Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
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Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is becoming a growing concern in global epidemiology. Quality of life of patients has become a major outcome for cancer care but limited study investigated quality of life of PCa patients. Our study is to investigate predictors for treatment outcomes of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), nocturia, and the urinary specific quality of life (uQoL) in PCa patients one year following treatment. ⋯ TNM stage and BMI affected the LUTS. Patients undergone a prostatectomy or radiation therapy showed more frequency of nocturia, BMI and PSA were also risk factors for nocturia. Moreover, patients' age, BMI, and PSA affected uQoL. In such patients, we recommend close monitoring of patients' specific characteristics such as TNM stage, BMI, and PSA for a better quality of life.
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Exercise is an effective therapy for the management of diabetes because it helps regulate glucose and magnesium homeostasis. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which exercise exerts effects on magnesium transport remain unclear. This study investigated the expression of genes encoding magnesium transporters (GMTs) after a three-month exercise program in diabetic patients. ⋯ The three-month exercise program ameliorated blood glucose levels and downregulated the expression of magnesium-responsive genes in patients with T2DM.
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We compared the clinical efficacy of normal C-reactive protein (CRP) expression (<1.0 mg/dL), with a 2-week drug holiday test (DHT) and no drug holiday test (DHT) as a reimplantation criterion, based on subsequent infections after a two-stage revision of a total knee arthroplasty of a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). ⋯ We found that disciplined use of DHT as a reimplantation criterion reduced CRP resurges before reimplantation and yielded a shorter LOS afterward. DHT positively affected the subsequent mid-term infection rate after PJI treatment.
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Congenital TORCH (toxoplasmosis, other viruses [varicella-zoster virus, VZV, etc.], rubella, cytomegalovirus [CMV], Herpes simplex virus [HSV]) infections are major causes of prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal morbidity and mortality. Although treatment or prevention strategies are available for these pathogens, all drugs may not be safe during the pregnancy. The aim of this study is to measure the antibodies (Abs) concentration in the intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) preparation to evaluate the therapeutic potential for TORCH infection. ⋯ There was high activity against T. gondii, VZV, EBV, measles, mumps, rubella, CMV, HSV-1, and HSV-2 in all IVIG batches. Further investigation is warranted to confirm the efficacy of IVIG from Taiwanese for congenital TORCH infections.
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In the present study, we investigated whether blink synkinesis monitoring during microvascular decompression (MVD) is effective for predicting long-term outcomes in patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS). ⋯ Our results demonstrate that blink synkinesis monitoring is safe during MVD for HFS. Furthermore, blink synkinesis was associated with the highest sensitivity and predictive values among the three methods evaluated. These findings suggest that blink synkinesis can be regarded as the first choice for intraoperative monitoring during MVD. Concurrent use of blink synkinesis and LSR monitoring may maximize the ability to predict patient prognosis and determine the extent of decompression.