Clinical prediction scores predicting weaning failure from invasive mechanical ventilation:Role and limitations

Invasive mechanical ventilation(IMV)has become integral to modern-day critical care.Even though critically ill patients frequently require IMV support,weaning from IMV remains an arduous task,with the reported weaning failure(WF)rates being as high as 50%.Optimizing the timing for weaning may aid in reducing time spent on the ventilator,associated adverse effects,patient discomfort,and medical care costs.Since weaning is a complex process and WF is often multifactorial,several weaning scores have been developed to predict WF and aid decision-making.These scores are based on the patient's physiological and ventilatory parameters,but each has limitations.This review highlights the current role and limitations of the various clinical prediction scores available to predict WF.

Clinical characteristics,GRACE score,TIMI score and prognosis of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with acute coronary syndrome

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)with acute coronary syndrome(ACS),the global registry of acute coronary events(GRACE)score,the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction(TIMI)score and clinical prognosis.Method:The study was a retrospective one-center observational study,continuous inclusion of 600 ACS patients diagnosed by coronary angiography in our hospital from October 2018 to July 2019.Collect general clinical data,laboratory examination results,imaging data and interventional treatment data of all patients.Were divided into:T2DM with ACS group(group DA)and non-T2DM with ACS(group NDA)according to whether or not they were associated with T2DM.According to the GRACE、TIMI score,the two groups were divided into high risk group,middle risk group and low risk group.All patients underwent coronary angiography to calculate the number of vascular lesions and Gensini scores.Design questionnaire,after discharge to 2 groups of patients by telephone or outpatient follow-up average of 10 months,statistics of the occurrence of MACE events.Result:Among the 600 patients included in the study,362 were male(60.3%)and 238 were female(39.7%)with mean age(64.7±10.3)years.The baseline data showed that the G、TG、UA、CR levels were higher in the DA group than in the NDA group;the proportion of men was lower than in the NDA group.The results of coronary angiography showed that the Gensini score of DA group was higher than that of NDA group,and the proportion of single lesion was lower than that of NDA group.The binary Logistic regression analysis suggested that age and CRP were independent risk factors for MACE events in patients with T2DM.GRACE risk stratification showed that the proportion of high risk group in DA group was significantly higher than that in NDA group,and there was no significant difference between low and middle risk group.TIMI risk stratification showed that the proportion of high risk group in DA group was significantly higher than that in NDA group,while the proportion of low and middle risk group was lower than that in NDA group.The ROC curve shows that the area(AUC)below the ROC curve that GRACE、TIMI score predicted the occurrence of MACE events in patients with T2DM and ACS was 0.707 and 0.586.Conclusion:Patients with T2DM and ACS had higher clinical risk stratification than without T2DM.GRACE score compared with the TIMI score had better predictive value for the occurrence of MACE events after discharge of T2DM with ACS patients.

Establishing minimum clinically important difference values for the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function, hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score for joint reconstruction, and knee injury and osteoarthritis out

AIM To establish minimum clinically important difference(MCID) for measurements in an orthopaedic patient population with joint disorders.METHODS Adult patients aged 18 years and older seeking care for joint conditions at an orthopaedic clinic took the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function(PROMIS~? PF) computerized adaptive test(CAT), hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score for joint reconstruction(HOOS JR), and the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score for joint reconstruction(KOOS JR) from February 2014 to April 2017. MCIDs were calculated using anchorbased and distribution-based methods. Patient reports of meaningful change in function since their first clinic encounter were used as an anchor.RESULTS There were 2226 patients who participated with a mean age of 61.16(SD = 12.84) years, 41.6% male, and 89.7% Caucasian. Mean change ranged from 7.29 to 8.41 for the PROMIS~? PF CAT, from 14.81 to 19.68 for the HOOS JR, and from 14.51 to 18.85 for the KOOS JR. ROC cut-offs ranged from 1.97-8.18 for the PF CAT, 6.33-43.36 for the HOOS JR, and 2.21-8.16 for the KOOS JR. Distribution-based methods estimated MCID values ranging from 2.45 to 21.55 for the PROMIS~? PF CAT; from 3.90 to 43.61 for the HOOS JR, and from 3.98 to 40.67 for the KOOS JR. The median MCID value in the range was similar to the mean change score for each measure and was 7.9 for the PF CAT, 18.0 for the HOOS JR, and 15.1 for the KOOS JR.CONCLUSION This is the first comprehensive study providing a wide range of MCIDs for the PROMIS? PF, HOOS JR, and KOOS JR in orthopaedic patients with joint ailments.

What benefit can be obtained from magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis with artificial intelligence in prostate cancer compared with clinical assessments?

The present study aimed to explore the potential of artificial intelligence(AI)methodology based on magnetic resonance(MR)images to aid in the management of prostate cancer(PCa).To this end,we reviewed and summarized the studies comparing the diagnostic and predictive performance for PCa between AI and common clinical assessment methods based on MR images and/or clinical characteristics,thereby investigating whether AI methods are generally superior to common clinical assessment methods for the diagnosis and prediction fields of PCa.First,we found that,in the included studies of the present study,AI methods were generally equal to or better than the clinical assessment methods for the risk assessment of PCa,such as risk stratification of prostate lesions and the prediction of therapeutic outcomes or PCa progression.In particular,for the diagnosis of clinically significant PCa,the AI methods achieved a higher summary receiver operator characteristic curve(SROC-AUC)than that of the clinical assessment methods(0.87 vs.0.82).For the prediction of adverse pathology,the AI methods also achieved a higher SROC-AUC than that of the clinical assessment methods(0.86 vs.0.75).Second,as revealed by the radiomics quality score(RQS),the studies included in the present study presented a relatively high total average RQS of 15.2(11.0–20.0).Further,the scores of the individual RQS elements implied that the AI models in these studies were constructed with relatively perfect and standard radiomics processes,but the exact generalizability and clinical practicality of the AI models should be further validated using higher levels of evidence,such as prospective studies and open-testing datasets.

Is nutritional status a new indicator to use in clinical practice for colorectal cancer patients?

In this editorial we comment on the interesting article by Liu et al.The topic of discussion is the need for a cost-effective and easy-to-use scoring system for predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.In this context,nutritional assessment plays a crucial role in the multimodal evaluation of patients.In particular,the controlling nutritional status score was found to be an effective tool in the clinical decision-making process,in order to customize treatment strategies and to improve patient outcomes.

A predictive score for retinopathy of prematurity by using clinical risk factors and serum insulin-like growth factor-1 levels

AIM：To detect the impact of insulin-like growth factor-1（IGF-1）and other risk factors for the early prediction of retinopathy of prematurity（ROP）and to establish a scoring system for ROP prediction by using clinical criteria and serum IGF-1 levels.METHODS：The study was conducted with 127 preterm infants.IGF-1 levels in the 1st day of life,1st,2nd,3rd and4th week of life was analyzed.The score was established after logistic regression analysis,considering the impact of each variable on the occurrences of any stage ROP.A validation cohort containing 107 preterm infants was included in the study and the predictive ability of ROP score was calculated.RESULTS：Birth weights（BW）,gestational weeks（GW）and the prevalence of breast milk consumption were lower,respiratory distress syndrome（RDS）,bronchopulmonarydysplasia（BPD）and necrotizing enterocolitis（NEC）were more frequent,the duration of mechanical ventilation and oxygen supplementation was longer in patients with ROP（P〈0.05）.Initial serum IGF-1 levels tended to be lower in newborns who developed ROP.Logistic regression analysis revealed that low BW（〈1250 g）,presence of intraventricular hemorrhage（IVH）and formula feeding increased the risk of ROP.Afterwards,the scoring system was validated on 107 infants.The negative predictive values of a score less than 4 were 84.3%,74.7%and 79.8%while positive predictive values were 76.3%,65.5%and71.6%respectively.CONCLUSION：In addition to BW〈1250 g and IVH,formula consumption was detected as a risk factor for the development of ROP.Breastfeeding is important for prevention of ROP in preterm infants.

Clinical Observation of the Hot and Humid Compress Therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Type of Lumbar Disc Herniation

Background: Although a number of studies have reported that the hot and humid compress from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is effective in treating lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with qi stagnation and blood stasis, clinical evidence is limited. Objective: The purpose of this study is to provide high-quality evidence to support the effectiveness of the traditional Chinese hot and humid compress in the treatment of LDH with qi stagnation and blood stasis. Methods: From October 2021 to November 2023, 86 patients with LDH of qi stagnation and blood stasis type were recruited in our hospital and divided into a control (n = 43) and an observation group (n = 43) according to the random number table method. The control group was given routine clinical treatment, and the observation group was treated with the hot and humid compress therapy for two weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, TCM syndrome score, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were observed and compared between the two groups before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated. Results: After treatment, the VAS score, TCM symptom score, and serum IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels decreased in both groups (P P P P P Conclusions: The hot and humid compress of traditional Chinese medicine can effectively relieve pain, restore lumbar function, improve TCM syndromes, reduce the level of inflammatory factors, and have a curative effect in treating LDH.

Concordance between bio-impedance analysis and clinical score in fluid-status assessment of maintenance haemodialysis patients: A single centre experience

BACKGROUND The burden of chronic kidney disease(CKD)is rising rapidly globally.Fluid overload(FO),an independent predictor of mortality in CKD,should be accurately assessed to guide estimation of the volume of fluid to be removed during haemodialysis(HD).Clinical score(CS)and bio-impedance analysis(BIA)have been utilized in assessment of FO and BIA has demonstrated reproducibility and accuracy in determination of fluid status in patients on HD.There is need to determine the performance of locally-developed CSs in fluid status assessment when evaluated against BIA.AIM To assess the hydration status of patients on maintenance HD using BIA and a CS,as well as to evaluate the performance of that CS against BIA in fluid status assessment.METHODS This was a single-centre,hospital-based cross-sectional study which recruited adult patients with CKD who were on maintenance HD at Kenyatta National Hospital.The patients were aged 18 years and above and had been on maintenance HD for at least 3 mo.Those with pacemakers,metallic implants,or bilateral limbs amputations were excluded.Data on the patients’clinical history,physical examination,and chest radiograph findings were collected.BIA was performed on each of the study participants using the Quantum®II bio-impedance analyser manufactured by RJL Systems together with the BC 4®software.In evaluating the performance of the CS,BIA was considered as the gold standard test.A 2-by-2 table of the participants’fluid status at each of the CS values obtained compared to their paired BIA results was constructed(either++,+-,--or-+for FO using the CS and BIA,respectively).The results from this 2-by-2 table were used to compute the sensitivity and specificity of the CS at the various reference points and subsequently plot a receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve that was used to determine the best cut-off point.Those above and below the best CS cut-off point as determined by the ROC were classified as being positive and negative for FO,respectively.The proportions of participants diagnosed with FO by the CS and BIA,respectively,were computed and summarized in a 2-by-2 contingency table for comparison.McNemar’s chi-squared test was used to assess any statistically significant difference in proportions of patients diagnosed as having FO by CS and BIA.Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess whether the variables for the duration of dialysis,the number of missed dialysis sessions,advisement by health care professional on fluid or salt intake,actual fluid intake,the number of anti-hypertensives used,or body mass index were associated with a patient’s odds of having FO as diagnosed by BIA.RESULTS From 100 patients on maintenance HD screened for eligibility,80 were recruited into this study.Seventy-one(88.75%)patients were fluid overloaded when evaluated using BIA with mean extracellular volume of 3.02±1.79 L as opposed to the forty-seven(58.25%)patients who had FO when evaluated using the CS.The difference was significant,with a P value of<0.0001(95%confidence interval:0.1758-0.4242).Using CS,values above 4 were indicative of FO while values less than or equal to 4 denoted the best cut-off for no FO.The sensitivity and specificity for the CS were 63%and 78%respectively.None of the factors evaluated for association with FO showed statistical significance on the multivariable logistic regression model.CONCLUSION FO is very prevalent in patients on chronic HD at the Kenyatta National Hospital.CS detects FO less frequently when compared with BIA.The sensitivity and specificity for the CS were 63%and 78%respectively.None of the factors evaluated for association with FO showed statistical significance on the multivariable logistic regression model.

Modified qSOFA score based on parameters quickly available at bedside for better clinical practice

Dear editor,We thank Hai Hu’s team for their work in modifying the q SOFA scores.[1]This study has aroused great interest among researchers.[2]As we all know,the advantage of q SOFA score is that it contains bedside parameters that can be collected quickly,and it is still helpful in low-and middle-income countries.

Early Clinical and Functional Outcome of Primary Total Knee Replacement with Posterior Cruciate Substituting Prosthesis for Primary Knee Osteoarthritis Using 2011 Knee Society Score

Background: Primary knee Osteoarthritis (OA) is the commonest articular disease in middle age and elderly people. Primary total knee replacement (TKR) is a known world-wide standard and definitive treatment of primary knee OA following failed adequate non-operative management. It is of clinical importance to assess the clinical and functional outcome of TKR to prognosticate the severity of primary knee OA. The new (2011) knee society scoring system (nKSS) is both surgeons and patients’ assessment tool for the treatment outcome of TKR. Study Design: Prospective interventional analytical study. Aim and Objective: The aim of the study was to determine early clinical and functional outcome of primary total knee replacement in patients with primary knee osteoarthritis using nKSS. The objectives were: 1) To determine the pre-operative nKSS and post operative nKSS;2) To determine relationships between pre-operative nKSS and post operative nKSS at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months;3) To determine the complication rates in patients undergoing primary TKR in the study centre. Methods: A prospective interventional study of 59 patients aged 51 to 70 years who had 67 Total Knee Replacements (TKRs) participated in the study between November 2015 to June 2018 at National Orthopaedics Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. Patients’ sociodemographic data, pre-operative and post-operative nKSS system were recorded at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months during follow up. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Results: There were 41 females and 18 males (M:F = 1:2.3). There were total of 67 TKRs with 31 right TKRs, 20 left TKRs and 8 staged bilateral TKRs. The participants’ age ranged from 51 to 70 years with the mean age of 59.5 (±8.5) years. Four patients did not complete the study due to various reasons. The remaining 55 participants completed the study period with progressive improvement of their post-operative nKSS at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-operatively when compared with pre-operative nKSS (P value 0.5). Conclusion: This study revealed improved early clinical and functional outcome of primary total knee replacement in primary knee osteoarthritis using nKSS in all the studied patients. There is no significant negative effect of lower pre-operative nKSS (and its components) on the post-operative nKSS outcome.

Midnight Salivary Cortisol and Other Effective Factors in the Graduation of Clinical Suspect of Cushing Syndrome: Is There Any Reasonable Clinical Score?

Background: Diagnosis of Cushing’s Syndrome (CS) at the right time and with the right method is getting more important for the patients and clinicians due to high mortality rate. The most appropriate laboratory test will provide great benefits in terms of cost-effectiveness in the well-chosen group of patients. Selection of the high risk group is of crucial importance for the true diagnosis and treatment on time. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the worth of the midnight salivary cortisol and to establish other effective factors in the graduation of clinical suspect of CS. Material and Methods: 115 patients were evaluated in weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio, systolic, diastolic blood pressures, hirsutism, weight gain, purple-stria, plethore, buffalo-hump, supraclavicular fullness, temporal fat cushion, acnea, moonface, proximal muscle weakness, lower limb edema, ecchymosis, loss of libido, depression, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, allopecia of all patients were noted in the evaluation forms (23 findings). Patients were grouped according to clinical scores, low (16). Results: When we compare the groups in terms of midnight salivary cortisol, morning salivary cortisol after overnight dexamethasone suppression test, we found statistically significant relationship between the low and high clinical score groups, as well as between medium and high score groups (p: 0.0001). Urinary free cortisol was statistically significant only between low and high clinical score groups (p: 0.0001). Conclusion: This clinical scoring system which includes clinical signs and laboratory findings both, can be used for selection of the high risk group.

The Clinical Value of Syntax Scores in Predicting Coronary Artery Disease Outcomes

The Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery(SYNTAX)score(SS)has significantly improved angiographic risk stratification.By analyzing angiographic variables,this score characterizes coronary artery disease qualitatively and quantitatively.To date,combining this score with other non-angiographic clini-cal scores has broadened perspectives regarding risk estimation,and future research on this topic appears promising.

The Sarandria Score—Discussion of a New Scoring System in Clinical Medical Oncology

This paper focuses on discussing a novel scoring for stage III rectal cancer patients and all the challenges in creating and developing a clinical score. Background: It is fundamental in my opinion to give space to new generations of scientists, medical doctors and researchers to study and, backed with evidence-based information, improve the current knowledge of clinical medical science. It is fundamental for result obtained by medical researchers to bring their findings to the scientific community. Every scientific finding is of vital importance. In this essay a new Clinical Scoring system, the Sarandria Score, developed by myself is discussed, together with the methods and path in order for a young medical researcher with an idea to bring it to the scientific community. Main topics: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is a major public health problem, representing the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in males and the second in females. Various studies have reported relevant differences related to CRC primary location site (right-sided colon, left-sided colon, rectum) including response to adjuvant chemotherapy and prognosis. In stage III CRC patients, previous findings showed that higher density of tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) was associated with better response to 5-FU-based chemotherapy. Novel findings were discovered by Dr Nicola Sarandria on the role of neutrophils in rectal cancer, which include different factors which point to an anti-tumoral role of neutrophils in rectal cancer when in presence of chemotherapeutic agents (5-fluorouracil). The clinical significance of TANs was assessed and whether it can be different depended on the location of the primary CRC (right-sided colon, left-sided colon, rectum). Conclusions: This essay officially discusses a new clinical prognostic and predictive scoring (Sarandria Score) involving intratumoral neutrophilic infiltration in rectal cancer and the possibility of a new inclusion criteria based on this infiltrate for Stage III rectal cancer patients treated with 5-FU therapy. This paper includes data published on my medical degree thesis and in a previous review (on Journal of Cancer Therapy) showing that higher levels of TANs densities were associated with better disease-free survival (DFS) in 5-FU treated patients affected by rectal cancer (while it was inversely related in patients without 5-FU therapy). This was also as further evidence in support possible conceptual division of what is now known as Colorectal cancer into Colon and Rectal cancer.

Selection of Surgical Approach and Clinical Significance of Lower Cervical Spine Injuries Guided by SLIC Scoring System

Objective: To explore the feasibility and clinical significance of surgical approach selection for cervical spine injury guided by SLIC scoring system. Methods: The clinical data of 75 patients with lower cervical injury surgery from January 2020 to November 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 48 males and 27 females. Age: 28 - 65 years old. Causes of injury: 39 cases of traffic accidents, 15 cases of ice and snow sports, 12 cases of falling from high places, 9 cases of heavy objects. There were 12 cases of C3-4, 33 cases of C4-5, 21 cases of C5-6, and 9 cases of C6-7. Time from injury to medical treatment: 4 h - 2 d. Cervical spine X-ray, MRI, MDCT examination and preoperative SLIC score were performed on admission. Anterior approach was performed by subtotal cervical vertebrae resection or discectomy, titanium Cage or cage supported bone grafting and anterior titanium plate fixation. Posterior approach was performed with cervical laminoplasty, lateral mass or pedicle screw fixation and fusion. The combined anterior-posterior operation was performed by the anterior methods+ posterior methods. The time from injury to surgery is 12 h to 3 d. The function before and after operation was evaluated by JOA efficacy evaluation criteria. The correlation between the three surgical approaches and postoperative efficacy and SLIC score was compared. SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. Results: In this group of 75 patients, 32 cases of anterior operation, 22 cases of posterior operation and 21 cases of combined operation were followed up for no less than 12 months. There was no significant difference in age, gender, injury cause, injury segment, time from injury to treatment, and time from injury to operation among the three surgical approaches, which were comparable. The SLIC scores of mild, moderate and severe injuries of anterior surgery, posterior surgery and combined anterior and posterior surgery, They were (5.26 ± 1.24, 5.86 ± 1.67, 8.25 ± 0.21), (5.57 ± 1.43, 5.99 ± 1.85, 9.00 ± 0.25), (0, 5.98 ± 0.33, 9.44 ± 0.34), respectively. By comparing the SLIC scores and JOA scores of anterior surgery and posterior surgery, there was no difference in SLIC scores and JOA scores between the two groups for mild and moderate injuries (P > 0.05). However, the JOA scores at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after surgery were different from those before surgery, and the postoperative efficacy and JOA scores were significantly improved (P & lt;0.05), indicating that the two surgical methods had the same therapeutic effect, that is, anterior or posterior surgery could be used to treat mild or moderate injuries (P > 0.05). There were differences in SLIC scores among the three surgical approaches for severe injury (P 0.05). The postoperative efficacy and JOA score of combined anterior-posterior approach were significantly improved compared with those before operation (P Conclusion: SLIC score not only provides accurate judgment for conservative treatment or surgical treatment of cervical spine injury, but also provides evidence-based medical basis and reference value for the selection of surgical approach and surgical method. According to the SLIC score, the surgical approach is safe and feasible. When the SLIC score is 4 - 7, anterior surgery is selected for type A injury, and posterior surgery is selected for type B injury. When the SLIC score is ≥8, combined anterior-posterior surgery should be selected. It is of great significance for clinical formulation of precision treatment strategy.

Clinical Study of Acupoint Application of Jiezi Fangxiao Ointment Combined with Pingchuan Prescription in the Treatment of Pediatric Asthma

[Objectives]To study the clinical effect of Acupoint Application of Jiezi Fangxiao Ointment combined with Pingchuan Prescription in the treatment of pediatric asthma.[Methods]A total of 40 children with asthma admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine from July 2017 to September 2018 were selected as the research subjects,and divided into control group and observation group according to random classification method,with 20 cases in each group.Among which the control group was given routine symptomatic treatment,the observation group was treated with Acupoint Application of Jiezi Fangxiao Ointment combined with Pingchuan Prescription on the basis of the control group.After 4 weeks of continuous treatment,the clinical efficacy was observed and the changes of traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores,forced expiratory volume in the first second(FEV1),maximum expiratory flow(PEF),forced vital capacity(FVC),peripheral blood eosinophils(EOS)and interleukin-17(IL-17)were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.[Results]After treatment,the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)scores such as asthma,cough,expectoration,chest tightness,dyspnea and wheezing sound of lungs in the two groups were significantly improved,and the improvement in the observation group was superior to that in the control group.The difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).FEV1,PEF and FVC in the two groups were significantly improved after treatment,and the improvement in the observation group was superior to that in the control group.The difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);after treatment,the levels of EOS and IL-17 decreased in both groups,and the improvement in the observation group was superior to that in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).[Conclusions]The clinical effects of Acupoint Application of Jiezi Fangxiao Ointment combined with Pingchuan Prescription in the treatment of infantile asthma were obvious,which can significantly improve the TCM symptoms scores,pulmonary function and immune function of patients.

Comparing 11 early warning scores and three shock indices in early sepsis prediction in the emergency department

BACKGROUND:This study aimed to evaluate the discriminatory performance of 11 vital sign-based early warning scores(EWSs)and three shock indices in early sepsis prediction in the emergency department(ED).METHODS:We performed a retrospective study on consecutive adult patients with an infection over 3 months in a public ED in Hong Kong.The primary outcome was sepsis(Sepsis-3 definition)within 48 h of ED presentation.Using c-statistics and the DeLong test,we compared 11 EWSs,including the National Early Warning Score 2(NEWS2),Modified Early Warning Score,and Worthing Physiological Scoring System(WPS),etc.,and three shock indices(the shock index[SI],modified shock index[MSI],and diastolic shock index[DSI]),with Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome(SIRS)and quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(qSOFA)in predicting the primary outcome,intensive care unit admission,and mortality at different time points.RESULTS:We analyzed 601 patients,of whom 166(27.6%)developed sepsis.NEWS2 had the highest point estimate(area under the receiver operating characteristic curve[AUROC]0.75,95%CI 0.70-0.79)and was significantly better than SIRS,qSOFA,other EWSs and shock indices,except WPS,at predicting the primary outcome.However,the pooled sensitivity and specificity of NEWS2≥5 for the prediction of sepsis were 0.45(95%CI 0.37-0.52)and 0.88(95%CI 0.85-0.91),respectively.The discriminatory performance of all EWSs and shock indices declined when used to predict mortality at a more remote time point.CONCLUSION:NEWS2 compared favorably with other EWSs and shock indices in early sepsis prediction but its low sensitivity at the usual cut-off point requires further modification for sepsis screening.

Meta-Analysis of the Clinical Effect of Acupuncture on Postherpetic Neuralgia

Objective:To systematically evaluate the safety and efficacy of acupuncture on patients with postherpetic neuralgia.Methods:Based on the heyword retrieval method,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI,1978-2020),China Biomedical Literature database(CBM,1979-2020),VIP database(WEIPU,1989-2020),Wanfang database(1989-2020),Cochrane Library,PubMed,and Embase were searched;randomized controlled trials of the use of acupuncture in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia were screened out;the quality of the included literatures was evaluated based on the evaluation criteria in the Cochrane Handbook,and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3.Results:Twenty-six literatures that met the criteria,involving 2,174 patients,were included;the meta-analysis showed that compared with western medicine,the use of acupuncture can improve the overall effective rate(RR=1.24,95%CI[1.17,1.32],P<0.00001)and reduce the VAS score(MD=-1.43,95%CI[-1.97,-0.89],P<0.00001).Conclusion:The use of acupuncture can further improve the clinical effect of patients with postherpetic neuralgia.

The Latest Research Progress in the Application of MEWS Scoring System in Clinical Nursing

This paper summarizes the background of the formation of the Modified Early Warning System(MEWS)evaluation system,its current status of clinical teaching applications in different fields of hospitals,and its significance on the medical and nursing career,aiming to provide specific theoretical basis for medical staff and lay a foundation for continuing to carry out related work on MEWS.

Diagnostic and prognostic performances of GALAD score in staging and 1-year mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma: A prospective study

BACKGROUND The GALAD score has improved early hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)detection rate.The role of the GALAD score in staging and predicting tumor characteristics or clinical outcome of HCC remains of particular interest.AIM To determine the diagnostic/prognostic performances of the GALAD score at various phases of initial diagnosis,tumor features,and 1-year mortality of HCC and compare the performance of the GALAD score with those of other serum biomarkers.METHODS This prospective,diagnostic/prognostic study was conducted among patients with newly diagnosed HCC at the liver center of Vajira Hospital.Eligible patients had HCC staging allocation using the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer(BCLC)categorization.Demographics,HCC etiology,and HCC features were recorded.Biomarkers and the GALAD score were obtained at baseline.The performance of the GALAD score and biomarkers were prospectively assessed.RESULTS Exactly 115 individuals were diagnosed with HCC.The GALAD score increased with disease severity.Between BCLC-0/A and BCLC-B/C/D,the GALAD score predicted HCC staging with an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.868(95%CI:0.80–0.93).For identifying the curative HCC,the AUC of GALAD score was significantly higher than that of Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)(0.753)and Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of AFP-L3(0.706),and as good as that of Protein induced by vitamin K absence-II(PIVKA-II)(0.897).For detecting aggressive features,the GALAD score gave an AUC of 0.839(95%CI:0.75–0.92)and significantly outperformed compared to that of AFP(0.761)and AFP-L3(0.697),with a trend of superiority to that of PIVKA-II(0.772).The performance to predict 1-year mortality of GALAD score(AUC:0.711,95%CI:0.60–0.82)was better than that of AFP(0.541)and as good as that of PIVKA-II(0.736).The optimal cutoff value of GALAD score was≥6.83,with a specificity of 72.63%for exhibiting substantial reduction in the 1-year mortality.CONCLUSION The GALAD model can diagnose HCC at the curative stage,including the characteristic of advanced disease,more than that by AFP and AFP-L3,but not PIVKA-II.The GALAD score can be used to predict the 1-year mortality of HCC.

Can propensity score matching replace randomized controlled trials?

Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)have long been recognized as the gold standard for establishing causal relationships in clinical research.Despite that,various limitations of RCTs prevent its widespread implementation,ranging from the ethicality of withholding potentially-lifesaving treatment from a group to relatively poor external validity due to stringent inclusion criteria,amongst others.However,with the introduction of propensity score matching(PSM)as a retrospective statistical tool,new frontiers in establishing causation in clinical research were opened up.PSM predicts treatment effects using observational data from existing sources such as registries or electronic health records,to create a matched sample of participants who received or did not receive the intervention based on their propensity scores,which takes into account characteristics such as age,gender and comorbidities.Given its retrospective nature and its use of observational data from existing sources,PSM circumvents the aforementioned ethical issues faced by RCTs.Majority of RCTs exclude elderly,pregnant women and young children;thus,evidence of therapy efficacy is rarely proven by robust clinical research for this population.On the other hand,by matching study patient characteristics to that of the population of interest,including the elderly,pregnant women and young children,PSM allows for generalization of results to the wider population and hence greatly increases the external validity.Instead of replacing RCTs with PSM,the synergistic integration of PSM into RCTs stands to provide better research outcomes with both methods complementing each other.For example,in an RCT investigating the impact of mannitol on outcomes among participants of the Intensive Blood Pressure Reduction in Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage Trial,the baseline characteristics of comorbidities and current medications between treatment and control arms were significantly different despite the randomization protocol.Therefore,PSM was incorporated in its analysis to create samples from the treatment and control arms that were matched in terms of these baseline characteristics,thus providing a fairer comparison for the impact of mannitol.This literature review reports the applications,advantages,and considerations of using PSM with RCTs,illustrating its utility in refining randomization,improving external validity,and accounting for non-compliance to protocol.Future research should consider integrating the use of PSM in RCTs to better generalize outcomes to target populations for clinical practice and thereby benefit a wider range of patients,while maintaining the robustness of randomization offered by RCTs.