Abstract: Objective [WTBZ]To evaluate the longterm effects of preoperative glucocorticoid treatment on postoperative complications and survival rates for patients receiving cardiac surgery. Methods [WTBZ] We selected 57 patients including 22 males and 35 females at an average age of 52.3±11.2 years in the First Hospital of China Medical University who took steroids for a long time because of various combined diseases from September 2002 to August 2009 in the trial group, and we chose another 171 patients including 62 males and 109 females at an average age of 53.6±9.2 years who were hospitalized at the same time and had comparative basic features in the control group. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in age, gender, and organ function. Different kinds of surgeries including coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valvuloplasty or valve replacement, coronary artery bypass grafting combined with heart valve replacement, and congenital heart disease surgery were performed on the patients. The proportion of surgeries carried out was similar in the two groups. Postoperative complications were compared between the two groups, and survival rates at the end of 6 months and one year followup were observed. Results [WTBZ]There was no statistical difference between the two groups in complications with respect to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (t=1.27, Pgt;0.05), reoperation for excessive postoperative bleeding (χ2=0.03, P=0.87), sternal and mediastinal infection (χ2=0.04, P=0.84), stroke (χ2=0.07, P=0.79), and gastrointestinal tract complications (χ2=2.89, P=0.09). The incidence of ventricular arrhythmia and requirement for intraaortic balloon pump in the trial group was higher, but no statistical difference was detected (χ2=2.24, P=0.13; χ2=2.20, P=0.14, respectively). Patients in the trial group were more likely to require prolonged ventilation (t=2.32, Plt;0.05), had higher rate of atrial fibrillation (χ2=4.09, P=0.04), and higher inhospital mortality (χ2=5.35, P=0.02). The sixmonth and oneyear survival rates were 0.79±0.10 and 0.73±0.12, respectively for the trial group, 0.94±0.09 and 0.86±0.10, respectively for the control group. Conclusion Longterm steroid treatment leads to higher atrial fibrillation incidence, longer ventilation time and increases the mortality rate following cardiac surgery.
Network meta-analyses (NMA) of survival data often rely on the proportional hazards (PH) assumption, however, this assumption fails when survival curves intersect. With the emergence of innovative therapies such as immunotherapy, the importance of NMA based on non-proportional hazards (non-PH) in the current evidence-based medicine evaluation of oncology drugs has become increasingly prominent. Fractional polynomial (FP) models do not rely on the assumption of PH, which can flexibly capture the characteristics of survival curves, and the corresponding fitting effects are better than those of the PH models. This study introduced a complete workflow in R for NMA using FP models with non-PH.
ObjectiveTo investigate the prognostic factors for inflammatory breast cancer based on the data from West China Hospital with a relatively large sample. MethodsClinical data of 41 patients with histopathologically confirmed inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) who received treatment at West China Hospital Oncology Center of Sichuan University between January 2009 and December 2014 were collected and analyzed. Log-rank test and Cox regression model were used for statistical analysis. ResultsIn the study, negative estrogen receptor, negative progestrone receptor and positive human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 were identified in 58.5%, 61.0% and 34.2% of the inflammatory breast cancer tissues, respectively. Progress free survival (PFS) were between 2 and 60 months, with a median of 35 months. Univariate analysis showed that Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage (P=0.016) and therapeutic effect (P=0.002) influenced the survival. Multivariate analysis showed that TNM stage (P=0.006), therapeutic effect (P=0.002), and anthracycline-taxane based chemotherapy (P=0.041) were the significant prognostic factors. ConclusionTNM stage is the major prognostic factor for IBC. Preoperative chemotherapy with paclitaxel-epirubicin combination can improve the PFS of IBC. Comprehensive treatment mode with operation is recommended for the treatment of IBC.
Survival data include the occurrence and duration of an event. As most survival data are distributed irregularly, the Kaplan-Meier method is often used in survival analysis; however, studies usually only report the Kaplan-Meier curve and median survival time and do not provide the original survival data, which creates issues for subsequent secondary research. This study introduced a systematic method whereby image processing software and R software were used to process and extract survival data from published Kaplan-Meier curves. It also introduced the specific steps required to obtain survival data using an example to show the accuracy and feasibility of the extraction method and provided references for the effective secondary use of survival data.
To evaluate the present status of treatment of chronic pancreatitis, 116 consecutive patients with chronic pancreatitis during the last decade (1986～1996) have been surveyed retrospectively. The clinical date has been analized statisticaly. Etiology: biliogenic 56 cases (48.3%), alcoholic 17 (14.6%), idiopathic 34 (29.3%) and other 9 cases (7.8%). Better result was achieved in surgical treatment group (81 cases) than in conservative group (35 cases), pain free: 65.5% vs 33.3%. The accumulated five-year survival rate was 56.3%, 92.2% and 78.1% in alcoholic, billiogenic and idiopathic type of chronic pancreatitis respectively. Morbidity and mortality of diarrhea and diabetes mellitus increased at followup. The authors conclude that the chronic pancreatitis patients associated with obstruction of biliopancreatic duct should undergo operation early and will ameliorate abdominal pain.
Objective To explore the prognostic value of preoperative pulmonary ventilation function for postoperative survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) . Methods 146 NSCLC patients who underwent cured lung surgical resection between January 1, 2003 and December 31,2008 in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital were recruited in the study. Pulmonary ventilation function was obtained preoperatively for each patient, including vital capacity ( VC) , forced vital capacity ( FVC) , forcedexpiratory volume in 1 second ( FEV1 ) , FEV1 /FVC, and peak expiratory flow ( PEF) . The effects of the above lung function variables on postoperative survival were evaluated by both univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess the survival probabilities betweendifferent groups.Results The median survival time after surgery was 31. 0 months ( 95% CI 22. 55-39. 45) . VC% pred, FVC% pred and FEV1% pred showed significant associations with the risk of mortality in the NSCLC patients after surgery ( hazard ratios 0. 979-0. 981, P lt; 0. 05) . The survival time after surgery was significantly shorter in the patients with VC ≤ 80% predicted compared to those with VC gt; 80% predicted ( median survival time: 31. 0 months vs. 34. 0 months) . The same difference could be found between the patients with FVC≤80% predicted and those with FVC gt; 80% predicted ( median survival time: 27. 0 months vs. 43. 0 months) . There was also significant difference in median survival between the patients with FEV1 ≤80% predicted and those with FEV1 gt; 80% predicted ( median survival time: 17. 0 months vs. 44. 0 months) . Conclusion Preoperative pulmonary ventilation function parameters may be used to informclinical decisions and indicate the prognosis of NSCLC patients after surgery.
ObjectiveTo establish a predictive model for survival and study it’s clinical value by reviewing the information of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. MethodsMedical record of 196 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma were analyzed retrospectively. Seventeen possible clinicopathologic factors were selected. Cox model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis. Prognostic index (PI) was calculated based on the results of multivariate analysis. Patients with different PI were divided into three different risk level groups in order to compare the survival rate. Individual expected survival rate was calculated based on the median PI. Log cumulative hazards function plot was used to test Cox model proportional hazards assumption (PH assumption). ResultsThe significant prognostic factors influencing the survival rate were surgical procedure, surgical margin, and preoperative total bilirubin level (Plt;0.05). The predictive formula was PI=0.815×preoperative total bilirubin level+0.580×surgical margin－0.713×surgical procedure. According to the value of PI, all patients were divided into 3 groups, low risk group (PI≤－0.642), middle risk group (－0.642lt;PIlt;1.364), high risk group (PI≥1.364), and survival rate declined between groups and in groups with statistically significant difference (Plt;0.05). ConclusionThis model for survival can predict the prognosis of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma individually and help to conduct individual clinical therapy.
Objective To evaluate the influence of histopathological invasion on the survival prognosis of patients with unilateral retinoblastoma. Methods Seventyseven patients with unilateral retinoblastoma who were treated by primary enucleation were followed up after treatment. The patients were followed up for a median period of 49 months (range from 1 week to 89 months). The survival data were collected by follow-up appointment, telephone or letter. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative survival rate and curve comparison was done with the log-rank test including the degree of the optic nerve invasion, choroidal invasion, choroidal invasion with or without optic nerve invasion, as well as the anterior segment involvement or not. Results The two years survival rate was 88.31%. The survival rate of the group with tumor involvement in the cut end of optic nerve was 16.67%, and significantly lower than other groups with optic nerve involvement (chi;2=19.51, 18.42, 18.42, 14.39; P=0.000 0).The survival rate of the group with massive choroidal invasion and scleral involvement was 60.00% and significantly lower than the group without choroidal involvement (chi;2=7.69，P=0.005 5). The survival rate of the group with optic nerve involvement and massive choroidal invasion was 75.00%, and the survival rate of the group with optic nerve involvement and scleral or orbital invasion was 60.00%. The survival rate of those two groups were significantly lower respectively than the group only with optic nerve invasion（chi;2=4.25, P=0.039 3;chi;2=7.59, P=0.005 9）.There was no significant difference of survival rate between groups with or without anterior segments involvement (chi;2=0.05，P=0.823 5).Conclusions The risk factors for RB death include the surgical marginal involvement of optic nerve, massive choroidal invasion combined with optic nerve and scleral involvement. The anterior segment involvement has no effect on prognosis of patients with unilateral retinoblastoma.
Objective The survival data of patients with colon cancer who were treated by laparoscopic-assisted surgery and open surgery three years after operation were analyzed and contrasted, which provided data to support the future treatment. Methods The 217 patients who were cured by laparoscopic-assisted surgery and 193 patients who were cured by open surgery were followed up, and the rates of local recurrence, metastasis, implantative, and survival were contrasted and analyzed. Results Three years after laparoscopic-assisted surgery and open surgery, the disease-free survival rate was 86.2% （187/217） and 85.5% （165/193）, respectively, and the overall survival rate was 91.2% （198/217） and 92.7% （179/193）, respectively, the difference between the two groups was not statistic significance（P＞0.05）. The differences of the rates of local recurrence, metastasis, and implantative between the two groups were not statistic significance（P＞0.05）. Conclusions Laparoscopic-assisted surgery is similar with open surgery in the rates of local recurrence, forward metastasis, and overall survival. So laparoscopic-assisted surgery is a safe and radical curative surgery.
Objective To analyze the clinical features and survival of lung cancer with pleural effusions. Methods A total of 982 consecutive patients with a newly diagnosed lung cancer from January 2008 to December 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. To analyze the clinical features and survival differences, the total patients were divided into the following two groups: with (n=204) or without (n=778) pleural effusions. Results Lung cancer comprised 682 (69.5%) males and 300 (30.5%) females, with an average age of 59.74 years (19–93 years). There were 487(49.6%) squamous carcinoma, 254 (25.9%) adenocarcinoma and 166 (16.9%) small cell lung cancer; 113 (11.5%) lung cancer at early stage (Ⅰ–Ⅱ), 247 (25.2%) cases at stage Ⅲ and 567 (57.7%) at stage Ⅳ. The median survival time of all patients was 12 months. Patients with pleural effusions had a worse prognosis compared to patients without (median survival time: 11 vs.12 months, P=0.003), the median survival time could be reduced by 1 month in males (P=0.004), 3 months in elder patients over 60 years (P<0.001), 4 to 8 months in carcinoma and small cell lung cancer (P≤0.001), and 2 to 3 months in advanced lung cancer (stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ) (P<0.05). Any or combined treatment of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy was associated with an improved overall survival of about 2 months (P=0.009), and targeted therapy could even improve the median survival time by 1 to 8 months (P=0.002). Conclusions About 20.8% of the patients developed pleural effusion at the same time during the course of lung cancer. Pleural effusion is a poor prognostic factor of lung cancer.