNM stage, lymph node (LN) ratio, tumor deposits, and total/subtotal gastrectomy were independent prognostic factors. When the PSM analysis was adjusting by these factors, 135 patients were matched with an improved survival benefit from adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Patients in the adjuvant chemoradiotherapy group had a lower locoregional relapse. Subset analysis also identified significant OS benefits of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with LN ratio

Abstract Background The impact of sex on prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) who underwent definitive radiotherapy remained unclear. The present study aimed to determine the impact of sex on the prognosis of patients with ESCC underwent definitive radiotherapy. Methods Between January 2009 and December 2015, patients with ESCC underwent definitive radiotherapy in Shantou Central Hospital were included in this study. The Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The PFS and OS were compared between female and male patients. The Cox regression model was used to identify prognostic factors. Propensity score-matched analysis was performed to balance baseline characteristics between female and male patients. Results A total of 683 ESCC patients treated with definitive radiotherapy were included, with 497 male and 186 female patients. In the whole cohort, female patients had a significantly longer median PFS (14.0 months vs 10.6 months, P = 0.0001, HR = 0.688, 95% CI, 0.567–0.836) and OS (20.8 months vs 15.9 months, P = 0.0005, HR = 0.702, 95% CI, 0.575–0.857). In the matched cohort, female patients still had a significantly longer median PFS (13.5 months vs 11.6 months) and OS (19.6 months vs 16.1 months). Multivariate analysis showed that sex was an independent prognostic factor for PFS (HR = 0.746, 95% CI, 0.611–0.910, P = 0.004) and OS (HR = 0.755, 95% CI, 0.615–0.926, P = 0.007). Conclusions This present study indicated that sex was an independent prognostic factor in Chinese patients with ESCC underwent definitive radiotherapy, with better survival outcome for women than men. Efforts should be made to investigate the underlying biological mechanism.

Background: The direct acting antiviral remdesivir (RDV) has shown promising results in randomized clinical trials. This study is a unique report of real clinical practice RDV administration for COVID-19 from alpha through delta variant circulation in New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA). Patients in NOLA have among US worst pre-COVID health outcomes, and the region was an early epicenter for severe COVID., Methods: Data were directly extracted from electronic medical records through REACHnet. Of 9,106 adults with COVID, 1,928 were admitted to inpatient care within 7 days of diagnosis. The propensity score is based upon 22 selected covariates, related to both RDV assignment and outcome of interest. RDV and non-RDV patients were matched 1:1 with replacement, by location and calendar period of admission. Primary and secondary endpoints were, death from any cause and inpatient discharge, within 28 and 14 days after inpatient admission., Results: Of 448 patients treated with RDV, 419 (94%) were successfully matched to a non-RDV patient. 145 (35%) patients received RDV for < 5 days, 235 (56%) for 5 days, and 39 (9%) for > 5 days. 96% of those on RDV received it within 2 days of admission. RDV was more frequently prescribed in patients with pneumonia (standardized difference: 0.75), respiratory failure, hypoxemia, or dependence on supplemental oxygen (0.69), and obesity (0.35) within 5 days prior to RDV initiation or corresponding day in non-RDV patients (index day). RDV patients were numerically more likely to be on steroids within 5 days prior to index day (86 vs. 82%) and within 7 days after inpatient admission (96 vs. 87%). RDV was significantly associated with lower risk of death within 14 days after admission (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.69, p = 0.002) but not within 28 days (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.36 to 1.07, p = 0.08). Discharge within 14 days of admission was significantly more likely for RDV patients ( p < 0.001) and numerically more likely within 28 days after admission ( p = 0.06)., Conclusion: Overall, our findings support recommendation of RDV administration for COVID-19 in a highly comorbid, highly impoverished population representative of both Black and White subjects in the US Gulf South., Competing Interests: The study team reports receiving investigator-initiated research support from: Gilead Sciences, Inc. (AD, DF, NS, GJ, MF), a contract from the Center for Diseases Control (AD, DF), a National Institute of Health SEROnet study (AD, DF), and clinical trials support from Gilead (AD, DF), Regeneron (AD, DF), Metro International Biotech (AD, DF), and NIH-DMID COVAIL (AD, DF). DF also reports consultant fees from and has served an advisory boards for Gilead Sciences, Inc., unrelated to this work. MF was employed by AMF Consulting. MC, LC, CW, EL were employed by Gilead Sciences, Inc. The remaining author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Salvadori, Fridman, Chiang, Chen, Wang, Lee, Fonseca, Fusco, Jourdain and Drouin.)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) on survival outcomes in older women with hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer (BC)., Design: A retrospective cohort study using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, which contains publicly available information from US cancer registries., Setting and Participants: The study included 45 762 older patients with BC aged over 65 years diagnosed between 2010 and 2015., Methods: Patients were divided into two groups based on age: 65-79 years and ≥80 years. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to balance clinicopathological characteristics between patients who received ACT and those who did not. Data analysis used the χ 2 test and Kaplan-Meier method, with a subgroup analysis conducted to identify potential beneficiaries of ACT., Outcome Measures: Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS)., Results: Due to clinicopathological characteristic imbalances between patients with BC aged 65-79 years and those aged ≥80 years, PSM was used to categorise the population into two groups for analysis: the 65-79 years age group (n=38 128) and the ≥80 years age group (n=7634). Among patients aged 65-79 years, Kaplan-Meier analysis post-PSM indicated that ACT was effective in improving OS (p<0.05, HR=0.80, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.88), particularly in those with advanced disease stages, but did not show a significant benefit in CSS (p=0.09, HR=1.13, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.31). Conversely, for patients aged ≥80 years, ACT did not demonstrate any improvement in OS (p=0.79, HR=1.04, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.36) or CSS (p=0.09, HR=1.46, 95% CI 0.69 to 2.26) after matching. Subgroup analysis also revealed no positive impact on OS and CSS., Conclusions: Patients with HR+/HER2- BC ≥80 years of age may be considered exempt from ACT because no benefits were found in terms of OS and CSS., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

• PTV dose coverage has a significant impact on locoregional recurrence in NPC clinical routine patients. • D90 is the most important dose–volume factor for NPC locoregional recurrence. • The effect of clinical factors on patient's outcome was filtered out by propensity score matching. To analyze the impact of target dosimetry using propensity score matching (PSM) on patients' locoregional recurrence for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to find significant dose–volume factors of recurrence. Sixty-eight nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with recorded locoregional recurrence were enrolled in this study. These patients were treated with IMRT in 2009–2010 in our department. Another 198 NPC patients without recurrence were randomly selected from the same treatment time period. The median follow-up time for all patients was 49.0 months. PSM was performed to match the recurrence and nonrecurrence cohorts. Dose–volume histograms (DVHs) of treatment planning were extracted for statistical analysis. Cox hazard model and Kaplan-Meier log-rank analysis were performed to evaluate correlations between PTV dose coverage and local/region recurrence. Propensity score matching balanced the clinical factors in two matches. Univariate cox survival model showed D90 and D95 were significantly correlated to the recurrence, and the D90 was the most significant (p = 0.036) one. The results of multivariate analysis show that only D90 is required for recurrence prediction when collinear dosimetric factors are considered. KM log-rank analysis showed that patients have significant local/regional control differences (p -value = 0.036, log-rank) in the D90 >101% and D90 <101% groups. D90 corresponds to significant dose–volume factors. PTV dose coverage has a significant impact on locoregional recurrence in NPC clinical routine patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a composite inflammatory biomarker, is associated with the prognosis in patients with colorectal tumors. However, whether the NLR can be used as a predictor of symptomatic postoperative anastomotic leakage (AL) in elderly patients with colon cancer is unclear., Aim: To assess the role of the NLR in predicting the occurrence of symptomatic AL after surgery in elderly patients with colon cancer., Methods: Data from elderly colon cancer patients who underwent elective radical colectomy with anastomosis at three centers between 2018 and 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the best predictive cutoff value for the NLR. Twenty-two covariates were matched using a 1:1 propensity score matching method, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine risk factors for the development of postoperative AL., Results: Of the 577 patients included, 36 (6.2%) had symptomatic AL. The optimal cutoff value of the NLR for predicting AL was 2.66. After propensity score matching, the incidence of AL was significantly greater in the ≥ 2.66 NLR subgroup than in the < 2.66 NLR subgroup (11.5% vs 2.5%; P = 0.012). Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between blood transfusion intraoperatively and within 2 d postoperatively, preoperative albumin concentration, preoperative prognostic nutritional index, and preoperative NLR and AL occurrence ( P < 0.05); multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that an NLR ≥ 2.66 [odds ratio (OR) = 5.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.50-20.26; P = 0.010] and blood transfusion intraoperatively and within 2 d postoperatively (OR = 2.52; 95%CI: 0.88-7.25; P = 0.049) were risk factors for the occurrence of symptomatic AL., Conclusion: A preoperative NLR ≥ 2.66 and blood transfusion intraoperatively and within 2 d postoperatively are associated with a higher incidence of postoperative symptomatic AL in elderly patients with colon cancer. The preoperative NLR has predictive value for postoperative symptomatic AL after elective surgery in elderly patients with colon cancer., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Palliative primary tumor resection (pPTR) can benefit colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis. Whether pPTR benefiting gastric cancer (GC) patients with liver metastasis is still controversial., Methods: Data on patients with metastatic GC diagnosed between 2010 to 2019 was extracted from SEER database. Propensity score analysis with 1:1 matching was performed. The univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to explore prognostic factors. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival outcomes., Results: Of 5691 GC patients with liver metastasis, 468 were included in the matched cohorts. The results showed that the median survival time was 6 months in the non-surgery groups and 14.5 months in the surgery groups (p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that surgery was a protective prognostic factor for overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.416] as well as cancer-specific survival (HR = 0.417). Also, pPTR was only recommended for GC patients with isolated liver metastasis. Moreover, pPTR combined with chemotherapy brought the greatest therapeutic effect., Conclusion: pPTR benefits GC patients with isolated liver metastasis, and GC patients with liver metastasis receiving pPTR combined with chemotherapy had the best survival outcomes than any other therapeutic model., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Ren, Yang, Lv and Liu.)

Purpose: We conducted this large population-based study to investigate the prognostic significance of N1c. Methods: Patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2010, were included in the sample. The primary outcome of interest used in our study was cause-specific survival (CSS). Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan–Meier methods were used to evaluate the prognostic value of N1c. Propensity score matching (PSM) was implemented to reduce the possibility of selection bias using a logistic regression model. Results: A total of 19,991 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer were identified from the SEER database. The median follow-up time of the whole cohort was 60 months (0–71 months). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that N1c was associated with significantly higher risk of colorectal cancer-specific mortality compared with N0 (HR = 1.962, 95%CI = 1.642 to 2.343, P < 0.001) and N1a (HR = 0.818, 95%CI = 0.678 to 0.987, P = 0.036); N1c was associated with significantly lower risk of colorectal cancer-specific mortality compared with N2a (HR = 1.296, 95%CI = 1.081 to 1.554, P = 0.005) and N2b (HR = 1.663, 95%CI = 1.391 to 1.989, P < 0.001). Yet the CSS difference between N1b and N1c did not achieve statistical difference (HR = 1.089, 95%CI = 0.909 to 1.304, P = 0.354). Conclusions: The large population-based and propensity score-matched study with long follow-up time provides the first evidence that CSS difference between N1b and N1c does not achieve a statistical difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the implications of preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) elevation in cause-specific survival (CSS) of patients diagnosed with stage I (T1N0M0 and T2N0M0) colon cancer. Methods: Eligible patients diagnosed with stage I colon cancer from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from January 2004 to December 2010 were included in this respective and propensity score–matched (PSM) study. Some Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to identify prognostic factors associated with oncologic outcomes of colon cancer. Pearson's chi-squared tests and Kaplan–Meier methods were performed. Results: The median follow-up time of the whole cohort was 79 months. A total of 16,659 patients diagnosed with stage I colon cancer were identified from the SEER database. Multivariate Cox analyses showed that stage T1N0M0 in the context of serum CEA elevation (T1, CEA+) presented up to 158.4% increased risk of colon cancer-specific mortality compared with stage T1N0M0 in the context of normal serum CEA [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.584, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.167–3.082, P < 0.001]. After PSM, Kaplan–Meier survival curves of stage T1N0M0 colon cancer showed that 5-year CSS rates of normal and elevated CEA were 94.8% and 96.6% (P < 0.001). Conclusions: This large population-based and propensity score–matched study with long follow-up time provides the first evidence that stage T1N0M0 colon cancer with the elevation of preoperative serum CEA would be a surrogate of aggressive tumor biology and predict poor prognosis. In addition, this subgroup of colon cancer might need to be paid more attention of clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) is associated with tumor progression and poor survival outcome in some malignancies., Purpose: We aimed to determine the prognostic value of AAPR in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT)., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 342 patients with HNC treated with definitive or adjuvant CCRT from 2007 to 2017. Receiver-operator characteristic curve assessed the cut-off value and predictive accuracy of AAPR for disease progression. Propensity score-matched (PSM) method was performed to balance baseline characteristics. Multivariate Cox regression analyses screened the independent prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS)., Results: The median follow-up duration was 40 months. The optimal cut-off level of AAPR was 0.523. In the PSM cohort, an AAPR < 0.523 was related to worse PFS and OS (PFS: Hazard ratio [HR], 1.936; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.212 to 3.249; P = 0.001 and OS: HR, 1.832; 95% CI, 1.117 to 3.478; P = 0.02) compared with those with an AAPR ≥ 0.523. AJCC stage IVA-B also showed poor survival outcome compared with patients with AJCC stage II--III (PFS: HR, 1.855; 95% CI, 1.173 to 2.933; P = 0.008 and OS: HR, 1.905; 95% CI, 1.131 to 3.211; P = 0.015)., Conclusions: HNC patients with low AAPR independently have worse survival outcomes than do high AAPR patients. These findings might help physicians predict treatment outcome and guide treatment strategy in patients with HNC underwent CCRT.

Objective: To explore the validity of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) combined with the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in predicting the short-term prognosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI)., Methods: We collected the data from a total of 3,246 clinical AMI patients hospitalized in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from December 2015 to December 2021. All patients underwent routine blood examination within 2 hours of admission. Outcome was defined as all-cause mortality during hospitalization. A total of 94 pairs of patients were generated by propensity score matching (PSM), and a combined NLR-based and PLR-based indicators was constructed according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and multivariate logistic regression analysis., Results: We finally generated 94 pairs of patients by PSM, and analyzed NLR and PLR in those patients using ROC curves, and converted NLR (optimal cut-off = 5.094) and PLR (optimal cut-off = 165.413) into binary variables according to optimal cut-offs, defined as NLR grouping (5.094 vs. > 5.094, ≤ 5.094 = 0, > 5.094 = 1) and PLR grouping (165.413 vs. > 165.413, ≤ 165.413 = 0, > 165.413 = 1). We constructed a combined indicator (NLR grouping + PLR grouping) based on the results of multivariate logistic regression. Combined indicator has four conditions [Y 1 = 0.887 (NLR grouping = 0; PLR grouping = 0); Y 2 = 0.949 (NLR grouping = 0; PLR grouping = 1); Y 3 = 0.972 (NLR grouping = 1; PLR grouping = 0); and Y 4 = 0.988 (NLR grouping = 1; PLR grouping = 1)]. Univariate logistic regression showed that the risk of in-hospital death was significantly increased when the combined indicator of patients was in Y 3 (OR = 4.968, 95% CI 2.215-11.141, P < 0.0001) and Y 4 (OR = 10.473, 95% CI 4.610-23.793, P < 0.0001). Combined indicator constructed by NLR grouping and PLR grouping can better predict the risk of in-hospital mortality in AMI patients and help clinical cardiologists to more finely care for and treat these high-risk groups to improve their short-term prognostic outcomes., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2023.)

Background: This study aimed to explore the role of postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting symptomatic anastomotic leakage in patients who underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data of patients who underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection from May 2009 to May 2019. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the cut-off values with the best predictive efficacy of a symptomatic anastomotic leakage. In addition, a propensity score-matched analysis was performed by considering all covariate variables, and 61 patients with or without symptomatic anastomotic leakage were included in the analysis. Results: The present study included 306 patients; of these, 17 (5.56%) developed symptomatic anastomotic leakage after surgery. On postoperative day 5, compared with patients without symptomatic anastomotic leakage, those with leakage had significantly higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte levels. Notably, a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte cut-off score of 6.54 indicated the best area under the curve of 0.818 (95% confidence interval: 0.697−0.940, p < 0.001) in predicting symptomatic anastomotic leakage, with a sensitivity and specificity of 76.5% and 79.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Although evidence for the predictive role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is accumulating, it remains inconclusive. In addition, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte levels should be considered a predictive biomarker for symptomatic anastomotic leakage; however, it can more accurately be viewed as an adjunct that helps increase the clinical suspicion of emerging symptomatic anastomotic leakage.

Convalescent plasma (CP) recurs as a frontline treatment in epidemics because it is available as soon as there are survivors. The COVID-19 pandemic represented the first large-scale opportunity to shed light on the mechanisms of action, safety, and efficacy of CP using modern evidence-based medicine approaches. Studies ranging from observational case series to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported highly variable efficacy results for COVID-19 CP (CCP), resulting in uncertainty. We analyzed variables associated with efficacy, such as clinical settings, disease severity, CCP SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) antibody levels and function, dose, timing of administration (variously defined as time from onset of symptoms, molecular diagnosis, diagnosis of pneumonia, or hospitalization, or by serostatus), outcomes (defined as hospitalization, requirement for ventilation, clinical improvement, or mortality), CCP provenance and time for collection, and criteria for efficacy. The conflicting trial results, along with both recent WHO guidelines discouraging CCP usage and the recent expansion of the FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) to include outpatient use of CCP, create confusion for both clinicians and patients about the appropriate use of CCP. A review of 30 available RCTs demonstrated that signals of efficacy (including reductions in mortality) were more likely if the CCP neutralizing titer was >160 and the time to randomization was less than 9 days. The emergence of the Omicron variant also reminds us of the benefits of polyclonal antibody therapies, especially as a bridge to the development and availability of more specific therapies.

Background: Owing to specific working environments, it is important to attain sustainable development goals for the health of fishery workers during climate change. Fishery workers have a hazardous working environment, leading to specific injuries and fatal events. However, limited studies have investigated the health status of fishery workers through long-term longitudinal follow-up and compared it with that of farmers and employed workers with similar socioeconomic status. Methods: The Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000, a subset of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was used for this retrospective cohort study. Only fishery workers, farmers, and employed workers were included. Based on the majority of causes of death and related diseases, participants newly diagnosed with 18 diseases, classified into cardiometabolic diseases, mental illness, chronic kidney disease, infection, and malignancy, were included. Participants with an old diagnosis of these diseases were excluded. All included participants were followed up from 1 July 2000 to the diagnosis and withdrawal date, or 31 December 2012, whichever occurred first. Due to the substantial difference in the baseline demographics, we executed a cohort study with propensity score-matched and applied the Cox model to explore the participants’ health status. Results: After matching, there were negligible differences in the baseline demographics of fishery workers, farmers, and employed workers. Compared to farmers and employed workers, fishery workers were more frequently diagnosed with 11 and 14 diseases, respectively, such as hypertension (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.11, p < 0.01), diabetes (HR: 1.21, p < 0.001), dyslipidemia (HR: 1.18, p < 0.001), depression (HR: 1.38, p < 0.001), peptic ulcer (HR: 1.17, p < 0.001), chronic viral hepatitis (HR: 2.06, p < 0.001), hepatocellular carcinoma (HR: 1.67, p < 0.001), and total malignancy (HR: 1.26, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Compared to farmers and employed workers, fishery workers were more impacted by cardiometabolic diseases, mental illness, infection, and malignancy. Therefore, it is imperative to specifically focus on health policies for fishery workers, such as providing curable antiviral treatment and initiating culture-tailored health promotion programs, to mitigate health inequality.