Cross-sectional Analysis of Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection Secondary to Spinal Internal Fixation via the Posterior Approach

Backgroud: The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors related to surgical site infection (SSI) secondary to spinal internal fixation via the posterior approach.Methods: Patients who had undergone spinal internal fixation via the posterior approach at the spinal center of our hospital from January 2004 to December 2019 were selected in this cross-sectional study. Information about age, sex, body mass index (BMI), fused segment, hemoglobin concentration, serum albumin concentration, surgical duration, surgery beginning time, allogeneic blood transfusion, combined diabetes, peak blood glucose 72 h postoperatively ≥12 mmol/L, smoking history, and blood loss were included. The factors related to SSI were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. P < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.Results: Among the 4,350 patients, 66 had SSI, with an infection prevalence of 1.5%. The subjects included 37 men and 29 women (age range, 22–84 y; average age, 47.4 ± 12.8 y). Univariate analysis showed that sex, BMI, fused segment, surgery beginning time, allogeneic blood transfusion, and smoking history were not correlated to infection (P > 0.05). However, age >60 y, surgical duration >3 h, serum albumin concentration <30 g/L, hemoglobin concentration <80 g/L, combined diabetes, peak blood glucose 72 h postoperatively ≥12 mmol/L, and blood loss >1,000 mL were correlated with infection (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age >60 y, surgical duration >3 h, hemoglobin concentration <80 g/L, serum albumin concentration <30 g/L, combined diabetes, and blood loss >1,000 mL were significantly correlated with SSI secondary to spinal internal fixation via the posterior approach.Conclusion: This study provides information on SSI secondary to spinal internal fixation via the posterior approach. We found that age >60 y, surgical duration >3 h, hemoglobin concentration <80 g/L, serum albumin concentration <30 g/L, combined diabetes, and blood loss >1,000 mL are directly correlated with SSI secondary to spinal internal fixation via the posterior approach. These findings may contribute to discussions and actions that may help to reduce SSI secondary to spinal internal fixation via the posterior approach in the short or medium term.

Hypoalbuminemia Predicts Adverse Events following Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty

Hypoalbuminemia is a potentially modifiable risk factor associated with adverse events following total knee arthroplasty. The present study aimed to evaluate whether hypoalbuminemia similarly predisposes to adverse events following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). Patients who underwent UKA during 2006–2018 were identified through the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Only patients with preoperative serum albumin concentration were included. Outcomes were compared between patients with and without hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin concentration < 3.5 g/dL). All associations were adjusted for demographic, comorbidity, and laboratory differences between populations. A total of 11,342 patients were identified, of whom 6,049 (53.3%) had preoperative serum albumin laboratory values available for analysis. After adjustment for potential confounders, patients with hypoalbuminemia had a greater than 2-fold increased probability for occurrence of any complication (7.02% vs. 2.23%, p = 0.009) and a 4-fold increased probability of receiving a blood transfusion (1.81% vs. 0.25%, p = 0.045). Among procedures performed as inpatients, mean postoperative length of stay (LOS) was longer in patients with hypoalbuminemia (2.2 vs. 1.8 days; p = 0.031). Hypoalbuminemia is independently associated with complications and increased LOS following UKA and a marker for patients at higher risk of postoperative complications. Patients should be screened for hypoalbuminemia and nutritional deficiencies addressed prior to UKA.

Association between hepatic oxygenation on near-infrared spectroscopy and clinical factors in patients undergoing hemodialysis

The hepato-splanchnic circulation directly influences oxygenation of the abdominal organs and plays an important role in compensating for the blood volume reduction that occurs in the central circulation during hemodialysis (HD) with ultrafiltration. However, the hepato-splanchnic circulation and oxygenation cannot be easily evaluated in the clinical setting of HD therapy. We included 185 HD patients and 15 healthy volunteers as the control group in this study. Before HD, hepatic regional oxygen saturation (rSO2), a marker of hepatic oxygenation reflecting the hepato-splanchnic circulation and oxygenation, was monitored using an INVOS 5100c oxygen saturation monitor. Hepatic rSO2 was significantly lower in patients undergoing HD than in healthy controls (56.4 ± 14.9% vs. 76.2 ± 9.6%, p < 0.001). Multivariable regression analysis showed that hepatic rSO2 was independently associated with body mass index (BMI; standardized coefficient: 0.294), hemoglobin (Hb) level (standardized coefficient: 0.294), a history of cardiovascular disease (standardized coefficient: -0.157), mean blood pressure (BP; standardized coefficient: 0.154), and serum albumin concentration (standardized coefficient: 0.150) in Model 1 via a simple linear regression analysis. In Model 2 using the colloid osmotic pressure (COP) in place of serum albumin concentration, the COP (standardized coefficient: 0.134) was also identified as affecting hepatic rSO2. Basal hepatic oxygenation before HD might be affected by BMI, Hb levels, a history of cardiovascular disease, mean BP, serum albumin concentration, and the COP. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify whether changes in these parameters, including during HD, affect the hepato-splanchnic circulation and oxygenation in HD patients.

Clinical and Histopathological Factors Influencing IgA Nephropathy Outcome

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most frequent primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. Due to its heterogenicity, there is a need to establish robust biomarkers for IgAN, to support treatment decisions and evaluate the risk of progression to end-stage renal disease. Using both clinical and histopathological data, derived from renal biopsies, we aimed to find predictors of renal function deterioration and proteinuria reduction. Clinical and histopathological data of 80 patients with biopsy proven IgAN were analyzed. In a multivariate logarithmic regression model, the presence of endocapillary hypercellularity (E1) predicted a decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)of at least 50% with an odds ratio (OR) of 15.2, whereas serum albumin concentration had a negative influence on eGFR deterioration (OR 0.2). In the second multivariate model, the extent of interstitial fibrosis predicted the worsening of eGFR by 50% (OR 1.1) and serum albumin concentration had a protective impact (OR 0.1). In the univariate logarithmic regression, both the extent of interstitial fibrosis and the presence of endocapillary hypercellularity negatively correlated with the reduction in proteinuria below 1.0 g/24 h with an OR of 0.2 and 0.9, respectively. In our paper, we confirmed the utility of histopathological variables, especially endocapillary hypercellularity and interstitial fibrosis, and clinical parameters, particularly serum albumin concentration, in the prediction of both a decline in eGFR and a reduction in proteinuria in IgA nephropathy.

Prognostic significance of the postoperative prognostic nutritional index in patients with glioblastoma: a retrospective study

Background The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) reflects immunonutritional status. We evaluated the effects of postoperative PNI and perioperative changes in the PNI on overall survival (OS) in glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Methods Demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were retrospectively collected from 335 GBM patients. Preoperative and postoperative PNIs were calculated from serum albumin concentration and lymphocyte count, which were measured within 3 weeks before surgery and 1 month after surgery. Patients were classified into high (n = 206) or low (n = 129) postoperative PNI groups according to the postoperative PNI cutoff value and further classified into four groups according to the cutoff values of the preoperative and postoperative PNIs, as follows: Group HH (both high PNIs, n = 92), Group HL (high preoperative and low postoperative PNI, n = 70), Group LH (low preoperative and high postoperative PNI, n = 37), and Group LL (both low PNIs, n = 136). Results The median OS was significantly longer in the high postoperative PNI (PNI ≥ 50.2) group than the low postoperative PNI (PNI < 50.2) group (24.0 vs. 15.0 months, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, high postoperative PNI was a significant predictor of OS. OS was significantly longer in Group HH than in Group LL and seemed longer in Group HH than in Group HL and in Group LH than in Group LL. OS was not different between Groups HH and LH or between Groups HL and LL. Conclusions High postoperative PNI was associated with improved OS and perioperative changes in PNI may provide additional important information for prognostic prediction in GBM patients.

Effect of skin–capsular distance on controlled attenuation parameter for diagnosing liver steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

The effect of the skin–capsular distance (SCD) on the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) for diagnosis of liver steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unclear. The SCD was measured using B-mode ultrasound, and the CAP was measured using the M probe of FibroScan®. According to the indications of the M probe, 113 patients with an SCD of ≤ 25 mm were included in the present study. The association between the SCD and CAP was investigated, and the diagnostic performance of the SCD-adjusted CAP was tested. The SCD showed the most significant positive correlation with the CAP (ρ = 0.329, p < 0.001). In the multiple regression analysis, the SCD and serum albumin concentration were associated with the CAP, independent of pathological liver steatosis. According to the multivariate analysis, two different formulas were developed to obtain the adjusted CAP using the SCD and serum albumin concentration as follows: adjusted CAP (dB/m) = CAP − (5.26 × SCD) and adjusted CAP (dB/m) = CAP − (5.35 × SCD) − (25.77 × serum albumin concentration). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for diagnosis of a steatosis score ≥ 2 of adjusted CAP was 0.678 and 0.684 respectively, which were significantly greater than the original CAP (0.621: p = 0.030 and p = 0.024). The SCD is associated with the CAP independent of liver steatosis. Adjustment of the CAP using the SCD improves the diagnostic performance of the CAP in NAFLD.

Predictive ability of the Mini Nutritional Assessment short-form (MNA-SF) as compared to serum albumin concentration in the community dwelling elders, Meki, East Ethiopia

Background: Different tools have been used to perform a nutritional screening and assessment, and MNA is one of the widely used and recommended tools in the geriatrics population. MNA has two forms, long and short. However, MNA short-forms have not been evaluated in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate MNA short form against serum albumin concentration among Ethiopian elders.Methods: One hundred and seventy-six randomly selected elders entered into the community-based cross-sectional validation study. Amputated, bedridden, those with visible deformity were excluded. Original MNA questionnaires were translated to Afan Oromo and Amharic languages. All translated and pretested MNA questionnaires were administered to each participant. The anthropometrics and serum albumin concentration were measured. Reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated. Receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC-curve) analysis was plotted for MNA, to identify the area under the curve (AUC) and optimal cut-off value for prediction of malnutrition.Result: Strong association between serum albumin concentration score and MNA-short form score indicated by spearman’s rank correlation coefficients of BMI-MNA-SF 0.526,p <0.05 and CC-MNA-SF 0.501, P<0.05. Similar the agreement between the long and short form of MNA was found to be a weighted kappa 0.404(0.288, 0.521) for BMI-MNA-SF and 0.426(0.333, 0.519) for CC-MNA-SF at 95% CI. These values indicate moderate agreement with the serum albumin concentration. There is very good agreement between the BMI-MNA-SF and CC-MNA-SF 0.400(0.322, 0.478). Also, high power to identify two categories using serum albumin concentration as golden standard with AUC for BMI –MNA-SF 0.789 (0.722-0.855) and 0.791 (0.726-0.857) for CC-MNA-SF at 95% CI. Diagnostic accuracy for BMI-MNA-SF showed that 37.1% sensitivity, 90.8% specificity, 58.5% PPV, and 80.5% NPV. Similar sensitivity 77.5%, specificity of 64.4% PPV 73.7%, and 69.0%, NPV for CC-MNA-SF. Total Diagnostic accuracy for BMI-MNA-SF 63.64%, and 71.02% for CC-MNA-SF.Conclusion: Both versions of MNA-SF were found to be valid screening tools in the Ethiopian elders against serum albumin concentration.