Influence of transcatheter arterial embolization on symptom distress and fatigue in liver cancer patients

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a prevalent malignancy,and transcatheter arterial embolization(TAE)has emerged as a pivotal therapeutic modality.How-ever,TAE may induce symptom distress and fatigue,adversely affecting the quality of life of patients.AIM To investigate symptom distress,fatigue,and associated factors in HCC patients undergoing TAE.METHODS We used a cross-sectional design and purposive sampling to enroll HCC patients who underwent TAE at our institution from January to December 2022.Question-naires were utilized to collect data on symptom distress and fatigue scores from the first to the third day after TAE.RESULTS Our study revealed a significant reduction in fatigue and symptom distress among patients after TAE.Pain,fatigue,insomnia,fever and abdominal dis-tension were the most common symptoms troubling patients during the first 3 d post-TAE.Marital status,presence of family support,physical functional status,age,and symptom distress were identified as predictors of fatigue in patients.CONCLUSION Healthcare professionals should educate HCC patients on symptom distress and INTRODUCTION Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)ranks as the fifth most prevalent cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally.Surgical intervention remains the cornerstone of HCC treatment;however,due to the challenges associated with early diagnosis and the lack of specific diagnostic markers,a considerable proportion of patients are diagnosed at advanced stages,rendering them ineligible for surgical interventions.Transcatheter arterial embolization(TAE)is an interventional therapeutic approach involving the insertion of a fine catheter via the femoral artery to reach the vasculature near the tumor site.TAE aims to obstruct the arterial supply to the tumor by deploying embolic agents,thereby inducing necrosis in cancer cells.This procedure is suitable for patients with good liver function and overall health,particularly those with large HCCs that have not invaded the portal vein[1,2].Nonetheless,following TAE,hepatocytes incur variable degrees of damage,leading to the development of a constel-lation of symptoms reminiscent of acute hepatitis.These symptoms include fatigue and systemic discomfort,such as nausea,vomiting,fever,abdominal pain,as well as transient elevations in aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT),collectively referred to as postembolization syndrome[3,4].These symptoms may arise due to ischemia of the liver and gallbladder,temporary liver enlargement,and peritoneal irritation.While many studies have explored fatigue and symptom distress in cancer patients both nationally and internationally,with some focusing on symptom distress following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization,there has been limited in-depth investigation into the fatigue and symptom distress resulting from TAE treatment[5-8].Fatigue and pain are both subjective experiences,typically arising from the gradual depletion of energy reserves during the course of illness[9].Fatigue is particularly prevalent among cancer patients,with rates soaring as high as 90%.Despite extensive research exploring cancer-related fatigue and its influencing factors,a unanimous consensus remains elusive.Hence,the primary objective of this study was to investigate the symptom distress and fatigue experienced by liver cancer patients following TAE treatment and to analyze potential contributing factors.

Update on diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis(PAM)(MIM265100)is a rare disease characterized by the diffuse deposit of microlithiasis in alveolar spaces.PAM could occur worldwide with high prevalence in Asia and Europe.Familial occurrence indicates its autosomal recessive trait and the SLC34A2 gene was identified as the responsible gene for the disease.In spite of the versatile mutation sites in patients from other countries,exon 7and exon 8 might be the most liable gene in Chinese and Japanese patients.Most mutations caused the premature termination of proteins and produced truncated proteins,leading to the blocking of the recycling and degrading of outdated surfactant which is full of phospholipids.The most outstanding clinical feature of PAM is the discrepancy between the paucity of symptoms and the degree of pulmonary involvement.Diagnosis is easy to establish based on typical chest radiograph image and nuclear medicine improves its early diagnosis and active evaluation.Pathology of the unique intra-alveolar lamellar microliths gives strong support for diagnosis.No effective treatment is considered valid currently.However,lung transplantation is effective for advanced-stage patients,and long term treatment of disodium etidronate seems promising.

Diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases in Zhejiang Province: a cross-sectional survey

Background： The specialty of allergy developed quickly in western countries because of the rapid increase of allergic diseases, whereas it developed relatively slowly in China. The prevalence of allergen sensitization and allergic diseases in Zhejiang Province of China is high and improving the medical services for these diseases is critically needed. Objective： To investigate the working status of the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases, including doctor resources, diagnostic methods, and allergen-specific immunotherapy in patients of Zhejiang Province, and to provide instructions for the strategic development of subspecialties of allergic diseases. Methods： First we defined the doctors who treat allergic diseases, and designed a comprehensive questionnaire to collect personal and hospital information for these doctors. The questionnaires were distributed to hospitals with different ranks and from different areas in the province. The general condition of doctor＇s resources, carryout of diagnostic methods, and allergen-specific immunotherapy were described and variations in the different specialties, hospitals, and areas were further analyzed. Results： Doctors in their thirties with bachelor＇s degrees were the mainstream for diagnosing and treating allergic diseases. The main specialties of the doctor resources were the specialties of Ear, Nose and Throat（ENT）, Respirology, Pediatrics, and Dermatology. The Pediatrics specialty had a more reasonable infrastructure of doctor resources with more young doctors working in this subspecialty. The development of allergy subspecialty varied within hospitals at different levels or from different areas. The carryout of the skin prick test（SPT）, serum specific Ig E（ss Ig E）, and subcutaneous immunotherapy（SCIT） was best performed in provincial hospitals, while sublingual immunotherapy（SLIT） was prescribed most commonly in municipal hospitals. The performance of SPT and ss Ig E in Hangzhou, Jiaxing, and Wenzhou areas was much better than that in other places. The performance of SCIT and SLIT was best in Wenzhou. Conclusions： Our survey revealed a very initial and unbalanced development for the allergy subspecialty in Zhejiang Province. Doctor resources for allergic diseases were mainly from the specialties of ENT, Respirology, and Pediatrics, and the performance of diagnosis and treatment was mainly focused on provincial and municipal hospitals. Continuous education of allergies could be extended to primary healthcare centers and more efforts should be directed to those areas with poor medical resources.

Anti-CD69 monoclonal antibody treatment inhibits airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma

Objective： Airway inflammation and airway hyper-responsiveness（AHR） are principle pathological manifestations of asthma. Cluster of differentiation 69（CD69） is a well-known co-stimulatory factor associated with the activation, proliferation as well as apoptosis of immune cells. This study aims to examine the effect of anti-CD69 monoclonal antibody（m Ab） on the pathophysiology of a mouse model of asthma. Methods： A murine model of ovalbumin（OVA）-induced allergic airway inflammation was used in this study. Briefly, mice were injected with 20 μg chicken OVA intraperitoneally on Days 0 and 14, followed by aerosol provocation with 1%（0.01 g/ml） OVA on Days 24, 25, and 26. Anti-CD69 m Ab or isotype Ig G was injected intraperitoneally after OVA challenge; dexamethasone（DXM） was administrated either before or after OVA challenge. AHR, mucus production, and eosinophil infiltration in the peribronchial area were examined. The levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor（GM-CSF） and interleukin-5（IL-5） in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid（BALF） were also assayed as indices of airway inflammation on Day 28 following OVA injection. Results： Pretreatment with DXM together with anti-CD69 m Ab treatment after OVA provocation completely inhibited AHR, eosinophil infiltration and mucus overproduction, and significantly reduced BALF IL-5. However, treatment with DXM alone after OVA challenge only partially inhibited AHR, eosinophil infiltration and mucus overproduction, and did not diminish BALF IL-5. Treatment with either DXM or anti-CD69 m Ab did not alter the concentration of BALF GM-CSF. Conclusions： Anti-CD69 m Ab treatment inhibits established airway inflammation as effectively as DXM pretreatment. This study provides a potential alternative therapeutic opportunity for the clinical management of asthma and its exacerbation.