Medicine
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Carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT) increases in patients with adult type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and is used for early detection of macrovascular complications. We aimed to investigate the change of C-IMT in prediabetes and type-2 DM patients compared to subjects with normal glucose metabolism (NGM). A total of 180 individuals (60 subjects with NGM, 60 patients with prediabetes and 60 patients with type-2 DM) were included in this study. ⋯ LDL and HDL cholesterols, HbA1c, and hs-CRP levels were independently associated with IC-IMT and CC-IMT. C-IMT values were significantly higher in impaired glucose metabolism compared to NGM. C-IMT measurement may be used as part of routine screening of macrovascular complication in patients with prediabetes and newly diagnosed type-2 DM.
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Observational Study
Predictors affecting anterolateral thigh flap in reconstruction of upper extremity.
Our study is aim to explore predictors for failure of anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap in the reconstruction of upper extremity. We performed a retrospective study for 509 patients who underwent ALT flap in the reconstruction of upper extremity. Among them, 27 patients suffered from necrosis of ALT flap (necrosis group, NG) and 482 gained survival of this flap (survival group, SG). ⋯ Multivariate and Kaplan-Meier method implied the same results. In summary, many factors were related with failure of ALT in the reconstruction of upper extremity. Postmenopausal, D-dimer, and PLT were the first considered as risk factors for ALT flap repairing upper extremity.
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MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, non-coding class of RNAs with functions in the regulation of genes expressions. Dysregulated expressions of miRNAs play important roles in carcinogenesis and cancer progression by targeting various oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes. miRNAs represent a new field for molecular diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) due to their high tissue specificity, their stability, and their dysregulated expression in tumor development. This study aimed to investigate using the qRT-PCR method the expression profile and prognostic value of 11 mature miRNAs in a cohort of 82 Romanian patients diagnosed with CRC. ⋯ The univariate and multivariate Cox-proportional hazard regression for all variables revealed that the nodal status, distant metastasis, miR-21, miR-141, miR-182, and miR-183 were independent prognostic markers of CRC. In conclusion, altered expressions of miR-21, miR-141, miR-182, and miR-183 in CRC varies at different stages of CRC development and may serve as potential diagnosis molecular biomarkers in Romanian patients with CRC. Further investigations are needed to confirm our findings.
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This study aimed to examine the association between colorectal cancer and zolpidem use in Taiwan. A case-control study was conducted using the database of Taiwan National Health Insurance Program from 2000 to 2013. Participants aged 20 to 84 years with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer were selected as the cases. ⋯ The mean age was 63 years and 58% were male participants. After adjustment for co-variables, the multivariable logistic regression model disclosed that there was no statistical association between colorectal cancer and zolpidem use (adjusted OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.95-1.15). No statistical association can be detected between colorectal cancer and zolpidem use in Taiwan.