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Purpose@#This study aimed to establish whether computed tomography (CT)–determined sarcopenia is a useful imaging biomarker for postoperative outcome in elderly colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and construct sarcopenia-based nomograms to predict individual outcomes after surgery. @*Materials and Methods@#CT imaging data of 298 elderly CRC patients who underwent surgery in 2012-2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Skeletal muscle mass was determined by CT, and sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the optimal cutoff value determined by X-tile program. The correlation between sarcopenia and risk of preoperative nutrition and postoperative complications was evaluated. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine survival predictors. Sarcopenia-based nomograms were developed based on multivariate analysis, and calibrated using concordance index and calibration curves. @*Results@#A total 132 patients (44.3%) had sarcopenia based on the optimum cutoff values (29.9 cm2/m2 for women and 49.5 cm2/m2 for men). Sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for preoperative nutrition (p < 0.001; odds ratio [OR], 3.405; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.948 to 5.954) and postoperative complications (p=0.008; OR, 2.192; 95% CI, 1.231 to 3.903). Sarcopenia was an independent predictor for poor progression-free survival (p < 0.001; hazard ratio [HR], 2.175; 95% CI, 1.489 to 3.179) and overall survival (p < 0.001; HR, 2.524; 95% CI, 1.721 to 3.703). Based on multivariate analysis, we produced four nomograms that had better predictive performance. @*Conclusion@#CT-determined sarcopenia is a useful imaging biomarker for predicting preoperative nutritional risk, postoperative complications, and long-term outcomes in elderly CRC patients. The sarcopenia-based nomograms can provide a scientific basis for guiding therapeutic schedule and follow-up strategies.
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Nowadays, there are published trials in regards to the comparison of caspofungin with liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB). However, these studies have a modest sample size and convey inconclusive results. The aim of this study was to review the efficacy and safety of caspofungin for the treatment of invasive fungal infections (IFIs), compared with L-AmB.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Electronic databases (up to July 31, 2013) PubMed and Embase databases, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched to identify relevant trials of caspofungin and L-AmB. Analyses of efficacy and adverse outcomes were performed by relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was assessed by χ(2)-test and the I(2)-statistic.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Three trials were included in this meta-analysis with 1249 modified intention-to-treat (MITT) patients. The results showed that caspofungin produced equal efficacy in favorable overall response (RR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.88-1.18; P = 0.81) and mortality rate (RR = 1.53, 95% CI 0.38-6.27, P = 0.55), safer in clinical adverse events (RR = 0.20, 95% CI 0.08-0.54; P = 0.001), laboratory adverse events (RR = 0.69, 95% CI 0. 57-0.84; P = 0.0002), and discontinuation rate (RR = 0.26, 95% CI 0.08-0.83, P = 0.02), compared with L-AmB in the treatment of patients with IFIs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Based on the results of this meta-analysis, it would appear that caspofungin was measured to have equal efficacy in clinical outcomes and safer in terms of adverse events.</p>
Subject(s)
Humans , Amphotericin B , Therapeutic Uses , Antifungal Agents , Therapeutic Uses , Echinocandins , Therapeutic Uses , Febrile Neutropenia , Drug Therapy , Lipopeptides , Mycoses , Drug TherapyABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the levels of oxidative stress in liver tissues of hepatocelluar carcinoma(HCC)patients after transcatheter arterial chemotherapy(TAC).Methods Immunohistochemistry streptavidin biotinylated peroxidase(S-P)method was used to detect the cellular levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine(8-OHdG),p53 and p21~(waf1/cip1).Eighty-nine HCC patients were divided into TAC group(39 cases)and Non-TAC group(50 cases).15 Non-HCC liver tissues served as controls.Result 8-OHdG level was higher in Non-TAC group than that in TAC group in tumor tissues (F=9.516,P＜0.05),with that being the lowest in control group(F=9.516,P＜0.01);8-OHdG levels in cancer tissues were significantly higher than that in tumor surrounding tissues in both TAC group (t=7.101,P＜0.001)and Non-TAC group(t=8.020,P＜0.001),there was no significant difference of 8-OHdG levels between para-tumor tissues and controls.The levels of 8-OHdG between tumor and its surrounding tissues in TAC group(r=0.651,P＜0.001)and non-TAC group(r=0.493,P＜0.01)was in positive correlation.The difference of p53 levels in cancer tissues in TAC group and Non-TAC group were not statistically significant and p53 was not detected in para-tumor tissues.The difference of p21~(waf1/cip1) levels among TAC group,Non-TAC group and controls was statistically significant,the levels of p21~(waf1/cip1) in normal group was the highest(F=13.459,P＜0.001),followed by that in TAC and Non-TAC group in cancer tissues(TAC vs.Non-TAC group,P＜0.01);p21~(waf1/cip1) expression in normal controls was significantly higher than that in both TAC and Non-TAC group in para-tumor tissues(F=16.613,P＜0.001).The correlation of p21 ~(waf1/cip1) levels between tumor and its surrounding tissues was significant in non-TAC group(r=0.872,P＜0.001).Conclusions Oxidative stress levels in HCC tumor tissues were higher than in para-tumor tissues and non-HCC liver tissues.Cancer cells probably survive chemotherapy by fortifying oxidative stress repair mechanism.