Surgery
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In a population-based study, we examined recurrence rates of acute pancreatitis (AP) after cholecystectomy performed to prevent recurrences of AP. ⋯ When AP is associated with significantly elevated liver enzymes on day 1, recurrence rates after cholecystectomy are low (9%). However, postcholecystectomy recurrence rates of AP are high in those without such laboratory abnormalities (34%), especially in those without gall bladder stones/sludge (61%) on abdominal ultrasonography. Our results raise doubts about the efficacy of cholecystectomy to prevent recurrent AP in patients with the absence of either a significant elevation of liver tests on day 1 of AP or gallstones and/or sludge in the gall bladder on initial ultrasound examination.
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To investigate the role of CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in septic conditions, and to examine the potential of targeting them for the treatment of sepsis. ⋯ We found an increase in the percentages of Tregs in peripheral blood circulating CD4+ T cells from patients with sepsis, and in splenic MNCs from septic mice, and observed that regulation of Tregs by neutralizing IL-10 or TGF-β might represent a novel strategy for treating the immunosuppressive conditions in sepsis.