OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the feasibility and superiority of machine learning (ML) methods to predict the risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACEs) in chest pain patients with NSTE-ACS. METHODS: Enrolled chest pain patients were from two centers, Beijing Anzhen Emergency Chest Pain Center Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center. Five classifiers were used to develop ML models. Accuracy, Precision, Recall, F-Measure and AUC were used to assess the model performance and prediction effect compared with HEART risk scoring system. Ultimately, ML model constructed by Naïve Bayes was employed to predict the occurrence of MACEs. RESULTS: According to learning metrics, ML models constructed by different classifiers were superior over HEART (History, ECG, Age, Risk factors, & Troponin) scoring system when predicting acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and all-cause death. However, according to ROC curves and AUC, ML model constructed by different classifiers performed better than HEART scoring system only in prediction for AMI. Among the five ML algorithms, Linear support vector machine (SVC), Naïve Bayes and Logistic regression classifiers stood out with all Accuracy, Precision, Recall and F-Measure from 0.8 to 1.0 for predicting any event, AMI, revascularization and all-cause death ( vs. HEART ≤ 0.78), with AUC from 0.88 to 0.98 for predicting any event, AMI and revascularization ( vs. HEART ≤ 0.85). ML model developed by Naïve Bayes predicted that suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS), abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG), elevated hs-cTn I, sex and smoking were risk factors of MACEs. CONCLUSION Compared with HEART risk scoring system, the superiority of ML method was demonstrated when employing Linear SVC classifier, Naïve Bayes and Logistic. ML method could be a promising method to predict MACEs in chest pain patients with NSTE-ACS.
Humans ; Acute Coronary Syndrome/epidemiology* ; Bayes Theorem ; Feasibility Studies ; Risk Assessment/methods* ; Chest Pain/etiology* ; Myocardial Infarction/diagnosis*

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical manifestations and gastroscopic characteristics of upper gastrointestinal ulcer in children. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the children who underwent gastroscopy and were found to have upper gastrointestinal ulcer for the first time at the Endoscopy Center of Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, from January 2011 to May 2021. According to the cause of the disease, they were divided into primary ulcer group (primary group; n=148) and secondary ulcer group (secondary group; n=25). The clinical data were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 173 children with upper gastrointestinal ulcer were enrolled, with a male/female ratio of 3.9:1. Compared with girls, boys had significantly higher proportions of duodenal ulcer and primary ulcer (P<0.05). Compared with the children aged below 6 years, the children aged 6-14 years had higher proportions of duodenal ulcer and primary ulcer and lower proportions of giant ulcer and multiple ulcers. Of the 148 children in the primary group, 95 (64.2%) had Helicobacter pylori infection. Abdominal pain was the most common clinical symptom and was observed in 101 children (68.2%). Duodenal ulcer was common and was observed in 115 children (77.7%), followed by gastric ulcer in 25 children (16.9%) and esophageal ulcer in 7 children (4.7%). Multiple ulcers were observed in 32 children (21.6%). Seventy children (47.3%) experienced complications, among which bleeding was the most common complication and was observed in 63 children (43.6%). Of the 25 children in the secondary group, abdominal pain was the most common clinical symptom and was observed in 9 children (36.0%), with a significantly lower incidence rate than the primary group (P<0.05); foreign body in the digestive tract was the most common cause of ulcer and was observed in 17 children (68%), followed by abdominal Henoch-Schönlein purpura in 5 children (20.0%) and Crohn's disease in 3 children (12.0%). The secondary group had a significantly higher proportion of multiple ulcer or giant ulcer than the primary group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Upper gastrointestinal ulcer is more common in boys than girls, and duodenal ulcer and primary ulcer are more common in boys. Children aged 6-14 years often have duodenal ulcer and primary ulcer, and giant ulcer and multiple ulcers are relatively uncommon. Primary ulcer in children has a variety of clinical manifestations, mainly abdominal pain, and duodenal ulcer is relatively common, with bleeding as the main complication. The clinical symptoms and endoscopic manifestations of secondary ulcer are closely associated with the primary causes, and it is more likely to induce huge ulcers and multiple ulcers.
Abdominal Pain ; Child ; Duodenal Ulcer/epidemiology* ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/adverse effects* ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections/diagnosis* ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in young male patients in South Korea, especially focusing on the association with military service. METHODS: From January 2007 to May 2017, we investigated the electronic medical records of 430 consecutive patients, aged 18 to 30 years, who visited Seoul National University Hospital Pain Center, with a suspected diagnosis of CRPS at the initial visit. The following patient details were available for analysis: demographic and disease-related variables, relevance to military service, medications, and the treatment modalities received. RESULTS: Out of 430 patients, 245 (57.0%) were diagnosed with CRPS, of which, 200 were male patients and 45 were female patients. Of the male patients, 95 (47.5%) developed CRPS during military service. CRPS during military service was more likely to result from sprain/strain, and the incidence of CRPS was significantly higher in the lower extremities in patients from the military service group than in those from the non-military service group. During the follow-up period, 37.9% of male CRPS patients (n = 61/161) were treated successfully. Patients with moderate to severe initial pain intensity, and diagnosed during their military service, showed better outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that manifestation of CRPS in the young Korean population was more common in male and among those male CRPS patients, about half the cases developed during the military service period.
Chronic Pain ; Diagnosis ; Electronic Health Records ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Military Medicine ; Military Personnel ; Neuralgia ; Pain Clinics ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Stress, Psychological

Herpes zoster (HZ) is the result of reactivation and multiplication of latent varicella zoster virus that persisted in latent form within the sensory ganglia following an earlier attack of varicella. It occurs most frequently in older adults and immunosuppressed individuals. Classically, the rash presents as painful, erythematous, maculopapular, and vesicular lesions that typically involve single dermatome, and usually do not cross the midline. The diagnosis is mainly made clinically, except in patients with atypical manifestations in which laboratory virologic testing is required. HZ has been associated with several complications, of which postherpetic neuralgia is the most common and debilitating. The treatment of HZ includes the use of antiviral agents, analgesics for control of acute zoster pain, good skin care for healing, and prevention of secondary bacterial infection. Antiviral agents should be started within 72 hours of onset to reduce the severity of the infection, the duration of the eruptive phase, and the intensity of acute pain. The options for treating postherpetic neuralgia include lidocaine patch, high dose capsaicin patch, gabapentin, pregabalin, opioids, and tricyclic antidepressants. A live attenuated zoster vaccine reduces the incidence of by one-half and the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia by two-thirds. We herein review the recent data on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of HZ including HZ vaccine.
Acute Pain ; Adult ; Analgesics ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic ; Antiviral Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Capsaicin ; Chickenpox ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Exanthema ; Ganglia, Sensory ; Herpes Zoster Vaccine ; Herpes Zoster ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lidocaine ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Pregabalin ; Skin Care

INTRODUCTIONDoor-to-balloon (DTB) time is critical to ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients' survival. Although DTB time is reduced with direct cardiovascular laboratory (CVL) activation by emergency physicians, concerns regarding false-positive activation remain. We evaluate false-positive rates before and after direct CVL activation and factors associated with false-positive activations.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThis is a retrospective single centre study of all emergency CVL activation 3 years before and after introduction of direct activation in July 2007. False-positive activation is defined as either: 1) absence of culprit vessel with coronary artery thrombus or ulceration, or 2) presence of chronic total occlusion of culprit vessel, with no cardiac biomarker elevations and no regional wall abnormalities. All false-positive cases were verified by reviewing their coronary angiograms and patient records.

RESULTSA total of 1809 subjects were recruited; 84 (4.64%) identified as false-positives. Incidence of false-positive before and after direct activation was 4.1% and 5.1% respectively, which was not significant (P = 0.315). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, factors associated with false-positive were: female (odds ratio (OR): 2.104 [1.247-3.548], P = 0.005), absence of chest pain (OR: 5.369 [3.024-9.531], P <0.0001) and presence of only left bundle branch block (LBBB) as indication for activation (OR: 65.691 [19.870-217.179], P <0.0001).

CONCLUSIONImprovement in DTB time with direct CVL activation by emergency physicians is not associated with increased false-positive activations. Factors associated with false-positive, especially lack of chest pain or LBBB, can be taken into account to optimise STEMI management.

Bundle-Branch Block ; epidemiology ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Chest Pain ; epidemiology ; Coronary Angiography ; Disease Management ; Emergency Medicine ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Multivariate Analysis ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Physicians ; Retrospective Studies ; ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Sex Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Time-to-Treatment

INTRODUCTIONBrucellosis is a public health problem that is prevalent in several developing countries.

METHODSThe clinical and laboratory characteristics of 164 cases of brucellosis in Bursa, Turkey, were retrospectively evaluated.

RESULTSThe ages of the 164 patients ranged from 15-85 years. All of the patients underwent the Rose Bengal test and 163 (99.4%) patients tested positive. 122 (74.4%) patients were diagnosed with acute brucellosis, 31 (18.9%) with subacute brucellosis and 11 (6.7%) with chronic brucellosis. Focal involvement was found in 101 (61.6%) patients. Although patients with focal involvement had a higher white blood cell count (p = 0.002), those without focal involvement had higher aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase values, and lower platelet values (p = 0.005, 0.007 and 0.039, respectively). Spondylodiscitis was observed on imaging in 58 (66.7%) of the 87 patients who presented with back pain. Among the 118 patients who were examined within the first month of treatment, 79 (66.9%) responded to treatment. The relapse rate was 11.6% among all 164 patients.

CONCLUSIONBrucellosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis among patients who present with fever, and joint or back pain. Focal involvement should be investigated in the presence of leucocytosis, and subacute or chronic forms of brucellosis. To identify cases of spondylodiscitis, radiography should be performed in patients who present with back pain.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Back Pain ; diagnosis ; Brucellosis ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Turkey

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. PURPOSE: We retrospectively reviewed our patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) to identify their patterns of spinal fractures to help clarify management strategies and the morbidity and mortality rates associated with this group of patients. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Because of the brittleness of bone and long autofused spinal segments in AS, spinal fractures are common even after minor trauma and often associated with overt instability. METHODS: Between January 1, 1998 and March 2011, 30 patients (23 males, 7 females; mean age, 70.43 years; range, 45 to 95 years) with the radiographic diagnosis of AS of the spinal column had 42 fractures. Eight patients presented with significant trauma, 17 after falls, and 5 after minor falls or no recorded trauma. Eleven patients presented with a neurological injury, ranging from mild sensory loss to quadriplegia. RESULTS: There were 16 compression and 10 transverse fractures, two Jefferson's fractures, one type II and two type III odontoid process fractures, and five fractures of the posterior spinal elements (including lamina and/or facet, three spinous process fractures, three transverse process fractures). Twenty-four fractures affected the craniocervical junction and/or cervical vertebrae, 17 were thoracic, and one involved the lumbar spine. The most affected vertebrae were C6 and T10. The mean follow-up was 29.9 months. One patient was lost to follow-up. Eighteen patients were treated conservatively with bed rest and bracing. Twelve patients underwent surgery for spinal stabilization either with an anterior, posterior or combined approach. CONCLUSIONS: Nonsurgical treatment can be considered especially in the elderly patients with AS and spinal trauma but without instability or major neurological deficits. The nonfusion rate in conservatively treated patients is low. When treatment is selected for patients with spinal fractures and AS, the pattern of injury must be considered and the need for individualized treatment is paramount.
Accidental Falls ; Aged ; Bed Rest ; Braces ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mortality ; Odontoid Process ; Quadriplegia ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; Spinal Injuries* ; Spine ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing*

OBJECTIVETo determine the indications of colonoscopic screening for Crohn's disease in patients with fistula-in-ano.

METHODSClinical data of 302 patients with perianal fistula who received colonoscopy examination from January 2010 to December 2013 in the Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University were analyzed retrospectively. Parameters for differentiating perianal Crohn's disease from nonspecific fistulae were screened by logistic regression analysis. A regression mathematical model was established for the prediction of perianal Crohn's disease.

RESULTSA total of 302 patients received colonoscopy examination, and Crohn's disease was found in 16 patients (CD group). Results of univariate analysis on 26 parameters of clinical manifestation, laboratory and radiological examination revealed that differences in 11 clinical parameters between the CD group and non-CD group were statistically significant(all P<0.05), including age, BMI, abdominal pain, non-specific symptoms, multiple fistula, complex anal fistula, neutrophil count, platelet count, activated partial thromboplastin time, hemoglobin concentration and serum albumin concentration. Multivariate analysis revealed that age≤40 years (OR=14.464, 95% CI: 1.143-183.053, P=0.039), BMI<24.0 kg/m(OR=8.220, 95% CI:1.005-67.200, P=0.049), abdominal pain (OR=13.148, 95% CI: 1.110-155.774, P=0.041), complex anal fistula (OR=7.056, 95% CI:1.166-42.688, P=0.033) and elevated platelet count (OR=1.012, 95% CI: 1.004-1.0194, P=0.003) were independent risk factors for discovery of Crohn's disease by colonoscopy. Area under the ROC curve of the regression mathematical model based on factors mentioned above was 0.921, indicating that the model was highly predictive. The sensitivity and specificity of this model was 81.3% and 86.7% respectively when the optimal diagnostic cut-off point was established at 0.856.

CONCLUSIONSParameters that predict Crohn's disease in patients with perianal fistula include age, BMI, abdominal pain, classification of fistula and platelet count. Colonoscopy is recommended for patients at high risk.

Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Body Mass Index ; Colonoscopy ; Crohn Disease ; blood ; complications ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neutrophils ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Platelet Count ; ROC Curve ; Rectal Fistula ; blood ; complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity

To compare clinical features, diagnosis and therapeutic effect between pulmonary histoplasmosis and progressive disseminated histoplasmosis.
 Methods: A retrospective analysis for 12 cases of hospitalized patients with histoplasmosis, who was admitted in Xiangya Hospital, Central South University during the time from February 2009 to October 2015, was carried out. Four cases of pulmonary histoplasmosis and 8 cases of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis were included. The differences of clinical features, imaging tests, means for diagnosis and prognosis were analyzed between the two types of histoplasmosis.
 Results: The clinical manifestations of pulmonary histoplasmosis were mild, such as dry cough. However, the main clinical symptoms of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis were severe, including recurrence of high fever, superficial lymph node enlargement over the whole body, hepatosplenomegaly, accompanied by cough, abdominal pain, joint pain, skin changes, etc.Laboratory examination showed pancytopenia, abnormal liver function and abnormal coagulation function. One pulmonary case received the operation of left lower lung lobectomy, 3 cases of pulmonary histoplasmosis and 6 cases of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis patients were given deoxycholate amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole or fluconazole for antifungal therapy. One disseminated case discharged from the hospital without treatment after diagnosis of histoplasmosis, and 1 disseminated case combined with severe pneumonia and active tuberculosis died ultimately.
 Conclusion: As a rare fungal infection, histoplasmosis is easily to be misdiagnosed. The diagnostic criteria depends on etiology through bone marrow smear and tissues biopsy. Liposomeal amphotericin B, deoxycholate amphotericin B and itraconazole are recommended to treat infection for histoplasma capsulatum.
Abdominal Pain ; etiology ; Amphotericin B ; therapeutic use ; Antifungal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Biopsy ; Cough ; epidemiology ; Death ; Deoxycholic Acid ; therapeutic use ; Diagnostic Errors ; Drug Combinations ; Fever ; etiology ; Hepatomegaly ; etiology ; Histoplasma ; Histoplasmosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; mortality ; therapy ; Humans ; Invasive Fungal Infections ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Itraconazole ; therapeutic use ; Lung ; microbiology ; surgery ; Lung Diseases, Fungal ; diagnosis ; surgery ; therapy ; Pneumonia ; complications ; mortality ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Splenomegaly ; etiology ; Treatment Outcome ; Tuberculosis ; complications ; mortality

Delirium is an acute disturbance of consciousness and cognition with fluctuating course over a short period of time. Recognition of delirium in post-stroke patients is important because of its association with a longer stay in the hospital, a poor functional outcome, an increased risk of deteriorated cognition, and a higher mortality rate. It is occasionally under-recognized due to the fluctuating course and the neurological deficits that are caused by the stroke. Disturbance of several neurotransmitter systems including not only acetylcholine and dopamine but also serotonin, noradrenaline and gamma amino butyric acid have been implicated for the possible pathophysiology of delirium. Numerous potential precipitating and predisposing factors have been proposed such as comorbid condition, age, acute medical insults and environmental issues. In view of the complex multifactorial causes of delirium, multicomponent non-pharmacological approaches for risk factors are the most effective strategy for prevention of delirium. Preventive interventions such as frequent reorientation, early and recurrent mobilization, pain management, adequate nutrition and hydration, reducing sensory impairments, and ensuring proper sleep patterns have all been shown to reduce the incidence of delirium, regardless of the care environment. Pharmacologic interventions and physical restraints should be reserved for patients who are a threat to their own safety or the safety of others. This review describes epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnostic methods, and management of delirium in post-stroke patients.
Acetylcholine ; Butyric Acid ; Causality ; Cognition ; Consciousness ; Delirium* ; Diagnosis* ; Dopamine ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Norepinephrine ; Pain Management ; Restraint, Physical ; Risk Factors ; Serotonin ; Stroke