White Blood Cells Detection Using Spectral Tresholding

The study of the morphology of White Blood Cells (WBCs) further contributes to the clinical diagnosis of blood diseases. In this research paper, we come up with an image segmentation enhancement by combining Fourier Fast Transform on smear blood capture and classical thresholding. The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is a very powerful tool in image processing and it was used to segment and extract the WBCs. Our image processing method uses a Fast Fourier Transform combined with filtering and an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform for the extraction and visualization of the high frequency region of the image. In order to remove residual Red Blood Cells acting as noise in the expected result, a final thresholding step is added at the end of the processing. The results presented in this article report the tests performed using our mathematical implementation. Moreover, we were able to detect and differentiate the sub-families of WBCs.

A Novel Meta-Heuristic Optimization Algorithm in White Blood Cells Classification

Some human diseases are recognized through of each type of White Blood Cell(WBC)count,so detecting and classifying each type is important for human healthcare.The main aim of this paper is to propose a computer-aided WBCs utility analysis tool designed,developed,and evaluated to classify WBCs into five types namely neutrophils,eosinophils,lymphocytes,monocytes,and basophils.Using a computer-artificial model reduces resource and time consumption.Various pre-trained deep learning models have been used to extract features,including AlexNet,Visual Geometry Group(VGG),Residual Network(ResNet),which belong to different taxonomy types of deep learning architectures.Also,Binary Border Collie Optimization(BBCO)is introduced as an updated version of Border Collie Optimization(BCO)for feature reduction based on maximizing classification accuracy.The proposed computer aid diagnosis tool merges transfer deep learning ResNet101,BBCO feature reduction,and Support Vector Machine(SVM)classifier to forma hybridmodelResNet101-BBCO-SVM an accurate and fast model for classifying WBCs.As a result,the ResNet101-BBCO-SVM scores the best accuracy at 99.21%,compared to recent studies in the benchmark.The model showed that the addition of the BBCO algorithm increased the detection accuracy,and at the same time,decreased the classification time consumption.The effectiveness of the ResNet101-BBCO-SVM model has been demonstrated and beaten in reasonable ratios in recent literary studies and end-to-end transfer learning of pre-trained models.

Automated Artificial Intelligence Empowered White Blood Cells Classification Model

White blood cells (WBC) or leukocytes are a vital component ofthe blood which forms the immune system, which is accountable to fightforeign elements. The WBC images can be exposed to different data analysisapproaches which categorize different kinds of WBC. Conventionally, laboratorytests are carried out to determine the kind of WBC which is erroneousand time consuming. Recently, deep learning (DL) models can be employedfor automated investigation of WBC images in short duration. Therefore,this paper introduces an Aquila Optimizer with Transfer Learning basedAutomated White Blood Cells Classification (AOTL-WBCC) technique. Thepresented AOTL-WBCC model executes data normalization and data augmentationprocess (rotation and zooming) at the initial stage. In addition,the residual network (ResNet) approach was used for feature extraction inwhich the initial hyperparameter values of the ResNet model are tuned by theuse of AO algorithm. Finally, Bayesian neural network (BNN) classificationtechnique has been implied for the identification of WBC images into distinctclasses. The experimental validation of the AOTL-WBCC methodology isperformed with the help of Kaggle dataset. The experimental results foundthat the AOTL-WBCC model has outperformed other techniques which arebased on image processing and manual feature engineering approaches underdifferent dimensions.

The Influence of Apple-or Red-Grape Pomace Enriched Piglet Diet on Blood Parameters,Bacterial Colonisation,and Marker Gene Expression in Piglet White Blood Cells

Proanthocyanidins and flavanoids, both subfamilies of the polyphenols, are highly concentrated in different fruits and berries as well as in fruit pomace. They have shown to exhibit anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-oxidative, and im- mune-modulatory effects in vertebrates. Herein the effect of additional apple pomace or red-grape pomace in conven- tional piglet starter feeds were investigated in 36 young growing piglets. Immunological marker gene expression was quantified by quantitative real-time RT-PCR in white blood cells, and intestinal bacterial flora was investigated from weaning to three weeks post weaning. Polyphenol content in red-grape pomace, gut content and tissues were analyzed with HPLC. Flavan-3-ols (epicatechin and catechin) and proanthocyanidins (B1, B2 and C1) were identified in the gas- tro-intestinal tract content, whereas only traces could be detected in various piglet organs. The blood parameters, he- moglobin and hematocrit, were affected and down-regulated in all groups over testing period. In both pomace treated groups more thrombocytes were present compared to the standard feeding group. It turns out, that the pomace diets had greatest impact on the bacterial content in the colon. Results demonstrate that feeding apple pomace and red- grape pomace tended to increase the number of total colonic bacteria. Steptococci/Enterococci increased in the red- grape pomace. C. perfringens was not detectable at the second time point. The number of lactobacilli increased in both applied diets. The number of Clostridium perfringens decreased with the age of the piglets. Trends of mRNA expression changes were found in white blood cell (WBC) between different feeding regimens, since the expression variability in the groups was very high. Between the different time points there were significant differences within the apple pomace group, where TNF? (p = 0.033), NF?B (p = 0.024) and Caspase 3 (p = 0.019) mRNA expression increased signifi- cantly during treatment. We conclude that both polyphenol rich feedings have the potential to positively influence the intestinal flora, blood parameters, and WBC mRNA gene expression pattern of immunological marker genes.

Data augmentation of ultrasound imaging for non-invasive white blood cell in vitro peritoneal dialysis

The limited amount of data in the healthcare domain and the necessity of training samples for increased performance of deep learning models is a recurrent challenge,especially in medical imaging.Newborn Solutions aims to enhance its non-invasive white blood cell counting device,Neosonics,by creating synthetic in vitro ultrasound images to facilitate a more efficient image generation process.This study addresses the data scarcity issue by designing and evaluating a continuous scalar conditional Generative Adversarial Network(GAN)to augment in vitro peritoneal dialysis ultrasound images,increasing both the volume and variability of training samples.The developed GAN architecture incorporates novel design features:varying kernel sizes in the generator’s transposed convolutional layers and a latent intermediate space,projecting noise and condition values for enhanced image resolution and specificity.The experimental results show that the GAN successfully generated diverse images of high visual quality,closely resembling real ultrasound samples.While visual results were promising,the use of GAN-based data augmentation did not consistently improve the performance of an image regressor in distinguishing features specific to varied white blood cell concentrations.Ultimately,while this continuous scalar conditional GAN model made strides in generating realistic images,further work is needed to achieve consistent gains in regression tasks,aiming for robust model generalization.

NEW METHOD FOR WHITE BLOOD CELL DETECTION BASED ON RELEVANCE VECTOR MACHINE

A new method for the white blood cell （WBC） detection is presented based on the relevance vector machine （RVM）. Firstly,the sparse relevance vectors （RVs） are obtained while fitting the 1-D histogram by RVM. Then,the needed threshold value is directly selected from these limited RVs. Finally,the entire connective WBC regions are segmented from the original image. The method is used for the WBC detection. It reduces the interference induced by the illumination and the staining. It has advantages of the high computation efficiency and the no extra parameter setting. Experimental results demonstrate good performances of the method.

Admission white blood cell count predicts short-term clinical outcomes in patients with uncomplicated Stanford type B acute aortic dissection

Objectives Inflammation has been shown to be related with acute aortic dissection （AAD）. The present study aimed to evaluate the association of white blood cell counts （WI3Cc） on admission with both in-hospital and long-term all-cause mortality in patients with uncom- plicated Stanford type B AAD. Methods From 2008 to 2010, a total of 377 consecutive patients with uncomplicated type B AAD were enrolled and then followed up. Clinical data and WBCc on admission were collected. The primary end points were in-hospital death and long-term all-cause death. Results The in-hospital death rate was 4.2%, and the long-term all-cause mortality rate was 6.9% during a median follow-up of 18.9 months. WBCc on admission was identified as a risk factor for in-hospital death by univariate Cox regression analysis as both a continuous variable and a categorical variable using a cut off of 11.0 × 109 cell/L （all P 〈 0.05）. After adjusting for age, sex and other risk factors, elevated admission WBCc was still a significant predictor for in-hospital death as both a continuous variable [hazard ratio （HR）： 1.052, 95% CI： 1.024-1.336, P = 0.002] and a categorical variable using a cut off of 11.0 × 109 cell/L （HR： 2.056, 95% CI： 1.673-5.253, P = 0.034）. No relationship was observed between WBCc on admission and long-term all-cause death. Conclusions Our results indicate that elevated WBCc upon admission might be used as a predictor for increased risk of in-hospital death in uncomplicated type B AAD. There might be no predictive value of WBCc for the long-term survival of type B AAD.

Automated White Blood Cell Disease Recognition Using Lightweight Deep Learning

White blood cells(WBC)are immune system cells,which is why they are also known as immune cells.They protect the human body from a variety of dangerous diseases and outside invaders.The majority of WBCs come from red bone marrow,although some come from other important organs in the body.Because manual diagnosis of blood disorders is difficult,it is necessary to design a computerized technique.Researchers have introduced various automated strategies in recent years,but they still face several obstacles,such as imbalanced datasets,incorrect feature selection,and incorrect deep model selection.We proposed an automated deep learning approach for classifying white blood disorders in this paper.The data augmentation approach is initially used to increase the size of a dataset.Then,a Darknet-53 pre-trained deep learning model is used and finetuned according to the nature of the chosen dataset.On the fine-tuned model,transfer learning is used,and features engineering is done on the global average pooling layer.The retrieved characteristics are subsequently improved with a specified number of iterations using a hybrid reformed binary grey wolf optimization technique.Following that,machine learning classifiers are used to classify the selected best features for final classification.The experiment was carried out using a dataset of increased blood diseases imaging and resulted in an improved accuracy of over 99%.

Monitoring the changes in plasm C-reactive protein,fibrinogen and blood white cell in patients with primary hypertension combined with acute cerebral infarction

BACKGROUND： Inflammatory reaction and the increased level of its accompanying active protein play an important role in the occurrence and development of cerebral infarction. C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and white blood cell, as the monitoring index of inflammatory reaction, are very important in the occurrence and development of acute cerebral infarction. OBJECTIVE： To make a comparison between patients with primary hypertension accompanied with acute cerebral infarction and with simple primary hypertension by observing the changes in plasma C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels as well as white blood cell and differential counts and analyzing their significances. DESIGN ： Controlled observation SETTING ： Ward Building for VIP, Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University. PARTICIPANTS： Totally 133 patients with primary hypertension were selected from Ward Building for VIP, Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University during September 2003 to September 2005, The diagnostic criteria were based on the hypertension diagnosis criteria formulated by the 7^th World Health Organization-International Society of Hypertension Guidelines （WHO-ISH） in 1998. The informed consents were obtained from all the participants. The involved patients were assigned into two groups： primary hypertension group, in which, there were 65 patients with primary hypertension （ degree 2）, including 42 males and 23 females, with mean age of （61 ±14）years and mean blood pressure of （162.7±6.8）/（94.2±8.4） mm Hg （1 mm Hg =0.133 kPa）, and primary hypertension combined with cerebral infarction group, in which, there were 68 patients with primary hypertension combined with cerebral infarction （ meeting the diagnostic criteria formulated in the 4^th National Cerebrovascular Diseases Meeting in 1995 and diagnosed by skull CT or MRI to exclude the patients with lacunar infarction）, including 42 males and 26 females, with mean age of （56±15） years and mean blood pressure of （176.4±9.2）/（96.3±9.7） mm Hg. METHODS： Plasm C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels, and white blood cell and differential counts of patients in the two groups were examined 24 hours after stroke. The above indexes were re-examined in the primary hypertension combined with cerebral infarction group 72 hours after stroke. White blood cell and differential counts were performed with laser method （East Asia FE-95001 RAM-1, Japan）. The level of C-reactive protein was measured with turbidimetry （BNII Automatic Systems For Analysis, USA）. The level of fibrinogen was measured with algorithm method when prothrombin time was normal and with Clauss method when prothrombin time was abnormal （ACL Automatic Coagulation Analyzer, USA）. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The plasm C-reactive protein and flbrinogen levels, and white blood cell and differential counts 24 hours after stroke in two groups and 72 hours after stroke in primary hypertension combined with cerebral infarction group. RESULTS： All the 133 involved patients participated in the result analysis. The plasm C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels, and white blood cell and neutrophil counts in patients with primary hypertension were all within the normal range. The plasm C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels, and white blood cell and neu- trophil counts in patients with primary hypertension combined with cerebral infarction were significantly higher than those in patients with primary hypertension 24 hours after stroke and 72 hours after stroke respectively[24 hours after stroke：（32.12±11.76） mg/L vs. （5.02±3.21 ） mg/L;（4.64±0.75） g/L vs. （3.12±0.49） g/L; （9.32±81）×10^9 L^- 1 vs. （5.78±1.32）×10^9L^- 1 （7.85±2.38）×10^9 L^- 1 vs.（3.49±1.28）×10^9 L^-1,t =7.094, 5.759,4.106,5.491, respectively,all P〈 0.01; 72 hours after stroke： （47.62±18.43） mg/L vs. （32.12±11.76） mg/L; （5.08±0.82） g/L vs. （4.64±0.75） g/L, t =2.864,2.220, respectively, both P 〈 0.05]. CONCLUSION： The increase in fibrinogen level and white blood cell count are the important index in monitoring primary hypertension combined with acute cerebral infarction. The increase in plasm C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels 72 hours after stroke indicates that plasma C-reactive protein and fibrinogen are very important in the development of disease.

Elevated White Blood Cell Count Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Insulin Resistance among Non-Diabetic Taxi-Motorbike Drivers Working in Cotonou, Benin

High white blood cell count (WBC) and insulin resistance (IR) are interrelated events that contribute to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including type-2 diabetes (T2D). However, associations between IR and hematological parameters have never been explored in populations of Benin. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of IR and associated hematological parameters in taxi-motorbike drivers (TMDs) working in Cotonou. A total of 133 participants were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. Complete blood count, including WBC and platelet, as well as fasting plasma glucose and insulin, were performed by standard procedures. IR was assessed using the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). Factors associated with IR, their odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined by logistic regression analysis. The mean age of the study participants was 39.3 years. The HOMA-IR cut-off (75th percentile) for IR was 5.9. The overall prevalence of IR was 24.1%. IR increased with the increase of exposure duration and WBC levels. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of IR increased significantly with higher total WBC, with adjusted ORs (95% CI) for the second and third tertiles of 3.56 (1.10 - 11.58) and 4.01 (1.21 - 13.31), respectively. Similar patterns of associations were observed in an analysis restricted to non-drinkers, although these estimates lacked statistical significance. BMI > 24.2 kg/m2 was independently associated with an increased risk of IR (OR = 3.82, 95% CI: 1.33 - 11.03, P = 0.013). In conclusion, the prevalence of IR in TMDs was 24.1%. IR was significantly associated with elevated WBC count and BMI. WBC may serve as a biomarker to identify individuals at the greatest IR risk.

MicroRNAs as potential biomarkers for diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Inappropriate levels of hyperactivity,impulsivity,and inattention characterize attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,a common childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder.The cognitive function and learning ability of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are affected,and these symptoms may persist to adulthood if they are not treated.The diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is only based on symptoms and objective tests for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are missing.Treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children include medications,behavior therapy,counseling,and education services which can relieve many of the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder but cannot cure it.There is a need for a molecular biomarker to distinguish attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from healthy subjects and other neurological conditions,which would allow for an earlier and more accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment to be initiated.Abnormal expression of microRNAs is connected to brain development and disease and could provide novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.The recent studies reviewed had performed microRNA profiling in whole blood,white blood cells,blood plasma,and blood serum of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.A large number of microRNAs were dysregulated when compared to healthy controls and with some overlap between individual studies.From the studies that had included a validation set of patients and controls,potential candidate biomarkers for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children could be miR-140-3p,let-7g-5p,-30e-5p,-223-3p,-142-5p,-486-5p,-151a-3p,-151a-5p,and-126-5p in total white blood cells,and miR-4516,-6090,-4763-3p,-4281,-4466,-101-3p,-130a-3p,-138-5p,-195-5p,and-106b-5p in blood serum.Further studies are warranted with children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,and consideration should be given to utilizing rat models of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Animal studies could be used to confirm microRNA findings in human patients and to test the effects of targeting specific microRNAs on disease progression and behavior.

Rosmarinic acid improves tracheal smooth muscle responsiveness and lung pathological changes in ovalbumin-sensitized rats

Objective:To evaluate the effect of rosmarinic acid on tracheal smooth muscle responsiveness and lung pathological changes in ovalbumin-sensitized rats.Methods:Rats were randomly divided into six groups:the control group,the asthmatic group,and the asthmatic groups treated with dexamethasone(1 mg/kg;oral gavage)or three doses of rosmarinic acid(0.5,1,and 2 mg/kg;oral gavage).For induction of asthma,rats received intraperitoneal injections and inhalation of ovalbumin.After 21 days,bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung samples were collected for histopathological analyses.Moreover,total and differential white blood cell counts were determined.Results:The rosmarinic acid-treated group had significantly lower tracheal smooth muscle responses to methacholine than the asthmatic group.In addition,rosmarinic acid reduced white blood cell count and the percentages of eosinophils,monocytes,and neutrophils while increasing the percentage of lymphocytes.Ovalbumin-induced lung pathological changes were significantly improved by treatment with rosmarinic acid.Conclusions:Rosmarinic acid improves tracheal smooth muscle responsiveness and lung pathological changes in ovalbumin-sensitized rats.

Clinical comprehensive treatment protocol for managing diabetic foot ulcers:A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Diabetic foot ulcers(DFUs)are a common complication of diabetes,often leading to severe infections,amputations,and reduced quality of life.The current standard treatment protocols for DFUs have limitations in promoting efficient wound healing and preventing complications.A comprehensive treatment approach targeting multiple aspects of wound care may offer improved outcomes for patients with DFUs.The hypothesis of this study is that a comprehensive treatment protocol for DFUs will result in faster wound healing,reduced amputation rates,and improved overall patient outcomes compared to standard treatment protocols.AIM To compare the efficacy and safety of a comprehensive treatment protocol for DFUs with those of the standard treatment protocol.METHODS This retrospective study included 62 patients with DFUs,enrolled between January 2022 and January 2024,randomly assigned to the experimental(n=32)or control(n=30)group.The experimental group received a comprehensive treatment comprising blood circulation improvement,debridement,vacuum sealing drainage,recombinant human epidermal growth factor and anti-inflammatory dressing,and skin grafting.The control group received standard treatment,which included wound cleaning and dressing,antibiotics administration,and surgical debridement or amputation,if necessary.Time taken to reduce the white blood cell count,number of dressing changes,wound healing rate and time,and amputation rate were assessed.RESULTS The experimental group exhibited significantly better outcomes than those of the control group in terms of the wound healing rate,wound healing time,and amputation rate.Additionally,the comprehensive treatment protocol was safe and well tolerated by the patients.CONCLUSION Comprehensive treatment for DFUs is more effective than standard treatment,promoting granulation tissue growth,shortening hospitalization time,reducing pain and amputation rate,improving wound healing,and enhancing quality of life.

Comparison of total splenic artery embolization and partial splenic embolization for hypersplenism

AIM:To evaluate whether total splenic artery embolization(TSAE) for patients with hypersplenism delivers better long-term outcomes than partial splenic embolization(PSE).METHODS:Sixty-one patients with hypersplenism eligible for TSAE(n = 27,group A) or PSE(n = 34,group B) were enrolled into the trial,which included clinical and computed tomography follow-up.Data on technical success,length of hospital stay,white blood cell(WBC) and platelet(PLT) counts,splenic volume and complications were collected at 2 wk,6 mo,and 1,2,3,4 years postoperatively.RESULTS:Both TSAE and PSE were technically successful in all patients.Complications were significantly fewer(P = 0.001),and hospital stay significantly shorter(P = 0.007),in group A than in group B.Postprocedure WBC and PLT counts in group A were significantly higher than those in group B from 6 mo to 4 years(P = 0.001),and post-procedure residual splenic volume in group A was significantly less than that observed in group B at 1,2,3 and 4 years post-procedure(P = 0.001).No significant differences were observed in red blood cell counts and liver function parameters between the two groups following the procedure.CONCLUSION:Our results indicate that TSAE for patients with hypersplenism not only delivers a better longterm outcome,but is also associated with lower complication rates and a shorter hospital stay than PSE.

Clinical investigation of 41 patients with ischemic colitis accompanied by ulcer

AIM: To investigate the relationship among the presence of ulcer lesions, underlying disease, and clinical course in patients with ischemic colitis. METHODS: The subjects were 41 patients (10 male and 31 female; mean age 70 years) with ischemic colitis who were admitted to and received treatment in our hospital from 2000 to 2006. We compared their characteristics and analyzed the mean lengths of admission and fast- ing for 9 patients with ulcer lesions (ulcer group) and 32 without (non-ulcer group). RESULTS: The groups with presence and absence of ulcer differed significantly only in white blood cell (WBC) count. Lengths of fasting and admission were 7.9 d and 17.9 d for the ulcer group and 4.4 d and 10.7 d for the non-ulcer group, respectively, and significantly longer in the ulcer group (P = 0.0057 and 0.0001). There was no correlation between presence of ulcer and presence of underlying diseases. CONCLUSION: Lengths of fasting and admission were significantly longer in patients with ischemic colitis with ulcer than for those without ulcer.

New advances in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To determine if gene-specific DNA methylation in prospectively collected blood samples is associated with later development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS: Comparing genome-wide DNA methylation profiles using Illumina Human methylation 450 K arrays, we previously identified a list of loci that were differentially methylated between tumor and adjacent nontumor tissues. To examine if dysregulation of DNAmethylation patterns observed in tumor tissues can be detected in white blood cell(WBC) DNA, we conducted a prospective case-control study nested within a community-based cancer screening cohort in Taiwan with 16 years of follow up. We measured methylation levels in ninety-six loci that were aberrant in DNA methylation in HCC tumor tissues compared to adjacent tissues. Baseline WBC DNA from 159 HCC cases and 312 matched controls were bisulfite treated and assayed by Illumina Bead Array. We used the χ2 test for categorical variables and student's t-test for continuous variables to assess the difference in selected characteristics between cases and controls. To estimate associations with HCC risk, we used conditional logistic regression models stratified on the matching factors to calculate odds ratios(OR) and 95%CI. RESULTS: We found that high methylation level in cg10272601 in WNK2 was associated with increased risk of HCC, with an OR of 1.91(95%CI: 1.27-2.86). High methylation levels in both cg12680131 in TPO and cg22511877 in MYT1 L, however, were associated with decreased risk. The ORs(95%CI) were 0.59(0.39-0.87) and 0.50(0.33-0.77), respectively, for those with methylation levels of cg12680131 and cg22511877 above the median compared with those with levels below the median. These associations were still statistically significant in multivariable conditional logistic regression models after adjusting for hepatitis B virus infection and alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION: These findings support the measurement of methylation markers in WBC DNA as biomarkers of HCC susceptibility but should be replicated in additional prospective studies.

Can mean platelet volume play a role in evaluating the severity of acute pancreatitis?

AIM To investigate serum mean platelet volume(MPV) levels in acute pancreatitis(AP) patients and assess whether MPV effectively predicts the disease severity of AP.METHODS We included 117 consecutive patients with AP as the AP group and 34 consecutive patients with colorectal polyps(before endoscopic treatment) as the control group. Complete blood counts, liver function, platelet indices(MPV), coagulation parameters, lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) and C-reactive protein(CRP) were measured on days 1, 2, 3 and 7 after admission. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to compare the sensitivity and specificity of MPV, white blood cell(WBC), LDH and CRP in predicting AP severity. The Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score(m GPS) and the 2012 revised Atlanta criteria were used to evaluate disease severity in AP.RESULTS MPV levels were significantly lower in the AP group than in the control group on day 1(P = 0.000), day 2(P = 0.029) and day 3(P = 0.001) after admission.In addition, MPV values were lower on day 1 after admission than on day 2(P = 0.012), day 3(P = 0.000) and day 7(P = 0.002) in all AP patients. Based on the m GPS, 78 patients(66.7%) were diagnosed with mild and 39 patients(33.3%) with severe AP. There was no significant difference in mean MPV levels between patients diagnosed with mild and severe AP based on the m GPS(P = 0.424). According to the 2012 revised Atlanta criteria, there were 98 patients(83.8%) without persistent organ failure(OF) [non-severe acute pancreatitis(non-SAP) group] and 19 patients(16.2%) with persistent OF(SAP group). MPV levels were significantly lower in the SAP group than in the non-SAP group on day 1 after admission(P = 0.002). On day 1 after admission using a cut-off value of 6.65 f L, the overall accuracy of MPV for predicting SAP according to the 2012 revised Atlanta criteria(AUC = 0.716) had a sensitivity of 91.8% and a specificity of 47.4% and was superior to the accuracy of the traditional markers WBC(AUC = 0.700) and LDH(AUC = 0.697).CONCLUSION MPV can be used at no additional cost as a useful, noninvasive biomarker that distinguishes AP with persistent OF from AP without persistent OF on day 1 of hospital admission.

Procalcitionin as a diagnostic marker to distinguish upper and lower gastrointestinal perforation

AIM To assess the accuracy of serum procalcitionin(PCT)as a diagnostic marker in verifying upper and lower gastrointestinal perforation(GIP).METHODS This retrospective study included 46 patients from the surgical intensive care unit(ICU)of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University who were confirmed to have GIP between June 2013 and December 2016.Demographic and clinical patient data were recorded on admission to ICU.Patients were divided into upper(n=19)and lower(n=27)GIP groups according to the perforation site(above or below Treitz ligament).PCT and WBC count was obtained before laparotomy and then compared between groups.Meanwhile,the diagnostic accuracy of PCT was analyzed.RESULTS Patients with lower GIP exhibited significantly higher APACHE II score,SOFA score and serum PCT level than patients with upper GIP(P=0.017,0.004,and0.001,respectively).There was a significant positive correlation between serum PCT level and APACHE II score or SOFA score(r=0.715 and r=0.611,respectively),while there was a significant negative correlation between serum PCT level and prognosis(r=-0.414).WBC count was not significantly different between the two groups,and WBC count showed no significant correlation with serum PCT level,APACHE II score,SOFA score or prognosis.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of PCT level to distinguish upper or lower GIP was 0.778.Patients with a serum PCT level above 17.94 ng/d L had a high likelihood of lower GIP,with a sensitivity of 100%and a specificity of 42.1%.CONCLUSION Serum PCT level is a reliable and accurate diagnostic marker in identifying upper or lower GIP before laparotomy.

Rebamipide enema therapy for left-sided ischemic colitis patients accompanied by ulcers:Open label study

AIM: To attempt rectal administration of rebamipide in the treatment of ischemic colitis patients with ulcers, and evaluate its effects. METHODS: We compared 9 ischemic colitis patients (2 men, 7 women) with ulcers treated by bowel rest only from 2000 to 2005 (conventional therapy group), with 6 patients (2 men, 4 women) treated by rebamipide enema therapy in 2006 (rebamipide enema therapy group) and analyzed the mean duration of fasting and hospitalization, degree of ulcer healing, and decrease in WBC count for the two groups. RESULTS: The mean duration of fasting and hos- pitalization were 2.7 ± 1.8 d and 9.2 ± 1.5 d in the rebamipide group and 7.9 ± 4.1 d and 17.9 ± 6.8 d in the control group, respectively, and signifi cantly re- duced in the rebamipide group (t = -2.915; P = 0.0121 and t = -3.054; P = 0.0092). As for the degree of ul- cer healing at 7 d after admission, the ulcer score was reduced by 3.5 ± 0.5 (points) in the rebamipide group and 2.8 ± 0.5 (points) in the control group (t = 1.975; P = 0.0797), while the decrease in WBC count was 120.0 ± 55.8 (× 102/μL) in the rebamipide group and 85.9 ± 56.8 (× 102/μL) in the control group (t = 1.006; P = 0.3360). CONCLUSION: In left-sided ischemic colitis patients with ulcers, rebamipide enema therapy significantly reduced the duration of fasting and hospitalization, recommending its use as a new and effective thera- peutic alternative.

Fecal lactoferrin accurately reflects mucosal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND Studies have demonstrated a potential role for fecal biomarkers such as fecal calprotectin(FC)and fecal lactoferrin(FL)in monitoring inflammatory bowel diseases(IBD)-Crohn's disease(CD)and ulcerative colitis(UC).However,their correlation to endoscopic scores,disease severity and affected intestinal surface has not been extensively investigated.AIM To correlate FL,and for comparison white blood cell(WBC)and C-reactive protein(CRP),with endoscopic scores,disease extent and location in CD and UC.METHODS Retrospective analysis in 188 patients who had FL,CRP and WBC determined within 30 d of endoscopy.Disease location,disease extent(number of intestinal segments involved),disease severity(determined by endoscopic scores),timing of FL testing in relation to colonoscopy,as well as the use of effective fast acting medications(steroids and biologics)between colonoscopy and FL measurement,were recorded.RESULTS In 131 CD and 57 UC patients,both CRP and FL-but not WBC-distinguished disease severity(inactive,mild,moderate,severe).In patients receiving fastacting(steroids or biologics)treatment in between FL and colonoscopy,FL showed a higher correlation to endoscopic scores when tested before vs after the procedure(r=0.596,P<0.001,vs r=0.285,P=0.15 for the Simple Endoscopic Score for CD;and r=0.402,P=0.01 vs r=0.054 P=0.84 for Disease Activity Index).Finally,FL was significantly correlated with the diseased mucosal surface(colon-ileocolon>small bowel)and the number of inflamed colon segments.CONCLUSION FL and CRP separated disease severity categories with FL showing lower discriminating P-values.FL showed a close correlation with the involved mucosal surface and with disease extent and was more closely correlated to endoscopy when determined before the procedure–this indicating that inflammatory activity changes associated with therapy might be rapidly reflected by FL levels.FL can accurately and timely characterize intestinal inflammation in IBD.