Predictors of Comorbid Anxiety Symptoms After a New Diagnosis of Epilepsy: A Prospective 12-Month Follow-Up Observation

Objectives: We aimed to identify the factors contributing to comorbid anxiety symptoms over a 12-month follow-up period in Chinese adults with newly diagnosed epilepsy.Methods: Adult patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy (PWNDE) were recruited from First Hospital, Jilin University. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire (GAD-7; Chinese version) at 12 months. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the predictors for anxiety symptoms at 12 months.Results: A total of 157 PWNDE completed the study and were included in the final analysis. The percentage of participants with anxiety symptoms significantly decreased from 31.2% at baseline to 23.6% at 12 months (p = 0.027). Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis indicated that depressive symptoms at baseline [odds ratio (OR) 3.877 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.683–8.933); P = 0.001] and the number of antiseizure medications (ASMs) during the follow-up period [OR 2.814 (95% CI 1.365–5.803); P = 0.005] were independent factors contributing to comorbid anxiety symptoms at 12 months.Conclusion: Depressive symptoms at baseline and the number of ASMs during the follow-up period were significant predictors of comorbid anxiety symptoms 12 months after a diagnosis of epilepsy.

Allogeneic Red Blood Cell Transfusion Rate and Risk Factors After Hemiarthroplasty in Elderly Patients With Femoral Neck Fracture

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the rate and risk factors of allogeneic red blood cell transfusions (ABT) after hemiarthroplasty (HA) in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture (FNF).MethodsThe subjects of the study were elderly patients (≥65 years old) who were admitted to the geriatric trauma orthopedics ward of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital between March 2018 and June 2019 for HA treatment due to an FNF. The perioperative data were collected retrospectively, and univariate and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the post-operative ABT rate and its risk factors.ResultsThere were 445 patients in the study, of whom 177 (39.8%) received ABT after surgery. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative low hemoglobin (Hb), high intraoperative blood loss (IBL), advanced age, and a low body mass index (BMI) are independent risk factors of ABT after HA in elderly FNF patients.ConclusionABT after HA is a common phenomenon in elderly patients with FNF. Their post-operative ABT needs are related to preoperative low Hb, high IBL, advanced age, and low BMI. Therefore, ABT can be reduced by taking these factors into account. When the same patient had three risk factors (preoperative low hemoglobin, advanced age, and low BMI), the risk of ABT was very high (78.3%). Also, when patients have two risk factors of preoperative low hemoglobin and low BMI, the risk of ABT was also high (80.0%).

Day 5 vitrified blastocyst transfer versus day 6 vitrified blastocyst transfer in oocyte donation program

The superiority of day 5 blastocysts compared to day 6 blastocysts in fresh cycle transfers was previously demonstrated and attributed mainly to endometrial asynchrony. Data from frozen blastocysts transfers showed conflicting results, possibly due to heterogeneous patient population and embryo quality. The aim of this study was to compare clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) between transfers of vitrified day 5 blastocysts and day 6 blastocysts in oocyte donation, blastocyst-only cycles. In a retrospective, multi-center study, with a single oocyte donation program, a total of 1840 frozen embryo transfers (FET’s) were analyzed, including 1180 day 5 blastocysts and 660 day 6 blastocysts transfers. Day 5 blastocyst transfers had better embryonic development and significantly higher CPRs (34.24% vs. 20.15%, P < 0.0001), higher LBRs (26.89% vs. 14.77%, P < 0.0001), less cycles to LBR (1.83 ± 0.08 vs. 2.39 ± 0.18, P = 0.003) and shorter time to LBRs (76.32 ± 8.7 vs. 123.24 ± 19.1 days, P = 0.01), compared to day 6 transfers, respectively. A multivariate stepwise logistic regression indicated, that day 5 transfer was an independent factor for CPRs (OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.43–2.54, P < 0.001) and LBRs (OR 2.26; 95% CI 1.19–4.28, P = 0.01), regardless of embryo quality, compared to day 6. In conclusion, day 5 blastocysts in oocyte donation program have significantly higher CPRs and LBRs, and present shorter time to delivery, compared to day 6 blastocysts, regardless of embryo quality.

Allogeneic Red Blood Cell Transfusion Rate and Risk Factors in Elderly Patients with Femoral Neck Fracture After Hemiarthroplasty

Objective: To determine the rate and risk factors of allogeneic red blood cell transfusions (ABT) in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture (FNF) after hemiarthroplasty (HA). Methods: We conducted a study on elderly patients (≥65 years old) who were admitted to the geriatric trauma orthopedics ward of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital for HA treatment from March 2018 to February 2019 due to FNF. The perioperative data were collected retrospectively, and univariate and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the postoperative ABT rate and its risk factors. Results: 445 patients were included in the study, of which 177 (39.8%) received ABT after surgery. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative low hemoglobin (Hb), high intraoperative blood loss (IBL), advanced age, and low body mass index (BMI) are independent risk factors of ABT after HA in elderly FNF patients. Conclusion: ABT after HA is a common phenomenon in elderly patients with FNF. Their postoperative ABT needs are related to preoperative low Hb, high IBL, advanced age, and low BMI. Therefore, ABT can be reduced from the above aspects.

Decreased serum C1Q/TNF-related protein 4 concentrations are associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective: To detect serum C1Q/TNF-related protein 4 (CTRP4) concentrations in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and evaluate the correlation between CTRP4 and other variables in T2DM. Method: Sixty-five patients with newly diagnosed T2DM and eighty-nine healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Anthropometric and biochemical data of the study participants was collected, and serum CTRP4 concentrations were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The correlation between serum CTRP4 and other indexes was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. Trend χ2 test and binary multivariate stepwise logistic regression were performed to assess the correlation between CTRP4 and the risk of T2DM. Results: Serum CTRP4 concentrations in the T2DM group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P < .01). Spearman correlation analysis showed that CTRP4 concentrations were negatively correlated with BMI, hs-CRP, HOMA-IR, FBG and TG ( r = - 0.430, - 0.453, - 0.371, - 0.361, - 0.506, P < .05), and positively correlated with HDL-c ( r = 0.303, P < .05). Trend χ2 test indicated that with the increase of CTRP4 levels in the population, the risk of T2DM presented a general downward trend ( P < .01). Binary multivariate stepwise logistic regression suggested that serum CTRP4 was an independent impact factor for T2DM and high serum CTRP4 levels were related to the decreased risk of T2DM (P < .05). Conclusions: Serum CTRP4 concentrations decrease in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM. Serum CTRP4 levels are negatively associated with the risk of T2DM.

Allogeneic Red Blood Cell Transfusion Rate and Risk Factors in Elderly Patients with Femoral Neck Fracture after Hemiarthroplasty

Objective: To determine the rate and risk factors of allogeneic red blood cell transfusions (ABT) in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture (FNF) after hemiarthroplasty (HA). Methods: We conducted a study on elderly patients (≥65 years old) who were admitted to the geriatric trauma orthopedics ward of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital for HA treatment from March 2018 to February 2019 due to FNF. The perioperative data were collected retrospectively, and univariate and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the postoperative ABT rate and its risk factors. Results: 445 patients were included in the study, of which 177 (39.8%) received ABT after surgery. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative low hemoglobin (Hb), high intraoperative blood loss (IBL), advanced age, and low body mass index (BMI) are independent risk factors of ABT after HA in elderly FNF patients. Conclusion: ABT after HA is a common phenomenon in elderly patients with FNF. Their postoperative ABT needs are related to preoperative low Hb, high IBL, advanced age, and low BMI. Therefore, ABT can be reduced from the above aspects.

Practical Clinical and Radiological Models to Diagnose COVID-19 on Chest CT in a French Multicentric Emergency Population

Our aim was to develop practical models built with simple clinical-radiological features to facilitate COVID-19 diagnosis. To do so, 513 consecutive adult patients suspected of having COVID-19 from 15 emergency departments from 03/13/2020 to 04/14/2020 were included (244 [47.6%] with a positive RT-PCR). Chest CTs were immediately and prospectively analysed by on-call teleradiologists (OCTR) and systematically reviewed within one week by another senior teleradiologist. Each OCTR reading was concluded using a 5-point scale: normal, non-infectious, infectious non-COVID-19, indeterminate and highly suspicious of COVID-19. The senior reading reported the lesions’ semiology, distribution, extent and differential diagnoses. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression (Step-LR) and classification tree (CART) models to predict a positive RT-PCR were trained on 412 patients, validated on an independent cohort of 101 patients and compared with the OCTR performances (295 and 71 with available clinical data, respectively). Regarding models elaborated on radiological variables alone, best performances were reached with the CART model (i.e., AUC=0.92 versus 0.88 for OCTR) while step-LR provided the highest AUC with clinical-radiological variables (0.93 versus 0.86 for OCTR). Hence, these two simple models, depending on the availability of clinical data, could be used by any radiologist to support their conclusion in case of COVID-19 suspicion.

Allogeneic Red Blood Cell Transfusion Rate and Risk Factors in Elderly Patients With Femoral Neck Fracture After Hemiarthroplasty

Objective: To determine the rate and risk factors of allogeneic red blood cell transfusions (ABT) in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture (FNF) after hemiarthroplasty (HA). Methods: We conducted a study on elderly patients (≥65 years old) who were admitted to the geriatric trauma orthopedics ward of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital for HA treatment from March 2018 to February 2019 due to FNF. The perioperative data were collected retrospectively, and univariate and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the postoperative ABT rate and its risk factors. Results: 343 patients were included in the study, of which 151 (44.0%) received ABT after surgery. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative low hemoglobin (Hb), high intraoperative blood loss (IBL), advanced age, and low body mass index (BMI) are independent risk factors of ABT after HA in elderly FNF patients. Conclusion: ABT after HA is a common phenomenon in elderly patients with FNF. Their postoperative ABT needs are related to preoperative low Hb, high IBL, advanced age, and low BMI. Therefore, ABT can be reduced from the above aspects.

The concentration of resistin in perivascular adipose tissue after CABG and postoperative atrial fibrillation

Background Postoperative atrial fibrillation occurs in up to 30% of patients after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and its cause is unknown. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether concentration of resistin in surrounding coronary artery perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is related to postoperative atrial fibrillation occurrence. Methods A total number of 46 patients (35 male, 11 female; median age 66.5) were qualified for elective CABG. Medical history, laboratory test results and echocardiographic parameters were noted. Patients were monitored up to 3 days after CABG and then were divided into groups with and without postoperative atrial fibrillation occurrence. Fragments of PVAT were collected intra-operatively: near the left anterior descending artery and main left coronary artery. The concentration of resistin was determined by Human Resistin Quantikine ELISA Kit and expressed as ng/g. A multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to find variables related to postoperative atrial fibrillation occurrence. Results Postoperative atrial fibrillation occurred in 14 (30.4%) patients. The patients with and without postoperative atrial fibrillation were similar in age, gender, epicardial adipose tissue thickness and laboratory parameters. The concentration of resistin in PVAT near the left main coronary artery was significantly higher in patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation than in those without the complication (P = 0.03). In the multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis the concentration of resistin above cut-off point 54 ng/g in PVAT near left main coronary artery was independently related to postoperative atrial fibrillation occurrence (OR: 7.7; 95% CI:1.4–42.2 p = 0.02). Conclusions The higher concentrations of resistin in PVAT near the left main coronary artery which is located close to the left atrium are associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation.

Prolonged haemodialysis increases the risk of the impairment of global longitudinal strain in patient after kidney transplantation and a preserved ejection fraction of left ventricle

Background. Patients with chronic kidney disease, including these after kidney transplantation (KTx), have higher cardiovascular mortality. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) detects subtle changes in the left ventricle (LV) and is more sensitive predictor of cardiovascular mortality than the LV ejection fraction (LVEF).The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of impaired GLS among kidney transplant recipients with preserved LVEF. We also aimed to identify possible clinical factors responsible for GLS impairment. Methods. A total of 79 patients following KTx with preserved LVEF and no history of cardiac disease were evaluated. We assessed echocardiogram parameters with the calculation of GLS, laboratory parameters, presence of diabetes, hypertension, duration of haemodialysis (HD) and time after KTx. An impaired GLS value was set on ≥-18%. The multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis were used to identify the factors related to impaired GLS. Results. Among 79 (42 females, mean age 60.3) kidney transplant recipients with preserved LVEF, 39% had impaired GLS. ROC analysis revealed that the cut-off point for the prediction GLS ≥-18 % by HD duration is more than 28 months (AUC 0.67 (95%CI 0.545-0.79; P=0.007). In multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis for variables related to impaired GLS duration of HD more than 28month is associated with GLS ≥-18( OR 4.06; 95CI (1.45-11.34) P=0.008). Conclusions. In our study group, a total of 39% of KTx patients with preserved LVEF had impaired GLS. The risk factor of GLS impairment was a prolonged duration of HD (>28months) prior to the transplantation procedure.