Absolute monocyte and lymphocyte count prognostic score for patients with gastric cancer.

AIM: To measure the prognostic significance of absolute monocyte count/absolute lymphocyte count prognostic score (AMLPS) in patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively examined the combination of absolute monocyte count (AMC) and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) as prognostic variables in a cohort of 299 gastric cancer patients who underwent surgical resection between 2006 and 2013 and were followed at a single institution. Both AMC and ALC were dichotomized into two groups using cut-off points determined by receiving operator characteristic curve analysis. An AMLPS was generated, which stratified patients into three risk groups: low risk (both low AMC and high ALC), intermediate risk (either high AMC or low ALC), and high risk (both high AMC and low ALC). The primary objective of the study was to validate the impact of AMLPS on both disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), and the second objective was to assess the AMLPS as an independent prognostic factor for survival in comparison with known prognostic factors. RESULTS: Using data from the entire cohort, the most discriminative cut-off values of AMC and ALC selected on the receiver operating characteristic curve were 672.4/µL and 1734/µL for DFS and OS. AMLPS risk groups included 158 (52.8%) patients in the low-risk, 128 (42.8%) in the intermediate-risk, and 13 (4.3%) in the high-risk group. With a median follow-up of 37.2 mo (range: 1.7-91.4 mo), five-year DFS rates in the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups were 83.4%, 78.7%, and 19.8%, respectively. And five-year OS rates in the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups were 89.3%, 81.1%, and 14.4%, respectively. On multivariate analysis performed with patient- and tumor-related factors, we identified AMLPS, age, and pathologic tumor-node-metastasis stage as the most valuable prognostic factors impacting DFS and OS. CONCLUSION: AMLPS identified patients with a poor DFS and OS, and it was independent of age, pathologic stage, and various inflammatory markers.

Cementless total hip arthroplasty with medial wall osteotomy for the sequelae of septic arthritis of the hip.

BACKGROUND: We performed a retrospective study to evaluate the results of acetabular circumferential medial wall osteotomy, a procedure designed to provide secure fixation of a cementless hemispherical acetabular cup for the sequelae of septic arthritis of the hip. METHODS: We assessed 38 total hip arthroplasties (THAs) with circumferential acetabular medial wall osteotomies performed on patients with sequelae of septic arthritis of the hip between 1993 and 2000, who were followed up for > or = 3 years. The average follow-up period was 8.3 years (range, 3 to 12 years). The indication for this technique was poor acetabular cup coverage of < or = 70% on preoperative templating. In all cases, cementless hemispherical acetabular cups were fixed to the true acetabulum. Additional procedures included soft tissue release in 16 hips and femoral derotational and shortening osteotomies in 12 hips. We evaluated both clinical and radiological results. RESULTS: The Harris hip scores improved from 57 points preoperatively to 91 points postoperatively. Radiological analysis revealed no aseptic loosening or radiolucent lines around the acetabular cup. Stable bony fixation of the acetabular cup in the true acetabulum was seen in all cases. Acetabular osteolysis was demonstrated in 12 hips. Revision surgery was performed in 6 hips, but there were no complications related to acetabular circumferential medial wall osteotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Circumferential acetabular medial wall osteotomy can provide appropriate positioning and sufficient coverage of the acetabular cup and thus preserve the medial wall thickness in cementless THA without the need for additional bone grafting for the sequelae of septic arthritis of the hip.

Relationship between circulating tumor necrosis factor system and bone mass before and after estrogen plus progestogen therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of his study was to investigate the relationship between the circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) system and bone mineral density (BMD) before and after estrogen plus progestogen therapy (EPT). METHODS: Serum levels of TNF-alpha, TNF-beta, soluble TNF receptor (sTNFR) 1, sTNFR2, and bone turnover markers and BMDs at the lumbar spine and proximal femur were measured in 192 postmenopausal Korean women. Among all women, 70 were treated with sequential EPT for 1 year. RESULTS: BMDs at all skeletal sites and bone turnover markers were not correlated with serum TNF and sTNFR. After adjustment for age, years since menopause, and body mass index, serum TNF-beta levels were significantly lower in osteoporotic women than in normal women, whereas serum levels of TNF-alpha and sTNFR did not differ among normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic postmenopausal women. After 6 months of EPT, serum TNF-beta levels increased significantly (P < 0.05), whereas serum TNF-alpha, sTNFR1, and sTNFR2 levels were unchanged. The 1-year changes in BMD at the lumbar spine and proximal femur after EPT were not correlated with the basal levels of serum TNF-alpha and sTNFR and their changes 6 months after EPT. CONCLUSIONS: In the circulating TNF system, only serum TNF-beta levels were lower in osteoporotic postmenopausal women compared with normal postmenopausal women and increased after EPT, but changes in circulating TNF and sTNFR after EPT had no association with changes in bone markers and BMD. The circulating TNF system may not be clinically useful for predicting BMD and bone response after EPT.

Cementless hemispheric acetabular component for acetabular revision arthroplasty: a 5- to 19-year follow-up study.

This study evaluated the 5- to 19-year clinical and radiographic results of cementless acetabular revision. Between 1986 and 1998, 130 hips (125 patients) underwent cementless acetabular revisions. Ten patients were lost to follow-up; 6 patients died. One hundred nine patients (114 hips) were reviewed at a mean follow-up of 8.8 years. The mean Harris hip score improved from 62.1 to 90.7 at final follow-up. Two hips underwent repeat revision. Twenty-two hips developed cavitary osteolysis. Kaplan-Meier survivorship at 121 months was 98.2% with repeat revision for any reason as the end point and 89.5% with repeat revision or radiographic loosening as the end point. Cementless acetabular revision provides favorable clinical and radiographic results, and the initial disease and age may adversely affect the outcomes.

[Changes of the bone mineral density of proximal femur after hip resurfacing arthroplasty].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes of periprosthetic bone mineral density in femur after hip resurfacing arthroplasty. METHODS: From July 2002 to June 2005, a comparative study was carried out on 52 hips in 52 patients. Twenty-six patients (26 hips) who underwent Birmingham hip resurfacing arthroplasty (group BHR), and 26 patients (26 hips) who performed cementless total hip arthroplasty with Versys System stem (group THA). The periprosthetic bone mineral density of the femur was measured through dual energy X-ray absorptiometry of the Gruen zones at pre-operation, post-operation 3, 6, 12 and 24 months in patients from both group BHR and group THA. The bone mineral density of femoral neck in group BHR was measured too. Changes of bone mineral density ratio in proximal femur between pre-operation and post-operation were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean ratio of bone mineral density of the proximal femur in group BHR reduced by 5.8%, 4.9%, 2.6% and 0.4%, in group THA reduced by 7.0%, 10.6%, 1.0% and 4.1% at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months respectively. In group BHR, the mean ratio of bone mineral density in range of interest 1 decreased to 89.7% at 6 months and increased to 103.8% at 24 months, in range of interest 7 decreased to 95.1% at 6 months and increased to 103.7% at 24 months. In group THA, the mean ratio of bone mineral density in range of interest 1 decreased to 90.8% at 6 months, 94.4% at 24 months and in range of interest 7 decreased to 94.2% at 3 months, 96.7% at 24 months. In group BHR, the bone mineral density of femoral neck was restored to the pre-operation level at 6 months. The bone mineral density in superior-lateral zone of femoral neck decreased to 97.1% at 3 months and increased to 107.4% at 24 months respectively. The bone mineral density in inferior-medial zone of femoral neck increased to 117.9% at 24 months. CONCLUSION: The bone stock of proximal femur can be well preserved and recovered quickly after hip resurfacing arthroplasty.