Medicine
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The use of immunosuppressive therapy for immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) patients with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) is controversial. We performed a monocentric retrospective study on 83 consecutive IgAN patients with stage 3 or 4 CKD and proteinuria ≥0.75 g/d (age 41 [33-56] years, 72% male, estimated glomerular filtration rate 36.1 [25.4-47.5] mL/min/1.73 m2) who received uncontrolled supportive care (Supp) (n = 36), corticosteroids/corticotherapy (CS) (n = 14), or CS combined with monthly pulses of cyclophosphamide (CS + CFM) (n = 33) between 2010 and 2017. Patients were followed until composite endpoint (doubling of serum creatinine, end-stage kidney disease (dialysis or kidney transplant) or death, whichever came first) or end of study (January 2020). ⋯ There were no differences between the 3 studied groups regarding age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, proteinuria, Oxford classification score, arterial hypertension, and therapy with renin-angiotensin system inhibitors. Mean kidney survival time for the entire cohort was 81.0 (95% confidence interval = 73.1-89.0) months, without significant differences between the 3 groups. In univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusted for IgAN progression factors, immunosuppressive therapy was not associated with better kidney survival when compared with supportive therapy.
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This study investigated the antidiabetic outcomes after gastrectomy with long-limb RY reconstruction (LRYR) and the prognostic factors for remission after 1 year in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and gastric cancer. In 25 Koreans with T2DM and gastric cancer, plasma glucose and insulin levels were measured during a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test, before and 1 week after gastrectomy with LRYR. Patients were examined after 1 year and we defined glycemic control as "remission" when the HbA1c level after 1 year was <6.0% without medication. ⋯ At 1 week after surgery, significant improvements in fasting, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes stimulated glucose levels and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR and Matsuda index) were found only in the remission group. The multivariable logistic regression analysis results showed that higher 30 minutes stimulated glucose level and HOMA-IR index at 1 week after surgery were independent factors for lower odds of 1-year diabetes remission. Shorter duration of diabetes and early postoperative improvements in 30 minutes stimulated glucose level and HOMA-IR were important determinants of long-term antidiabetic outcomes after gastrectomy with LRYR in patients with T2DM and gastric cancer.
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Neutropenia ranges from a normal variant to life-threatening acquired and congenital disorders. This study aims at providing baseline information regarding the prevalence and spectrum of neutropenia in the Arab blood donors who are living in Qatar. This retrospective cohort study was conducted to review the data of healthy Arab individuals (≥18 years) who donated blood between January 1, 2015 to May 15, 2019. ⋯ Significant correlations were found between the ANC and Hb (r = 0.33, P < .05) and ANC and total white blood cells (r = 0.45, P < .01). The prevalence of neutropenia is considerably high in Arab adult females compared to other ethnic groups. Besides the genetic constitution of Arabs, the lower Hb and higher red cell distribution width in females suggest that iron deficiency could contribute to the development of neutropenia.
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Liver fibrosis is the most important factor in the prognosis and treatment plan of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4), and fibrosis index based on 5 factors (FIB-5) scores are noninvasive fibrosis markers, and previous comparative studies have shown that they are as effective as liver biopsy in detecting liver fibrosis in different liver diseases. The aim of our study is to investigate whether existing scoring systems are effective in demonstrating fibrosis in CHB patients and to compare the APRI, FIB 4, and FIB 5 scores in differentiating early and advanced fibrosis in 123 patients who underwent liver biopsy for CHB infection. ⋯ The scoring system with the highest positive and negative predictive value was evaluated as FIB-4. APRI, FIB-4, and FIB-5 scoring systems are appropriate scoring systems in the assessment of advanced fibrosis in patients with CHB. Our study is the first to compare APRI, FIB-4, and FIB-5 values in CHB patients, and more comprehensive studies are needed.
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To investigate the current status of uterine adhesions in patients with residual fetus and analyze the preventive effect of estrogen and progesterone sequential therapy combined with Foley balloon. Eighty-six patients with residual fetus were divided into control group and observation group. On the basis of the treatment plan of the control group, the observation group received estrogen and progesterone sequential therapy combined with Floey balloon treatment. ⋯ After treatment, compared with the control group, the observation group Vmax, Vmin, and other indicators, the level was significantly lower, and the RI level was significantly higher (P < .05); the observation group had a lower probability of complications (P < .05). The likelihood of uterine adhesions after fetal remains is increased. The use of estrogen and progesterone sequential therapy in conjunction with Foley balloon therapy can improve treatment efficacy, improve uterine adhesion prevention, and promote patient recovery after surgery.