Ultrasound,contrast-enhanced ultrasound and pyelonephritis:A narrative review

Acute pyelonephritis(APN)is a bacterial infection resulting in kidney inflammation,typically arising as a complication of an ascending urinary tract infection that ascends from the bladder to the kidneys.Clinical diagnosis is generally based on clinical and laboratory findings.Recent guidelines recommend not performing diagnostic imaging unless a complicated APN is suspected or the infection affects high-risk patients such as the elderly,immunocompromised individuals,or diabetics.Contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)is a valuable tool in both the diagnosis and follow-up of APN.It aids in distinguishing small simple nephritic involvement from abscess complications and monitoring their evolution over time during antibiotic therapy.Given its lack of ionizing radiation and nephrotoxicity,CEUS is a valid diagnostic modality for approaching and monitoring pyelonephritis,improving early identification and characterization of inflammatory lesions.This review aims to summarize the main evidence on the use of ultrasound and CEUS in the diagnosis of APN and its follow-up.

Transperineal laser ablation of the prostate as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer: The results of a Delphi consensus project

Objective: To evaluate transperineal laser ablation (TPLA) with Echolaser® (Echolaser® TPLA, Elesta S.p.A., Calenzano, Italy) as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) using the Delphi consensus method.Methods: Italian and international experts on BPH and PCa participated in a collaborative consensus project. During two rounds, they expressed their opinions on Echolaser® TPLA for the treatment of BPH and PCa answering online questionnaires on indications, methodology, and potential complications of this technology. Level of agreement or disagreement to reach consensus was set at 75%. If the consensus was not achieved, questions were modified after each round. A final round was performed during an online meeting, in which results were discussed and finalized.Results: Thirty-two out of forty invited experts participated and consensus was reached on all topics. Agreement was achieved on recommending Echolaser® TPLA as a treatment of BPH in patients with ample range of prostate volume, from <40 mL (80%) to >80 mL (80%), comorbidities (100%), antiplatelet or anticoagulant treatment (96%), indwelling catheter (77%), and strong will of preserving ejaculatory function (100%). Majority of respondents agreed that Echolaser® TPLA is a potential option for the treatment of localized PCa (78%) and recommended it for low-risk PCa (90%). During the final round, experts concluded that it can be used for intermediate-risk PCa and it should be proposed as an effective alternative to radical prostatectomy for patients with strong will of avoiding urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction. Almost all participants agreed that the transperineal approach of this organ-sparing technique is safer than transrectal and transurethral approaches typical of other techniques (97% of agreement among experts). Pre-procedural assessment, technical aspects, post-procedural catheterization, pharmacological therapy, and expected outcomes were discussed, leading to statements and recommendations.Conclusion: Echolaser® TPLA is a safe and effective procedure that treats BPH and localized PCa with satisfactory functional and sexual outcomes.

以区域医疗中心为主导的护联体的构建与实施

目的带领社区医护人员为居家患者提供有偿优质护理服务。方法构建以基层医疗为中心,以区域医疗中心为主导的护联体平台;实行患者线上下单,区域医疗中心护士与社区护士联合上门居家护理服务的方式。实施1年后评价效果。结果护联体运行以来,107名医疗中心护士带领社区护士共提供上门更换胃管、PICC维护、更换尿管、伤口造口护理、压疮护理等14个项目的护理服务;其中更换胃管(73例次)堵管率、PICC维护(97例次)静脉炎发生率显著低于返院维护组(护联体平台运行前,返院更换胃管53例次、PICC维护80例次)(均P<0.05);患者满意度评分显著高于返院组(P<0.01);两种护理模式均未发生护理不良事件与纠纷。结论基于护联体模式的“互联网+护理服务”,可一定程度上满足居家患者的护理需求,护患双方均有较好的安全保障。

公立医院改革试点城市一级医疗机构静脉治疗服务现状调查

目的了解公立医院改革试点城市一级医疗机构对静脉治疗专业知识的了解情况及服务意愿,探索三级医疗服务体系工作模式,为政府主管部门制订相关政策提供依据。方法对株洲市22个一级医疗机构(社区卫生服务中心、站)进行问卷调查。结果一级医疗机构静脉治疗相关知识缺乏,服务意愿不强(34.4%),主要原因为护理人力资源不足、技术缺乏(41.1%)、需要承担风险(28.2%),66.9%的一级医疗机构人员希望通过参加静脉治疗专业知识培训,提高服务技能。结论卫生行政部门应当加大政策支持力度,在保证人力资源的前提下提高医务人员素质,加强对相关知识的培训,加大技术支持力度,建立与完善三级医疗服务网络体系,优化与上级医疗机构的转诊服务,运用精益运营理念管理一级医疗机构,主张以医生为主体的社区卫生服务中心经营体系,逐步实现老百姓"小病进社区,大病进医院,康复回社区",解决老百姓看病难问题。

意大利人文医学教育及人文医院建设对我们的启示

人文医学教育是培养医学生人文精神的指引,学校教育阶段要注重将人文教育整合到医疗实践中去,丰富教学手段,培养学生的交流技巧和沟通能力。

PICC延续性照护服务现状及制约因素分析

目的从患者和社区医疗机构层面了解PICC延续性照护服务现状并分析制约因素,为PICC维护技术在社区医疗机构的推广提供参考。方法对在株洲市3所三级医院进行PICC置管维护的196例患者采用自行设计的问卷进行调查,对10家社区医疗机构负责人进行半结构式深入访谈。结果 88.8%的PICC带管者平时的维护地点为三级医院,31.1%的患者愿意到社区医院进行导管维护,61.2%的患者因社区诊疗技术不足而不到社区医疗机构进行导管维护。访谈共提取6个主题:人力资源不足,相关知识及技术缺乏,担心风险,收费标准缺乏文件依据,缺乏国家政策支持,建议提高医疗风险的保额。结论社区医院PICC维护情况不容乐观,推进PICC维护进社区存在较多的制约因素,政府、三级医院及社区医疗机构应积极采取对策加以改进,以发挥社区医疗机构初级医疗保健作用。

Gastric cancer and the epoch of immunotherapy approaches

The incidence of gastric cancer(GC) fell dramatically over the last 50 years, but according to IARC-Globocan 2008, it is the third most frequent cause of cancerrelated deaths with a case fatality GC ratio higher than other common malignancies. Surgical resection is the primary curative treatment for GC though the overall 5-year survival rate remains poor(approximately 20%-25%). To improve the outcome of resectable gastric cancer, different treatment strategies have been evaluated such as adjuvant or perioperative chemotherapy. In resected gastric cancer, the addition of radiotherapy to chemotherapy does not appear to provide any additional benefit. Moreover, in metastatic patients, chemotherapy is the mainstay of palliative therapy with a median overall survival of 8-10 mo and objective response rates of merely 20%-40%. Therefore, the potential for making key beneficial progress is to investigate the GC molecular biology to realize innovative therapeutic strategies, such as specific immunotherapy. In this review, we provide a panoramic view of the different immune-based strategies used for gastric cancer treatment and the results obtained in the most significant clinical trials. In detail, firstly we describe the therapeutic approaches that utilize the monoclonal antibodies while in the second part we analyze the cell-based immunotherapies.

Use of probiotics for prevention of radiation-induced diarrhea

AIM： To investigate the efficacy of a high-potency probiotic preparation on prevention of radiation-induced diarrhea in cancer patients.METHODS： This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Four hundred and ninety patients who underwent adjuvant postoperative radiation therapy after surgery for sigmoid, rectal, or cervical cancer were assigned to either the high-potency probiotic preparation VSL#3 （one sachet t.i.d.,） or placebo starting from the first day of radiation therapy. Efficacy endpoints were incidence and severity of radiation-induced diarrhea, daily number of bowel movements, and the time from the start of the study to the use of Ioperamide as rescue medication. RESULTS： More placebo patients had radiation-induced diarrhea than VSL#3 patients （124 of 239 patients, 51.8%, and 77 of 243 patients, 31.6%; P 〈 0.001） and more patients given placebo suffered grade 3 or 4 diarrhea compared with VSL#3 recipients （55.4% and 1.4%, P 〈 0.001）. Daily bowel movements were 14.7 ± 6 and 5.1 ± 3 among placebo and VSL#3 recipients （P 〈 0.05）, and the mean time to the use of Ioperamide was 86 ± 6 h for placebo patients and 122 ± 8 h for VSL#3 patients （P 〈 0.001）. CONCLUSION： Probiotic lactic acid-producing bacteria are an easy, safe, and feasible approach to protect cancer patients against the risk of radiation-induced diarrhea.

Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography pancreatitis:Is time for a new preventive approach?

Acute pancreatitis is the most common serious complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancre-atography (ERCP) and its incidence may exceed 25% in some high-risk patient subsets. In some patients, pancreatitis may follow a severe course with pancreatic necrosis, multiorgan failure, permanent disability and even death. Hence, approaches which minimize both the incidence and severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis are worth pursuing. Pancreatic stents have been used with some success in the prevention of post-ERCP, while so far pharmacological trials have yielded disappointing results. A recent multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial has shown that rectally administered indomethacin is effective in reducing the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis, the occurrence of episodes of moderate-to-severe pancreatitis and the length of hospital stay in high-risk patients. These results together with the demonstration that rectal administration of indomethacin is not associated with en-hanced risk of bleeding strongly support the use of this drug in the prophylaxis of post-ERCP pancreatitis.

Role of diet and gut microbiota on colorectal cancer immunomodulation

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers, and it is characterized by genetic and epigenetic alterations, as well as by inflammatory cell infiltration among malignant and stromal cells. However, this dynamic infiltration can be influenced by the microenvironment to promote tumor proliferation, survival and metastasis or cancer inhibition. In particular, the cancer microenvironment metabolites can regulate the inflammatory cells to induce a chronic inflammatory response that can be a predisposing condition for CRC retention. In addition, some nutritional components might contribute to a chronic inflammatory condition by regulating various immune and inflammatory pathways. Besides that, diet strongly modulates the gut microbiota composition,which has a key role in maintaining gut homeostasis and is associated with the modulation of host inflammatory and immune responses. Therefore, diet has a fundamental role in CRC initiation, progression and prevention. In particular,functional foods such as probiotics, prebiotics and symbiotics can have a potentially positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition and have antiinflammatory effects. In this review, we discuss the influence of diet on gut microbiota composition, focusing on its role on gut inflammation and immunity.Finally, we describe the potential benefits of using probiotics and prebiotics to modulate the host inflammatory response, as well as its application in CRC prevention and treatment.

Risk of cardiovascular,cardiac and arrhythmic complications in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)has emerged as a public health problem of epidemic proportions worldwide.Accumulating clinical and epidemiological evidence indicates that NAFLD is not only associated with liver-related morbidity and mortality but also with an increased risk of coronary heart disease(CHD),abnormalities of cardiac function and structure(e.g.,left ventricular dysfunction and hypertrophy,and heart failure),valvular heart disease(e.g.,aortic valve sclerosis)and arrhythmias(e.g.,atrial fibrillation).Experimental evidence suggests that NAFLD itself,especially in its more severe forms,exacerbates systemic/hepatic insulin resistance,causes atherogenic dyslipidemia,and releases a variety of pro-inflammatory,pro-coagulant and pro-fibrogenic mediators that may play important roles in the pathophysiology of cardiac and arrhythmic complications.Collectively,these findings suggest that patients with NAFLD may benefit from more intensive surveillance and early treatment interventions to decrease the risk for CHD and other cardiac/arrhythmic complications.The purpose of this clinical review is to summarize the rapidly expanding body of evidence that supports a strong association between NAFLD and cardiovascular,cardiac and arrhythmic complications,to briefly examine the putative biological mechanisms underlying this association,and to discuss some of the current treatment options that may influence both NAFLD and its related cardiac and arrhythmic complications.

Hepatic echinococcosis:Clinical and therapeutic aspects

Echinococcosis or hydatid disease （HD） is a zoonosis caused by the larval stages of taeniid cestodes belong- ing to the genus Echinococcus. Hepatic echinococcosis is a life-threatening disease, mainly differentiated into alveolar and cystic forms, associated with Echinoc- cus multilocularis （E. multi/ocular/s） and Echinococcus granulosus （E. granulosus） infection, respectively. Cys- tic echinococcosis （CE） has a worldwide distribution, while hepatic alveolar echinococcosis （AE） is endemic in the Northern hemisphere, including North America and several Asian and European countries, like France, Germany and Austria. E. granulosus young cysts are spherical, unilocular vesicles, consisting of an internal germinal layer and an outer acellular layer. Cyst expansion is associated with a host immune reaction and the subsequent development of a fibrous layer, called the per/cyst; old cysts typically present internal septa- tions and daughter cysts. E. multilocularis has a tumor-like, infiltrative behavior, which is responsible for tissue destruction and finally for liver failure. The liver is the main site of HD involvement, for both alveolar and cystic hydatidosis. HD is usually asymptomatic for a long period of time, because cyst growth is commonly slow; the most frequent symptoms are fatigue and abdominal pain. Patients may also present jaundice, hepatomegaly or anaphylaxis, due to cyst leakage or rupture. HD diagnosis is usually accomplished with the combined use of ultrasonography and immunodiagnosis; furthermore, the improvement of surgical techniques, the introduction of minimally invasive treatments [such as puncture, aspiration, injection, re-aspiration （PAIR）] and more effective drugs （such as benzoimidazoles） have deeply changed life expectancy and quality of life of patients with HD. The aim of this article is to provide an up-to-date review of biological, diagnostic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of hepatic echinococcosis.

Enhanced characterization of solid solitary pulmonary nodules with Bayesian analysis-based computer-aided diagnosis

The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the accuracy gain of Bayesian analysis-based computeraided diagnosis(CAD) vs human judgment alone in characterizing solitary pulmonary nodules(SPNs) at computed tomography(CT). The study included 100 randomly selected SPNs with a definitive diagnosis. Nodule features at first and follow-up CT scans as well as clinical data were evaluated individually on a 1 to 5 points risk chart by 7 radiologists, firstly blinded then aware of Bayesian Inference Malignancy Calculator(BIMC) model predictions. Raters' predictions were evaluated by means of receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis and decision analysis. Overall ROC area under the curve was 0.758 before and 0.803 after the disclosure of CAD predictions(P = 0.003). A net gain in diagnostic accuracy was found in 6 out of 7 readers. Mean risk class of benign nodules dropped from 2.48 to 2.29, while mean risk class of malignancies rose from 3.66 to 3.92. Awareness of CAD predictions also determined a significant drop on mean indeterminate SPNs(15 vs 23.86 SPNs) and raised the mean number of correct and confident diagnoses(mean 39.57 vs 25.71 SPNs). This study provides evidence supporting the integration of the Bayesian analysis-based BIMC model in SPN characterization.

Magnetic resonance imaging:Is there a role in clinical management for acute ischemic colitis?

AIM:To validate the utility of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) for the clinical management of acute ischemic colitis(IC).METHODS:This is a magnetic resonance(MR) prospective evaluation of 7 patients who were proved to have acute IC on the basis of clinical,endoscopic and computed tomography(CT) findings and who were imaged in our institution between February 2011 and July 2012.The mean age of the patients was 72.28 years.Abdominal CTs were obtained using a 64-detector row configuration for all patients with un-enhanced and contrast-enhanced scans,in the late arterial phase(start delay 45-50 s) and in the portal venous phase(start delay 70-80 s).The MR examinations were performed using a 1.5T superconducting magnet,using Fast Imaging Employing Steady State Acquisition and T2-weighted fast-recovery fast-spin echo sequences in axial and coronal plane.CT and MRI examinations were analysed for the presence of colonic abnormalities and associated findings.RESULTS:Segmental involvement was seen in 6 patients(85.71%),with a mean length of involvement of 412 mm(range 145.5-1000 mm).Wall thickness varied between 6 mm and 17.5 mm(mean 10.52 mm) upon CT examinations and from 5 to 15 mm(mean 8.8 mm) upon MR examinations.The MRI appearance of the colonic wall varied over the time:TypeⅠappearance with a 3 layer sandwich sign was seen in 5 out of 12 examinations(41.66%),patients underwent MR within a mean of 36 h(ranging from 1 to 54 h) after the CT examination.Type Ⅱ and Ⅲ appearance with a 2 layer sign,was seen in 4 examinations(33.33%),patients underwent MR within a mean of 420.5 h(ranging from 121 to 720 h) after the CT examination.In the remaining three MRI examinations,performed within a mean of 410 h(ranging from 99.5 to 720 h) the colonic wall appeared normal.CONCLUSION:MRI,only using precontrast images,may be used as a substitute for invasive procedures in diagnosis and follow-up of acute IC.

Chronic proctalgia and chronic pelvic pain syndromes:New etiologic insights and treatment options

This systematic review addresses the pathophysiology, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of several chronic pain syndromes affecting the pelvic organs:chronic proctalgia, coccygodynia, pudendal neuralgia, and chronic pelvic pain. Chronic or recurrent pain in the anal canal, rectum, or other pelvic organs occurs in 7% to 24% of the population and is associated with impaired quality of life and high health care costs. However, these pain syndromes are poorly understood, with little research evidence available to guide their diagnosis and treatment. This situation appears to be changing:A recently published large randomized,controlled trial by our group comparing biofeedback, electrogalvanic stimulation, and massage for the treatment of chronic proctalgia has shown success rates of 85% for biofeedback when patients are selected based on physical examination evidence of tenderness in response to traction on the levator ani muscle-a physical sign suggestive of striated muscle tension. Excessive tension (spasm) in the striated muscles of the pelvic floor appears to be common to most of the pelvic pain syndromes. This suggests the possibility that similar approaches to diagnostic assessment and treatment may improve outcomes in other pelvic pain disorders.

Fractional flow reserve: Current applications and overview of the available data

Flow fractional reserve(FFR) allows to evaluate the functional significance of coronary artery lesions, through the ratio of the mean coronary artery pressure after the stenosis to the mean aortic pressure duringmaximum hyperemia. The actual widely accepted cutoff value is 0.80. Below this value a coronary lesion is considered significant and therefore it requires invasive revascularization. Several studies [in particular Fractional Flow Reserve vs Angiography for Multivessel Evaluation 1(FAME-1) and FAME-2] have shown the relationship between FFR measurement and hard end-points(death, myocardial infarction, and urgent revascularization). Consequently, FFR evaluation represents the cornerstone in the decision-making in intermediate coronary lesions. Recent studies paved the way for further applications of FFR evaluation in complex and tricky clinical settings. In this paper, we perform an overview of the data regarding contemporary application of FFR. In particular, we review the use of FFR in: left main intermediate stenoses, serial stenoses, evaluation after stenting, guidance in coronary artery bypass surgery, and acute coronary syndrome. All the data presented in our overview confirm the essential role of FFR assessment in the daily clinical practice. The shift from "operator-dependent" to "FFR-dependent" evaluation in intermediate coronary artery stenosis is of paramount importance in order to improve the prognosis of our patients, through the discrimination of the functional role of every single coronary stenosis.

Acute arterial mesenteric ischemia and reperfusion:Macroscopic and MRI findings, preliminary report

AIM:To explore the physiopathology and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)findings in an animal model of acute arterial mesenteric ischemia(AAMI)with and without reperfusion.METHODS:In this study,8 adult Sprague-Dawley rats underwent superior mesenteric artery(SMA)ligation and were then randomly divided in two groups of 4.In groupⅠ,the ischemia was maintained for 8 h.In groupⅡ,1-h after SMA occlusion,the ligation was removed by cutting the thread fixed on the back of the animal,and reperfusion was monitored for 8 h.MRI was performed using a 7-T system.RESULTS:We found that,in the case of AAMI without reperfusion,spastic reflex ileus,hypotonic reflex ileus,free abdominal fluid and bowel wall thinning are present from the second hour,and bowel wall hyperintensity in T2-W sequences are present from the fourth hour.The reperfusion model shows the presence of early bowel wall hyperintensity in T2-W sequences after 1 h and bowel wall thickening from the second hour.CONCLUSION:Our study has shown that MRI can assess pathological changes that occur in the small bowel and distinguish between the presence and absence of reperfusion after induced acute arterial ischemia.

Metabolomics profile in gastrointestinal cancers:Update and future perspectives

Despite recent progress in diagnosis and therapy,gastrointestinal(GI)cancers remain one of the most important causes of death with a poor prognosis due to late diagnosis.Serum tumor markers and detection of occult blood in the stool are the current tests used in the clinic of GI cancers;however,these tests are not useful as diagnostic screening since they have low specificity and low sensitivity.Considering that one of the hallmarks of cancer is dysregulated metabolism and metabolomics is an optimal approach to illustrate the metabolic mechanisms that belong to living systems,is now clear that this-omics could open a new way to study cancer.In the last years,nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)metabolomics has demonstrated to be an optimal approach for diseases’diagnosis nevertheless a few studies focus on the NMR capability to find new biomarkers for early diagnosis of GI cancers.For these reasons in this review,we will give an update on the status of NMR metabolomic studies for the diagnosis and development of GI cancers using biological fluids.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology in pancreaticobiliary carcinomas:diagnostic efficacy of cell-block immunocyto-chemistry

BACKGROUND： Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology was demonstrated to be a useful tool for the diagnosis and staging of pancreaticobiliary neoplastic le- sions. Nonetheless, the diagnostic value of this procedure may be limited by low cellularity of the specimen, contamination of intestinal cells and unfeasibility of ancillary immunocy- tochemical procedures. The present study was to evaluate its usefulness in the diagnosis of neoplastic lesions.

Black esophagus syndrome associated with diabetic ketoacidosis

Acute esophageal necrosis,also known as "black esophagus syndrome",is a rare acute esophageal disease that is often associated with vomiting and upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage.At present,little is known regarding the pathogenesis of this disease.We present the case of a 50-year-old white male patient with diabetic ketoacidosis suffering from acute esophageal necrosis with nausea and vomiting but without any clinical signs of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.