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The Bone & Joint Journal Jul 2024Proximal humeral fractures are the third most common fracture among the elderly. Complications associated with fixation include screw perforation, varus collapse, and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Comparative Study
AIMS
Proximal humeral fractures are the third most common fracture among the elderly. Complications associated with fixation include screw perforation, varus collapse, and avascular necrosis of the humeral head. To address these challenges, various augmentation techniques to increase medial column support have been developed. There are currently no recent studies that definitively establish the superiority of augmented fixation over non-augmented implants in the surgical treatment of proximal humeral fractures. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the outcomes of patients who underwent locking-plate fixation with cement augmentation or bone-graft augmentation versus those who underwent locking-plate fixation without augmentation for proximal humeral fractures.
METHODS
The search was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Articles involving patients with complex proximal humeral fractures treated using open reduction with locking-plate fixation, with or without augmentation, were considered. A meta-analysis of comparative studies comparing locking-plate fixation with cement augmentation or with bone-graft augmentation versus locking-plate fixation without augmentation was performed.
RESULTS
A total of 19 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and six comparative studies were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, 120 patients received locking-plate fixation with bone-graft augmentation, 179 patients received locking-plate fixation with cement augmentation, and 336 patients received locking-plate fixation without augmentation. No statistically relevant differences between the augmented and non-augmented cohorts were found in terms of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire score and Constant-Murley Score. The cement-augmented group had a significantly lower rate of complications compared to the non-augmented group.
CONCLUSION
While locking-plate fixation with cement augmentation appears to produce a lower complication rate compared to locking-plate fixation alone, functional outcomes seem comparable between augmented and non-augmented techniques.
Topics: Humans; Bone Plates; Shoulder Fractures; Fracture Fixation, Internal; Bone Cements; Bone Transplantation; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38945543
DOI: 10.1302/0301-620X.106B7.BJJ-2023-1113.R1 -
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment Jun 2024Pruritus is an unpleasant sensation that creates the urge to scratch. In many chronic conditions, relentless pruritus and scratching perpetuates a vicious itch-scratch... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Pruritus is an unpleasant sensation that creates the urge to scratch. In many chronic conditions, relentless pruritus and scratching perpetuates a vicious itch-scratch cycle. Uncontrolled itch can detrimentally affect quality of life and may lead to sleep disturbance, impaired concentration, financial burden, and psychological suffering. Recent strides have been made to develop guidelines and investigate new therapies to treat some of the most common severely pruritic conditions, however, a large group of diseases remains underrecognized and undertreated. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the challenges hindering the treatment of pruritus.
METHODS
An online search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov from 1994 to 2024. Included studies were summarized and assessed for quality and relevance in treating pruritus.
RESULTS
Several barriers to treating pruritus emerged, including variable presentation, objective measurement of itch, and identifying therapeutic targets. Itch associated with autoimmune conditions, connective tissue diseases, genodermatoses, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and pruritus of unknown origin were among the etiologies with the greatest unmet needs.
CONCLUSION
Treating pruritus poses many challenges and there are many itchy conditions that have no yet been addressed. There is an urgent need for large-scale controlled studies to investigate potential targets for these conditions and novel therapies.
Topics: Humans; Pruritus; Eczema; Quality of Life; Chronic Disease
PubMed: 38945542
DOI: 10.1080/09546634.2024.2351487 -
The Bone & Joint Journal Jul 2024Given the possible radiation damage and inaccuracy of radiological investigations, particularly in children, ultrasound and superb microvascular imaging (SMI) may offer...
AIMS
Given the possible radiation damage and inaccuracy of radiological investigations, particularly in children, ultrasound and superb microvascular imaging (SMI) may offer alternative methods of evaluating new bone formation when limb lengthening is undertaken in paediatric patients. The aim of this study was to assess the use of ultrasound combined with SMI in monitoring new bone formation during limb lengthening in children.
METHODS
In this retrospective cohort study, ultrasound and radiograph examinations were performed every two weeks in 30 paediatric patients undergoing limb lengthening. Ultrasound was used to monitor new bone formation. The number of vertical vessels and the blood flow resistance index were compared with those from plain radiographs.
RESULTS
We categorized the new bone formation into three stages: stage I (early lengthening), in which there was no obvious callus formation on radiographs and ultrasound; stage II (lengthening), in which radiographs showed low-density callus formation with uneven distribution and three sub-stages could be identified on ultrasound: in Ia punctate callus was visible; in IIb there was linear callus formation which was not yet connected and in IIc there was continuous linear callus. In stage III (healing), the bone ends had united, the periosteum was intact, and the callus had disappeared, as confirmed on radiographs, indicating healed bone. A progressive increase in the number of vertical vessels was noted in the early stages, peaking during stages IIb and IIc, followed by a gradual decline (p < 0.001). Delayed healing involved patients with a prolonged stage IIa or those who regressed to stage IIa from stages IIb or IIc during lengthening.
CONCLUSION
We found that the formation of new bone in paediatric patients undergoing limb lengthening could be reliably evaluated using ultrasound when combined with the radiological findings. This combination enabled an improved assessment of the prognosis, and adjustments to the lengthening protocol. While SMI offered additional insights into angiogenesis within the new bone, its role primarily contributed to the understanding of the microvascular environment rather than directly informing adjustments of treatment.
Topics: Humans; Child; Retrospective Studies; Male; Female; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Ultrasonography; Osteogenesis; Bone Lengthening; Bony Callus; Leg Length Inequality; Microvessels; Radiography
PubMed: 38945540
DOI: 10.1302/0301-620X.106B7.BJJ-2023-1019.R2 -
The Bone & Joint Journal Jul 2024Robotic arm-assisted surgery offers accurate and reproducible guidance in component positioning and assessment of soft-tissue tensioning during knee arthroplasty, but... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
AIMS
Robotic arm-assisted surgery offers accurate and reproducible guidance in component positioning and assessment of soft-tissue tensioning during knee arthroplasty, but the feasibility and early outcomes when using this technology for revision surgery remain unknown. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of robotic arm-assisted revision of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) versus primary robotic arm-assisted TKA at short-term follow-up.
METHODS
This prospective study included 16 patients undergoing robotic arm-assisted revision of UKA to TKA versus 35 matched patients receiving robotic arm-assisted primary TKA. In all study patients, the following data were recorded: operating time, polyethylene liner size, change in haemoglobin concentration (g/dl), length of inpatient stay, postoperative complications, and hip-knee-ankle (HKA) alignment. All procedures were performed using the principles of functional alignment. At most recent follow-up, range of motion (ROM), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS), and Oxford Knee Score (OKS) were collected. Mean follow-up time was 21 months (6 to 36).
RESULTS
There were no differences between the two treatment groups with regard to mean change in haemoglobin concentration (p = 0.477), length of stay (LOS, p = 0.172), mean polyethylene thickness (p = 0.065), or postoperative complication rates (p = 0.295). At the most recent follow-up, the primary robotic arm-assisted TKA group had a statistically significantly improved OKS compared with the revision UKA to TKA group (44.6 (SD 2.7) vs 42.3 (SD 2.5); p = 0.004) but there was no difference in the overall ROM (p = 0.056) or FJS between the two treatment groups (86.1 (SD 9.6) vs 84.1 (4.9); p = 0.439).
CONCLUSION
Robotic arm-assisted revision of UKA to TKA was associated with comparable intraoperative blood loss, early postoperative rehabilitation, functional outcomes, and complications to primary robotic TKA at short-term follow-up. Robotic arm-assisted surgery offers a safe and reproducible technique for revising failed UKA to TKA.
Topics: Humans; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Male; Female; Prospective Studies; Robotic Surgical Procedures; Aged; Middle Aged; Reoperation; Treatment Outcome; Range of Motion, Articular; Follow-Up Studies; Length of Stay; Postoperative Complications; Knee Prosthesis; Aged, 80 and over; Osteoarthritis, Knee
PubMed: 38945538
DOI: 10.1302/0301-620X.106B7.BJJ-2023-0943.R2 -
The Bone & Joint Journal Jul 2024To examine whether natural language processing (NLP) using a clinically based large language model (LLM) could be used to predict patient selection for total hip or...
AIMS
To examine whether natural language processing (NLP) using a clinically based large language model (LLM) could be used to predict patient selection for total hip or total knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) from routinely available free-text radiology reports.
METHODS
Data pre-processing and analyses were conducted according to the Artificial intelligence to Revolutionize the patient Care pathway in Hip and knEe aRthroplastY (ARCHERY) project protocol. This included use of de-identified Scottish regional clinical data of patients referred for consideration of THA/TKA, held in a secure data environment designed for artificial intelligence (AI) inference. Only preoperative radiology reports were included. NLP algorithms were based on the freely available GatorTron model, a LLM trained on over 82 billion words of de-identified clinical text. Two inference tasks were performed: assessment after model-fine tuning (50 Epochs and three cycles of k-fold cross validation), and external validation.
RESULTS
For THA, there were 5,558 patient radiology reports included, of which 4,137 were used for model training and testing, and 1,421 for external validation. Following training, model performance demonstrated average (mean across three folds) accuracy, F1 score, and area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) values of 0.850 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.833 to 0.867), 0.813 (95% CI 0.785 to 0.841), and 0.847 (95% CI 0.822 to 0.872), respectively. For TKA, 7,457 patient radiology reports were included, with 3,478 used for model training and testing, and 3,152 for external validation. Performance metrics included accuracy, F1 score, and AUROC values of 0.757 (95% CI 0.702 to 0.811), 0.543 (95% CI 0.479 to 0.607), and 0.717 (95% CI 0.657 to 0.778) respectively. There was a notable deterioration in performance on external validation in both cohorts.
CONCLUSION
The use of routinely available preoperative radiology reports provides promising potential to help screen suitable candidates for THA, but not for TKA. The external validation results demonstrate the importance of further model testing and training when confronted with new clinical cohorts.
Topics: Humans; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Natural Language Processing; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Patient Selection; Female; Male; Aged; Middle Aged; Algorithms; Artificial Intelligence
PubMed: 38945535
DOI: 10.1302/0301-620X.106B7.BJJ-2024-0136 -
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal Jul 2024Although the prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is increasing, reliable biomarkers for its early detection are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the...
BACKGROUND
Although the prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is increasing, reliable biomarkers for its early detection are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the association of adenosine and succinate levels and their related pathways, including hyaluronic acid (HA) synthesis, with DKD.
METHODS
We examined 235 participants and categorized them into three groups: healthy controls; those with diabetes but without DKD; and those with DKD, which was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. We compared the concentrations of urinary adenosine, succinate, and HA and the serum levels of cluster of differentiation 39 (CD39) and CD73, which are involved in adenosine generation, among the groups with DKD or albuminuria. In addition, we performed multiple logistic regression analysis to evaluate the independent association of DKD or albuminuria with the metabolites after adjusting for risk factors. We also showed the association of these metabolites with eGFR measured several years before enrollment. This study was registered with the Clinical Research Information Service (https://cris.nih.go.kr; Registration number: KCT0003573).
RESULTS
Urinary succinate and serum CD39 levels were higher in the DKD group than in the control and non-DKD groups. Correlation analysis consistently linked urinary succinate and serum CD39 concentrations with eGFR, albuminuria, and ΔeGFR, which was calculated retrospectively. However, among the various metabolites studied, only urinary succinate was identified as an independent indicator of DKD and albuminuria.
CONCLUSION
Among several potential metabolites, only urinary succinate was independently associated with DKD. These findings hold promise for clinical application in the management of DKD.
PubMed: 38945526
DOI: 10.4093/dmj.2023.0377 -
Revista Clinica Espanola Jun 2024To describe the predictors of mortality in hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to COVID-19 presenting with silent hypoxemia.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the predictors of mortality in hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to COVID-19 presenting with silent hypoxemia.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients with SARS due to COVID-19 and silent hypoxemia at admission, in Brazil, from January to June 2021. The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital death. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed.
RESULTS
Of 46,102 patients, the mean age was 59 ± 16 years, and 41.6% were female. During hospitalization, 13,149 patients died. Compared to survivors, non-survivors were older (mean age, 66 vs. 56 years; P < 0.001), less frequently female (43.6% vs. 40.9%; P < 0.001), and more likely to have comorbidities (74.3% vs. 56.8%; P < 0.001). Non-survivors had higher needs for invasive mechanical ventilation (42.4% vs 6.6%; P < 0.001) and intensive care unit admission (56.9% vs 20%; P < 0.001) compared to survivors. In the multivariable regression analysis, advanced age (OR 1.04; 95%CI 1.037-1.04), presence of comorbidities (OR 1.54; 95%CI 1.47-1.62), cough (OR 0.74; 95%CI 0.71-0.79), respiratory distress (OR 1.32; 95%CI 1.26-1.38), and need for non-invasive respiratory support (OR 0.37; 95%CI 0.35-0.40) remained independently associated with death.
CONCLUSIONS
Advanced age, presence of comorbidities, and respiratory distress were independent risk factors for mortality, while cough and requirement for non-invasive respiratory support were independent protective factors against mortality in hospitalized patients due to SARS due to COVID-19 with silent hypoxemia at presentation.
PubMed: 38945525
DOI: 10.1016/j.rceng.2024.06.010 -
Reproductive Toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) Jun 2024In utero cigarette smoking/nicotine exposure during pregnancy significantly affects fetal development and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease late in life....
In utero chronic intermittent nicotine aerosol exposure increases ischemic heart injury in adult offspring via programming of Angiotensin II receptor-derived TGFβ/ROS/Akt signaling pathway.
BACKGROUND
In utero cigarette smoking/nicotine exposure during pregnancy significantly affects fetal development and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease late in life. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. We tested the hypothesis that fetal nicotine aerosol exposure reprograms ischemia-sensitive gene expressions, resulting in increased heart susceptibility to ischemic injury and cardiac dysfunction in adulthood.
METHODS
Pregnant rats were exposed to chronic intermittent nicotine aerosol (CINA) or saline aerosol control from gestational day 4 to day 21. Experiments were performed on 6-month-old adult offspring.
RESULTS
CINA exposure increased ischemia-induced cardiac injury and cardiac dysfunction compared to the control group, which was associated with over- expression of angiotensin II receptor (ATR) protein in the left ventricle (LV) of adult offspring. Meanwhile, CINA exposure up-regulated cardiac TGF-β/SMADs family proteins in the LV. In addition, CINA exposure enhanced cardiac reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and increased the DNA methylation level. The levels of phosphorylated-Akt were upregulated but LC3B-II/I protein abundances were downregulated in the hearts isolated from the CINA-treated group.
CONCLUSION
Fetal nicotine aerosol exposure leads to cardiac dysfunction in response to ischemic stimulation in adulthood. Two molecular pathways are implicated. First, fetal CINA exposure elevates cardiac ATR levels, affecting the TGFβ-SMADs pathway. Second, heightened Angiotensin II/ATR signaling triggers ROS production, leading to DNA hypermethylation, p-Akt activation, and autophagy deficiency. These molecular shifts in cardiomyocytes result in the development of a heart ischemia-sensitive phenotype and subsequent dysfunction in adult offspring.
PubMed: 38945500
DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108650 -
Urology Jun 2024To describe the trocar disposition, docking angles, surgical times, functional outcomes and complications experienced during the first 30 surgeries with Hugo™ RAS...
OBJECTIVE
To describe the trocar disposition, docking angles, surgical times, functional outcomes and complications experienced during the first 30 surgeries with Hugo™ RAS platform performed by a high volume Da Vinci Xi®`s surgeon.
METHODS
Retrospective, observational, descriptive study was performed between May-December 2023. Safety and feasibility of the procedures were evaluated considering console and docking time (min), perioperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification), blood loss (mL), collision of the arms during the procedures (Yes/No). For radical prostatectomies (RARP) the urinary continence and sexual function were also evaluated.
RESULTS
RARP, simple prostatectomies (RASP), partial nephrectomies (RAPN), and cystectomy (RARC) were performed. Trocar placement, docking, and bed assistant ergonomics were important challenges. Patient positioning, trocar placement, and robotic arm positioning had to be adapted. The median console operative time for RARP and RASP was 78 (60-120) minutes and 79 (58-125) minutes, respectively. The median docking time for both RARP and RASP was 10 (5-20) minutes. Of patients undergoing RARP, 94.5% recovered sexual function and no patient used more than one PAD per day after 90 days of the surgery. The median console operative and docking time for RAPN was 82 (80-130) minutes and 12 minutes (7-19) minutes, respectively. Blood loss in all patients was less than 200 mL and all none procedure presented major complications.
CONCLUSION
For a high volume surgeon with motivated and well-trained multidisciplinary team, the implementation of HUGO™ RAS system for urological program is safe and smooth. Adaptations were necessary to achieve equivalent surgical technique and results. Docking position and bed assistant ergonomics are the major challenges.
PubMed: 38945486
DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2024.06.052 -
International Journal of Infectious... Jun 2024Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in young children. With substantial advances in RSV research, we aimed...
OBJECTIVES
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in young children. With substantial advances in RSV research, we aimed to conduct an updated systematic review of risk factors for RSV-ALRI in children under five years.
METHODS
We updated our previously published literature search to November 2022 among three English databases and additionally searched three Chinese databases (from January 1995) to identify all relevant publications. We performed random-effects meta-analyses to estimate the pooled odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each risk factor and each outcome (RSV-ALRI in the community and RSV-ALRI hospitalisation).
RESULTS
A total of 47 studies were included (26 from the updated search). Indoor air pollution was identified as a possible risk factor for RSV-ALRI in the community (OR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10-1.90). The identified risk factors for RSV-ALRI hospitalisation fall into four categories: demographic (male sex, Māori and Pacific ethnicities vs European or other ethnicities), pre- and post- neonatal (prematurity, low birth weight, small for gestational age, maternal smoking during pregnancy or lactation, maternal age <30 years vs 30-34 years, multiparity, caesarean section vs vaginal), household and environmental (having siblings, passive smoking, maternal asthma, daycare centre attendance), and health and medical conditions (any chronic diseases, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, HIV infections, congenital heart disease, Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, previous asthma). The pooled ORs ranged from 1.14 to 4.55.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings on the risk factors for RSV-ALRI help identify RSV high-risk groups, which has important implications for RSV prevention at both individual and population levels.
PubMed: 38945430
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107125