Comparative observation of the effectiveness and safety of remimazolam besylate versus dexmedetomidine in gastrointestinal surgery in obese patients

BACKGROUND Surgery for obese patients carries a higher risk of anesthesia complications compared with surgery for nonobese patients.Thus,a safe and effective anesthesia strategy is necessary to improve the medical experience of such patients and ensure their safety.AIM To compared the effectiveness and safety of remimazolam besylate versus dexmedetomidine(DEX)in gastrointestinal surgery in obese patients.METHODS The study cohort included 60 obese patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery between July 2021 and April 2023,comprising 30 patients who received DEX intervention(control group)and 30 patients who received remimazolam besylate intervention(research group).Heart rate(HR),respiratory rate(RR),mean arterial pressure(MAP),blood oxygen saturation(SpO_(2)),safety(nausea and vomiting,bradycardia,hypotension,and apnea),anesthesia and examination indices[induction time,anesthesia recovery time,and postanesthesia care unit(PACU)discharge time],sedation effect(Ramsay Sedation Scale),and postoperative pain visual analog scale were comparatively analyzed before anesthesia(T0),during anesthesia(T1),and after anesthesia(T2).RESULTS At T1,the research group showed significantly smaller changes in HR,RR,MAP,and SpO_(2) than the control group,with a significantly lower adverse reaction rate and shorter induction,anesthesia recovery,and PACU discharge times.Additionally,the intra-and postoperative Ramsay Sedation Scale scores were statistically higher in the research group than in the control group.CONCLUSION Remimazolam besylate was significantly more effective than DEX in gastrointestinal surgery in obese patients and had a higher safety profile and value in clinical promotion.

Practical effect of different teaching modes in teaching gastrointestinal surgery nursing

BACKGROUND With the continuous development and progress of medical technology,the position of surgical nursing in the field of clinical medicine is becoming in-creasingly prominent.As an important branch of the surgical field,the nursing requirements and difficulty of gastrointestinal surgery are also increasing.In order to improve the teaching quality of nursing care in gastrointestinal surgery,many educators and researchers are actively exploring new teaching methods.Among them,the teaching method case-based learning(CBL),scene-simulated learning(SSL),task-based learning(TBL),combining self-evaluation and training mode is considered as an effective method.This method aims to help students to better master knowledge and skills and improve their comprehensive quality by cultivating their self-evaluation ability.AIM To explore the practical effect of CBL-SSL-TBL combined with training mode and student self-assessment in nursing teaching of gastrointestinal surgery.METHODS Seventy-one nursing interns in our hospital from December 2020 to December 2021 were selected.According to different teaching modes,they were divided into observation group CBL-SSL-TBL combined with training mode combined with student self-assessment and control group(conventional teaching mode),of which 36 were in observation group and 35 were in control group.The results of operational skills,theoretical knowledge,nursing students'satisfaction,learning effectiveness questionnaire and teaching effect were compared between the two groups.RESULTS Compared between the two groups,the operational skills and theoretical knowledge scores of the observation group were higher than those of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared between the two groups,the total satisfaction ratio of the observation group was higher than that of the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared between the two groups,the observation group was lower than the control group in the questionnaire results of learning efficacy,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared between the two groups,the proportion of thinking ability,subjective initiative and understanding of theoretical knowledge in the observation group was higher than that in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The use of CBL-SSL-TBL combined with training mode and student self-assessment in gastrointestinal surgery nursing teaching can improve the operational skills of nursing interns,theoretical knowledge and satisfaction scores of nursing students,improve the results of learning efficiency questionnaire and teaching effect,which can be popularized in clinical teaching.

Application Effect of Staged Health Education in the Nursing Care of Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Objective:To investigate the application effect of staged health education in the care of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Methods:This study takes health education in the care of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding as the main direction.160 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding who received treatment in our hospital were selected as samples,and the grouping software was used to divide them into the reference group and the study group,with 80 patients each.The reference group and the study group used routine health education and staged health education respectively.Relevant research data were recorded during the nursing process,analyzed,and used as research indicators.Results:The compliance behavior of the study group was higher than that of the reference group after the staged nursing care,and at the same time,the nursing care satisfaction of the study group was higher than that of the reference group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The use of staged health education for the care of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding not only enhances the degree of patient awareness and compliance but also improves nursing satisfaction,which is worthy of promotion and application.

Adverse Effects and Intervention of Frailty on Elderly Cancer Patients

Purpose:To study the adverse effects of frailty on elderly cancer patients and explore effective interventions.Methods:The convenience sampling method was used to select 362 elderly cancer patients who were consecutively admitted to the Oncology Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University from April 2020 to March 2021.The patients had five physical dimensions of activity tested and were divided into a frail group(n=128)and a non-frail group(n=234)based on the test results.The Chinese version of the Vulnerable Elders Questionnaire was formed on the basis of the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13(VES-13).The two groups of patients were surveyed within three days of admission.The questionnaire includes general information(age,gender,education level,marital status,monthly income,living area,smoking,and alcohol history,hearing,vision,and sleep status),Geriatric Depression Scale(GDS),Mini Nutritional Assessment(MNA),Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE),and Charlson Comorbidity Index(CCI).Results:(1)By comparing the general information of the two groups of patients,it was found that the gender,education level,marital status,living area,and history of tobacco and alcohol had no statistical significance(P>0.05).In contrast,the frail group’s age,hearing status,vision status,and sleep status are significantly worse than those of the non-frail group(P<0.05);(2)Analysis of Vulnerable Elderly Questionnaire results found that the GDS scores in the frail group were higher than those in the non-frail group,and the MNA and MMSE scores were lower than those in the non-frail group(P<0.05).This indicated that the patients in the frail group had more severe depression,poor nutritional status,and specific impairments in cognitive function.Conclusion:Frailty adversely affects elderly cancer patients,and effective measures should be taken to intervene.

Prognostic relevance of ventricular arrhythmias in surgical patients with gastrointestinal tumors

BACKGROUND Individuals diagnosed with gastrointestinal tumors are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.Among which,ventricular arrhythmia is a prevalent clinical concern.This suggests that ventricular arrhythmias may have predictive value in the prognosis of patients with gastrointestinal tumors.AIM To explore the prognostic value of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with gastrointestinal tumors receiving surgery.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed data from 130 patients undergoing gastrointestinal tumor resection.These patients were evaluated by a 24-h ambulatory electrocardiogram(ECG)at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2018 to June 2020.Additionally,41 general healthy age-matched and sexmatched controls were included.Patients were categorized into survival and non-survival groups.The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality,and secondary endpoints included major adverse cardiovascular events(MACEs).RESULTS Colorectal tumors comprised 90%of cases.Preoperative ambulatory ECG monitoring revealed that among the 130 patients with gastrointestinal tumors,100(76.92%)exhibited varying degrees of premature ventricular contractions(PVCs).Ten patients(7.69%)manifested non-sustained ventricular tachycardia(NSVT).The patients with gastrointestinal tumors exhibited higher PVCs compared to the healthy controls on both conventional ECG[27(21.3)vs 1(2.5),P=0.012]and 24-h ambulatory ECG[14(1.0,405)vs 1(0,6.5),P<0.001].Non-survivors had a higher PVC count than survivors[150.50(7.25,1690.50)vs 9(0,229.25),P=0.020].During the follow-up period,24 patients died and 11 patients experienced MACEs.Univariate analysis linked PVC>35/24 h to all-cause mortality,and NSVT was associated with MACE.However,neither PVC burden nor NSVT independently predicted outcomes according to multivariate analysis.CONCLUSION Patients with gastrointestinal tumors exhibited elevated PVCs.PVCs>35/24 h and NSVT detected by 24-h ambulatory ECG were prognostically significant but were not found to be independent predictors.

Why Don’t We Adequately Identify and Manage Adverse Drug Reactions despite Having the Needed Information?

Importance/Objective: Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are unavoidable, but recognizing and addressing ADRs early can improve wellness and prevent permanent injury. We suggest that available medical information and digital/electronic methods could be used to manage this major healthcare problem for individual patients in real time. Methods: We searched the available digital applications and three literature databases using the medical subject heading terms, adverse drug reaction reporting systems or management, filtered by clinical trial or systemic reviews, to detect publications with data about ADR identification and management approaches. We reviewed the reports that had abstract or summary data or proposed or implemented methods or systems with potential to identify or manage ADRs in clinical settings. Results: The vast majority of the 481 reports used retrospectively collected data for groups of patients or were limited to surveying one population group or class of medication. The reports showed potential and definite associations of ADRs for specific drugs and problems, mostly, but not exclusively, for patients in hospitals and nursing homes. No reports described complete methods to collect comprehensive data on ADRs for individual patients in a healthcare system. The digital applications have ADR information, but all are too cumbersome or incomplete for use in active clinical settings. Several studies suggested that providing information about potential ADRs to clinicians can reduce these problems. Conclusion and Relevance: Although investigators and government agencies agree with the need, there is no comprehensive ADR management program in current use. Informing the patient’s healthcare practitioners of potential ADRs at the point of service has the potential for reduction of these complications, which should improve healthcare and reduce unneeded costs.

Long-lasting discussion: Adverse effects of intraoperative blood loss and allogeneic transfusion on prognosis of patients with gastric cancer

Gastrectomy with radical lymph node dissection is the most promising treatment avenue for patients with gastric cancer. However, this procedure sometimes induces excessive intraoperative blood loss and requires perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion. There are lasting discussions and controversies about whether intraoperative blood loss or perioperative blood transfusion has adverse effects on the prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. We reviewed laboratory and clinical evidence of these associations in patients with gastric cancer. A large amount of clinical evidence supports the correlation between excessive intraoperative blood loss and adverse effects on the prognosis. The laboratory evidence revealed three possible causes of such adverse effects: anti-tumor immunosuppression, unfavorable postoperative conditions, and peritoneal recurrence by spillage of cancer cells into the pelvis. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have suggested the adverse effects of perioperative blood transfusions on prognostic parameters such as all-cause mortality, recurrence, and postoperative complications. There are two possible causes of adverse effects of blood transfusions on the prognosis: Anti-tumor immunosuppression and patient-related confounding factors (e.g., preoperative anemia). These factors are associated with a worse prognosis and higher requirement for perioperative blood transfusions. Surgeons should make efforts to minimize intraoperative blood loss and transfusions during gastric cancer surgery to improve patients’ prognosis.

Chinese consensus on management of tyrosine kinase inhibitor-associated side effects in gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors(TKIs) have improved the overall survival of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs), but their side effects can impact dose intensity and, consequently, the clinical benefit. To date, no guideline or consensus has been published on the TKI-associated adverse reactions. Therefore, the Chinese Society of Surgeons for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized an expert panel discussion involving representatives from gastrointestinal surgery, medical oncology, cardiology, dermatology, nephrology, endocrinology, and ophthalmology to consider the systemic clinical symptoms, molecular and cellular mechanisms, and treatment recommendations of GISTs. Here, we present the resultant evidence-and experience-based consensus to guide the management of TKI-associated side events in clinical practice.

Gastrointestinal and hepatic side effects of potential treatment for COVID-19 and vaccination in patients with chronic liver diseases

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a global pandemic.Many clinical trials have been performed to investigate potential treatments or vaccines for this disease to reduce the high morbidity and mortality.The drugs of higher interest include umifenovir,bromhexine,remdesivir,lopinavir/ritonavir,steroid,tocilizumab,interferon alpha or beta,ribavirin,fivapiravir,nitazoxanide,ivermectin,molnupiravir,hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine alone or in combination with azithromycin,and baricitinib.Gastrointestinal(GI)symptoms and liver dysfunction are frequently seen in patients with COVID-19,which can make it difficult to differentiate disease manifestations from treatment adverse effects.GI symptoms of COVID-19 include anorexia,dyspepsia,nausea,vomiting,diarrhea and abdominal pain.Liver injury can be a result of systemic inflammation or cytokine storm,or due to the adverse drug effects in patients who have been receiving different treatments.Regular monitoring of liver function should be performed.COVID-19 vaccines have been rapidly developed with different technologies including mRNA,viral vectors,inactivated viruses,recombinant DNA,protein subunits and live attenuated viruses.Patients with chronic liver disease or inflammatory bowel disease and liver transplant recipients are encouraged to receive vaccination as the benefits outweigh the risks.Vaccination against COVID-19 is also recommended to family members and healthcare professionals caring for these patients to reduce exposure to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus.

Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG)in treating non-muscle invasive bladder cancer—analysis of adverse effects and effectiveness of two strains of BCG(Danish 1331 and Moscow-I)

Objective:To compare the differences in adverse effects and efficacy profile between bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG)Danish 1331 and BCG Moscow-I strain in management of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.Methods:Clinical data of 188 cases of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer treated with BCG between January 2008 and December 2018 in our institute were collected prospectively and analysed retrospectively,and 114 patients who completed a minimum of 12 months of follow-up were analysed.Patient and tumor characteristics,strain of BCG,adverse effects,and tumor progression were included for analysis.Intravesical BCG was instilled in intermediate-and high-risk patients.Six weeks of induction BCG,followed by three weekly maintenance BCG at 3,6,12,18,and 24 months was advised in high-risk patients.Results:Overall 68 patients received BCG Danish 1331 strain and 46 patients received Moscow-I strain.Patient and tumor characteristics were well balanced between the two groups.The median follow-up period was 42.5 months and 34.5 months in Danish 1331 and Moscow-I groups,respectively.Adverse events like dropout rate,antitubercular treatment requirement,and need of cystectomy were higher in Moscow-I group(n=31,67.4%)when compared to Danish 1331 strain(n=33,48.5%)(p=0.046).On direct comparison between Danish 1331 and Moscow-I strain,there was similar 3-year recurrence-free survival(80.0%vs.72.9%)and 3-year progression-free survival(96.5%vs.97.8%).Conclusion:Study results suggest no significant differences between Danish 1331 and Moscow-I strain in recurrence-free survival and progression-free survival,but a significantly higher incidence of moderate to severe adverse events in BCG Moscow-I strain.

Adverse Effects of Inactivated Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine—Possible Causes Analysis and Countermeasures

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, and Chinese government adopts compulsory immunization measures for FMD. The adverse effects of FMD vaccine to pigs, cattle and goats have been reported increasingly frequent during the spring and autumn seasons when large numbers of farm livestock are vaccinated. The financial losses caused by vaccine adverse effects have been a serious concern for both farmers and primary prevention personnel. There are various causative factors reported to involve into adverse effect of FMD vaccine, including the inappropriate vaccine production, transportation and storage, livestock poor tolerance, and unqualified vaccinating manipulations. Symptomatic treatment and early drug prevention have a certain effect on the adverse effects. To analyze causes and propose countermeasures, in the current study possible reasons during the production and processing procedures of inactivated FMD vaccine were reviewed and corresponding countermeasures were recommended. The review may provide references for better use of vaccine to prevent FMD.

Clinical characteristics of gastrointestinal immune-related adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors and their association with survival

BACKGROUND Despite the popularity of immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)in the treatment of advanced cancer,patients often develop gastrointestinal(GI)and non-GI immune-related adverse events(irAEs).The clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of GI-irAEs have not been fully elucidated in previous reports.This necessitates the evaluation of the impact of GI-irAEs on patients receiving ICI treatment.AIM To evaluate the clinical characteristics of GI-irAEs and their impact on survival in patients treated with ICIs.METHODS In this single-center,retrospective,observational study,we reviewed the records of 661 patients who received ICIs for various cancers at Nagoya University Hospital from September 2014 to August 2020.We analyzed the clinical characteristics of patients who received ICI treatment.We also evaluated the correlation between GI-irAE development and prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer(LC)and malignant melanoma(MM).Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the median overall survival(OS).Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify prognostic factors.A P value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS GI-irAEs occurred in 34 of 605 patients(5.6%)treated with an anti-programmed cell death-1/programmed death-ligand 1(anti-PD-1/PD-L1)antibody alone and in nine of 56 patients(16.1%)treated with an anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4(CTLA-4)antibody alone or a combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies.The cumulative incidence and median daily diarrhea frequency were significantly higher in patients receiving anti-CTLA-4 antibodies(P<0.05).In 130 patients with MM,OS was significantly prolonged in the group that continued ICI treatment despite the development of GI-irAEs compared to the group that did not experience GI-irAEs(P=0.035).In contrast,in 209 patients with non-small cell LC,there was no significant difference in OS between the groups.The multivariate analyses showed that a performance status of 2-3(hazard ratio:2.406;95%confidence interval:1.125–5.147;P=0.024)was an independent predictive factor for OS in patients with MM.CONCLUSION Patients receiving anti-CTLA-4 antibodies develop GI-irAEs more frequently and with higher severity than those receiving anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies.Continuing ICI treatment in patients with MM with GI-irAEs have better OS.

Adverse effects of oral antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis B

Oral nucleoside/nucleotide analogues(NAs) are currently the backbone of chronic hepatitis B(CHB) infection treatment. They are generally well-tolerated by patients and safe to use. To date, a significant number of patients have been treated with NAs. Safety data has accumulated over the years. The aim of this article is to review and update the adverse effects of oral NAs. NAs can cause class adverse effects(i.e., myopathy, neuropathy, lactic acidosis) and dissimilar adverse effects. All NAs carry a "Black Box" warning because of the potential risk for mitochondrial dysfunction. However, these adverse effects are rarely reported. The majority of cases are associated with lamivudine and telbivudine. Adefovir can lead to dose- and time-dependent nephrotoxicity, even at low doses. Tenofovir has significant renal and bone toxicity in patients with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) infection. However, bone and renal toxicity in patients with CHB are not as prominent as in HIV infection. Entecavir and lamivudine are not generally associated with renal adverse events. Entecavir has been claimed to increase the risk of lactic acidosis in decompensated liver disease and high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores. However, current studies reported that entecavir could be safely used in decompensated cirrhosis. An increase in fetal adverse events has not been reported with lamivudine, telbivudine and tenofovir use in pregnant women, while there is no adequate data regarding entecavir and adefovir. Further long-term experience is required to highlight the adverse effects of NAs, especially in special patient populations, including pregnant women, elderly and patients with renal impairment.

Effects of nutritional and psychological status in gastrointestinal cancer patients on tolerance of treatment

AIM: To assess the effects of poor nutritional and psychological status on tolerance of cancer treatment and the recovery of physical performance status in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. METHODS: An epidemiological survey with respect to nutritional and psychological status in patients with gastrointestinal cancer was conducted among 182 operated patients in four provincial-level hospitals from December 2005 to June 2006. The food frequency survey method, state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) and depression status inventory (DSI) were used to obtain information about the diet and psychological status in the patients. Nutritional status in the participants was reflected by serum albumin (Alb), hemoglobin (HB) and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Alb, protein intake and anxiety were associated with the severity of side effects of treatment. The adjusted relative risk (RR) for Alb, protein intake and anxiety was 3.30 (95% CI: 1.08, 10.10, P = 0.03), 3.25 (95% CI: 1.06, 9.90, P = 0.04) and 1.48 (95% CI: 1.29, 1.70, P < 0.0001), respectively. Moreover, calorie intake, HB and depression were associated with the recovery of physical performance status in the patients. Adjusted relative risk was 2.12 (95% CI: 1.09, 4.03, P = 0.028), 2.05 (95% CI: 1.08, 3.88, P =0.026) and 1.07 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.12, P = 0.007), respectively. CONCLUSION: Both poor nutrition status and psychological status are independent risk factors for severe side effects of cancer treatment, and have impact on the recovery of physical performance status in patients after treatment.

Pain reduction and adverse effects of intravenous metoclopramide for acute migraine attack: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials

BACKGROUND Metoclopramide may be used to treat people suffering from acute migraine.However,no comprehensive investigation on this issue has been recorded.This review will provide more solid evidence for the use of metoclopramide in treating acute migraine.AIM To compare the efficacy of intravenous metoclopramide with other therapies in migraine attack treatment in an emergency department(ED).METHODS We included randomized controlled trials of participants older than 18 years with acute migraine headaches,which included at least one arm that received intravenous(IV)metoclopramide at the ED.A literature search of PubMed,Web of Science,Cochrane Collaboration,and Reference Citation Analysis on December 31,2021 retrieved other drugs or placebo-controlled studies without language limitation.The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.The primary endpoint was pain reduction at 60 min or closest to 1 h after treatment,as measured by the pain scale.Secondary endpoints included adverse effects or reactions resulting from metoclopramide or comparisons.RESULTS Fourteen trials with a total of 1661 individuals were eligible for review.The risk of bias ranged from low to intermediate.IV metoclopramide administration was not associated with higher pain reduction at 1 h(Standard mean difference[SMD]=-0.03,95%confidence interval[CI]:-0.33-0.28,P=0.87).However,metoclopramide was associated with better pain reduction than placebo(SMD=1.04,95%CI:0.50-1.58,P=0.0002).In addition,side effects were not significantly different between IV metoclopramide and other drugs or placebo(odds ratio[OR]=0.76,95%CI:0.48-1.19,P=0.09 and OR=0.92,95%CI:0.31-2.74,P=0.54,respectively).CONCLUSION Metoclopramide is more effective than placebo in treating migraine in the ED.Despite the observed tendency of decreased side effects,its effectiveness compared to other regimens is poorly understood.More research on this area is needed to treat migraine in acute care settings effectively.

Nursing of adverse effects in patients treated with liver resection plus sorafenib for hepatocellular carcinoma:5 cases report

There were very few reports of adverse effects in patients treated by liver resection in combination with sorafenib. We present 5 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma treated with liver resection plus sorafenib , trying to observing the adverse effects and seeking the nursing options to the adverse effects. The 5 patients were all males, and the mean age was (38.6±13.4) years. Tumor sizes were (6.7±2.2) cm, and liver function was Child-Pugh class A. Diagnosis of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was confirmed by postoperative pathology. During the follow-ups, all the 5 patients had different degrees of adverse effects, of which 5 patients had diarrhea, 3 had hand-foot skin reaction, 1 had hypertension and 1 had alopecie. Diarrhea seems common in these patients, and it appeared early after treatment. For those patients with adverse effects, management measures were given immediately, including nursing interventions and some medicines. Psychological and symptomatic nursing guidance can help patients overcome the adverse effects. No patients suffered dose reduction or treatment discontinuation.

Biomarkers for gastrointestinal adverse events related to thiopurine therapy

Thiopurines are immunomodulators used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and inflammatory bowel diseases.Adverse reactions to these agents are one of the main causes of treatment discontinuation or interruption.Myelosuppression is the most frequent adverse effect;however,approximately 5%-20%of patients develop gastrointestinal toxicity.The identification of biomarkers able to prevent and/or monitor these adverse reactions would be useful for clinicians for the proactive management of long-term thiopurine therapy.In this editorial,we discuss evidence supporting the use of PACSIN2,RAC1,and ITPA genes,in addition to TPMT and NUDT15,as possible biomarkers for thiopurine-related gastrointestinal toxicity.

Does Low-Dose Intravenous Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy Produce Unacceptable Adverse Effects in Children?

Background: Intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy has been used since the late 1960s for acute transplant rejection or severe renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus and primary glomerulonephritis. However, reports of serious adverse effects such as life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death raise questions about its safety. Objective: To investigate the incidence of significant adverse effects associated with low-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy (LDMPT) in pediatric patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed adverse effects during and after LDMPT in 68 patients (median age: 11.4 years;43% male) with various glomerular diseases who were admitted to Saitama Children’s Medical Center between April 2007 and December 2010. LDMPT consisted of pulse methylprednisolone (15-20 mg/kg;maximum 600 mg/d) for 3 consecutive days weekly for 2-3 weeks. Results: Although adverse effects occurred in 54 of 68 patients (79%), most were mild and transient. Transient glycosuria was noted in 46 patients (68%), hypertension in 6 (9%), elevated intraocular pressure in 6 (9%), hypokalemia in 5 (7%), and liver damage in 2 (3%). No late-onset adverse effects such as osteoporotic fractures, steroid diabetes mellitus, or short stature were observed. Conclusion: LDMPT appears to be relatively safe and well tolerated in children with various glomerular diseases.

Efficacy and adverse effects of olanzapine in the treatment of moderate to severe refractory neuropathic pain

Objective The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy and adverse effects of olanzapine in the treatment of moderate to severe refractory neuropathic pain.Methods Forty patients with digestive system cancer were enrolled,who had moderate to severe refractory neuropathic pain;the patients were treated with olanzapine for 2 weeks at a daily dosage of 5 mg to 10 mg per night according to patients’response and tolerability,combined with conventional analgesic therapy.Pain intensity was evaluated by using a Numeral Rating Scale(NRS)at baseline,3 days,and 2 weeks after therapy.The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)was evaluated at baseline and 2 weeks after therapy.Data on adverse events were recorded.The dosage of conventional analgesics was adjusted over time based on the severity of pain.Results The mean pain score decreased by 2.575±1.318(P<0.000)at 3 days and by 3.400±1.614(P<0.000)at 2 weeks;30%of the patients experienced significant pain relief at 3 days and 50%at 2 weeks.The PSQI decreased by 4.725±2.828(P<0.000)at 2 weeks.The adverse events induced by olanzapine included sleepiness,weight gain,dizziness,fatigue,dry mouth,and constipation;all the side effects were mild.Conclusion When combined with conventional analgesic therapy,olanzapine was effective in relieving pain and sleep disturbance,and was well-tolerated among patients with refractory neuropathic pain.

Assessing Adverse Effects of Aroclor 1254 on Perinatally Exposed Rat Offspring

To assess the neurotoxic effects and redoxresponses of Aroclor 1254 （A1254） on perinatallyexposed rat offspring, A1254 was administered bygavage from gestational day （GD） 6 to postnatal day（PND） 21. Neurobehavioral development,antioxidant enzyme activities, lipid peroxidation（LPO）, nitric oxide （NO）, and NO synthase （NOS）levels were analyzed in the offspring.Neurobehavioral development analysis revealeddelayed appearance of the righting reflex, negativegeotaxis, and cliff drop test responses in A1254exposed group. Developmental A1254 exposurealso caused oxidative stress in the brain of PND 22offspring via reductions in the activity of SOD andGSH-Px, and by promoting a rise in the levels of NOand NOS.