Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
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Diabetes and insulin resistance alter the physiological state of serum albumin (SA), which is a prognostic marker for stable coronary artery disease (CAD). However, whether the SA concentration is associated with long-term cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in diabetic patients with stable CAD remains unclear. ⋯ In diabetic patients with stable CAD, a low SA concentration (<4 g/dL) was associated with increased long-term mortality regardless of all-cause or CV reasons but not nonfatal CV events.
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Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) poses a considerable global health challenge; however, population-based studies on AAA are scarce. The current study determined the hospitalization rates, surgical trends, mortality, and reintervention rates for ruptured (r-AAA) and nonruptured (nr-AAA) AAA by using a national health insurance database. ⋯ AAA is more common among older individuals, and the annual standardized incidence indicates a downward trend. Since the introduction of EVAR, the proportion of patients undergoing EVAR has continually increased, whereas that of those undergoing OSR have decreased. Although EVAR and OSR were both associated with lower mortality rates among patients with r-AAA, OSR resulted in better long-term survival outcomes.
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Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) remains the most useful marker for screening, risk categorization, and follow-up in patients with prostate cancer. In the obese population, several studies have revealed that obesity may not only inversely interfere with the concentration of PSA, but also increase the risk of prostate cancer. Thus, we considered using the body mass weighted PSA levels, presented as serum PSA concentration multiplied by body weight or body mass index (BMI), instead of traditional PSA concentration, as potential markers to predict locally advanced prostate cancer after prostatectomy. ⋯ The body mass-weighted PSA levels, instead of the traditional PSA concentration, may be better markers for predicting non-organ-confined disease after surgery. It may also be useful in screening and risk categorization.
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Hirsutella sinensis (HS) is a mycelium isolated from the fruiting body of the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps sinensis . This study explored whether HS treatment affects reproductive dysfunction in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mouse model and regulates various mechanisms, focusing on oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and autophagy. ⋯ Male mice supplemented with HS exhibited attenuated poor semen quality and reduced testosterone levels brought about by HFD-induced obesity by reducing oxidative stress.
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Observational Study
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor for outcomes in patients with short-term emergency department revisits.
Analysis of short-term emergency department (ED) revisits is a common emergency care quality assurance practice. Previous studies have explored various risk factors of ED revisits; however, laboratory data were usually omitted. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in predicting outcomes of patients revisiting the ED. ⋯ The intensity of the inflammatory response expressed by NLR was an independent predictor for poor outcomes of ED revisits and should be considered when ED revisits occur. Future prediction models for ED revisit outcomes can include revisit-NLR as a potential predictor to reflect the progressive conditions in ED patients.