Medicine
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The objective of this study is to identify useful prognostic factors of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) by evaluating the changes of periostin (POSTN) expression activity and immune cell infiltration using public data repositories. The gene and protein expressions of POSTN in LUAD were collected and analyzed from Ualcan and Human Protein Atlas online database. The cell infiltration data of immune cells in LUAD patients were retrieved and processed using the TIMER tool. ⋯ Together, our investigation suggested that the POSTN expression activity and B-cell infiltration were the prognostic factors of LUAD. In addition, the 1-year negative predictive value of the POSTN expression activity for overall survival, disease-free survival, and progression-free interval was 0.902, 0.926, and 0.838, respectively. Along with decreased B-cell infiltration, the elevated expression of POSTN is an important factor of LUAD prognosis.
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An electrodiagnostic test is more useful than the lower extremity isometric strength test for objectively determining the degree of nerve damage and prognosis in cauda equina syndromes (CES). This study evaluated the correlation between nerve conduction study (NCS) parameters and the lower extremity isometric strength and manual muscle test (MMT) grades. The isometric strengths of knee extension (KE), ankle dorsiflexion (ADF), and ankle plantarflexion (APF) were measured. ⋯ Cutoff femoral nerve CMAP amplitude and isometric strength cutoff values were ≥2.05 mV and 17.3, respectively, for MMT grades 2 to 3 and 2.78 ± 1.08 and 20.8 ± 9.33, respectively, for grade 3. The isometric strengths of the KE, ADF, and APF and the CMAP amplitude of the electrophysiologic parameters were correlated in CES patients and a significant correlation with MMT grade was also identified. Accordingly, it is possible to identify the precise neurological condition, objectively evaluate the degree of paralysis and disability, and determine the quantitative muscle strength from MMT in order to establish an appropriate rehabilitation treatment plan.
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Because sarcopenia is widely distributed in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and has not attracted enough attention, this study aims to explore the relationship between sarcopenia defined by temporal muscle thickness (TMT) and physical function and prognosis of patients with AIS. A total of 265 hospitalized nonsurgical AIS patients from 2015 to 2018, with an age range of 28 ~ 92, were analyzed retrospectively. The median value of TMT was used as the risk classification index of sarcopenia. ⋯ Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the survival time of low TMT group was significantly lower than that of high TMT group (36 vs 49 months; P < .001). Multivariate Cox regression showed that there was causal correlation between sarcopenia and patient death (hazard ratio, 3.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.46-8.58; P < .01). As a potential comprehensive index, thickness of temporal muscle can be included in baseline evaluation to show the physical status, stroke recurrence, and survival prognosis of AIS patients.
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Liver failure (LF) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome characterized by intense systemic inflammation and organ failure(s), leading to a high mortality rate. The pathogenesis of LF is multifactorial, immune response, and gut bacterial translocation are thought to be major contributing factors. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells play a critical role in immune response and gut bacterial translocation. We aimed to investigate changes of the MAIT cell ratio in patients with LF and to explore the predictive value for long-term prognosis in patients with LF. ⋯ The proportion of MAIT cells in PBMC is an outstanding predictor for the long-term prognosis in patients with LF.
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Lateral epicondylitis is a common musculoskeletal disorder characterized by the decreased grip and upper limb strength and pain in the lateral aspect of the elbow joint. At present, shock wave, corticosteroid injection, platelet-rich plasma injection, and Dextrose prolotherapy therapy nonsurgical rehabilitation treatment methods are commonly used in clinical. However, the conclusions of studies comparing treatment efficacy between them are controversial, with most studies focusing on limited comparisons and a lack of direct and indirect comparisons between them, making it difficult to have a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of the efficacy between them. ⋯ It is believed that in the course of clinical practice, platelet-rich plasma injection combined with shockwave therapy can be preferred for patients with humeral epicondylitis.