ObjectiveTo evaluate the predictive value of the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE). MethodsIn a retrospective cohort study,272 consecutive patients with APE were reviewed and the 30-days death and in-hospital adverse events were evaluated. The patients were classified according to hs-cTnI value into a high hs-cTnI group and a low hs-cTnI group. The simple pulmonary embolism severity index (sPESI) was used for clinical risk determination. The adverse event was defined as intravenous thrombolytic therapy,noninvasive ventilator support to maintain oxygen saturation >90% and suffered with severe complications. The correlations of hs-cTnI with sPESI score,30-days adverse events and mortality were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test were used to compare time-to-event survival. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis models were used to determine the incremental prognostic value of sPESI score and hs-cTnI. ResultsThe incidence of 30-day death (6.1%),renal failure (14.6%),bleeding (13.4%) and thrombolytic therapy (7.9%) were higher in the high hs-cTnI group than those in the low hs-cTnI group (P values were 0.009,<0.001,0.018 and 0.003,respectively). The patients with sPESI ≥1 and low hs-cTnI had greater free adverse events survival (P=0.005). hs-cTnI provided incremental predictive value for in-hospital adverse events,beyond the sPESI score (P<0.001). Conclusionhs-cTnI has excellent negative predictive value of APE prognosis,especially when used combined with sPESI score.
【Abstract】ObjectiveTo describe the imaging manifestations of acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) on multidetectorrow spiral CT (MDCT). To investigate the relationship between pancreatic glandular necrosis and retroperitoneal inflammatory spreading and the clinical severity of ANP. MethodsA 16detector row spiral CT was used to perform contrastenhanced abdominal scanning in 90 patients diagnosed as ANP， who were prospectively enrolled into this study. Scoring of the extent of pancreatic glandular necrosis and Balthazar grading based on retroperitoneal inflammatory spreading were done at the same time. For 44 patients who met the criteria of Ranson scoring, both scoring by CT severity index (CTSI) and Ranson criteria. Multiplanar reformation technique was used for image postprocessing. Results①In 40 out of 90 patients, the pancreatic glandular necrosis was less than 30%, in 23 the necrosis was between 30%-50%, and in 27 the necrosis was more than 50%. Peripancreatic fat swelling and thickening of anterior renal fascia were observed in all cases of ANP; Peripancreatic and retroperitoneal phlegmonous fluid collection occurred in 78 patients (86.7%); 12 had fluid collection in lesser sac (13.3%); Thickening and swelling of posterior gastric wall in 71 patients (78.9%); 87 developed intestinal ileus (96.7%) and 35 patients had peritoneal effusion (38.9%); Splenic infarction in 4 patients (4.4%); 82 had pleural effusion (91.1%). ②Twelve patients were classified as Balthazar grade C， 42 as grade D and 36 as grade E. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the extent of pancreatic glandular necrosis and Balthazar CT grade. ③In 44 ANP patients suitable for Ranson criteria, 12 cases were classified as mild (27.3%), 23 as moderate (52.3%), 9 as severe (20.5%). CTSI grading of these patients was as follows： Mild cases 0, moderate cases 25 (56.8%), severe cases 19 (43.2%). Correlation between the CTSI grades and the clinical severity of ANP was of statistical significance. ConclusionANP can demonstrate a series of imaging manifestations on MDCT. To some extent, the degree of pancreatic glandular necrosis and the extent of retroperitoneal spreading is positively correlated, and CTSI grading based on MDCT imaging features is also positively correlated with the clinical severity of ANP.
ObjiectiveTo obtain reliable evidence of diagnosis and treatment through evaluating the validity of pneumonia severity index (PSI), CURB-65 and acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ(APACHEⅡ) scores in predicting risk stratification, severity evaluation and prognosis in elderly community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients.MethodsClinical and demographic data were collected and retrospectively analyzed in 125 in-hospital patients with CAP admitted in Shanghai Dahua Hospital from January 2012 to April 2015. The severity of pneumonia was calculated with PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡgroups during 1 to 3 days after admission. Mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates were evaluated among patients in each scores and was categorized into three classes, namely mild, moderate and severe groups during 1 to 3 days after admission. Mortality and ICU admission rates were evaluated among patients in each severity level. Through evaluating the sensitivity, specificity, the predicting values and the area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) among PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ, the validity and consistency of these three scoring systems were assessed.ResultsUsing PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ scoring systems, the patients were categorized into mild severity (48.8%, 64.0% and 52.8%, respectively), moderate severity (37.6%, 23.2% and 32.0%, respectively) and severe severity (13.6%, 12.8% and 15.2%, respectively). In PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ systems, the mortality in high risk groups was 41.3%, 62.5% and 47.4%, respectively; The ICU-admission rate in high risk groups was 88.3%, 100.0% and 94.7%, respectively. The sensitivity of PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ was 50.0%, 71.4% and 64.3% in predicting mortality, and was 46.8%, 50.0% and 59.3% in predicting ICU-admission, respectively. PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ showed similar specificity (approximately 90%) in predicting mortality and ICU admission. ROC was conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of PSI, APACHEⅡ and CURB-65 in predicting mortality and ICU admission. The AUC had no significant difference among these three scoring systems. The AUC of PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡwas 0.893, 0.871, 0.880, respectively for predicting mortality, and was 0.949, 0.837, 0.949, respectively for predicting ICU admission. There was no significant difference among these three scoring in predicting mortality and ICU admission (all P>0.05).ConclusionsPSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ performed similarly and achieved high predictive values in elderly patients with CAP. The three scoring systems are consistent in predicting mortality risk in elderly CAP patients. The CURB-65 is more sensitive in predicting the risk of death, and more early in identifing patients with high risk of death. The APACHEⅡ is more sensitive in predicting the risk of ICU admission, and has good value in identifying severe patients and choosing the right treatment sites.
ObjectiveTo explore the consistency and clinical application value of Balthazar CT classification and extra-pancreatic inflammation on computed tomography (EPIC) score in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis (AP). MethodsA total of 100 continuous patients with AP were included in the Hainan Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine from April 2019 to April 2021, who were divided into mild (n=41), moderate (n=37), and severe (n=22) AP, and all of them underwent the abdominal CT examination. The Balthazar CT classification score, EPIC score, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE-Ⅱ) score were compared and the correlations were analyzed among 3 groups. The consistency of Balthazar CT classification score or EPIC score and clinical classification was analyzed. ResultsThere were statistical differences in the Balthazar CT classification score [(1.58±0.29) points vs. (2.43±0.36) points vs. (3.20±0.51) points, F=13.261, P<0.001], EPIC score [(2.56±0.30) points vs. (4.29±0.77) points vs. (5.68±0.82) points, F=14.672, P<0.001], and APACHE-Ⅱ score [(21.40±6.22) points vs. (29.13±7.31) points vs. (39.37±8.18) points, F=13.906, P<0.001] among mild, moderate, and severe 3 groups. The points of the three indexes increased statistically with the severity of AP (P<0.05). The Balthazar CT classification score was positively correlated with APACHE-Ⅱ score and EPIC score (r=0.537, P<0.001; r=0.609, P<0.001), and EPIC score was positively correlated with APACHE-Ⅱ score (r=0.582, P<0.001). The Kappa values of Balthazar CT classification score or EPIC score and clinical classification for assessing the severity of AP were 0.731 and 0.704, respectively. ConclusionsFrom the preliminary results of this study, Balthazar CT classification score and EPIC score increase obviously with the aggravation of AP and which has a higher consistency, and are positively correlated with APACHE-Ⅱ score. It is suggested that abdominal CT has a good clinical application value in the assessment of severity of AP.
Objective To investigate the values of pneumonia severity index ( PSI) , CURB-65,plasma procalcitonin ( PCT) , C-reactive protein ( CRP) measurements for evaluation the severity of healthcare-associated pneumonia ( HCAP) .Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted on 92 hospitalized patients with HCAP admitted between June 2010 and December 2011. They were divided into different groups according to different severity assessment criteria. The variance and correlation of PCT,CRP,WBC and percent of neutrophil ( Neu% ) levels were compared among different groups. ROC curvewas established to analyze PSI, CURB-65, PCT and CRP levels for predicting the motality of HCAP patients.Results In the severe HCAP group, PSI and CURB-65 scoring and serum PCT, CRP, WBC, Neu% levels were significantly higher than those in the non-severe HCAP group( P lt; 0. 05) . In the high-risk HCAP group, PCT, CRP, WBC and Neu% levels were significantly higher than those in the low-risk HCAP group according to the PSI and CURB-65 scoring criteria( P lt;0. 05) .WBC and Neu% levels were also significantly higher than those in the moderate-risk group. PSI and CURB-65 scoring were positively correlated with PCT and CRP levels. PSI scoring gt;120 points or CURB-65 scoring gt;2 points on admission were predictors of mortality. Conclusions PSI and CURB-65 scoring are correlated with severity of HCAP. Combining serum PCT and CRP levels can improve the predictive accuracy of the severity of HCAP.
ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with transilluminated powered phlebectomy (TIPP) vs. high ligation and stripping (HLS) combined with TIPP in patients with varicose veins of lower limbs.MethodsA retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 190 patients (206 limbs) of varicose veins of lower limbs who underwent surgical treatment in our hospital from December 2017 to July 2018, of them 88 patients (96 limbs) in RFA combined with TIPP group and other 102 patients (110 limbs) in HLS combined with TIPP group. The treatment effectiveness and quality of life was assessed with venous clinical severity score (VCSS) and chronic venous insufficiency questionnaire (CIVIQ-14) in three months and one year after surgery. Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate the closure of great saphenous vein.ResultsBaseline characteristics were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). The RFA combined with TIPP group was better than the HLS combined with TIPP group in operation time, intraoperative bleeding, hospital stay time, postoperative bed time, resumption time of activities, as well as incidences of skin induration and limb numb (P<0.05). Occlusion rates of great saphenous vein in 3 months was 93.8% (90/96) in the RFA combined with TIPP group and 97.3% (107/110) in the HLS combined with TIPP group, and in one year was 91.7% (88/96) and 97.3% (107/110) respectively, there was no significant difference between the two groups at the same time point (P>0.05). The VCSS scores and CIVIQ-14 scores also improved significantly in two groups in 3 months and 1 year follow up (P<0.05), but there was no significant differences between the two groups at the same time point (P>0.05).ConclusionsRFA combined with TIPP is an effective method for the treatment of varicose veins of lower limbs. Compared with HLS, RFA has the same good effectiveness and quality of life, but it has the advantages of short operation time, rapid postoperative recovery, and less postoperative complications.
ObjectivesTo compare the efficacy of acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ (APACHEⅡ), national early warning score (NEWS), pulmonary embolism severity index (PESI) and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) on pulmonary embolism (PE) prognosis.MethodsClinical data of patients with PE treated in The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from 2010 to 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into death group and survival group, and four clinical scores were calculated. The differences of risk factors between the two groups were compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain the independent risk factors related to mortality. The ROC working curve was used to compare the capability of four clinical scores for PE mortality. SPSS 24.0 and Medcalc 18.2.1 software were used for statistical analysis. ResultsA total of 318 patients with PE were included, and the mortality rate was 13.2%. The APACHEⅡ, NEWS, PESI and CCI of the death group were higher than those of the survival group. There were significant differences between two groups (P<0.05). It was confirmed by logistic regression analysis that cerebrovascular disease, heart rate, leukocyte, troponin T, arterial partial pressure of oxygen, right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) were independent risk factors for 90-day mortality. The areas under the ROC curve of APACHEⅡ, CCI, PESI, NEWS were 0.886, 0.728, 0.715 and 0.731, respectively. The area under the ROC curve of APACHEⅡ was the largest, which was better than NEWS, CCI and PESI (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among NEWS, CCI and PESI.ConclusionsAPACHEⅡ may be the best predictor of mortality in PE patients, which is superior to NEWS, CCI and PESI.
Objective To explore the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and disease severity in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). Methods Patients who visited the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University with a confirmed diagnosis of SCA3 between July 2022 and August 2023 were selected as a case group, and healthy individuals between June 2024 and October 2024 were selected as a control group, and the BMI levels of the two groups were compared. Patient demographics and clinical statistics were collected, the severity of ataxia in SCA3 patients was assessed using the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxi, and the relationship between BMI and disease severity was evaluated. Results A total of 101 patients and 101 healthy individuals were included. The BMI levels of SCA3 patients were significantly lower than those of normal controls (t=−2.370, P=0.019). The results of the multiple linear regression model showed that the BMI, disease duration and smoking history had an effect on the disease severity of SCA3 patients (P<0.05), and disease duration and disease severity had a significant effect on the disease progression in SCA3 patients (P<0.05). Conclusion There may be a correlation between BMI and disease severity in SCA3 patients, and controlling the BMI level may help to control the disease in SCA3 patients.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and the severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in elderly patients.MethodsThe clinical data of 216 elderly patients with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis admitted from January 2015 to October of 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the elderly was evaluated by bronchiectasis severity index (BSI) score. Meanwhile, 50 elderly people receiving qualified medical examination were collected as a healthy control group in the same period. The distributions of BSI score, RDW, procalcitonin (PCT), neutrophil percentage (NEU%) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were described in the patients with different risk degree. The severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the elderly was evaluated by BSI. The patients were divided into three groups by BSI score: a low risk group, a middle risk group, and a high risk group. The indexes were described including the distribution of stratified BSI score, RDW, PCT, NEU%, CRP at different risk levels. The correlation of each index was analyzed by Spearman correlation. The threshold value of RDW was calculated by general linear regression, and the influencing factors of BSI score were analyzed by multivariate linear regression analysis.ResultsThe higher the risk stratification, the higher the BSI score, RDW, PCT, NEU% and CRP were. RDW was positively correlated with PCT, NEU% and CRP (r values were 0.425, 0.311, 0.177, respectively, P<0.05). BSI score was positively correlated with RDW, PCT, NEU%, and CRP (r values were 0.425, 0.394, 0.650, 0.578, respectively, P<0.05). RDW was positively correlated with PSI score (r=0.425, P<0.05). The thresholds of RDW were 11.45% and 14.03%. Multiple linear regression showed that RDW, PCT, NEU% and CRP were all influential factors of BSI score and explained 52.3% of the total mutation rate.ConclusionRDW is related to the severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the elderly, and can predict the severity of acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the elderly.
Objective To study the factors that affect the prognosis of status epilepticus (SE) and to improve the understanding of clinicians. Methods A retrospective analysis of 57 patients with SE witch from the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University and Cardio-cerebrovascular Disease Hospital were carried out to collect their clinical data. The data were analyzed by SPSS 17.0 software. The prognosis of the patients was assessed by the Status epilepticus severity score (STESS) scale. Results A total of 57 patients were included, 53 cases improved, 4 cases were automatically discharged. Telephone follow-up showed that 4 cases of automatic discharge were dead. The mortality rate of SE was 7.02%. The most common cause of SE was acute cerebrovascular disease (17.54%), followed by intracranial infection (10.53%); The most common incidence were the occasional medication, self-medication, withdrawal (15.79%). Age, state of consciousness and concurrent infection were associated with prognosis (improvement/death) (P<0.05). STESS score of 0 to 2 points were 45 patients, all improved; score of 3 to 5 points were 12 patients, 8 patients improved, 4 patients died. There were significant differences in the prognosis between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusions Age, state of consciousness, concurrent infection were related to prognosis, more than 65 years, the state of consciousness for the sleeping or coma had the poor prognosis. STESS scale can predict the prognosis of patients effectively.