Medicine
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Patients reporting high PD-L1 expression have shown to respond well to immunotherapy; however, some patients develop hyperprogressive disease upon initiation of immune checkpoint inhibitors. We report a patient with lung cancer and 100% PD-L1 expression who developed hyperprogressive disease while treated with pembrolizumab and responded well to salvage chemotherapy with carboplatin and pemetrexed. ⋯ Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related hyperprogressive disease may respond to second-line salvage chemotherapy. Complete PD-L1 expression loss was observed after the patient's treatment and could be a marker of hyperprogressive disease or tumor immunoevasion.
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Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a chronic systemic pain disorder. Among the common treatments, moxibustion has an irreplaceable therapeutic effect and is an effective Traditional Chinese Medicine therapy for MPS. However, the lack of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) has prompted the publication of guidelines on the use of moxibustion in the treatment of MPS. ⋯ The study is registered with the International Practice Guideline Registry Platform (IPGRP): IPGRP-2020CN030.
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To investigate the frequency and degree of azole antifungal agents that influence the anticoagulant activity of warfarin to reduce the potential bleeding risk and provide a reference for rational administration of warfarin in clinics. Patients with an abnormal international normalized ratio (INR; INR ≥ 4.5) and treated with warfarin plus azole antifungal agents were screened from February 2011 to July 2016, and their data were extracted. Thirty-two patients treated with warfarin plus azole antifungal agents were included. ⋯ The combination of FLCZ and voriconazole will enhance the anticoagulant effect of warfarin. Therefore, it is recommended to detect the genotype of CYP2C9 in patients and evaluate the interaction between the 2 drugs to adjust the warfarin dose. It is also recommended to closely monitor INR within 1 week of the addition of azole antifungal agents.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with increased incidence of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) as well as mortality. D-dimer is a marker of fibrinolysis and has been used as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in VTE among other diseases. The purpose of our study is to describe outcomes from out center and to examine trends in D-dimer levels as it relates to VTE and mortality. ⋯ Rise in D-dimer >2000 ng/mL within any 24 hour period through hospital day 10 had 75% sensitivity and 74% specificity for diagnosis of VTE. We found that both magnitude and rate of rise in d-dimer within the first 10 days of hospitalization are predictive of diagnosis of VTE but not mortality. These parameters may aid in identifying individuals with possible underlying VTE or at high risk for VTE, thereby guiding risk stratification and anticoagulation policies in COVID-19 patients.
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In general terms, fetal growth restriction (FGR) is considered the impossibility of achieving the genetically determined potential size. In the vast majority of cases, it is related to uteroplacental insufficiency. Although its origin remains unknown and causes are only known in 30% of cases, it is believed to be related to an interaction of environmental and genetic factors with either a fetal or maternal origin. ⋯ Registered August 7, 2019, during the recruitment stage. Retrospectively registered. Ongoing research.