Medicine
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To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and changing trends of lumbar fractures in Xingtai Orthopedic Hospital in the past 10 years, and to improve the prevention and treatment of lumbar fractures. ⋯ The number of lumbar fractures in women caused by low-energy injuries showed an increasing trend. The type of compression fracture increased, which might be related to osteoporosis caused by the decrease in the estrogen level after menopause.
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Paranasal fungal balls are rare entities for which a recent increase in reported cases has been observed. Fungal balls are most commonly unilateral, and there are few bilateral cases in the literature. Here we report the clinical features of bilateral fungal balls in 24 patients treated in our institution over the past 20 years. ⋯ Common existing comorbidities were hypertension (45.8%), diabetes (29.2%), cardiac problem (16.7%), cerebral infarction (8.3%), pulmonary tuberculosis (8.3%), and lung cancer (4.2%). The clinically relevant features of patients diagnosed with bilateral fungal balls from our review include advanced age and immunocompromised status compared to those with unilateral fungal balls. These features contribute to the clinical distinction of bilateral fungal ball disease from unilateral fungal balls and invasive fungal sinusitis.
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The study aims to reveal the clinical significance of perineural invasion (PNI) for gastric cancer prognosis and determine the risk factors of PNI in gastric cancer. This study retrospectively analyzed 350 patients who were diagnosed with GC and underwent curative surgical resection. Variables used to analyze survival included gender, age, degree of differentiation, T classification, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, nerve invasion, mucinous adenocarcinoma component, and signet ring cell carcinoma component. ⋯ T staging (P = .006) and lymph node metastasis (P = .013) were independent prognostic parameters too. Using the Spearman correlation analysis, the following clinicopathological indicators were associated with PNI positivity, such as tumor differentiation, T staging, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, and signet ring cell carcinoma components (P < .05). PNI is an independent marker of poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.
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Inhibitor of beta-catenin and TCF (ICAT) is a key protein in the Wnt-β-catenin signaling pathway. However, its role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains unknown. In this study, we evaluated its expression level as well as its prognostic value in AML patients. ⋯ AML subtypes had lower ICAT expression levels than controls, and ICAT levels were significantly correlated with body mass index, bone marrow/peripheral blood blast cell proportions, and white blood cell and red blood cell counts at initial diagnosis. Furthermore, low ICAT expression was found to be associated with poor disease-free survival and overall survival in AML. ICAT is closely associated with AML progression and can be used as an indicator to monitor AML treatment efficacy.
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To explore the value of ultrasonography in the auxiliary diagnosis of pleural effusion, we retrospectively analyzed the ultrasonographic findings of 275 exudates and 307 transudates and summarized the ultrasonographic image features of pleural effusion according to patients' primary diseases. The findings of thoracic ultrasonography performed before the initial thoracentesis in 582 patients with subsequently confirmed exudative/transudative pleural effusion were analyzed with regard to the sonographic features of pleural effusion. In 275 cases with exudates, thoracic ultrasonography showed a complex septate appearance in 19 cases (6.9%), complex nonseptate appearance in 100 cases (36.4%), complex homogenous sign in 46 cases (16.7%), and pleural thickness > 3 mm in 105 cases. ⋯ In the empyema subgroup, the proportion of complex septate appearance, complex nonseptate appearance, complex homogenous sign, and pleural thickening was the highest, at 19/41, 12/41, 10/41, and 30/41, respectively. Ultrasonography is valuable in defining the nature of pleural effusion. Some sonographic features of pleural effusion, such as echogenicity, septation, and pleural thickening, may indicate a high risk of exudative pleural effusion.