Diagnosis,treatment protocols,and outcomes of liver transplant recipients infected with COVID-19

Several cases of fatal pneumonia during November 2019 were linked initially to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,which the World Health Organization later designated as coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11,2020.In the general population,COVID-19 severity can range from asymptomatic/mild symptoms to seriously ill.Its mortality rate could be as high as 49%.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have acknowledged that people with specific underlying medical conditions,among those who need immunosuppression after solid organ transplantation(SOT),are at an increased risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19.Liver transplantation is the second most prevalent SOT globally.Due to their immunosuppressed state,liver transplant(LT)recipients are more susceptible to serious infections.Therefore,comorbidities and prolonged immunosuppression among SOT recipients enhance the likelihood of severe COVID-19.It is crucial to comprehend the clinical picture,immunosuppressive management,prognosis,and prophylaxis of COVID-19 infection because it may pose a danger to transplant recipients.This review described the clinical and laboratory findings of COVID-19 in LT recipients and the risk factors for severe disease in this population group.In the following sections,we discussed current COVID-19 therapy choices,reviewed standard practice in modifying immunosuppressant regimens,and outlined the safety and efficacy of currently licensed drugs for inpatient and outpatient management.Additionally,we explored the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in LT recipients and mentioned the efficacy and safety of vaccination use.

Influence of sex on outcomes of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma:a multicenter cohort study in China

Objective:Sex-specific differences are observed in various liver diseases,but the influence of sex on the outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)after liver transplantation(LT)remains to be determined.This study is the first Chinese nationwide investigation of the role of sex in post-LT outcomes in patients with HCC.Methods:Data for recipients with HCC registered in the China Liver Transplant Registry between January 2015 and December 2020 were analyzed.The associations between donor,recipient,or donor-recipient transplant patterns by sex and the post-LT outcomes were studied with propensity score matching(PSM).The survival associated with different sex-based donor-recipient transplant patterns was further studied.Results:Among 3,769 patients enrolled in this study,the 1-,3-,and 5-year overall survival(OS)rates of patients with HCC after LT were 96.1%,86.4%,and 78.5%,respectively,in female recipients,and 95.8%,79.0%,and 70.7%,respectively,in male recipients after PSM(P=0.009).However,the OS was comparable between recipients with female donors and male donors.Multivariate analysis indicated that male recipient sex was a risk factor for post-LT survival(HR=1.381,P=0.046).Among the donor-recipient transplant patterns,the male-male donor-recipient transplant pattern was associated with the poorest post-LT survival(P<0.05).Conclusions:Our findings highlighted that the post-LT outcomes of female recipients were significantly superior to those of male recipients,and the male-male donor-recipient transplant pattern was associated with the poorest post-LT survival.Livers from male donors may provide the most benefit to female recipients.Our results indicate that sex should be considered as a critical factor in organ allocation.

Supportive care in transplantation: A patient-centered care model to better support kidney transplant candidates and recipients

Kidney transplantation(KT),although the best treatment option for eligible patients,entails maintaining and adhering to a life-long treatment regimen of medications,lifestyle changes,self-care,and appointments.Many patients experience uncertain outcome trajectories increasing their vulnerability and symptom burden and generating complex care needs.Even when transplants are successful,for some patients the adjustment to life post-transplant can be challenging and psychological difficulties,economic challenges and social isola-tion have been reported.About 50%of patients lose their transplant within 10 years and must return to dialysis or pursue another transplant or conservative care.This paper documents the complicated journey patients undertake before and after KT and outlines some initiatives aimed at improving patient-centered care in transplantation.A more cohesive approach to care that borrows its philosophical approach from the established field of supportive oncology may improve patient experiences and outcomes.We propose the"supportive care in transplantation"care model to operationalize a patient-centered approach in transplantation.This model can build on other ongoing initiatives of other scholars and researchers and can help advance patient-centered care through the entire care continuum of kidney transplant recipients and candidates.Multi-dimensionality,multi-disciplinarity and evidence-based approaches are proposed as other key tenets of this care model.We conclude by proposing the potential advantages of this approach to patients and healthcare systems.Core Tip:Kidney transplant recipients and candidates face several uncertainties in their care journey and have several expressed unmet healthcare needs.We recommend a structured and comprehensive approach to transplant care across the entire continuum of a transplant patient’s journey similar to what has been developed in the field of oncology.The supportive care in transplantation model can operationalize patient-centered care and build on the efforts of other researchers in the field.We postulate that such a model would significantly improve care delivery and patients’experiences and outcomes and potentially decrease healthcare utilization and cost.INTRODUCTION Patients with kidney failure benefit from(KT)[1,2],and experience improved survival rates when compared with dialysis[3-6].KT studies,using validated instruments,have also consistently demonstrated that kidney transplant recipients(KTRs)experience better health-related quality of life and several improvements in other disease-specific domains when compared with dialysis[7].In countries where dialysis is out of reach for many,the diagnosis of kidney failure would be futile without KT[8].Thus,increasing KT has been a priority for the nephrology and transplant communities.This priority has been reflected in recent global trends:Of the 79 countries where data were available,the International Society of Nephrology’s Global Kidney Atlas reported that the prevalence of KTRs in 2023 was 279 per million population which represented an increase of 9.4%from the data published four years prior[8].Despite this growth,KT can be a challenging journey for many patients and it is sometimes regarded as a‘cure’,which does not conform with the reality that many patients experience[9-13].KTRs must maintain a life-long treatment regimen of medications,lifestyle changes,self-care and medical appointments[14-17].As poignantly stated by a young female transplant recipient,“I thought everything would change once I got my kidney.I thought I would be healthy again”but after experiencing multiple side effects of immunosuppressive medications and graft loss,she stated,“I am just a different kind of patient now”[18].Indeed,a significant proportion of patients experience graft failure and return to dialysis;it is estimated that over 50%return to dialysis within 10 years of KT[19-23].Patients are often not prepared for this outcome and report several psychosocial and physical ramifications of graft failure[24,25].Overall,high symptom burden,adverse effects of immunosuppressants,risk of graft rejection or failure and mortality,contribute to complex needs,vulnerability and uncertainties for patients,increasing their care needs and treatment burden[26-30].In this paper,we highlight the complex journey that KTRs and candidates undertake that can generate varied outcome trajectories and complex healthcare needs.We highlight the need for a comprehensive patient-centered approach to care and conclude with a proposal for a“supportive care in transplantation”care model.

Clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 in liver transplant recipients

BACKGROUND Liver transplant patients are at higher risk of infection due to immunosuppression.Whether liver transplant recipients are also more susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)and will have worse outcomes than the general population if they develop coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)due to SARS-CoV-2 is a topic of ongoing studies,including ours.AIM To assess the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in liver transplant recipients.METHODS This was a case-control study,with a database search performed(at the study site)from March 1,2020 through February 28,2021.Patients 18 years or older who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 via polymerase chain reaction(PCR)were included in the study.Patients with infection other than pneumonia at the time of admission were excluded.After selection,patients who had been the recipient of liver transplant were considered cases and those without as controls.After being matched by age,sex,and obesity,two controls were randomly selected for each case.Death and hospitalization due to COVID-19 infection were the primary outcomes.Secondary outcomes were pertinent only to patients who were hospitalized,and they included duration of hospital stay,need for supplemental oxygen,presence of at least one type of end-organ damage,effects on liver enzymes,incidence of acute liver failure,effect on d-dimer levels,and incidence of venous thromboembolism(VTE).Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test was used to compare all primary and secondary outcomes with the exception of duration of hospital stay and d-dimer levels,which were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.Alpha criterion was set at 0.05.Logistic regression was performed for each primary outcome(as the dependent variable).Statistical analyses were performed using R software.RESULTS Of the 470 Liver transplant recipients who were tested for COVID-19 via the PCR test,39 patients tested positive(8.3%).There was no significant difference between cases and controls regarding death[odds ratio(OR):2.04,95%confidence interval(CI):0.14–29.17;P=0.60]and hospitalization rates(OR:1.38,95%CI:0.59–3.24;P=0.46).There also was no significant difference between cases and controls with respect to all secondary outcomes.Among all patients who had elevated liver enzymes,their levels were either normalized,improving,or remained stable at the time of discharge.No patient developed acute liver failure.Of the 31 hospitalized patients,27 received a prophylactic anticoagulation dose and no patient developed VTE in either group.Among cases who were hospitalized,immunosuppression was decreased in 5 patients and there was no change in immunosuppression among the remaining 7 patients.One patient died in each of these two subgroups.Logistic regression analysis was done,but all of the models had poor model predictions as well as insignificant predictors(independent variables).Therefore,they could not be used for either prediction or inference.CONCLUSION Clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in liver transplant recipients are not different than those without transplantation.COVID-19 should not impact timely health care access and immunosuppression continuation among these patients.

Burden and outcomes for complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease:Systematic review

AIM To systematically review the literature on epidemiology,disease burden, and treatment outcomes for Crohn's disease(CD) patients with complex perianal fistulas.METHODS PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane were searched for relevant articles(published 2000-November 2016) and congress abstracts(published 2011-November 2016).RESULTS Of 535 records reviewed, 62 relevant sources were identified(mostly small observational studies). The cumulative incidence of complex perianal fistulas in CD from two referral-centre studies was 12%-14%(follow-up time, 12 years in one study; not reported in the second study). Complex perianal fistulas result in greatly diminished quality of life; up to 59% of patients are at risk of faecal incontinence. Treatments include combinations of medical and surgical interventions and expanded allogeneic adipose-derived stem cells. High proportions of patients experience lack of or inadequate response to treatment(failure and relapse rates,respectively: medical, 12%-73% and 0%-41%; surgical:0%-100% and 11%.20%; combined medical/surgical:0%-80% and 0%-50%; stem cells: 29%-47% and not reported). Few studies(1 of infliximab; 3 of surgical interventions)have been conducted in treatment-refractory patients, a population with high unmet needs. Limited data exist on the clinical value of anti-tumour necrosis factor-α dose escalation in patients with complex perianal fistulas in CD.CONCLUSION Complex perianal fistulas in CD pose substantial clinical and humanistic burden. There is a need for effective treatments, especially for patients refractory to antitumour necrosis factor-α agents, as evidenced by high failure and relapse rates.

Short and long-term outcomes of endoscopic balloon dilatation for Crohn's disease strictures

AIM:To investigate the short and long-term outcomes of endoscopic balloon dilatation(EBD) for Crohn's disease(CD) strictures.METHODS:Between January 1995 and December 2011,47 EBD procedures were performed in 30 patients(8 females and 22 males) with CD.All patients had strictures through which an endoscope could not pass,and symptoms of these strictures included abdominal pain,abdominal fullness,nausea,and/or vomiting.The 47 strictures included 17 anastomotic and 30 de novo strictures.Endoscopy and dilatation were performed under conscious sedation with intravenous diazepam or flunitrazepam.The dilatations were all performed using through-the-scope balloons with diameters from 8 mm to 20 mm on inflation and lengths of 30-80 mm.Each dilatation session consisted of two to four,3-min multistep inflations of the balloon,repeated at intervals of 1 wk until adequate dilatation(up to 15-20 mm in diameter) was achieved.The follow-up data were collected from medical records and analyzed retrospectively.Primary success was defined as passage of the scope through the stricture after EBD.Longterm outcomes were analyzed focusing on interventionfree survival and surgery-free survival demonstrated by the Kaplan-Meier method.(Intervention-free meant cases in which neither endoscopic balloon re-dilatation nor surgery was needed after the first dilatation during the observation period).The log rank test was used to evaluate the difference in long-term outcomes between anastomotic and de novo stricture cases.RESULTS:Primary success was achieved in 44 of the 47 strictures(93.6%).Balloon dilatations failed in 3 cases(6.4%).In 1 case,EBD was a technical failure because the guide-wire could not be passed through the stricture which showed severe adhesion and was a flexural lesion of the intestine.In 2 cases,unexpected perforations occurred immediately after balloon dilatation.Of the 47 treatments,complications occurred in 5(10.6%).All 5 patients had de novo strictures.One suffered bleeding,two high fever and there were colorectal perforations.One of the patients with a colorectal perforation was treated surgically,the other was managed conservatively.These 2 cases correspond to the two aforementioned EBD failures.Long-term outcomes were evaluated for the 44 successfully-treated strictures after a median follow-up of 26 mo(range,2-172 mo).During the observation period,re-strictures after EBDs occurred in 26 cases(60.5%).Fourteen of these 26 re-stricture cases underwent EBD again,but in two EBD failed and surgery was ultimately performed in both cases.Twelve of the 26 re-stricture cases were initially treated surgically when the re-strictures occurred.Finally,30 of the 47 strictures(63.8%) were successfully managed with EBD,allowing surgery to be avoided.Intervention-free survival evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method was 75% at 12 mo,58% at 24 mo,and 43% at 36 mo.There was no significant difference between the anastomotic strictures(n = 16) and de novo strictures(n = 28) in the intervention-free survival as evaluated by the log-rank test.Surgery-free survival evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method was 90% at 12 mo,75% at 24 mo,and 53% at 36 mo.The 16 anastomotic strictures were associated with significantly better surgery-free survivals than the 28 de novo strictures(log-rank test:P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:Anastomotic strictures were associated with better long-term outcomes than de novo strictures,indicating that stricture type might be useful for predicting the long-term outcomes of EBD.

Outcomes and patients' perspectives of transition from paediatric to adult care in inflammatory bowel disease

AIM: To describe the disease and psychosocial outcomes of an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) transition cohort and their perspectives.METHODS: Patients with IBD, aged &#x0003e; 18 years, who had moved from paediatric to adult care within 10 years were identified through IBD databases at three tertiary hospitals. Participants were surveyed regarding demographic and disease specific data and their perspectives on the transition process. Survey response data were compared to contemporaneously recorded information in paediatric service case notes. Data were compared to a similar age cohort who had never received paediatric IBD care and therefore who had not undergone a transition process.RESULTS: There were 81 returned surveys from 46 transition and 35 non-transition patients. No statistically significant differences were found in disease burden, disease outcomes or adult roles and responsibilities between cohorts. Despite a high prevalence of mood disturbance (35%), there was a very low usage (5%) of psychological services in both cohorts. In the transition cohort, knowledge of their transition plan was reported by only 25/46 patients and the majority (54%) felt they were not strongly prepared. A high rate (78%) of discussion about work/study plans was recorded prior to transition, but a near complete absence of discussion regarding sex (8%), and other adult issues was recorded. Both cohorts agreed that their preferred method of future transition practices (of the options offered) was a shared clinic appointment with all key stakeholders.CONCLUSION: Transition did not appear to adversely affect disease or psychosocial outcomes. Current transition care processes could be optimised, with better psychosocial preparation and agreed transition plans.

Kidney transplantation in older recipients:Preemptive high KDPI kidney vs lower KDPI kidney after varying dialysis vintage

AIM To evaluate the outcomes of transplanting marginal kidneys preemptively compared to better-quality kidneys after varying dialysis vintage in older recipients.METHODS Using OPTN/United Network for Organ Sharing database from 2001-2015, we identified deceased donor kidney(DDK) transplant recipients > 60 years of age who either underwent preemptive transplantation of kidneys with kidney donor profile index(KDPI) ≥ 85%(marginal kidneys) or received kidneys with KDPI of 35%-84%(better quality kidneys that older wait-listed patients would likely receive if waited longer) after being on dialysis for either 1-4 or 4-8 years. Using a multivariate Cox model adjusting for donor, recipient and transplant related factors-overall and death-censored graft failure risks along with patient death risk of preemptive transplant recipients were compared to transplant recipients in the 1-4 and 4-8 year dialysis vintage groups.RESUTLS The median follow up for the whole group was 37 mo(interquartile range of 57 mo). A total of 6110 DDK transplant recipients above the age of 60 years identified during the study period were found to be eligible to be included in the analysis. Among these patients350 received preemptive transplantation of kidneys with KDPI ≥ 85. The remaining patients underwent transplantation of better quality kidneys with KDPI 35-84% after being on maintenance dialysis for either 1-4 years(n = 3300) or 4-8 years(n = 2460). Adjusted overall graft failure risk and death-censored graft failure risk in preemptive high KDPI kidney recipients were similar when compared to group that received lower KDPI kidney after being on maintenance dialysis for either 1-4 years(HR 1.01, 95%CI: 0.90-1.14, P = 0.84 and HR 0.96, 95%CI: 0.79-1.16, P = 0.66 respectively) or 4-8 years(HR 0.82, 95%CI: 0.63-1.07, P = 0.15 and HR 0.81, 95%CI: 0.52-1.25, P = 0.33 respectively). Adjusted patient death risk in preemptive high KDPI kidney recipients were similar when compared to groups that received lower KDPI kidney after being on maintenance dialysis for 1-4 years(HR 0.99, 95%CI: 0.87-1.12, P = 0.89) but lower compared to patients who were on dialysis for 4-8 years(HR 0.74, 95%CI: 0.56-0.98, P = 0.037).CONCLUSION In summary, our study supports accepting a "marginal" quality high KDPI kidney preemptively in older waitlisted patients thus avoiding dialysis exposure.

Family history and disease outcomes in patients with Crohn's disease:A comparison between China and the United States

AIM To investigate the differences in family history of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) and clinical outcomes among individuals with Crohn's disease(CD) residing in China and the United States.METHODS We performed a survey-based cross-sectional study of participants with CD recruited from China and the United States.We compared the prevalence of IBD family history and history of ileal involvement,CD-related surgeries and IBD medications in China and the United States,adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTS We recruited 49 participants from China and 145 from the United States.The prevalence of family history of IBD was significantly lower in China compared with the United States(China:4.1%,United States:39.3%).The three most commonly affected types of relatives were cousin,sibling,and parent in the United States compared with child and sibling in China.Ileal involvement(China:63.3%,United States:63.5%) and surgery for CD(China:51.0%,United States:49.7%) were nearly equivalent in the two countries.CONCLUSION The lower prevalence of familial clustering of IBD in China may suggest that the etiology of CD is less attributed to genetic background or a family-shared environment compared with the United States.Despite the potential difference in etiology,surgery and ileal involvement were similar in the two countries.Examining the changes in family history during the continuing rise in IBD may provide further insight into the etiology of CD.

Infliximab trough level combined with inflammatory biomarkers predict long-term endoscopic outcomes in Crohn’s disease under infliximab therapy

BACKGROUND Infliximab trough level(ITL)severely affects therapeutic outcomes of Crohn’s disease(CD)patients under infliximab(IFX).Recently,frontier research has focused on identifying ITL based on different therapeutic targets.Although previous studies have elaborated clinical value of ITL monitoring on short-term outcomes in CD patients during therapy,studies contraposing the predictive value of ITL on long-term endoscopic outcomes in CD patients are still scarce domestically and overseas.AIM To explore the predictive value of ITL in combination with inflammatory biomarkers on long-term endoscopic outcomes in CD with clinical remission during IFX maintenance therapy.METHODS CD patients with endoscopic remission under long-term IFX maintenance therapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University from January 2012 to December 2020 were collected.ITL and inflammatory biomarkers were continuously monitored during the therapy.The Step I study was conducted from weeks 14 to 54 of IFX treatment.The Step II study was conducted from weeks 54 to 108 of IFX treatment.Endoscopic outcomes were defined as endoscopic activity(Crohn’s disease endoscopic index of severity score>2 points or Rutgeerts score>i1)and endoscopic remission(Crohn’s disease endoscopic index of severity score≤2 points or Rutgeerts≤i1).Endoscopic relapse free survival was defined as endoscopic remission at the beginning of the study stage and maintaining endoscopic remission during the study stage.RESULTS At week 14,low ITL[odds ratio(OR)=0.666,95%confidence interval(CI):0.514-0.862,P<0.01]and high fecal calprotectin(FCP)level(OR=1.002,95%CI:1.001-1.004,P<0.01)increased the risk of endoscopic activity at week 54.At week 54,low ITL(OR=0.466,95%CI:0.247-0.877,P<0.01)and high C-reactive protein(CRP)level(OR=1.590,95%CI:1.007-2.510,P<0.01)increased the risk of endoscopic activity at week 108.At week 14,ITL≤5.60μg/mL[area under the curve(AUC)=0.83,95%CI:0.73-0.90,P<0.001]and FCP>238μg/g(AUC=0.82,95%CI:0.72-0.89,P<0.001)moderately predicted endoscopic activity at week 54.ITL≤5.60μg/mL in combination with FCP>238μg/g indicated 82.0%possibility of endoscopic activity.At week 54,ITL≤2.10μg/mL(AUC=0.85,95%CI:0.72-0.93,P<0.001)and CRP>3.00 mg/L(AUC=0.73,95%CI:0.60-0.84,P=0.012)moderately predicted moderate endoscopic activity at week 108.ITL≤2.10μg/mL in combination with CRP>3.00 mg/L indicated 100.0%possibility of endoscopic activity.From weeks 14 to 54 of IFX treatment,patients with ITL>5.60μg/mL had higher rate of endoscopic relapse free survival than those with ITL≤5.60μg/mL(95.83%vs 46.67%).From weeks 54 to 108 of IFX treatment,patients with ITL>2.10μg/mL had higher rate of endoscopic survival free relapsed rate than those with ITL≤2.10μg/mL(92.68%vs 30.77%).CONCLUSION Combination of ITL,CRP,and FCP contribute to long-term endoscopic prognosis monitoring.During IFX maintenance treatment,low ITL,high CRP level,and high FCP level were independent risk factors of CD patients with clinical remission in adverse endoscopy outcomes within 1-year follow-up.

Clinical Utilization of Nursing Process in Improving Patient’s Outcome and Its Associated Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study among Nurses and Midwives Working at Njombe Regional Referral Hospital, Tanzania

Background: Improvement of patient care in any hospital depends primarily on the quality of nursing care. Nursing care is enhanced by the nursing process, which outlines the nursing activities to be provided for a patient. Methods and Materials: A cross sectional design employing quantitative methods was conducted in Njombe RRH in December 2021. Quantitative data were collected from nurses and midwives from all wards by simple random sampling techniques using a sample-size calculator. SPSS version 26.0 was used to analyse data whereby a p-value of 0.05 was considered a decision mark for the significance of the result;Chi-square and Logistic regression respectively were used to find out the association and its strength between variables. Result: Majority of the respondents, 41 (85.4%), had inadequate knowledge and 33 (68.8%) found them people with a negative attitude to the nursing process. Significantly, there is an association between knowledge and clinical utilization (AOR 2.24;95% CI: 1.6 - 2.5;P 0.04), attitude and clinical utilization (AOR 4.32;95% CI: 1.8 - 3.7;P Conclusion: A knowledge gap in relation to the utilization of the nursing process and a negative attitude were noted to be associated significantly with the utilization of the nursing process among nurses and midwives. It is recommended on-job training, supportive supervision, and Value Clarification and Attitude Transformation (VCAT) are the best interventions to address the knowledge gap and negative attitudes respectively.

Appendectomy for Appendicitis Has Worse Hospital Outcomes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

Background and Aims: Appendectomy is the choice of surgery for appendicitis but little is known about its outcomes in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). We sought to compare hospital outcomes of appendectomy for appendicitis between patients with and without IBD. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study utilizing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between 2009 and 2013. Patients with appendicitis undergoing appendectomy were identified using appropriate International Classification of Diseases codes. Primary outcomes of interest included length of stay (LOS), hospital costs, and post-surgical complications. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare these outcomes between patients with and without IBD. Results: A total of 849,312 patients with appendicitis undergoing appendectomy were included in this study, of which 4261 patients had IBD. IBD patients had longer LOS and increased hospital costs. Crohn’s disease (CD) patients were more likely to develop post-operative pulmonary embolism (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 7.06, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) (2.19, 22.79)) and anemia (aOR 2.23, 95% CI (1.21, 4.10)), whereas ulcerative colitis patients were more likely to develop post-operative deep vein thrombosis (aOR 9.79, 95% CI (2.41, 39.75)). CD patients were more likely to have perforated ap-pendicitis (aOR 1.37, 95% CI (1.67, 1.11)) and open appendectomy (aOR 1.56, 95% CI (1.96, 1.27)). Conclusions: Appendectomy for appendicitis in IBD patients is associated with adverse hospital outcomes. Focused attempts are needed to decrease the risk of DVT and PE in these patients. Treating patient’s pre-surgical anemia and proactive venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in IBD patients undergoing appendectomy for appendicitis might improve hos-pital outcomes.

Effect of maternal alcohol consumption on gestational diabetes detection and mother-infant’s outcomes in Kinshasa, DR Congo

Objectives: Since it has been suggested that moderate alcohol drinking would increase insulin sensitivity, which could benefit Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), the study aimed at evaluating alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and seeing whether this consumption influences GDM detection and maternal/perinatal outcomes. Study design: Women with already known diabetes and those with multiple pregnancy were excluded. All other pregnant women attending antenatal care unit of the university clinics, Kinshasa, DR Congo during the period from 1 March throughout 31 October 2010, were invited at 24-week gestation to enroll in O’Sullivan blood glucose testing and if eligible in 100-gram oral glucose tolerance test. Alcohol consumption, risk factors for GDM, and general characteristics such as age, parity, gestity, BMI, fat mass were registered. Diagnosed GDM was first treated with diet and exercise, thereafter with Metformin, and if necessary with insulin. For other (normal) women data remained blinded until confinement. Maternal and infant’s adverse outcomes such as maternal urinary infection, preeclampsia, cesarean section, intrauterine growth retardation, birth weight percentile 90 in our milieu), Apgar score at the first minute < 7, shoulder dystocia or other birth injury, neonatal hypoglycemia and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) were compared and analyzed according to GDM diagnosis as well to alcohol status. Results: Up to 240 pregnant women accepted to enroll into the study. Alcohol consumption concerned 78 (32.5%) of the women, most of them (61 = 25.42%) being heavy consumers. Risk factors for GDM and Physical and blood glucose characteristics were alike (p not significant) in both consumers and non consumers, except for history of HTA in the family that was significantly more frequent (p = 0.02) among drinkers. GDM’s prevalence was 9%. No adverse outcome was more prominent in any subgroup, except Apgar score < 7 at the first minute that was more frequent (p = 0.038) among neonates of GDM mothers. No FAS, neither shoulder dystocia nor neonatal hypoglycemia were diagnosed. When alcohol status was considered, Birthweight ≥ 3800 g was found more frequent (p = 0.0284) in alcohol consumers than in abstainers. Risk of this outcome was three times higher when history of family hypertension was present (odds ratio 2.694;CI: 0.536 - 13.544). Conclusions: The prevalence of alcohol consumption by pregnant women of our series (32.5%) seems not to impact the detection of GDM (9%). FAS was not diagnosed. Lack of significant differences in adverse outcomes between GDM and non GDM could be attributed to huge follow-up of GDM women. Influence of alcohol consumption on birth weight mostly in setting of familial history of hypertension remains to be addressed.

Cesarean Sections according to the Robson’s Classification in Two University Hospitals of Yaoundé: Indications and Maternofetal Outcome

Introduction: Cesarean section is a surgical intervention which consists in the extraction of a fetus from the uterus after its incision. The rate of cesarean section varies depending on the country and the health facility. For this reason, in 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the use of Robson’s classification to evaluate the practice of cesarean sections in order to identify the groups of women who had abnormally high rates. The objective of our study was to evaluate cesarean sections using the Robson’s classification in CHRACERH and in the Yaoundé Central Hospital (YCH). Methodology: We carried out a retrospective cross sectional and descriptive study in two (02) university hospitals in Yaoundé which took place from December 2017 to May 2018. We included in our study all women who gave birth over a period of two (02) years from January 2016 to December 2017 in these two health facilities. Our sampling was exhaustive over the study period. The parturients’ information was collected using an anonymous and pretested questionnaire. The Robson’s group of every parturient was determined. Descriptive parameters like mean and proportions were calculated. We compared the rates and indications of cesarean sections between the both hospitals using Chi2 test. Results: Out of 330 deliveries realized in CHRACERH, we had 90 cesarean sections;hence, a rate of 27.2%. Out of 1863 deliveries carried out at the YCH, 462 were by cesarean section, hence a rate of 24.8%. The women who belonged to groups 1, 3 and 5 contributed to the highest rates of cesarean sections in both hospitals: in CHRACERH, group 5 (31.1%), group 3 (20%) and group 1 (15.6%), at YCH: group 3 (22.5%), group 1 (21.6%) and group 5 (17.3%). The indications of the cesarean sections varied depending on the Robson’s group and the hospital, the principal indication in group 1 was acute fetal distress (28.6%) in CHRACERH and cephalopelvic disproportion (36.7%) at YCH. Cephalopelvic disproportion was the predominant indication in groups 3 of CHRACERH (44.4%) and YCH (39.2%). In groups 5, CHRACERH and of YCH, a scarred uterus was the principal indication for the cesarean section at 82.4% and 78.4% respectively. At CHRACERH, the maternofetal complications were more frequent in groups 1 and 2 at the YCH, this was the case mostly in groups 1 and 3. Conclusion: The Robson’s classification is an adequate tool for the evaluation and comparison of the rates of cesarean sections. The rates of cesarean section in CHRACERH (27.2%) and at YCH (24.8%) were higher than the rates recommended by WHO. Robson’s groups 1, 3 and 5 were identified as the groups most at risk for cesarean sections in the both hospitals.

Five-Year Outcomes of Bilateral Subthalamic Nucleus Stimulation in Japanese Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is widely performed for medically refractory Parkinson’s disease (PD). Several western studies have examined the long-term outcomes of STN DBS. However, the long-term outcomes in Japanese patients have not been reported. Methods: We studied the long-term outcomes of STN DBS in Japanese patients with PD. Fifty-five consecutive patients treated with bilateral STN DBS were followed for 5 years after surgery. Each patient underwent Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale assessments preoperatively and 1 and 5 years after surgery. Results: Twelve patients (22%) were lost to follow up within 5 years. Among them, 7 died and 5 became bed ridden because of PD deterioration. In the 43 patients followed for 5 years, STN DBS significantly improved motor function. The cardinal motor symptoms of tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia in medication-on periods were significantly better than baseline 5 years after DBS. However, axial motor symptoms of speech, gait and postural stability gradually deteriorated and significantly worsened 5 years after DBS. Motor complications, including dyskinesia and motor fluctuations, significantly improved after DBS with a marked reduction in dopaminergic medication. These effects were maintained 5 years after DBS. Frequently, persisting adverse effects included apraxia of eyelid opening and dysarthria. Conclusions: STN DBS significantly improved motor symptoms in patients with advanced PD. These effects were maintained over 5 years in most patients. However, some showed rapid PD progression even after STN DBS. Other treatments for the axial symptoms and disease progression are needed in long-term PD treatment.

Diagnostic delay in inflammatory bowel disease:Current situation and problems

In this article,we comment on the article by Blüthner et al published recently.Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD),including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease,is a chronic relapsing and remitting condition primarily as a consequence of intestinal inflammation.It is important about adopting early and effective treatment to control clinical symptoms of IBD patients.Diagnostic delay can lead to adverse clinical outcomes and increase disease burden.Diagnostic delay is multifactorial.There are some factors related to diagnostic delay,such as patient factors and healthcare factors.We focus on the diagnostic tools for IBD,the outcomes and factors of diagnostic delay of IBD.

Can serious postoperative complications in patients with Crohn’s disease be predicted using machine learning?

The routine introduction of novel anti-inflammatory therapies into the mana-gement algorithms of patients with Crohn’s disease over the last 2 decades has not substantially changed the likelihood of ultimate surgery.Rather it has delayed the operative need and altered the presentation phenotype.The prospect of complic-ations continues to remain high in this modern era but depending upon the cohort assessed,it remains difficult to make strict comparisons between individual spe-cialist centres.Those patients who present rather late after their diagnosis with a septic complication like an intra-abdominal abscess and a penetrating/fistulizing pattern of disease are more likely to have a complicated course particularly if they have clinical features such as difficult percutaneous access to the collection or multilocularity both of which can make preoperative drainage unsuccessful.Eq-ually,those cases with extensive adhesions where an initial laparoscopic approach needs open conversion and where there is an extended operative time,unsur-prisingly will suffer more significant complications that impact their length of hospital stay.The need for a protective stoma also introduces its own derivative costs,utilizing a range of health resources as well as resulting in important alte-rations in quality of life outcomes.Having established the parameters of the pro-blem can the statistical analysis of the available data identify high-risk cases,promote the notion of centralization of specialist services or improve the allo-cation of disease-specific health expenditure?

Evaluating twenty-years of follow-up after orthotopic liver transplantation, best practice for donor-recipient matching: What can we learn from the past era?

AIM To characterize major determinants of 20-year survival after liver transplantation(LT).METHODS This longitudinal single-institution study includes 313 consecutive patients who received a LT between 1988 and 1992. Pretransplant clinical characteristics and laboratory values were assessed and compared between 20-year survivors and non-survivors. Particular attention was paid to the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease(labM ELD)-score and the Eurotransplant Donor Risk Index(ET-DRI) to unravel their impact on 20-year survival after LT.RESULTS Twenty-year survivors were significantly younger(44 vs 50 years, P = 0.001), more likely to be female(49% vs 36%, P = 0.03) and less likely to be obese at the time of LT(19% vs 32%, P = 0.011). Mean labM ELD-score(P = 0.156), rate of high-urgency LT(P = 0.210), coldischemia time(P = 0.994), rate of retransplantation(P = 0.12) and average donor age(28 vs 33 years, P = 0.099) were not statistically different. The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate was higher among survivors(P = 0.007). ET-DRI > 1.4(P = 0.020) and donor age ≥ 30 years(P < 0.022) had significant influence on 20-year survival. The overall survival was not significantly impacted by labM ELD-score categories(P = 0.263).CONCLUSION LT offers excellent long-term results in case of optimal donor and recipient conditions. However, mainly due to the current organ shortage, these ideal circumstances are rarely given; thus algorithms for donor-recipient matching need to be refined, in order to enable a maximum benefit for the recipients of high quality as well as marginal organs.

Comprehensive effects of traditional Chinese medicine treatment on heart failure and changes in B-type natriuretic peptide levels: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Heart failure(HF),a common cardiovascular condition,is characterized by significant morbidity and mortality.While traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is often used as a complementary approach in HF management,systematic evalua-tions of its impact on clinical outcomes,TCM syndrome scores,and B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP)levels are lacking.This study fills this gap through a comprehensive analysis of randomized controlled trials(RCTs)focusing on TCM for HF treatment.It encompasses an assessment of methodological quality,a meta-analysis,and an evaluation of evidence quality based on established standards.The results offer crucial insights into the potential advantages and constraints of TCM in HF management.RCTs on TCM for HF treatment published since the establishment of the database were searched in four Chinese and English databases,including China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang,VIP Information Chinese Science and Technology Journal,and PubMed.Methodological quality was assessed for the included studies with the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool,and the meta-analysis and publication bias assessment was performed with the RevMan5.3 software.Finally,the quality of evidence was rated according to the GRADE criteria.RESULTS A total of 1098 RCTs were initially retrieved.After screening,16 RCTs were finally included in our study,which were published between 2020 and 2023.These RCTs involved 1660 HF patients,including 832 in the TCM group[TCM combined with conventional Western medicine(CMW)treatment]and 828 in the CWM group(CWM treatment).The course of treatments varied from 1 wk to 3 months.TCM syndrome differentiation was analyzed in 11 of the included RCTs.In all included RCTs,outcome indicators included comprehensive clinical outcomes,TCM syndrome scores,and BNP levels.The meta-analysis results showed significant differences between the TCM and CWM groups in terms of comprehensive clinical outcomes[risk ratio=-0.54;95%confidence interval(CI)=-0.61,-0.47;P<0.00001],TCM syndrome scores[weighted mean difference(WMD)=-142.07;95%CI=-147.56,-136.57;P<0.00001],and BNP levels(WMD=-142.07;95%CI=-147.56,-136.57;P<0.00001).According to the GRADE criteria,RCTs where"TCM improves clinical comprehensive outcomes"were rated as low-quality evidence,and RCTs where"TCM reduces TCM syndrome scores"or"TCM decreases BNP levels"were rated as medium-quality evidence.CONCLUSION TCM combined with CWM treatment effectively improves comprehensive clinical outcomes and diminishes TCM syndrome scores and BNP levels in HF patients.Given the low and medium quality of the included RCTs,the application of these results should be cautious.

Do inflammatory bowel disease patient preferences from treatment outcomes differ by ethnicity and gender?A cross-sectional observational study

BACKGROUND Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)patients’expectations of treatment outcomes may differ by ethnicity.AIM To investigate treatment preferences of Jewish and Arabs patients.METHODS This prospective survey ranked outcomes treatment preferences among Arab IBD patients,based on the 10 IBD-disk items compared to historical data of Jews.An anonymous questionnaire in either Arabic or Hebrew was distributed among IBD patients.Patients were required to rank 10 statements describing different aspects of IBD according to their importance to the patients as treatment goals.Answers were compared to the answers of a historical group of Jewish patients.RESULTS IBD-disk items of 121 Arabs were compared to 240 Jewish patients.The Jewish patients included more females,[151(62.9%)vs 52(43.3%);P<0.001],higher education level(P=0.02),more urban residence[188(78.3%)vs 54(45.4%);P<0.001],less unemployment[52(21.7%)vs 41(33.9%);P=0.012],higher income level(P<0.001),and more in a partnership[162(67.8%)vs 55(45.4%);P<0.001].Expectations regarding disease symptoms:abdominal pain,energy,and regular defecation ranked highest for both groups.Arabs gave significantly lower rankings(range 4.29-6.69)than Jewish patients(range 6.25-9.03)regarding all items,except for body image.Compared to Arab women,Jewish women attached higher priority to abdominal pain,energy,education/work,sleep,and joint pain.Multivariable regression analysis revealed that higher patient preferences were associated with Jewish ethnicity(OR 4.77;95%CI 2.36-9.61,P<0.001)and disease activity.The more active the disease,the greater the odds ratio for higher ranking of the questionnaire items(1-2 attacks per year:OR 2.13;95%CI 1.02-4.45,P=0.043;and primarily active disease:OR 5.29;95%CI 2.30-12.18,P<0.001).Factors inversely associated with higher patient preference were male gender(OR 0.5;95%CI 0.271-0.935,P=0.030),UC(OR 0.444;95%CI 0.241-0.819,P=0.009),and above average income level(OR 0.267;95%CI:0.124-0.577,P=0.001).CONCLUSION The highest priority for treatment outcomes was symptom relief.,Patients preferences were impacted by ethnicity,gender,and socio-economic disparity.Understanding patients'priorities may improve communication and enable a personalized approach.