ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the features of endoscopic ultrasonography in the diagnosis of malignant mediastinal and abdominal lymphadenopathy and to provide more evidence for endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiraiton (EUS-FNA).Methods:A case-control study was performed on 83 consecutive patients who underwent EUS in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from September 2016 to February 2021. Lymph node properties were identified by pathological results of EUS-FNA and (or) surgery and follow-up for at least 6 months. According to the final diagnosis, patients were divided into malignant lymph node group ( n=56) and benign lymph node group ( n=27). Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic analysis were performed to identify independent risk factors for malignant lymphadenopathy in terms of EUS features. Results:Univariate analysis showed that the length of short axis, short-long axis ratio, shape, border, presence or absence of hilum, heterogeneous echo, and the growth pattern of lymph node were risk factors for malignant lymph nodes ( P<0.10). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that short axis>10 mm ( P=0.021, OR=9.751, 95% CI: 1.407-57.573), clear border ( P=0.009, OR=20.587, 95% CI: 2.149-197.251), absence of hilum ( P=0.019, OR=28.502, 95% CI: 1.725-470.864), nodal matting ( P=0.004, OR=45.539, 95% CI: 3.429-604.822), partial nodal fusion ( P=0.004, OR=50.012, 95% CI: 3.497-715.266) were independent risk factors for malignant mediastinal and abdominal lymph nodes. Conclusion:EUS is useful to differentiate the lymph node properties in the mediastinal or abdominal cavity. Short axis>10 mm, clear border, absence of hilum, nodal matting and partial nodal fusion are high-risk EUS features of malignant mediastinal or abdominal lymphadenopathy, where priority should be given to EUS-FNA.
ABSTRACT
Endoscopic data of 108 upper gastrointestinal elevated lesions caused by vascular or hemangioma compression by endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changshu No.1 People's Hospital, Kushan Hospital of Chinese Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Changshu from December 2010 to June 2019 were retrospectively summarized. The results showed that lesions were mainly located in the esophagus [50.9% (55/108)] and stomach [47.2% (51/108)], especially in the middle [40.0% (22/55)] and upper esophagus [36.4% (20/55)], body [66.7% (34/51)] and fundus of stomach [31.4% (16/51)], respectively. The major etiology included splenic artery and aneurysm compression [29.6% (32/108)], aortic compression [23.1% (25/108)], isolated esophageal venous aneurysm compression [13.9% (15/108)] and gastric submucosal vein and venous aneurysm compression [12.0% (13/108)], with diverse endoscopic presentation. The above results suggest that elevated lesions of upper gastrointestinal tract caused by blood vessels and hemangiomas are mostly due to external vascular pressure outside the lumen, but ectopic submucosal arteries and isolated phlebangioma are not uncommon. The lesions are widely distributed with different gastroscopic manifestations. EUS is important for definite diagnosis, and can be combined with color Doppler technique, CT plain scan and angiographic reconstruction if necessary.
ABSTRACT
To evaluate the diagnostic value and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in patients with biopsy-negative malignant gastrointestinal stricture, a retrospective analysis was performed on data of patients whose computed tomography scan showed gastrointestinal malignant tumor with complete lumen stricture and endoscopic biopsy results showed negative, who underwent EUS-FNA in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from July 2016 to January 2020. Perioperative complications, technical success rate and accuracy of EUS-FNA were analyzed. Eleven cases included in the study, including 7 males and 4 females, with mean age of 60.3 years. There were 8 esophageal strictures and 3 rectal strictures. All patients successfully underwent EUS-FNA, and malignant tumor was found in 10 cases and no tumor cell was found in 1 case. No complications were reported. EUS-FNA is a safe and valuable approach to diagnosing biopsy-negative malignant gastrointestinal strictures.
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Objective To investigate the value of F-actin autoantibodies in the serum of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),and to explore the relationships between F-actin autoantibodies and other clinical indicators.Methods ELISA was established to detect serum levels of F-actin autoantibodies in 93 inpatients with SLE from March 2017 to January 2018 (case group,n=93),72 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (disease control group) and 83 healthy subjects (healthy control group) were included during the same period.The positive rates of F-actin autoantibodies between the case group and the two control group were compared.Clinical data including SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI),immuno-globulin (lg)G,erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),anti-dsDNA,and antinuclear antibody (ANA) of 93 patients with SLE were collected and the correlation analysis between F-actin autoantibodies units was applied respectively.The diagnostic performance of F-actin autoantibodies in SLE was analyzed by using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC).T test,Chi-square test and Spearman/Pearson correlation analysis were applied for statistical analysis.Results The serum levels of F-actin autoantibodies in the SLE case group,disease control group,and healthy control group were (18±13),(12±6),and (11±5) U,respectively,the differences between SLE case group and disease control group,and healthy control group were significant (t=3.163,P=0.001 9;t=4.436,P＜0.01).The positive rates of F-actin autoantibodies were 33％(31/93) in patients with SLE,10％(7/72) in disease control group,and 4％(3/83) in healthy control group.The F-actin autoanti-bodies units in SLE were correlated with SLEDAI,IgG,ESR,anti-dsDNA,and ANA (r=0.273 7,P=0.008 3;r=0.558 7,P＜0.01;r=0.419 9,P=0.000 1,r=0.351 4,P=0.001 1,r=0.460 9,P＜0.01),in which F-actin autoantibodies units showed significant correlation with IgG and ANA.In the ROC curve,the area under the curve(AUC) was 0.62 [95％CI(0.54,0.70)],P=0.001 3.which was statistically significant.When the cut-off value of the F-actin autoantibodies was 14.04 U,the Youden's index (YI) was the largest (YI=0.30),and the sen-sitivity for the diagnosis of SLE was 0.77,the specificity was 0.53.Conclusion The positive rate of F-actin autoantibodies in the serum of patients with SLE is higher than that of RA and healthy controls,so it has certain diagnostic value for SLE.The F-actin autoantibodies units is correlated with both SLEDAI,ESR,and anti-dsDNA,suggesting that F-actin autoantibodies units may be a new biomarker for disease activity assessment of SLE patients.
ABSTRACT
Impaired clearance of apoptotic cells is important in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease.C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein that plays a major role in the regulation of the autoimmune and inflammatory response .CRP has a role in the clearance of bacteria and dying and altered cells through binding to phosphocholine and might also have more complex immunomodulatory functions . CRP function as opsonins for pathogens and dying and apoptotic cells through activation of the complement pathway and through binding to Fcγreceptors , and is associated with the clearance of apoptotic cells and nuclear antigen , thus becoming a protective molecule against pathogenic autoimmune responses in general . Measurement of serum CRP level is in widespread clinical use as a sensitive marker of inflammation and autoimmune disease , particularly in relation to the use of the CRP-based disease activity score in the evaluation of rheumatoid disease.