AIM: To explore the variance in efficacy between botulinum toxin A(BTA)injection and extraocular muscle surgery in managing large-angle(≥+60 PD)acute acquired concomitant esotropia(AACE).METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of 60 patients with AACE treated at our hospital from June 2020 to December 2022. Patients were divided into three groups based on different treatments: 2.5 IU BTA injection group(14 cases), 5.0 IU BTA injection group(29 cases), and surgical group(17 cases). Follow-up was conducted for 6 mo after treatment to observe the degree of strabismus after the correction of refractive error, visual function, treatment effectiveness, and occurrence of complications after BTA injection.RESULTS: At 6 mo post-treatment, the degree of strabismus in the surgical group and the 5.0 IU BTA injection group was lower than that in the 2.5 IU BTA injection group(P<0.017). However, there was no significant difference in the degree of strabismus between the surgical group and the 5.0 IU BTA injection group(P>0.017). The effective rate of the 5.0 IU BTA injection group was higher than that of the 2.5 IU BTA injection group(86% vs 43%, P<0.017). There was no difference in visual function among the three groups(P>0.05). The incidence of complications after treatment was not significantly different between the 2.5 IU BTA injection group and the 5.0 IU BTA injection group(43% vs 52%, P>0.05).CONCLUSION: For AACE patients with esotropia degree ≥+60 PD, bilateral medial rectus injection of 5.0 IU BTA can yield outcomes comparable to traditional extraocular muscle surgery, with the advantages of minimal trauma and simple and convenient operation.

The severe visual impairment caused by neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is associated with macular neovascularization (MNV) invasion and subretinal fibrosis (SF). Excessive SF can lead to subretinal scarring, irreversible damage to photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium, and choroid tissue, resulting in permanent visual impairment in nAMD patients. The pathogenesis of SF is complex, involving many pathological processes such as tissue repair after injury, inflammation, and related signaling pathways and cytokine complex. Current experimental treatments for SF only target inhibition of a single cytokine. Timely and effective inhibition of the formation and progression of MNV and early identification of risk factors for SF are crucial to improving the prognosis of nAMD patients.

Humans ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A/therapeutic use* ; Esotropia/drug therapy* ; Neuromuscular Agents ; Injections ; Treatment Outcome ; Oculomotor Muscles

Objective:To investigate the dosimetric effects of prone immobilization devices combined with a belly board (PIDBBs) in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for gynecologic cancers.Methods:A total of 20 patients with cervical or endometrial cancer treated with radiotherapy in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from August 2020 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Two sets of body contours were outlined for each patient. One set of body contours did not contain the immobilization devices, and the other contour set included the immobilization devices. For each patient, doses were calculated for the two sets of contours using the same 7-field IMRT plan and were recorded as Plan without and Plan with. The dosimetric difference caused by the immobilization devices was assessed by comparing the parameter values in the dose-volume histograms (DVHs) and by plan subtraction. The Gafchromic EBT3 film and anthropomorphic phantom were used to verify the calculated doses. Results:The target coverage and average dose of Plan with were lower than those of Plan without. Specifically, the V50 Gy, V49 Gy, and Dmean of planning target volume (PTV) decreased by 19.75%, 7.99%, and 2.54% ( t = 8.96, 10.49, 22.09, P < 0.01), respectively. The V40 Gy, V30 Gy, V20 Gy, V15 Gy, and Dmean of skins increased by 51.79%, 51.05%, 45.72%, 33.63% and 10.80% ( t = -2.54, -5.63, -15.57, -24.06, -13.88, P < 0.01), respectively. Doses to other organs at risk (OARs) showed no significant differences. As indicated by the EBT3 measurements, the doses to skins of the abdomen and pelvis on the anthropomorphic phantom increased by approximately 37.24% ( t = 10.86, P<0.01). Conclusions:Although PIDBBs can effectively reduce the low dose to the small intestine, the radiation attenuation caused by them can reduce the PTV coverage of radiotherapy plans and increase the doses to abdominal and pelvic skins sharply, especially for patients requiring irradiation of the groin and perineum.

Midpalatal corticotomy-assisted rapid maxillary expansion (MCRME) is a minimally invasive treatment of maxillary transverse deficiency (MTD) in young adults. However, the effect of MCRME on respiratory function still needs to be determined. In this study, we evaluated the changes in maxillary morphology and the upper airway following MCRME using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Twenty patients with MTD (8 males, 12 females; mean age 20.55 years) had cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images taken before and after MCRME. The CBCT data were used to construct a three-dimensional (3D) upper airway model. The upper airway flow characteristics were simulated using CFD, and measurements were made based on the CBCT images and CFD. The results showed that the widths of the palatal bone and nasal cavity, and the intermolar width were increased significantly after MCRME. The volume of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx increased significantly, while there were no obvious changes in the volumes of the oropharynx and hypopharynx. CFD simulation of the upper airway showed that the pressure drop and maximum velocity of the upper airway decreased significantly after treatment. Our results suggest that in these young adults with MTD, increasing the maxillary width, upper airway volume, and quantity of airflow by MCRME substantially improved upper airway ventilation.

Objective:To observe the efficacy of conbercept in the treatment of different types of diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods:A retrospective clinical study. From March 2019 to March 2021, 136 eyes of 136 patients with DME diagnosed in Department of Ophthalmology of Xi'an No.3 Hospital were included in the study. Among them, there were 65 males and 71 females; the average age was 56.65±8.65 years. All patients underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination, and glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) examination. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity chart was used for BCVA examination, which was converted into the logarithmic minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity during statistics. An OCT instrument was used to measure the central retinal thickness (CRT) of the macula. According to the characteristics of OCT, DME was divided into diffuse retinal thickening (DRT) type, cystoid macular edema (CME) type, serous retinal detachment (SRD) type, mixed type, and grouped accordingly, respectively, about 30, 38, 33, 35 eyes. There was no significant difference in age ( F=1.189), sex ratio ( χ2=1.331), and HbA1c level ( F=3.164) of the four groups of patients ( P>0.05). All eyes were treated with intravitreal injection of 10 mg/ml conbercept 0.05 ml (including conbercept 0.5 mg) once a month for 3 consecutive times, and then treated as needed after evaluation. BCVA and OCT examinations were performed 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment with the same equipment and methods as before treatment. The changes of BCVA and CRT before and after treatment were compared and observed. For measurement data subject to normal distribution, one-way analysis of variance was performed for comparison between groups; χ2 test was performed for comparison of count data. Results:Before treatment, the logMAR BCVA of the eyes in the DRT group, CME group, SRD group, and mixed group were 0.68±0.11, 0.69±0.15, 0.71±0.12, 0.73±0.14, and CRT was 631.4±50.7, 640.6±55.7, 652.3±63.4, 660.4±61.8 μm. Compared with before treatment, 1, 3, 6 months after treatment, DRT group (BCVA: t=8.139, 11.552, 11.672; CRT: t=16.163, 21.653, 25.855), CME group (BCVA: t=8.923, 9.995, 13.842; CRT: t=16.163, 21.653, 25.855), SRD type group (BCVA: t=5.171, 7.315, 6.051; CRT: t=9.099, 13.731, 21.306), mixed type group (BCVA: t=5.072, 6.939, 7.142; CRT: t=6.920, 15.352, 17.538) The BCVA of the affected eyes was significantly increased, and the CRT was significantly decreased, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). At 6 months after treatment, the differences in logMAR BCVA and CRT of the 4 groups of eyes were statistically significant ( χ2=58.478, 64.228; P<0.05). The average number of injections in the eyes of the DRT group, CME group, SRD group, and mixed group were 3.37±1.35, 3.68±1.38, 4.18±1.40, 4.13±1.50 times, respectively. Compared with the average number of injections in the eye, the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=9.139, P=0.028). Conclusions:Conbercept can effectively reduce CRT and increase BCVA in eyes with different types of DME. Compared with SRD type and mixed type, DRT and CME type eye are more effective in improving vision, CRT reduction degree is greater, and the number of injections is less.

A 78-year-old man was admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital with fever, weakness of lower extremities, less speech, loss of memory. Fever was relieved after antibiotic treatment, while cognitive impairment and disorder of consciousness progressed rapidly, followed by critical pulmonary infections, respiratory failure, and septic shock. Lab tests showed negative occult blood, normal serum CEA level and positive Anti-nuclear-antibody. PET-CT suggested that strong FDG uptake signals were seen at sigmoid, while bilateral frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, posterior cingulate gyrus showed lower metabolic activity. Colonoscopy biopsy revealed differentiated adenocarcinoma of sigmoid colon. Therefore, paraneoplastic syndrome of nervous system secondary to colon cancer was considered. Rapid and proper diagnosis and treatment were completed by multidisciplinary team including departments of neurology, gastroenterology, general surgery, ICU, rheumatology, clinical nutrition. The laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy was performed under general anesthesia. The patient finally presented with significant improvement of cognition and consciousness. Respiratory function was totally recovered.

Objective:To observe the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).Methods:From October 2016 to December 2018, 50 cases of CSC patients (CSC group) and 50 healthy people (control group) matched by age and sex who were diagnosed in the ophthalmological examination of Xi’an No.3 Hospital were included in the study. According to the course of the disease, CSC was divided into acute phase and chronic phase, with 20 and 30 cases respectively. The average age ( Z=1.125) and body mass index (BMI) ( Z=0.937) of the two groups were compared, and the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05); the age of patients with different courses of CSC ( Z=1.525) and gender composition ratio ( χ2=0.397) and BMI ( Z=1.781) were compared, the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The Berlin questionnaire was used to assess the OSAS risk of subjects in the CSC group and the control group; polysomnography was used to monitor the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and minimum blood oxygen saturation (MOS) during night sleep. OSAS diagnostic criteria: typical sleep snoring, daytime sleepiness, AHI (times/h) value ≥ 5. The severity of OSAS was classified as mild OSAS: 5≤AHI<15; moderate OSAS: 15≤AHI <30; severe OSAS: AHI≥30. Non-normally distributed measurement data were compared by rank sum test; count data were compared by χ2 test. Spearman correlation analysis was performed on the correlation between OSAS and CSC. Results:The AHI data in the CSC group and the control group were 17.46±3.18 and 15.72±4.48 times/h, respectively; the MOS were (83.48±4.68)% and (87.40±3.82)%, respectively; those diagnosed with OSAS were respectively 36 (72.00%, 36/50) and 13 (26.00%, 13/50) cases. AHI ( Z=0.312), MOS ( Z=0.145), and OSAS incidence ( χ2=21.17) were compared between the two groups of subjects, and the differences were statistically significant ( P=0.028, 0.001,<0.001). The AHI of acute and chronic CSC patients were 15.95±3.02 and 18.47±2.92 times/h; the MOS were (86.10±11.07)% and (81.73±4.58)%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in AHI ( Z=0.134) and MOS ( Z=0.112) in patients with different course of disease ( P=0.005, 0.001). The results of Spearman correlation analysis showed that OSAS and CSC were positively correlated ( r=0.312, P=0.031). Conclusion:OSAS may be a risk factor for the onset of CSC.

Objective:To investigate the associations between the genetic variations of apoptosis genes and the adverse events of postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer.Methods:We enrolled 362 patients with stage Ⅱ to Ⅲ rectal cancer who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Whole blood sample (2 ml) was collected from patient at the time of enrollment before therapy. Sequenom MassARRAY was used to detect the genotypes of 29 haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (htSNPs) in eight apoptosis genes, including Fas cell surface death receptor(FAS), Fas ligand(FASL), apoptotic peptidase activating factor 1(APAF1), BCL2 associated X(BAX), TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand(TRAIL), TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 1(TRAILR1), TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 2(TRAILR2) and caspase-7(CASP7). The associations between genotypes and adverse events of chemoradiotherapy were measured by unconditional logistic regression model.Results:Three hundred and sixty two patients were treated with total mesorectal excision surgery followed by a total radiation dose of 50 Gy applied in 25 fractions over a period of 5 weeks concurrently with daily administration of capecitabine (1 600 mg/m 2 per day, continuously for 2 weeks and taking a week off every 21-day cycle). One hundred and six patients (29.3%) had grade≥2 myelosuppression. Three SNPs associated with the risk of grade ≥2 myelosuppression included FAS rs1468063 ( OR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.07-2.15, P=0.020), APAF1 rs11296996 ( OR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.49-0.98, P=0.039) and BAX rs4645904 ( OR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.50-0.97, P=0.030). One hundred and sixty one patients (44.5%) developed grade≥2 diarrhea. Five SNPs that significantly associated with risk of grade≥2 diarrhea included APAF1 rs11296996 ( OR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.02-2.00, P=0.040), rs74619561 ( OR=2.16, 95% CI: 1.27-3.68, P=0.005), CASP7 rs12263370 ( OR=1.67, 95% CI: 1.05-2.66, P=0.029), rs12247479 ( OR=1.85, 95% CI: 1.12-3.08, P=0.017) and TRAIL rs112822654 ( OR=0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.96, P=0.027). The remaining SNPs were not related to the adverse events of chemoradiotherapy (all P>0.05). Grade≥2 myelosuppression occurred less frequently in male than in female ( P=0.046); Surgical treatment and tumor location had great impact on the occurrence of grade≥2 diarrhea (all P<0.001) and dermatitis (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The genetic variations of FAS, APAF1, BAX, TRAIL and CASP7 are related to the adverse events of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer, which may be potential genetic biomarkers for individualized treatment of rectal cancer.