Hepatitis B and C virus infection as risk factors for liver cirrhosis and cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma: a case-control study

To investigate whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are risk factors for liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a case-control study of 102 cirrhotic HCC patients, 102 sex-matched and age-matched patients with liver cirrhosis, and 102 matched patients with non-hepatic disease controls was performed. The prevalences of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) in HCC (70.5%, 39.2%) and liver cirrhosis (74.5%, 27.4%) were higher than controls (16.6%, 10.5%) (P = 0.0001). In HBsAg-negative patients, the prevalence of anti-HCV in cirrhotic HCC (66.6%) and liver cirrhosis (46.1%) was higher than in controls (10.5%; P = 0.0001). There was no such difference in HBsAg-positive patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that both HBsAg and anti-HCV were important risk factors for HCC (odds ratio, 6.52 and 4.59, respectively) and liver cirrhosis (odds ratio, 4.22 and 2.29, respectively). There was no difference in odds ratio when HCC and liver cirrhosis were compared. Our result implies that both HBV and HCV are independent risk factors for cirrhotic HCC and liver cirrhosis in Taiwan.     

Detection of prostate cancer--experience of seven years in KMUH and review of literature

Prostate cancer has become the 7th most common malignancy in Taiwan in 2000. To our knowledge, many diagnostic tests have been developed, including digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), prostate specific antigen (PSA), PSA density (PSAD), PSA velocity, age-specific PSA, and free-to-total PSA, but none of them has been proven to be definitely effective in deciding which person is to receive prostate biopsy. Viewpoints vary with clinician and area. A total of 300 patients over 7-year time period received DRE, TRUS, PSA, and PSAD tests and then had prostate biopsy in Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital. We collect our results and review the literature to find the cost-effectiveness of the tests to prevent unnecessary biopsy and delay in diagnosis. Fifty-two patients (19%) with PSA > 4 ng/ml had prostate cancer. Only 10.5% of patients with prostate cancer had abnormal TRUS lesions, and 20% with prostate cancer showed abnormal DRE results. Because of DRE is non-invasive and inexpensive, we commend the annual use of DRE combined with PSA check in males of 50 years and above to screen for prostate cancer, despite the poor sensitivity of DRE. Therefore, in cases where there is either PSA > 4 ng/ml or abnormal DRE results, it is suggested that patients receive prostate biopsy. There is still no definite conclusion in other diagnostic tests including TRUS.     

Delayed presentation of bile duct injuries after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Bile duct injury is a serious complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with 50% of bile duct injuries showing a delayed presentation. We experienced four patients (one male and three female) with bile duct injuries after laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed and referred by a local practitioner. The patients' ages ranged from 34 to 63 years. Symptoms included abdominal pain, anorexia, jaundice, ascites, ileus, fever, and tarry stool. Ductal injuries were a result of electrocautery burn in two patients and biliary strictures were due to malapplication of endoclips in the remaining two. The observed bile duct injuries, confirmed by ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) scanning, and cholangiographic studies, were successfully treated by choledochotomy with a silastic T-tube stent. To avoid bile duct injuries, laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be performed by a well trained and experienced hepatobiliary surgeon, who should ensure accurate identification of the anatomical structures of Calot's triangle, careful dissection and management of intraoperative bleeding, and a lower threshold for conversion to open surgery.     

Usefulness of mammoscintigraphy with thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography to differentiate palpable breast masses of young Taiwanese women when comparing with mammography

Sixty young Taiwanese women with palpable breast masses detected by mammography and/or physical examinations underwent mammoscintigraphy with thallium-201 (Tl-201) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to assess its value for differentiating breast masses. The results showed that 42 of the 45 cases of breast carcinoma were detected by Tl-201 SPECT mammoscintigraphy. Fourteen of the 15 of benign breast lesions were differentiated by Tl-201 SPECT mammoscintigraphy. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of Tl-201 SPECT mammoscintigraphy were 93%, 93%, 98%, 82%, and 93%, respectively. Thirty-eight of the 45 cases of breast carcinoma were detected by mammography. Twelve of the 15 of benign breast lesions were differentiated by mammography. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of mammography were 84%, 80%, 93%, 63%, and 83%, respectively. We concluded that Tl-201 SPECT mammoscintigraphy significantly improves the accuracy when comparing with mammography for the differentiating breast cancer in Taiwanese women.     

Apolipoproteins and carotid artery atherosclerosis in an elderly multiethnic population: the Northern Manhattan stroke study

There is accumulating evidence for a role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in insulin resistance induced by obesity. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the TNF alpha/G-308A polymorphism was associated with responses to oral glucose and fat tolerance tests in a case--control study comparing male offspring with a paternal history of premature myocardial infarction (cases, n=335) to age-matched controls (n=340) recruited from 14 European university populations. Genotype frequencies did not significantly differ between cases and controls. Among cases, those carrying the A allele exhibited a higher area under the curve for insulin (64.5 vs 55.9 mU h/l, P=0.009), a higher increment between baseline concentration and peak of insulin (63.1 vs 52.8 mU/l, P=0.005) and a greater decrease between peak and insulin at 120 min (49.1 vs 36.8 mU/l, P=0.003) than those with the GG genotype. No such effect was observed in control subjects. No association was observed with response to a fat tolerance test either in cases or in controls. The present results suggest that the TNF alpha/G-308A polymorphism might interact with other susceptibility factors to coronary heart disease to predispose to insulin resistance, and that the ability of TNF-alpha to induce insulin resistance may extend beyond obesity.     

Current status of pertussis vaccination during pregnancy and influencing factors in Korea

Objectiveto investigate pertussis vaccination rates during pregnancy and the routine recommendation rates by maternity healthcare professionals (HCPs), including influencing factors, in Korea.Materials and methodsTwo different questionnaires were developed and conducted anonymously for pregnant or postpartum women and maternity HCPs in 30 multi-centers. Maternal pertussis vaccination rates and maternity HCPs’ recommendation rates were analyzed. Independent influencing factors were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis, respectively.ResultsThe rate of pertussis vaccination during pregnancy among 466 women was 67%. Among 164 multiparous women, 35.5% received pertussis vaccinations during every pregnancy. However, 27.9% among all pregnant women did not receive information about pertussis and vaccination. The independent influencing factors for maternal pertussis vaccination, given as the tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap), were “getting informed” (OR 18.597, 95% CI 11.206–30.861), “informed by OBGYN doctors” (OR 4.426, 95% CI 2.144–9.267), and “metropolitan residence” (OR 3.048, 95% CI 1.419–6.548). Among a total of 373 maternity HCPs, 210 (56.3%) routinely recommended pertussis vaccination, but 21.7% of the total maternity HCP participants did not know the maternal Tdap guideline. The independent factors affecting routine recommendation were the awareness of guideline (OR 9.771, 95% CI 5.227–18.265, p < 0.001) and personal pertussis vaccination within 10 years (OR 3.108, 95% CI 2.377–10.329, p < 0.001). The barriers for routine recommendation were the lack of informational materials (29%), time (25%), and knowledge (23%).ConclusionTo increase pertussis vaccination coverage in pregnant women, more education for maternity HCPs, increase the personal pertussis vaccination rates of HCPs, and informational materials, are needed.     

Resolution of Diabetes After Pancreaticoduodenectomy in Patients with and without Pancreatic Ductal Cell Adenocarcinoma

Background

New-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with pancreatic ductal cell adenocarcinoma (PDCA) and can resolve after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Whether DM also resolves after PD in patients operated for disease other than PDCA remains to be determined.

Methods

We compared glycemic status before and after PD between patients with and without PDCA by review of a prospectively maintained database including all patients receiving PD from 2005 to 2011. New-onset DM was defined as diagnosis of DM less than 24 months before PD, and cases with DM diagnosis ≥24 months preceding PD were described as long-standing DM.

Results

Of 458 patients receiving PD, there were 146 (31.9 %) PDCA and 312 (68.1 %) non-PDCA, including 160 benign diseases, 113 ampulla cancer, 29 distal common bile duct cancer, and 10 duodenal cancer. Overall prevalence of DM was higher in PDCA group than non-PDCA group (37.7 vs. 25.6 %; P = 0.011). Resolution of new-onset DM after PD was observed in 9 (41 %) of 22 patients with PDCA and in 12 (63 %) of 19 patients without PDCA. Resolution of long-standing DM after PD was also observed in 3 (9.1 %) of 33 patients with PDCA and in 6 (9.8 %) of 61 patients without PDCA.

Conclusions

DM resolved after PD in some patients both with and without PDCA. These findings suggest that PD-associated anatomic change may play a role in resolution of DM after PD.