Medicine
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Progranulin (PGRN) is a secreted protein that can regulate cell cycle progression, cell motility, and tumorigenesis. The PGRN expression in hematological malignancies is limited to multiple myeloma, but its expression and survival prognostic role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still controversial. To evaluate the PGRN expression and estimate its survival prognostic role in AML patients. ⋯ High-PGRN expression patients had a poorer RFS with a median of 5.4 months (95% CI 3.7-7.1) and low-PGRN expression patients had a good RFS with a median of 8.9 months (95% CI 6.3-11.5; P = .027). In the survival analyses, high-PGRN expression of AML patients had shorter OS than low-PGRN expression of AML patients (6.2 vs 20.5 months, P = .008). PGRN is overexpressed in AML, which is a convenient and independent prognostic marker that is measured easily in AML patients.
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Observational Study
Assessment of spinal cord stimulation and radiofrequency: Chronic pain and psychological impact.
Pain has a major impact on anxiety and depression levels. The aim of this study is to demonstrate how these symptoms (depression and anxiety) could positively influence the perception of pain after neurostimulation system implantation. ⋯ Moreover, the intra-group analysis showed a positive significant correlation between NRS and depressive and anxiety symptoms. We assert that the use of alternative methods (SCS and RFP) to the traditional pharmaceutical-surgical treatments, provide the reduction of the algic and anxiety-depressant symptoms, restoring also the perception of psychological well-being.
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Observational Study
Epidemiology of low-energy wrist, hip, and spine fractures in Chinese populations 50 years or older: A national population-based survey.
The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence of low-energy fracture of wrist, hip, and spine and the related risk factors in Chinese populations 50 years or older. This study was a part of the Chinese National Fracture Survey (CNFS) carried out in 8 Chinese provinces in 2015. Data on 154,099 Chinese men and women 50 years or older were extracted from the CNFS database for calculations and analyses. ⋯ These epidemiologic data on low-energy fractures provided updated clinical evidence base for national healthcare planning and preventive efforts in China. Corresponding interventions such as decreasing alcohol consumption and sleep improvement should clearly be implemented. For women, especially those with more births and past history of fracture, routine screening of osteoporosis, and intensive nourishment since menopause should be advocated.
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Many researchers use the National Health Insurance Research Database (HIRD) to publish medical papers and gain exceptional outputs in academics. Whether they also obtain excellent citation metrics remains unclear. ⋯ The AWS-based bibliometric metrics make individual weighted research evaluations possible and available for comparison. The study results of productive authors using HIRD did not support the view that higher citation metrics exist in specific disciplines.
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Observational Study
Evaluating the association between avascular necrosis of femoral head and oral corticosteroids use in Taiwan.
The aim of this study was to assess a correlation between avascular necrosis of femoral head and oral corticosteroids use in the general population in Taiwan. A population-based case-control study was performed to analyze the database of Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. The study consisted of 3002 subjects aged 20 to 84 with newly diagnosed avascular necrosis of femoral head between 2000 and 2013 as the cases and 11279 sex-matched and age-matched subjects without avascular necrosis of femoral head as the matched controls. ⋯ A significant association is detected between avascular necrosis of femoral head and oral corticosteroids use in the general population in Taiwan. There is a duration-dependent effect of oral corticosteroids use on the risk of avascular necrosis of femoral head. Clinicians should be aware of the risk of avascular necrosis of femoral head when oral corticosteroids are prescribed for a long time.