BACKGROUND Pharmacogenomics(PG)testing is under-utilised in Australia.Our research provides Australia-specific data on the perspectives of patients who have had PG testing and those of the clinicians involved in their...BACKGROUND Pharmacogenomics(PG)testing is under-utilised in Australia.Our research provides Australia-specific data on the perspectives of patients who have had PG testing and those of the clinicians involved in their care,with the aim to inform wider adoption of PG into routine clinical practice.AIM To investigate the frequency of actionable drug gene interactions and assess the perceived utility of PG among patients and clinicians.METHODS We conducted a retrospective audit of PG undertaken by 100 patients at an Australian public hospital genetics service from 2018 to 2021.Via electronic surveys we compared and contrasted the experience,understanding and usage of results between these patients and their clinicians.RESULTS Of 100 patients who had PG,84% were taking prescription medications,of which 67% were taking medications with actionable drug-gene interactions.Twenty-five out of 81 invited patients and 17 out of 89 invited clinicians completed the surveys.Sixty-eight percent of patients understood their PG results and 48% had medications changed following testing.Paired patient-clinician surveys showed patient-perceived utility and experience was positive,contrasting their clinicians’hesitancy on PG adoption who identified insufficient education/training,lack of clinical support,test turnaround time and cost as barriers to adoption.CONCLUSION Our dichotomous findings between the perspectives of our patient and clinician cohorts suggest the uptake of PG is likely to be driven by patients and clinicians need to be prepared to provide information and guidance to their patients.展开更多
Background:Much has been written about the loss to follow-up in the transition between pediatric and adult Congenital Heart Disease(CHD)care centers.Much less is understood about the loss to follow-up(LTF)after a succ...Background:Much has been written about the loss to follow-up in the transition between pediatric and adult Congenital Heart Disease(CHD)care centers.Much less is understood about the loss to follow-up(LTF)after a successful transition.This is critical too,as patients lost to specialised care are more likely to experience mor-bidity and premature mortality.Aims:To understand the prevalence and reasons for loss to follow-up(LTF)at a large Australian Adult Congenital Heart Disease(ACHD)centre.Methods:Patients with moderate or highly complex CHD and gaps in care of>3 years(defined as LTF)were identified from a comprehensive ACHD data-base.Structured telephone interviews examined current care and barriers to clinic attendance.Results:Overall,407(22%)of ACHD patients(n=1842)were LTF.The mean age at LTF was 31(SD 11.5)years and 54%were male;311(76%)were uncontactable.Compared to adults seen regularly,lost patients were younger,with a greater socio-economic disadvantage,and had less complex CHD(p<0.05 for all).We interviewed 59 patients(14%).The top 3 responses for care absences were“feeling well”(61%),losing track of time(36%),and not needing fol-low-up care(25%).Conclusions:A large proportion of the ACHD population becomes lost to specialised cardiac care,even after a successful transition.This Australian study reports younger age,moderate complexity defects,and socio-economic disadvantage as predictive of loss to follow-up.This study highlights the need for novel approaches to patient-centered service delivery even beyond the age of transition and resources to maintain patient engagement within the ACHD service.展开更多
In this editorial we comment on the article by Pacheco et al published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.We focus specifically on the burden of illness associated with perianal fistulizing Cr...In this editorial we comment on the article by Pacheco et al published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.We focus specifically on the burden of illness associated with perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease(PFCD)and the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the management of this condition.Evol-ving evidence has shifted the diagnostic framework for PFCD from anatomical classification systems,to one that is more nuanced and patient-focused to drive ongoing decision making.This editorial aims to reflect on these aspects to help clinicians face the challenge of PFCD in day-to-day clinical practice.展开更多
Background A medical content-based image retrieval(CBIR)system is designed to retrieve images from large imaging repositories that are visually similar to a user′s query image.CBIR is widely used in evidence-based di...Background A medical content-based image retrieval(CBIR)system is designed to retrieve images from large imaging repositories that are visually similar to a user′s query image.CBIR is widely used in evidence-based diagnosis,teaching,and research.Although the retrieval accuracy has largely improved,there has been limited development toward visualizing important image features that indicate the similarity of retrieved images.Despite the prevalence of 3D volumetric data in medical imaging such as computed tomography(CT),current CBIR systems still rely on 2D cross-sectional views for the visualization of retrieved images.Such 2D visualization requires users to browse through the image stacks to confirm the similarity of the retrieved images and often involves mental reconstruction of 3D information,including the size,shape,and spatial relations of multiple structures.This process is time-consuming and reliant on users'experience.Methods In this study,we proposed an importance-aware 3D volume visualization method.The rendering parameters were automatically optimized to maximize the visibility of important structures that were detected and prioritized in the retrieval process.We then integrated the proposed visualization into a CBIR system,thereby complementing the 2D cross-sectional views for relevance feedback and further analyses.Results Our preliminary results demonstrate that 3D visualization can provide additional information using multimodal positron emission tomography and computed tomography(PETCT)images of a non-small cell lung cancer dataset.展开更多
AIM: To calculate the proportion of potentially preventable hospitalizations due to peptic ulcer disease (PUD), erosive gastritis (EG) or duodenitis (ED).
Aim: To review the supporting evidence for protein requirements in hospitalised adults, and compare the findings with commonly-used guidelines and resources. Methods: a systematic review was conducted based on a compu...Aim: To review the supporting evidence for protein requirements in hospitalised adults, and compare the findings with commonly-used guidelines and resources. Methods: a systematic review was conducted based on a computerised bibliographic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL from 1950 to October 2011, as well as a citation review of relevant articles and guidelines. Studies were included if they were randomised clinical trials in hospitalised or chronically ill adults, comparing two or more different levels of protein intake. Information about study quality, setting, and findings was extracted using standardised protocols. Due to the heterogeneity of study characteristics, no meta-analysis was undertaken. Results: 116 papers were obtained in the search and 33 of these met all inclusion criteria. Five studies could not be obtained. The remainder reported outcome measures such as nitrogen balance, anthropometric measurements (including body weight, BMI, and mid-arm circumference), blood electrolyte levels and serum urea, which provide support for recommended protein intakes in various clinical conditions. The results were summarized and compared with current recommendations. Conclusion: high-level evidence to support current recommendations is lacking. The studies reviewed generally agreed with current guidelines and resources.展开更多
Objective:Sudden cardiac death(SCD)and malignant ventricular arrhythmia(VA)are increasingly recognized as important issues for people living with a Fontan circulation,but data are lacking.We sought to characterize the...Objective:Sudden cardiac death(SCD)and malignant ventricular arrhythmia(VA)are increasingly recognized as important issues for people living with a Fontan circulation,but data are lacking.We sought to characterize the cohort who had sudden cardiac death,most likely related to VA and/or documented VA in the Australia and New Zealand Fontan Registry including risk factors and clinical outcomes.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was performed.Inclusion criteria were documented non-sustained ventricular tachycardia,sustained ventricular tachycardia,ventricular fibrillation,resuscitated cardiac arrest or SCD>30 days post-Fontan completion.Results:Of 1611 patients,20(1.2%)had VA;14(1.0%)had VA without SCD and 6(<1%)had SCD(6%of all deaths recorded in Registry;5 of those had documented VA at the time of arrest and 1 was presumed to be VA-associated).The median age at first VA was 20.5(14–32)years,10(50%)were females,and the median age at Fontan operation was 8(4–17)years.On univariable analysis,hypoplastic left heart syndrome(p=0.03)and older age Fontan operation(p<0.001)were associated with VA.Earlier Fontan era(p<0.003),atriopulmonary Fontan(p<0.001),pre-Fontan atrioventricular valve repair(p=0.013)pre-or post-Fontan atrial arrhythmia(p=0.010)were associated with SCD.Patients with VA had a 3 times higher risk of death or heart transplant(HR 3.27(1.19,8.98),p=0.02).Conclusions:A proportion of people living with a Fontan circulation have malignant VA.Routine VA screening in this cohort is essential.More data are needed to aid risk stratification.展开更多
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, constituting 25% of all cancer diagnoses. Even though it is only affecting 4% - 6% of women under the age of 40, it remains the most...Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, constituting 25% of all cancer diagnoses. Even though it is only affecting 4% - 6% of women under the age of 40, it remains the most common malignancy among younger patients. Advancement in the treatment and earlier detection gives excellent 5 years of survival. However, the standard treatment that comprises surgical-chemo radiation therapy or hormonal treatment often results in an increased incidence of treatment-induced infertility. Therefore, adding fertility preservation to primary cancer treatment may offer the best opportunity for future fertility. However, despite advancements in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), the uptake of fertility services in this group remains low. In this review, we highlighted the effect of all breast cancer treatments on women’s fertility, the effectiveness and safety of ART in breast cancer patients as well as the safety of pregnancy in breast cancer survivors. Our aim is to improve awareness of fertility preservation for breast cancer to ensure all women diagnosed with breast cancer have multidisciplinary approaches with early referral to fertility specialists to discuss regarding potential risks and benefits of fertility preservation to improve the uptake of fertility preservation among this group of patients.展开更多
AIM:To report the incidence of non-small-bowel bleeding pathologies encountered during double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) procedures and to analyse their significance.METHODS: A retrospective study of a prospective DBE ...AIM:To report the incidence of non-small-bowel bleeding pathologies encountered during double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) procedures and to analyse their significance.METHODS: A retrospective study of a prospective DBE database conducted in a tertiary-referral center was conducted. A total of 179 patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) referred for DBE from June 2004 to November 2008 were analysed looking for the incidence of non-small-bowel lesions (NSBLs; all and newly diagnosed) encountered during DBE.RESULTS: There were 228 (150 antegrade and 78 retrograde) DBE procedures performed in 179 patients. The mean number of DBE procedures was 1.27 per patient. The mean age (SD) of the patients was 62 ± 16 years old. There were 94 females (52.5%). The positive yield for a bleeding lesion was 65.9%. Of the 179 patients, 44 (24.6%) had NSBLs (19 of them had dual pathology with small-bowel lesions and NSBLs); 27 (15.1%) had lesions not detected by previous endoscopies. The most common type of missed lesions were vascular lesions.CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of patients (24.6%) had lesions within reach of conventional endoscopy. Careful repeat examination with gastroscopy and colonoscopy might be required.展开更多
Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive neoplasm.The incidence of malignant mesothelioma is increasing worldwide.Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma(DMPM) represents one-fourth of all mesotheliomas.Associa...Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive neoplasm.The incidence of malignant mesothelioma is increasing worldwide.Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma(DMPM) represents one-fourth of all mesotheliomas.Association of asbestos exposure with DMPM has been observed,especially in males.The great majority of patients present with abdominal pain and distension,caused by accumulation of tumors and ascitic ? uid.In the past,DMPM was considered a pre-terminal condition;therefore attracted little attention.Patients invariably died from their disease within a year.Recently,several prospective trials have demonstrated a median survival of 40 to 90 mo and 5-year survival of 30% to 60% after combined treatment using cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy.This remarkable improvement in survival has prompted new search into the medical science related to DMPM,a disease previously ignored as uninteresting.This review article focuses on the key advances in the epidemiology,diagnosis,staging,treatments and prognosis of DMPM that have occurred in the past decade.展开更多
Perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy in combination with cytoreductive surgery has been shown to be of benefit for treating selected patients with peritoneal surface malignancy.It has become a new standard of ca...Perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy in combination with cytoreductive surgery has been shown to be of benefit for treating selected patients with peritoneal surface malignancy.It has become a new standard of care in the management of diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma and peritoneal dissemination of appendiceal malignancy.Numerous recent publications on carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer and gastric cancer identify groups of patients that would benef it from this local-regional approach for prevention and treatment of carcinomatosis.This review focuses on pharmacological information regarding intraperitoneal chemotherapeutic agents commonly used in gastrointestinal oncology.展开更多
Acute cardiomyocyte necrosis in the infarcted heart generates damage-associated molecular patterns, activating complement and toll-like receptor/interleukin-1 signaling, and triggering an intense inflammatory response...Acute cardiomyocyte necrosis in the infarcted heart generates damage-associated molecular patterns, activating complement and toll-like receptor/interleukin-1 signaling, and triggering an intense inflammatory response. Iuflammasomes also recognize danger signals and mediate sterile inflammatory response following acute myocardial infarction （AMI）, Inflammatory response serves to repair the heart, but excessive inflammation leads to adverse left ventricular remodeling and heart failure. In addition to local inflammation, profound systemic inflammation response has been documented in patients with AMI, which includes elevation of circulating inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and cell adhesion molecules, and activation of peripheral leukocytes and platelets. The excessive inflammatory response could be caused by a deregulated immune system. AMI is also associated with bone marrow activation and spleen monocytopoiesis, which sustains a continuous supply of monocytes at the site of inflammation. Accumulating evidence has shown that systemic inflammation aggravates atherosclerosis and markers for systemic inflammation are predictors of adverse clinical outcomes （such as death, recurrent myocardial in- farction, and heart failure） in patients with AMI.展开更多
The present analysis aims to investigate the prevalence of thyroid nodules in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) population.We searched PubMed,EMBASE,and Web of Science from inception to the March 1,2018.The studies were...The present analysis aims to investigate the prevalence of thyroid nodules in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) population.We searched PubMed,EMBASE,and Web of Science from inception to the March 1,2018.The studies were selected to estimate the prevalence of thyroid nodules in T2DM subjects and to compare the prevalence of thyroid nodules in different glucose tolerance status.The random effects model was used,and the outcome was presented as a pooled prevalence proportion with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) or a summary odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI.In the end,9 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis.The pooled prevalence of thyroid nodules was 60%(95% CI:0.52,0.68) for T2DM 2 diabetes patients,50%(95% CI:0.4& 0.51) for pre-diabetes,and 43%(95% CI:0.34,0.52) for normal glucose tolerance population.Compared with patients without diabetes,diabetes subjects are more likely to develop thyroid nodules,adjusted OR for thyroid nodule was 1.78 (95% CI:1.25,2.55).Insulin resistance might be involved in thyroid nodule development.展开更多
Major advances have been made over the last decade in our understanding of the molecular basis ofseveral cardiac conditions. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) was the first cardiac disorder in whicha genetic basis was...Major advances have been made over the last decade in our understanding of the molecular basis ofseveral cardiac conditions. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) was the first cardiac disorder in whicha genetic basis was identified and as such, has acted as a paradigm for the study of an inherited cardiacdisorder. HCM can result in clinical symptoms ranging from no symptoms to severe heart failure andpremature sudden death. HCM is the commonest cause of sudden death in those aged less than 35 years,including competitive athletes. At least ten genes have now been identified, defects in which cause HCM.All of these genes encode proteins which comprise the basic contractile unit of the heart, i.e. the sarcomere.While much is now known about which genes cause disease and the various clinical presentations, very littleis known about how these gene defects cause disease, and what factors modify the expression of the mutantgenes. Studies in both cell culture and animal models of HCM are now beginning to shed light on thesignalling pathways involved in HCM, and the role of both environmental and genetic modifying factors.Understanding these mechanisms will ultimately improve our knowledge of the basic biology of heart musclefunction, and will therefore provide new avenues for treating cardiovascular disease in man.展开更多
The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICI)in advanced cancer has been a major development in the last decade.The indications for ICIs are constantly expanding into new territory across different cancers,dise...The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICI)in advanced cancer has been a major development in the last decade.The indications for ICIs are constantly expanding into new territory across different cancers,disease stages and lines of therapy.With this increased use,adverse events including immune checkpoint inhibitor-related hepatotoxicity(ICH)have emerged as an important clinical problem.This along with the introduction of ICI as first-and second-line treatments for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma makes ICH very relevant to gastroenterologists and hepatologists.The incidence of ICH varies between 1%-20%depending on the number,type and dose of ICI received.Investigation and management generally involve excluding differential diagnoses and following a stepwise escalation of withholding or ceasing ICI,corticosteroid treatment and adding other immunosuppressive agents depending on the severity of toxicity.The majority of patients with ICH recover and some may even safely recommence ICI therapy.Guideline recommendations are largely based on evidence derived from retrospective case series which highlights a priority for future research.展开更多
基金Supported by Partially funded by St Vincent’s Health Australia Inclusive Health ProgramEarly Career Research Grant from Avant.
文摘BACKGROUND Pharmacogenomics(PG)testing is under-utilised in Australia.Our research provides Australia-specific data on the perspectives of patients who have had PG testing and those of the clinicians involved in their care,with the aim to inform wider adoption of PG into routine clinical practice.AIM To investigate the frequency of actionable drug gene interactions and assess the perceived utility of PG among patients and clinicians.METHODS We conducted a retrospective audit of PG undertaken by 100 patients at an Australian public hospital genetics service from 2018 to 2021.Via electronic surveys we compared and contrasted the experience,understanding and usage of results between these patients and their clinicians.RESULTS Of 100 patients who had PG,84% were taking prescription medications,of which 67% were taking medications with actionable drug-gene interactions.Twenty-five out of 81 invited patients and 17 out of 89 invited clinicians completed the surveys.Sixty-eight percent of patients understood their PG results and 48% had medications changed following testing.Paired patient-clinician surveys showed patient-perceived utility and experience was positive,contrasting their clinicians’hesitancy on PG adoption who identified insufficient education/training,lack of clinical support,test turnaround time and cost as barriers to adoption.CONCLUSION Our dichotomous findings between the perspectives of our patient and clinician cohorts suggest the uptake of PG is likely to be driven by patients and clinicians need to be prepared to provide information and guidance to their patients.
文摘Background:Much has been written about the loss to follow-up in the transition between pediatric and adult Congenital Heart Disease(CHD)care centers.Much less is understood about the loss to follow-up(LTF)after a successful transition.This is critical too,as patients lost to specialised care are more likely to experience mor-bidity and premature mortality.Aims:To understand the prevalence and reasons for loss to follow-up(LTF)at a large Australian Adult Congenital Heart Disease(ACHD)centre.Methods:Patients with moderate or highly complex CHD and gaps in care of>3 years(defined as LTF)were identified from a comprehensive ACHD data-base.Structured telephone interviews examined current care and barriers to clinic attendance.Results:Overall,407(22%)of ACHD patients(n=1842)were LTF.The mean age at LTF was 31(SD 11.5)years and 54%were male;311(76%)were uncontactable.Compared to adults seen regularly,lost patients were younger,with a greater socio-economic disadvantage,and had less complex CHD(p<0.05 for all).We interviewed 59 patients(14%).The top 3 responses for care absences were“feeling well”(61%),losing track of time(36%),and not needing fol-low-up care(25%).Conclusions:A large proportion of the ACHD population becomes lost to specialised cardiac care,even after a successful transition.This Australian study reports younger age,moderate complexity defects,and socio-economic disadvantage as predictive of loss to follow-up.This study highlights the need for novel approaches to patient-centered service delivery even beyond the age of transition and resources to maintain patient engagement within the ACHD service.
文摘In this editorial we comment on the article by Pacheco et al published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.We focus specifically on the burden of illness associated with perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease(PFCD)and the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the management of this condition.Evol-ving evidence has shifted the diagnostic framework for PFCD from anatomical classification systems,to one that is more nuanced and patient-focused to drive ongoing decision making.This editorial aims to reflect on these aspects to help clinicians face the challenge of PFCD in day-to-day clinical practice.
文摘Background A medical content-based image retrieval(CBIR)system is designed to retrieve images from large imaging repositories that are visually similar to a user′s query image.CBIR is widely used in evidence-based diagnosis,teaching,and research.Although the retrieval accuracy has largely improved,there has been limited development toward visualizing important image features that indicate the similarity of retrieved images.Despite the prevalence of 3D volumetric data in medical imaging such as computed tomography(CT),current CBIR systems still rely on 2D cross-sectional views for the visualization of retrieved images.Such 2D visualization requires users to browse through the image stacks to confirm the similarity of the retrieved images and often involves mental reconstruction of 3D information,including the size,shape,and spatial relations of multiple structures.This process is time-consuming and reliant on users'experience.Methods In this study,we proposed an importance-aware 3D volume visualization method.The rendering parameters were automatically optimized to maximize the visibility of important structures that were detected and prioritized in the retrieval process.We then integrated the proposed visualization into a CBIR system,thereby complementing the 2D cross-sectional views for relevance feedback and further analyses.Results Our preliminary results demonstrate that 3D visualization can provide additional information using multimodal positron emission tomography and computed tomography(PETCT)images of a non-small cell lung cancer dataset.
文摘AIM: To calculate the proportion of potentially preventable hospitalizations due to peptic ulcer disease (PUD), erosive gastritis (EG) or duodenitis (ED).
文摘Aim: To review the supporting evidence for protein requirements in hospitalised adults, and compare the findings with commonly-used guidelines and resources. Methods: a systematic review was conducted based on a computerised bibliographic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL from 1950 to October 2011, as well as a citation review of relevant articles and guidelines. Studies were included if they were randomised clinical trials in hospitalised or chronically ill adults, comparing two or more different levels of protein intake. Information about study quality, setting, and findings was extracted using standardised protocols. Due to the heterogeneity of study characteristics, no meta-analysis was undertaken. Results: 116 papers were obtained in the search and 33 of these met all inclusion criteria. Five studies could not be obtained. The remainder reported outcome measures such as nitrogen balance, anthropometric measurements (including body weight, BMI, and mid-arm circumference), blood electrolyte levels and serum urea, which provide support for recommended protein intakes in various clinical conditions. The results were summarized and compared with current recommendations. Conclusion: high-level evidence to support current recommendations is lacking. The studies reviewed generally agreed with current guidelines and resources.
文摘Objective:Sudden cardiac death(SCD)and malignant ventricular arrhythmia(VA)are increasingly recognized as important issues for people living with a Fontan circulation,but data are lacking.We sought to characterize the cohort who had sudden cardiac death,most likely related to VA and/or documented VA in the Australia and New Zealand Fontan Registry including risk factors and clinical outcomes.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was performed.Inclusion criteria were documented non-sustained ventricular tachycardia,sustained ventricular tachycardia,ventricular fibrillation,resuscitated cardiac arrest or SCD>30 days post-Fontan completion.Results:Of 1611 patients,20(1.2%)had VA;14(1.0%)had VA without SCD and 6(<1%)had SCD(6%of all deaths recorded in Registry;5 of those had documented VA at the time of arrest and 1 was presumed to be VA-associated).The median age at first VA was 20.5(14–32)years,10(50%)were females,and the median age at Fontan operation was 8(4–17)years.On univariable analysis,hypoplastic left heart syndrome(p=0.03)and older age Fontan operation(p<0.001)were associated with VA.Earlier Fontan era(p<0.003),atriopulmonary Fontan(p<0.001),pre-Fontan atrioventricular valve repair(p=0.013)pre-or post-Fontan atrial arrhythmia(p=0.010)were associated with SCD.Patients with VA had a 3 times higher risk of death or heart transplant(HR 3.27(1.19,8.98),p=0.02).Conclusions:A proportion of people living with a Fontan circulation have malignant VA.Routine VA screening in this cohort is essential.More data are needed to aid risk stratification.
文摘Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, constituting 25% of all cancer diagnoses. Even though it is only affecting 4% - 6% of women under the age of 40, it remains the most common malignancy among younger patients. Advancement in the treatment and earlier detection gives excellent 5 years of survival. However, the standard treatment that comprises surgical-chemo radiation therapy or hormonal treatment often results in an increased incidence of treatment-induced infertility. Therefore, adding fertility preservation to primary cancer treatment may offer the best opportunity for future fertility. However, despite advancements in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), the uptake of fertility services in this group remains low. In this review, we highlighted the effect of all breast cancer treatments on women’s fertility, the effectiveness and safety of ART in breast cancer patients as well as the safety of pregnancy in breast cancer survivors. Our aim is to improve awareness of fertility preservation for breast cancer to ensure all women diagnosed with breast cancer have multidisciplinary approaches with early referral to fertility specialists to discuss regarding potential risks and benefits of fertility preservation to improve the uptake of fertility preservation among this group of patients.
文摘AIM:To report the incidence of non-small-bowel bleeding pathologies encountered during double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) procedures and to analyse their significance.METHODS: A retrospective study of a prospective DBE database conducted in a tertiary-referral center was conducted. A total of 179 patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) referred for DBE from June 2004 to November 2008 were analysed looking for the incidence of non-small-bowel lesions (NSBLs; all and newly diagnosed) encountered during DBE.RESULTS: There were 228 (150 antegrade and 78 retrograde) DBE procedures performed in 179 patients. The mean number of DBE procedures was 1.27 per patient. The mean age (SD) of the patients was 62 ± 16 years old. There were 94 females (52.5%). The positive yield for a bleeding lesion was 65.9%. Of the 179 patients, 44 (24.6%) had NSBLs (19 of them had dual pathology with small-bowel lesions and NSBLs); 27 (15.1%) had lesions not detected by previous endoscopies. The most common type of missed lesions were vascular lesions.CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of patients (24.6%) had lesions within reach of conventional endoscopy. Careful repeat examination with gastroscopy and colonoscopy might be required.
文摘Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive neoplasm.The incidence of malignant mesothelioma is increasing worldwide.Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma(DMPM) represents one-fourth of all mesotheliomas.Association of asbestos exposure with DMPM has been observed,especially in males.The great majority of patients present with abdominal pain and distension,caused by accumulation of tumors and ascitic ? uid.In the past,DMPM was considered a pre-terminal condition;therefore attracted little attention.Patients invariably died from their disease within a year.Recently,several prospective trials have demonstrated a median survival of 40 to 90 mo and 5-year survival of 30% to 60% after combined treatment using cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy.This remarkable improvement in survival has prompted new search into the medical science related to DMPM,a disease previously ignored as uninteresting.This review article focuses on the key advances in the epidemiology,diagnosis,staging,treatments and prognosis of DMPM that have occurred in the past decade.
文摘Perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy in combination with cytoreductive surgery has been shown to be of benefit for treating selected patients with peritoneal surface malignancy.It has become a new standard of care in the management of diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma and peritoneal dissemination of appendiceal malignancy.Numerous recent publications on carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer and gastric cancer identify groups of patients that would benef it from this local-regional approach for prevention and treatment of carcinomatosis.This review focuses on pharmacological information regarding intraperitoneal chemotherapeutic agents commonly used in gastrointestinal oncology.
文摘Acute cardiomyocyte necrosis in the infarcted heart generates damage-associated molecular patterns, activating complement and toll-like receptor/interleukin-1 signaling, and triggering an intense inflammatory response. Iuflammasomes also recognize danger signals and mediate sterile inflammatory response following acute myocardial infarction （AMI）, Inflammatory response serves to repair the heart, but excessive inflammation leads to adverse left ventricular remodeling and heart failure. In addition to local inflammation, profound systemic inflammation response has been documented in patients with AMI, which includes elevation of circulating inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and cell adhesion molecules, and activation of peripheral leukocytes and platelets. The excessive inflammatory response could be caused by a deregulated immune system. AMI is also associated with bone marrow activation and spleen monocytopoiesis, which sustains a continuous supply of monocytes at the site of inflammation. Accumulating evidence has shown that systemic inflammation aggravates atherosclerosis and markers for systemic inflammation are predictors of adverse clinical outcomes （such as death, recurrent myocardial in- farction, and heart failure） in patients with AMI.
基金This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.81300642).
文摘The present analysis aims to investigate the prevalence of thyroid nodules in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) population.We searched PubMed,EMBASE,and Web of Science from inception to the March 1,2018.The studies were selected to estimate the prevalence of thyroid nodules in T2DM subjects and to compare the prevalence of thyroid nodules in different glucose tolerance status.The random effects model was used,and the outcome was presented as a pooled prevalence proportion with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) or a summary odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI.In the end,9 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis.The pooled prevalence of thyroid nodules was 60%(95% CI:0.52,0.68) for T2DM 2 diabetes patients,50%(95% CI:0.4& 0.51) for pre-diabetes,and 43%(95% CI:0.34,0.52) for normal glucose tolerance population.Compared with patients without diabetes,diabetes subjects are more likely to develop thyroid nodules,adjusted OR for thyroid nodule was 1.78 (95% CI:1.25,2.55).Insulin resistance might be involved in thyroid nodule development.
文摘Major advances have been made over the last decade in our understanding of the molecular basis ofseveral cardiac conditions. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) was the first cardiac disorder in whicha genetic basis was identified and as such, has acted as a paradigm for the study of an inherited cardiacdisorder. HCM can result in clinical symptoms ranging from no symptoms to severe heart failure andpremature sudden death. HCM is the commonest cause of sudden death in those aged less than 35 years,including competitive athletes. At least ten genes have now been identified, defects in which cause HCM.All of these genes encode proteins which comprise the basic contractile unit of the heart, i.e. the sarcomere.While much is now known about which genes cause disease and the various clinical presentations, very littleis known about how these gene defects cause disease, and what factors modify the expression of the mutantgenes. Studies in both cell culture and animal models of HCM are now beginning to shed light on thesignalling pathways involved in HCM, and the role of both environmental and genetic modifying factors.Understanding these mechanisms will ultimately improve our knowledge of the basic biology of heart musclefunction, and will therefore provide new avenues for treating cardiovascular disease in man.
文摘The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICI)in advanced cancer has been a major development in the last decade.The indications for ICIs are constantly expanding into new territory across different cancers,disease stages and lines of therapy.With this increased use,adverse events including immune checkpoint inhibitor-related hepatotoxicity(ICH)have emerged as an important clinical problem.This along with the introduction of ICI as first-and second-line treatments for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma makes ICH very relevant to gastroenterologists and hepatologists.The incidence of ICH varies between 1%-20%depending on the number,type and dose of ICI received.Investigation and management generally involve excluding differential diagnoses and following a stepwise escalation of withholding or ceasing ICI,corticosteroid treatment and adding other immunosuppressive agents depending on the severity of toxicity.The majority of patients with ICH recover and some may even safely recommence ICI therapy.Guideline recommendations are largely based on evidence derived from retrospective case series which highlights a priority for future research.
