Singapore medical journal最新文献

Abstract: Meniscus root tears are increasingly being studied due to their importance in meniscus function. Meniscus root tears can increase the joint contact pressure significantly, similar to a total meniscectomy. This may cause rapid progression of joint degeneration and produce inferior clinical outcome. Historically, they were treated with partial meniscectomy, which did not change the natural history. New repair techniques such as transtibial pull-out repair and suture anchor repair have improved the clinical outcome. This review article summarises the anatomy of the meniscus, the pathology of meniscus root tears and different repair techniques with their clinical outcomes.

Introduction: Knowledge of femoral and tibial morphology is important for patient-specific surgery in both joint reconstruction and preservation procedures. Studies evaluating morphological variance in femoral and tibial alignments in Asian populations are scarce. This is the first descriptive study evaluating the femoral and tibial phenotypes of varus alignment in a Southeast Asian population.

Methods: Long-leg coronal standing radiographs of 2021 limbs were obtained, and the hip-knee-ankle angle, mechanical lateral distal femoral angle, medial proximal tibial angle and joint line convergence angle were measured. Joint line obliquity was calculated, and the knees were classified according to the Coronal Plane Alignment of Knee (CPAK) classification. Descriptive analyses on alignment parameters and demographic data (age, gender, ethnicity and body mass index [BMI]) were performed and entered into a linear regression model.

Results: The highest frequency of limb alignment in the population was found to be CPAK type I (52.71%, n = 1003). Tibial varus was the largest contributor of varus malignment. Of the varus knees (n = 1247), varus deformity was found solely in the tibia (68.60%), solely in the femur (2.07%) and was contributed by both the femur and the tibia (4.97%). In the linear regression model, BMI was found to be a strong determinant for femoral varus (P = 0.004) and joint line incongruence (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The findings of this study will be important to surgeons during planning for joint preservation procedures (such as corrective osteotomies) and joint arthroplasties to restore alignment.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate a technique of using photoplethysmography (PPG) for detecting elevated blood glucose in individuals.

Method: This is a prospective, cross-sectional study in which 500 healthy volunteers were recruited at a tertiary hospital in Singapore from October 2021 to February 2023. Capillary glucose was measured concurrently with PPG signals acquired using the wrist-worn Actxa Tracker (Spark + Series 2) and the In-Ear Prototype model SVT, which were worn for a duration of 8 min. Participants with a capillary blood test reading ≤11.1 mmol/dL had to consume a standard glucose tolerance drink and return 1 h later for a second capillary blood test. Two hundred and forty-four features were subsequently extracted from the PPG signals.

Results: Of the 500 volunteers, 17 were excluded because of incomplete records. This led to a total of 483 participants' records being included in the final analysis. For predicting elevated capillary blood glucose level, demographics alone achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.75. When wearable features derived from PPG were combined with demographics, AUC improved significantly to 0.82 (P = 0.0001).

Conclusion: This study shows that a non-invasive method of assessing diabetes mellitus risk using PPG combined with demographics is a viable option to provide a cheaper and more accessible modality for population-wide diabetes mellitus risk assessment.

Introduction: Cancer rates for Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 3 lesions are low. We aimed to determine the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters that can provide risk stratification for PI-RADS 3 transition zone (TZ) lesions to guide decision for biopsy, which can improve the cost-effectiveness of resource utilisation.

Methods: The MRI scans of all patients who underwent MRI-ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy from 1 May 2016 to 31 December 2022 were retrospectively assessed by two board-certified abdominal radiologists. The following data were collected and analysed serum prostate-specific antigen, Prostatic Health Index (PHI), prostate volume, histological results, lesion size, location, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) parameter scores and overall PI-RADS score.

Results: Two hundred and fourteen TZ lesions were included. Among 131 PI-RADS 3 lesions, those with marked restricted diffusion (DWI score ≥4), diameter ≥1 cm, prostrate-specific antigen density (PSAD) ≥0.11 and PHI ≥34 were more likely to contain clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa; P = 0.04, 0.02, 0.049 and 0.05, respectively), with areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.9, 0.76, 0.84 and 0.80, respectively. Apical lesions were more likely to contain csPCa compared to midgland or basal lesions (P = 0.01).

Conclusion: Clinical parameters (PSAD and PHI) and MRI features (lesion size, DWI score, lesion location) can be used to risk stratify PI-RADS 3 TZ lesions and guide decision for targeted biopsy.

Introduction: Maintaining adequate preload during kidney transplantation (KT) is important for graft function. We evaluated whether a high or low normal target for a dynamic preload index of stroke volume variation (SVV) would impact graft function during living donor KT.

Methods: We compared haemodynamic management algorithms using two different targets of SVV: SVV6% group (n = 30) versus SVV12% group (n = 30). Crystalloids were administered to achieve SVV less than the assigned target. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) level at the end of surgery was compared. We also compared the incidence of delayed graft function (DGF), daily serum creatinine level and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) until 2 weeks postoperatively.

Results: The total amount of crystalloids administered was significantly different between the SVV6% and SVV12% groups (median [interquartile range] 2,250 [1,700-3,600] vs. 1,350 [1,050-1,900], P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in NGAL level at the end of the operation between the SVV6% and SVV12% groups (395 [234-560] vs. 518 [346-654], P = 0.115). The incidence of DGF was not significantly different, and there was no significant difference in the postoperative serum creatinine levels or GFR between the groups.

Conclusions: Our randomised trial demonstrated that an SVV target of either 6% or 12% could be adequate as a preload management target for postoperative graft function during living donor KT. However, given the low incidence of DGF in living donor KT and type II error, our study should be interpreted carefully and further studies for deceased donor KT are required.

Introduction: Platypnoea-orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) is an uncommon clinical entity characterised by dyspnoea and platypnoea (oxygen desaturation that follows the assumption of an upright position from recumbency). Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, increasing reports of COVID-19-related POS and its associated morbidity have been reported around the world. We aimed to study the characteristics of COVID-19-related POS and orthodeoxia (including associations leading to a more prolonged orthodeoxia), and the postdischarge functional outcomes of patients with COVID-19-related POS.

Methods: An observational cohort study was conducted in a tertiary hospital that managed post-COVID-19 patients. Twenty-four participants with severe-to-critical COVID-19 disease/pneumonia and POS, who received inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation, were enrolled. Descriptive analysis of the data was performed to describe POS/orthodeoxia characteristics and functional outcomes in these participants. Correlation analyses were carried out to identify significant factors associated with a prolonged orthodeoxia.

Results: The mean duration of POS and orthodeoxia was 12.9 ± 8.3 days and 28.5 ± 14.6 days, respectively. All participants demonstrated resolution of POS and orthodeoxia by hospital discharge. On multivariable analysis, intensive care unit admission and maximal level of respiratory support were significantly associated with a prolonged duration of orthodeoxia. One participant was lost to follow-up. The remaining 23 participants achieved independence in self-care. With the exception of one patient, who was recovering from a hip fracture, the rest achieved independence in ambulation and independent community access.

Conclusion: Resolution of orthodeoxia was observed in all our participants with COVID-19-related POS. Good functional outcome can be attained with timely and effective rehabilitation interventions.

Introduction: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) can be difficult to diagnose. Elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) adenosine deaminase (ADA) is often seen in TBM, but its reliability has been questioned. A previous meta-analysis in 2017 had demonstrated the diagnostic utility of CSF ADA in TBM versus non-TBM. We sought to update this meta-analysis with more recent studies, to determine whether CSF ADA could be used to aid in the early recognition of TBM.

Methods: Electronic searches were performed in PubMed and Scopus on studies published from 2016 to 2022. Ten additional studies were identified and added to 20 studies (from 2000 to 2016) from a previous meta-analysis. Meta-analysis was conducted using the random effects method, estimating the pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for elevated CSF ADA in the diagnosis of TBM.

Results: Of the 30 studies included, 16/30 (53.3%) used the Giusti method for measuring ADA. Fourteen (46.7%) studies used an ADA cut-off of 10 IU/L, and 11 (36.7%) studies used an even lower cut-off. The pooled DOR for elevated CSF ADA in the diagnosis of TBM was 45.40 (95% confidence interval [CI] 31.96-64.47, I2 = 44%). When only studies using the Giusti method were considered, DOR was 44.21 (95% CI 28.37-68.91, I2 = 40%). Among the studies that used a cut-off of 10 IU/L, DOR was 58.09 (95% CI 33.76-99.94, I2 = 41%).

Conclusion: Studies remain heterogeneous but demonstrate that CSF ADA can differentiate TBM from non-TBM. In line with most studies, CSF ADA >10 IU/L supports the diagnosis of TBM in a patient with compatible symptoms and high-risk epidemiology.