Persistence of a SARS-CoV-2 variant with a frameshifting deletion for the duration of a major outbreak

Australia experienced widespread COVID-19 outbreaks from infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant between June 2021 and February 2022. Whole-genome sequencing of virus from an early case revealed a sub-consensus level of sequencing reads supporting a 17-nucleotide frameshift-inducing deletion in ORF7a that truncated the peptide sequence. The variant rapidly became represented at the consensus level (Delta-ORF7a{Delta}17del) in most of the outbreak cases in Australia. Retrospective analysis of ORF7a deletions in all GISAID clade GK Delta genomes showed that of 4,018,216 genomes, 134,751 ([~]3.35%) possessed a deletion in ORF7a, with the ORF7a{Delta}17del mutation by far the most common. Approximately 99.05% of Delta-ORF7a{Delta}17del genomes on GISAID originated from the Australian Delta outbreak, and comprised 87% of genomes in the outbreak. In vitro comparison of lineages in cell culture showed a significantly greater proportion of cells were infected with Delta-ORF7a{Delta}17del than with a contemporaneous Delta variant without ORF7a{Delta}17del (Delta-ORF7aintact), and the proportion was also measurably higher than an early SARS-CoV-2 strain (A.2.2). These results showed that Delta-ORF7a{Delta}17del potentially has a slight growth advantage compared to Delta-ORF7aintact. Delta-ORF7a{Delta}17del viruses still produced ORF7a protein, but significantly less than A.2.2, in a different cellular distribution with a more diffuse expression throughout the cytoplasm of infected cells. These data suggest that the proliferation of Delta-ORF7a{Delta}17del genomes during the Australian Delta outbreak was likely not a result of an intrinsic benefit of the ORF7a{Delta}17del mutation, but rather a chance founder effect. Nonetheless, the abundance of different ORF7a deletions in genomes worldwide suggests these have some benefit to virus transmission. IMPORTANCEDeletions in the ORF7a region of SARS-CoV-2 have been noted since early in the COVID-19 pandemic, but are generally reported as transient mutations that are quickly lost in the population. Consequently, ORF7a deletions are considered disadvantageous to the virus through possible loss-of-function effects. In constrast to these earlier reports, we present the first report of a SARS-CoV-2 variant with an ORF7a deletion that dominated for the entirety of a protracted outbreak, and found no associated fitness disadvantage or advantage in cell culture. The relatively common rise and fall of ORF7a deletion variants over time likely represent chance founder events followed by proliferation until a more fit variant(s) is introduced to the population. Our global clade-level survey of ORF7a deletions will be a useful resource for future studies into this gene region.

Long-term effect of the eradication of Helicobacter pylori on the hemoglobin A1c in type 2 diabetes or prediabetes patients

Background/Aims@#The long-term effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on the metabolic syndrome or diabetes are unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of H. pylori eradication on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or prediabetes mellitus (preDM). @*Methods@#A total of 124 asymptomatic subjects with T2DM or preDM were divided into H. pylori-negative (n = 40), H. pylori-positive with non-eradicated (n = 34), and eradicated (n = 50) groups. We measured H. pylori status (culture, histology, and rapid urease test) and glycated hemoglobin A1c (A1C) levels and followed-up at the 1st year and the 5th year of follow-up. @*Results@#The A1C levels significantly decreased in the eradicated group compared to the negative group and the non-eradicated groups (at the 1st year, p = 0.024; at the 5th year, p = 0.009). The A1C levels decreased in male, and/or subjects < 65 years of age in subgroup analyses (in male subjects, p = 0.047 and p = 0.020 at the 1st and the 5th year; in subjects < 65 years of age, p = 0.028 and p = 0.006 at the 1st and the 5th year; in male subjects < 65 years of age, p = 0.039 and p = 0.032 at the 1st and the 5th year). The eradication of H. pylori was related to the decrease in A1C values throughout the follow-up period, compared to the non-eradicated group (p = 0.017). @*Conclusions@#H. pylori eradication was related to the decreasing of A1C levels in patients with T2DM or preDM over a long-term follow-up period, especially in male and subjects < 65 years of age.

Assessment of inter-laboratory differences in SARS-CoV-2 consensus genome assemblies between public health laboratories in Australia

Whole-genome sequencing of viral isolates is critical for informing transmission patterns and ongoing evolution of pathogens, especially during a pandemic. However, when genomes have low variability in the early stages of a pandemic, the impact of technical and/or sequencing errors increases. We quantitatively assessed inter-laboratory differences in consensus genome assemblies of 72 matched SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens sequenced at different laboratories in Sydney, Australia. Raw sequence data were assembled using two different bioinformatics pipelines in parallel, and resulting consensus genomes were compared to detect laboratory-specific differences. Matched genome sequences were predominantly concordant, with a median pairwise identity of 99.997%. Identified differences were predominantly driven by ambiguous site content. Ignoring these produced differences in only 2.3% (5/216) of pairwise comparisons, each differing by a single nucleotide. Matched samples were assigned the same Pango lineage in 98.2% (212/216) of pairwise comparisons, and were mostly assigned to the same phylogenetic clade. However, epidemiological inference based only on single nucleotide variant distances may lead to significant differences in the number of defined clusters if variant allele frequency thresholds for consensus genome generation differ between laboratories. These results underscore the need for a unified, best-practices approach to bioinformatics between laboratories working on a common outbreak problem.

Clinical predicting factors that can distinguish superficial and deep injuries in penetrating neck injury?

Objective@#The frequency of penetrating neck injuries has gradually increased with the development of industry and the rising crime rates. There have been few studies with penetrating neck injuries reported in Korea. Thus, we analyzed clinical factors that could differentiate between superficial and deep injuries in patients with penetrating neck injuries. @*Methods@#We investigated the medical records of 90 patients with penetrating neck injuries who visited the emergency department between January 2010 and March 2020. To identify the degree of injuries, we compared age, sex, onset and arrival time, onset-to-arrival time, initial vital signs, Glasgow Coma Scale, Revised Trauma Score, cause, mechanism, location and number of injuries, anatomical zone, alcohol intake and psychiatric history were classified as early clinical factors. @*Results@#Among 90 patients, 51 had superficial injuries, and 39 had deep injuries. The early clinical factors showing statistically significant differences were the Glasgow Coma Scale, Revised Trauma Score, cause of injury and anatomical zones. As the Glasgow Coma Scale increased by 1 point, deep injuries decreased by 0.807 times compared to superficial injuries. Homicidal injuries were 3.233 times deeper than suicidal injuries. @*Conclusion@#If the Glasgow Coma Scale is low or the cause of injury is homicide, the possibility of a deep penetrating injury is high. Therefore, it is important to treat the patient carefully, considering these factors.

Analytical validity of nanopore sequencing for rapid SARS-CoV-2 genome analysis

Viral whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides critical insight into the transmission and evolution of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Long-read sequencing devices from Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) promise significant improvements in turnaround time, portability and cost, compared to established short-read sequencing platforms for viral WGS (e.g., Illumina). However, adoption of ONT sequencing for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance has been limited due to common concerns around sequencing accuracy. To address this, we performed viral WGS with ONT and Illumina platforms on 157 matched SARS-CoV-2-positive patient specimens and synthetic RNA controls, enabling rigorous evaluation of analytical performance. Despite the elevated error rates observed in ONT sequencing reads, highly accurate consensus-level sequence determination was achieved, with single nucleotide variants (SNVs) detected at >99% sensitivity and >99% precision above a minimum ~60-fold coverage depth, thereby ensuring suitability for SARS-CoV-2 genome analysis. ONT sequencing also identified a surprising diversity of structural variation within SARS-CoV-2 specimens that were supported by evidence from short-read sequencing on matched samples. However, ONT sequencing failed to accurately detect short indels and variants at low read-count frequencies. This systematic evaluation of analytical performance for SARS-CoV-2 WGS will facilitate widespread adoption of ONT sequencing within local, national and international COVID-19 public health initiatives.

Contrast-Enhanced CT with Knowledge-Based Iterative Model Reconstruction for the Evaluation of Parotid Gland Tumors: A Feasibility Study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic utility of low-dose CT with knowledge-based iterative model reconstruction (IMR) for the evaluation of parotid gland tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 42 consecutive patients who had undergone low-dose contrast-enhanced CT for the evaluation of suspected parotid gland tumors. Prior or subsequent non-low-dose CT scans within 12 months were available in 10 of the participants. Background noise (BN), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were compared between non-low-dose CT images and images generated using filtered back projection (FBP), hybrid iterative reconstruction (iDose⁴; Philips Healthcare), and knowledge-based IMR. Subjective image quality was rated by two radiologists using five-point grading scales to assess the overall image quality, delineation of lesion contour, image sharpness, and noise. RESULTS: With the IMR algorithm, background noise (IMR, 4.24 ± 3.77; iDose⁴, 8.77 ± 3.85; FBP, 11.73 ± 4.06; p = 0.037 [IMR vs. iDose⁴] and p < 0.001 [IMR vs. FBP]) was significantly lower and SNR (IMR, 23.93 ± 7.49; iDose⁴, 10.20 ± 3.29; FBP, 7.33 ± 2.03; p = 0.011 [IMR vs. iDose⁴] and p < 0.001 [IMR vs. FBP]) was significantly higher compared with the other two algorithms. The CNR was also significantly higher with the IMR compared with the FBP (25.76 ± 11.88 vs. 9.02 ± 3.18, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in BN, SNR, and CNR between low-dose CT with the IMR algorithm and non-low-dose CT. Subjective image analysis revealed that IMR-generated low-dose CT images showed significantly better overall image quality and delineation of lesion contour with lesser noise, compared with those generated using FBP by both reviewers 1 and 2 (4 vs. 3; 4 vs. 3; and 3–4 vs. 2; p < 0.05 for all pairs), although there was no significant difference in subjective image quality scores between IMR-generated low-dose CT and non-low-dose CT images. CONCLUSION: Iterative model reconstruction-generated low-dose CT is an alternative to standard non-low-dose CT without significantly affecting image quality for the evaluation of parotid gland tumors.

Emerging Roles of Lymphatic Vasculature in Immunity

The lymphatic vasculature has been regarded as a passive conduit for interstitial fluid and responsible for the absorption of macromolecules such as proteins or lipids and transport of nutrients from food. However, emerging data show that the lymphatic vasculature system plays an important role in immune modulation. One of its major roles is to coordinate antigen transport and immune-cell trafficking from peripheral tissues to secondary lymphoid organs, lymph nodes. This perspective was recently updated with the notion that the interaction between lymphatic endothelial cells and leukocytes controls the immune-cell migration and immune responses by regulating lymphatic flow and various secreted molecules such as chemokines and cytokines. In this review, we introduce the lymphatic vasculature networks and genetic transgenic models for research on the lymphatic vasculature system. Next, we discuss the contribution of lymphatic endothelial cells to the control of immune-cell trafficking and to maintenance of peripheral tolerance. Finally, the physiological roles and features of the lymphatic vasculature system are further discussed regarding inflammation-induced lymphangiogenesis in a pathological condition, especially in mucosal tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract.

Ischemic Colitis Caused by Terlipressin during Treatment of Hepatorenal Syndrome / 대한내과학회지

Terlipressin, a vasopressin agonist, is widely used to treat variceal bleeding and hepatorenal syndrome in patients with liver cirrhosis. Terlipressin increases systemic vascular resistance, particularly in the splanchnic area, thus decreasing portal pressure. Although terlipressin is associated with a lower incidence of severe cardiovascular complications than is vasopressin, terlipressin can induce serious ischemic complications including myocardial infarction, skin necrosis, and bowel ischemia in < 1% of patients. We report the case of a 79-year-old female with liver cirrhosis treated with terlipressin to control hepatorenal syndrome that developed into ischemic colitis. The patient improved upon cessation of terlipressin and provision of supportive care.

Mid-Term Effects of Tertiary Hospital Beds Expansion on Emergency Department Overcrowding

PURPOSE: Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is recognized as a major concern not only because it is associated with patient dissatisfaction, but also because it impinges on quality of care. The goal of this study is to evaluate the mid-term effects of hospital bed capacity expansion on overcrowding in the emergency department for two years. METHODS: This was a pre-post study conducted using administrative data from the ED. On May 1st, 2011, the hospital licensed beds were expanded from 1150 to 1300. Data from one year of the pre-expansion period (May 1st, 2010 to April 30th, 2011) and two years of post-expansion were divided into two periods; early period and late period were included for this analysis. In these periods, we calculated the National Emergency Department Overcrowding Scale (NEDOCS) and occupancy rate at the same time of every day. The main outcomes included length of stay (LOS) in the ED and NEDOCS. RESULTS: A total of 177,766 patients were included. The mean number of daily ED patients was increased; 156.3+/-32.5 in the pre-expansion period, 162.5+/-32.5 and 167.9+/-32.4 in the early and late post-expansion periods, respectively (p<0.001). In multivariate linear regression analysis, hospital bed expansion, the number of admission hold patients, age, number of admission patients and operating rate of hospital beds showed association with mean ED LOS (coefficient=-82.9, 2.7, 6.4, 11.4 and 5.4 respectively, R2=0.628, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Expansion of hospital beds could be helpful in resolving ED overcrowding for at least two years.

Left-sided appendicitis in a patient with situs inversus totalis / 대한외과학회지

Situs inversus totalis is a rare inherent disease in which the thoracic and abdominal organs are transposed. Symptoms of appendicitis in situs inversus (SI) may appear in the left lower quadrant, and the diagnosis of appendicitis is very difficult. We report a case of left-sided appendicitis diagnosed preoperatively after dextrocardia that was detected by chest X-ray, although the chief complaint of the patient was left lower-quadrant pain. The patient underwent an emergent laparoscopic appendectomy under the diagnosis of appendicitis after abdominal computed tomography (CT). In patients with left lower quadrant pain, if the chest X-ray shows dextrocardia, one should suspect left-sided appendicitis. A strong suspicion of appendicitis and an emergency laparoscopic operation after confirmation of the diagnosis by imaging modalities including abdominal CT or sonography can reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosis and complications including perforation and abscess. Laparoscopic appendectomy in SI was technically more challenging because of the mirror nature of the anatomy.

Preliminary Research for Applying Appraisal Techniques to Evaluate the Cause of Skin Injury / 대한법의학회지

In the field of the forensic medicine, deciding the cause of the injury is very important. Forensic doctors usually use their naked eyes, two dimensional photos, the characteristics and the distribution of the wounds for evaluating the cause of the injuries. After body release, forensic doctors not infrequently met the questions from the law enforcement whether the injuries were matched with the new facts or statements given through the progression of the investigation. In the face of answering this question, the information or evidence about the injury is insufficient. New technologies and instruments are being developed and will be helpful for getting the evidence from the human skin injuries. In this preliminary study, authors try to find the usefulness of appraisal techniques(3D scanner, trace evidence, TMDT, alternative light) that are already used for other purposes in forensic field. These techniques have their own merits for preserving the evidences from the injured skin. But further studies and systemic approaches are essential for more scientifically verified evaluation of the cause of the skin injury.

Polymorphisms of interleukin-1beta and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist genes in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: Several lines of evidence suggest that host genetic factors influence the outcome of exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether polymorphisms in interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) genes associate with the susceptibility or resistance to pulmonary tuberculosis in Korean. METHODS: IL-1beta and IL-1Ra gene polymorphism were investigated in 60 drug sensitive (DS) and 100 multidrug-resistant (MDR) pulmonary tuberculosis cases, and 96 healthy controls. IL-1beta-511/-31/+3954 and IL-1Ra genotype were determined by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Allelic and genotypic frequencies of IL-1beta-511/-31/+3954 showed no significant difference in 3 groups. IL-1Ra allele 2 heterozygotes were less frequent in DS (p=0.03, OR=0.26, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.95) and MDR tuberculosis (p=0.008, OR=0.26, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.75) than controls, but there was no significant difference between DS and MDR tuberculosis (p=1.00). CONCLUSION: IL-1Ra allele 2 heterozygote may be associated with resistance to pulmonary tuberculosis in Korean. Further studies will be required to confirm whether these results are of biologic significance.

Multilocular Cyst of Kidney with Malignant Recurrence / 대한비뇨기과학회지

A multilocular cyst of kidney is a rare pathological entity, which has been reported in the literature under several names. These various names reflect the controversy surrounding their nature. This tumor is traditionally regarded as benign in nature and a nephrectomy has to be performed because of the difficulty in its accurate diagnosis. Malignant recurrence of a multilocular cyst of kidney has an even rarer incidence, with only a few cases having been reported. We report a case of 50-year-old male, with an incidentally detected right renal cystic mass. This mass was pathologically confirmed as a multilocular cyst of kidney after a radical nephrectomy, which locally recurred as a malignant mesoblastic nephroma.

Increased Expression of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1alpha in Castrated Rat Penile Tissue / 대한남성과학회지

PURPOSE: Hypoxia-inducible factor 1(HIF-1) is a transcriptional activator of genes whose products are involved in systemic, local, and cellular responses to hypoxia. We investigated the effect of androgen deprivation on the expression of HIF-1alpha and related proteins in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats(250~350 gm) were divided into 3 groups of 10 each: sham operation(group 1), bilateral orchiectomy(group 2), and bilateral orchiectomy plus hormone replacement(group 3). Testosterone propionate(2 mg/day for 4 weeks) was used for hormone replacement. At 4 weeks after surgery, serum testosterone and erythropoietin were measured, and the expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF were examined by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot of corpus cavernosum. RESULTS: There was no significant change in serum erythropoietin among the three groups. HIF-1alpha and VEGF immuno-positive cells were dense in vascular endothelium and cavernosal smooth muscle and showed more intense staining in the orchiectomy group compared with the control and sham operation groups. The amount of HIF-1alpha and VEGF proteins detected by Western blot were also increased in the orchiectomy group compared with the control and sham operation groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that increased HIF-1alpha expression in the penile tissue of castrated rat results from adaptive responses to hypoxia, and testosterone deprivation may contribute to hypoxic injury in the cavernosal microenvironment.

Primary Carcinoid Tumor of the Testis / 대한남성과학회지

Primary testicular carcinoid is a rare disease, accounting for less than 1% of all testicular neoplasms, with the potential for distant metastasis. We report a case of primary testicular carcinoid in a 44-year-old-man who presented with a painless, palpable mass in the left testis. Preoperative testicular ultrasound examination revealed a solid mass. Radical orchiectomy was performed, and pathologic examination showed a carcinoid tumor confined to the testis. There was no evidence of carcinoid syndrome, and a 24-hour urinary 5-HIAA assay was normal. Abdominopelvic CT scan and gastrointestinal contrast study showed no evidence of carcinoid in other organ. At 12 months postoperatively, the patient was without evidence of tumor recurrence.

The Effect of Irrigating Fluid Absorption on Myocardial Damage in TURP / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: TURP(transurethral resection of prostate) is the standard surgical treatment for BPH. However, myocardial damage is the most serious complication and has been postulated to develop as a result of irrigating fluid absorption during TURP. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the amount of irrigating fluid absorption and myocardial damage, and the factors that affect irrigating fluid absorption. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2002 to January 2003, 52 patients who had undergone TURP were evaluated. TURP was performed under epidural anesthesia and URIONE(R) solution was used as the irrigating fluid. The amount of absorbed irrigating fluid was measured and serum troponin I was checked as a marker of perioperative myocardial damage. Resection time, weight of resected prostatic tissue, and the amount of blood loss were evaluated as the factors that affect the irrigating fluid absorption. RESULTS: Weight of resected prostatic tissue(r=0.566, p=0.001) and blood loss(r=0.339, p=0.01) were found to have moderate correlation with the amount of absorbed irrigating fluid, whereas the amount of irrigating fluid(r=0.293, p=0.11) and resection time(r=0.296, p=0.062) had no correlation. Myocardial damage was observed in 2 out of the 52 patients(3.8%), whosepostoperative serum troponin I was higher than 0.4microgram/L, and absorbed irrigating fluid being more than 1,000ml. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, in the case of large prostate volume and excessive blood loss, the use of diuretics during TURP is recommended to reduce the incidence of myocardial damage.

An Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Penis / 대한비뇨기과학회지

An adenosquamous carcinoma of the penis is an exceedingly rare, highly malignant tumor, with histological features of a squamous cell carcinoma and an adenocarcinoma, which originates in the penile surface epithelium, and possibly in embryologically misplaced mucus glands of the perimeatal region of the glans mucosa. We report a case of an adenosquamous carcinoma of the penis in a 73-year-old man who had been suffering from a painful ulcerative mass on his penis for 2 years.

The Nocturia in BPH

PURPOSE: Nocturia is one of the most bothersome of all benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH) symptoms. Nocturia with BPH is generally thought to be closely associated with change of detrusor receptor and infection secondary to bladder outlet obstruction. However, age-associated physiological changes in bladder function and concurrent disease, for example, congestive heart failure, cause nocturia in elderly. Therefore, in BPH with nocturia, evaluation for etiology of nocturia is important for proper control of nocturia permanently and this study was performed to investigate the underlying etiology of nocturia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The twenty-seven BPH patients who complained more than three times of nocturia were included in this study. Evaluation included voiding diary for 24 hour, and urodynamic study. Based on diary and urodynamic study, functional bladder capacity was determined and etiology of nocturia was classified into one of three groups : noctural polyuria, hyperactivity nocturia and functional nocturia. Noctural polyuria was defined as overnight urine volume is over than 33% of 24 hour urine volume, hyperactive nocturia as the number of nocturia is more than (overnight urine volume/functional bladder capacity)-1 and functional nocturia as the number of nocturia is equal to (overnight urine volume/functional bladder capacity)-1. RESULTS: Overall 7(26%) had noctural polyruia. 4(15%) hyperactive nocturia and 13(48%) were mixed with noctual polyuria and hyperactive nocturia. The other 3(11%) were classified into functional nocturia. CONCLUSIONS: The cause of nocturia in the patient with BPH was multifactorial and unrelated to bladder outlet obstruction in significant proportion of BPH patients. Therefore in BPH patients with nocturia, we think that sufficient evaluation to find cause of nocturia is needed preoperatively and treatment should be directed to each condition with BPH management.

A Case of Malignant Mesothelioma of Tunica Vaginalis / 대한남성과학회지

Malignant mesothelioma occurs commonly in the peritonial cavity, pleural and pericardial cavity, also have been reconginzed in numerous other locations. However, it is rarely found in testis arised from tunica vaginalis. Aggressive surgery is necessary soon after diagnosis. Generally the prognosis is very poor and there is no consensus regarding treatment after surgery. We report a case of a 44 years old man with scrotal mass with recurrent pain for 2 years and pathologically diagnosed as a malignant mesothelioma in tunica vaginalis.

Treatment of Intertrochanteric Fracture with Dynamic Hip Screw and Gamma Nail: A Retrospective Matched Pair Study / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical and radiological results obtained using dynamic hip screws and Gamma nails for the treatment of intertrochanteric fracture of the femur. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 45 pairs of dynamic hip screw (DHS) and Gamma nail (GN) patients which were matched for sex, fracture type, and Singh index for the treatment of intertrochanteric fracture (matched pair control study). Mean duration of follow-up was 34.5 months (range, 12-62 months). RESULTS: No significant differences were found in terms of operation time, amount of transfusion, neck-shaft angle, sliding of the lag screw, union time, and mechanical complications between the two groups in the cases of stable fractures. For unstable fractures, the operation time of the DHS group was 144.7+/-40.7 minutes and that of GN group was 92.0+/-50.7 minutes (p<0.05) respectively. Mean blood transfusion units of the DHS group were 1.6 pints and of the GN group were 1.1 pints (p<0.05). No statistical differences were found between the two groups in terms of the mean duration of union, the sliding of lag screw or change of neck shaft angle in unstable fractures. Moreover there was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of mechanical failure according to the Singh index and type of fracture. CONCLUSION: No significant differences were found between the two devices in the treatment of stable fractures. In unstable intertrochanteric fractures, Gamma nail was more useful device but only for in terms of reducing the operative time and blood loss and not in relation to union, fixibility and sliding.