OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of supraspinatus muscle outlet X-ray film, oblique sagittal multislice helical CT (MSCT), and oblique sagittal MRI in the diagnosis of subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the imaging data of 106 patients diagnosed with SIS between January 2023 and December 2024. The cohort consisted of 32 males and 74 females, with ages ranging from 43 to 70 years (mean, 60.19 years). All patients underwent supraspinatus muscle outlet X-ray film, MSCT, and MRI scans, with MSCT further subjected to three-dimensional reconstruction. Two experienced radiologists independently evaluated the acromion morphology in each imaging modality using the Bigliani classification system. Inter-observer reliability was assessed via Kappa statistics. The CT three-dimensional reconstructions were used as the "gold standard". The overall consistency, Kappa values, sensitivity, and specificity of the three imaging modalities were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was computed. RESULTS: The inter-observer reliability for supraspinatus muscle outlet X-ray film, oblique sagittal MSCT, and oblique sagittal MRI was moderate, with Kappa values of 0.62, 0.63, and 0.55, respectively. When compared to the CT three-dimensional reconstructions as the "gold standard", the overall consistency was 88.7% (94/106), 62.3% (66/106), and 58.5% (62/106), respectively. The supraspinatus muscle outlet X-ray film showed excellent consistency (Kappa=0.77), whereas the consistency of MSCT and MRI was lower (Kappa=0.34 and 0.29, respectively). In terms of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, the supraspinatus muscle outlet X-ray film outperformed oblique sagittal MSCT and oblique sagittal MRI in distinguishing various acromion types. ROC analysis demonstrated that the AUC for the supraspinatus muscle outlet X-ray film was consistently higher than for oblique sagittal MSCT and oblique sagittal MRI, with the highest diagnostic performance observed for type Ⅲ hooked acromion (AUC=0.939). CONCLUSION Supraspinatus muscle outlet X-ray film provides the highest diagnostic accuracy for acromion classification in SIS patients, particularly in identifying type Ⅲ hooked acromion, which is strongly associated with SIS. Given its superior sensitivity and consistency, it should be considered the primary screening tool. MSCT and MRI serve as valuable supplementary modalities for complex cases and preoperative evaluation.
Humans ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Female ; Shoulder Impingement Syndrome/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged ; Adult ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Spiral Computed/methods* ; Multidetector Computed Tomography/methods* ; Reproducibility of Results

Objective:To investigate the clinical application value of commonly used preoperative indicators of sarcopenia in predicting postoperative pneumonia in patients aged 70 years and above with esophageal cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 398 elderly patients(≥70 years old)with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent thoracic laparoscopic radical resection of esophageal cancer in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2021.The study aimed to investigate the correlation between clinical pathological indicators and commonly used measurement indicators of sarcopenia and postoperative pneumonia.Statistical analysis was performed to analyze the data.Results:The study found that the proportion of postoperative pneumonia in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients aged 70 years and above was 27.9%(111 out of 398). The pneumonia group had significantly lower preoperative BMI and peak expiratory flow(PEF)measurements compared to the non-pneumonia group, with statistically significant differences( t=2.799, 2.674, both P<0.05). Logistic multivariate analysis revealed that low PEF, low psoas major muscle index(PMI), and low psoas muscle density(PMD)were the primary risk factors for postoperative pneumonia in esophageal cancer patients aged 70 years and above(Wald χ2 values were 7.577, 6.091, 6.845, all P<0.05). The risk of postoperative pneumonia in esophageal cancer patients aged 70 years and above with low PEF, low PMI, and low PMD was found to be 1.969 times higher(95% CI: 1.215-3.185, P=0.006), 1.912 times higher(95% CI: 1.143-3.205, P=0.014), and 1.832 times higher(95% CI: 1.164-2.882, P=0.009)respectively, compared to patients with high PEF, high PMI, and high PMD. Conclusions:Low PEF, low PMI, and low PMD are significant risk factors for postoperative pneumonia in esophageal cancer patients aged 70 years and older.Preoperative PEF, PMI, and PMD, which are commonly utilized measurement indicators for sarcopenia, can be utilized as early screening indicators for postoperative pneumonia.

Objective To observe the effect of non-invasive ventilator assisted vibration sputum evacuation on the level of cardiac function indicators in patients with acute heart failure in the intensive care unit(ICU).Methods A total of 120 patients with acute heart failure who received treatment in the ICU of Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province from September 2020 to March 2023 were selected as the study subjects.The patients were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group using a random number table method,with 60 patients in each group.A total of 120 patients were treated with conventional symptom therapy and non-invasive ventilation.The control group received routine nursing intervention,while the experimental group received non-invasive ventilator assisted vibration sputum evacuation.Arterial partial pressure of oxygen(PaO2),arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PaCO2),pulse oxygen saturation(SpO2),respiratory rate(RR),heart rate,blood pressure,central venous pressure,serum and ultrasound cardiac function indicators,and prognosis of two groups of patients were recorded after 2 weeks of intervention.Results After the intervention,PaO2,SpO2,and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)were significantly increased in both groups,while PaCO2,RR,heart rate,blood pressure,central venous pressure,N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP),cardiac troponin T(cTnT),left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVESD),and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD)were significantly decreased compared to before the intervention(all P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the experimental group showed significant increases in PaO2,SpO2,blood pressure,central venous pressure,and LVEF after intervention[PaO2(mmHg,1 mmHg≈0.133 kPa):68.24±5.81 vs.59.63±6.86,SpO2:0.95±0.03 vs.0.87±0.04,systolic blood pressure(mmHg):116.05±4.11 vs.104.13±3.95,diastolic blood pressure(mmHg):68.19±4.13 vs.62.85±4.12,central venous pressure(mmHg):9.42±1.29 vs.8.12±4.12,LVEF:0.49±0.05 vs.0.43±0.04,all P<0.05],while PaCO2,RR,heart rate,NT-proBNP,cTnT,LVESD,and LVEDD were significantly reduced[PaCO2(mmHg):42.12±4.08 vs.52.13±4.61,RR(beats/min):18.85±1.75 vs.21.54±2.51,heart rate(bpm):89.53±8.14 vs.101.11±10.26,NT-proBNP(ng/L):1687.25±589.67 vs.2145.36±751.03,cTnT(ng/L):70.58±5.15 vs.81.45±6.89,LVESD(mm):34.51±3.11 vs.38.89±3.55,LVEDD(mm)46.11±3.22 vs.49.74±3.75,all P<0.05].The mechanical ventilation time,ICU hospitalization time,and pulmonary infection relief time of the experimental group were significantly shortened compared to the control group[mechanical ventilation time(hours):72.14±10.06 vs.78.96±12.97,ICU hospitalization time(days):10.74±2.15 vs.12.88±3.26,pulmonary infection relief time(days):3.58±0.79 vs.5.14±1.12,all P<0.05],and the incidence of pulmonary infection was significantly reduced[1.67%(1/60)vs.11.67%(7/60),P<0.05],However,there was no statistically significant difference in the mortality rate between the experimental group and the control group[10.00%(6/60)vs.21.67%(13/60),P>0.05].Conclusion The non-invasive ventilator assisted vibration sputum evacuation can improve symptoms of hypoxemia and cardiac function,stabilize hemodynamics,shorten the course of acute heart failure in ICU patients,and reduce the incidence of pulmonary infections.

Iron is indispensable for the viablility of nearly all living organisms, and it is imperative for cells, tissues, and organisms to acquire this essential metal sufficiently and maintain its metabolic stability for survival. Disruption of iron homeostasis can lead to the development of various diseases. There is a robust connection between iron metabolism and infection, immunity, inflammation, and aging, suggesting that disorders in iron metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of arthritis. Numerous studies have focused on the significant role of iron metabolism in the development of arthritis and its potential for targeted drug therapy. Targeting iron metabolism offers a promising approach for individualized treatment of arthritis. Therefore, this review aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which the body maintains iron metabolism and the impacts of iron and iron metabolism disorders on arthritis. Furthermore, this review aimed to identify potential therapeutic targets and active substances related to iron metabolism, which could provide promising research directions in this field.

Background::The causal relationship between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and gout is still unclear. We aimed to examine the potential association between them using observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.Methods::In the observational analyses, a total of 11,967 participants (aged 39.5 ± 11.5 years) were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between VAT mass and the risk of gout. In two-sample MR analyses, 211 VAT mass-related independent genetic variants (derived from genome-wide association studies in 325,153 UK biobank participants) were used as instrumental variables. The random-effects inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary analysis. Additional sensitivity analyses were also performed to validate our results.Results::Observational analyses found that an increase in VAT mass (per standard deviation) was associated with a higher risk of gout after controlling for confounding factors (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.11–1.45). The two-sample MR analyses demonstrated a causal relationship between increased VAT mass and the risk of gout in primary analyses (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.57–2.03). Sensitivity analyses also showed similar findings, including MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, weighted mode, and leave-one-out analyses.Conclusions::Observational analyses showed a robust association of VAT mass with the risk of gout. Meanwhile, MR analyses also provided evidence of a causal relationship between them. In summary, our findings suggested that targeted interventions for VAT mass may be beneficial to prevent gout.

Objective:To investigate the impact of elevated glucose-induced RNA oxidation on pancreatic β-cell function, activity, and underlying molecular mechanisms.Methods:Rat pancreatic islet β-cell tumour INS-1 cells were cultured in vitro and subjected to nucleic acid oxidation assessment using isotope dilution ultra-high performance liquid tandem mass spectrometry(ID LC MS/MS)following high glucose exposure.In vitro simulation of increased RNA oxidation in INS-1 cells was achieved using 8-oxoguanosine-5'-triphosphate(8-oxoGTP).Cell proliferation was evaluated through CCK-8 assay, apoptosis was measured via flow cytometry, and gene expression of insulin(INS), pancreatic-duodenal homologous cassette 1(PDX1), cysteine-aspartate proteinase 3(Casp3), and cysteine aspartate protease 6(Casp6)was analyzed at the mRNA level.Additionally, whole transcriptome sequencing was performed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of RNA oxidation on INS-1 cells.Results:Elevated glucose levels induced an increase in RNA oxidation within INS-1 cells.This heightened RNA oxidation led to the inhibition of INS-1 cell proliferation, a reduction in mRNA levels of INS and PDX1 genes, and the promotion of apoptosis-related casp3 and casp6 gene mRNA synthesis.Transcriptome sequencing analysis unveiled that the elevated RNA oxidation caused differential expression of mRNA, lncRNA, miRNA, and circRNA in INS-1 cells.This included a significant down-regulation of transcription factors such as Mafa, Pdx1, Pax6, and Mnx1, alongside an up-regulation of various miRNAs like rno-miR-124-3p, rno-miR-133a-3p, rno-miR-3120, rno-miR-212-3p, and rno-miR-7a-2-3p.These molecular changes contributed to the altered expression of associated lncRNAs, ultimately hindering insulin synthesis and secretion, as well as β-cell proliferation.Conclusions:Increased RNA oxidation down-regulates the levels of key β-cell transcription factor mRNAs, contributes to the differential expression of related non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs), particularly lncRNAs, impacts β-cell insulin synthesis and secretion, hinders cell proliferation, and serves as a significant factor in β-cell dysfunction and decreased activity in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).

Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of camrelizumab added to second-line therapy after drug- eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (DTACE) combined with apatinib for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 89 HCC patients with camrelizumab added to second-line therapy who attended The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from December 2019 to December 2020. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) after the application of camrelizumab, and the secondary endpoints were objective remission rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, the Log-rank test was used for stratified analysis of subgroups based on baseline characteristics, and the influencing factors for prognosis were analyzed. Results A total of 89 patients were screened and followed up in this study. The patients were followed up to December 2021, with a median follow-up time of 16 months, a median OS time of 17.0 (95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 15.3-18.7) months, and a median PFS time of 7.0 (95% CI : 6.2-7.8) months. There were significant differences in OS and PFS between the patients with different ECOG-PS scores, liver function Child-Pugh classes, portal vein invasion, patterns of progression, times of DTACE treatment, durations of oral administration of apatinib, and durations of application of camrelizumab (all P < 0.05). At 3 and 6 months after the application of camrelizumab, ORR was 39.3% and 22.4%, respectively, and DCR was 80.9% and 54.1%, respectively. The univariate analysis using the Log-rank test showed that compared with the patients receiving 0 time of DTACE treatment, the patients receiving 3-4 or 1-2 times of DTACE treatment had significant improvements in median OS [22.0 (95% CI : 21.1-22.9) months and 17.0 (95% CI : 15.8-18.2) months vs 10.0 (95% CI : 7.0-13.0) months, χ 2 =31.423, P < 0.001] and PFS [10.0 (95% CI : 7.0-13.0) months and 7.0 (95% CI : 6.2-7.8) months vs 3.0 (95% CI : 1.9-4.1) months, χ 2 =20.741, P < 0.001]; compared with the patients using apatinib for ≤4 months, the patients using apatinib for > 4 months had significant improvements in median OS [21.0 (95% CI : 19.1-22.9) months vs 14.0 (95% CI : 10.4-17.6) months, χ 2 =19.399, P < 0.001] and PFS [9.0 (95% CI : 7.3-10.7) months vs 5.0 (95% CI : 4.0-6.0) months, χ 2 =27.733, P < 0.001]; compared with the patients using camrelizumab for ≤5 months, the patients using camrelizumab for > 5 months had significant improvements in median OS [22.0 (95% CI : 20.2-23.8) months vs 13.0 (95% CI : 9.3-16.7) months, χ 2 =22.336, P < 0.001] and PFS [9.0 (95% CI : 7.0-11.0) months vs 5.0 (95% CI : 4.1-5.9) months, χ 2 =26.141, P < 0.001]. Post-embolization syndrome was the adverse event after DTACE and resolved after symptomatic treatment. Adverse reactions related to targeted drugs and immunotherapy all resolved after symptomatic supportive treatment, with no grade ≥4 adverse reactions, and no patients withdrew from target-free therapy due to TRAEs. Conclusion As for DTACE combined with apatinib in the treatment of unresectable HCC, camrelizumab added after progression has a marked therapeutic efficacy with safe and controllable TRAEs.

Objective:To investigate the effect of sarcopenia on the perioperative clinical outcomes of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 1 148 ESCC patients who were admitted to the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People′s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to December 2021 were collected. There were 789 males and 359 females, aged (67±7)years. All patients under-went thoracoscopic and laparoscopic radical esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Observation indicators: (1) incidence of sarcopenia in patients with ESCC; (2) comparison of general data between ESCC patients complicated with sarcopenia and those without sarcopenia; (3) comparison of clinical outcomes between ESCC patients complicated with sarcopenia and those without sarcopenia; (4) analysis of influencing factors for sarcopenia in ESCC patients. Measurement data of normal distri-bution were represented by Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Count data were represented as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Ordinal data was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Logistic regression analysis was used to conduct univariate analysis. Logistic backward stepwise regression model was used to conduct multivariate analysis. Results:(1) Incidence of sarcopenia in patients with ESCC. Among 1 148 ESCC patients, 469 cases were complicated with sarcopenia, 679 were without sarcopenia. The incidence of sarcopenia was 40.854%(469/1 148). Among the 469 patients with sarcopenia, there were 313 males and 156 females. There were 125 cases <65 years old, 145 cases ≥65 years old but <70 years old, 106 cases ≥70 years old but<75 years old, 93 cases ≥75 years old, respectively. (2) Comparison of general data between patients with ESCC complicated with sarco-penia and those without sarcopenia. The age, tumor diameter, body mass index, cases in stage T1, T2, T3, preoperative albumin, preoperative serum prealbumin, psoas muscle index, psoas muscle density were (68±7)years, (3.3±1.5)cm, (22.4±2.9)kg/m 2, 100, 105, 264, (43±4)g/L, (193±38)mg/dL, (3.9±0.8)cm 2/m 2, (48±8)HU of 469 ESCC patients complicated with sarcopenia, versus (66±7)years, (3.2±1.4)cm, (23.8±3.0)kg/m 2, 173, 170, 336, (44±4)g/L, (206±37)mg/dL, (6.0±2.2)cm 2/m 2, (50±7)HU of 679 ESCC patients without sarcopenia, showing significant differences between the two groups ( t=5.74, 2.11, 7.57, Z=-2.93, t=2.25, 5.52,20.36, 4.18, P<0.05). (3) Comparison of clinical outcomes between patients with ESCC complicated with sarcopenia and those without sarcopenia. The duration of postoperative hospital stay, cases with postoperative hospital stay>30 days, pneumonia, acute respiratory failure, anastomotic fistula, and abnormal heart rhythm were (17±9)days, 32, 158, 39, 33, and 103 of 469 ESCC patients complicated with sarcopenia, respectively, versus (15±6)days, 15, 102, 18, 19, and 85 of 679 ESCC patients without sarcopenia, showing significant differences between the two groups ( t=4.89, χ2=15.04, 55.17, 18.86, 11.52, 18.06, P<0.05). (4) Analysis of influencing factors for sarcopenia in ESCC patients. Results of multivariate analysis showed that age ≥65 years was an independent risk factor for sarcopenia in ESCC patients ( odds ratio=1.64, 95% confidence interval as 1.26-2.14, P<0.05). Preoperative serum prealbumin ≥200 mg/dL, psoas muscle density ≥48 HU and body mass index >24 kg/m 2 were independent protective factors for sarcopenia in ESCC patients ( odds ratio=0.64, 0.72, 0.53, 95% confidence interval as 0.50-0.82, 0.56-0.92, 0.41-0.69, P<0.05). Conclusions:Age ≥65 years is an independent risk factor for sarcopenia in ESCC patients. Preoperative serum prealbumin ≥200 mg/dL, psoas muscle density ≥48 HU and body mass index >24 kg/m 2 are independent protective factors for sarcopenia in ESCC patients. Compared with patients without sarcopenia, ESCC patients with sarcopenia are more prone to postoperative compli-cations such as pneumonia, acute respiratory failure, anastomotic fistula, and arrhythmia, and have a longer postoperative hospital stay.

Objective:To explore the incidence and factors of the influence of preoperative related factors on postoperative orthopedic evaluation, through the evaluation of thoracic shape orthopedic evaluation of children pectus excavatum, during plate implantation after Nuss procedure.Methods:From April 2012 to April 2019, the clinical data were analyzed retrospectively for 159 hospitalized cases of Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum in Xi’an Children’s Hospital.The mean age was(6.8±3.4) years old(3.2-17.0 years old); males 124, females 35; Haller index 4.0±1.0(2.7-7.5); 6 cases(4%) were poor orthopedic evaluation with the thoracic shape, males 5, femal 1; 23 cases (14%) were average satisfied with the thoracic shape, males 16, femals 7; 130 cases (82%)were good orthopedic evaluation with the thoracic, males 103, femals 27. Follow-ups were conducted for at least 2 years, Retrospective analysis of the relationship between postoperative thoracic satisfaction and age, gender, Haller index, how the plates were placed during surgery and symmetry of funnel chest, t test and χ2 test were used for statistical analysis. Results:There were statistically significant differences between thoracic orthopedic evaluation after postoperative and classification of pectus excavatum ( P=0.001), and poor orthopedic evaluation after asymmetric pectus excavatum operationand ; There were no significant differences in gender, Haller index, surgical method and how the plates were placed during surgery( P>0.05). However, it can be seen from the mean and percentage that with the decrease of age, and the increase of Haller index, the orthopedic evaluation gradually becomes worse. Conclusion:According to our single-center study, asymmetric pectus excavatum is a factor for poor orthopedic evaluation during plate implantation after Nuss, especially for young children and children with larger Haller index.

Objective:To investigate the clinical application value of radiochemotherapy conversion therapy in unresectable locally advanced esophageal cancer.Methods:A total of 298 patients with unresectable locally advanced esophageal cancer who received radiochemotherapy with or without surgery from 2010 to 2016 were screened in the U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 18 oncology database, and the patients were divided into the conversion therapy group (received surgery after radiotherapy, 83 cases) and the radiochemotherapy group (215 cases) according to whether they were operated after radiotherapy. A 1∶1 propensity matching analysis was conducted on the two groups of patients using R language. The information of age, gender, race, T stage, G stage, pathological type and N stage of the patients in the two groups before and after matching was compared. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis to compare the cancer specific survival and overall survival (OS) between the two groups before and after matching. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the influencing factors of prognosis of patients with unresectable locally advanced esophageal cancer.Results:There were statistically significant differences in gender, race, G stage, pathological type, T stage, and N stage between the conversion therapy group and the radiochemotherapy group before matching (all P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in clinicopathological characteristics between the conversion therapy group and the radiochemotherapy group after matching (all P > 0.05). Before matching, the median OS time of patients in the conversion therapy group was 23 months; the 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS rates were 68.9%, 42.9%, 24.7%, and 19.8%, respectively; the 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and 5-year cancer specific survival rates were 68.9%, 45.0%, 28.0%, and 28.0%, respectively. The median OS time of patients in the radiochemotherapy group was 12 months; the 1-year, 2-year, 3-year and 5-year OS rates were 44.5%, 20.5%, 14.0%, and 6.0%, respectively; the 1-year, 2-year, 3-year and 5-year cancer specific survival rates were 46.4%, 21.8%, 14.9%, and 9.1%, respectively. Compared with the radiochemotherapy group, patients in the conversion therapy group had a better cancer specific survival ( χ2 = 15.01, P = 0.001) and OS ( χ2 = 14.85, P < 0.001). After matching, cancer specific survival ( χ2 = 5.06, P = 0.024) and OS ( χ2 = 6.12, P = 0.013) of the conversion therapy group were still superior to the radiochemotherapy group. The results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the cancer specific survival risk and overall survival risk in the radiochemotherapy group were 1.874 times (95% CI 1.275-2.755, P = 0.001) and 1.790 times (95% CI 1.235-2.593, P = 0.002) higher than those in the conversion therapy group. Conclusions:Radiochemotherapy conversion therapy can improve the prognosis of patients with unresectable locally advanced esophageal cancer.