Recent trends in bone metastasis treatments:A historical comparison using the new Katagiri score system

BACKGROUND Bone metastasis has various negative impacts.Activities of daily living(ADL)and quality of life(QOL)can be significantly decreased,survival may be impacted,and medical expenses may increase.It is estimated that at least 5%cancer patients might be suffering from bone metastases.In 2016,we published the Comprehensive Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Bone Metastasis.Since then,the therapeutic outcomes for patients have gradually improved.As life expectancy is a major determinant of surgical intervention,the strategy should be modified if the prolongation of survival is to be achieved.AIM To monitor how bone metastasis treatment has changed before and after launch of our guidelines for bone metastasis.METHODS For advanced cancer patients with bone metastasis who visited the Department of Clinical Oncology at Akita University hospital between 2012 and 2023,parameters including the site and number of bone metastases,laboratory data,and survival time,were extracted from electronic medical records and the Katagiri score was calculated.The association with survival was determined for each factor.RESULTS Data from 136 patients were obtained.The 1-year survival rate for the poor prognosis group with a higher Katagiri score was 20.0%in this study,which was 6%and an apparent improvement from 2014 when the scoring system was developed.Other factors significantly affecting survival included five or more bone metastases than less(P=0.0080),and treatment with chemotherapy(P<0.001),bone modifying agents(P=0.0175)and immune checkpoint inhibitors(P=0.0128).In recent years,advances in various treatment methods have extended the survival period for patients with advanced cancer.It is necessary not only to simply extend survival time,but also to maintain ADL and improve QOL.CONCLUSION Various therapeutic interventions including surgical approach for bone metastasis,which is a disorder of locomotor organs,are increasingly required.Guidelines and scoring system for prognosis need to be revised promptly.

Score System Study for Hand-Extended Noodle Quality Based on HMW-GS Index in Wheat Flour

Hand-extended noodle, a special kind of noodle, requires particular quality flour to make it. High molecular weight glutenin subunits （HMW-GS） in wheat are important protein subunits, which affect flour quality. To improve breeding and selection efficiency of wheat varieties which are used in making hand-extended noodle, 100 spring wheat varieties were selected to study the importance of HMW-GS on noodle quality score indexes such as color, appearance, taste agreeability, toughness, stickiness, smoothness, taste, and total score, through methods of quantity theory and statistic evaluation. It was shown that the hand-extended noodle quality score of HMW-GS 1, 2°, N, 7, 7 ＋ 8, 17 ＋ 18, 22, 2 ＋ 10, 2 ＋ 11, 2＋ 12, 5 ＋ 10, and 10 was 5.40, 5.35, 0, 2.55, 2.56, 9.19, 0.05, 0.15, 1.49, 1.14, 10.00, and 5.14, respectively. The score system for hand-extended noodle quality based on HMW-GS index included eight multiple linear regression equations （R^2 〉 0.98）. Hence, using the HMW-GS composition, the eight hand-extended noodle quality indexes would be forecasted exactly. Results indicated that ideal subunit compositions of HMW-GS for this special usage were composition 1, 17 ＋ 18, 5 ＋ 10, or composition 2°, 17 ＋ 18, 5 ＋ 10. This standard could be used on variety selection in the early generation of breeding crosses. HMW-GS 2 ＋ 10, 2 ＋ 11, and 2 ＋ 12 were the least desirable subunits for hand-extended noodle, which should be avoided in wheat variety selection aimed for hand-extended noodle flour use.

A novel cleansing score system for capsule endoscopy

AIM:To suggest a new cleansing score system for small bowel preparation and to evaluate its clinical efficacy.METHODS:Twenty capsule endoscopy cases were reviewed and small bowel preparation was assessed with the new scoring system.For the assessment,two visual parameters were used:proportion of visualized mucosa and degree of obscuration.Representative frames from small bowel images were serially selected and scored at 5-min intervals.Intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)was obtained to assess the reliability of the new scoring system.For efficacy evaluation and validation,scores of our new scoring system were compared with another previously reported cleansing grading system.RESULTS:Concordance with the previous system,inter-observer agreement,and intra-patient agreement were excellent with ICC values of 0.82,0.80,and 0.76,respectively.The intra-observer agreements at four-week intervals were also excellent.The cutoff value of adequate image quality was found to be 2.25.CONCLUSION:Our new scoring system is simple,efficient,and can be considered to be applicable in clinical practice and research.

Formulation of an Early Warning Infectivity Score System for Adult Patients with Acute Bacterial Diarrhea

The aim of our study was to develop a scoring system to predict whether diarrhea is of a bacterial origin and whether the diarrheal patients constitute a potential source of infection to others. Adults with acute diarrhea （n=424） were enrolled in the study. Logistic regression and standard regression coefficients were used to formulate the Early Warning Infectivity Score System for Adults with Acute Bacterial Diarrhea （EWIS-ABD）. Four risk factors were identified by logistic regression, including body temperature （P〈0.01）, abdominal pain （P〈0.01）, leukocyte count in stool （P〈0.01）, and unclean dietary history （P〈0.01）. EWIS-ABD was thus developed, in which the value 〉5 points was set as an indicator of bacterial diarrhea. The incidence of bacterial diarrhea increased along with the elevated score. EWIS-ABD was more specific for bacterial diarrhea than for viral diarrhea. The accuracy and reliability of EWIS-ABD was high by prospective validation in 478 patients with acute diarrhea.

A Risk Score System for Myopia Symptom Warning

Myopia is the leading cause of visual impairments worldwide. Some studies revealed that visual experience in early life affected the final myopia, indicating that environmental factors play an impellent role in the development of myopia. However, risk factors of myopia are still not identified among adolescents in China. A total of 4104 cases of myopia symptom and 3306 emmetropia controls were selected from students in primary and middle schools in Wuhan in 2008. We identified the risk factors associated with myopia symptom by multivariate logistic regression in this cross-sectional study and constructed a risk score system for myopia symptom. The value of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was 0.735. Furthermore, we followed up 93 students aged 7-9 years for one year and calculated the total points using the score system. We found no significant difference between the final myopia symptom and the results predicted by the total points by pair chi-square test (P>0.05). The score system had a modest ability to estimate the risk factors of myopia symptom. Using this score system, we could identify the students who are at risk of myopia symptom in the future according to their behaviors and environmental factors, and take measures to slow the progress of myopia symptom.

Development and Validation of a Prognostic Risk Score System for COVID-19 Inpatients:A Multi-Center Retrospective Study in China

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has become a worldwide pandemic.Hospitalized patients of COVID-19 suffer from a high mortality rate,motivating the development of convenient and practical methods that allow clinicians to promptly identify high-risk patients.Here,we have developed a risk score using clinical data from 1479 inpatients admitted to Tongji Hospital,Wuhan,China(development cohort)and externally validated with data from two other centers:141 inpatients from Jinyintan Hospital,Wuhan,China(validation cohort 1)and 432 inpatients from The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen,Shenzhen,China(validation cohort 2).The risk score is based on three biomarkers that are readily available in routine blood samples and can easily be translated into a probability of death.The risk score can predict the mortality of individual patients more than 12 d in advance with more than 90%accuracy across all cohorts.Moreover,the Kaplan-Meier score shows that patients can be clearly differentiated upon admission as low,intermediate,or high risk,with an area under the curve(AUC)score of 0.9551.In summary,a simple risk score has been validated to predict death in patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2);it has also been validated in independent cohorts.

Weighing of risk factors for penetrating keratoplasty graft failure：application of Risk Score System

AIM：To analyze the relationship between the score obtained in the Risk Score System（RSS）proposed by Hicks et al with penetrating keratoplasty（PKP）graft failure at 1y postoperatively and among each factor in the RSS with the risk of PKP graft failure using univariate and multivariate analysis.METHODS：The retrospective cohort study had 152 PKPs from 152 patients. Eighteen cases were excluded from our study due to primary failure（10 cases）,incomplete medical notes（5 cases）and follow-up less than 1y（3cases）. We included 134 PKPs from 134 patients stratified by preoperative risk score. Spearman coefficient was calculated for the relationship between the score obtained and risk of failure at 1y. Univariate and multivariate analysis were calculated for the impact of every single risk factor included in the RSS over graft failure at 1y. RESULTS：Spearman coefficient showed statistically significant correlation between the score in the RSS and graft failure（P〈0.05）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed no statistically significant relationship（P〉0.05）between diagnosis and lens status with graft failure. The relationship between the other risk factors studied and graft failure was significant（P〈0.05）,although the results for previous grafts and graft failure was unreliable. None of our patients had previous blood transfusion,thus,it had no impact. CONCLUSION：After the application of multivariate analysis techniques,some risk factors do not show the expected impact over graft failure at 1y.

Garg incontinence scores: New scoring system on the horizon to evaluate fecal incontinence. Will it make a difference?

The main aim of this opinion review is to comment on the recent article published by Garg et al in the World Journal of Gastroenterology 2023;29:4593–4603.The authors in the published article developed a new scoring system,Garg incon-tinence scores(GIS),for fecal incontinence(FI).FI is a chronic debilitating disease that has a severe negative impact on the quality of life of the patients.Rome IV criteria define FI as multiple episodes of solid or liquid stool passed into the clothes at least twice a month.The associated social stigmatization often leads to significant under-reporting of the condition,which further impairs management.An important point is that the complexity and vagueness of the disease make it difficult for the patients to properly define and report the magnitude of the problem to their physicians.Due to this,the management becomes even more difficult.This issue is resolved up to a considerable extent by a scoring ques-tionnaire.There were several scoring systems in use for the last three decades.The prominent of them were the Cleveland Clinic scoring system or the Wexner scoring system,St.Marks Hospital or Vaizey’s scores,and the FI severity index.However,there were several shortcomings in these scoring systems.In the opinion review,we tried to analyze the strength of GIS and compare it to the existing scoring systems.The main pitfalls in the existing scoring systems were that most of them gave equal weightage to different types of FI(solid,liquid,flatus,etc.),were not comprehensive,and took only the surgeon’s perception of FI into view.In GIS,almost all shortcomings of previous scoring systems had been addressed:different weights were assigned to different types of FI by a robust statistical methodology;the scoring system was made comprehensive by including all types of FI that were previously omitted(urge,stress and mucus FI)and gave priority to patients’rather than the physicians’perceptions while developing the scoring system.Due to this,GIS indeed looked like a paradigm shift in the evaluation of FI.However,it is too early to conclude this,as GIS needs to be validated for accuracy and simplicity in future studies.

Systemic immune-inflammation index combined with pediatric appendicitis score in assessing the severity and prognosis for paediatric appendicitis

BACKGROUND Pediatric appendicitis is a common cause of abdominal pain in children and is recognized as a significant surgical emergency.A prompt and accurate diagnosis is essential to prevent complications such as perforation and peritonitis.AIM To investigate the predictive value of the systemic immune-inflammation index(SII)combined with the pediatric appendicitis score(PAS)for the assessment of disease severity and surgical outcomes in children aged 5 years and older with appendicitis.METHODS Clinical data of 104 children diagnosed with acute appendicitis were analyzed.The participants were categorized into the acute appendicitis group and chronic appendicitis group based on disease presentation and further stratified into the good prognosis group and poor prognosis group based on prognosis.The SII and PAS were measured,and a joint model using the combined SII and PAS was constructed to predict disease severity and surgical outcomes.RESULTS Significant differences were observed in the SII and PAS parameters between the acute appendicitis group and chronic appendicitis group.Correlation analysis showed associations among the SII,PAS,and disease severity,with the combined SII and PAS model demonstrating significant predictive value for assessing disease severity[aera under the curve(AUC)=0.914]and predicting surgical outcomes(AUC=0.857)in children aged 5 years and older with appendicitis.CONCLUSION The study findings support the potential of integrating the SII with the PAS for assessing disease severity and predicting surgical outcomes in pediatric appendicitis,indicating the clinical utility of the combined SII and PAS model in guiding clinical decision-making and optimizing surgical management strategies for pediatric patients with appendicitis.

Role of albumin-bilirubin score in non-malignant liver disease

The albumin-bilirubin(ALBI)score,which was proposed to assess the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma,has gradually been extended to other liver diseases in recent years,including primary biliary cholangitis,liver cirrhosis,hepatitis,liver transplantation,and liver injury.The ALBI score is often compared with classical scores such as the Child-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease scores or other noninvasive prediction models.It is widely employed because of its immunity to subjective evaluation indicators and ease of obtaining detection indicators.An increasing number of studies have confirmed that it is highly accurate for assessing the prognosis of patients with chronic liver disease;additionally,it has demonstrated good predictive performance for outcomes beyond survival in patients with liver diseases,such as decompensation events.This article presents a review of the application of ALBI scores in various non-malignant liver diseases.

Fecal calprotectin and endoscopic scores: The cornerstones in clinical practice for evaluating mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel disease

Managing inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)is becoming increasingly complex and personalized,considering the advent of new advanced therapies with distinct mechanisms of action.Achieving mucosal healing(MH)is a pivotal therapeutic goal in IBD management and can prevent IBD progression and reduce flares,hospitalization,surgery,intestinal damage,and colorectal cancer.Employing proactive disease and therapy assessment is essential to achieve better control of intestinal inflammation,even if subclinical,to alter the natural course of IBD.Periodic monitoring of fecal calprotectin(FC)levels and interval endoscopic evaluations are cornerstones for evaluating response/remission to advanced therapies targeting IBD,assessing MH,and detecting subclinical recurrence.Here,we comment on the article by Ishida et al Moreover,this editorial aimed to review the role of FC and endoscopic scores in predicting MH in patients with IBD.Furthermore,we intend to present some evidence on the role of these markers in future targets,such as histological and transmural healing.Additional prospective multicenter studies with a stricter MH criterion,standardized endoscopic and histopathological analyses,and virtual chromoscopy,potentially including artificial intelligence and other biomarkers,are desired.

Preoperative albumin-bilirubin score and liver resection percentage determine postoperative liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy

BACKGROUND The success of liver resection relies on the ability of the remnant liver to regenerate.Most of the knowledge regarding the pathophysiological basis of liver regeneration comes from rodent studies,and data on humans are scarce.Additionally,there is limited knowledge about the preoperative factors that influence postoperative regeneration.AIM To quantify postoperative remnant liver volume by the latest volumetric software and investigate perioperative factors that affect posthepatectomy liver regenera-tion.METHODS A total of 268 patients who received partial hepatectomy were enrolled.Patients were grouped into right hepatectomy/trisegmentectomy(RH/Tri),left hepa-tectomy(LH),segmentectomy(Seg),and subsegmentectomy/nonanatomical hepatectomy(Sub/Non)groups.The regeneration index(RI)and late rege-neration rate were defined as(postoperative liver volume)/[total functional liver volume(TFLV)]×100 and(RI at 6-months-RI at 3-months)/RI at 6-months,respectively.The lower 25th percentile of RI and the higher 25th percentile of late regeneration rate in each group were defined as“low regeneration”and“delayed regeneration”.“Restoration to the original size”was defined as regeneration of the liver volume by more than 90%of the TFLV at 12 months postsurgery.RESULTS The numbers of patients in the RH/Tri,LH,Seg,and Sub/Non groups were 41,53,99 and 75,respectively.The RI plateaued at 3 months in the LH,Seg,and Sub/Non groups,whereas the RI increased until 12 months in the RH/Tri group.According to our multivariate analysis,the preoperative albumin-bilirubin(ALBI)score was an independent factor for low regeneration at 3 months[odds ratio(OR)95%CI=2.80(1.17-6.69),P=0.02;per 1.0 up]and 12 months[OR=2.27(1.01-5.09),P=0.04;per 1.0 up].Multivariate analysis revealed that only liver resection percentage[OR=1.03(1.00-1.05),P=0.04]was associated with delayed regeneration.Furthermore,multivariate analysis demonstrated that the preoperative ALBI score[OR=2.63(1.00-1.05),P=0.02;per 1.0 up]and liver resection percentage[OR=1.02(1.00-1.05),P=0.04;per 1.0 up]were found to be independent risk factors associated with volume restoration failure.CONCLUSION Liver regeneration posthepatectomy was determined by the resection percentage and preoperative ALBI score.This knowledge helps surgeons decide the timing and type of rehepatectomy for recurrent cases.

基于中心偏移的Fisher score与直觉邻域模糊熵的多标记特征选择

现有多标记Fisher score模型中边缘样本会影响算法分类效果。鉴于邻域直觉模糊熵处理不确定信息时具有更强的表达能力与分辨能力的优势,文中提出了一种基于中心偏移的Fisher score与邻域直觉模糊熵的多标记特征选择方法。首先,根据标记将多标记论域划分为多个样本集,计算样本集的特征均值作为标记下样本的原始中心点,以最远样本的距离乘以距离系数,去除边缘样本集,定义了新的有效样本集,计算中心偏移处理后的标记下每个特征的得分以及标记集的特征得分,进而建立了基于中心偏移的多标记Fisher score模型,预处理多标记数据。然后,引入多标记分类间隔作为自适应模糊邻域半径参数,定义了模糊邻域相似关系和模糊邻域粒,由此构造了多标记模糊邻域粗糙集的上、下近似集;在此基础上提出了多标记邻域粗糙直觉隶属度函数和非隶属度函数,定义了多标记邻域直觉模糊熵。最后,给出了特征的外部和内部重要度的计算公式,设计了基于邻域直觉模糊熵的多标记特征选择算法,筛选出最优特征子集。在多标记K近邻分类器下、9个多标记数据集上的实验结果表明,所提算法选择的最优子集具有良好的分类性能。

The modified systemic inflammation score is a predictor of ICU admission of COVID-19 patients

Objective:To evaluate the effect of the modified systemic inflammation score(mSIS)on prognosis in patients diagnosed with COVID-19.Methods:In this retrospective cross-sectional study,181 patients were selected and divided into two groups:patients with and without admission to the intensive care unit(ICU).An albumin level of≥4.0 g/dL and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio(LMR)of≥3.4 was scored 0,an albumin level of<4.0 g/dL or LMR of<3.4 was scored 1,and an albumin level of<4.0 g/dL and LMR of<3.4 was scored 2.Results:A total of 242 COVID-19 positive patients were initially included in this study.Of these patients,61 were excluded and 181 patients remained.Among the 181 participants,94(51.9%)were female,and the median age was 61(51,75)years.The mSIS scale ranged from 0 to 2.After analysis,the median score was 0(0,0)in the non-ICU group and 2(0,2)in the ICU group(P<0.001).The median white blood cell,lymphocyte counts,and albumin levels were lower in the ICU group(P<0.001,P<0.001,and P<0.001,respectively).In logistic regression analysis lymphocytopenia(OR=5.158,95%CI=1.249-21.304,P=0.023),hypoalbuminemia(OR=49.921,95%CI=1.843-1352.114,P=0.020),AST elevation(OR=3.939,95%CI=1.017-15.261,P=0.047),and mSIS=2(OR=5.853,95%CI=1.338-25.604,P=0.019)were identified as independent predictors of ICU admission.Conclusion:The mSIS can be used as an independent parameter for establishing the intensive care needs of patients with COVID-19.

Novel CABIN score outperforms other prognostic models in predicting in-hospital mortality after salvage transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting

BACKGROUND Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)is now established as the salvage procedure of choice in patients who have uncontrolled or severe recurrent variceal bleeding despite optimal medical and endoscopic treatment.AIM To analysis compared the performance of eight risk scores to predict in-hospital mortality after salvage TIPS(sTIPS)placement in patients with uncontrolled variceal bleeding after failed medical treatment and endoscopic intervention.METHODS Baseline risk scores for the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation(APACHE)II,Bonn TIPS early mortality(BOTEM),Child-Pugh,Emory,FIPS,model for end-stage liver disease(MELD),MELD-Na,and a novel 5 category CABIN score incorporating Creatinine,Albumin,Bilirubin,INR and Na,were calculated before sTIPS.Concordance(C)statistics for predictive accuracy of inhospital mortality of the eight scores were compared using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUROC)analysis.RESULTS Thirty-four patients(29 men,5 women),median age 52 years(range 31-80)received sTIPS for uncontrolled(11)or refractory(23)bleeding between August 1991 and November 2020.Salvage TIPS controlled bleeding in 32(94%)patients with recurrence in one.Ten(29%)patients died in hospital.All scoring systems had a significant association with in-hospital mortality(P<0.05)on multivariate analysis.Based on in-hospital survival AUROC,the CABIN(0.967),APACHE II(0.948)and Emory(0.942)scores had the best capability predicting mortality compared to FIPS(0.892),BOTEM(0.877),MELD Na(0.865),Child-Pugh(0.802)and MELD(0.792).CONCLUSION The novel CABIN score had the best prediction capability with statistical superiority over seven other risk scores.Despite sTIPS,hospital mortality remains high and can be predicted by CABIN category B or C or CABIN scores>10.Survival was 100%in CABIN A patients while mortality was 75%for CABIN B,87.5%for CABIN C,and 83%for CABIN scores>10.

An early scoring system to predict mechanical ventilation for botulism: a single-center-based study

BACKGROUND: Early identification of patients requiring ventilator support will be beneficial for the outcomes of botulism. The present study aimed to establish a new scoring system to predict mechanical ventilation(MV) for botulism patients.METHODS: A single-center retrospective study was conducted to identify risk factors associated with MV in botulism patients from 2007 to 2022. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to screen out risk factors for constructing a prognostic scoring system. The area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was calculated.RESULTS: A total of 153 patients with botulism(66 males and 87 females, with an average age of 43 years) were included. Of these, 49 patients(32.0%) required MV, including 21(13.7%) with invasive ventilation and 28(18.3%) with non-invasive ventilation. Multivariate analysis revealed that botulinum toxin type, pneumonia, incubation period, degree of hypoxia, and severity of muscle involvement were independent risk factors for MV. These risk factors were incorporated into a multivariate logistic regression analysis to establish a prognostic scoring system. Each risk factor was scored by allocating a weight based on its regression coefficient and rounded to whole numbers for practical utilization([botulinum toxin type A: 1], [pneumonia: 2], [incubation period ≤1 day: 2], [hypoxia <90%: 2], [severity of muscle involvement: grade Ⅱ, 3;gradeⅢ, 7;grade IV, 11]). The scoring system achieved an area under the ROC curve of 0.82(95% CI 0.75–0.89, P<0.001). At the optimal threshold of 9, the scoring system achieved a sensitivity of 83.7% and a specificity of 70.2%.CONCLUSION: Our study identified botulinum toxin type, pneumonia, incubation period, degree of hypoxia, and severity of muscle involvement as independent risk factors for MV in botulism patients. A score ≥9 in our scoring system is associated with a higher likelihood of requiring MV in botulism patients. This scoring system needs to be validated externally before it can be applied in clinical settings.

Diagnostic tools for fecal incontinence: Scoring systems are the crucial first step

The main aim of this editorial is to comment on the recent article published by Garg et al in the World Journal of Gastroenterology 2023;29:4593-4603.This original research presents a new scoring system for fecal incontinence.Fecal incontinence is a chronic disease with a severe impact on the quality of life of the patients.Substantial social stigmatization often leads to significant underreporting of the condition even during visits to a specialist and could lead to further misman-agement or non-existent management of the disease.An important fact is that patients are often unable to describe their condition when not asked precisely defined questions.This problem is partially resolved by scoring questionnaires.Several scoring systems are commonly used;however,each of them has their shortcomings.For example,the absence of different kinds of leakage besides flatus and stool could further lead to underscoring the incontinence severity.Therefore,there has long been a call for a more precise scoring system.The correct identification of the presence and severity of fecal incontinence is paramount for further diagnostic approach and for choosing the appropriate therapy option.This editorial describes fecal incontinence,its effect on quality of life in general and further evaluates the diagnostic approach with a particular focus on symptom scoring systems and their implications for clinical practice.

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.

Heparin-binding protein as a predictor of mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus and community-acquired pneumonia in intensive care unit:a propensity score matched study

BACKGROUND:Patients with diabetes mellitus(DM)are vulnerable to community-acquired pneumonia(CAP),which have a high mortality rate.We aimed to investigate the value of heparin-binding protein(HBP)as a prognostic marker of mortality in patients with DM and CAP.METHODS:This retrospective study included CAP patients who were tested for HBP at intensive care unit(ICU)admission from January 2019 to April 2020.Patients were allocated to the DM or non-DM group and paired with propensity score matching.Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes up to 90 days were evaluated.The primary outcome was the 10-day mortality.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,Kaplan-Meier analysis,and Cox regression were used for statistical analysis.RESULTS:Among 152 enrolled patients,60 pairs were successfully matched.There was no significant difference in 10-day mortality,while more patients in the DM group died within 28 d(P=0.024)and 90 d(P=0.008).In the DM group,HBP levels at ICU admission were higher in 10-day non-survivors than in 10-day survivors(median 182.21[IQR:55.43-300]ng/ml vs.median 66.40[IQR:34.13-107.85]ng/mL,P=0.019),and HBP levels could predict the 10-day mortality with an area under the ROC curve of 0.747.The cut-off value,sensitivity,and specificity were 160.6 ng/mL,66.7%,and 90.2%,respectively.Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that HBP was an independent prognostic factor for 10-day(HR 7.196,95%CI:1.596-32.455,P=0.01),28-day(HR 4.381,95%CI:1.449-13.245,P=0.009),and 90-day mortality(HR 4.581,95%CI:1.637-12.819,P=0.004)in patients with DM.CONCLUSION:Plasma HBP at ICU admission was associated with the 10-day,28-day,and 90-day mortality,and might be a prognostic factor in patients with DM and CAP.

Analysis of the urethral stricture score and patient-related factors as predictors of outcomes following oral mucosal graft urethroplasty

Objective:The complexity of urethral strictures can predict outcomes following urethroplasty.The previously described urethral stricture score(U score)considered only stricture-related factors to grade the complexity of urethral strictures and to predict recurrence post urethroplasty,but not considered patient-related factors for the same.We aimed to study the correlation of both of these factors to the outcomes of oral mucosal graft urethroplasty.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed data of 101 patients who underwent oral mucosal graft urethroplasty in our institute with a minimum follow-up of 6 months.Baseline patient characteristics and stricture-related parameters were noted.The U score was calculated for all patients which consisted of the length,location,number,and etiology of stricture.Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to determine significant risk factors of recurrence.Results:The mean follow-up of patients was 15 months.Recurrence was seen in 28 patients and the mean time for detection of recurrence was 8 months of follow-up.The Charlson Comorbidity Index,history of previous intervention,length of strictures,location of strictures,number of strictures,history of smoking,and etiology were independent predictors of recurrence following urethroplasty.Based on these parameters,we formulated the modified U score(MU score).The scores ranged from 0 to 6 and a score of>2 was found to be predictive of recurrence.On comparing receiver operating characteristic curves for both scores by the DeLong test,the MU score had larger area under the curve than the U score.Conclusion:The MU scoring system is the first of its kind attempt taking into consideration both patient-and stricture-related factors to predict recurrence following oral mucosal graft urethroplasty.