Annals of medicine
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Skeletal muscle index (SMI) is a promising predictor of clinical outcomes in patients with malignant diseases. As a simpler surrogate of sarcopenia-psoas muscle index (PMI), its predict value for overall survival (OS) after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been reported. To determine if changes in the PMI predicted OS in individuals with HCC treated with TACE. ⋯ PMI is a simple tool to predict OS in HCC patients treated with TACE. The predictive ability of PMI is comparable to that of SMI. Key messagesLow psoas-muscle index is associated with decreased overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).Psoas-muscle index has advantages of being faster and easier to acquire, which thus makes it more likely to achieve widespread clinical application.
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Protocolized postarrest care that includes targeted temperature management (TTM) improves survival and neurological outcomes in cardiac arrest survivors. Whether the accumulated experience regarding the use of the protocolized approach also benefits patients who did not undergo TTM has yet to be investigated. ⋯ The improvement of neurological outcomes in adult nontraumatic cardiac arrest survivors who did not receive TTM was associated with the cumulative number of cases receiving protocolized TTM care. In the era of TTM, the use of only historical control data might lead to bias, which is caused by overlooking the influence of a more refined protocolized postarrest care that includes TTM.KEY MESSAGEThe cumulative number of cases receiving protocolized TTM care, which we used as a substitute index for the amount of experience accumulated from the use of protocolized postarrest care that includes TTM, was associated with the improvement of neurological outcomes in adult nontraumatic cardiac arrest survivors who did not receive TTM.
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Association between some somatic diseases and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) are well-known. We aimed to study psychiatric diseases and dementia and their association with POAG in the total population of Region Stockholm. ⋯ The prevalence of newly diagnosed POAG was decreased in men and women with dementia, and in women with psychosis, which could be an underestimation, owing to lack of investigation, which warrants attention. The risk of POAG was increased in women with depression, which could be secondary to the glaucoma diagnosis.KEY MESSAGESThe prevalence of newly diagnosed glaucoma was decreased in men and women with dementia, and in women with psychosis. A lower prevalence of newly diagnosed glaucoma may be due to an underestimation, owing to a lack of investigation.The risk of glaucoma was increased in women with depression, which could be secondary to the glaucoma diagnosis.
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Hypertension and arthritis are two common diseases in the general population, with multiple common risk factors. This study aimed to assess the association between hypertension (HTN) and arthritis. ⋯ In this large nationally representative survey over 20 years, arthritis, including both RA and OA, was strongly associated with hypertension. Our study demonstrates a need for hypertension screening and blood control among patients with arthritis.Key MessagesArthritis was associated with hypertension.Both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are strongly associated with hypertension.There is an urgency for hypertension screening and blood control among patients with arthritis.
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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and inflammation are closely related. This study aimed to evaluate the associations and causal effect between C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels andOSA. ⋯ Increased CRP and TNF-α were associated with OSA severity and sensible to CPAP treatment. Also, OSA had a suggestive causal effect on elevated CRP.