Objective To investigate the CT manifestation and clinical significance of the gastrointestinal tract involvement in acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods Two hundreds CT scans in 131 patients with acute pancreatitis between Jan. 1, 2009 and Jun. 30, 2009 were included into the study. Two radiologists analyzed the images retrospectively, paying attention to the CT features of the gastrointestinal tract involvement, such as the style, distribution, and so on. The correlation between gastrointestinal tract involvement and CT severity index, clinical severity grading, and turnover of acute pancreatitis were studied using a SPSS 14.0 for windows statistics software. Results The CT images in 109 (83.2%) patients showed gastrointestinal tract involvement, which distributing mainly stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and transverse colon, and showing mainly the gastrointestinal tract wall thickening and distension. The gastrointestinal tract involvement had positive correlation with CT severity index, clinical severity grading, and turnover of acute pancreatitis (r=0.689， P=0.000; r=0.584， P=0.000; r=0.346， P=0.000). Conclusions The gastrointestinal tract involvement is common complication in acute pancreatitis and concerns with severity and prognosis of the disease. As other extrapancreatic organs involvement, the gastrointestinal tract involvement has important value for severity assessment, prognosis evaluation, and therapeutic effect monitoring of acute pancreatitis.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between placental growth factor (PlGF) and the gastric cancer. MethodsThe cancer tissues (cancer tissue group) and para-cancer tissues (para-cancer tissue group) of 88 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery in Sichuan Mianyang 404 Hospital from Mar. 2013 to Dec. 2014 were collected retrospectively, to determine the expressions of PlGF mRNA and its protein by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry method. In addition, blood samples of 30 normal persons (normal person group) who got examina-tion in Sichuan Mianyang 404 Hospital in Sep. 2014 and 88 patients with gastric cancer (gastric cancer group) were collected to detect the concentration of serum PlGF, by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Comparison of the expressions of PlGF mRNA and its protein between cancer tissue group and para-cancer tissue group, concentration of PlGF between cancer tissue group and normal person group were performed, as well as the relationship between expressions of serum PlGF mRNA/PlGF in gastric cancer tissues and clinicopathological features of patients with gastric cancer, and relationship between concentration of PlGF in blood and clinicopathological features of patients with gastric cancer was explored by univariate analysis. ResultsThe expression level of PlGF mRNA (0.569±0.166 vs. 0.037±0.020, t=-29.948, P=0.000) and positive-expression rate of PlGF[80.7% (71/88) vs. 5.7% (5/88), χ2=100.867, P=0.000] were significantly higher in cancer tissue group than those of para-cancer tissue group. And the concentration of PlGF in blood of patients in gastric cancer group was higher than that of normal person group[(57.247±9.800) ng/L vs. (10.351±1.715) ng/L, t=43.000, P=0.000]. The expressions of PlGF mRNA and its protein were both correlated with diameter of tumor, pT staging, pN staging, differentiation, and Borrmann type (P<0.050). The expression levels of PlGF mRNA and its protein in that patients with diameter of tumor greater than 4 cm, pT3-4 staging, pN3 staging, low differentiation, and Borrmann Ⅲ-Ⅳ staging were higher. While there were no significant correlation between expressions of PlGF mRNA/protein and age, gender, pM staging, and gastrointestinal type (P>0.050). Concentration of serum PlGF of gastric cancer patient wasn't significantly correlated with age, gender, diameter of tumor, pT staging, pN staging, pM staging, differentiation, Borrmann type, and gastrointestinal type (P>0.050). ConclusionThe abnormal expression of PlGF at gastric cancer tissues may play an important role in pathogenesis of gastric cancer.
Objective To show the changes of coagulation function in patients with esophageal carcinoma, and to explore the clinical significance of the changes. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 202 patients(as a trial group, 114 males, 88 females, aged from 36 to 69 years, median age at 49 years) with esophageal carcinoma confirmed by pathological examination in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2010 through May 2014. The prothrombin time (PT), prothrombin time activity (PTA), international activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fib), D-Dimer, and platelet count, pathological type, TNM stage, gender were recorded. Eighty patients (38 males, 42 females, with aged of 39 to 71 years, median age of 51 years) without cancer were selected as a control group. Results Compared with the control group, coagulation parameters including PT, APTT, PLT, Fib, TT, D-Dimer were statistically higher in the trial group (P<0.05). Higher Fib level was found in the squamous cell esophageal carcinoma patients than adenocarcinoma cell esophageal carcinoma patients (P<0.05). Fib increased significantly (P<0.05) and APTT shorten (P<0.05) in the patients at stage Ⅲ and stage Ⅳ compared with those of patients at stage Ⅰ and stage Ⅱ. Fib and D-Dimer levels increased (P<0.05) in N1-3 patients compared with those of N0 patients. There was no statistical difference in gender or age (P>0.05) between the two groups. Conclusion Most of the patients with esophageal carcinoma have abnormal changes of coagulation and fibrinolysis system. Patients with squamous subtype and/or lymph node metastasis at advanced stages of esophageal carcinoma are prone to thrombophilia. So monitoring the coagulation parameters of cancer patients can be used as an effective measure to prevent blood clot.
Objective To explore the diagnostic value and safety of CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy (CT-PLB) for pulmonary nodules. Methods A total of 438 patients with pulmonary nodules underwent CT-PLB for further diagnosis. Results The CT-PLB was performed successfully in all 438 patients. The positive biopsy rate at the first puncture was 94.9%, and 100.0% at the second puncture. The pathology results revealed 379 (86.5%) cases of malignant lesions, 37 cases of benign lesions, and 22 cases with uncertainty. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CT-PLB were 97.9% (376/384), 94.4% (51/54), and 97.4% (427/438), respectively. The first puncture induced complications included pneumothorax in 33 (7.5%) cases, blood in phlegm in 62 (14.2%) cases, pleural reaction in 7 (1.6%) cases, and bleeding at the site of puncture in 6 (1.4%) cases. There was no occurrence of neoplasm needle track implantation. The second puncture induced complications included pneumothorax in 7 (46.6%) cases and blood in phlegm in 11 (73.3%) cases. The incidences of pneumothorax and blood in phlegm were significantly higher in the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with pulmonary lesion size＜3 cm, or with penetration depth ≥5 cm (P＜0.05). Conclusions CT-PLB is a safe method with a relatively small trauma and has good diagnostic value for pulmonary nodules. The incidence of complications increases in patients with smaller pulmonary lesions, deeper puncture, or COPD.
Objective To explore the expression differences of procalcitonin (PCT) in different infection sites and bacterial strains, and to provide the evidence for early differential diagnosis of infectious diseases with PCT as a biomarker. Methods The patients with various kinds of infections diagnosed in West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 2012 and June 2016 were retrospectively included. The expression differences of PCT in various infection sites and bacterial strains were analyzed. Results A total of 1 005 patients were include in this study, including 259 with systemic infection and 746 with local infection. The median PCT level in the systemic infection group was higher than that in the local infection group (8.57 vs. 0.10 ng/mL, P<0.05). In the 779 patients with pulmonary infection, the median PCT level of the patients with sepsis caused by pulmonary infection was higher than that of the ones without sepsis (4.61vs. 0.10 ng/mL, P<0.05), and the median PCT level of the patients with positive sputum culture was higher than that of the ones with negative sputum culture (0.28vs. 0.08 ng/mL, P<0.05). In the 48 patients with urinary tract infection, the median PCT level of the patients with sepsis caused by urinary tract infection was higher than that of the ones without sepsis (12.00vs. 0.42 ng/mL, P<0.05), and the median PCT level of the patients with complicated urinary tract infection was higher than that of the patients with simplex urinary tract infection (19.15vs. 5.02 ng/mL, P<0.05). In the 259 patients with systemic infection, the median PCT level of the patients with infective shock was higher than that of the ones without infective shock (40.26vs. 3.83 ng/mL, P<0.05); the mean PCT level of patients with infection of Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria and fungi was 13.66, 0.99, and 3.30 ng/mL with a significant difference (P<0.05). Conclusion The PCT level has unique advantages in identifying different sites of the infection, early diagnosing complicated urinary tract infection, and evaluating the severity of infection, which could provide evidence in early identification for sepsis caused by various kinds of infectious pathogens.
ObjectiveTo observe the dynamic changes of plasma Clara cell secretory protein (CC16) in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), and to explore its role in the occurrence and development of the disease and clinical significance.MethodsA total of 71 AECOPD patients were included in this study as observation group. All subjects completed the CAT questionnaire and were sampled 2 ml of venous blood on day 1 and day 7 after their admission. And the percentage of forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1%pred), percentage of forced vital capacity in the estimated value (FVC%pred), FEV1/FVC ratio, arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), white blood cell count (WBC), the proportion of neutrophils (NEUT%), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT) and the length of stay of subjects were recorded. Another 20 healthy adults were enrolled as the control group. Each subject of the control group was sampled 2 ml of venous blood. The plasma CC16 levels of the two groups were tested and compared, and analyzed its correlation with CAT score and length of stay.ResultsThe plasma CC16 level of AECOPD patients was significantly lower than that of the control group, lung function was significantly lower than that of the healthy control group, WBC and NEUT% were significantly higher than that of the healthy control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with day 1 after admission, the plasma CC16 level, CAT score, PaCO2, WBC, NEUT%, CRP, PCT of AECOPD patients on day 7 were significantly decreased, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The plasma CC16 level of AECOPD patients was negatively correlated with their CAT score (r=–0.704, P<0.001), and also was negatively correlated with the length of stay (r=–0.351, P=0.003).ConclusionsCC16 is involved in the development and progression of AECOPD and closely related to the severity and prognosis of the disease. Its dynamic changes can predict the condition changes and evaluate the clinical treatment effect of patients with AECOPD. Combined with common clinical indicators, CC16 can shorten the length of stay of patients.
ObjectiveTo investigate the expression and clinical significance of HIST1H1B gene in bladder cancer.MethodsInformation on HIST1H1B in the dataset GSE13507 was downloaded from the GEO database. Discrepancy in expression of HIST1H1B in normal tissues and bladder cancer tissues was analyzed by t-test. Survival analysis was performed by using Log-rank algorithm. The association between HIST1H1B gene expression and clinicpathological features was analyzed using Chi-square test. Gene enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore possible pathways of HIST1H1B involved in bladder cancer.ResultsHIST1H1B was down-regulated in normal tissues and highly expressed in bladder cancer tissues (P=0.002 5). The expression of HIST1H1B was associated with age, gender, T stage, M stage, N stage, disease stage, but not associated with invasiveness and progression. Whether in overall survival (HR=1.732, 95%CI 1.070 to 2.803) or tumor-specific survival (HR=2.000, 95%CI 0.996 to 4.017), patients with high expression of HIST1H1B were significantly lower than that in patients with low expression (P<0.05). GSEA results showed that HIST1H1B may influence the occurrence and development of bladder cancer by regulating MYC signaling pathway V2, G2M checkpoint, E2F signaling pathway, spermatogenesis, mitotic spindle, etc.ConclusionsHIST1H1B may be a biomarker for determining the prognosis of bladder cancer and a target for treatment of bladder cancer.
After the completion of a clinical trial, its conclusion generally depends on the results of statistical analysis of the main outcome, that is, whether the P-value in the hypothesis test is less than the α level of the hypothesis test, usually α=0.05. The size of the P-value indicates the sufficient degree of reason for making the hypothesis judgment, and can be interpreted as to determine whether a conclusion is statistically significant but does not involve the difference in the degree of drug effects or other effects. Fragility index, which is, the minimum number of patients required to change the occurrence of a target outcome event to a non-target outcome event from a statistically significant outcome to a non-significant outcome, can be used to assist in understanding of clinical trial statistical inference results and assisting in clinical decision making This paper discusses the concept, calculation method and clinical application of the fragility index, and recommends that the fragility index be routinely reported in all future randomized controlled trials to help patient clinicians and policymakers make appropriate and optimal decisions.