Background Accumulating evidence indicates that systemic inflammation response is associated with the prognosis of various cancers.The aim of this study was to investigate the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR),which is one of the systemic inflammation markers,in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after treatment of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).Methods The clinical data of 178 HCC patients who received TACE were retrospectively analyzed.The optimal NLR cutoff was determined according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.All patients were divided into NLR-normal group and NLR-elevated group according to the cutoff,and the clinical features of these two groups were comparatively analyzed.Meanwhile,the overall survival and disease free survival (DFS) were analyzed using the KaplanMeier method.The risk factors of postoperative survival were investigated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses.Results The optimal NLR cutoff was defined at 1.85 and 42 (23.6％) patients had an elevated NLR (NLR＞1.85).The median survival time was 9.5 months (range 1-99 months).The clinical data between the two groups were comparable,except for α-fetoprotein.Follow-up results showed that the median survival of patients with normal NLR was 17.5 months (range:1-99 months) compared with 8 months (range:8-68 months) of patients with elevated NLR.The 1,3 and 5-year overall survival of patients in the NLR-normal group and NLR-elevated group were 57.3％,44.1％,and 27.2％ and 42.1％,19.6％,and 9.5％ respectively (x2=194.2,P ＜0.001).Similarly,the disease free survival also has a significant difference (x2=39.3,P ＜0.001).Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that a high NLR was an independent factor affecting the survival rate of HCC after TACE (P=0.04).Conclusion Preoperative NLR was an important prognostic factor to predict the prognosis of patients with intermediate HCC treated with TACE.

Objective: To summarize the diagnosis and treatment of biliary pancreatic duct dilatation. Methods: The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical data of 22 patients with biliary pancreatic duct dilatation who were admitted to Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine between October 2013 to September 2017 were collected. There were 6 males and 16 females, aged from 33 to 82 years, with an average age of 66 years. Surgical exploration was decided according to clinical symptoms, results of laboratory test and imaging examinations. For patients with space occupying lesions, surgical procedure was selected based on results of pathological examination. Patients without surgical exploration or space occupying lesions were allocated into follow-up. Observation indicators: (1) surgical exploration; (2) relationship of clinical symptoms and preoperative examinations with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions; (3) surgical treatment; (4) follow-up. Follow-up using outpatient examination was performed on patients up to October 2018. Follow-up was performed on patients with positive surgical exploration to detect postoperative complications.For patients with positive results of imaging examinations, no jaundice, normal laboratory indicators or mild abnormality, liver function, tumor markers and B-ultrasound were re-examined each month, and computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed once every 3 months. Surgical exploration was performed when total bilirubin (TBil) or tumor markers showed a progressive increase. Follow-up was performed on patients with negative results of imaging examination, jaundice, and mildly elevated CA19-9. TBil and CA19-9 were re-examined monthly, and if they were progressively elevated, patients were transferred to surgical exploration. For patients with negative results of imaging examination, no symptoms, and negative laboratory test, liver function, tumor markers, and B-ultrasound were re-examined once every 3 months, and enhanced CT and MRI were re-examined once every 6 months within one year. Follow-up was performed once every 6 months during the second year, and once a year after two years. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the t test. Count data were descibed as absolute numbers, and they were analyzed using the chi-square test under R×C chart or Fisher exact probability. Results: (1) Surgical exploration: of 22 patients, 11 underwent surgical exploration, and 11 underwent follow-up. Of the 11 patients with surgical exploration, 4 were positive for space occupying lesions including 1 of false negative, and 7 were negative for space occupying lesions. (2) Relationship of clinical symptoms and preoperative examinations with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions. ① Relationship of clinical symptoms and laboratory test with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions: juandice was significantly associated with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions (P<0.05), and elevated TBil and DBil were significantly associated with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions (χ²=0, 0, P<0.05), with a sensitivity of 75.0% and specificity of 100.0%. ② Relationship between imaging examination and surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions: results of CT, MRI, endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography, endoscopic ultrasonography, PET-CT, and combined imaging examinations had no significant association with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions (χ²=0, 0.77, 0, 0, 1.00, 0, 0, 0, 0, P>0.05). PET-CT had no significant association with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions (P>0.05). ③ Relationship of imaging examination and laboratory test with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions: positive imaging examination combined with elevated TBil and CA19-9 was significantly associated with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions (P<0.05), with a sensitivity of 50.0% and specificity of 100.0%. ④ Relationship of preoperative diameters of biliary ducts and pancreatic ducts with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions: of 22 patients, the diameters of biliary ducts and pancreatic ducts were (13.8±4.3)mm and (4.6±1.5)mm for patients with positive surgical exploration, (13.0±2.8)mm and (3.5±0.5)mm for patients with negative surgical exploration, (11.6±2.4)mm and (3.2±0.4)mm for patients with follow-up, respectively, showing no significant difference between them (t=0.22, 0.36, P>0.05). (3) Surgical treatment: 9 of 11 patients with surgical exploration followed the standard procedure. Of the 9 patients, 4 were found space-occupying lesions at the choledocho-pancreatico-duodenal junction (3 undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy and 1 undergoing duodenal papilla partial resection), 5 with negative exploration underwent common bile duct incision and T-tube drainage (one patient was unable to pinch the T-tube one month after operation and detected obstruction at the lower end of the bile duct by radiography, and was confirmed pancreatic head cancer by reoperation 3 months after the first operation). Two patients didn′t follow the exploratory procedure, and underwent the child operation only based on the preoperative imaging findings, without intraoperative pathological examination. Postoperative pathological examination showed chronic ampulla and chronic pancreatitis, respectively. (4) Follow-up: 22 patients were followed up for 12-60 months, with a median follow-up time of 36 months. Two of 11 patients with surgical exploration had postoperative gastroplegia, 1 had bile leakage, 1 had incisional infection, and they were improved after symptomatic treatment. Four patients undergoing surgeries for positive exploration had no recurrence during follow-up. Of 5 patients with negative exploration undergoing common bile duct incision and T-tube drainage, 1 was confirmed pancreatic head cancer and underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy, 4 were removed T-tube after by T-tube cholangiography at 2 months after surgery. During the follow-up, no positive signs showed in laboratory test or imaging examination. No recurrence occurred in the two patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. Of 11 patients with follow-up, 10 had abdominal pain before surgery, including 3 with pain during follow-up and 7 with symptoms disappeared. There was no abnormalities in the laboratory test. Conclusions The positive imaging examinations combined with jaundice and elevated CA19-9 is an absolute indication for surgical exploration in patients with biliary duct dilatation. Those patients who do not meet this criteria should be distributed into the follow-up. If no positive pathological results were obtained during the operation, the surgery should be terminated and the patients should be transferred into follow-up. The reckless biliary anastomosis or biliary stents placement is opposed.

Objective To investigate the application value of hepatectomy using Glissonean pedicle transection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Clinical data of 54 patients with HCC undergoing radical hepatectomy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi’an Jiaotong University from January 2002 to December 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. According to different surgical procedure, the patients were divided into hepatectomy with Glissonean pedicle transection group (Glisson group) and hepatectomy with Pringle maneuver (Pringle group) with 27 cases in each group. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the ethical committee approval was received. In Glisson group, hepatectomy was performed after Glissonean pedicles were dissected and occluded. In Pringle group, hepatectomy was performed after the ifrst porta was occluded using Pringle maneuver. The intraoperative situation, the variation of liver function and incidence of complications after operation of two groups were observed. The patients received follow-up after operation and survival analysis was conducted. The comparison of measurement data between two groups was conducted using t test, the comparison of rates using Chi-square test or Fisher's exact probability test, and the survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test. Results The mean of intraoperative blood loss in Glisson group [(135±57) ml] was signiifcantly less than that in Pringle group[(248±87) ml] (t=-5.62, P<0.05). The total bilirubin (TB) level 1 d after operation in Glisson group [(23±5) μmol/L] was significantly lower than that in Pringle group [(34±5) μmol/L] (t=-8.08, P<0.05). In Glisson group, postoperative hemorrhage was observed in 2 cases and infection in 2 cases. In Pringle group, postoperative hemorrhage was observed in 3 cases, infection in 1 case, and bile leakage in 1 case. No signiifcant difference was observed in the incidence of postoperative complications between two groups (P>0.05). The 1-, 3-, 5-year cumulative survival rates were 89%, 50%, 39%in Glisson group and were 82%, 55%, 41%in Pringle group. The 1-, 3-, 5-year disease-free survival rates were 89%, 43%, 34%in Glisson group and were 82%, 47%, 41%in Pringle group. No signiifcant difference was observed in the cumulative survival rates and disease free survival rates between two groups (χ2=0.001, 0.011; P>0.05). Conclusion Hepatectomy using Glissonean pedicle transection is a safe, effective, and feasible surgical procedure for HCC with advantages of less blood loss, milder liver damage.

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between tumor size and prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy.MethodsClinical data of 172 patients undergoing radical hepatectomy and diagnosed as HCC by pathological examination in the First Afifliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University between December 2002 and December 2011 were retrospectively studied. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval had been received. Among the 172 patients, 139 were males and 33 were females; 98 were with age≤55 years old and 74 were with age >55 years old. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the relationship between postoperative survival time and tumor size was drawn, and the cut-off value for tumor size was determined at 5.75 cm. According to the best cut-off value, the patients were divided into the small HCC group (tumor size < 5.75 cm,n=85) and huge HCC group (tumor size≥5.75 cm,n=87). The relationship between tumor size and clinicopathologic parameters was analyzed, and the median survival time, cumulative survival rate and disease free survival rate of two groups were compared. The clinicopathologic parameters were included as the factors inlfuencing the survival and prognosis of patients, and independent risk factor analysis was performed. The relationship between tumor size and clinicopathologic parameters was analyzed using Chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival and prognosis analysis. Cox proportional hazard model was used for univariate analysis and multivariate analysis.ResultsTumor size was associated with the preoperative AFP, number of tumors and TNM staging (χ2=13.272, 9.378, 7.311;P<0.05). The median survival time and the median recurrence time for the huge HCC group were 24 months and 9 months respectively and were 39 months and 37 months for the small HCC group. The 1-, 3-, 5-year cumulative survival rate for the huge HCC group were 65.5%, 36.0%, 22.9% respectively and were 89.5%, 76.3%, 72.5% respectively for the small HCC group. The overall survival of the huge HCC group was lower than that of small HCC group (χ2=33.644,P<0.05). The 1-, 3-, 5-year disease free survival rate for the huge HCC group were 44.7%, 25.5%, 21.9% respectively and were 84.8%, 67.8%, 66.3% respectively for the small HCC group. The disease free survival rate of huge HCC group was lower than that of small HCC group (χ2=38.908,P<0.05). Preoperative platelets count (Plt)≥155×109/L, tumor size > 5.75 cm and advanced stage of TNM were the independent risk factors inlfuencing the postoperative prognosis of HCC patients (HR=1.588, 3.066, 2.029;P<0.05).ConclusionsTumor size is the independent risk factor inlfuencing the prognosis of HCC patients after hepatectomy. The prognosis of patients with tumor size > 5.75 cm is poor.

Objective:Taking emergency department (ED) as a starting point, to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and mortality risk factors of sepsis, and to provide evidences for ED to carry out the strategy of "three early and two lower" for sepsis.Methods:Based on the ED and inpatient medical record management information platform of Tianjin Medical University Gernal Hospital, adult ED patients with sepsis from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020 were included according to the third international consensus definitions for sepsis and septic shock in 2016 and the consensus of Chinese experts on early prevention and blocking of sepsis in 2020. The epidemiological characteristics of patients were retrospectively analyzed. Chi-square test was used to compare the difference of age, sex, hospitalization times, length of stay, hospitalization cost and infection location between dead patients and survival patients, and a stepwise logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of mortality in hospitalized patients with ED sepsis.Results:A total of 7 494 patients with sepsis in ED were included in this study, and the annual and monthly component ratios varied from 3.8‰ to 6.1‰ and 2.0‰ to 9.0‰, respectively. The main characteristics of patients with sepsis in ED were as follows: 40-69 years old (46.0%), male (59.0%), mostly diagnosed with sepsis (96.8%), mainly treated with urban health insurance (59.6%), and ED diagnosis and treatment fees of 2 000-8 000 Yuan (51.1%). The mortality of hospitalized patients with ED sepsis was 24.4% and that of hospitalized patients with septic shock was 28.8%. The main characteristics of hospitalized patients with ED sepsis were as follows: most of them were male (56.2%) patients over 70 years old (56.0%), most of them were diagnosed with sepsis (94.0%) and hospitalized for the first time (76.0%), the median hospitalization time was 15 d, most of them were hospitalized under urban health insurance (65.2%), and the median hospitalization fees was 47 000 Yuan. The risk factors of death were influenced by age and length of stay. Patients aged 70 years or older had a higher risk of death than those aged from 18 to 39 years, and patients with a length of stay of more than 7 d had a lower risk of death than those with a length of stay of shorter than 7 d. The primary infection focus were mainly respiratory and urinary systems, while the death rate of patients with hematological and abdominal infections was relatively high, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.01). Respiratory and abdominal infections were risk factors for death in patients with ED sepsis. Conclusions:The composition ratio of sepsis in ED patients is not regular in time, so vigilance of sepsis in elderly men and patients with respiratory system, blood system, urinary system and abdominal infections should be constantly raised. Patients with sepsis who are older, hospitalized more frequently, hospitalized for a shorter time, and infected in the respiratory system or abdomen have a higher risk of death.

BACKGROUNDAccumulating evidence indicates that systemic inflammation response is associated with the prognosis of various cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which is one of the systemic inflammation markers, in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after treatment of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).

METHODSThe clinical data of 178 HCC patients who received TACE were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal NLR cutoff was determined according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. All patients were divided into NLR-normal group and NLR-elevated group according to the cutoff, and the clinical features of these two groups were comparatively analyzed. Meanwhile, the overall survival and disease free survival (DFS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The risk factors of postoperative survival were investigated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses.

RESULTSThe optimal NLR cutoff was defined at 1.85 and 42 (23.6%) patients had an elevated NLR (NLR>1.85). The median survival time was 9.5 months (range 1-99 months). The clinical data between the two groups were comparable, except for a-fetoprotein. Follow-up results showed that the median survival of patients with normal NLR was 17.5 months (range: 1-99 months) compared with 8 months (range: 8-68 months) of patients with elevated NLR. The 1, 3 and 5-year overall survival of patients in the NLR-normal group and NLR-elevated group were 57.3%, 44.1%, and 27.2% and 42.1%, 19.6%, and 9.5% respectively (χ(2) = 194.2, P < 0.001). Similarly, the disease free survival also has a significant difference (χ(2) = 39.3, P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that a high NLR was an independent factor affecting the survival rate of HCC after TACE (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONPreoperative NLR was an important prognostic factor to predict the prognosis of patients with intermediate HCC treated with TACE.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; physiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neutrophils ; metabolism ; physiology