Journal of Investigative Medicine最新文献

Spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury (SCIRI) is a major contributor to neurological damage and mortality associated with spinal cord dysfunction. This study aims to explore the possible mechanism of Propofol and G-protein-coupled receptor-interacting protein 1 (GIT1) in regulating SCIRI in rat models. SCIRI rat models were established and injected with Propofol, over expression of GIT1 (OE-GIT1), or PI3K inhibitor (LY294002). The neurological function was assessed using Tarlov scoring system, and Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) staining was applied to observe morphology changes in spinal cord tissues. Cell apoptosis, blood-spinal cord barriers (BSCB) permeability, and inflammatory cytokines were determined by TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) staining, evans blue (EB) staining, and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot were used to detect the expression levels of GIT1, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), PI3K/AKT signal pathway and apoptosis-related proteins. SCIRI rats had decreased expressions of GIT1 and PI3K/AKT-related proteins, whose expressions can be elevated in response to Propofol treatment. LY294002 can also decrease GIT1 expression levels in SCIRI rats. Propofol can attenuate neurological dysfunction induced by SCIRI, decrease spinal cord tissue injury and BSCB permeability in addition to suppressing cell apoptosis and inflammatory cytokines, whereas further treatment by LY294002 can partially reverse the protective effect of Propofol on SCIRI. Propofol can activate PI3K/AKT signal pathway to increase GIT1 expression level, thus attenuating SCIRI in rat models.

The prevalence of depression continues to rise, and it has a high death and disability rate. Life's Essential 8 (LE8) is an updated measurement of cardiovascular health (CVH), and a higher score of LE8 represents healthier CVH. Our study aimed to investigate the association between the LE8 and depression among adults. This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. CVH was measured by using LE8 according to American Heart Association definitions. Depression was assessed by the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Weighted univariable and multivariable logistic analyses were performed to investigate the association of LE8 with depression. Subgroup analyses were also conducted in different groups based on age, gender, race, body mass index (BMI), smoking, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. A total of 22,149 participants were included in the database, with a mean LE8 score of 71.27. The prevalence of depression was 7.32%. The mean scores of LE8 in health behaviors and health factors were 73.28 and 69.26, respectively. After adjustment of potential confounders, a higher LE8 score was associated with lower odds of depression (odds ratio = 0.27, 95% confidence interval: 0.20-0.37). A similar association was observed in the subgroup analyses. Higher overall LE8 scores and higher scores for each component (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep duration, BMI, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure) were associated with lower odds of depression. LE8 score might be a useful tool for both cardiologists and psychiatrists in screening for and monitoring physical and mental health. Primary care physicians also could better tailor care and interventions to address both physical and mental health needs.

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is a well-established technique for assessing lesions near the central airway. While EBUS is typically used via the airway, the esophageal approach known as endoscopic ultrasound with bronchoscope-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA) has gained popularity for evaluating previously inaccessible lesions. This study aimed to assess the safety and diagnostic contribution of EUS-B-FNA in elderly patients. This retrospective study included elderly patients (≥65 years) who underwent EUS-B-FNA with concurrent convex probe-EBUS (C-EBUS) between June 2019 and December 2022. Inclusion criteria were age >64, having chest computed tomography (CT) or FDG-PET/CT, and undergoing C-EBUS, with the exclusion of patients with prior malignancy diagnoses and undergoing EBUS-TBNA. Among 68 patients who underwent combined EBUS and EUS-B-FNA, 31 met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 71.7 years and 74.2% were male. All EUS-B-FNA material provided adequate material for histopathological analysis. Among patients, 67.7% received a malignancy diagnosis. Samples were obtained from mass lesions (58.1%) and lymph nodes (41.9%), primarily from the subcarinal (station 7) and left paratracheal (station 4L) regions. The mean number of needle passes was 2.83, with an average procedure duration of 9.4 min. No significant complications occurred. EUS-B-FNA is a safe and effective diagnostic method in elderly patients, offering an alternative when the transbronchial approach is not feasible. This underscores the importance of bronchoscopists' training in the transesophageal approach via EBUS scope.

This article aimed at analyzing the acute impact and the longer-term recovery of COVID-19 pandemic effects on clinical encounter types, HIV viral load (VL) testing, and suppression (HIV VL < 200 copies/mL). This study was a longitudinal cohort study of participants seen during 2019-2022 at nine HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS) sites. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) estimated monthly rates of all encounters, office and telemedicine visits, and HIV VL tests using 2010-2022 data. We examined factors associated with nonsuppressed VL (VL ≥ 200 copies/mL) and not having ambulatory care visits during the pandemic using GLMM for logistic regression with 2017-2022 and 2019-2022 data, respectively. Of 2351 active participants, 76.0% were male, 57.6% aged ≥ 50 years, 40.7% non-Hispanic White, 38.2% non-Hispanic Black, 17.3% Hispanic/Latino, and 51.0% publicly insured. The monthly rates of in-person and telemedicine visits varied during 2020 through mid-year 2022. Multivariable logistic regression showed that persons with no encounters were more likely to be male or have VL ≥ 200 copies/mL. For participants with ≥1 VL test, the prevalence rate of HIV VL ≥ 200 copies/mL during 2020 was close to the rates from 2014 to 2019. The change in probability of viral suppression was not associated with participant's age, sex, race/ethnicity, or insurance type. In the HOPS, overall patient encounters declined over 2 years during the pandemic with variations in telemedicine and in-person events, with relative maintenance of viral suppression. Ongoing recovery from the impact of COVID-19 on ambulatory care will require continued efforts to improve retention and patient access to medical services.

To explore the causal relationship between obesity and hypothyroidism and identify risk factors and the predictive value of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in obese patients using Mendelian randomization, this study employed five Mendelian randomization methods (MR Egger, Weighted Median, Inverse Variance Weighted, Simple Mode, and Weighted Mode) to analyze clinical data from 308 obese patients at the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, from January 2015 to June 2023. Patients were divided based on thyroid function tests into normal (n = 173) and SCH groups (n = 56). Comparative analyses, along with univariate and multivariate logistic regression, were conducted to identify risk factors for SCH in obese patients. A significant association between obesity and hypothyroidism was established, especially highlighted by the inverse variance weighted method. SCH patients showed higher ages, thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, and thyroid autoantibody positivity rates, with lower T4 and FT4 levels. Age, FT4, thyroid autoantibodies, TPO-Ab, and Tg-Ab were confirmed as risk factors. The predictive value of FT4 levels for SCH in obesity was significant, with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.632. The study supports a potential causal link between obesity and hypothyroidism, identifying specific risk factors for SCH in obese patients. FT4 level stands out as an independent predictive factor, suggesting its utility in early diagnosis and preventive strategies for SCH.

Multiple myeloma (MM), constituting 10% of hematological malignancies, poses significant morbidity and mortality, especially with skeletal involvement. Bisphosphonate use in MM may lead to severe hypocalcemia due to vitamin D deficiency (VDD), exacerbating bone-marrow plasma cell burden. We aimed to assess VDD prevalence and its impact on outcomes in MM patients. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis (2008-2018) of nationwide inpatient data identified adult MM hospitalizations with VDD using ICD-10-CM codes. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate prevalence, demographics, and outcomes, with significance set at p < 0.05. Among 330,175 MM hospitalizations, 3.48% had VDD. VDD was more prevalent among 50-75 year olds (61.72% vs 59.74%), females (53.36% vs 44.34%), Blacks (23.34% vs 22.94%), Whites (65.84% vs 65.79%), higher income brackets (26.13% vs 23.85%), and those with comorbidities like hypertension (71.12% vs 69.89%), dyslipidemia (42.47% vs 34.98%), obesity (13.63% vs 10.19%), and alcohol abuse (1.61% vs 1.34%). In regression analysis, VDD in MM patients correlated with higher morbidity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.24, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.14-1.36) and major disability (aOR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.20-1.30). MM patients with VDD exhibit worse outcomes, underscoring the importance of recognizing and managing VDD promptly. Further prospective studies are needed to validate our findings and explore the impact of vitamin D supplementation on MM patient outcomes.

In the general population, Bronchial Asthma (BA) and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) are among the most prevalent chronic respiratory disorders. Significant epidemiologic connections and complex pathogenetic pathways link these disorders via complex interactions at genetic, epigenetic, and environmental levels. The coexistence of BA and OSA in an individual likely represents a distinct syndrome, that is, a collection of clinical manifestations attributable to several mechanisms and pathobiological signatures. To avoid terminological confusion, this association has been named alternative overlap syndrome (vs overlap syndrome represented by the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-OSA association). This comprehensive review summarizes the complex, often bidirectional links between the constituents of the alternative overlap syndrome. Cross-sectional, population, or clinic-based studies are unlikely to elucidate causality or directionality in these relationships. Even longitudinal epidemiological evaluations in BA cohorts developing over time OSA, or OSA cohorts developing BA during follow-up cannot exclude time factors or causal influence of other known or unknown mediators. As such, a lot of pathophysiological interactions described here have suggestive evidence, biological plausibility, potential or actual directionality. By showcasing existing evidence and current knowledge gaps, the hope is that deliberate, focused, and collaborative efforts in the near-future will be geared toward opportunities to shine light on the unknowns and accelerate discovery in this field of health, clinical care, education, research, and scholarly endeavors.