bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chinese massage, Tui Na, combined with herbs improves clinical symptoms and regulates sex hormones in patients with mammary gland hyperplasia
Authors: Li Dandan , Wang Cheng , Ruan Di , Li Jingjing , Ji Ning , Ma Xinwen , Li Yongtao , Qu Yujiang , Xuan Zhijin , Song Lihua
Published: May 2020

To study the effects of Tui Na therapy on patients with mammary gland hyperplasia.

A total of 68 female patients with mammary gland hyperplasia were included in this retrospective study from May 2016 to May 2017 and assigned into control group (N = 34) treated with Rupixiao only (a proprietary Chinese medicine) or Tui Na group (N = 34) treated with Tui Na (Chinese massage) combined with Rupixiao. The pain intensity (visual analogous scale, VAS) and serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL), and progesterone (P) were examined before and after the treatment.

The efficacies were 94.1% (32/34) in the Tui Na group and 76.5% (26/34) in the control group (P = .04). After treatment, VAS in Tui Na groups was significantly lower than that in control group (2.1 ± 1.1 vs 3.1 ± 1.1, P < .05). After follow-up for five months, the recurrence rates were 12.5% (4/32) in the Tui Na group and 23.1% (6/26) in the control group (P = .01). The levels of all 4 hormones in the Tui Na group increased significantly after treatment. In control group, only LH and E2 levels were significantly increased after treatment.

In patients with mammary gland hyperplasia, Tui Na combined with Rupixiao could improve clinical symptoms, regulate sex hormone levels, and decrease the recurrence rate than Rupixiao alone. Our finding suggests that Tui Na can be potentially used for the treatment of mammary gland hyperplasia.
Surgical management of Rockwood type 3 acromioclavicular joint injuries: a retrospective comparison of outcomes of suture anchor fixation and double-button fixation techniques
Authors: Topal Murat , Köse Ahmet
Published: May 2020

The treatment of type 3 acromioclavicular joint injuries has still controversial issues. In this retrospective study, we aimed to compare the radiological and functional outcomes of the suture anchor and double-button fixation methods for the treatment of type 3 acromioclavicular joint injuries.

This study included 20 patients who underwent suture anchor (9 patients) and double-button fixations (11 patients) for isolated type 3 acromioclavicular dislocation. Injuries were classified according to the Rockwood Classification System. Coracoclavicular(CC) distances and anterior translation have been measured pre-operatively and at the 12th month follow-up. Functional evaluation was performed using the DASH, and Constant–Murley scores of the patients were recorded at the12th-month follow-up.

The mean age of the patients was 37 (22–50) years in Group 1(double-button group) and 39 (24–56) years in Group 2(suture anchor group). All of the patients were male. There was no statistically significant difference between the DASH and Constant–Murley scores of the 2 groups (P > .05). The mean DASH score of the patients evaluated at the postoperative 12th month was 6.65 (0–38.3) in Group 1 and 2.48 (0–4.2) in Group 2. The mean Constant-Murley score of the patients evaluated at the postoperative 12th month was 89,6 (50–98) in Group 1 and 93,6 (90–98) in Group 2. Comparison of the pre- and post-operative CC distances and pre- and post-operative anterior translation distances of both groups revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between groups regarding postoperative CC distances and anterior translation distances (P > .05).

Suture anchor and double-button techniques are reliable treatment methods that are not superior to one another and can yield excellent functional outcomes
Association between microRNA 21 expression in serum and lung cancer
Authors: Qiao Feng , Luo Peng , Liu Chun-hui , Fu Kai , Zhao Yan-bin
Published: May 2020

Background:

Previous studies have reported that microRNA 21 (mRNA 21) has involved in the procedure of lung cancer (LC). However, its conclusions are still unclear. Thus, this study will try to elaborate the association between mRNA 21 expression in serum and LC.

Methods:

The electronic databases of Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, WANGFANG database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure will be retrieved from the inception to the present. All electronic databases will be searched without limitations of language and geographical location. Case-controlled studies reporting the association between mRNA 21 expression in serum and LC will be included. In addition, we will also identify other literature sources to avoid missing potential studies. All study selection, information collection, and study quality assessment will be performed by 2 independent authors. RevMan V.5.3 software and Stata V.12.0 software will be used for data synthesis and analysis.

Results:

This study will summarize current evidence to investigate the association between mRNA 21 expression in serum and LC.

Conclusion:

The findings of this study will present comprehensive evidence to determine whether mRNA 21 expression in serum is relevant with LC or not.

Systematic review registration:

INPLASY202040055.
Exploratory study of clinical effectiveness and safety of TJ-116 bukuryoingohangekobokuto for anxiety and postoperative water brash in esophageal cancer patients (TJ116E)
Authors: Arita Ryutaro , Takayama Shin , Okamoto Hiroshi , Koseki Ken , Taniyama Yusuke , Kaneko Soichiro , Ono Rie , Suzuki Satoko , Kamei Takashi , Ishii Tadashi
Published: May 2020

Background:

Patients with esophageal cancer suffer from anxiety in the perioperative period surrounding esophagectomy; this may increase the risk of postoperative complications. In particular, postoperative aspiration pneumonia carries a high risk of hospital mortality. Bukuryoingohangekobokuto (BRIHK) is a traditional Japanese medicine formula used to treat anxiety, the feeling of a foreign body in the esophagus, and water brash. We hypothesize that BRIHK might be effective for both anxiety and water brash in perioperative patients with esophageal cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of BRIHK compared to a placebo for anxiety and water brash in perioperative esophageal cancer patients.

Method/design:

This will be a single-center, single blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. Twenty-four patients with esophageal cancer undergoing radical resection surgery will be registered to participate, then randomly and blindly assigned to the BRIHK treatment group or control group. Patients will be administered BRIHK or the placebo from 2 weeks before to 6 weeks after surgery. Primary outcome measures will be anxiety and depression (assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and water brash (assessed using the 10-item Eating Assessment Tool, Esophagus and Stomach Surgery Symptom Scale, and videofluoroscopy swallowing measurement). Incidences of aspiration pneumonia will be noted and abdominal gas volume, inflammatory markers, and nutrition status will be evaluated.

Discussion:

This investigative study will provide clinical evidence of BRIHK administration for anxiety and water brash, which might improve mental distress and reduce postoperative mortality.

Trial registration:

The protocol and progress are registered on the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT s021190001) and University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN000031330). The protocol was approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare certified clinical research review board, Tohoku University (CRB2180001).
Patient-perceived service needs and health care utilization in people with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Ni Yunxia , Liu Suzhen , Li Jiping , Li Simin , Dong Ting
Published: May 2020

The aim of this study was to investigate service needs and health care utilization among people with type 2 diabetes, further to identify the relationship between service needs and health care utilization.

We used a self-reported questionnaire to collect data regarding demographic and diabetes characteristics, service needs toward self-management and follow-up care, and 4 health care utilizations during past year. Multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression were used to test the impacts of demographic and diabetes characteristics on service needs and health care utilizations, respectively. Spearman rank correlations were used to explore correlation between service needs and health care utilization.

We recruited 1796 participants with type 2 diabetes from 20 community health centers across 12 cities of Sichuan Province in China. Needs of self-management and follow-up had significant positive correlations with health care utilization. Participants rated that nutrition was the most needed aspects of self-management (78.5%), and out-patient visit was the most popular type of follow-up (66.8%). Educational level and treatment modality were predictors of self-management needs. Low educational level (elementary school or blow, β = 0.11, P = .008; middle school, β = 0.10, P = .015) and insulin treatment (β = 0.08, P = .007) were positive factors of self-management needs. Younger age (age < 45 years old, β = 0.07, P = .046), being employed (β = 0.14, P < .001), and underdeveloped region (β = 0.16, P < .001) were positive factors of follow-up care needs. Elementary educational level (OR: 0.53; CI: 0.30–0.96) and underdevelopment region (OR: 0.01; CI: 0.01–0.07) were protective factors of general practitioner visit, in contrast, those factors were risk factors of specialist visit (elementary educational level, OR: 1.69; CI: 1.13–2.5; underdevelopment region, OR: 2.93; CI: 2.06–4.16) and emergency room visit (elementary educational level, OR: 2.97; CI: 1.09, 8.08; underdevelopment region, OR: 6.83; CI: 2.37–14.65).

The significant positive relationship between service needs and health care utilization demonstrated the role of service needs in influencing health care utilization. When self-management education is provided, age, educational level, employment status, treatment modality, and region should be considered to offer more appropriate education and to improve health care utilization.
Ten-year survival with analysis of gender difference, risk factors, and causes of death during 13 years of public antiretroviral therapy in rural Kenya: Republication
Authors: Hodgkinson Luqman Mushila , Abwalaba Roselyne Asiko , Arudo John , Barry Michele
Published: May 2020

Evidence for why antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes differ by gender in developing countries has been inconclusive. In this first study to assess 10-year survival on ART in Kenya, our objective was to compare gender differences in survival for those who began ART as adults and as children. Kakamega County Referral Hospital (KCRH) is a tertiary rural hospital that has provided public ART to Kenyans since 2004. All patients enrolled in ART at KCRH who died between July 2004 and March 2017 and a sample of living patients were included in a survival analysis that bootstrapped sampled data. Case–cohort regressions identified adjusted hazard ratios. In total, 1360 patients were included in the study. Ten-year survival was 77% (95% confidence band [CB] 73–81%), significantly different for men (65%; 95% CB: 45–74%) and women (83%; 95% CB: 78–86%) who began therapy as adults. Ten-year survival was intermediate with no significant gender difference (76%; 95% CB: 69–81%) for patients who began therapy as children. Hazard of death was increased for men (hazard ratio [HR] 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13–2.17), infants (HR 2.87; 95% CI 1.44–5.74), patients with consistently poor clinic attendance (HR 3.94; 95% CI 3.19-4.86), and divorced patients (HR 2.25; 95% CI 1.19–4.25). Tuberculosis, diarrheal illnesses, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) wasting syndrome, and malaria were leading causes of death. Survival was significantly lower for men than for women in all time periods, but only for patients who began therapy as adults, indicating against biological etiologies for the gender mortality difference.
Parental knowledge of moisturizers and their application to infants with eczema in Hangzhou, China
Authors: Li Yunling , Zheng Huiwen , Li Yin , Li Wei , Guo Xiaoxuan , Lv Zhongfa
Published: May 2020

Parental knowledge regarding the role of moisturizers in restoring the skin barrier, as well as regular and long-term use of moisturizers, is critical in the treatment of infantile eczema and the prevention of relapse.

The parents of children with eczema were enrolled in this study. Their knowledge of the role, use, and effect of moisturizers on their children, as well as their concerns regarding moisturizers were surveyed.

A total of 350 parents were enrolled in this study. Two hundred fifty-two parents (72%) knew that eczema requires moisturizers to restore the skin barrier. Among these 252 parents, 175 parents (50.0%) knew that moisturizers can restore the skin barrier. Only 27 parents (27/175, 15.4%) of them knew that moisturizers can improve eczema. Overall, 69.4% used moisturizers; of these, 75.3% used only moisturizers on the face, 87.2% on dry areas of face and other body parts, and only 6.6% on the entire body. Furthermore, 13.2% used topical moisturizers in the long-term; 62.6% used moisturizers 1 to 2 times per day, while 5.4% used moisturizers once every few days. A total of 80.7% discontinued moisturizers immediately after improvement in dryness, and 75.3% reported skin dryness despite moisturizer usage. Among parents of children who used moisturizers, 16.5% were worried about the side effects of moisturizers.

Despite a fair level of knowledge about moisturizers, parents of children with eczema are using them inadequately. Pediatrician should be more patient to educate parents the information on the importance of moisturizers for the improvement of eczema and prevention of recurrence.
Effectiveness of social skills intervention for the management of children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Shuai Fen-Rong , Lin Zhan-Yuan
Published: May 2020

Background:

This study will investigate the effectiveness of and safety of social skills intervention (SSI) for the management of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods:

All potential randomized controlled trials related to the effectiveness and safety of SSI for children with ASD will be retrieved from Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. All these databases will be identified from inception to the present with no limitations of language and publication time. Two investigators will independently perform selection of study, data collection, and study quality assessment, respectively. A third investigator will help to solve any different views between 2 investigators. RevMan 5.3 software will be used for data pooling and statistical analysis.

Results:

This study will provide synthesis of present evidence on assessing the effectiveness and safety of SSI for children with ASD.

Conclusion:

This study will provide helpful references for the effectiveness and safety of SSI on the management of ASD, which may benefit both patients and clinicians.

Study registration number:

INPLASY202040090.
Evaluating the research domain and achievement for a productive researcher who published 114 sole-author articles
Authors: Liu Mei-Yuan , Chou Willy , Chien Tsair-Wei , Kuo Shu-Chun , Yeh Yu-Tsen , Chou Po-Hsin
Published: May 2020

Background:

Team science research includes authors from various fields collaborating to publish their work on certain topics. Despite the numerous papers that discussed the ordering of author names and the contributions of authors to an article, no paper evaluated

In addition, few researchers publish academic articles without co-author collaboration. Whether the bibliometric indexes (eg, h-/x-index) of sole-author researchers are higher than those of other types of multiple authors is required for comparison. We aimed to evaluate a productive author who published 114 sole-author articles with exceptional RA and RD in academics.

Methods:

By searching the PubMed database (Pubmed.com), we used the keyword of (Taiwan[affiliation]) from 2016 to 2017 and downloaded 29,356 articles. One physician (Dr. Tseng from the field of Internal Medicine) who published 12 articles as a single author was selected. His articles and citations were searched in PubMed. A comparison of various types of author ordering placements was conducted using sensitivity analysis to inspect whether this sole author earns the highest metrics in RA. Social network analysis (SNA), Gini coefficient (GC), pyramid plot, and the Kano diagram were applied to gather the following data for visualization:

Results:

We observed that

Conclusions:

The metrics on RA are high for the sole author studied. The author's RD can be denoted by the MeSH terms and measured by the GC. The author-weighted scheme is required for quantifying author credits in an article to evaluate the author's RA. Social network analysis incorporating the Kano diagrams provided insights into the relationships between actors (eg, coauthors, MeSH terms, or journals). The methods used in this study can be replicated to evaluate other productive studies on RA and RD in the future.
Psychological intervention on COVID-19
Authors: Renjun Gu , Ziyun Li , Xiwu Yan , Wei Wei , Yihuang Gu , Chunbing Zhang , Zhiguang Sun
Published: May 2020

Introduction:

COVID-19 is novel coronavirus infection in 2019. Many reports suggested that psychological intervention is playing a positive role in COVID-19 treatment, but there is no high-quality evidence to prove its effects. This paper reports the protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify effectiveness of psychological intervention during the treatment of COVID-19.

Methods and analysis:

The following electronic databases will be used by 2 independent reviewers: Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Wan fang Database, ClinicalTrials, WHO Trials, and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. The randomised controlled trials of psychological intervention on COVID-19 will be searched in the databases by 2 researchers independently. Clinical recovery time and effective rate will be assessed as the primary outcomes. Changes of patients physical condition (1. Time until COVID-19 RT-PCR negative in upper respiratory tract specimen; 2. Time until cough reported as mild or absent; 3. Time until dyspnea reported as mild or absent; 4. Frequency of requiring supplemental oxygen or non-invasive ventilation; 5. Frequency of requiring respiratory; 6. Incidence of severe cases; 7. Proportion of re-hospitalization or admission to ICU; 8. All-cause mortality; 9. Frequency of seriously adverse events) and changes of psychological condition (such as: SRQ-20, PHQ-9, GAD-7, Hamilton Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale) will be assessed as the secondary outcomes. For dichotomous outcomes, such as effective rate, data will be expressed as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). For continuous outcomes, weighted mean differences (WMD) or standardized mean differences (SMD) will be calculated. Fixed effect model will be used for evaluating efficiency. Considering clinical heterogeneity, random effect model will be used for continuous outcomes.

Results:

Relevant studies will be used to evaluate whether psychological intervention is effective for COVID-19.

Conclusion:

This study will provide reliable evidence for psychological intervention on COVID-19.

PROSPERO registration number:

CRD42020178699
Influence of intraoperative oxygen content on early postoperative graft dysfunction in living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Lee Hyung Mook , Kim Taehee , Choi Ho Joong , Park Jaesik , Shim Jung-Woo , Kim Yong-Suk , Moon Young Eun , Hong Sang Hyun , Chae Min Suk
Published: May 2020

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of intraoperative oxygen content on the development of early allograft dysfunction (EAD) in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

This retrospective review included 452 adult patients who underwent elective LDLT. Our study population was classified into 2 groups: EAD and non-EAD. Arterial blood gas analysis was routinely performed 3 times during surgery: during the preanhepatic phase (ie, immediately after anesthetic induction); during the anhepatic phase (ie, at the onset of hepatic venous anastomosis); and during the neohepatic phase (ie, 1 hour after graft reperfusion). Arterial oxygen content (milliliters per deciliters) was derived using the following equation: (1.34 × hemoglobin [gram per deciliters] × SaO2 [%] × 0.01) + (0.0031 × PaO2 [mmHg]).

The incidence of EAD occurrence was 13.1% (n = 59). Although oxygen contents at the preanhepatic phase were comparable between the 2 groups, the oxygen contents at the anhepatic and neohepatic phases were lower in the EAD group than in the non-EAD group. Patients with postoperative EAD had lower oxygen content immediately before and continuously after graft reperfusion, compared to patients without postoperative EAD. After the preanhepatic phase, oxygen content decreased in the EAD group but increased in the non-EAD group. The oxygen content and prevalence of normal oxygen content gradually increased during surgery in the non-EAD group, but not in the EAD group. Multivariable analysis revealed that oxygen content during the anhepatic phase and higher preoperative CRP levels were factors independently associated with the occurrence of EAD (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve: 0.754; 95% confidence interval: 0.681–0.826; P < .001 in the model). Postoperatively, patients with EAD had a longer duration of hospitalization, higher incidences of acute kidney injury and infection, and experienced higher rates of patient mortality, compared to patients without EAD.

Lower arterial oxygen concentration may negatively impact the functional recovery of the graft after LDLT, despite preserved hepatic vascular flow. Before graft reperfusion, the levels of oxygen content components, such as hemoglobin content, PaO2, and SaO2, should be regularly assessed and carefully maintained to ensure proper oxygen delivery into transplanted liver grafts.
Acupuncture for patients with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists-induced nausea and vomiting
Authors: Ding Ning , Li Linzhi , Zhu Xinyun , Huang Xiaoying , Wang Lizhen , Yue Rensong
Published: May 2020

Introduction:

The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) class agent has grown rapidly in the last decade due to its effects on lowering HbA1c and weight and the low possibility of hypoglycemia. However, GLP-1 RAs are not devoid of adverse effects among which nausea and vomiting rank first, which reduce adherence to treatment. Accumulated evidences proved that acupuncture can properly treat nausea and vomiting caused by various reasons. The study aims at assessing the safety and effectiveness exhibited by acupuncture treatment for patients with nausea and vomiting induced by GLP-1 RAs.

Methods and analysis:

Articles that have been identified via electronically searching databases of MEDLINE, Nature, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, WorldSciNet, EMbase, Science Online, AMED, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang Databse and China Biology Medicine Disc and the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database from their inception of to December 31, 2019 will be incorporated into the systematic review. The review only adopts Chinese and English. It will also pay attention to searching resources of qualified studies, relevant conference proceedings, potential reference list, as well as related system reviews. Two researchers will take charge of completing the selection of research, the extraction of data as well as the assessment of research quality independently. A random- or fixed-effects model will be employed to synthesize data combining the heterogeneity test. The primary outcomes will be nausea and vomiting, seen from the objective and self-reported assessment. Data analysis will be performed via the RevMan 5 software, and GRADE will help to assess the evidence level. The heterogeneity level will determine whether the random-effects model or the fixed-effects model will be used. The 2 categories will adopt risk ratio (RR) or odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Continuous variables will adopt the weighted mean difference or standardized mean difference and 95% CI. Meta-analysis will not be conducted if no assessment, like subgroup analysis, is able to explain existing meaningful heterogeneity. The subgroup analysis shall carefully consider each subgroup in certain case.

Ethics and dissemination:

The systematic review does not involve the evaluation of patients’ individual information or patients’ right; thus, there is no need to gain the approval from ethical institution. The article will be published in journals reviewed by peers and present at related conference.

Registration: Open Science Framework (OSF) Preregistration. 2020, April 8. osf.io/3fgu8
Effect of melatonin for the management of endometriosis
Authors: Chen Ping , Zhao Dong-xu , Chen Lei , Su Cui-hong , Ji Yan-jia , Wang Dong-wei
Published: May 2020

Background:

This study aims to explore the effect of melatonin for the management of endometriosis.

Methods:

We will search electronic databases (Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) from their inceptions to the February 29, 2020 without language and publication time limitations. The study identification, study quality assessment, and data extraction will be undertaken by two separate researchers. We will also appraise evidence quality of main outcomes by Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation, and statistical analysis performance by RevMan 5.3 Software.

Results:

This study will summarize up-to-date clinical evidence to investigate the effect of melatonin for the management of endometriosis.

Conclusion:

This study may provide helpful evidence of melatonin for the management of endometriosis.

Systematic review registration:

INPLASY202040093.
Analysis of magnetic resonance imaging features of ovarian thecoma
Authors: Li Zhi , Hu Qingwei , Luo Zhiqin , Deng Zaixing , Zhou Wei , Xie Linghong
Published: May 2020

To investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in ovarian thecoma and improve preoperative diagnostic accuracy.

Retrospective analysis was performed on 45 patients with surgically and pathologically confirmed ovarian thecoma. Patients were grouped into those with maximum lesion diameter ≥5 cm and <5 cm. Diagnostic scores (up to 6 points) were evaluated on the basis of MRI performance.

The ≥5 cm group contained 36 cases (cystic necrosis, 32 cases) with the following findings: T1WI: isointense signal, 22 cases; slightly hypointense signal, 14 cases; T2WI: isointense signal, 6 cases; slightly hypointense signal, 21 cases; slightly hyperintense signal, 9 cases; Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI): hyperintense signal, 23 cases; mixed hyperintense signal, 13 cases; slight enhancement on dynamic enhanced scans; pelvic fluid accumulation, 31 cases. The diagnostic score evaluations yielded 6 points in 31 cases, 5 points in 1 case, 4 points in 2 cases, and 3 points in 2 cases. The <5 cm group contained 9 cases (cystic necrosis, 3 cases) with the following findings: T1WI: isointense signal, 3 cases; slightly hypointense signal, 6 cases; T2WI: isointense signal, 2 cases; slightly hypointense signal, 4 cases; slightly hyperintense signal, 3 cases; DWI, hyperintense signal; slight enhancement in 8 cases and significant enhancement in 1 case; pelvic fluid accumulation, 4 cases. The diagnostic score evaluations yielded 6 points in 3 cases, 5 points in 1 case, 4 points in 4 cases, and 3 points in 1 case. (iii) Incidence of pelvic fluid accumulation and cystic necrosis differed depending on the size of the lesion (P = .007, .000).

Larger lesions show hyperintense or mixed hyperintense signals on DWI along with pelvic fluid and cystic necrosis; whereas, smaller lesions show a hyperintense signal on DWI, cystic necrosis is rare. MRI characteristics along with the patient age and laboratory findings can improve the accuracy of preoperative diagnosis of these lesions.
Recurrent meningococcal meningitis with complement 6 (C6) deficiency
Authors: Bae Ji Yun , Ham Ahrong , Choi Hee Jung , Kim Chung-Jong
Published: May 2020

Rationale:

Late complement deficiency increases susceptibility to meningococcal disease and recurrent infections. In Korea, 5 case reports have described meningococcal disease with complement deficiency. However, C6 deficiency has not been described previously.

Patient concerns:

A 21-year-old police trainee presented with recurrent meningococcal meningitis. He was housed in communal living quarters until 20 days before the initial symptom onset.

Diagnosis:

He was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis with C6 deficiency.

Interventions:

He was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone. An additional dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine was administered after discharge.

Outcomes:

He was discharged without complications.

Lessons:

Screening for complement deficiency is necessary in patients with a history of recurrent meningococcal infections to provide appropriate care and prevent recurrent infections.
Can docetaxel combined prednisone effectively treat hormone refractory prostate cancer?
Authors: Cheng Liang , Yue Cai-Fang , Wang Yue , Cao Hui-Feng , Dong Jian-Feng , Dong Long-Xin , Chen Da-Yin
Published: May 2020

Background:

Previous studies have reported that docetaxel combined prednisone (DP) has been used for the treatment of patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). However, its results are still inconsistent. Therefore, this study will synthesize the latest evidence of the efficacy and safety of DP for the treatment of patients with HRPC.

Methods:

Cochrane Library, PUBMED, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, CBM, and CNKI will be searched to identify randomized controlled trials published from their inception to the March 1, 2020, irrespective language and publication time restrictions. We will calculate the pooled effects of dichotomous outcomes as risk ratio and 95% confidence intervals, and that of continuous outcomes as standardized mean difference or mean difference and 95% confidence intervals. Study quality will be assessed using Cochrane risk of bias, and quality of evidence for main outcome will be evaluated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation. Statistical analysis will be performed using RevMan 5.3 software.

Results:

This study will appraise the efficacy and safety of DP for the treatment of patients with HRPC. The primary outcome includes overall survival, and the secondary outcomes comprise of progression-free survival, prostate-specific antigen response rate, duration of prostate-specific antigen response, objective tumor response rate, disease-free survival, quality of life, and adverse events.

Conclusion:

The results of this study may provide helpful evidence of DP for the treatment of patients with HRPC.

Systematic review registration: INPLASY202040112.
CT manifestations of the coronavirus disease 2019 of imported infection versus second-generation infection in patients outside the original district (Wuhan, China) of this disease
Authors: Wu Yu-ping , Cao Jin-ming , Chen Tian-wu , Li Rui , Liu Feng-jun , Zeng Yue , Zhang Xiao-ming , Mu Qi-wen , Li Hong-jun
Published: May 2020

To explore the discrepancy in computed tomography (CT) manifestations of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients outside the original district (Wuhan, China) between cases with imported infection and second-generation infection, 22 patients with COVID-19 from 2 hospitals in Nanchong, China, 938 km away from the original district (Wuhan, China) of this disease were enrolled. All patients underwent initial and follow-up CT after admission during the treatment, and were divided into 2 groups. Group A and B were composed of 15 patients with a history of exposure to the original district (Wuhan, China) in short-term (i.e., imported infection), and 7 with a close contact with the patients with confirmed COVID-19 or with the healthy individuals from the original district (i.e., second-generation infection), respectively. Initial CT features including extent score and density score between groups were statistically compared. We found that all patients in group A and 3 of 7 patients in group B had abnormal CT findings while 4 of 7 patients in group B had not. Patients with abnormal CT findings were more frequent in group A than in group B (P < .05). On initial CT, pure ground glass opacity (GGO), and GGO with consolidation and/or other abnormalities were found in 20% (3/15) and 80% (12/15) patients in group A, respectively, while 1 (14.3%), 2 (28.6%), and 4 (57.1%) had pure GGOs, GGO with focal consolidation, and normal CT appearances in Group B, respectively. Patients with extent and density scores of ≥5 were more frequent in group A than in group B (all P-values < .01). Additionally, 3 of 4 (75%) patients with normal initial CT findings had focal pure GGO lesions on follow-up. In conclusion, COVID-19 in patients with a history of exposure to the original district can be severer than with the second-generation infection on CT.
Effects of weifuchun tablet for chronic atrophic gastritis
Authors: Yang Liangjun , Hu Zhipeng , Zhu Jiajie , Fei Baoying
Published: May 2020

Background:

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is defined as an important precancerous disease in the development of gastric cancer. Early intervention of CAG is of great significance in reducing symptoms and blocking its progression to gastric cancer. Weifuchun (WFC) tablet is a classic Chinese patent medicine used to treat CAG. However, there is no systematic review related to WFC for atrophic gastritis published in English. we will conduct systematic review and meta-analysis to provide more evidence on the effectiveness and safety for clinical use of WFC.

Methods and analysis:

Three English database and 4 Chinese databases will be searched from its inception to April 2020. Two trained researchers will independently select the qualified studies for data extraction and assess the quality and risk of bias. Then the meta-analyses will be performed by using the RevMan 5.2 and stata 14.0. The heterogeneity of data will be investigated by Cochrane X2 and I

2
tests. Sensitivity analysis will be conducted to evaluate the stability of the results. A funnel plot analysis and Egger's test will be drawn to assess the publication bias. Finally, we will use the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluate system to evaluate the methodological quality.

Results:

The results of our research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Conclusion:

The conclusion of our systematic review will provide evidence to judge whether WFC is an effective intervention for patient with CAG.

OSF registration number:

10.17605/OSF.IO/2UTMB
Adjunctive rifampin therapy for diabetic foot osteomyelitis
Authors: Zhang Yanli , Wang Shengju , Liu Min , Yao Shasha , Fang Song , Cheng Haiping , Chen Qiu
Published: May 2020

Introduction:

The prevalence of diabetes continues to rise around the world. Diabetic foot is a serious complication of diabetes, and diabetic patients with diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) have a fourfold increased risk of amputation, usually indicating death. Therefore, it is particularly important to seek a more effective treatment for DFO. The treatment of DFO varies from person to person, and antimicrobial therapies vary widely. A large number of clinical studies have shown that rifampicin adjuvant therapy can reduce the rate of amputation and mortality in DFO patients. However, there is no systematic summary of clinical evidence, which limits the clinical application of rifampicin. Therefore, we attempted to provide high-quality evidence for the clinical efficacy and safety of rifampin in the adjuvant treatment of DFO through this meta-analysis.

Methods:

English literature is mainly searched in Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science, while Chinese literature is from CNKI, CBM, VIP and Wangfang databases. At the same time, we will search clinical registration tests and gray literature. Two methodologically trained researchers will read the title, abstract, and full text, and independently select qualified literature based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Binary data is expressed as relative risk, continuous data is expressed as mean difference or standard mean difference. The final data are synthesized using a fixed effect model or a random effect model, depending on the presence of heterogeneity. In the end, the patient's amputation rate and mortality were the main research indicators. Survival rate, HbA1c, serum creatinine, changes in ulcer area, and SF-36 quality of life assessment were used as secondary indicators. We will perform a sensitivity analysis to assess the stability of the results. Then the publication bias was evaluated by funnel plot analysis and Egger test. Finally, we will use a “recommendation grading, evaluation, formulation and evaluation” system to assess the quality of the evidence. All data analysis will be meta-analyzed by the statistical software RevMan software version 5.3.

Results:

This study will provide a high-quality comprehensive report on the effectiveness and safety of rifampicin in the treatment of DFO, and our findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Conclusion:

This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide a comprehensive summary and careful evaluation of rifampicin as an adjuvant treatment of DFO with a view to providing multiple options for clinical treatment of the disease.

Registration number:

is INPLASY202040084.
Effect of fire needle therapy on mild-moderate benign prostatic hyperplasia
Authors: Zhang Tao , Xun Yun-Qing , Li Bin , Wang Gui-Ling , Wang Lin-Peng , Jia Lian-Cheng , Li Wei-Guang , Liu Xue-Mei , Liu Hui-Lin , Sun Jing-Qing
Published: May 2020

Background:

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common non-cancerous disease of the prostate and leads to lower urinary tract symptoms in middle-aged and elderly males. Fire needle therapy could improve the lower urinary tract symptoms associated with mild-moderate BPH in clinical practice. The aim of the present pilot study is to assess the preliminary effects of fire needle therapy on mild-moderate BPH.

Methods:

The present study is a prospective parallel randomized controlled pilot trial. A total of 60 eligible participants will be randomly assigned to a treatment or control group at a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group will receive fire needle therapy and the control group will receive watchful waiting with lifestyle advice and education regarding BPH. Participants will receive intervention for 4 weeks, with a follow-up period of 4 additional weeks. Adverse events will be recorded to assess the safety and tolerability of fire needle therapy for mild-moderate BPH. The primary outcome will be the change in the International Prostate Symptom Score. The secondary outcomes will include the change in the mean number of nightly urinations, the maximum urinary flow rate, the average flow rate, and the prostate volume as measured by a B-mode ultrasound device. All outcome measures will be observed at baseline and at 4 and 8 weeks following the beginning of treatment.

Discussion:

The present study will provide evidence of the preliminary effects of fire needle therapy on mild-moderate BPH and indicate an optimal sample size for future studies.
Effect of CO2 laser for the management of primary otosclerosis
Authors: Zhang Yi-ying , Wang Jin-sheng , Zhang Shu-hua , Liu Gui-fang , Zheng Peng-ju
Published: May 2020

Background:

This study will explore the effect and safety of CO2 laser (COL) for the management of patients with primary otosclerosis (PO).

Methods:

The following electronic databases will be searched from inception to the present: PUBMED, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, VIP, WANGFANG, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. No language limitation will be applied. All relevant randomized controlled trials using COL to treat patients with PO will be included. Two researchers will identify studies, collect data and evaluate the risk of bias of each included study independently. Any different views between 2 researchers will be resolved by a third researcher via discussion. Data analysis will be carried out using RevMan 5.3 software.

Results:

This study will evaluate the effect and safety of COL for the treatment of PO through hearing gain, tinnitus severity, incidence of intraoperative, health-related quality of life, other morbidities, and adverse events.

Conclusion:

This study will provide evidence for the effect and safety of COL in patients with PO.

Study registration number:

INPLASY202040110.
Prognostic role of dickkopf-1 in patients with cancer
Authors: Huang Junfang , Lu Tao , Kuang Wenbing
Published: May 2020

As an antagonist for the WNT signal passway, dickkopf-1(DKK1) have a great important role in the occurence and development of various type cancer. The present paper performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the predictive significance of DKK1 in cancer.

To assess the relationship between the expression of DKK1 and prognostic role in human cancers, a total of 16 articals were screened from the multiple online databases (Pubmed, EMBASE, CNKI, Web of Science and Google Scholar) in our study. By using the STATA soft,pooled hazard ratio and 95% confidence intervals of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival, disease-free survival and time to recurrence were used to evaluate the strength of this relationship.

The meta-analysis showed that higher expression of DKK1 was significantly associated with shorter OS in cancer patients. In stratified analyzes, the higher expression of DKK1 could reduced the OS in patients with breast cancer,digestive system cancer and urogenital system cancer, but not patients with the lung cancer. It also showed that higher expression of DKK1 was significantly associated with shorter progression-free survival, disease-free survival and time to recurrence in cancer patients.

The present study indicate that higher expression of DKK1 predict an unfavorable clinical outcome in patients with breast cancer, digestive system cancer and urogenital system cancer.
Clindamycin-induced acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis
Authors: Aiempanakit Kumpol , Apinantriyo Benjawan
Published: May 2020

Rationale:

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a severe pustular cutaneous adverse drug reaction. Sterile, non-follicular pustules overlying the erythematous skin characterize this reaction.

Patient concerns:

A 30-year-old Asian women presented with sterile, non-follicular lesions with pus-fluid levels on her back 2 days after taking clindamycin. Skin biopsy revealed a spongiotic change in the epidermis with a focal subcorneal pustule and perivascular eosinophil and lymphocyte infiltration.

Diagnosis:

Clindamycin-induced AGEP.

Interventions:

We discontinued clindamycin treatment and prescribed systemic corticosteroids.

Outcomes:

The pustule stopped spreading within 1 day and the rash improved within 2 days.

Lessons:

AGEP is a pustular cutaneous adverse drug reaction that can appear with pus-fluid levels, clinically mimicking Sneddon–Wilkinson disease. The differentiation between both conditions is a history of drug use, characteristic skin lesions and histopathology.
Thyroglossal duct lipoma
Authors: Tsai Ming-Shao , Chang Geng-He , Chuang Huei-Chieh , Lin Wan-Ni , Tsai Yao-Te
Published: May 2020

Rationale:

Thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC), the most common midline neck mass, has several histological diagnoses other than cyst in the literature. We present the first case of thyroglossal duct lipoma.

Patient concerns:

A 63-year-old woman presented with a painless soft midline neck mass for more than 3 years, which enlarged in size and caused a lump sensation during swallowing.

Diagnoses:

Sonography revealed a 3.5 × 3.0 × 3.0-cm3 homogenous isoechoic oval lesion without an acoustic shadow beyond the thyroid glands. An ultrasound-guided biopsy revealed abundant sheets of fat cells with infiltration of some lymphocytes and histiocytes. Computed tomography revealed a 3.5 × 3.0 × 3.0-cm3 well-circumscribed ovoid mass with Hounsfield unit (HU) between −50 and −100 and a thyroglossal duct remnant. All these findings supported the diagnosis of thyroglossal duct lipoma.

Interventions:

The patient underwent Sistrunk operation for excision of the neck tumor, and pathological examination revealed an adipose tumor surrounded by benign thyroid tissue, confirming the diagnosis of thyroglossal duct lipoma.

Outcomes:

Neither postoperative complication nor recurrence was noted at the 18-month follow-up.

Lessons:

This is the first case of thyroglossal duct lipoma in the literature. Our study extends the disease spectrum of thyroglossal duct mass and suggests that clinicians should consider thyroglossal duct lipoma in the differential diagnosis of a midline neck mass.
Therapeutic effect of high-flow nasal cannula on severe COVID-19 patients in a makeshift intensive-care unit
Authors: Lu Xiao , Xu Shanxiang
Published: May 2020

Introduction:

Several intensive-care units (ICUs) in Wuhan are nonstandard wards that were repurposed from general wards. Considering the shortage of medical resources and the need to prevent nosocomic infection, the respiratory-treatment strategy in these nonstandard ICUs is different from those in general wards and standard ICUs. High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) plays an important role in nonstandard ICUs and is beneficial to the patients therein.

Patient concerns:

In this study, we analyzed four cases of HFNC-treated patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a makeshift ICU and summarized our experience.

Diagnoses:

Four patients diagnosed with COVID-19 according to World Health Organization (WHO) interim guidance were admitted to the makeshift ICU.

Interventions:

All patients had oxygen treatment with HFNC, as well as regular treatment of antivirals and traditional Chinese medicine.

Outcomes:

Two patients survived after treatment, while the other two died from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and heart failure, respectively.

Conclusion:

Patients with severe and critical COVID-19 often have poor prognoses after mechanical ventilation, exhibiting corresponding complications such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and deep-vein thrombosis, which significantly prolongs length of stay in the ICU. HFNC could prevent intubation in some patients, thereby avoiding the above complications; however, this needs confirmation in further clinical studies. This treatment reduced difficulty and workloads for healthcare professionals, had good tolerability for patients, might not significantly increase the risk of infection for healthcare professionals, and do not require additional preventive measures against nosocomic infection. HFNC treatment has its advantages in providing oxygen therapy in COVID-19, but healthcare professionals should still pay close attention to changes in patients’ oxygenation rates and respiratory frequency.