ObjectiveTo summarize the advances in research on Cage subsidence following lumbar interbody fusion, and provide reference for its prevention.MethodsThe definition, development, clinical significance, and related risk factors of Cage subsidence following lumbar interbody fusion were throughout reviewed by referring to relevant domestic and doreign literature in recent years.ResultsAt present, there is no consensus on the definition of Cage subsidence, and mostly accepted as the disk height reduction greater than 2 mm. Cage subsidence mainly occurs in the early postoperative stage, which weakens the radiological surgical outcome, and may further damage the effectiveness or even lead to surgical failure. Cage subsidence is closely related to the Cage size and its placement location, intraoperative endplate preparation, morphological matching of disk space to Cage, bone mineral density, body mass index, and so on.ConclusionThe appropriate size and shape of the Cage usage, the posterolateral Cage placed, the gentle endplate operation to prevent injury, the active perioperative anti-osteoporosis treatment, and the education of patients to control body weight may help to prevent Cage subsidence and ensure good surgical results.
Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of the Guang’an Omicron epidemic and summarize the management experiences and practices in pandemic prevention and control of major infectious diseases.Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on patients infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), afterwards treated and observed in the isolation ward of Guang’an People’s Hospital and the shelter of Guang’an City from May 9 to June 26, 2022. The characteristics of patients at different age stages and the related factors affecting the severity, re-positive and negative conversion was analyzed. Results Finally 1 278 patients were collected, including 508 males and 770 females, with an average age of 41.3±22.6 years. Among them, 1 054 patients were asymptomatic carriers. The overall severe rate was 0.86%, the severe rate of the high-risk group was 3.06%. The median negative conversion time was 10.0 days and re-positive rate was 7.36%. Patients aged＞60 years were 2.589 times more likely to have a longer negative conversion time than those aged≤60 years (95%CI 1.921-3.489, P＜0.001). Conclusion The clinical characteristics of Guang’an COVID-19 epidemic are mainly that the elderly with high risk factors are more likely to develop severe cases, have longer clearance time, and re-positve is more likely to occur.
Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of Crohn’s disease (CD) with perianal fistula by analyzing the clinical data of them. Methods A total of 139 cases of CD with perianal fistula who got treatment from January 2010 to January 2017 in The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were analyzed retrospectively. Results The proportion of males and females in 139 patients was about 3.3∶1.0, the age was (28±8) years, and 47.5% of patients had perianal fistula before CD diagnosis. The percents of patients with perianal surgery history and medication history were 64.7% and 74.1%, respectively. The ratio of L3 type (diseased position) was 49.6%. The ratios of inflammatory type (B1 type) and stenotic type (B2 type) of the disease were 51.8% and 41.0%, respectively. The complex perianal fistula accounted for 90.6%, and 31.7% of patients combined analrectal stricture. Symptoms of diarrhea were found in 46.0% of patients and perianal lesions alone in 29.5% of patients; 54.0% of patients combined with abnormal BMI; 64.7% of patients were in the active stage of Crohn’s disease activity index (CDAI) and 94.2 % of patients were in the active period of perianal disease activity index (PDAI). The patients with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) higher than normal were 53.2%. The results of logistic showed that, age and degree of CDAI were influencing factors for CD with stenosis of perianal fistula. Conclusions Characteristics of patients with CD combined with perianal fistula include: young, men predominant, high prevalence of ileocolic position involvement, as well as inflammation and stenosis disease behavior. Fistula symptoms often preced the intestinal symptoms and diarrhea is the most common intestinal performance. History of perianal abscess and fistula operation are common. The anorectal stricture are complicated usually. Intestinal inflammation is active. Some patients show abnormal laboratory indicators of inflammation. This suggests that patients with perianal fistula with these clinical features should be alert to the possibility of CD, so as toavoid the consequences of blind surgery. The higher CDAI score and the older the diagnosis age, the higher the risk ofrectal stenosis.
ObjectiveTo analyze the microbiological characteristics of airway bacteria in adult patients with bronchiectasis and to analyze their correlation with the clinical features. MethodsPatients diagnosed with bronchiectasis in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from October 2017 to April 2018 were classified into the bronchiectasis group, while the control group was those who were found to have pulmonary nodules (diameter less than 10 mm) requiring bronchoscopy by physical examination. All subjects in both groups had not used antibiotics or hormones within 4 weeks and had no other respiratory diseases. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the lesion site of the branchial expansion group was collected, and BALF from the basal segment of the contralateral inferior bronchial lobe of the pulmonary nodule was collected in the control group. Bacterial culture and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were performed in both groups. ResultsSeventeen cases and six controls were enrolled in this study and the BALF specimens were collected. Eight cases were in stable period and nine cases were in acute period. The case group was divided into the bacteria-positive group and negative group based on bacterial culture of BALF. Shannon index in the bacteria-positive group was significantly lower than the bacteria-negative group and the control group. And Shannon index showed a negative correlation with positive bacterial culture in BALF. When Shannon index ≤4.5 was used to predict positive bacterial culture, the sensitivity and specificity were 83.3% and 90.9% respectively. The average relative abundance of bacteria was higher and the average sample distribution uniformity was lower in patients with acute period, compared with those in patients with stable period. Shannon index was negatively correlated with the acute exacerbation in patients. When Shannon index <5.0 was used to predict acute exacerbation, the sensitivity and specificity were 77.8% and 100.0%, respectively. ConclusionsShannon index in 16S rRNA gene sequencing results has certain predictive value for acute exacerbation stage. 16S rRNA gene sequencing combined with bacterial culture results can help guide clinicians to provide more precise treatment plans.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of resectable esophageal small cell carcinoma after surgical resection.MethodsA retrospective study of patients with resectable esophageal small cell carcinoma undergoing surgical resection from January 2009 to June 2015 in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sichuan Provincial Fourth People's Hospital and Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University was performed. Survival analysis was conducted by Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. Cox regression model was used for identifying independent prognostic factors.ResultsA total of 53 patients with resectable esophageal small cell carcinoma were included for analysis. The mean age was 58.4 ± 8.3 years and there were 42 male patients and 11 female patients. Forty-two patients were diagnosed as pure esophageal small cell carcinoma while 11 patients were diagnosed with mixed esophageal small cell carcinoma, who were all mixed with squamous cell carcinoma. Most of the esophageal small cell carcinomas were located in the middle (58.5%) and lower (32.1%) segments of the esophagus. Thirty patients (56.6%) were found to have lymph node metastasis, and 7 patients (13.2%) were found to have lymphovascular invasion. According to the 2009 TNM staging criteria for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, there were 12 patients with stage Ⅰ disease, 19 patients with stage Ⅱ disease, and 22 patients with stage Ⅲ disease. Most of the patients underwent left thoracotomy with two-field lymphadenectomy. Postoperatively, only twenty-two patients (41.5%) received adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The median survival time of these patients was 20.1 months, and the 1- and 3-year survival rate was 75.5% and 33.1%, respectively. For prognosis, age, gender, pathological type, tumor location, and lymphovascular invasion had no significant impact on long-term survival of these patients. However, TNM stage (1 year survival rate: stage Ⅰ: 91.7%; stage Ⅱ: 78.9%; stage Ⅲ: 63.6%; P=0.004) and postoperative adjuvant therapy (1 year survival rate: 81.8% vs. 71.0%; P=0.005) had significant impact on the survival of patients with esophageal small cell carcinoma. In multivariate analysis, TNM stage and postoperative adjuvant therapy were independent prognostic factors for long-term prognosis of patients with esophageal small cell carcinoma.ConclusionEsophageal small cell carcinoma is very rare, with high malignancy and poor prognosis. For patients with resectable esophageal small cell carcinoma, the TNM staging system of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma can be used to direct the choice of treatment options. For early stage esophageal small cell carcinoma (stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ), surgery plus postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy can be the prior therapeutic choice, while for locally advanced esophageal small cell carcinoma (stage Ⅲ), chemoradiotherapy should be the preferred treatment.
Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and drug resistance changes of nosocomial infection caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) in different types of clinical departments, and to provide evidence for prevention and control of CRKP infection. Methods The hospital infection real-time monitoring system was used to retrospectively collect the inpatients with CRKP nosocomial infection in the First People’s Hospital of Lianyungang from January 2019 to December 2023 as the research objects. According to the different sources of departments, they were divided into intensive care unit (ICU) group, internal medicine group and surgery group. The changes of clinical characteristics and drug resistance to common antibiotics were analyzed. Results A total of 636188 inpatients were monitored, and 225 cases were infected with CRKP, with an overall infection detection rate of 0.035%. The detection rates of CRKP infection in the ICU group, internal medicine group, and surgery group were 0.736% (138/18749), 0.013% (44/336777), and 0.015% (43/280662), respectively, with the ICU group demonstrating a significantly higher rate than the other groups (P<0.05). The detection rates fluctuated in the early stage and then decreased rapidly in different years. The main infection site of CRKP in all groups was lower respiratory tract, but the proportion of device-related infections in the ICU group was higher than that in the internal medicine and surgery groups (P<0.05). In terms of the infected population, there was no significant difference in gender among groups (P>0.05) with the proportion of males more than 60%, while the difference in the proportion of patients aged ≥65 years among groups was statistically significant (P<0.05), with the highest in the internal medicine group (86.36%). The burden of underlying diseases and invasive operation exposure of the infected patients were high, and the proportion of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and indwelling catheters were as high as 69.33% and 83.56%, respectively. The differences in the proportions of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, ≥3 underlying diseases, and surgical and invasive procedures among groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). The distribution of infection specimens in each group showed no statistically significant difference (P>0.05), with sputum, blood, and mid-stream urine specimens being the main detected specimens in all groups. The resistance rates of CRKP to penicillins and cephalosporins were more than 93%, and the resistance rates to aminoglycosides and sulfonamides were relatively low and showed a decline year by year. The resistance rate to ceftazidime/avibactam was only 7.41%, but the resistance rate to tigecycline increased. The difference in resistance rate of CRKP to co-trimoxazole among groups was statistically significant (P<0.05), while the differences in resistance to other antimicrobial agents were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusions The detection rate, clinical characteristics and drug resistance of CRKP infection in different types of departments of medical institutions are different and changing. It is necessary to strengthen the rational use of antibiotics and the prevention and control of nosocomial infection.
ObjectivesTo analyze the effect of bronchiectasis (BE) on the clinical characteristics and prognosis of hospitalized patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP), and to explore the independent risk factors affecting the 30-day mortality. MethodsA national multi-center retrospective study based on the CAP-China network platform. The clinical data of 6056 patients with CAP who were hospitalized in 13 tertiary teaching hospitals in Beijing, Shandong and Yunnan from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 were collected. To compare the differences in clinical characteristics, etiological distribution and treatment prognosis of patients with CAP with bronchiectasis (BE-CAP) and patients without bronchiectasis (non-BE-CAP). Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze independent risk factors affecting 30-day mortality in hospitalized patients with BE-CAP. ResultsIn the final analysis, 5880 CAP patients were included, and BE-CAP patients accounted for 10.8% (637/5880). Compared with non-BE-CAP patients, more BE-CAP patients were women, and a higher proportion of patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, previous history of glucocorticoid inhalation, and a history of CAP within 1 year. BE-CAP patients had more dyspnea and cyanosis, lower arterial partial pressure of oxygen, longer median time to clinical stability (6 d vs. 4 d, P<0.001), and the incidence of respiratory failure was significantly higher than that of non-BE-CAP patients (27.8% vs. 19.7%, P<0.001). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common bacterial infection in BE-CAP patients. Comorbid bronchiectasis has no significant effect on disease severity, total length of hospital stay, and mortality in CAP patients. The 30-day mortality rate of BE-CAP patients was 2.2%. Logistic regression analysis showed that initial treatment failure [odds ratio (OR) 6.675, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.235-10.523, P<0.001], respiratory failure (OR 5.548, 95%CI 3.681-8.363, P<0.001), blood urea nitrogen>7.0 mmol/L (OR 2.490, 95%CI 1.625-3.815, P<0.001), albumin<35.0 g/L (OR 1.647, 95%CI 1.073-2.529, P=0.022) and CURB-65 score (OR 1.691, 95%CI 1.341-2.133, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for 30-day mortality in BE-CAP patients. ConclusionsBE-CAP patients have more serious hypoxia symptoms and higher incidence of respiratory failure. For BE-CAP patients with failure of initial treatment, complicated with respiratory failure, blood urea nitrogen>7.0 mmol/L, and albumin<35.0 g/L, treatment evaluation should be performed in time to reduce the mortality rate.
Objective To investigate the etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, surgical treatment, and outcomes of acute necrotizing mediastinitis (ANM) in order to guide future diagnosis and treatment of ANM. Methods The clinical data of patients with ANM referred to West China Hospital, Sichuan University from March 2012 to April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The etiology, clinical manifestations, demographic characteristics, bacterial culture results, surgical approach and prognostic factors of these patients were summarized. ResultsA total of 176 patients were enrolled in this study. The median age was 60 ( 0-84) years. There were 124 (70.5%) males and 52 (29.5%) females. The most common origin of infection was neck (n=66, 37.5%). The most common symptom was fever (n=85, 48.3%). Streptococcus constellatus represented the most common pathogens in secretion culture. Surgical treatment was administered to 119 (67.6%) patients through different approaches, including 54 (30.7%) patients of cervical approach, 9 (5.1%) patients of thoracotomy, 18 (10.2%) patients of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), 7 (4.0%) patients of cervical combined with thoracotomy, 30 (17.0%) patients of cervical combined with VATS, and 1 (0.6%) patient of subxiphoid approach. Among this cohort, 144 (81.8%) patients were cured, while 32 (18.1%) patients died. Age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (OR=2.95, P=0.022), perioperative sepsis (OR=2.84, P=0.024), and non-surgical treatment (OR=2.41, P=0.043) were identified as independent predictors of poor outcomes. Conclusion For patients with corresponding history and manifestations of ANM, it is crucial to go through imaging examination to confirm the presence of an abscess and guide the selection of surgical approach. Once the diagnosis of ANM is made, it is imperative to promptly perform surgical intervention for effective drainage. Our study highlights the significance of age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index, perioperative sepsis and surgical treatment in predicting patients’ outcomes.
Objective This study aims to analyze the clinical characteristics of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) with positive anti melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody. Methods The clinical data of 91 patients with IIM in Shanxi Bethune Hospital from Jan 2019 to Mar 2022 were collected. Then various comparisons and analyzed retrospectively in the clinical symptoms, laboratory indicators and imaging characteristics between the negative MDA5-IIM and the positive anti-MDA5-IIM. ResultsCompared with the negative anti-MDA5-IIM patients, the significantly higher incidences of Gottron sign (71.0% vs. 38.3%), ulcerative rash (45.2% vs.16.7%), dyspnea (64.5% vs. 36.7%), and ILD (71.0% vs. 43.3%), in the positive anti-MDA5-IIM patients (P<0.05). Compared with the negative anti-MDA5-IIM patients, the more ground-glass opacification (GGO) in the positive anti-MDA5-IIM patients on high resolution computed tomography (81.8% vs.53.8%, P<0.05). Compared with the positive anti-MDA5-IIM patients without ILD, the positive anti-MDA5-IIM patients with ILD had significantly higher incidence of Gottron sign (77.3% vs. 33.3%), the increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase [(525.20±203.09) IU/L vs. (321.73±188.88) IU/L], Krebs von den Lungen-6 [(1399.55±869.64) U/mL vs. (371.56±128.92) U/mL], and D-dimer [(1226.65±902.31) U/L vs. (703.73±160.11) U/L], as well as higher positive rate of anti-Ro-52 antibody (68.2% vs. 22.2%) and the higher case fatality rate (54.5% vs. 0.0%), with all P<0.05. The triple treatment of high-dose glucocorticoid (GC) combined with intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCY) and another immunosuppressive agent (tacrolimus or tofacitinib) was found to be effective in the MDA5-IIM associated ILD group, with a lower case fatality rate (28.6%) than high-dose GC combined with IVCY group (47.1%). Conclusions The positive anti-MDA5-IIM with ILD of patients have the higher incidence of rash and dyspnea, with GGO as the most common imaging manifestation. When rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RPILD) is combined, the case fatality rate higher. Meanwhile, early intensive immunosuppressive therapy may improve the survival rate of RPILD patients with positive anti-MDA5 antibody.
Objective To explore the clinical and inflammatory characteristics and risk factors of severe asthma to improve clinicians' awareness of the disease. Methods The general information of patients with asthma who visited the Department of Respiratory Medicine, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May 2018 to May 2021, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, personal history, comorbidities, auxiliary examination, asthma control test (ACT) score were collected. A total of 127 patients were included, including 40 in the severe asthma group and 87 in the mild-to-moderate asthma group. Chi-square test, independent sample t test and logistic regression were used to analyze the clinical characteristics, inflammatory markers and risk factors of severe asthma. Results Compared with the patients with mild to moderate asthma, the patients with severe asthma were more older (51.0±12.0 years vs 40.7±12.8 years, P<0.05), had more smokers (32.5% vs. 14.9%, P<0.05), and more males (67.5% vs. 40.2%, P<0.05). The patients with severe asthma got poor FEV1%pred [(56.1±23.8)% vs. (93.2±18.0)%, P<0.05] and FEV1/FVC [(56.7±13.2)% vs. (75.8±9.0)%, P<0.05)], and more exacerbations in the previous year (2.7±3.1 vs. 0.1±0.4, P<0.05), lower ACT score (14.4±3.7 vs. 18.0±5.0, P<0.05), and higher blood and induced sputum eosinophil counts [(0.54±0.44)×109/L vs. (0.27±0.32)×109/L, P<0.05; (25.9±24.2)% vs. (9.8±17.5)%, P<0.05]. There was no significant difference in the proportion of neutrophils in the induced sputum or FeNO between the two groups (P>0.05). Analysis of related risk factors showed that smoking (OR=2.740, 95%CI 1.053 - 7.130), combined with allergic rhinitis (OR=14.388, 95%CI 1.486 - 139.296) and gastroesophageal reflux (OR=2.514, 95%CI 1.105 - 5.724) were risk factors for severe asthma. Conclusions Compared with patients with mild to moderate asthma, patients with severe asthma are characterized by poor lung function, more exacerbations, and a dominant eosinophil inflammatory phenotype, which is still poorly controlled even with higher level of treatment. Risk factors include smoking, allergic rhinitis, and gastroesophageal reflux, etc.