Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir plus ribavirin for Child-Pugh B and Child-Pugh C hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis

Background/Aims@#Real-world studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) plus ribavirin (RBV) for Child-Pugh B/C hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis are limited. @*Methods@#We included 107 patients with Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis receiving SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks in Taiwan. The sustained virologic response rates at off-treatment week 12 (SVR12) for the evaluable population (EP), modified EP, and per-protocol population (PP) were assessed. Thesafety profiles were reported. @*Results@#The SVR12 rates in the EP, modified EP and PP were 89.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.5–94.2%), 94.1% (95% CI, 87.8–97.3%), and 100% (95% CI, 96.2–100%). Number of patients who failed to achieve SVR12 were attributed to virologic failures. The SVR12 rates were comparable regardless of patient characteristics. One patient discontinued treatment because of adverse events (AEs). Twenty-four patients had serious AEs and six died, but none were related to SOF/VEL or RBV. Among the 96 patients achieving SVR12, 84.4% and 64.6% had improved Child-Pugh and model for endstage liver disease (MELD) scores. Multivariate analysis revealed that a baseline MELD score ≥15 was associated with an improved MELD score of ≥3 (odds ratio, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.16–14.71; P=0.02). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1 had more significant estimated glomerular filtration rate declines than patients with CKD stage 2 (-0.42 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P=0.01) or stage 3 (-0.56 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P<0.001). @*Conclusions@#SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks is efficacious and well-tolerated for Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir plus ribavirin for Child-Pugh B and Child-Pugh C hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis

Background/Aims@#Real-world studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) plus ribavirin (RBV) for Child-Pugh B/C hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis are limited. @*Methods@#We included 107 patients with Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis receiving SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks in Taiwan. The sustained virologic response rates at off-treatment week 12 (SVR12) for the evaluable population (EP), modified EP, and per-protocol population (PP) were assessed. Thesafety profiles were reported. @*Results@#The SVR12 rates in the EP, modified EP and PP were 89.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.5–94.2%), 94.1% (95% CI, 87.8–97.3%), and 100% (95% CI, 96.2–100%). Number of patients who failed to achieve SVR12 were attributed to virologic failures. The SVR12 rates were comparable regardless of patient characteristics. One patient discontinued treatment because of adverse events (AEs). Twenty-four patients had serious AEs and six died, but none were related to SOF/VEL or RBV. Among the 96 patients achieving SVR12, 84.4% and 64.6% had improved Child-Pugh and model for endstage liver disease (MELD) scores. Multivariate analysis revealed that a baseline MELD score ≥15 was associated with an improved MELD score of ≥3 (odds ratio, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.16–14.71; P=0.02). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1 had more significant estimated glomerular filtration rate declines than patients with CKD stage 2 (-0.42 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P=0.01) or stage 3 (-0.56 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P<0.001). @*Conclusions@#SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks is efficacious and well-tolerated for Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis.

Expression of CD56 in Multiple Myeloma Cells and Its Relationship with Extramedullary Disease and Extramedullary Relapse / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the expression of CD56 in multiple myeloma (MM) cells and its relationship between extramedullary disease and extramedullary relapse.@*METHODS@#Clinical data of 99 patients with MM treated in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2019 was retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into positive group and negative group according to the expression of CD56. The relationship between CD56 and multiple myeloma extramedullary disease, extramedullary relapse was analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Among 99 newly diagnosed patients with MM, the positive rate of CD56 was 65%, and the incidence of extramedullary disease of patients in the CD56 positive group was lower than that in the CD56 negative group (17.19% vs 48.57%) (P<0.01). Meanwhile, the incidence of extramedullary relapse of patients in the CD56 positive group was lower than that in the CD56 negative group (1.56% vs 34.29%) (P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#CD56 is highly expressed in MM, and its low expression is associated with the occurrence of extramedullary disease and extramedullary relapse, which suggests that CD56 may be an important indicator for predicting the occurrence of extramedullary disease and extramedullary relapse.

Nuclear Theranostics in Taiwan / 대한핵의학회잡지

Boron neutron capture therapy and Y-90 radioembolization are emerging therapeutic methods for uncontrolled brain cancers and hepatic cancers, respectively. These advanced radiation therapies are heavily relied on theranostic nuclear medicine imaging before the therapy for the eligibility of patients and the prescribed-dose simulation, as well as the post-therapy scanning for assessing the treatment efficacy. In Taiwan, the Taipei Veterans General Hospital is the only institute performing the BNCT and also the leading institute performing Y-90 radioembolization. In this article, we present our single institute experiences and associated theranostic nuclear medicine approaches for these therapies.

One-stage repair of ankle fracture combined with grade Ⅲ injury to lateral ligament / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective To investigate the surgical outcomes of one-stage repair of the ankle fracture combined with grade Ⅲ injury to the lateral ligament.Methods From April 2015 to December 2017,23 patients with ankle fracture and lateral ligament injury were treated at Department of Traumatic Reconstruction Surgery/Foot and Ankle Surgery,Zhongnan Hospital.There were 15 males and 8 females,aged from 18 to 65 years (average,37.8 years).After intraoperative treatment of their fractures,22 ruptures of the ligamentous insertion were repaired with suture anchor and one rupture of the middle ligament with Internal Brace.Routine postoperative X-rays,physical examination and Sefton grading system were used to evaluate the stability of the ankle joint and the subtalar joint.The Karlsson-Peterson and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores were used to evaluate the function and pain of the ankle.Results The follow-up for this cohort ranged from 12 to 24 months (average,13.9 months).The bone union time ranged from 6 to 24 weeks,averaging 10.1 weeks.There was no chronic instability of lateral ankle or subtalar joint in all the cases.Two cases developed osteochondral lesion of the medial talus which was treated with micro-fracture surgery one year after injury;one case suffered subtalar arthritis which was treated by subtalar arthrodesis 14 months after injury.Their Karlsson-Peterson scores averaged 84.6 points and AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scores 93.7 points with 19 excellent and 4 good cases.The Sefton grading system gave 9 cases of grade Ⅰ and 14 ones of grade Ⅱ.Conclusion One-stage repair of the ankle fracture combined with grade Ⅲ injury to the lateral ligament can lead to the stability of the ankle joint and the subtalar joint and improved function of the ankle.

Nuclear Theranostics in Taiwan / 대한핵의학회잡지

Boron neutron capture therapy and Y-90 radioembolization are emerging therapeutic methods for uncontrolled brain cancers and hepatic cancers, respectively. These advanced radiation therapies are heavily relied on theranostic nuclear medicine imaging before the therapy for the eligibility of patients and the prescribed-dose simulation, as well as the post-therapy scanning for assessing the treatment efficacy. In Taiwan, the Taipei Veterans General Hospital is the only institute performing the BNCT and also the leading institute performing Y-90 radioembolization. In this article, we present our single institute experiences and associated theranostic nuclear medicine approaches for these therapies.

Clinical observation of osteotomy and fusion for the treatment of severe rigid equinus deformity / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore clinical efficacy of osteotomy and fusion in treating severe rigid equinus deformity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From April 2010 to October 2015, 13 patients(16 feet) with severe rigid equinus deformity were treated with osteotomy and fusion by hollow screw, including 6 males and 7 females aged from 39 to 62 years old with an average of(49.6±5.3) years old;the courses of diseases ranged from 5 to 27 years with an average of (9.0±4.8) years. Six patients (9 feet) were treated with osteotomy and fusion for three joints, 4 patients(4 feet) were treated with osteotomy and fusion for four joints, and 3 patients (3 feet) were treated with osteotomy and fusion for tibiotalar and calcaneal-talar joints. All patients manifested as foot pain, heel could not touch floor and walking before operation. Postoperative complications were observed, AOFAS score were applied to evaluate clinical effect.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Thirteen patients were followed up from 18 to 24 months with an average of 20 months. Only one patient occurred local skin necrosis after operation and healed by dressing change and anti-infective therapy. All feet obtained fracture healing, the time ranged from 12 to 16 weeks with an average of 13.2 weeks. AOFAS score were improved from 11.85±10.66 before operation to 81.38±3.69 after operation, and had significant difference(=-25.67, <0.05);15 feet good and 1 foot moderate.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Tibiotalar and calcaneal-talar joint fusion, osteotomy and fusion for three and four joints could treat severe rigid equinus deformity according to patients' individual and could obtain satisfied clinical effects.</p>

Application of three-stage Masquelet technique for infective bone defects of foot and ankle / 中华创伤杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of three-stage Masquelet technique in the treatment of infective bone defects of foot and ankle.Methods A retrospective case series study was conducted on the clinical data of 19 patients with infective bone defects of foot and ankle admitted to Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from December 2014 to October 2017.There were 15 males and four females,aged 18-68 years [(39.6 ± 12.3)years].Among the patients,16 patients were infected with bacteria and three patients were infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.The infection involved humeral end,talus and surrounding joints in 14 patients,internal hemorrhoids in two patients,midfoot and interphalangeal joints in one patient,and humerus and metatarsophalangeal joints in two.The operation included three stages:the first stage was thorough debridement,supplemented with negative pressure closed drainage (VSD) and continuous washing to clarify the pathogenic bacteria;the second stage was to fill the bone defect with targeted antibiotic bone cement to prevent or treat infection;in the third stage,after filling the antibiotic bone cement for 3 months with no sign of local wound infection,the bone cement was taken out,and the bone reconstruction operation was performed by means of internal fixation and bone grafting.The flap survival and wound healing were observed,and the time of fracture healing was recorded.The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and the Visual Analogue Score (VAS) were used to evaluate the improvement of the function of the foot and ankle before operation and at the last follow-up,and the bone healing was evaluated according to the radiographic union scale in tibial (RUST) fractures.Results The patients were followed up for 9-12 months [(11.1 ±1.0) months].Two patients with soft tissue defects caused by preoperative infection and necrosis received posterior tibial artery perforator flap and anterolateral thigh flap repair in the second stage,and the flaps all survived.The postoperative bone healing time was 3 7 months [(3.5 ± 1.4)months].Nineteen patients underwent three-stage surgery,and the ankle and foot wound or sinus tract were all healed,with no infection recurrence during follow-up.At the last follow-up,the AOFAS score was improved significantly from preoperative (36.3 s-12.1) points to (71.4 ± 5.7) points (P ＜ 0.05).The VAS was decreased significantly from preoperative (5.3 ± 1.2) points to (1.4 ± 0.9) points (P ＜ 0.05).The RUST bone healing score at the last follow-up was 8-12 points [(10.2 ± 1.1) points].Conclusion In treating the infective bone defects of foot and ankle,the three-stage Masquelet technique can effectively control infection,facilitate wound healing,promote bone union,and improve foot and ankle function.

Experience of CUI Xue-jiao in Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Cancer / 中国中医药信息杂志

Professor CUI Xue-jiao considers that the root of prostate cancer is qi weakness and internal organs failure; the TCM pathogenesis of prostate cancer is seven emotions wounds and improper diet; the focus of prostate cancer is stasis blocking and poison collecting in lower energizer. Professor CUI attaches great importance to the method of purging therapy, emphasizes the part and the whole, strengthening body resistance to dispel pathogenic factors, and choosing different medicine based on different stages. Therapy mainly includes promoting qi and activating blood, resolving stasis and softening hardness, clearing heat and removing toxicity, strengthening healthy energy and soothing the liver, with good efficacy.

Application of muscular flap and induced membrane technique in the emergency treatment for limb salvage for Gustilo type Ⅲ B and Ⅲ C open fracture of lower leg / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical effectivity of the muscular flap transposition and induced membrane technique in the emergency treatment for the limb salvage of Gustilo type Ⅲ B/C open fracture of lower leg. Methods From July, 2015 to December, 2017, 10 cases of Gustilo type Ⅲ B/C fracture of lower leg with bone defects were performed limb salvage surgery. Induced membrane technique was used to fill the bone defects in the emergency room.The gastrocnemius and/or soleus muscular flaps were transposed to cover the bone cement or ex-posed bone simultaneously in emergence treatment. After the wound healed completely, traditional bone grafting was used to repair the bone defects. There were 4 cases of Gustilo type Ⅲ B and 6 cases of Gustilo type Ⅲ C. The aver-age length of bone defect was (5.25±1.70) cm ranging from 3.0 cm to 11.0 cm. The gastrocnemius medial head flaps were performed in 5 cases, the combined application with the gastrocnemius medial head flaps and the medial hemimuscular flaps of soleus were performed in 2 cases, and medial hemimuscular flaps of soleus were transposed in 3 cases. Results The wounds in 6 cases were healed at one stage, but 2 cases healed by dressing because the exudate after skin grafting.In 1 case, the cross-leg flap was used to cover the exposed bone cement due to the necro-sis of soleus flap. The other 1 was performed the transposition of the lateral gastrocnemius flaps because the exposure of bone cement after the necrosis of the upper and lateral muscles in lower leg. In the second-stage, the bone defects were reconstructed by traditional bone grafting. The average healed time of bone was 7.2 months ranging from 5 months to 9 months. At the last followed-up time, all patients recovered their function of weight-bearing. The Paley's score of the adjacent joints: excellent in 8 cases and good in 2 cases. Conclusion The combination with induced membrane technique and local muscular flap transposition in emergency surgery is an effective method to limb salvage for the Gustilo type Ⅲ B/C open fracture of lower leg.

Clinical judgement perplexed by initially undisclosed use of herbal medicine and unexpected cross-reactivity of immunoassay

We report a case of symptomatic bradycardia caused by consumption of a Chinese herbal medicine which was initially undisclosed to the attending emergency physician. The scientific name of the herb is Panax japonicus. Electrocardiogram revealed sinus bradycardia. Laboratory tests were normal except for the detection of a high serum digoxin level. Further interrogation of the patient eventually disclosed ingestion of the herb which, however, did not contain any digoxin. Other active ingredients in the herb include various types of ginsenoside. These are digoxin-like substances that had caused the observed false-positive detection of digoxin by fluorescence polarization immunoassay due to cross-reactivity. Our case-report provides an important insight about a blind-spot in the field of laboratory medicine (clinical pathology), namely, the false positive detection of digoxin due to crossreactivity in the immunoassay when we come across digoxin-like substances in clinical scenarios, which has barely received attention in the medical literature. It also conveys a clear educational message that with full understanding of the laboratory methodology and its mechanistic rationale there are actually some tricks-of-the-trade that allow us to optimize the specificity of the biochemical tests and the treatment of digoxin-like substances overdose.

Prognostic value of auto-antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens in neuromyelitis optica

Background: Compared with the Western population, central demyelinating disorders are relatively rare while the data on the prognostic value of autoantibodies together with clinical characteristics and cognitive dysfunction has rarely been explored in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Nineteen patients with MS and 14 with NMO underwent clinical profiling and cognitive assessment. According to serology tests, they are divided into four subgroups for further analysis. Results: There was higher frequency of aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G. sero-positivity (64.3% vs. 10.5%; p=0.003) and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and/or antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA) in NMO compared to MS (42.9% vs. 5.2%; p=0.026). The presence of anti-ENA represented a unique clinical phenotype, with longer segment of myelitis (p=0.049), female preponderance, and an inverse correlation between age-of-onset and annual relapse rate (ρ= -0.88, p=0.021). Among patients with anti-ENA positivity, comprehensive serology panels revealed Sjögren’s syndrome A antibodies as the most common (83%), in contrast to limited clinical documentation of Sjögren’s syndrome (16%). There was no significant difference in cognitive assessment by anti-ENA status. MS and NMO represent two different serologic entities. Conclusions: Anti-ENA may have prognostic value for its linkage to a unique clinical phenotype, which has longer initial segment of myelitis, female preponderance, and higher annual relapse rate on earlier age-of-onset, but has limited clinical impact on cognition. Further studies are warranted to investigate whether anti-ENA represents an epiphenomenon of myelitis or simply a systemic inflammatory state.

Clinical diagnosis rather than aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin status predicts the cognitive performance in central demyelinating disease

Background:Reports on the aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG) status for cognitive performance and neuroimaging correlations are limited in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS) literature. Methods: Cognitive results of 19 MS and 15 NMO patients were compared with 47 agematched controls. Apparent diffusion coeffi cient (ADC) values were used to delineate gray matter and white matter damages and correlate with neuropsychological results. Results: Verbal memory test showed signifi cant differences between MS and NMO in the late registration, early and delay recall (p<0.05), while their retention rates were even. In MS, ADC values were signifi cantly elevated in the dorsolateral prefrontal and occipital gray matter which was in contrast with NMO group that showed elevation in the dorsolateral prefrontal gray matter and parieto-occcipital white matter. AQP4-IgG status exerted a limited effect on ADC values and neuropsychological results. Conclusions: Verbal memory test might be helpful in differentiating NMO and MS. ADC values can be used as a surrogate marker for tissue injury in NMO and MS since they were in line with the cognition scores. Anatomical regions with elevated ADC values were different in NMO and MS.