bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adding marrow R2∗ to proton density fat fraction improves the discrimination of osteopenia and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women assessed with 3D FACT sequence
Authors: Li Guanwu , Xu Zheng , Li Xuefeng , Zuo Xiaoyong , Chang Shixin , Wu Dongmei , Dai Yongming 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Objective:
To evaluate the role of three-dimensional Fat Analysis & Calculation Technique sequence in improving the diagnostic accuracy for the detection of osteopenia and osteoporosis by simultaneous quantification of proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and fat-corrected R2∗.

Methods:
Fat Analysis & Calculation Technique imaging of lumbar spine was obtained in 99 postmenopausal women including 52 normal bone mass, 29 osteopenia, and 18 osteoporosis. The diagnostic performance of PDFF and R2∗ in the differentiation of different bone-density groups was evaluated with the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Results:
The reproducibility of PDFF and R2∗ measures was satisfactory with the root mean square coefficient of variation, 2.16% and 2.70%, respectively. The intra- and interobserver agreements for the PDFF and R2∗ were excellent with the intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.9 for all. There were significant differences in PDFF and R2∗ among the three groups (P < 0.05). Bone density had a moderate inverse correlation with PDFF (r  = −0.659) but a positive association with R2∗ (r = 0.508, P < 0.001). Adjusted for age, years since menopause and body mass index, odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for osteopenia and osteoporosis per standard deviation higher marrow PDFF and R2∗ were 2.9 (1.4-5.8) and 0.4 (0.2-0.8), respectively. The areas under the curve were 0.821 for PDFF, 0.784 for R2∗, and 0.922 for both combined for the detection of osteoporosis (P < 0.05). Similar results were obtained in distinguishing osteopenia from healthy controls.

Conclusions:
Simultaneous estimation of marrow R2∗ and PDFF improves the discrimination of osteopenia and osteoporosis in comparison with the PDFF or R2∗ alone.
Risk of de novo severe carpal tunnel syndrome after bilateral oophorectomy: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Starlinger Julia , Schrier Verena J.M.M. , Smith Carin Y. , Song Joanne , Stewart Elizabeth A. , Gazzuola Rocca Liliana , Amadio Peter C. , Rocca Walter A. 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Objective:
The incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is higher in women, and peaks around the age of menopause. Therefore, we investigated whether bilateral oophorectomy is associated with an increased risk of severe CTS.

Methods:
We included all of the 1,653 premenopausal women who underwent bilateral oophorectomy for a nonmalignant indication between 1988 and 2007, and a random sample of 1,653 age-matched referent women who did not undergo bilateral oophorectomy in Olmsted County, MN. Diagnoses of CTS assigned to women over their entire lifetime were identified in these two cohorts. The risk of de novo severe CTS after bilateral oophorectomy (or index date) was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for potential confounders.

Results:
Bilateral oophorectomy was associated with an increased risk of severe CTS (adjusted hazard ratio 1.65, 95% confidence interval 1.20-2.25). The risk was suggestively greater in women with lower body mass index, nulliparity, and with a benign ovarian indication for oophorectomy (nonsignificant interactions). We did not observe a protective effect of estrogen therapy after the oophorectomy. The findings were similar in secondary analyses considering the incidence of CTS of any severity or idiopathic CTS.

Conclusions:
The risk of severe CTS, common in perimenopausal women, is increased after bilateral oophorectomy. The association may be causal or due to confounding. Therefore, the precise biological mechanisms explaining the association and the absence of a mitigating effect of estrogen therapy should be further investigated.
Diagnostic value of serum human epididymis protein 4 and cancer antigen 125 in the patients with ovarian carcinoma
Authors: Dai Hai-Ying , Hu Fang , Ding Yuan 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Background:
Ovarian carcinoma (OC) is considered among the most prevalent triggers of cancer-related deaths in women. Many studies have demonstrated that human epididymis protein 4 (HE-4) as well as cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) are over-expressed in various malignant tumors, such as lung, liver, endometrial, gastric, breast, as well as ovarian cancers. Nonetheless, the overall diagnostic value of serum HE-4, in addition to CA-125 n patients experiencing OC, is still largely undetermined. Therefore, the current study intends to investigate the general diagnostic significance of HE-4 along with CA-125 in patients with OC.

Methods:
We aim to systematically search retrospective or prospective study for potential eligible studies from electronic databases, such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, as well as Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure. We will relevant articles evaluating the general diagnostic significance of HE-4 and CA-125 in patients with OC from these databases. We will define our search in English and Chinese. Likewise, we will use 2 independent authors to extract the required data, using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool to evaluate he procedural quality of all included literature. We will use the appropriate statistical method to complete data analyses.

Results:
The present study aims to investigate the general diagnostic significance of HE-4 and CA-125 in patients suffering from OC.

Conclusion:
The present study will systematically summarise current evidence of HE-4 in combination with CA-125 in relation to diagnosing OC.

Ethics and dissemination:
Ethical approval will not be required.

Protocol registration number:
DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/YQPC7 (https://osf.io/yqpc7/).
Effectiveness and safety profiling of zolpidem and acupressure in CKD associated pruritus
Authors: Rehman Inayat Ur , Ahmed Raheel , Rahman Aziz Ur , Wu David Bin Chia , Munib Syed , Shah Yasar , Khan Nisar Ahmad , Rehman Ateeq Ur , Lee Learn Han , Chan Kok Gan , Khan Tahir Mehmood 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBackground:Chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated pruritus (CKD-aP) contributes to poor quality of life, including reduced sleep quality and poor sleep quality is a source of patient stress and is linked to lower health-related quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of zolpidem 10 mg and acupressure therapy on foot acupoints to improve the sleep quality and overall quality of life among hemodialysis patients suffering from CKD-aP.Method:A multicenter, prospective, randomized, parallel-design, open label interventional study to estimate the effectiveness of zolpidem (10 mg) oral tablets versus acupressure on sleep quality and quality of life in patients with CKD-aP on hemodialysis. A total of 58 hemodialysis patients having sleep disturbance due to CKD-aP completed the entire 8-week follow-up. The patients were divided into a control (acupressure) group of 28 patients and an intervention (zolpidem) group of 30 patients.Results:A total of 58 patients having CKD-aP and sleep disturbance were recruited. In the control group there was a reduction in the PSQI score with a mean ± SD from 12.28 ± 3.59 to 9.25 ± 3.99, while in the intervention group the reduction in PSQI score with a mean ± SD was from 14.73 ± 4.14 to 10.03 ± 4.04 from baseline to endpoint. However, the EQ5D index score and EQ-visual analogue scale (VAS) at baseline for the control group with a mean ± SD was 0.49 ± 0.30 and 50.17 ± 8.65, respectively, while for the intervention group the values were 0.62 ± 0.26 and 47.17 ± 5.82, respectively. The mean EQ5D index score in the control group improved from 0.49 ± 0.30 to 0.53 ± 0.30, but in the intervention group there was no statistical improvement in mean EQ5D index score from 0.62 ± 0.26 to 0.62 ± 0.27 from baseline to week 8. The EQ 5D improved in both groups and the EQ-VAS score was 2.67 points higher at week 8 as compared to baseline in the control group, while in the intervention group the score was 3.33 points higher at week 8 as compared to baseline. Comparing with baseline, the PSQI scores were significantly reduced after week 4 and week 8 (P =  < .001). Furthermore, at the end of the study, the PSQI scores were significantly higher in the control as compared to the intervention group (P = .012).Conclusion:An improvement in sleep quality and quality of life among CKD-aP patients on hemodialysis has been observed in both the control and intervention groups. Zolpidem and acupressure safety profiling showed no severe adverse effect other that drowsiness, nausea and daytime sleeping already reported in literature of zolpidem.
External treatment of traditional Chinese medicine for radiation enteritis
Authors: Luo Hui , Chen Yanling , Zhang Yian , Wang Yufei , Deng Hualan , Yao Dejiao 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Background:
Radiation enteritis (RE) is a common complication that often occurs after radiotherapy for abdominal and pelvic malignancies. RE could influence patients’ quality of life seriously and it is difficult to cure by conventional treatments. A lot of studies have revealed that the external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for RE is a safe and economical approach, but there is no relevant systematic review. The present study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare TCM external treatment and conventional treatment for RE to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of RE.

Methods:
Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan-Fang database, VIP Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) were searched. The time of publication was limited from inception to April, 2021. Two reviewers independently searched for the selected articles and extract the data. The RevMan V.5.3 statistical software (Cochrane Collaboration) and Stata V.16.0 software were used to conduct the meta-analysis.

Results:
We will show the results of this study in a peer-reviewed journal.

Conclusion:
This meta-analysis will provide reliable evidence for external treatment of TCM in the treatment of RE.

INPLASY registration number:
INPLASY202140120
Identification of prognostic genes and construction of a novel gene signature in the skin melanoma based on the tumor microenvironment
Authors: Yingjuan Wang , Li Zhang , Wei Cao , Xiaoyuan Wang 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Skin melanoma remains a highly prevalent and yet deadly form of cancer, with the exact degree of melanoma-associated mortality being strongly dependent upon the local tumor microenvironment. The exact composition of stromal and immune cells within this microenvironmental region has the potential to profoundly impact melanoma progression and prognosis. As such, the present study was designed with the goal of clarifying the predictive relevance of stromal and immune cell-related genes in melanoma patients through comprehensive bioinformatics analyses. We therefore analyzed melanoma sample gene expression within The Cancer Genome Atlas database and employed the ESTIMATE algorithm as a means of calculating both stromal and immune scores that were in turn used for identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Subsequently, univariate analyses were used to detect DEGs associated with melanoma patient survival, and through additional functional enrichment analyses, we determined that these survival-related DEGs are largely related to inflammatory and immune responses. A prognostic signature comprised of 10 genes (IL15, CCL8, CLIC2, SAMD9L, TLR2, HLA.DQB1, IGHV1–18, RARRES3, GBP4, APOBEC3G) was generated. This 10-gene signature effectively separated melanoma patients into low- and high-risk groups based upon their survival. These low- and high-risk groups also exhibited distinct immune statuses and differing degrees of immune cell infiltration. In conclusion, our results offer novel insights into a number of microenvironment-associated genes that impact survival outcomes in melanoma patients, potentially highlighting these genes as viable therapeutic targets.
Efficacy and safety of Lianhuaqingwen for mild or moderate coronavirus disease 2019
Authors: Fan Zheng , Guo Guiming , Che Xiaoping , Yang Ying , Liu Yang , Li Luyang , Chang Xinyu , Han Lijuan , Cai Xiaorong , Tang Huilin 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Background
: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging and rapidly evolving disease, with no recommended effective anti-coronavirus treatments. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been widely used to treat COVID-19 in China, and the most used one is Lianhuaqingwen (LH). This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of LH combined with usual treatment vs usual treatment alone in treating mild or moderate COVID-19 by a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods and analysis
: We systematically searched the Medline (OVID), Embase, the Cochrane Library, and 4 Chinese databases from inception to July 2020 to include the RCTs that evaluated the efficacy and safety of LH in combination with usual treatment vs usual treatment for mild or moderate COVID-19. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for binary outcomes and mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes.

Results
: A total of 5 RCTs with 824 individuals with mild or moderate COVID 19 were included. Compared with the usual treatment alone, LH in combination with usual treatment significantly improved the overall clinical efficacy (RR = 2.39, 95% CI 1.61–3.55), increased the rate of recovery of chest computed tomographic manifestations (RR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.08–3.01), reduced the rate of conversion to severe cases (RR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.29–0.74), shorten the duration of fever (MD = −1.00, 95% CI −1.17 to −0.84). Moreover, LH in combination with usual treatment did not increase the occurrence of the adverse event compared to usual treatment alone.

Conclusion
: Our meta-analysis of RCTs indicated that LH in combination with usual treatment may improve the clinical efficacy in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 without increasing adverse events. However, given the limitations and poor quality of included trials in this study, further large-sample RCTs or high-quality real-world studies are needed to confirm our conclusions.
Exercise training in patients with corrected tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Gong Ya-Qin , Liu Xiao-Yan , Zhi Ping , Wei Li-Na , Guo Fang-Fei , Qian Jin-Zhi , Wang Yun-Xia , Dong He-Li 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Background:
The arrival of transcatheter mitral valve therapies has provided feasible and safe alternatives to medical and surgical treatments for mitral regurgitation. The aim of this study is to estimate the relative efficacy and safety of exercise training in patients with corrected tetralogy of Fallot through meta-analysis.

Methods
: A systematic search will be performed using PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, WanFang Data, and VIP to include random controlled trials or nonrandom controlled trials comparing the efficacy and safety of exercise training in corrected tetralogy of Fallot patients. The risk of bias for the included nonrandom controlled studies will be evaluated according to Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions. We will use the Cochrane Collaboration's tool (version 2 of the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized trials) to assess risk of bias of included random controlled trials. Revman 5.4 and STATA 15.0 will be used to complete the meta-analysis and generate forest plots. Grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation will be used to assess the quality of evidence.

Results
: The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

Conclusion
: This study will provide broad evidence of efficacy and safety of exercise training in patients with corrected tetralogy of Fallot and provide suggestions for clinical practice and future research.

Protocol registration number:
INPLASY202150006.
Associations of patient-centered medical home with quality of care, patient experience, and health expenditures
Authors: Xie Zhigang , Yadav Sandhya , Larson Samantha A. , Mainous Arch G. , Hong Young-Rock 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
In efforts to improve the delivery of quality primary care, patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model has been promoted. However, evidence on its association with health outcomes has been mixed. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of PCMH model on quality of care, patient experience, health expenditures.
This was a cross-sectional study of the 2015–2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey-Medical Organization Survey linked data, including 5748 patient-provider pairs. We examined twenty-four quality of care measures (18 high-value and 6 low-value care services), health service utilization, patient experience (patient-provider communication, satisfaction), and health expenditure.
Of 5748 patients, representing a weighted population of 56.2 million American adults aged 18 years and older, 44.2% were cared for by PCMH certified providers. 9.3% of those with PCMHs had at least one inpatient stay in the past year, which was comparable to the 11.4% among those with non-PCMHs. Similarly, 17.4% of respondents cared for by PCMH and 18.5% cared for by non-PCMH had at least one ED visit. Overall, we found no significant differences in quality of care measures (neither high-nor low-value of care) between the two groups. The overall satisfaction, the experience of access to care, and communication with providers were also comparable. Patients who were cared for by PCMHs had less total health expenditure (difference $217) and out-of-pocket spending (difference $91) than those cared for by non-PCMHs; however, none of these differences reached the statistical significance (adjusted P > 0.05 for all).
This study found no meaningful difference in quality of care, patient experience, health care utilization, or health care expenditures between respondents cared for by PCMH and non-PCMH. Our findings suggest that the PCMH model is not superior in the quality of care delivered to non-PCMH providers.
Renal function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients on long-term treatment with edaravone
Authors: Kakimoto Asako , Ishizaki Masatoshi , Ueyama Hidetsugu , Maeda Yasushi , Ueda Mitsuharu 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Edaravone, a free radical-scavenger, was approved in Japan for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the effect of the drug on renal function in ALS patients remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate renal function in ALS patients on long-term treatment with edaravone by measuring the serum estimated glomerular filtration rate based on cystatin C (eGFR-CysC).
In a retrospective study, the data of ALS patients who were treated with over 10 cycles of intravenous edaravone treatment and were evaluated by eGFR-CysC before and after 10 cycles of treatment between July 2015 and June 2018 were analyzed. Then, the results were compared with those of a control ALS group that had never been treated with edaravone.
There were 11 patients with ALS who received over 10 cycles of intravenous edaravone treatment. The mean interval between the first and final eGFR-CysC measurements was 18.7 ± 7.9 months. Three patients (27.3%) had >20 mL/min/1.73 m2 decrease in serum eGFR-CysC. However, no patients discontinued edaravone treatment because of renal dysfunction. The average variation rate of eGFR-CysC was not different between the long-term edaravone group (0.29 ± 1.07) and the control group (–0.34 ± 0.40).
This retrospective, single-center analysis showed no clinical exacerbation of renal function in ALS patients who received long-term treatment with edaravone.
Seven-day triple therapy is sufficient to eradicate infection caused by Helicobacter pylori without 23S rRNA point mutation
Authors: Lee Jung Wook , Kim Su Jin , Choi Cheol Woong , Kim Hyeong Jin , Kang Dae Hwan , Kim Hyung Wook , Park Su Bum , Nam Hyeong Seok , Ryu Dae Gon 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Tailored therapy based on dual priming oligonucleotide-based polymerase chain reaction (DPO-PCR) can be considered an alternative to overcome the low eradication rate in high clarithromycin-resistance areas. The triple therapy (TT) duration of the tailored approach in most studies was 7 days for patients without point mutation. However, recent western guidelines have recommended a treatment duration of 14 days. The aim of this study was to compare the success rate of 7 and 14 days of TT for eradicating Helicobacter pylori without point mutation, as determined by DPO-PCR.
Between Feb 2016 and Feb 2019, medical records of patients who underwent DPO-PCR were reviewed. Patients without point mutation as determined by DPO-PCR were enrolled in this study. The eradication success rate and adverse events were evaluated.
A total of 366 patients without A2142G and A2143G point mutation were enrolled. The success rates of 7-day and 14-day TT were 88.4% (168/190) and 85.9% (151/176) by intention to treat analysis (P = .453) and 90.8% (168/185) and 90.4% (151/167) by per-protocol analysis (P = .900), respectively. The adverse event rates showed no significant difference between the 2 groups.
In patients without point mutation based on DPO-PCR results, 7-day TT is as effective as 14-day TT. Therefore, 7 days may be considered as a cost-effective treatment duration in Korea.
The impact of recent chemotherapy on immunity in 2 COVID-19 cases with gastrointestinal tumors
Authors: Ju Zhaoqing , Yang Jun , Lu Gang , Li Jian , Wu Yun , Wu Xiaofeng , Huang Yanjie , Ai Yi , Xiang Dongfeng , Zeng Bo , Yang Zuwang , Gong Nianqiao 
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Introduction:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly emerging infectious respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Currently, more than 100 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with over 2.4 million mortalities. The pandemic affects people of all ages but older individuals and those with severe chronic illnesses, including cancer patients, are at higher risk.

Patient concerns:
The impact of cancer treatment on the progression of COVID-19 is unclear. Therefore, we assessed the effects of chemotherapy on COVID-19 outcomes for 2 cancer patients. On January 24, 2020, a level I response to a major public health emergency was initiated in Hubei Province, China, which includes Enshi Autonomous Prefecture that has a population of 4.026 million people. As of April 30, 2020, 252 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 asymptomatic carriers were identified in Enshi.

Diagnosis:
Among the confirmed cases and asymptomatic carriers, 2 patients were identified who were previously diagnosed with malignant tumors, including one with hepatocellular carcinoma and the other with cardia carcinoma.

Interventions:
These 2 patients were receiving or just completed chemotherapy at the time of their COVID-19 diagnosis.

Outcomes:
Both patients were followed and presented favorable outcomes. The positive outcomes for these 2 patients could be partially explained by their recent chemotherapy that impacted their immune status. Also, their relatively younger ages and lack of comorbidities were likely factors in their successful recovery from COVID-19.

Conclusions:
Anticancer treatment might enhance a patient's ability to respond favorably to COVID-19 infection. However, anticancer treatment is likely to impact immune function differently in different individuals, which can influence disease outcomes.