OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differential efficacy and safety profiles of oral mucosa (OM) grafts compared with acellular dermal matrix (ADM) grafts in the surgical management of long-segment urethral strictures. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 27 patients who underwent graft urethroplasty for long-segment urethral strictures in Peking University First Hospital, spanning from May 2010 to September 2023. The patient cohort comprised 14 individuals who received OM grafts and 13 who underwent ADM grafts. The participants were stratified into two groups based on the type of grafts material utilized during surgery. The demographic and clinical baseline characteristics included an average age of (43.3±14.0) years in the OM group and (54.2±15.9) years in the ADM group. The mean body mass index (BMI) for the respective groups were (24.7±4.3) kg/m² for OM and (25.4±4.8) kg/m² for ADM. Etiological differences were noted, with idiopathic causes predominantly in the OM cohort and lichen sclerosus in the ADM cohort. RESULTS: The surgical interventions were successfully executed for all the patients. The median stricture length was 4.5 (2.5, 9.0) cm for the OM group and 5.0 (2.0, 14.0) cm for the ADM group (P=0.555). The median operative duration was 160 (71, 221) min for the OM group and 134 (112, 274) min for the ADM group (P=0.065). The catheterization durations was 1.5 (1.0, 6.0) months for the OM group and 3.0 (1.0, 3.0) months for the ADM group. The median postoperative follow-up duration was 12.5 (1.0, 170.0) months for the OM group and 59.0 (3.0, 142.0) months for the ADM group. The surgical success rates were 50.00% in the OM group and 53.85% in the ADM group. No statistically significant differences were observed in postoperative quality of life (QoL) or international prostate symptom score (IPSS) at the final follow-up. The stricture-free survival rates did not differ significantly (HR=0.875, 95%CI: 0.507-1.511, P=0.6). In terms of safety, three patients in the OM group experienced sexual dysfunction, and two had oral complications, whereas the ADM group had one case of postoperative infection. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that ADM grafts are comparable to OM grafts in terms of efficacy and safety for the treatment of long-segment urethral strictures, including complex cases attributed to lichen sclerosus. However, given the small sample size of this study, the above conclusions may have certain limitations. Larger cohort studies will be needed in the future to further validate these findings.
Humans ; Urethral Stricture/surgery* ; Acellular Dermis ; Mouth Mucosa/transplantation* ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of SLC6A4 gene c.*670T>G polymorphism with the risk for asthma and peripheral blood cytological characteristics among ethnic Zhuang Chinese from Guangxi, China. METHODS: From May 2017 to March 2020, 258 patients diagnosed with asthma and 244 healthy controls were recruited from the Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Minzhu Medical College and the People's Hospital of Hechi. Genotypes of the c.*670T>G polymorphism were determined by Sanger sequencing. Flow cytometry was used in combination with an electrical impedance method for the counting and classification of peripheral blood cells. RESULTS: Compared with the T allele, the G allele of the c.*670T>G polymorphism was associated with the risk for asthma in the population (OR = 1.54, 95%CI = 1.15-2.06; P = 0.004). Compared with the GT and TT genotypes, homozygous GG genotype also comprised a risk factor (OR = 1.66, 95%CI = 1.16-2.38; P = 0.005). Stratification of the risk factors showed that the homozygous GG genotype has increased the risk of asthma in males and urban residents (P < 0.01). The erythrocyte, hemoglobin and platelet counts of the asthma group were significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.001). The GG, GT and TT genotypes have respectively accounted for 82.35%, 17.65% and 0% of the samples with platelets exceeding the normal value. The overall platelet level of GG genotype was higher than GT+TT genotype (P < 0.05). The significant association was verified by the false positive report probability, and at a prior probability level of 0.1, G vs. T false positive probability was 0.071, and GG vs. GT+TT false positive probability was 0.153. CONCLUSION The GG genotype of the c.*670T>G polymorphism is associated with the risk for asthma among ethnic Zhuang Chinese from northwest Guangxi. Above finding has also enriched the genotypic data and peripheral blood phenotype for this polymorphism.
Male ; Humans ; East Asian People ; China ; Genotype ; Alleles ; Asthma/genetics* ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins

Objective:To evaluate risk factors for local recurrence and prognosis in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) after radical nephroureterectomy combined with lymph node dissection (LND).Methods:The data of 237 patients who were diagnosed with UTUC in Peking University First Hospital and received radical nephroureterectomy combined with LND during January 2010 and March 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathologic characteristics and oncological outcomes were compared according to lymph node metastasis. There were 122 males and 115 females. The tumors of 122 cases were located on the left, while 115 cases were on the right. The tumors of 102 cases were in the renal pelvic, 124 cases in the ureter and 11 cases in both sites. The mean age was (65.52±10.14) years old. The overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) of all patients were valued using Kaplan-Meier method, and the survival curves with statistical significance between two groups were analyzed by log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regressions were performed to identify the independent risk factors for CSS and LRFS.Results:There were 122 males and 115 females. According to the lymph node metastasis, the patients were divided into lymph node negative group ( n=180, 75.9%) and lymph node positive group ( n=57, 24.1%). Lymph node positive group had a higher percentage in renal tumor [57.9%(33/57) vs. 38.1% (69/180)], stage T 3-4 [84.2%(48/57) vs. 32.8%(59/180)], G 3 [91.2%(52/57) vs. 55.6%(100/180)], glandular differentiation [17.5%(10/57) vs. 4.4%(8/180)], sarcomatoid differentiation [22.8%(13/57) vs. 9.4%(17/180)], necrosis [47.4%(27/57) vs. 16.1%(29/180)], lymphovascular invasion [40.4%(23/57) vs. 12.2%(22/180)] and the number of lymph node dissection [ 4(1, 10) vs. 2(1, 5)]. There were significant differences between the two groups ( P<0.05). Of 237 patients, 42 lost of follow up. The median follow-up time was 46(22, 79) months. Among the 195 patients, 52 patients died, and 42 died due to the tumor. Of all patients, 58(29.7%) had local recurrence, 34 had local recurrence alone, and 24 had concurrent distant metastasis. The 5-year OS and CSS were 67.4% and 71.3%, respectively. The 5-year OS and CSS were 70.5% and 75.1% respectively in the lymph node negative group, 57.5% and 59.4% respectively in the lymph node positive group ( P < 0.05). The 3-year LRFS was 68.0% for all the patients. The 3-year LRFS was 75.6% in the lymph node negative group and 44.5% in the lymph node positive group ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that tumor stage T 3-4( HR =3.924, 95% CI 2.045-7.529, P<0.001) and G 3( HR=2.871, 95% CI 1.193-6.909, P =0.019) were independent risk factors for LRFS. Multivariate analysis showed that age ≥70 years ( HR = 3.578, 95% CI 1.917-6.678, P<0.001) and pathological stage T 3-4 ( HR =2.366, 95% CI 1.278-4.381, P =0.006) were independent risk factors for CSS. Multivariate analysis showed that age ≥70 years ( HR = 3.874, 95% CI 2.190-6.853, P<0.001) and pathological stage T 3-4 ( HR = 2.757, 95% CI 1.565-4.857, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for OS. Conclusions:Patients with high T stage, high grade, as well as glandular differentiation, sarcomatoid differentiation, necrosis, lymphovascular invasion are more likely to have positive lymph node detection. Age ≥70 years and stage T 3-4 were independent risk factors for CSS and OS. Stage T 3-4 and G 3were independent risk factors for LRFS.