BACKGROUND:The guinea pig is considered to be the most useful spontaneous model for evaluating primary osteoarthritis in humans because of its similar knee joint structure and close histopathologic features to those of humans. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the pathological process of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis in guinea pigs by analyzing the histopathology of the total knee joint of guinea pigs aged 1 to 18 months. METHODS:Eight healthy female Hartley guinea pigs in each age group of 1,6,10,14,16,and 18 months old were selected.The quadriceps femoris was taken for hematoxylin-eosin staining,and the total knee joint was stained with hematoxylin-eosin and toluidine blue.The histopathology of the cartilage,subchondral bone,synovium,meniscus,and muscles were observed under light microscope.Mankin's score and synovitis score were compared,and the correlation analysis was conducted. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:As the guinea pig age increased,the Mankin's score increased(P<0.05),and the pathological score of synovitis also gradually increased(P<0.05),and there was a significant positive correlation between the two(r=0.641,P<0.001).The incidence rate of subchondral bone marrow lesion in 18-month-old guinea pigs was 50%,and the incidence of meniscus injury was 37.5%.In addition,osteophyte and narrowing of the joint space were observed,and only a few guinea pigs had inflammation in the quadriceps femoris.To conclude,guinea pigs develop significant cartilage defects,synovial inflammation,subchondral bone lesions,meniscus injury,osteophyte formation,and joint space narrowing as they age,all of which are similar to the pathological processes of primary knee osteoarthritis in humans,making it an ideal model of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis.

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the relationship between admission base excess and clinical outcomes in postoperative patients with aortic dissection. Methods: Clinical data were extracted from the MIMIC-IV (Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV) database. The association between admission base excess and mortality in postoperative patients with aortic dissection was assessed using multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Subgroup analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were employed to evaluate the predictive performance of base excess for in-hospital, 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality. Results: A total of 196 patients were categorized into the normal base excess (–3 to +3 mmol/L) group and abnormal base excess (<–3 or >+3 mmol/L) group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that arterial base excess was a significant predictor of all-cause mortality across all periods. Subgroup analyses showed no significant interaction effects.The area under the ROC curve for base excess ranged from 0.640 to 0.745, indicating comparable predictive performance to existing scoring tools. Conclusion Arterial base excess measured at admission is an effective and accessible predictor of mortality in patients with aortic dissection following surgical treatment.

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the relationship between admission base excess and clinical outcomes in postoperative patients with aortic dissection. Methods: Clinical data were extracted from the MIMIC-IV (Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV) database. The association between admission base excess and mortality in postoperative patients with aortic dissection was assessed using multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Subgroup analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were employed to evaluate the predictive performance of base excess for in-hospital, 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality. Results: A total of 196 patients were categorized into the normal base excess (–3 to +3 mmol/L) group and abnormal base excess (<–3 or >+3 mmol/L) group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that arterial base excess was a significant predictor of all-cause mortality across all periods. Subgroup analyses showed no significant interaction effects.The area under the ROC curve for base excess ranged from 0.640 to 0.745, indicating comparable predictive performance to existing scoring tools. Conclusion Arterial base excess measured at admission is an effective and accessible predictor of mortality in patients with aortic dissection following surgical treatment.

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the relationship between admission base excess and clinical outcomes in postoperative patients with aortic dissection. Methods: Clinical data were extracted from the MIMIC-IV (Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV) database. The association between admission base excess and mortality in postoperative patients with aortic dissection was assessed using multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Subgroup analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were employed to evaluate the predictive performance of base excess for in-hospital, 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality. Results: A total of 196 patients were categorized into the normal base excess (–3 to +3 mmol/L) group and abnormal base excess (<–3 or >+3 mmol/L) group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that arterial base excess was a significant predictor of all-cause mortality across all periods. Subgroup analyses showed no significant interaction effects.The area under the ROC curve for base excess ranged from 0.640 to 0.745, indicating comparable predictive performance to existing scoring tools. Conclusion Arterial base excess measured at admission is an effective and accessible predictor of mortality in patients with aortic dissection following surgical treatment.

OBJECTIVE:To systematically evaluate the correlation between phase angle and sarcopenia and its diagnostic indexes.METHODS:The PubMed,EMbase,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,CNKI,WanFang Data,VIP and SinoMed databases were electronically searched to collect studies on the correlation between phase angle and sarcopenia and its diagnostic indexes from database inception to May 8,2024. Two reviewers independently screened literature,extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 14.0 software. RESULTS:A total of 50 eligible articles were included. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the non-sarcopenic population,the phase angle was significantly reduced in sarcopenic patients[standardized mean difference (SMD)=-0.99,95％ confidence interval (CI) (-1.09,-0.90),P<0.00001]. The results of subgroup analysis indicated that the difference of phase angle was more significant in patients with severe sarcopenia and Asian sarcopenia. Moreover,reduction in the phase angle was more obvious in patients with malignant tumors and respiratory diseases with sarcopenia. And skeletal muscle mass index (Pearson's r=0.565,P<0.00001),grip strength (Pearson's r=0.446,P<0.00001),and gait speed (Pearson's r=0.405,P<0.00001) all showed a moderate positive correlation with phase angle. However,appendicular skeletal muscle mass index showed a very weak positive correlation with phase angle (Pearson's r=0.139,P=0.02). CONCLUSION:Phase angle has a significant difference between sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia population,and it is correlated with the diagnostic indexes of sarcopenia to different extents. It suggests that phase angle has some clinical values in the objective diagnosis of sarcopenia. However,the results may be influenced by some factors such as sarcopenia severity and detection instruments of phase angle. Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies,more high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.

OBJECTIVE:To systematically evaluate the correlation between phase angle and sarcopenia and its diagnostic indexes.METHODS:The PubMed,EMbase,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,CNKI,WanFang Data,VIP and SinoMed databases were electronically searched to collect studies on the correlation between phase angle and sarcopenia and its diagnostic indexes from database inception to May 8,2024. Two reviewers independently screened literature,extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 14.0 software. RESULTS:A total of 50 eligible articles were included. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the non-sarcopenic population,the phase angle was significantly reduced in sarcopenic patients[standardized mean difference (SMD)=-0.99,95％ confidence interval (CI) (-1.09,-0.90),P<0.00001]. The results of subgroup analysis indicated that the difference of phase angle was more significant in patients with severe sarcopenia and Asian sarcopenia. Moreover,reduction in the phase angle was more obvious in patients with malignant tumors and respiratory diseases with sarcopenia. And skeletal muscle mass index (Pearson's r=0.565,P<0.00001),grip strength (Pearson's r=0.446,P<0.00001),and gait speed (Pearson's r=0.405,P<0.00001) all showed a moderate positive correlation with phase angle. However,appendicular skeletal muscle mass index showed a very weak positive correlation with phase angle (Pearson's r=0.139,P=0.02). CONCLUSION:Phase angle has a significant difference between sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia population,and it is correlated with the diagnostic indexes of sarcopenia to different extents. It suggests that phase angle has some clinical values in the objective diagnosis of sarcopenia. However,the results may be influenced by some factors such as sarcopenia severity and detection instruments of phase angle. Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies,more high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.

Abdominal complications following cardiac surgery are rare events, but can be fatal if not diagnosed and managed in time. Aggressive treatments offer a better chance for survival in patients with risk factors. This case report describes the clinical presentation and details of 3 recently operated patients who suffered acute abdominal pain after cardiac surgery. The underlying causes were Crohn disease-associated ileal perforation, intestinal necrosis, and diverticulitis-associated colonic perforation. The presentation and management of these severe conditions are discussed.

Abdominal complications following cardiac surgery are rare events, but can be fatal if not diagnosed and managed in time. Aggressive treatments offer a better chance for survival in patients with risk factors. This case report describes the clinical presentation and details of 3 recently operated patients who suffered acute abdominal pain after cardiac surgery. The underlying causes were Crohn disease-associated ileal perforation, intestinal necrosis, and diverticulitis-associated colonic perforation. The presentation and management of these severe conditions are discussed.

Both empyema and type A aortic dissection are life-threatening conditions. The combination, though rare, can cause serious complications and death. There have been rare cases of empyema caused by a co-infection with a Gram-positive bacterium, Granulicatella adiacens, which is difficult to identify, and a Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli. In this case, a 50-year-old man was referred to the emergency department due to sudden chest pain and a suspected diagnosis of type A aortic dissection. The patient was subsequently found to have co-morbid empyema and a fissure in the esophagus when the cause of the disease was investigated. Considering the possibility that the patient’s infection was of digestive origin, a combination of Gram-positive and Gram-negative antibiotics was given immediately. Etiological examination later confirmed the presence of Granulicatella adiacens and Escherichia coli in chest drainage fluid, and the patient was successfully treated with antimicrobial therapy and conservative treatment.

Both empyema and type A aortic dissection are life-threatening conditions. The combination, though rare, can cause serious complications and death. There have been rare cases of empyema caused by a co-infection with a Gram-positive bacterium, Granulicatella adiacens, which is difficult to identify, and a Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli. In this case, a 50-year-old man was referred to the emergency department due to sudden chest pain and a suspected diagnosis of type A aortic dissection. The patient was subsequently found to have co-morbid empyema and a fissure in the esophagus when the cause of the disease was investigated. Considering the possibility that the patient’s infection was of digestive origin, a combination of Gram-positive and Gram-negative antibiotics was given immediately. Etiological examination later confirmed the presence of Granulicatella adiacens and Escherichia coli in chest drainage fluid, and the patient was successfully treated with antimicrobial therapy and conservative treatment.