Medicine
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To date, there have been few reports investigating the relationship between tuberculosis (TB) and gastric cancer. We conducted a nationwide population-based matched cohort study using data retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database to determine the incidence of and risk factors for TB in patients diagnosed with gastric cancer. From 2000 to 2011, we identified 36,972 gastric cancer patients and normal subjects from the general population matched for age, sex, and comorbidities at a 1:1 ratio. ⋯ Dyslipidemia was an independent protective factor for both TB (adjusted HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.73-2.62, P < 0.001) and mortality (adjusted HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.08-1.15, P < 0.001) in gastric cancer patients. Old age, male sex, diabetes mellitus, and COPD were independent risk factors for TB in gastric cancer. High-risk gastric cancer patients, especially those in TB-endemic areas, should be regularly screened for TB.
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Carcinoma of unknown primary origin (CUP) is characterized by diverse histological subtypes and clinical presentations, ranging from clinically indolent to frankly aggressive behaviors. This study aimed to identify prognostic factors of CUP and to develop a simple risk model to predict survival in a cohort of Asian patients. We retrospectively reviewed 190 patients diagnosed with CUP between 2007 and 2012 at a single medical center in Taiwan. ⋯ The c-statistics using the risk model and ECOG scale for the outcome of 1-year mortality were 0.80 and 0.70 (P = 0.038), respectively. In this study, we developed a simple risk model that accurately predicted survival in patients with CUP. This scoring system may be used to help patients and clinicians determine appropriate treatments.
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Observational Study
Classification and Morphological Parameters of the Scapular Spine: Implications for Surgery.
Incidence of scapular spine (SS) fractures as a result of complications of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty is relatively high leading to inferior clinical outcomes and an increased risk of revision and dislocation. Fractures of SS because of trauma, including the acromion, constitute 6% to 23% of scapula fractures. The purpose of this study was to classify the SS and present specific geometrical parameters according to osteologic features. ⋯ Our classification into 5 distinct types allowed appreciation of the anatomical variance of SSs. The contours of Types 5 and 1 presented a more complex morphology and may lead to a worse surgical approach due to a fracture. As Types 2 and 5 were much thinner than the other types, these may be more susceptible to fractures.
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Observational Study
The Incidence of Deep Vein Thrombosis in Asian Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Most studies have focused on the prevalence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute exacerbation in Caucasian populations. DVT is supposedly less likely to occur among Asians than Caucasians, and the primary purpose of this study was to determine the actual incidence of DVT in patients with COPD in Asian populations. We enrolled patients over the age of 40 with a diagnosis of COPD (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision [ICD-9]: 490-492, 496; A-code: A323 and A325) between 1998 and 2008. ⋯ Patients were followed from index date to when either a diagnosis of DVT was made, death occurred, December 31, 2009 was reached, or when the patients withdrew from the National Health Insurance program. The overall incidence rate of DVT was 18.78 per 10,000 person-years in patients with COPD, and the adjusted hazard ration of DVT in patients with COPD was 1.38 (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.80), which was greater than patients without COPD after adjusting for age, sex, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cerebrovascular accident, congestive heart failure, lower leg fracture or surgery, and cancer. Asian patients with COPD had a higher incidence of DVT than non-COPD patients.
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Review Meta Analysis
Continuous Local Infiltration Analgesia for Pain Control After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
A total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has always been associated with moderate to severe pain. As more research is conducted on the use of continuous local infiltration analgesia (CLIA) to manage pain after a TKA, it is necessary to reassess the efficacy and safety of the TKA method. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pain control of CLIA versus placebo after a TKA. ⋯ On the basis of the current meta-analysis, CLIA was more efficacious for reducing postoperative pain than the placebo at 24 hours with rest and at 24 and 48 hours with mobilization, but it increased the risk of infection. However, CLIA did not prolong the length of hospital stay or the duration of surgery. There was also a higher heterogeneity of different analgesic drugs mixed and a high risk of selection bias in this analysis; therefore, more high-quality randomized controlled trials with standardized CLIA are necessary for proper comparisons of this technique with other methods.