Abstract: Objective To find out the factors which influence plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and assess whether preoperative plasma NT-proBNP levels can predict postoperative outcomes of cardiac surgery. Methods A total of 120 patients including 83 males and 37 females undergoing various cardiac procedures between December 2008 and May 2009 were included in the study. Their age ranged from 25 to 84 years with an average age of 62.13 years. Through pathological diagnosis, 35 patients had heart valve diseases, 74 had coronary artery diseases, 3 had congenital heart diseases and 8 had aortic aneurysm. NT-proBNP, creatinine, cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) levels were measured preoperatively and 24 hours after operation. Ventilation time, length of stay in ICU or in hospital, and mortality were closely monitored after operation. The following events were regarded as endpoints: (1) ICU stay timegt;4 d; (2) Ventilation timegt;48 h; (3) Death occurred during the first 30 days after operation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the prediction function of NTproBNP on endpoint events. Based on the cutoff value, the patients were divided into the NT-proBNP increasing group and nonincreasing group. Univariate and logistic multifactor analysis were adopted to analyze factors which had an influence on preoperative NT-proBNP level. Results NT-proBNP concentration [CM(159mm]increased significantly from 37.5-30 867.0 pg/ml (1 929.12±3 749.44 pg/ml) preoperatively to 177.7-35 000.0pg/ml(2 950.32±4 006.14 pg/ml) 24 hours after operation (t=-2.599, P=0.012). ROC curve demonstrated that a cutoff value above 867 pg/ml preoperatively could predict endpoint events with a sensitivity of 77.8% and a specificity of 62.7%. Ventilation time and length of stay in hospital for the patients in the NT-proBNP increasing group were significantly longer than those of patients in the nonincreasing group (26.44±32.75 h vs. 14.49±9.23 h, t=2.507, P=0.015; 23.70±24.02 d vs. 16.21±8.11 d, t=2.117,P=0.039). Influencing factors on preoperative NTproBNP level included preoperative atrial fibrillation, heart function classification, left ventricular enddiastolic dimension (LVEDD), ejection fraction (EF), pulmonary artery pressure, preoperative creatinine, cTnT and pathological diagnosis. EF (P=0.007) and preoperative atrial fibrillation (P=0.018) were independently associated with preoperative NT-proBNP level. Preoperative NTproBNP was closely related to ventilation time (P=0.015), and length of stay in hospital (P=0.039). Conclusion Preoperative plasma NT-proBNP level presents a high individual variability in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Ejection fraction and preoperative atrial fibrillation are independently associated with preoperative NT-proBNP level. Preoperative NT-proBNP is a valuable marker in predicting bad outcome in patients undergoing heart surgery.
Diagnosis and treatment of solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN, less than 30 mm in diameter) has been a formidable problem in clinical work. It is often detected in medical examination or other disease examinations by chance. There are no corresponding signs and symptoms of SPN except those on the imaging, so it is difficult to make a correct diagnosis as early as possible. Literature shows that there is a certain probability of malignant SPN, so early correct diagnosis is the key factor in deciding the prognosis and appropriate treatment. With the accumulation of clinical experiences, the development of new fiberoptic bronchoscopy, highresolution CT, and videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery, as well as the evolution of some invasive examination technologies, it is less difficult in distinguishing benign from malignant SPN than ever before. In this article, we will make a comprehensive review on the development in the aspect of differential diagnosis of SPN.
Objective To determine whether the basal characteristics and survival of young patients undergoing surgical resection of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) differ from those of elderly patients. And, we would discuss the special perioperative management in elderly patients with NSCLC. Methods 178 NSCLC patients who underwent surgery in our hospital between Jan. to Dec. in 2002 were divided into two groups according to age. Young group comprised 89 patients aged 50 years or younger and elderly group comprised 89 patients aged 70 years or older. The patients’ clinical data, operative style,postoperative complications and survival results were reviewed and analysed. Results The proportion of the elderly group squamous cell carcinoma patients was higher than that of the younger group （χ2=9.281,P=0.000.）,but there was no significant difference between the gender, smoking, histology, TNM stage, type of resection, post operation chemotherapy or radiotherapy（χ2≤5.569，Pgt;0.05）. The incidence of the preoperative cardiovascular disease, chronic bronchitis in the elderly group patients were higher than those of younger group（χ2=14.053，P=0.000;χ2=13.044，P=0.000）.The incidence of postoperative complications was significantly higher in elderly group than those of younger group（χ2=12842，P=0.000）. The 1, 3 and 5year survival rates were 71.43％，33.53％ and 27.83％ in elderly group, and 77.78％，46.67％ and 44.07％ in young group, respectively. However, the 1, 3 and 5year survival rates for patients in two groups showed no difference between two groups（Pgt;0.05）. Conclusion The elderly patients have higher operative risk than that of young patients. We should pay more attention to the perioperative management of elderly patients. The elderly patients could get acceptable long term survival rates through surgical treatment. Operation is still the first choice for elderly patients with NSCLC.
Objective To investigate the indication of carina reconstruction surgery for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer through analyzing the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of these patients.Methods Fifteen patients were involved in this retrospective analysis. One patient underwent carina resection and reconstruction, 6 patients underwent right pneumonectomy plus carina resection and reconstruction, 3 patients underwent right upper lobe and carina resection plus carina reconstruction, and 5 patients underwent left pneumonectomy plus carina resection and carina reconstruction. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate, and Logrank test was used to compare the survival difference between groups. Results The mean duration time for operation was 410 min(261.3±81.6min). The number of resected mediastinal lymph nodes was 10.8±3.7. No perioperative death occurred. Two patients complicated with pneumonitis after surgery, both of them recovered through machine supported respiratory combined with antibiotics administering; 1 patient complicated with chylothorax and recovered through noninvasive procedure; 1 patient underwent thoracotomy exploration due to the persistant air leak and cured by suturing the air leaking lung tissue.The median survival time for whole group was 39 months, 3-year and 5-year survival rate were 52.5%，22.5%, respectively. The median survival time for the patients underwent right pneumonectomy was 12 months, compared 40 months with that of other patients. Conclusion Carina reconstruction is necessary for some patients with locally advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer with main bronchus or carina invasion, despite the sophisticated operation procedure and high morbidity rate. While the right pneumonectomy plus carinal reconstruction should be avoided due to the poor prognosis.
Abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of thymoma and thymoma with myasthenia gravis(MG). Methods From Oct.1979 to July 2004,185 patients with thymoma were surgically treated. Among these patients, comparative analysis was made between 94 cases of thymoma (thymoma group) and 91 cases of thymus tumor with MG(thymoma with MG group).155 patients underwent radical operation (83.8%),16 patients underwent palliative operation (8.6%),and 14 patients underwent exploratory operation (7.6%). Clinical characteristics was analyzed in two groups. The factors affecting prognosis was analyzed by Masaoka’s stage system, with the lifttable method. Results Five patients died after operation, others had complete remission or symptomatic improvement. There was statistically difference of Masaoka’s stage system in two groups (χ2=53.14, P＜0.05). There were no statistically difference in pathological type of thymoma and clinical type of MG and pathologic period (χ2=8.21, P＞0.05). 57 cases of thymoma group were followed up, the duration of follow-up was 1 to 10 years, average follow-up was 40.7 months, and the patients with 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 70.2% (40/57), 66.7% (22/33), 593% (16/27) respectively. 55 cases of thymoma with MG group were followed up. The patients’ survival rates were 98.2% (54/55), 86.4% (38/44), 81.6% (31/38) at 1-, 3-and 5-year respectively. There was no statistically difference of survival rates in two groups (χ2=0.83, P＞0.05). Totally, 112 patients were followed up in two groups, by Masaoka’s stage system, the 5-year survival rates were 93.7% for stage Ⅰ, 79.2% for stageⅡ, 51.4% for stage Ⅲ and 0% for stage Ⅳ respectively. Result of asaoka’s stage system evidence was statistically significant (χ25-year=51.62, P＜0.01). Conclusions Pathological type of thymoma isn’t related to modified Osserman’s classification, prognosis of thymoma is obviously related to Masaoka’s stage and isn’t related to MG. Generalized MG is the major type in MG patients accompanied by thymomas, and the major pathological type is lymphocytic. Chest CT can increase the accuracy early diagnosis of thymoma. The principal treatment is to resect the tumor as completely as possible, and proper administration of postoperative radiotherapy or chemotherapy according to the surgical status. Operative program and tumor stage are the most important prognostic factors.