Medicine
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Clinical Trial
Assessment of Activity of Crohn Disease by Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
To assess the diagnostic efficacy of diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) for evaluating inflammatory activity in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). A total of 47 CD patients underwent MR enterography (MRE) and DWI using 3 b values of 50, 400, and 800 s/mm. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of inflamed and normal bowel wall were calculated. ⋯ The areas under the receiver-operating characteristics curves for ADCs, DWI scores, MRE scores, and MRE + DWI scores ranged from 0.83 to 0.98. The threshold ADC value of 1.17 × 10 mm/s allowed differentiation of active from inactive CD with 100% sensitivity and 88% specificity. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging and ADC correlated with CD activity, and had excellent diagnostic accuracy for differentiating active from inactive CD.
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Observational Study
Clinical Characteristics and Treatment of Extremity Chronic Osteomyelitis in Southern China: A Retrospective Analysis of 394 Consecutive Patients.
Although extremity chronic osteomyelitis is common in China, updated data were still limited regarding its characterizations. The present study aimed to review clinical features of extremity chronic osteomyelitis in Southern China. A retrospective analysis was conducted in the patients who had sought medical attention from January 2010 to April 2015 for extremity chronic osteomyelitis in Nanfang Hospital in Southern China. ⋯ S. aureus was the most frequent pathogenic organism. Preoperative elevated levels of serum IL-6, TNF-α, and ESR may be helpful diagnostic indicators of the disease. Most patients achieved a favorable clinical efficacy after appropriate treatment.
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Observational Study
Office-Based Intracordal Hyaluronate Injections Improve Quality of Life in Thoracic-Surgery-Related Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.
Thoracic-surgery-related unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) may cause severe morbidity and can cause profound functional impairment and psychosocial stress in patients with pre-existing thoracic diseases. In-office intracordal hyaluronate (HA) injections have recently been applied to improve voice and quality of life in patients with vocal incompetence, but their effect on thoracic-surgery-related UVFP remains inconclusive. We therefore conducted a prospective study to clarify the effect of early HA injection on voice and quality of life in patients with thoracic-surgery-related UVFP. ⋯ Voice-related life quality, voice laboratory analysis, and most generic quality of life domains were significantly improved at 1 month after in-office HA intracordal injection. No HA-related complications were reported. Single office-based HA intracordal injection is a safe and effective treatment for thoracic-surgery-related UVFP, resulting in immediate improvements in patient quality of life, voice quality, and swallowing ability.
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We aim to identify factors predicting patient dissatisfaction 2 years after discectomy for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in a Chinese older cohort. Preoperative and 2-year follow-up data for 843 patients were analyzed. After 2 years of discectomy, the patients rated their satisfaction by Patient Satisfaction Index (PSI), with response of 1 or 2 defining satisfaction and a PSI response of 3 or 4 defining dissatisfaction. ⋯ I n conclusion, more than 70% patients expressed satisfaction with discectomy for LDH. Two factors could predict patient dissatisfaction and be assessed before surgery: obesity and preoperative depression. Symptom recurrence and postoperative depression are also associated with diminished patient satisfaction.
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Observational Study
Association of Bisphenol A Exposure With Hypertension and Early Macrovascular Diseases in Chinese Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine disruptor that has been associated with cardiovascular outcomes in previous observational studies. We aimed to examine the relationships of urinary BPA levels with hypertension and early macrovascular diseases. This is a cross-sectional study. ⋯ The negative associations of BPA with hypertension, elevated CIMT, and arterial stiffness were consistent by age and sex stratifications, and were stronger among participants ≥60 versus <60 years of age, and among women than men. In contrast with previous investigations, our study suggests negative associations of BPA exposure with hypertension and early macrovascular diseases among middle-aged and elderly Chinese. Future investigations are needed to draw more definite conclusions and generalize to other populations.