Objective To explore the significance of signal and volume change from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of hysteromyoma before and after uterine artery embolization (UAE) in the therapy evaluation. Methods MRI was performed in 30 patients (50 hysteromyoma) before and 3,6 and 12 months after UAE. They were grouped by location, signal and size. The MRI signal changes and the hysteromyoma's volume reduction ratio were measured. Results After 3,6,12 months, MRI of hysteromyoma was changed significantly, and all hysteromyomas had lower T2WI signals than before, some of which had higher T1WI signals. Hysteromyoma's volumes were progressively reduced, the majority of which shrinked significantly within 3 months. Evaluated by 12 month's volume changes, significant volume reduction was found in submucous fibroids, and significant difference was showed compared with intramural fibroids and subserosal fibroids (88.9 % vs. 73.7 % and 68.3 %, P=0.036, P=0.019), meanwhile,the latter two had no significant difference (P=0.384). The volume reduction rate in rich cell fibroids was higher than those in ordinary no degeneration fibroids and degeneration type, and there were significant differences (85.7 % vs. 72.1 % and 63.4%, P=0.038, P=0.014). Besides, the latter two had no significant difference (P=0.364). Large fibroids shrinked more obviously than small ones with significant difference (75.2 % vs. 59.6 %, χ2=4.563, P=0.044). Conclusion MRI is useful for the evaluation of efficacy in hysteromyoma before and after UAE, which can provide the better interventional treatment for the patients in regard to different sensitivity of hysteromyoma to UAE.

Adverse reactions commonly associated with apalutamide include hot flashes, fatigue, joint pain, rash, hypertension, and anemia. Apalutamide-induced agranulocytosis is relatively rare. In this paper, we reported a case with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer who developed agranulocytosis after taking apalutamide for one month. The patient’s neutrophil count returned to normal with appropriate supportive therapy, and no significant decrease in neutrophil count was observed during 10 months of follow-up after discharge.

To investigate the relationship between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and work impairment in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) based on real-world evidence. Outpatients with confirmed AS at Chinese PLA General Hospital were recruited consecutively by Smart-phone SpondyloArthritis Management System (SpAMS) from April 2016 to April 2018. The relationship between CRP and work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire (WPAI) were evaluated. Five hundred and fifty-one outpatients with AS in paid employment were recruited. The presenteeism, overall work impairment, and activity impairment rates increased by 1.4% (1.1%, 1.8%), 1.1% (0.5%, 1.6%), and 1.7% (1.3%, 2.1%), respectively, for every 10 mg/L increase in the CRP level (all P value<0.01). However, the CRP level was not associated with absenteeism after adjusting for covariates [0.5%(-0.4%, 1.0%), P>0.05]. There is a significant association between increased serum CRP levels at baseline and the previous 7-day work impairment in patients with AS. Higher CRP levels contribute to worse presenteeism, overall work impairment, and activity impairment rates, which suggests the necessity of monitoring CRP on treatment, and also indicates that anti-inflammatory therapy may be effective for improving work productivity.

Background::Concerns exist regarding the risk of infections in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) treated with biologics. We assessed the risk of infections of biological and targeted drugs in patients with SpA by performing a meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Methods::A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and China Biology Medicine Disc for RCTs evaluating the risk of infections of biological therapy in patients with SpA from inception through August 9, 2021. We calculated a pooled Peto odds ratio (OR) for infections in biologics-treated patients vs. placebo patients. The risk of bias on the included RCTs was assessed by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Results::In total, 62 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, the risk of infection (Peto OR: 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-1.26, P < 0.001), serious infection (Peto OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.26-2.17, P < 0.001), upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (Peto OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.04-1.32, P = 0.008), nasopharyngitis (Peto OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.10-1.42, P < 0.001), and Candida infection (Peto OR: 2.64, 95% CI: 1.48-4.71, P = 0.001) were increased in SpA patients treated with biologics compared with placebo. Sensitivity analysis based on biologics classes was conducted, and results demonstrated that compared with placebo, there was a higher risk of infection for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors (Peto OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.13-1.68, P = 0.001) and interleukin (IL)-17 inhibitors (Peto OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.08-2.22, P = 0.018) in axial SpA, and for Janus kinase inhibitors in peripheral SpA (Peto OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.14-1.69, P = 0.001); higher risk of serious infection for IL-17 inhibitors in peripheral SpA (Peto OR: 3.46, 95% CI: 1.26-9.55, P = 0.016) and axial SpA (Peto OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.38-2.91, P < 0.001); higher risk of URTI for TNF-α inhibitors in axial SpA (Peto OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.05-1.78, P= 0.019), and for apremilast in peripheral SpA (Peto OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.08-2.36, P = 0.018); higher risk of nasopharyngitis for TNF-α inhibitors in axial SpA (Peto OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.05-1.90, P = 0.022) and peripheral SpA (Peto OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.09-2.05, P = 0.013), and for IL-17 inhibitors in axial SpA (Peto OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.01-1.82, P = 0.044); higher risk of herpes zoster for Janus kinase inhibitors in peripheral SpA (Peto OR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.03-4.62, P = 0.043); higher risk of Candida infection for IL-17 inhibitors in peripheral SpA (Peto OR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.31-4.84, P= 0.006). Conclusions::This meta-analysis shows that biological therapy in patients with SpA may increase the risk of infections, including serious infections, URTI, nasopharyngitis, and Candida infection, which should be paid attention to in our clinical practice.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of radical prostatectomy without biopsy for patients with highly suspected localized prostate cancer diagnosed by multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT. Methods:Patients were enrolled in this single-arm prospective study from March 2019 to January 2022 in the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University. Eligible patients were aged ≤80 years with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance-status score of 0 or 1. Based on mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT, patients were diagnosed with highly suspected localized prostate cancer with no evidence of distant lymphatic, bone or visceral metastases. Patients were excluded if they had obvious important organs dysfunction, suspected metastatic lesions or history of other malignant tumor. After fully informed of the surgical risks and possibilities of final pathology, patients received laparoscopic or robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. According to final pathological results, the diagnostic accuracy of mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT was evaluated. Pathological features were compared between low 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max) group (SUV max<10) and high SUV max group (SUV max≥10). Baseline characteristics were compared between clinically significant prostate cancer (CsPCa) and clinically insignificant prostate cancer (cisPCa) + high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) patients. Additional analysis of the correlation between baseline parameters and different subgroups including pathological stage, ISUP grades and risk groups were performed in CsPCa patients. Results:31 patients were enrolled. Median age was 68 (ranging 48-79)years old. Median BMI was 25.6(ranging 21.9-31.4)kg/m 2. Median prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 23.5 (ranging 5.6-94.7)ng/ml. Median prostate volume was 37.6(ranging 16.2-127.9)ml. Median PSA density (PSAD) was 0.56(ranging 0.11-2.86)ng/ml 2. Fifteen cases were scored prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 4 and 16 cases were scored PI-RADS 5. Median 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT SUV max was 13.3 (ranging 4.6-36.7). All surgeries were successfully accomplished without open conversion. Median postoperative hospitalization time was 5 (ranging 4-7)d. No major complication occurred perioperatively. Recovery of urinary continence was within 6 months in all patients. According to the final pathological results, 1(3.2%) patient was confirmed with HGPIN. 30 (96.8%) patients were confirmed with adenocarcinoma, including 26 (86.7%) patients with CsPCa and 4(13.3%) patients with cisPCa. Among prostate cancer cases, the pathological stage of 11(36.7%) was T 2 and 19(63.3%) was T 3. Four(13.3%) cases were with ISUP grade 1, 7(23.3%) cases were with ISUP grade 2, 7(23.3%) cases were with ISUP grade 3 and 12 (40.0%) cases were with ISUP grade≥4.Two(6.7%) cases were in low risk group, 3(10.0%) cases were in intermediate risk group and 25 (83.3%) cases were in high risk group. Twelve(40.0%) patients had positive surgical margins. Standard pelvic lymph node dissection was carried out in 18 (17 prostate cancer and 1 HGPIN) cases. Sixty-two lymph nodes were dissected and none of them was positive. The diagnostic accuracy of mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT was 96.8%(30/31) in prostate cancer. Compared to low SUV max group, patients in high SUV max group had higher ISUP grade ( P=0.003) but there was no significant difference in positive surgical margin, seminal vesical invasion or pathological stage ( P>0.05). Among CsPCa patients, 10 (38.5%) cases were scored PI-RADS 4 and 16(61.5%) cases were scored PI-RADS 5. Median 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT SUV max was 14.3 (range 6.1-36.7). Compared to cisPCa and HGPIN patients, a smaller median prostate volume (34.3 vs. 73.0 ml, P=0.006), higher median PSAD (0.70 vs. 0.13 ng/ml 2, P=0.001), higher rates of PI-RADS 5 patients (61.5% vs. 0, P=0.018) and higher 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT SUV max (14.3 vs. 6.1, P=0.001) were found in CsPCa patients. Subgroup analysis showed no significant difference between SUV max and pathological stage (25.5 vs. 13.9), ISUP grades (15.4 vs. 14.4 vs. 14.0) and risk groups (9.7 vs. 14.9) in CsPCa patients ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The diagnostic accuracy of mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT is high in prostate cancer. With efficient communication, radical prostatectomy without biopsy for patients with highly suspected localized prostate cancer diagnosed by mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT is safe.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of pre-biopsy serum inflammatory markers on positive prostate biopsy results, establish a nomogram model based on pre-biopsy inflammatory markers combined with other parameters, and evaluate its predictive ability for prostate biopsy results.Methods:The clinical data of 601 patients undergoing transperineal prostate biopsy who were admitted to the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from August 2019 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The median age was 68(35, 89)years, and the median tPSA was 9.56(4.01, 19.95)ng/ml. The median fPSA was 1.36(0.88, 2.02)ng/ml, the median PSAD was 0.16(0.11, 0.26)ng/ml 2, and the median platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)was 129.90(98.95, 169.89). PI-RADS v2.1 score<3 points in 189 cases(31.45%), 3 points in 174 cases(28.95%), 4 points in 190 cases(31.61%), and 5 points in 48 cases(7.99%). A simple randomization method was used to obtain 421 cases(70.00%)in the modeling group and 180 cases(30%)in the validation group.There was no significant difference in the clinical data between the two groups ( P>0.05). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed in the modeling group to screen independent influencing factors for the prediction of positive prostate biopsy results. A nomogram model was established and internal verification was conducted. External validation of the model was performed in the validation group. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to verify model discrimination, Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was used to verify model calibration, and decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the net benefit and clinical utility of the predictive model. Results:The results of univariate analysis showed that the age( OR=1.060, P<0.01), histological inflammation( OR=0.312, P<0.01), the number of biopsy needles( OR=0.949, P=0.009), f/tPSA( OR=0.954, P=0.003), PV( OR=0.973, P<0.01), PSAD( OR=29.260, P<0.01), PI-RADS v2.1 score(3-point OR=3.766, P=0.001; 4-point OR=11.800, P<0.01; 5-point OR=57.033, P<0.01), lymphocyte count( OR=1.535, P=0.013), NLR( OR=0.848, P=0.044), PLR( OR=0.994, P=0.005)and SII( OR=0.999, P=0.009)were statistically different between the prostate patients and non-prostate cancer patients in the modeling group; Multivariate analysis showed that age( OR=1.094, P<0.001), fPSA( OR=0.605, P=0.002), histological inflammation ( OR=0.241, P<0.001), PSAD ( OR=7.57, P=0.013), PLR ( OR=0.994, P=0.005) and PI-RADS v2.1 Score(3-point OR=2.737, P=0.016; 4-point OR=8.621, P<0.001; 5-point OR=47.65, P<0.001) was an independent influencing factor for prostate cancer at initial biopsy; a nomogram model based on age, fPSA, PSAD, PLR and PI-RADS v2.1 scores was established. The AUC of the modeling group was 0.849(95% CI 0.810-0.888), and the sensitivity was 80.9%, and the specificity was 76.1%; the AUC of the validation group was 0.862(95% CI 0.809-0.915), and the sensitivity was 91.9%, and the specificity was 67.8%, suggesting that the diagnostic prediction model had a good discrimination. The calibration curve showed that the prediction model was well calibrated ( χ2=6.137, P=0.632). The decision curve analysis (DCA) of the modeling and validation groups indicated a larger net benefit of the predictive model. Conclusions:The nomogram model established in this study based on age, fPSA, PSAD, PLR and PI-RADS v2.1 score showed good predictive efficacy for prostate biopsy in patients with PSA between 4-20 ng/ml.

[Objective] To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of treatment-naive patients with highly suspected prostate cancer (PCa) with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level ≥20 ng/mL, to provide reference for promoting early screening of PCa. [Methods] A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of treatment-naive patients with PSA level ≥20 ng/mL, undergoing prostate biopsy for highly suspected PCa at the Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital during Jan.2013 and Jun.2023. The correlation between patients' age, body mass index (BMI), PSA, prostate volume (PV), prostate cancer-specific antigen density (PSAD), prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) score, and International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade with highly suspected PCa metastasis and PSA stratification were analyzed. [Results] A total of 1778 suspected patients were enrolled. Pathological findings confirmed PCa in 1465 cases (82.4%), with 487(33.2%) diagnosed as metastatic PCa. Over the past decade, the number of patients undergoing prostate biopsy for highly suspected PCa and being confirmed has been increasing annually, with the proportion of metastatic cases remaining at around 30%. Compared with those with PSA level being 20-50 ng/mL, patients with PSA level >50 ng/mL had older age, lower BMI, higher PSAD, higher PI-RADS, higher ISUP, more diverse pathological types, and a higher incidence of metastasis (P<0.05) with lower proportion of urban residents. Additionally, analysis of metastatic PCa cases showed that 46.8%(228/487) had oligometastasis (≤5 metastatic lesions), including 99.0% bone metastasis, 4.1% extraregional lymph node metastasis, and 4.3% other organ metastasis. [Conclusion] Over the past 10 years, there has been a continuous increase in the number of treatment-naive biopsied cases and newly diagnosed cases of highly suspicious PCa with PSA level ≥20 ng/mL, while the proportion of metastatic cases remains high. Therefore, proactive efforts should be made to promote early screening of high-risk suspected cases.

BACKGROUND: Concerns exist regarding the potential development of tuberculosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with biological and targeted drugs. We assessed systematically whether biological therapy increased the risk of tuberculosis in patients with RA by meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and China Biology Medicine disc for RCTs evaluating biological therapy in patients with RA from inception through August 2021. Traditional meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were performed to compare the risk of tuberculosis for each biologics class in patients with RA. Peto odds ratio (Peto OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated as the primary effect measure. RESULTS: In total, 39 studies with 20,354 patients were included in this meta-analysis, and 82 patients developed tuberculosis. The risk of tuberculosis was increased in patients treated with biologics compared with non-biologics (Peto OR: 3.86, 95% CI: 2.36-6.32, P < 0.001). Also, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors had a higher probability of developing tuberculosis than placebo (Peto OR: 3.98, 95% CI: 2.30-6.88, P < 0.001). However, network meta-analysis demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the risk of tuberculosis for each biologics class in patients with RA. Noticeably, tuberculosis was significantly more common in patients treated with a high dose compared with patients receiving a low dose of tofacitinib (Peto OR: 7.39, 95% CI: 2.00-27.31, P = 0.003). CONCLUSION This meta-analysis demonstrates the evidence of an elevated risk of tuberculosis in patients with RA treated with TNF-α inhibitors, and a dose-dependent elevated risk of tuberculosis in patients treated with tofacitinib.
Antirheumatic Agents/adverse effects* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Tuberculosis/drug therapy*

To compare the differences in clinical features and treatment choices between peripheral spondyloarthritis(pSpA) and axial spondyloarthritis(axSpA), and better understand the clinical characteristics and medication needs of pSpA.