Medicine
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Observational Study
Infant Stool Color Card Screening Helps Reduce the Hospitalization Rate and Mortality of Biliary Atresia: A 14-Year Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan.
Biliary atresia (BA) is a significant liver disease in children. Since 2004, Taiwan has implemented a national screening program that uses an infant stool color card (SCC) for the early detection of BA. The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of BA cases before and after the launch of this screening program. ⋯ The hospitalization and mortality rates of BA cases in Taiwan were significantly and coincidentally reduced after the launch of the SCC screening program. There was a significant association between the hospitalization rate and final outcomes of LT or death. The SCC screening program can help reduce the hospitalization rate and mortality of BA cases and bring great financial benefit.
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Multicenter Study
Assessment of the Addition of Hypoalbuminemia to ACS-NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator in Colorectal Cancer.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of adding hypoalbuminemia to the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) Surgical Risk Calculator when predicting postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients. The ACS-NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator offers qualified risk evaluation in surgical decision-making and informed patient consent. To date, malnutrition defined as hypoalbuminemia, an important independent surgical risk factor in colorectal cancer, is not included. ⋯ Most of the models with hypoalbuminemia showed better performance and validation in predicting postoperative complications than those without hypoalbuminemia. In colorectal cancer, hypoalbuminemia, with levels below 3.5 g/dL, serves as an excellent assessment tool and preoperative predictor of postoperative outcomes. When combined with hypoalbuminemia as a risk factor, the ACS-NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator offers more accurate information and estimation of surgical risks to patients and surgeons when choosing treatment options.
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Observational Study
Gemcitabine-Based Regional Intra-Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy in Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.
The present study was carried out to investigate the prognostic factors in patients who received intra-arterial infusion for advanced pancreatic cancer. In addition, the detailed procedure of intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy was described. A total of 354 patients with advanced unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma were recruited from January 2012, to April 2015, at Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China. ⋯ The Cox proportional hazard model showed that age, CA19-9 baseline, CA19-9 value, and tumor location were significantly associated with the OS. In conclusion, the gemcitabine-based RIAC presented a potential treatment method for advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Young age, pretreatment CA19-9 value <1000 U/mL, and tumor located at the head of pancreas indicated better response to the regional intra-arterial chemotherapy and better overall survival.
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Multicenter Study
The Association of Acute Kidney Injury and Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Surgery in an Asian Prospective Cohort Study.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) and atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery are common occurrences and increase patient morbidity and mortality. Inflammation plays a role in increased incidence of AF in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD); reactive oxygen species and inflammatory markers which are increased in patients with CKD were found to affect the proper functioning of the intracellular ion channels, connexions (transmembrane proteins found in intercellular gap junctions), and electrical homogeneity of the extracellular matrix which are essential for electrical stability and proper conduction of electrical impulses in the atrium. However, it is not known if similar mechanisms are also involved in AKI. ⋯ Patients with AKI are more likely to develop postoperative AF. These patients were older and had lower preoperative hemoglobin, eGFR, and lower nadir hematocrit during bypass. Identification of high-risk AKI patients with early prevention and treatment of AF should reduce the long-term morbidity and mortality among Asian patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
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Observational Study
Comparison of Risk Scoring Systems to Predict the Outcome in ASA-PS V Patients Undergoing Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
Operative decision in American Society of Anesthesiology Physical Status (ASA-PS) V patient is difficult as this group of patients expected to have high mortality rate. Another risk scoring system in this ASA-PS V subset of patients can aid to ease this decision. Data of ASA-PS V classified patients between 2011 and 2013 years in a single hospital were analyzed in this study. ⋯ APACHE II and SAPS II are better predictive tools of mortality in ASA-PS V classified subset of patients. Discrimination power of SAPS II score is the best among the compared risk stratification scores. SAPS II can be suggested as an additional risk scoring system for ASA-PS V patients.