Contralaterally Controlled Functional Electrical Stimulation for Improving Motor Function After Acquired Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the effect of contralaterally controlled functional electrical stimulation (CCFES) on motor function after acquired brain injury (ABI). DATA SOURCES: We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Web of Science, SinoMed, CNKI, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals and Wanfang Database, from inception to December 2023. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included if they were randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of CCFES on motor function compared with routine rehabilitation or routine electrical stimulation after ABI. Two independent reviewers screened 894 articles for inclusion. DATA EXTRACTION: The extracted data included study information, sample size, study population, interventions, measurement evaluated, and the test interval. DATA SYNTHESIS: This study included 24 trials with 28 intervention-control pairs and 1148 participants with stroke. Meta-analysis showed that the CCFES group demonstrated more significant improvement than the control group in the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale (FMA) (standardized mean difference [SMD]=0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.44-0.88, P<.001), active range of motion (AROM) (SMD=0.77, 95% CI=0.54-1.01, P<.001), modified Barthel Index (MBI) (SMD=0.55, 95% CI=0.29-0.81, P<.001), Motricity Index (MI) (SMD=0.60, 95% CI=0.26-0.94, P<.001) surface electromyography (sEMG) (SMD=0.81, 95% CI=0.56-1.06, P<.001), and Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) (SMD=0.53, 95% CI=0.24-0.83, P<.001). The CCFES group showed no significant improvement over the control group in the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) (SMD=0.24, 95% CI=-0.10-0.58, P=.17). CONCLUSIONS: Our synthesized evidence suggests that CCFES could improve motor function in patients with stroke. More RCTs with other patients with brain injury are required to provide future evidence on the therapy effect of CCFES and make a contribution to the uniform standard of CCFES.

[miRNA-144 in the saliva is a genetic marker for early diagnosis of esophageal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of miRNA-144 in the saliva of patients with esophageal cancer and its value for early diagnosis of esophageal cancer. METHODS: Saliva samples were collected form patients with esophageal cancer admitted in the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College between January, 2011 and May, 2013, with saliva samples from 50 middle-aged healthy volunteers matched for age and gender ratio as the control group. The contents of miRNA-144 in the samples were detected with RT-PCR. RESULTS: The levels of miRNA-144 in both the whole saliva and saliva supernatant were significantly higher in esophageal cancer group than in the control group (P<0.05). In the whole saliva, the cut-off point of miRNA-144 was ≥100, with a sensitivity of 74.6% and a specificity of 92.0% for esophageal cancer diagnosis (Az=0.865); in saliva supernatant, the cut-off point was ≥20 with a sensitivity of 53.7% and a specificity of 94.0% (Az=0.754), suggesting a moderate diagnostic value of miRNA-144 in whole saliva and saliva supernatant. CONCLUSION: miRNA-144 is highly expressed in the saliva of patients with esophageal cancer and can be used as a genetic marker for early diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

[Bronchial sleeve resection and reconstruction of pulmonary artery by video-assisted thoracic small incision surgery for lung cancer].

BACKGROUND: The mini-invasive surgery is now performed widely and these operations have been used in complete resection of lung cancer. The aim of this study is to summarize the results and to explore practicability of bronchial sleeve resection and reconstruction of pulmonary artery by video-assisted thoracic small incision surgery for lung neoplasms. METHODS: A total of 109 patients were retrospectively reviewed, who underwent sleeve lobectomy and bronchoplasty by video-assisted thoracic small incision surgery for lung neoplasms from January 1995 to December 2005. RESULTS: Operations were performed successfully for all the patients. The small incisions' length ranged from 3 to 15 cm and the mean length was 10 cm. The surgical time was 125-180 min and the mean was 150 min; blood loss was 210-450 mL and the mean was 320 mL. There was no operative mortality, occurrence of anastomosis stenosis and fistula. Follow-up results showed that there was no sign of re-perfusion hurt and no edema in remaining lobes. There was no blood transfusion in 80.7% of cases (88/109), no shoulder hurt in 94.5% of cases (103/109). The stay in hospital was 7-15 days, and the average was 9 days. CONCLUSIONS: The bronchial sleeve resection and reconstruction of pulmonary artery by video-assisted thoracic small incision surgery for lung cancer could finish the same work as traditional thoracic lateral incision, with less trauma, less bleeding and blood transfusion, less time in opening and closing thorax.

[Bronchial sleeve resection and reconstruction of pulmonary artery by video-assisted thoracic small incision surgery for central lung cancer: a report of 139 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and practicability between bronchial sleeve resection or reconstruction of the pulmonary artery by video-assisted thoracic small incision and routine posterolateral incision for lung cancer. METHODS: The clinic data was analyzed retrospectively, including 139 cases in our hospital underwent sleeve lobectomy and bronchoplasty by video-assisted thoracic small incision surgery for lung cancer from January 1995 to July 2007 and 99 cases in the HUAXI Hospital of SICHUAN University underwent routine posterolateral incision from April 2000 to December 2005. All patients whose bronchus and/or pulmonary artery were involved underwent the operation and experienced the bronchial sleeve resection or reconstruction of the pulmonary artery. RESULTS: All patients were done operation successfully with no perioperative mortality and no occurrence of anastomosis stenosis as well as fistula. The median survival period of video-assisted thoracic small incision patients and the posterolateral incision patients were 63.17 months and 42.00 months, respectively (P > 0.05). There was no sign of reperfusion injury in the reconstruction of the pulmonary artery patients. The small incisions' length was from 8 to 13 cm and the mean length was 10 cm. The routine posterolateral incisions' mean length was 30 cm. Compared to the patients underwent the routine posterolateral incision, patients underwent the operation of video assisted thoracic small incision had less operation time, less chest tube time, less hospitalization time and less postoperative shoulder joint dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: The bronchial sleeve resection and reconstruction of the pulmonary artery by video-assisted thoracic small incision surgery for lung cancer can finish the same work as the traditional thoracic lateral incision with less trauma and recovery time.