Medicine
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Contrast Medium Exposure During Computed Tomography and Risk of Development of End-Stage Renal Disease in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based, Propensity Score-Matched, Longitudinal Follow-Up Study.
The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term association between contrast medium exposure during computed tomography (CT) and the subsequent development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We conducted a population-based cohort study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 7100 patients with nonadvanced CKD who underwent contrast medium-enhanced CT were identified and served as the study cohort. ⋯ We further divided the patients who underwent CTs with contrast medium use into ≤1 exposure per year on average, >1 and <2 exposure per year on average, and ≥2 exposure per year on average. After adjusting for confounders, we identified a much higher risk for developing ESRD in the 2 groups of >1 and <2 exposure per year on average and ≥2 exposure per year on average (adjusted HR = 8.13; 95% CI, 5.57-11.87 and adjusted HR = 12.08; 95% CI, 7.39-19.75, respectively) compared with the patients who underwent CTs without contrast medium use. This long-term follow-up study demonstrated that contrast medium exposure was not associated with an increased risk of ESRD development in nonadvanced CKD patients.
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Review Case Reports
Pemetrexed Maintenance Therapy Following Bevacizumab-Containing First-Line Chemotherapy in Advanced Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: A Case Report and Literatures Review.
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a lethal disease with poor prognosis. The combination of cisplatin and pemetrexed has been confirmed as the standard of care for nonoperable MPM. Data have shown that the adoption of pemetrexed maintenance therapy (PMT) following first-line treatment appears extremely promising. ⋯ A perfect response and a long progression-free survival (PFS) were reached with tumor mass disappearing and 14 months duration of PFS. This case suggests that adding bevacizumab to standard first-line chemotherapy is feasible and that PMT could be promising and useful for treating advanced MPM. We further entail a review of the literature on the first-line treatment, continuation maintenance therapy, switch maintenance therapy, and second-line treatment of patients with advanced MPM.
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Malaria and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are globally important public health concerns. The objectives of this study were (i) to determine the prevalence of malaria and HIV co-infections in people living in endemic countries, and (ii) to assess the effect of co-infection on anemia. Studies were searched on electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Medline, Google Scholar, and African Journals Online. ⋯ The findings of this study suggest that the prevalence of malaria and HIV co-infection, particularly in pregnant women, requires special attention from healthcare personnel. Better understanding of the co-infection is crucial for designing treatment strategies. Future well-powered, prospective designs assessing the interaction between malaria and HIV are recommended.
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Review Case Reports
Calcineurin Inhibitors Associated Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome in Solid Organ Transplantation: Report of 2 Cases and Literature Review.
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a rare neurologic side effect of calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) with poorly understood clinical features. We report cases of 2 patients with PRES developing after kidney transplantation and summarize PRES clinical features through a literature review. The 1st case was a 28-year-old man who received a kidney transplant from a deceased donor. ⋯ CNI-associated PRES has a generally favorable prognosis with early diagnosis and prompt treatment including alternating or discontinuing CNIs and blood pressure control. CNI-associated PRES should be considered in patients exhibiting acute neurological symptoms after transplantation. Early diagnosis and immediate treatment are critical for a favorable prognosis.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The Efficacy of Adjuvant FOLFOX6 for Patients With Gastric Cancer after D2 Lymphadenectomy: A Propensity Score-matched Analysis.
Adjuvant 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX6) are widely used for treating resected gastric cancer in clinics in China, but only few clinical trials have investigated its efficacy. Using propensity score matching, we evaluated the efficacy of adjuvant FOLFOX6 following D2 lymphadenectomy. Patients who received adjuvant FOLFOX6 following D2 lymphadenectomy (FOLFOX6, n = 113) or D2 lymphadenectomy only (surgery-only, n = 512) between 1998 and 2007 at our center were propensity score-matched; we identified a balanced 1:2 cohort, with 96 patients in the FOLFOX6 group and 192 patients in the surgery-only group. ⋯ Internal validation of the nomogram revealed good predictive abilities, with a bootstrap-corrected concordance index of 0.70. Adjuvant FOLFOX6 following D2 lymphadenectomy is associated with survival benefit in resected gastric cancer. Receiving adjuvant FOLFOX6 can be developed into a nomogram with other independent prognosticators to refine OS prediction and estimation of benefit from adjuvant FOLFOX6 for resected gastric cancer.