Medicine
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Is obesity a predisposing factor for free flap failure and complications? Comparison between breast and nonbreast reconstruction: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Obesity is a risk factor for postoperative morbidity in breast reconstruction. Although existing studies about nonbreast reconstruction are limited, previous research has demonstrated that obesity is not an important factor in poor outcomes in nonbreast reconstruction. Our study evaluates the effects of obesity on postoperative morbidity in nonbreast reconstruction in comparison to breast reconstruction. ⋯ In contrast, partial flap loss, total flap loss, and complications in nonbreast reconstruction were not significantly different in obese patients in comparison to nonobese patients (OR = 0.786, P = 0.629 for partial loss, OR = 0.960, P = 0.961 for total loss, and OR = 1.009, P = 0.536 for complications). In contrast to the relationship between obesity and poor outcomes in breast reconstruction, our study suggests the obesity is not a predisposing factor for poor outcomes in nonbreast reconstruction. Long-term studies are needed to confirm these findings.
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Review Meta Analysis
Five-Year Long-Term Prognosis of Epileptic Children After Hemispheric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
To estimate children's long-term seizure outcomes after hemispheric surgery and the associated predictors. A systematic review of 4 databases and a meta-analysis were performed from January 1, 1995 to August 31, 2015. The databases included PubMed, Embase, Science Direct, and Web of Science; patients were classified into the Engel Class I group and the Engel Class II to IV group, according to their seizure outcomes. ⋯ The abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were more predictive for positive seizure outcomes than the normal findings (odds ratio [OR] = 4.60, 95% CI: 1.27-16.62, P = 0.02). Following hemispheric surgery, the long-term prognosis of children with epilepsy was good. Late seizure onset (age ≥ 3.6 months) and abnormal MRI findings were positive predictors for long-term seizure control in children.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Infliximab therapy for intestinal, neurological, and vascular involvement in Behcet disease: Efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics in a multicenter, prospective, open-label, single-arm phase 3 study.
Behçet disease (BD) is a multisystem disease associated with a poor prognosis in cases of gastrointestinal, neurological, or vascular involvement. We conducted a multicenter, prospective, open-label, single-arm phase 3 study to determine the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of infliximab (IFX) in BD patients with these serious complications who had displayed poor response or intolerance to conventional therapy. IFX at 5 mg/kg was administered to 18 patients (11 intestinal BD, 3 neurological BD [NBD], and 4 vascular BD [VBD]) at weeks 0, 2, and 6 and every 8 weeks thereafter until week 46. ⋯ IFX dose was increased to 10 mg/kg in 3 intestinal BD patients, resulting in the improvement of clinical symptoms, CRP levels, and visual analogue scale score. Safety and pharmacokinetics profiles were comparable to those in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn disease. These findings support IFX as a new therapeutic option for patients with intestinal BD, NBD, or VBD.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Lower serum uric acid level predicts mortality in dialysis patients.
We evaluated the impact of serum uric acid (SUA) on mortality in patients with chronic dialysis. A total of 4132 adult patients on dialysis were enrolled prospectively between August 2008 and September 2014. Among them, we included 1738 patients who maintained dialysis for at least 3 months and had available SUA in the database. ⋯ The lowest TA-SUA group was significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality (adjusted HR, 1.720; 95% confidence interval, 1.007-2.937; P = 0.047) even after adjusting for demographic, comorbid, nutritional covariables, and medication use that could affect SUA levels. This association was prominent in patients with well nourishment on the SGA, a preserved serum albumin level, a higher BMI, and concomitant DM although these parameters had no significant interaction in the TA-SUA-mortality relationship except DM. In conclusion, a lower TA-SUA level <5.5 mg/dL predicted all-cause mortality in patients with chronic dialysis.
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Multicenter Study
Herpes zoster as a risk factor for osteoporosis: A 15-year nationwide population-based study.
The objective of this study was to investigate the risk of osteoporosis in patients with herpes zoster (HZ) infection using a nationwide population-based dataset. The Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was used to compare data between 11,088 patients aged 20 to 49 years diagnosed with HZ during 1996 to 2010 and a control group of 11,088 patients without HZ. Both cohorts were followed up until the end of 2010 to measure the incidence of osteoporosis. ⋯ Further evaluation of the value of bone mineral density test in detecting osteoporosis after HZ may be suggested. HZ vaccination could also be evaluated to lower the incidence of HZ and possibly subsequent osteoporosis. Physicians should be alerted to this association to improve early identification of osteoporosis in patients with HZ.