Objective To review the research progress of the vacuum phenomenon in spine. Methods The recent articles about the vacuum phenomenon in spine were reviewed; the features of imaging and the cl inical correlation were summarized. Results The vaccum phenomenon has been described in every segment of the spine. This phenomenon occurs mostly to the disc space and represents a transparent area on radiograph. Conclusion The causes of the vacuum phenomenoninclude degeneration of the anatomic structures of spine, trauma, and other pathologic changes. The vacuum phenomenon has important diagnostic and cl inical significances.
In this paper , the statistic significance and clinical application of forest plots in a meta-analysis have been fully discussed. If the horizontal line represents the 95% confidence interval of the indexes including odds ratio, relative risk, weighted mean difference, and standard mean difference crosses the vertical line, the effect of test group is not signficant with that of control group; if the horizontal line lies to the right of the vertical line, it indicates that the test group is significantly effctive. If the horizontal line lies to the left of the vertical line, it indicates that the control group is more effective. In addition, it doesn’t mean that clinical application is more beneficial, if the treatment study has more effect, because experimental factor can be positive or negative.
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 measure the rate of changes of the cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and serum urea nitrogen (N), serum creatinine (Cr), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) patients before and after surgery, and to explore the prognostic significance of the rate of changes. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 77 AAAD patients' clinical data between August 2015 and March 2016 from the department of the cardiothoracic surgery in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. There were 57 males and 20 females with an average age of 51.1±13.1 years. The test results of cTnT, N, Cr, eGFR were recorded. Patients were divided into three groups based on the duration of ventilation: less than 48 hours, 48 hours to 7 days, longer than 7 days, and divided into two groups based on whether postoperative dialysis was performed: dialysis group and non-dialysis group. Results In the groups with different duration of ventilation, the rate of cTnT change differed significantly. The rate of Cr and eGFR change in the group with the duration of ventilation longer than 7 days showed significantly different compared to other two groups. We found that the rate of Cr and eGFR change were statistically significant between the dialysis group and the non-dialysis group. In the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), the optimal cut-off value of the Cr growth rate for predicting postoperative dialysis therapy was 58.1%, and the optimal cut-off value of the eGFR decline rate was 45.5%. Conclusion The rate of changes in cTnT, N, Cr and eGFR can be used as a reliable mean to evaluate respiratory and renal function for AAAD patients in the early stage, which will facilitate an early assessment of the prognosis of AAAD patients.
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.