Medicine
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Comparative Study Observational Study
New insight on antimicrobial therapy adjustment strategies for gram-negative bacterial infection: A cohort study.
Gram-negative bacterial infections, especially multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infection, are becoming a serious threat to public health. Although it is widely accepted that both appropriate initial empirical therapy and targeted therapy are important, but for patients needing therapy adjustment, few studies have explored whether adjustment strategy based on microbiologic susceptibility test (MST) brings better outcome compared with empirical adjustment. A total of 320 patients with gram-negative bacterial infection (airway, blood, or pleural effusion) were selected and a prospective cohort study was conducted. ⋯ For patients needing therapy adjustment, relying on MST gained no significant benefit on mortality, clinical, or microbiologic outcomes compared with depending on clinical experience. But for patients with MDR infection, adjustment relying on MST gained more benefit than non-MDR infection. Appropriate initial therapy significantly improved the prognosis of patients with gram-negative bacterial infections, but improvement was not that obvious for patients needing therapy adjustment which was based on MST compared with clinical experience, and more beneficial effects of adjustment relying on MST were obtained for patients with MDR bacterial infection.
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Observational Study
Prognostic implication of hepatoduodenal ligament lymph nodes in gastric cancer.
There has been controversy regarding whether hepatoduodenal lymph node (HDLN) metastasis in gastric cancer is distant or regional metastasis. HDLN positivity was classified as distant metastasis in the 7th American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification, but it was reclassified as regional lymph node metastasis in the 8th AJCC classification. The aim of our study is to verify prognostic significance of HDLN metastasis in gastric cancer. ⋯ Multivariate analysis showed that HDLN metastasis was an independent prognostic factor. HDLN has a different prognostic significance from other regional lymph nodes in advanced stage of gastric cancer though its positivity is not considered as distant metastasis. HDLN positivity itself seems to be an independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer, and the survival outcomes of patients with stage III disease need to be reconsidered according to HDLN positivity.
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This cross-sectional study investigates the plasma inflammatory profile of chronic widespread pain (CWP) patients compared to healthy controls (CON). Rather than analyzing a relatively few substances at a time, we used a new multiplex proximity extension assay (PEA) panel that enabled the simultaneous analysis of 92 inflammation-related proteins, mainly cytokines and chemokines. Seventeen women with CWP and 21 female CON participated and a venous blood sample was drawn from all subjects. ⋯ Larger studies are needed to confirm the results and to investigate which alterations are condition-specific and which are common across chronic pain conditions. The presence of inflammation could promote the spreading of pain, a hallmark sign of CWP. As it has been suggested that prevalent comorbidities to pain (e.g., depression and anxiety, poor sleep, and tiredness) also are associated with inflammation, it will be important to determine whether inflammation may be a common mediator.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of intra-articular lumbar facet joint pulsed radiofrequency and intra-articular lumbar facet joint corticosteroid injection for management of lumbar facet joint pain: A randomized controlled trial.
This study aimed to demonstrate the effect of intra-articular (IA) lumbar facet joint (LFJ) pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) for the management of LFJ pain, and to compare the effect of IA LFJ PRF to IA corticosteroid injection (ICI). Pathology in the LFJ is a common source of lower back pain (LBP). It is responsible for chronic LBP in approximately 15% to 45% of patients. It has been reported that PRF stimulation can effectively reduce refractory joint pain. ⋯ In the current study, both IA PRF stimulation and ICI into the LFJ significantly relieved LFJ pain. Their effects persisted for at least 6 months after the procedure. Thus, IA PRF is a useful therapeutic option for the management of LFJ pain.
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Meta Analysis
Association of CYP2J2 gene polymorphisms with ischemic stroke and stroke subtypes in Chinese population.
Ischemic stroke (IS) is the main cause of mortality and disability among the old people in China and is a multifactorial disease influenced by many factors including genetic factors like the allele for CYP 2J2. It has been demonstrated that CYP2J2 polymorphisms alter the transcriptional activity. However, studies on the association between CYP2J2-50G/T polymorphism and IS have reported conflicting results. Thus, our study aimed to examine the association between 4 variants in the CYP2J2 gene and the risk of IS and its subtypes, in the Chinese population. ⋯ The findings of the present study suggested that polymorphism in -50G/T position of CYP2J2 gene might be a risk factor for IS in Chinese population. Further large prospective studies were required to confirm these findings.