Medicine
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Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease that is associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. It is still controversial whether the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in the serum of patients with in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) has a negative effect on the outcomes. In view of the discrepancies, a meta-analysis of the published data was performed to explore the relationship of aPL and IVF-ET outcomes. ⋯ The results showed that the presence of positive aPL neither decreased clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate, nor increased miscarriage rate in women undergoing IVF, which is differed from the opinion of clinical practice. More prospective studies with high quality and larger sample size are needed to evaluate the relationship between positive aPL and outcomes of IVF-ET.
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Multicenter Study
Extremely premature infants with patent ductus arteriosus closure: Comparative analysis of surgical ligation versus cardiac catheterization-based closure.
Our objective was to compare postprocedure hemodynamic decompensation in extremely premature infants who had their patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closed with surgical ligation (SL) versus cardiac catheter-based closure (CCC). This is a single-center retrospective review of extremely premature ( < 28 weeks) infants who had their PDA closed by SL or CCC. Of the total of 69 infants, 53 underwent SL, and 16 had CCC. ⋯ Nineteen percent of the infants in the SL group, compared to 6% in the CCC group (P = .34), required dose escalation or use of vasopressors after the PDA closure. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in postoperative hemodynamic decompensation. Large, multicenter, prospective study or randomized control trial will help to confirm our findings.
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Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) is a rare non-hereditary disease of unknown etiology that is characterized by the appearance of multiple polyps in the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract, except in the esophagus, with GI and non-GI symptoms. Various factors are associated with the pathogenesis of CCS. Immune dysregulation has been discussed as one of the pathogeneses of CCS, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota can affect the immune system. Currently, standard treatment has not been established. ⋯ Furthermore, we provide the possibility that microbiome modulation by FMT could serve as a complementary treatment in patients with steroid-refractory CCS.
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic autoimmune disease that contributes to progressive disability, systemic complications, higher mortality, and societal burden. Typical symptoms of RA include symmetrical pain and swelling in multiple joints, morning stiffness, and elevated levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and rheumatoid factor. The representative treatment for RA is medication, including disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, glucocorticoids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, these medications are not yet curative nor preventative and are associated with several adverse effects, leading to their discontinuation. Recent articles reported that Simiao Xiaobi decoction (SXD) could relieve the symptoms of RA by clinical trial and experimental study, but an evidence-based review on the effectiveness and safety of SXD on RA has not yet been provided. ⋯ Searching for randomized controlled trials on the use of SXD for RA will be performed by using multiple electronic databases, manual search, and contacting the authors by e-mail if needed. Studies will be selected according to the predefined criteria and the data collected on study participants, interventions, control groups, outcome measurements, their results, adverse events, and risk of bias will be summarized. The primary outcome will be the disease activity score (including effective rate, swollen joint count, tender joint count, and morning stiffness), and the secondary outcomes will be blood tests (including erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and rheumatoid factor) and adverse events. We will use Review Manager software to perform a meta-analysis, the Cochrane Collaboration "risk of bias" tool for assessing the risk of bias, and grades of recommendation, assessment, development and evaluation for the determination of the quality of evidence.
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There is still a lack of data on isolated calf deep vein thrombosis (ICDVT) following hip fractures surgery. The study aimed to determine the incidence of preoperative ICDVT and the associated risk factors in patients with hip fractures requiring surgery. The 289 patients who required hip surgery were included, duplex ultrasonography was routinely used to make a definite diagnosis of preoperative ICDVT located in unilateral or bilateral calf. ⋯ The univariate analyses showed significant differences regarding ICDVT were age, current smoking, alcohol consumption, time from injury to operation, albumin, white blood cells, lymphocyte, red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and activated partial thromboplastin time level among the 44 factors. The multivariable model confirmed 3 risk factors were significantly independent in association with preoperative ICDVTs, including current smoking, time delay from injury to operation and activated partial thromboplastin time ( < 28seconds). The incidence of preoperative ICDVT in hip fracture was 23.5%, and patients with associated risk factors are prone to form ICDVTs, identification of these factors may help to reduce the incidence of ICDVT with hip fractures by taking early prevention measures.