Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Med Case Rep 2019 Jan 17;13(1):14. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA.

Background: Acquired thrombophilia is a potential sequela of malignancy, chronic inflammation, and conditions characterized by severe protein deficiency (for example, nephrotic syndrome, protein-losing enteropathy). As such, venous thrombosis is often a feature, and occasionally a presenting sign, of systemic disease. Ménétrier's disease is a rare hyperplastic gastropathy that may lead to gastrointestinal protein loss and hypoalbuminemia. Read More

Acta Cardiol 2019 Jan 16:1-7. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

a University Hospital of Liège, GIGA Cardiovascular Sciences, Acute Care Unit, Heart Failure Clinic, CHU Sart Tilman , Liège , Belgium.

Objective: Hypoalbuminemia is common in heart failure (HF), especially in elderly patients. It is associated with an increased risk of death. The present study sought to examine the prognostic significance of serum albumin level in the prediction of long-term mortality in patients admitted for acute HF. Read More

BMJ Open 2019 Jan 15;9(1):e023479. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Department of Nephrology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Chinese PLA Institute of Nephrology, State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China.

Objective: Few studies with large sample populations concerning renal anaemia and IgA nephropathy have been reported worldwide. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the clinical and pathological characteristics and influencing factors associated with renal anaemia in patients with IgA nephropathy, which is the most common aetiology of chronic kidney disease.

Methods: A total of 462 hospitalised patients with IgA nephropathy confirmed by renal biopsy who met the inclusion criteria were consecutively recruited from January 2014 to January 2016. Read More

Clin Cardiol 2019 Jan 13. Epub 2019 Jan 13.

Heart Institute, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.

Background: Low serum albumin is common in patients with chronic heart failure (HF) and may have an impact on clinical outcome. We evaluated the effect of albumin levels on clinical outcome in a real-world cohort of patients with HF.

Methods: All patients with HF at a health maintenance organization were followed for cardiac-related hospitalizations and death. Read More

Obes Surg 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of General surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.

Background: Bariatric surgery represents the most effective treatment for obesity and its related comorbidities. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sleeve gastrectomy plus jejunojejunal bypass (SG + JJB).

Methods: This retrospective study included 244 obese patients with BMI ≥ 35 kg/m undergoing SG + JJB (n = 83), SG (n = 82), and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) (n = 79). Read More

Clin Orthop Relat Res 2019 Jan 3. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

M. Sloan, G.-C. Lee Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA N. Sheth Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Background: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolus (PE) remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality after THA and TKA. Prior recommendations have advocated for more aggressive prophylaxis for patients with obesity, whereas the evidence supporting these recommendations is conflicting and often based on underpowered studies.

Questions/purposes: (1) What is the association between obesity and DVT and PE after primary and revision THA and TKA? (2) Is there a body mass index (BMI) threshold beyond which DVT and PE risk is elevated?

Methods: We reviewed the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database from 2008 to 2016 to evaluate the reported 30-day rates of DVT, PE, and combined venous thromboembolism (VTE) after primary THA, primary TKA, revision THA, and revision TKA according to BMI as a continuous variable and a categorical variable as defined by the World Health Organization cutoffs for underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Nov;10(11):6077-6087

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Background: The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) reflects the host systemic inflammatory response and is a validated, independent prognostic factor for various malignancies. We investigated the clinical significance of the GPS in patients with tuberculosis (TB) pleurisy, focusing on treatment outcomes including paradoxical response (PR).

Methods: This was a retrospective study performed between January 2010 and December 2015 in two referral and university hospitals in South Korea, with intermediate incidences of TB. Read More

Wien Klin Wochenschr 2019 Jan 7. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.

Background: Novel drugs for Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections have been proven to reduce recurrent infections. Because of their high financial costs, identification of patients at high risk for recurrence is essential to provide optimal treatment. Read More

PLoS One 2019 7;14(1):e0210360. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Severe dengue cases have been increasingly reported in Thailand, and the under-reporting of acute kidney injury (AKI) in cases of dengue viral infection has become an obstacle in obtaining an accurate description of the true nature and epidemiology of AKI. Because AKI may lead to patient morbidity and mortality, an early diagnosis is important in preventing its onset in dengue patients. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, clinical and laboratory characteristics, and associated factors of AKI among adult dengue patients. Read More

Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2018 Dec;22(12):1429-1434

Department of Pathology, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, Massachusetts, Quest Diagnostics, North Region, Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA.

Setting: The QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) assay is an interferon-gamma release assay used for the clinical diagnosis of latent tuberculous infection. Relatively high rates of indeterminate results are a significant downside of the test.

Objective: To evaluate clinical variables associated with lower QFT-indeterminate rates after reducing pre-incubation delay. Read More

Front Med 2019 Jan 2. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Peking University, People's Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China.

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a major infectious complication in patients with hematological malignancies. In this study, we examined 4889 courses of chemotherapy in patients with hematological diseases to establish a training dataset (n = 3500) by simple random sampling to develop a weighted risk score for proven or probable IFD through multivariate regression, which included the following variables: male patients, induction chemotherapy for newly diagnosed or relapsed disease, neutropenia, neutropenia longer than 10 days, hypoalbuminemia, central-venous catheter, and history of IFD. The patients were classified into three groups, which had low (0-10, ~1. Read More

Injury 2018 Dec 28. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.

Ann Transplant 2019 Jan 1;24:1-8. Epub 2019 Jan 1.

Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.

BACKGROUND Patients with massive ascites (MA) after liver transplantation (LT, defined here as daily ascitic drainage more than 1000 ml per day for more than 7 days after liver transplantation) are at increased risks of infection, hypoalbuminemia, graft loss, and even mortality. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the effects of somatostatin on patients with MA after LT. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-eight patients with liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent LT complicated by MA postoperatively were included. Read More

Zhonghua Wei Chang Wai Ke Za Zhi 2018 Dec;21(12):1374-1379

Research Institute of General Surgery, General Hospital of Nanjing Military Command, Nanjing 210002,China,

Objective: To explore the high risk factors of adult complex appendicitis, and to provide a reference for the development of a reasonable treatment strategy for acute appendicitis.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted to collect clinical data of 312 adult patients with acute appendicitis confirmed by pathology undergoing appendectomy, including open and laparoscopic surgery, from May 2011 to August 2016 at Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. Age <14 years old, pregnant women, complicating abscess around the appendix, AIDS, blood system diseases, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory bowel disease or progressive cancer patients were excluded. Read More

Clin Pharmacol 2018 13;10:183-190. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran,

Purpose: In critically ill patients, monitoring free phenytoin concentration is a valuable method for phenytoin-dosage adjustment. However, due to technical difficulties and the high cost of these methods, the Sheiner-Tozer equation is routinely used for estimating free phenytoin concentration in clinical practice. There have been conflicting results concerning accuracy and precision of the Sheiner-Tozer equation for prediction of free phenytoin concentration in various patient populations. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 27;18(1):698. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

The Rappaport's Faculty of Medicine, The Technion Institute, Haifa, Israel.

Background: Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common illness affecting hundreds of millions worldwide. Few studies have investigated the relationship between serum magnesium levels and outcomes of these patients. We aimed to study the association between serum magnesium levels and 30-day mortality among patients with CAP. Read More

Liver Transpl 2018 Dec 24. Epub 2018 Dec 24.

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Background: There are limited data on downstream effects of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance, including frequency of false positive results. We aimed to quantify the incidence of indeterminate nodules and follow-up testing needed to resolve these findings among patients enrolled in a structured HCC surveillance program.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed adult cirrhosis patients enrolled in a structured HCC surveillance program in a large tertiary care center. Read More

Colorectal Dis 2018 Dec 22. Epub 2018 Dec 22.

Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linko, Taiwan.

Aim: Whether some diseases are related to the occurrence of synchronous colorectal carcinoma (sCRC) is unknown. Investigating the risk factors and presentation of sCRC could aid in the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The prognosis of sCRC compared with that of solitary CRC remains unclear. Read More

Kidney Dis (Basel) 2018 Nov 3;4(4):262-268. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC (Anhui Provincial Hospital), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.

Objective: This study assessed the relationship between serum albumin (ALB) at start of peritoneal dialysis (PD) and long-term outcomes of continuous ambulatory PD (CAPD) in Anhui Han patients.

Methods: A total of 149 Anhui Han CAPD patients were enrolled in this study and followed up for 3 years. They were initially diagnosed with the end-stage renal disease and underwent surgical PD catheter placement from January 2009 to December 2013. Read More

J Orthop Trauma 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA UNITED STATES.

Objective: To examine the relationship of nutrition parameters with the modified frailty index (mFI) and post-operative complications in hip fracture patients.

Design: Retrospective Observational Cohort Study SETTING:: Urban, American College of Surgeons (ACS) Verified Level 1 Trauma CenterPatients/Participants: 377 consecutive patients with isolated hip fractures.

Intervention: N/A MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT:: Admission albumin and total lymphocyte count (TLC) levels and complication data was collected. Read More

Kidney Blood Press Res 2018 14;43(6):1908-1918. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital BeiHu branch, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background/aims: Awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been low among affected patients, particularly the older ones. However, whether such awareness is synonymous with the presence of laboratory-diagnosed CKD among older adults is currently unclear.

Methods: We enrolled community-dwelling old adults (≥ 65 years) who received health examinations between 2013 and 2016 from a regional metropolitan hospital. Read More

Clin Case Rep 2018 Dec 30;6(12):2438-2444. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Department of Surgery and Anaesthetics, Faculty of Medicine National University of Science and Technology Bulawayo Zimbabwe.

Management of enterocutaneous fistulae is challenging, often requiring a multidisciplinary approach. In high output fistulae, surgery is advocated after control of sepsis, adequate fluid and electrolyte repletion, and nutritional support. Surgery may, however, be contraindicated in the presence of sepsis and malnutrition. Read More

J Am Soc Nephrol 2019 Jan 18;30(1):170-181. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Department of Internal Medicine,

Background: Researchers have suggested models to predict the risk of postoperative AKI (PO-AKI), but an externally validated risk index that can be practically implemented before patients undergo noncardiac surgery is needed.

Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study of patients without preexisting renal failure who underwent a noncardiac operation (≥1 hour) at two tertiary hospitals in Korea. We fitted a proportional odds model for an ordinal outcome consisting of three categories: critical AKI (defined as Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes AKI stage ≥2, post-AKI death, or dialysis within 90 days after surgery), low-stage AKI (defined as PO-AKI events not fulfilling the definition of critical AKI), and no PO-AKI. Read More

Khirurgiia (Mosk) 2018 (12):57-64

N.P. Ogarev Mordovia State University, Saransk, Russia.

Aim: The aim of this research was to study the effects of complex therapy with Remaxol inclusion on laparotomy wound tissue reparative process in patients with obstructive jaundice in early postoperative period.

Material And Methods: Clinical and laboratory studies were carried out in 55 patients undergoing surgery of the biliary tract, including 35 patients with mechanical jaundice of non-tumor origin and 17 of them received Remaxol (for 5 days daily intravenous infusions of 400 ml each) in the early postoperative period.

Results: It has been proved that mechanical jaundice is a significant complication in the reparative process of laparotomy wound tissue structures. Read More

Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018 Dec 16. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Unit of Translational Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.

Aim: To clarify the utility of sepsis evaluation using the Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) tool in addition to the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI); age, dehydration, respiration, orientation and blood pressure (A-DROP) index; and immunodeficiency, respiration, orientation, age and dehydration (I-ROAD) scoring systems, and risk factor evaluation of potentially drug-resistant (PDR) pathogens are suggested in the 2017 guidelines for pneumonia of the Japanese Respiratory Society in nursing- and healthcare-associated pneumonia patients.

Methods: We included 289 hospitalized nursing- and healthcare-associated pneumonia patients between April 2016 and March 2017, and investigated the ability of PSI, A-DROP, I-ROAD and qSOFA to predict pneumonia-related mortality. We also evaluated the associations among the risk factors for PDR pathogens, the detection ratio of PDR pathogens and pneumonia-related mortality. Read More

J Surg Oncol 2018 Dec 16. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Background: Modifiable risk factors that can be optimized to minimize postoperative complications in patients with bone sarcomas are yet to be identified.

Methods: We retrospectively identified 275 patients aged 18 and older who underwent surgery for primary bone sarcomas who also had albumin values recorded within 4 weeks before surgery. Postoperative complications were defined as infection, hematoma, need for additional surgery, or wound complications. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2019 Jan 9;109:1296-1305. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address:

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is characterized by proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia and edema. The disorder of sodium and water metabolism is a critical mechanism regulating the origination and progression of NS. Zhen-wu-tang (ZWT) has been traditionally used to treat edema disease in China and Japan. Read More

Acta Ortop Mex 2018 Jul-Aug;32(4):193-197

Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery Hospitals. UMAE «Dr. Victorio de la Fuente Narváez», Mexico City.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by polyarthritis with progressive articular wear, immunologic abnormalities and increasing physical limitation. Surgical correction with hip replacement comes as a successful solution for patients with advanced articular destruction. Following intervention, surgical site infection (SSI), venous thromboembolism, sepsis, renal and major cardiovascular complications are among the most cited in the literature. Read More

Hemodial Int 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Despite substantial improvements following the introduction of novel agents and antibodies, amyloid light-chain (AL)-amyloidosis still carries a grim prognosis. Here, we report on the case of a severely frail 86-year-old patient suffering from monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS)-associated AL-amyloidosis with a diuretic-refractory nephrotic syndrome. In this patient, treatment with bortezomib-dexamethasone effectively induced a serological response, but was unfortunately poorly tolerated and failed to promote renal recovery fast enough to prevent secondary complications. Read More

BMC Urol 2018 Dec 6;18(1):111. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Background: Previous studies have shown that albumin-related systemic inflammation is associated with the long-term prognosis of cancer, but the clinical significance of an early (≤ 7 days) post-operative serum albumin level has not been well-documented as a prognostic factor in patients with renal cell cancer.

Methods: We retrospectively included patients hospitalized for kidney cancer from January 2009 to May 2014. First, the receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to define the best cut-off of an early post-operative serum albumin level in determining the prognosis, from which survival analysis was performed. Read More

Kidney Blood Press Res 2018 7;43(6):1865-1877. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Department of Internal Cardiology Medicine, Faculty Hospital Brno, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.

Background/aims: The rate of incidence and prevalence of acute kidney injury is increasing due to an increased number of patients with heart failure. Therefore it is very pertinent to early detect the level of renal injuries and to make necessary heart failure predictions. Thus the aim of this study is to determine renal functions and prognosis stratification in chronic heart failure patients and importance of Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL), an early diagnostic marker of acute kidney injury, as well as stratification of cardiovascular risk in heart failure patients. Read More

Arch Gynecol Obstet 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Gynecologic Cancer Unit, Department of Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess the value of the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) as a prognostic tool for predicting post-relapse survival (PRS) in patients with recurrent cervical cancer.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the data of 116 patients with recurrent cervical cancer in whom serologic biomarkers had been assessed at the time of relapse. The GPS was calculated as follows: patients with elevated serum C-reactive protein levels and hypoalbuminemia were allocated a score of 2, and those with 1 or no abnormal value were allocated a score of 1 and 0, respectively. Read More

Rev Chilena Infectol 2018 ;35(3):225-232

Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México, D.F, México.

Background: Peritonitis is the most important and frequent complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Bacterial infections are responsible in most cases, with characteristic symptoms.

Aim: To determine the most frequent pathogens in peritonitis associated with PD in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Read More

Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36, Sanhao Street, Heping district, Shenyang 110004, PR China. Electronic address:

Background: Abdominal ascites is a common problem in general surgery. The causes include parasitic diseases, tuberculosis, malignancies, hypoalbuminemia, abdominal inflammatory diseases, and peritonitis. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EG) has also been reported to be an infrequent cause. Read More

Angiology 2018 Dec 9:3319718816206. Epub 2018 Dec 9.

1 Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin, China.

Background:: Low serum albumin, high blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid are regarded closely related to the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), whereas it remains unclear whether they can function as predictors of CIN onset. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to explore the association between abovementioned indicators and CIN incidence rate in patients receiving coronary angiography (CAG) and/or intervention.

Methods:: Clinical studies were retrieved from the electronic databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Clinical Trials, and ScienceDirect from their inception to July 13, 2018. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Oct;10(10):5764-5773

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.

Background: Early recognition of the risks of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and prevention of the development of ARDS may be more effective in improving patient outcomes. We performed the present study to determine the ARDS risk factors in a Chinese population and validate a score to predict the development of ARDS.

Methods: This was an observational multicenter cohort study performed in 13 tertiary hospitals in China. Read More

Clin Orthop Surg 2018 Dec 21;10(4):398-406. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Background: Hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin < 3.5 g/dL) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, costs associated with hypoalbuminemia remain unknown. Read More

J Surg Res 2019 Jan 8;233:360-367. Epub 2018 Sep 8.

Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas. Electronic address:

Background: Predictive models for nonhome discharge (NHD) have been proposed in major surgical specialties. The rates and risk factors associated with NHD and prolonged length of stay (PLOS) after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) have not been evaluated. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for NHD and PLOS after CRS/HIPEC in a national cohort of patients. Read More

Blood Purif 2018 Dec 5:1-7. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Background: Abnormalities in fluid status in hemodialysis (HD) patients are highly prevalent and are related to adverse outcomes.

Summary: The inherent discontinuity of the HD procedure in combination with an often compromised cardiovascular response is a major contributor to this phenomenon. In addition, systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are related to extracellular fluid overload (FO). Read More

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2018 Nov-Dec;51(6):753-760

Disciplina de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.

Introduction: Dengue is one of the most important mosquito-borne infections. Severe cases are more frequently observed in adults. However, in 2008, the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, experienced a severe dengue epidemic that primarily affected children and caused many cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and death. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Nov;97(48):e13403

Rationale: Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is a life-threatening disorder; prompt diagnosis is vital. Surgical treatment is often required, but some cases can be treated conservatively. We herein report an extremely rare case wherein protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) developed after conservative treatment of NOMI. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 27. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Electronic address:

Background: None of the existing prognostic scoring systems for spinal epidural abscess (SEA) include albumin despite albumin's established role in inflammation, nutrition, lipid peroxidation, and regulation of apoptosis. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prognostic value of albumin in SEA.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, case-control study of 2 independent data sets: patients with SEA in an institutional population and patients in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). Read More

JGH Open 2018 Aug 27;2(4):166-168. Epub 2018 Jun 27.

Gastroenterology Service, Clinica Angloamericana Lima Peru.

Intestinal involvement with disseminated histoplasmosis is common in some populations infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), especially in those who come from tropical zones. We report the case of a 29-year-old male patient, from a tropical zone, with HIV infection and a CD value less than 50 cells/mm, with a history of abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea, and weight loss. On presentation, he was pale, sweaty, and had abdominal rebound tenderness. Read More

Int J Surg 2018 Dec 24;60:236-244. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen & Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, NHS Grampian, United Kingdom. Electronic address:

Background: Low albumin is a prognostic factor associated with poor surgical outcomes. We aimed to examine the predicative ability of easily obtainable point-of-care variables in combination, to derive a practical risk scale for predicting older adults at risk of poor outcomes on admission to the emergency general surgical setting.

Methods: This is an international multi-center prospective cohort study conducted as part of the Older Persons Surgical Outcomes Collaboration (www. Read More

Mod Rheumatol 2018 Nov 24:1-12. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

a Inflammation and Immunology, Graduate School of Medical Science , Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine , Kyoto , Japan.

Objective: To assess risk factors for cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease with CMV re-activation in patients with rheumatic disease.

Methods: The clinical data of consecutive patients with rheumatic disease who experienced CMV re-activation were examined. We evaluated the difference in various baseline factors at the first detection of CMV pp65 antigenemia on the development of CMV disease using logistic regression models. Read More

J Microbiol Immunol Infect 2018 Nov 9. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Background: Genitourinary tuberculosis (GUTB) is rare but fatal if not diagnosed early. The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of GUTB in Taiwan.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 57 patients who were diagnosed as GUTB from January 2002 to December 2016, over a 15-year period. Read More

Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2018 Nov 24. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Center for Kampo Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Glycyrrhizin is used to treat chronic hepatitis, but it also plays an important role in pseudoaldosteronism. Multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 is important for glycyrrhizin excretion. Dysfunction of this transporter increases the serum levels of direct bilirubin, glycyrrhizin and its metabolites. Read More

Gynecol Oncol 2018 Nov 19. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States of America.

Objective: Niraparib is a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARP) approved for use in maintenance therapy for ovarian cancer that is associated with the unpredictable grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia. This study was conducted to refine patient dosing recommendations for niraparib based upon clinical practice observations of grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia.

Methods And Materials: Six patient cases were reviewed to identify similarities in patient factors. Read More

J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2018 Jul-Sep;30(3):337-341

Consultant General and Colorectal Surgery, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Pensnett Rd, Dudley West Midlands, UK.

Background: Identifying general surgical patients at risk of poor outcome can be a diagnostic challenge. This study aimed to determine the significance of admission serum acute phase reactants in predicting emergency general surgical outcome.

Methods: An electronic database containing all acute general surgical admissions over two years was analysed to correlate admission acute phase reactants (including C-reactive protein (CRP), absolute neutrophil count (ANC) and serum albumin) with outcome. Read More

Clin Epidemiol 2018 26;10:1583-1598. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan,

Objective: Prompt assessment of perioperative complications is critical for the comprehensive care of surgical patients. Acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (AKI-D) is associated with high mortality, yet little is known about how long-term outcomes of patients have evolved. The association of AKI-D with postsurgical outcomes has not been well studied. Read More