Medicine
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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has become a global health threat and will likely be one of the greatest global challenges in the near future. The battle between clinicians and the COVID-19 outbreak may be a "protracted war."The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19, so as to provide a reference for the early diagnosis and treatment. This study retrospectively enrolled 118 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, who were admitted to Eastern District of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from February 04, 2020 to March 04, 2020. ⋯ The AUC of combined diagnosis of these aforementioned factors were 0.992 (95% CI 0.981-1.000). In conclusion, older age, increased neutrophil count, prothrombin time, D-dimer, PCT, and decreased lymphocyte count at admission were risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality of COVID-19. The prediction model combined of these factors could improve the early identification of mortality risk in COVID-19 patients.
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Observational Study
The diagnostic value of miR-92a, -143, and -145 expression levels in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma from Romania.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) refers to a small, short non-coding RNA of endogenous class. They have shown to have an increasingly altered expression in many types of cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC). In the present study, miRNA TaqManMGB and qRT-PCR was used to quantify the expression and clinical significance of 3 mature human miRNA in 82 pairs of colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues and normal adjacent tissue samples (NATS) collected from patients of the south-east part of Romania. ⋯ The Kaplan-Meier and the log-rank test showed that a high level of miR-92a and low levels of miR-143 and miR-145 predicted poor survival rate in our cohorts. In conclusion, we can summarize that miR-145 and miR-143 are decreased, while miR-92 is increased in CRC compared to NATS, and associated with different stages of CRC pathogenesis. Thus, the expression of selected miRNAs can represent potential diagnostic and prognostic tools in patients with CRC from Romania.
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Superb microvascular imaging (SMI) is a novel Doppler technique that depicts low velocity blood flow without the use of a contrast agent. Studies suggested that SMI may or may not detect neovascularization of carotid plaque with accuracy comparable to contrast-enhanced ultrasound. To gain clarity, a meta-analysis to systematically review and synthesize relevant data on the SMI for the detection of intraplaque neovascularization was undertaken. ⋯ INPLASY202070097.
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The increasing availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) worldwide is yet to result in decreasing HIV-related mortality among adolescents (10-19 years old) living with HIV (ALHIV) in part because of poor adherence. the poor adherence might itself be due to high level of depression. We assess the prevalence of depressive symptomatology and it's associated with adherence among ALHIV receiving ART care in Brazzaville and Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo (RoC). Adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, on antiretroviral therapy (ART), followed in the two Ambulatory Treatment Centers (ATC) in Brazzaville and Pointe Noire, RoC were included in this cross-sectional study. ⋯ In multivariate analysis, after adjustment for report of been sexually active, alcohol drinking, age category (10-14 and 15-19), not in school, loss of both parents, the association between depression and adherence was strengthened (PR: 2.06 [95%CI: 1.23-3.45]). The prevalence of depressive symptoms in adolescents living with HIV is high and was strongly associated with poor adherence even after adjustment of potential confounders. Efforts to scale-up access to screening and management of depression among ALHIV in sub-Saharan is needed for them to realize the full of ART.
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H-type hypertension, defined as a combination of hypertension and hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy), is associated with atherosclerosis and, therefore, increased stroke risk. However, the role of hypertension and Hhcy in high-risk stroke populations has not been studied. The present study investigated the prevalence of H-type hypertension in a high-risk stroke population of Hainan Province, China and to assess possible joint effects between hypertension and Hhcy for increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). ⋯ Compared with the normotension and normal homocysteine subgroup, the risk of increased CIMT was significantly higher in the subgroup with hypertension and Hhcy (odds ratio [OR] = 2.639; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.690-4.091) after adjusting for age and sex. Increased CIMT was affected by an additive synergetic interaction between Hhcy and hypertension (synergy index = 1.105). It emphasized the clinical importance of anti-hypertension and lowering Hhcy in the high-risk stroke population.