There is increasing evidence that inflammation is involved in the mechanisms of acute ischemic stroke. The utility of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has recently been reported to help in the prognostication of stroke. The utility of NLR in the diagnosis of stroke remains uncertain. In this retrospective study, patients with acute ischemic stroke who presented within the first 24 hours of symptom onset to our clinic from September to December 2019 were studied, involving 93 patients with stroke and 60 control. The mean age in the stroke group was 71.7 ± 12.2 years whereas it was 72.6 ± 5.7 in the control group (p=0.405). The female/male ratio was 47/46 in the stroke group and it was 26/34 in the control group (p=0.411). The NLR level was higher in patients with ischemic stroke as compared to control (p=0.029) whereas hemoglobin levels were lower in the patient group (p= 0.025). The ROC curve analysis revealed that a NLR cutoff point of 2.34 had 61.3 % sensitivity and 60% specificity in detecting patients with ischemic stroke. The regression analyses also revealed that the NLR and hemoglobin levels were predictors for stroke. In conclusion, NLR and hemoglobin may potentially be paraclinical markers in differential diagnosis of stroke.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate TMPRSS2:ERG fusion rates in tissue, urine, blood, and pubic hair samples in a cohort of patients with localized prostate cancer and to correlate these findings with various clinicopathological parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort of 40 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer (RRP group) and 10 control patients undergoing prostate biopsy were enrolled between 2006 and 2008. Urine, pubic hair, and peripheral blood samples were obtained following prostatic massage before the needle biopsy or radical prostatectomy. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed on all collected samples. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 62.4 (+/-5.5) years. We observed higher expressions of TMPRSS2:ERG fusion in tissue, urine, and blood samples from the RRP group than in samples from the control group. Overall, the fusion was present in urine samples of 23 RRP patients (57.5%). To predict high-stage cancer (>T3a), the Gleason score was the only significant factor in the logistic regression analysis (score, 10.579; p=0.001). Quantitative evaluation of the gene fusion in tissue (Pearson r=0.36, p=0.011) and urine (Pearson r=0.34, p=0.014) samples had a significant positive correlation with the preoperative prostate-specific antigen level. CONCLUSIONS: Urine sediments collected after prostatic massage appear to be a feasible noninvasive method of detecting TMPRSS2:ERG fusion. The Gleason score is the only significant factor to predict high-stage cancer (>T3a). No correlation between TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion status and tumor stage, Gleason grade, prostate-specific antigen level, or surgical margin status was observed.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Cohort Studies ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Gene Fusion ; Hair ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Massage ; Neoplasm Grading ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors and predictive value of vertebral Hounsfield units (HUs) for vertebral compression fracture (VCF) development in gastric cancer (GC) patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 271 patients with non-metastatic GC who received adjuvant RT between 2010 and 2020. The vertebral bodies from 9th thoracic (T9) to 2nd lumbar (L2) were contoured in computed tomographies used for RT planning, and V30, V35, V40, mean doses, and HUs of vertebrae were documented. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the risk factors for VCF development. Results: The median follow-up time was 35.7 months. VCF developed in 23 patients (8.5%) in a median of 30.6 months (range, 3.4 to 117.3) after the end of RT. In total, 37 vertebrae were fractured, with 14 located in T12, nine in L1, seven in T11, four in L2, and three in T10. Older age, female sex, non-smoking status, and lower median vertebrae HUs were significantly associated with VCF in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, lower median HUs of T12 vertebrae (odds ratio, 0.965; 95% confidence interval, 0.942 to 0.989; p = 0.004) remained significant. The optimal cut-off value for T12 HU was 205.1, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.765, sensitivity of 85.7%, and specificity of 65%. Conclusion The lower median HU value of T12 vertebrae is a significant and independent risk factor for VCF development in GC patients who received adjuvant RT. HUs values serve as a simple and reliable predictor of VCF development in this population.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors and predictive value of vertebral Hounsfield units (HUs) for vertebral compression fracture (VCF) development in gastric cancer (GC) patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 271 patients with non-metastatic GC who received adjuvant RT between 2010 and 2020. The vertebral bodies from 9th thoracic (T9) to 2nd lumbar (L2) were contoured in computed tomographies used for RT planning, and V30, V35, V40, mean doses, and HUs of vertebrae were documented. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the risk factors for VCF development. Results: The median follow-up time was 35.7 months. VCF developed in 23 patients (8.5%) in a median of 30.6 months (range, 3.4 to 117.3) after the end of RT. In total, 37 vertebrae were fractured, with 14 located in T12, nine in L1, seven in T11, four in L2, and three in T10. Older age, female sex, non-smoking status, and lower median vertebrae HUs were significantly associated with VCF in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, lower median HUs of T12 vertebrae (odds ratio, 0.965; 95% confidence interval, 0.942 to 0.989; p = 0.004) remained significant. The optimal cut-off value for T12 HU was 205.1, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.765, sensitivity of 85.7%, and specificity of 65%. Conclusion The lower median HU value of T12 vertebrae is a significant and independent risk factor for VCF development in GC patients who received adjuvant RT. HUs values serve as a simple and reliable predictor of VCF development in this population.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors and predictive value of vertebral Hounsfield units (HUs) for vertebral compression fracture (VCF) development in gastric cancer (GC) patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 271 patients with non-metastatic GC who received adjuvant RT between 2010 and 2020. The vertebral bodies from 9th thoracic (T9) to 2nd lumbar (L2) were contoured in computed tomographies used for RT planning, and V30, V35, V40, mean doses, and HUs of vertebrae were documented. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the risk factors for VCF development. Results: The median follow-up time was 35.7 months. VCF developed in 23 patients (8.5%) in a median of 30.6 months (range, 3.4 to 117.3) after the end of RT. In total, 37 vertebrae were fractured, with 14 located in T12, nine in L1, seven in T11, four in L2, and three in T10. Older age, female sex, non-smoking status, and lower median vertebrae HUs were significantly associated with VCF in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, lower median HUs of T12 vertebrae (odds ratio, 0.965; 95% confidence interval, 0.942 to 0.989; p = 0.004) remained significant. The optimal cut-off value for T12 HU was 205.1, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.765, sensitivity of 85.7%, and specificity of 65%. Conclusion The lower median HU value of T12 vertebrae is a significant and independent risk factor for VCF development in GC patients who received adjuvant RT. HUs values serve as a simple and reliable predictor of VCF development in this population.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors and predictive value of vertebral Hounsfield units (HUs) for vertebral compression fracture (VCF) development in gastric cancer (GC) patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 271 patients with non-metastatic GC who received adjuvant RT between 2010 and 2020. The vertebral bodies from 9th thoracic (T9) to 2nd lumbar (L2) were contoured in computed tomographies used for RT planning, and V30, V35, V40, mean doses, and HUs of vertebrae were documented. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the risk factors for VCF development. Results: The median follow-up time was 35.7 months. VCF developed in 23 patients (8.5%) in a median of 30.6 months (range, 3.4 to 117.3) after the end of RT. In total, 37 vertebrae were fractured, with 14 located in T12, nine in L1, seven in T11, four in L2, and three in T10. Older age, female sex, non-smoking status, and lower median vertebrae HUs were significantly associated with VCF in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, lower median HUs of T12 vertebrae (odds ratio, 0.965; 95% confidence interval, 0.942 to 0.989; p = 0.004) remained significant. The optimal cut-off value for T12 HU was 205.1, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.765, sensitivity of 85.7%, and specificity of 65%. Conclusion The lower median HU value of T12 vertebrae is a significant and independent risk factor for VCF development in GC patients who received adjuvant RT. HUs values serve as a simple and reliable predictor of VCF development in this population.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors and predictive value of vertebral Hounsfield units (HUs) for vertebral compression fracture (VCF) development in gastric cancer (GC) patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 271 patients with non-metastatic GC who received adjuvant RT between 2010 and 2020. The vertebral bodies from 9th thoracic (T9) to 2nd lumbar (L2) were contoured in computed tomographies used for RT planning, and V30, V35, V40, mean doses, and HUs of vertebrae were documented. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the risk factors for VCF development. Results: The median follow-up time was 35.7 months. VCF developed in 23 patients (8.5%) in a median of 30.6 months (range, 3.4 to 117.3) after the end of RT. In total, 37 vertebrae were fractured, with 14 located in T12, nine in L1, seven in T11, four in L2, and three in T10. Older age, female sex, non-smoking status, and lower median vertebrae HUs were significantly associated with VCF in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, lower median HUs of T12 vertebrae (odds ratio, 0.965; 95% confidence interval, 0.942 to 0.989; p = 0.004) remained significant. The optimal cut-off value for T12 HU was 205.1, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.765, sensitivity of 85.7%, and specificity of 65%. Conclusion The lower median HU value of T12 vertebrae is a significant and independent risk factor for VCF development in GC patients who received adjuvant RT. HUs values serve as a simple and reliable predictor of VCF development in this population.