Sample records for adverse prognostic indicator

  1. Prognostic indicators for dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy.

    PubMed

    Borgarelli, Michele; Santilli, Roberto A; Chiavegato, David; D'Agnolo, Gino; Zanatta, Renato; Mannelli, Alessandro; Tarducci, Alberto

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of various clinical, ECG, echocardiographic, and Doppler echocardiographic variables in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy. The relationship to survival of 11 variables was evaluated in 63 dogs. Studied variables were age at time of diagnosis, class of heart failure (HF), dyspnea, ascites, atrial fibrillation (AF), ejection fraction (EF), E-point septal separation, end-diastolic volume index, end-systolic volume index (ESV-I), and restrictive or nonrestrictive transmitral flow (TMF) pattern. Median survival time was 671 days (lower 95% confidence limit, 350 days). Survival curves showed that severity of HF, ascites, ESV-I greater than 140 mL/m2, EF less than 25%, and restrictive TMF pattern had a significant negative relation to survival time. Thirty-nine dogs with both sinus rhythm and AF presented adequate TMF recordings; in these dogs, after stratification by TMF pattern, the restrictive TMF pattern was the most important negative prognostic indicator. We conclude that in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy the restrictive TMF pattern appears to represent a useful prognostic indicator. Class of HF, ascites, ESV-I, and EF are also useful indexes if an adequate TMF pattern is not recorded.

  2. Antihistamines and other prognostic factors for adverse outcome in hyperemesis gravidarum

    PubMed Central

    Fejzo, Marlena S.; Magtira, Aromalyn; Schoenberg, Frederic Paik; MacGibbon, Kimber; Mullin, Patrick; Romero, Roberto; Tabsh, Khalil

    2014-01-01

    Objective The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of adverse perinatal outcome in women with hyperemesis gravidarum and identify prognostic factors. Study design This is a case-control study in which outcomes of first pregnancies were compared between 254 women with hyperemesis gravidarum treated with intravenous fluids and 308 controls. Prognostic factors were identified by comparing the clinical profile of patients with hyperemesis gravidarum with a normal and an adverse pregnancy outcome. Binary responses were analyzed using either a Chi-square or Fisher exact test and continuous responses were analyzed using a t-test. Results Women with hyperemesis gravidarum have over a 4-fold increased risk of poor outcome including preterm birth and lower birth weight (p < 0.0001). Among maternal characteristics, only gestational hypertension had an influence on outcome (p < 0.0001). Treatment as an outpatient and/or by alternative medicine (acupuncture/acupressure/Bowen massage) was associated with a positive outcome (p < 0.0089). Poor outcomes were associated with early start of symptoms (p < 0.019), and treatment with methylprednisolone (p < 0.0217), promethazine (p < 0.0386), and other antihistamines [diphenhy- dramine (Benadryl), dimenhydrinate (Gravol), doxylamine (Unisom), hydroxyzine (Vistaril/Atarax), doxylamine and pyridoxine (Diclectin/Bendectin)] (p < 0.0151) independent of effectiveness. Among these medications, only the other antihistamines were prescribed independent of severity: they were effective in less than 20% of cases and were taken by almost 50% of patients with an adverse outcome. Conclusion Poor outcomes are significantly greater in women with HG and are associated with gestational hypertension, early symptoms, and antihistamine use. Given these results, there is an urgent need to address the safety and effectiveness of medications containing antihistamines in women with severe nausea of pregnancy. PMID:23751910

  3. Clinical implications of six inflammatory biomarkers as prognostic indicators in Ewing sarcoma

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yong-Jiang; Yang, Xi; Zhang, Wen-Biao; Yi, Cheng; Wang, Feng; Li, Ping

    2017-01-01

    Cancer-related systemic inflammation responses have been correlated with cancer development and progression. The prognostic significance of several inflammatory indicators, including neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR), Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CRP/Alb ratio), lymphocyte–monocyte ratio (LMR), and neutrophil–platelet score (NPS), were found to be correlated with prognosis in several cancers. However, the prognostic role of these inflammatory biomarkers in Ewing sarcoma has not been evaluated. This study enrolled 122 Ewing patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was generated to determine optimal cutoff values; areas under the curves (AUCs) were assessed to show the discriminatory ability of the biomarkers; Kaplan–Meier analysis was conducted to plot the survival curves; and Cox multivariate survival analysis was performed to identify independent prognostic factors. The optimal cutoff values of CRP/Alb ratio, NLR, PLR, and LMR were 0.225, 2.38, 131, and 4.41, respectively. CRP/Alb ratio had a significantly larger AUC than NLR, PLR, LMR, and NPS. Higher levels of CRP/Alb ratio (hazard ratio [HR] 2.41, P=0.005), GPS (HR 2.27, P=0.006), NLR (HR 2.07, P=0.013), and PLR (HR 1.85, P=0.032) were significantly correlated with poor prognosis. As the biomarkers had internal correlations, only the CRP/Alb ratio was involved in the multivariate Cox analysis and remained an independent prognostic indicator. The study demonstrated that CRP/Alb ratio, GPS, and NLR were effective prognostic indicators for patients with Ewing sarcoma, and the CRP/Alb ratio was the most robust prognostic indicator with a discriminatory ability superior to that of the other indicators; however, PLR, LMR, and NPS may not be suitable as prognostic indicators in Ewing sarcoma. PMID:29033609

  4. CD47 is an adverse prognostic factor and a therapeutic target in gastric cancer

    PubMed Central

    Yoshida, Kazumichi; Tsujimoto, Hironori; Matsumura, Kouji; Kinoshita, Manabu; Takahata, Risa; Matsumoto, Yusuke; Hiraki, Shuichi; Ono, Satoshi; Seki, Shuhji; Yamamoto, Junji; Hase, Kazuo

    2015-01-01

    CD47 is an antiphagocytic molecule that acts via ligation to signal regulatory protein alpha on phagocytes; its enhanced expression and therapeutic targeting have recently been reported for several malignancies. However, CD47 expression in gastric cancer is not well documented. Immunohistochemical expression of CD47 in surgical specimens was investigated. Expression of CD47 and CD44, a known gastric cancer stem cell marker, were investigated in gastric cancer cell lines by flow cytometry. MKN45 and MKN74 gastric cancer cells were sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting according to CD44 and CD47 expression levels, and their in vitro proliferation, spheroid-forming capacity, and in vivo tumorigenicity were studied. In vitro phagocytosis of cancer cells by human macrophages in the presence of a CD47 blocking monoclonal antibody (B6H12) and the survival of immunodeficient mice intraperitoneally engrafted with MKN45 cells and B6H12 were compared to experiments using control antibodies. Immunohistochemistry of the clinical specimens indicated that CD47 was positive in 57 out of 115 cases, and its positivity was an independent adverse prognostic factor. Approximately 90% of the MKN45 and MKN74 cells expressed CD47 and CD44. CD47hi gastric cancer cells showed significantly higher proliferation and spheroid colony formation than CD47lo, and CD44hiCD47hi cells showed the highest proliferation in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. B6H12 significantly enhanced in vitro phagocytosis of cancer cells by human macrophages and prolonged the survival of intraperitoneal cancer dissemination in mice compared to control antibodies. In conclusion, CD47 is an adverse prognostic factor and promising therapeutic target in gastric cancer. PMID:26077800

  5. Homoarginine—A prognostic indicator in adolescents and adults with complex congenital heart disease?

    PubMed Central

    Mueller, Marieke; Meinitzer, Andreas; Maerz, Winfried; Dschietzig, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Background Homoarginine (hArg) has been shown to be of prognostic value in patients with chronic left heart failure. The present study aims to assess the clinical utility and prognostic value of hArg levels in patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods Plasma hArg levels were measured in 143 patients with complex CHD and compared to clinical status, echocardiographic and laboratory parameters as well as the occurrence of adverse cardiac events. Results Median hArg levels were 1.5 μmol/l in CHD patients as compared to 1.70 μmol/l in healthy controls (p = 0.051). Median hArg levels were lowest in patients with Fontan palliation (1.27 μmol/l) and Eisenmenger physiology (0.99 μmol/l) and decreased with the severity of adverse cardiac events with lowest values found in patients prior to death or overt heart failure (0.89 μmol/l). According to ROC analysis, the most important predictors of adverse cardiac events were hArg levels (AUC 0.837, p<0.001, CI 0.726–0.947), NYHA class (AUC 0.800, p<0.001, CI 0.672–0.928) and NT-proBNP levels (AUC 0.780, p<0.001, CI 0.669–0.891). The occurrence of overt heart failure or death due to progressive heart failure were best predicted by NYHA class (AUC 0.945, p<0.001, CI 0.898–0.992), hArg levels (AUC 0.911, p<0.001, CI 0.850–0.971) and NT-proBNP levels (AUC 0.877, p<0.001, CI 0.791–0.962), respectively. Conclusion In patients with complex CHD, hArg levels can predict adverse cardiac events as reliably as or even better than NT-proBNP levels and thus might be of prognostic value in this subset of patients. PMID:28886170

  6. New prognostic model for extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma, nasal type.

    PubMed

    Cai, Qingqing; Luo, Xiaolin; Zhang, Guanrong; Huang, Huiqiang; Huang, Hui; Lin, Tongyu; Jiang, Wenqi; Xia, Zhongjun; Young, Ken H

    2014-09-01

    Extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTL) is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis, requiring risk stratification in affected patients. We designed a new prognostic model specifically for ENKTL to identify high-risk patients who need more aggressive therapy. We retrospectively reviewed 158 patients who were newly diagnosed with ENKTL. The estimated 5-year overall survival rate was 39.4 %. Independent prognostic factors included total protein (TP) <60 g/L, fasting blood glucose (FBG) >100 mg/dL, and Korean Prognostic Index (KPI) score ≥2. We constructed a new prognostic model by combining these prognostic factors: group 1 (64 cases (41.0 %)), no adverse factors; group 2 (58 cases (37.2 %)), one adverse factor; and group 3 (34 cases (21.8 %)), two or three adverse factors. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of these groups were 66.7, 23.0, and 5.9 %, respectively (p < 0.001). Our new prognostic model had a better prognostic value than did the KPI model alone (p < 0.001). Our proposed prognostic model for ENKTL, including the newly identified prognostic indicators, TP and FBG, demonstrated a balanced distribution of patients into different risk groups with better prognostic discrimination compared with the KPI model alone.

  7. Prognostic Indicators: Predicting Degree of Change from Interventions for Adolescents at Risk for Language Weakness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Poll, Gerard H.; Burke, Lisa; Miller, Carol A.; Fiene, Judy

    2017-01-01

    Prognostic statements are a standard component of assessments for adolescents at risk for language-learning disabilities, but there is limited evidence on the validity of prognostic indicators. In two studies, we collected measures of language ability and candidate prognostic indicators from adolescents age 12 to 13. We conducted an expository…

  8. Prognostic indicators of poor short-term outcome of physiotherapy intervention in women with stress urinary incontinence.

    PubMed

    Hendriks, Erik J M; Kessels, Alfons G H; de Vet, Henrica C W; Bernards, Arnold T M; de Bie, Rob A

    2010-03-01

    To identify prognostic indicators independently associated with poor outcome of physiotherapy intervention in women with primary or recurrent stress urinary incontinence (stress UI). A prospective cohort study was performed in physiotherapy practices in primary care to identify prognostic indicators 12 weeks after initiation of physiotherapy intervention. Patients were referred by general practitioners or urogynecologists. Risk factors for stress UI were examined as potential prognostic indicators of poor outcome. The primary outcomes were defined as poor outcome on the binary Leakage Severity scale (LS scale) and the binary global perceived effectiveness (GPE) score. Two hundred sixty-seven women, with a mean age of 47.7 (SD = 8.3), with stress UI for at least 6 months were included. At 12 weeks, 43% and 59% of the women were considered recovered on the binary LS scale and the binary GPE score, respectively. Prognostic indicators associated with poor outcome included 11 indicators based on the binary LS scale and 8 based on the binary GPE score. The prognostic indicators shared by both models show that poor recovery was associated with women with severe stress UI, POP-Q stage > II, poor outcome of physiotherapy intervention for a previous UI episode, prolonged second stage of labor, BMI > 30, high psychological distress, and poor physical health. This study provides robust evidence of clinically meaningful prognostic indicators of poor short-term outcome. These findings need to be confirmed by replication studies. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  9. Prognostic accuracy of cerebroplacental ratio and middle cerebral artery Doppler for adverse perinatal outcome: systematic review and meta‐analysis

    PubMed Central

    De Boer, M. A.; Heymans, M. W.; Schoonmade, L. J.; Bossuyt, P. M. M.; Mol, B. W. J.; De Groot, C. J. M.; Bax, C. J.

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objective Doppler ultrasonographic assessment of the cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) is widely used as an adjunct to umbilical artery (UA) Doppler to identify fetuses at risk of adverse perinatal outcome. However, reported estimates of its accuracy vary considerably. The aim of this study was to review systematically the prognostic accuracies of CPR and MCA Doppler in predicting adverse perinatal outcome, and to compare these with UA Doppler, in order to identify whether CPR and MCA Doppler evaluation are of added value to UA Doppler. Methods PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched, from inception to June 2016, for studies on the prognostic accuracy of UA Doppler compared with CPR and/or MCA Doppler in the prediction of adverse perinatal outcome in women with a singleton pregnancy of any risk profile. Risk of bias and concerns about applicability were assessed using the QUADAS‐2 (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies‐2) tool. Meta‐analysis was performed for multiple adverse perinatal outcomes. Using hierarchal summary receiver–operating characteristics meta‐regression models, the prognostic accuracy of CPR vs MCA Doppler was compared indirectly, and CPR and MCA Doppler vs UA Doppler compared directly. Results The search identified 4693 articles, of which 128 studies (involving 47 748 women) were included. Risk of bias or suboptimal reporting was detected in 120/128 studies (94%) and substantial heterogeneity was found, which limited subgroup analyses for fetal growth and gestational age. A large variation was observed in reported sensitivities and specificities, and in thresholds used. CPR outperformed UA Doppler in the prediction of composite adverse outcome (as defined in the included studies) (P < 0.001) and emergency delivery for fetal distress (P = 0.003), but was comparable to UA Doppler for the other outcomes. MCA Doppler performed significantly worse

  10. The modified glasgow prognostic score is an independent prognostic indicator in neoadjuvantly treated adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction

    PubMed Central

    Jomrich, Gerd; Hollenstein, Marlene; John, Maximilian; Baierl, Andreas; Paireder, Matthias; Kristo, Ivan; Ilhan-Mutlu, Aysegül; Asari, Reza; Preusser, Matthias; Schoppmann, Sebastian F.

    2018-01-01

    The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) combines the indicators of decreased plasma albumin and elevated CRP. In a number of malignancies, elevated mGPS is associated with poor survival. Aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic role of mGPS in patients with neoadjuvantly treated adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction 256 patients from a prospective database undergoing surgical resection after neoadjuvant treatment between 2003 and 2014 were evaluated. mGPS was scored as 0, 1, or 2 based on CRP (>1.0 mg/dl) and albumin (<35 g/L) from blood samples taken prior (preNT-mGPS) and after (postNT-mGPS) neoadjuvant therapy. Scores were correlated with clinicopathological patients’ characteristics. From 155 Patients, sufficient data was available. Median follow-up was 63.8 months (33.3–89.5 months). In univariate analysis, Cox proportional hazard model shows significant shorter patients OS (p = 0.04) and DFS (p = 0.02) for increased postNT-mGPS, preNT-hypoalbuminemia (OS: p = 0.003; DFS: p = 0.002) and post-NT-CRP (OS: p = 0.03; DFS: p = 0.04). Elevated postNT-mGPS and preNT-hypoalbuminemia remained significant prognostic factors in multivariate analysis for OS (p = 0.02; p = 0.005,) and DFS (p = 0.02, p = 0.004) with tumor differentiation and tumor staging as significant covariates. PostNT-mGPS and preNT-hypoalbuminemia are independent prognostic indicators in patients with neoadjuvantly treated adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction and significantly associated with diminished OS and DFS. PMID:29467943

  11. Radiation Therapy Overcomes Adverse Prognostic Role of Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression on Reed-Sternberg Cells in Early Hodgkin Lymphoma

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mestre, Francisco; Gutiérrez, Antonio, E-mail: antoniom.gutierrez@ssib.es; Rodriguez, Jose

    Purpose: To analyze the role of radiation therapy (RT) on the adverse prognostic influence of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression on Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells, in the setting of early Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treated with ABVD (adriamycin, vinblastine, bleomycin, dacarbazine). Methods and Materials: In the present study we retrospectively investigated the prognostic value of COX-2 expression in a large (n=143), uniformly treated early HL population from the Spanish Network of HL using tissue microarrays. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done, including the most recognized clinical variables and the potential role of administration of adjuvant RT. Results: Median age was 31 years; the expression of COX-2more » defined a subgroup with significantly worse prognosis. Considering COX-2{sup +} patients, those who received RT had significantly better 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) (80% vs 54% if no RT; P=.008). In contrast, COX-2{sup −} patients only had a modest, nonsignificant benefit from RT in terms of 5-year PFS (90% vs 79%; P=.13). When we compared the outcome of patients receiving RT considering the expression of COX-2 on RS cells, we found a nonsignificant 10% difference in terms of PFS between COX-2{sup +} and COX-2{sup −} patients (P=.09), whereas the difference between the 2 groups was important (25%) in patients not receiving RT (P=.04). Conclusions: Cyclooxygenase-2 RS cell expression is an adverse independent prognostic factor in early HL. Radiation therapy overcomes the worse prognosis associated with COX-2 expression on RS cells, acting in a chemotherapy-independent way. Cyclooxygenase-2 RS cell expression may be useful for determining patient candidates with early HL to receive consolidation with RT.« less

  12. Prognostic significance of interventricular septal thickness in patients with AL amyloidosis.

    PubMed

    Cho, Hyunsoo; Kim, Soo-Jeong; Shim, Chi Young; Hong, Geu-Ru; Ha, Jong-Won; Kim, Yu Ri; Yang, Woo Ick; Chung, Haerim; Jang, Ji Eun; Cheong, June-Won; Min, Yoo Hong; Kim, Jin Seok

    2017-09-01

    The major prognostic determinant of immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis is cardiac involvement. However, the role of interventricular septal thickness (IVST), which reflects the extent of cardiac involvement, remains unclear. Therefore, we analyzed 77 patients with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis and evaluated the prognostic role of IVST. Fifty patients (64.9%) had cardiac involvement and 17 patients (22.1%) showed IVST >15mm. Among all patients, the revised Mayo Clinic Stage III-IV and IVST >15mm were independently associated with inferior overall survival (OS) in a multivariable analysis. IVST >15mm was also adversely prognostic for OS in a subgroup of advanced-stage (revised Mayo Clinic stage III-IV) patients in a multivariable analysis (P<0.001). Furthermore, advanced-stage patients with IVST >15mm did not show survival benefit from treatment with bortezomib-based regimens and/or autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT). Our study demonstrated that IVST >15mm is adversely prognostic independent of the revised Mayo Clinic staging system in patients with AL amyloidosis. In addition, the degree of IVST might be used as a useful prognostic indicator that can guide the management of patients with AL amyloidosis especially at an advanced stage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. HOXB2, an adverse prognostic indicator for stage I lung adenocarcinomas, promotes invasion by transcriptional regulation of metastasis-related genes in HOP-62 non-small cell lung cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Inamura, Kentaro; Togashi, Yuki; Ninomiya, Hironori; Shimoji, Takashi; Noda, Tetsuo; Ishikawa, Yuichi

    2008-01-01

    Previously, using microarray and real-time RT-PCR analysis, we established that HOXB2 is an adverse prognostic indicator for Stage I lung adenocarcinomas. HOXB2 is one of the homeobox master development-controlling genes regulating morphogenesis and cell differentiation. The molecular functions of HOXB2 were analyzed with a small interfering RNA (siRNA) approach in HOP-62 human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells featuring high HOXB2 expression. Matrigel invasion assays and microarray gene expression analysis were compared between the HOXB2-siRNA cells and the control cells. The Matrigel invasion assays showed attenuation of HOXB2 expression by siRNA to result in a significant decrease of invasiveness compared to the control cells (p = 0.0013, paired t-test). On microarray gene expression analysis, up-regulation of many metastasis-related genes and others correlating with HOXB2 expression was observed in the control case. With attenuation of HOXB2 expression, downregulation was noted for laminins alpha 4 and 5, involved in enriched signaling, and for Mac-2BP (Mac-2 binding protein) and integrin beta 4 amongst the genes having an enriched glycoprotein ontology. HOXB2 promotes invasion of lung cancer cells through the regulation of metastasis-related genes.

  14. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is effective prognostic indicator for post-amputation patients with critical limb ischemia

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Qi; Liu, Han; Sun, Siqiao; Cheng, Zhihua; Zhang, Yang; Sun, Xiwei; Wang, Zhongying; Wang, Shuai

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: To confirm whether neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are indicators for the prognosis of post-amputation patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). Methods: In this retrospective observational study a total 270 post-amputation patients with CLI were included between January 2010 and December 2014 in the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China. The neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were recorded before amputations. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was calculated and NLR ≥8.08 was defined as elevated. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to test the prognostic value. Results: According to the statistical analysis, it was indicated that NLR ≥8.08 (odds ratio [OR] 26.228, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.801-118.583, p<0.001), PLR ≥237.14 (OR: 3.464, 95% CI: 1.289-9.308, p=0.014) and coronary heart disease (OR: 2.739, 95% CI: 1.060-7.082, p=0.038) were the independent prognostic indicators for the patients. Conclusion: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, PLR, and coronary heart disease are independent prognostic indicators for post-amputation patients with CLI. PMID:28042626

  15. Assessment of corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase as a prognostic indicator in canine lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Wiedemann, A L; Charney, S C; Barger, A M; Schaeffer, D J; Kitchell, B E

    2005-04-01

    To examine the incidence of elevated corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase (sALP) in dogs with lymphoma and to determine if sALP is a reliable prognostic indicator in canine lymphoma. The medical records of 62 canine lymphoma patients treated with a combination chemotherapy protocol from 1994 to 2003 at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital were examined. Variables assessed with respect to response rate and remission duration included age, bodyweight, sex, breed, World Health Organization stage (I to V), substage (a or b), pretreatment administration of corticosteroid, and serum levels of alkaline phosphatase, sALP and alanine aminotransferase. sALP was not statistically significant with respect to response rate or duration of remission, nor was preinduction glucocorticoid administration. Stage was significant with respect to achieving remission. It was found that sALP is not a useful prognostic indicator for response rate and remission duration in dogs with lymphoma.

  16. Maximum Diameter and Number of Tumors as a New Prognostic Indicator of Colorectal Liver Metastases.

    PubMed

    Yoshimoto, Toshiaki; Morine, Yuji; Imura, Satoru; Ikemoto, Tetsuya; Iwahashi, Syuichi; Saito, Y U; Yamada, Sinichiro; Ishikawa, Daichi; Teraoku, Hiroki; Yoshikawa, Masato; Higashijima, Jun; Takasu, Chie; Shimada, Mitsuo

    2017-01-01

    Surgical resection is currently considered the only potentially curative option as a treatment strategy of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). However, the criteria for selection of resectable CRLM are not clear. The aim of this study was to confirm a new prognostic indicator of CRLM after hepatic resection. One hundred thirty nine patients who underwent initial surgical resection from 1994 to 2015 were investigated retrospectively. Prognostic factors of overall survival including the product of maximum diameter and number of metastases (MDN) were analyzed. Primary tumor differentiation, vessel invasion, lymph node (LN) metastasis, non-optimally resectable metastases, H score, grade of liver metastases, resection with non-curative intent and MDN were found to be prognostic factors of overall survival (OS). In multivariate analyses of clinicopathological features associated with OS, MDN and non-curative intent were independent prognostic factors. Patients with MDN ≥30 had shown significantly poorer prognosis than patients with MDN <30 in OS and relapse-free survival (RFS). MDN ≥30 is an independent prognostic factor of survival in patients with CRLM and optimal surgical criterion of hepatectomy for CRLM. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  17. Fasting blood glucose is a novel prognostic indicator for extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type

    PubMed Central

    Cai, Q; Luo, X; Liang, Y; Rao, H; Fang, X; Jiang, W; Lin, T; Lin, T; Huang, H

    2013-01-01

    Background: Extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTL) is an aggressive disease with poor prognosis, requiring risk stratification. However, the prognosis of ENKTL is not fully defined and needs supplementation. We hypothesised that fasting blood glucose (FBG) may be a new prognostic factor for ENKTL. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 130 patients newly diagnosed with ENKTL. Results: Both univariate analysis and multivariate analysis revealed that FBG >100 mg dl−1 was associated with a poor outcome. Patients with FBG >100 mg dl−1 at diagnosis had more adverse clinical features, achieved lower complete remission rates (P=0.003) and had worse overall survival (P<0.001) and progression-free survival (P<0.001) compared with low-FBG patients. Measurement of FBG was helpful in differentiating between low-risk patients using the International Prognostic Index (IPI) and Prognosis Index for peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PIT) scoring and patients in a different category using the Korean Prognostic Index (KPI) scores with different survival outcomes (P<0.05). Conclusion: Our data suggest that measuring FBG levels at diagnosis is a novel, independent predictor of prognosis in ENKTL and helps to distinguish low-risk patients with poor survival, and this holds true in patients considered low-risk by IPI, PIT and KPI. PMID:23299534

  18. Prognostic indices for early mortality in ischaemic stroke - meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Mattishent, K; Kwok, C S; Mahtani, A; Pelpola, K; Myint, P K; Loke, Y K

    2016-01-01

    Several models have been developed to predict mortality in ischaemic stroke. We aimed to evaluate systematically the performance of published stroke prognostic scores. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE in February 2014 for prognostic models (published between 2003 and 2014) used in predicting early mortality (<6 months) after ischaemic stroke. We evaluated discriminant ability of the tools through meta-analysis of the area under the curve receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) or c-statistic. We evaluated the following components of study validity: collection of prognostic variables, neuroimaging, treatment pathways and missing data. We identified 18 articles (involving 163 240 patients) reporting on the performance of prognostic models for mortality in ischaemic stroke, with 15 articles providing AUC for meta-analysis. Most studies were either retrospective, or post hoc analyses of prospectively collected data; all but three reported validation data. The iSCORE had the largest number of validation cohorts (five) within our systematic review and showed good performance in four different countries, pooled AUC 0.84 (95% CI 0.82-0.87). We identified other potentially useful prognostic tools that have yet to be as extensively validated as iSCORE - these include SOAR (2 studies, pooled AUC 0.79, 95% CI 0.78-0.80), GWTG (2 studies, pooled AUC 0.72, 95% CI 0.72-0.72) and PLAN (1 study, pooled AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.84-0.87). Our meta-analysis has identified and summarized the performance of several prognostic scores with modest to good predictive accuracy for early mortality in ischaemic stroke, with the iSCORE having the broadest evidence base. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. LDH is an adverse prognostic factor independent of ISS in transplant-eligible myeloma patients receiving bortezomib-based induction regimens.

    PubMed

    Chim, Chor Sang; Sim, Joycelyn; Tam, Sidney; Tse, Eric; Lie, Albert Kwok Wai; Kwong, Yok Lam

    2015-04-01

    Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) has been an adverse prognostic factor for myeloma but does not feature in the International Staging System (ISS). We examined whether elevated serum LDH at diagnosis remains an adverse risk factor independent of ISS for survivals transplant-eligible myeloma patients receiving early/frontline bortezomib-based induction, followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Seventy-seven transplant-eligible Chinese patients received three induction regimens [staged approach (N = 25), PAD (N = 19), VTD (N = 33)], followed by ASCT and thalidomide maintenance. Five-year overall (OS) and event-free (EFS) survivals were 66.4% and 36.2%. There was no difference in demographics, complete remission/near complete remission (CR/nCR rates postinduction or ASCT, and survivals among patients induced by the three induction regimens. Elevated LDH was associated with male gender (P = 0.006), ISS III (P = 0.042) and serum β2-microglobulin (P = 0.040). Univariate analysis showed that elevated LDH, ISS III, high β2-microglobulin, and failure to attain CR/nCR post-ACST were risk factors adversely impacting both OS and EFS. Multivariate analysis showed that elevated LDH was the only factor impacting both OS (P = 0.007) and EFS (P = 0.008). In this uniformly treated cohort of transplant-eligible myeloma patients, elevated serum LDH is an adverse risk factor independent of ISS for both OS and EFS. Bortezomib-based induction/ASCT regimen had not abolished the adverse impact of elevated LDH. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Association of nutritional status-related indices and chemotherapy-induced adverse events in gastric cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Seo, Seung Hee; Kim, Sung-Eun; Kang, Yoon-Koo; Ryoo, Baek-Yeol; Ryu, Min-Hee; Jeong, Jae Ho; Kang, Shin Sook; Yang, Mihi; Lee, Jung Eun; Sung, Mi-Kyung

    2016-11-18

    Malnutrition in gastrectomized patients receiving chemotherapy is associated with the susceptibility to chemotherapy-related adverse events. This study evaluated pre-operative nutritional status-related indices associated with adverse events in post-operation gastric cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Medical records of 234 gastrectomized patients under adjuvant tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil chemotherapy with extended lymph node dissection were analyzed. Nutritional status assessment included Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), body weight, body mass index, serum albumin concentration, and Nutrition Risk Index (NRI). Chemotherapy-originated adverse events were determined using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. PG-SGA indicated 59% of the patients were malnourished, and 27.8% of the patients revealed serious malnutrition with PG-SGA score of ≥9. Fifteen % of patients lost ≥10% of the initial body weight, 14.5% of the patients had hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dL), and 66.2% had NRI score less than 97.5 indicating moderate to severe malnutrition. Hematological adverse events were present in 94% (≥grade 1) and 16.2% (≥grade 3). Non-hematological adverse events occurred in 95.7% (≥grade1) and 16.7% (≥grade 3) of the patients. PG-SGA and NRI score was not associated with treatment-induced adverse events. Multivariate analyses indicated that female, low body mass index, and hypoalbuminemia were independent risk factors for grade 3/4 hematological adverse events. Age was an independent risk factor for grade 3/4 non-hematological adverse events. Neutropenia was the most frequently occurring adverse event, and associated risk factors were female, total gastrectomy, and hypoalbuminemia. Hypoalbuminemia, not PG-SGA or NRI may predict chemotherapy-induced adverse events in gastrectomized cancer patients.

  1. Prognostic value of severity indicators of nursing-home-acquired pneumonia versus community-acquired pneumonia in elderly patients.

    PubMed

    Ugajin, Motoi; Yamaki, Kenichi; Hirasawa, Natsuko; Kobayashi, Takanori; Yagi, Takeo

    2014-01-01

    The credibility of prognostic indicators in nursing-home-acquired pneumonia (NHAP) is not clear. We previously reported a simple prognostic indicator in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP): blood urea nitrogen to serum albumin (B/A) ratio. This retrospective study investigated the prognostic value of severity indicators in NHAP versus CAP in elderly patients. Patients aged ≥65 years and hospitalized because of NHAP or CAP within the previous 3 years were enrolled. Demographics, coexisting illnesses, laboratory and microbiological findings, and severity scores (confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and age ≥65 [CURB-65] scale; age, dehydration, respiratory failure, orientation disturbance, and pressure [A-DROP] scale; and pneumonia severity index [PSI]) were retrieved from medical records. The primary outcome was mortality within 28 days of admission. In total, 138 NHAP and 307 CAP patients were enrolled. Mortality was higher in NHAP (18.1%) than in CAP (4.6%) (P<0.001). Patients with NHAP were older and had lower functional status and a higher rate of do-not-resuscitate orders, heart failure, and cerebrovascular diseases. The NHAP patients more frequently had typical bacterial pathogens. Using the receiver-operating characteristics curve for predicting mortality, the area under the curve in NHAP was 0.70 for the A-DROP scale, 0.69 for the CURB-65 scale, 0.67 for the PSI class, and 0.65 for the B/A ratio. The area under the curve in CAP was 0.73 for the A-DROP scale, 0.76 for the CURB-65 scale, 0.81 for the PSI class, and 0.83 for the B/A ratio. Patient mortality was greater in NHAP than in CAP. Patient characteristics, coexisting illnesses, and detected pathogens differed greatly between NHAP and CAP. The existing severity indicators had less prognostic value for NHAP than for CAP.

  2. DNA methyltransferase3a expression is an independent poor prognostic indicator in gastric cancer

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Xue-Yuan; Ma, Hong-Xi; Shang, Yan-Hong; Jin, Mei-Shan; Kong, Fei; Jia, Zhi-Fang; Cao, Dong-Hui; Wang, Yin-Ping; Suo, Jian; Jiang, Jing

    2014-01-01

    AIM: To explore the alteration of DNA methyltransferase expression in gastric cancer and to assess its prognostic value. METHODS: From April 2000 to December 2010, 227 men and 73 women with gastric cancer were enrolled in the study. The expression of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), including DNMT1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b, in the 300 cases of gastric carcinoma, of which 85 had paired adjacent normal gastric mucus samples, was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using a tissue microarray. Serum anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) IgG was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The relationships between the above results and the clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. Their prognostic value was evaluated using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: In gastric cancer, expression of DNMTs was mainly seen in the nucleus. Weak staining was also observed in the cytoplasm. Expression of DNMT1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b in gastric cancer was significantly higher compared to that in the paired control samples (60.0% vs 37.6%, 61.2% vs 4.7%, and 94.1% vs 71.8%, P < 0.01). The overall survival rate was significantly higher in the DNMT3a negative group than in the DNMT3a positive group in gastric cancer patients (Log-rank test, P = 0.032). No significant correlation was observed between DNMT1 and DNMT3b expression and the overall survival time (Log-rank test, P = 0.289, P = 0.347). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that DNMT3a expression (P = 0.025) and TNM stage (P < 0.001), but not DNMT1 (P = 0.54) or DNMT3b (P = 0.62), were independent prognostic factors in gastric cancer. H. pylori infection did not induce protein expression of DNMTs. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that expression of DNMT3a is an independent poor prognostic indicator in gastric cancer. DNMT3a might play an important role in gastric carcinogenesis. PMID:25009393

  3. A new machine-learning method to prognosticate paraquat poisoned patients by combining coagulation, liver, and kidney indices.

    PubMed

    Hu, Lufeng; Li, Huaizhong; Cai, Zhennao; Lin, Feiyan; Hong, Guangliang; Chen, Huiling; Lu, Zhongqiu

    2017-01-01

    The prognosis of paraquat (PQ) poisoning is highly correlated to plasma PQ concentration, which has been identified as the most important index in PQ poisoning. This study investigated the predictive value of coagulation, liver, and kidney indices in prognosticating PQ-poisoning patients, when aligned with plasma PQ concentrations. Coagulation, liver, and kidney indices were first analyzed by variance analysis, receiver operating characteristic curves, and Fisher discriminant analysis. Then, a new, intelligent, machine learning-based system was established to effectively provide prognostic analysis of PQ-poisoning patients based on a combination of the aforementioned indices. In the proposed system, an enhanced extreme learning machine wrapped with a grey wolf-optimization strategy was developed to predict the risk status from a pool of 103 patients (56 males and 47 females); of these, 52 subjects were deceased and 51 alive. The proposed method was rigorously evaluated against this real-life dataset, in terms of accuracy, Matthews correlation coefficients, sensitivity, and specificity. Additionally, the feature selection was investigated to identify correlating factors for risk status. The results demonstrated that there were significant differences in the coagulation, liver, and kidney indices between deceased and surviving subjects (p<0.05). Aspartate aminotransferase, prothrombin time, prothrombin activity, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, urea nitrogen, and creatinine were the most highly correlated indices in PQ poisoning and showed statistical significance (p<0.05) in predicting PQ-poisoning prognoses. According to the feature selection, the most important correlated indices were found to be associated with aspartate aminotransferase, the aspartate aminotransferase to alanine ratio, creatinine, prothrombin time, and prothrombin activity. The method proposed here showed excellent results that were better than

  4. Upper digestive bleeding in cirrhosis. Post-therapeutic outcome and prognostic indicators.

    PubMed

    D'Amico, Gennaro; De Franchis, Roberto

    2003-09-01

    Several treatments have been proven to be effective for variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. The aim of this multicenter, prospective, cohort study was to assess how these treatments are used in clinical practice and what are the posttherapeutic prognosis and prognostic indicators of upper digestive bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. A training set of 291 and a test set of 174 bleeding cirrhotic patients were included. Treatment was according to the preferences of each center and the follow-up period was 6 weeks. Predictive rules for 5-day failure (uncontrolled bleeding, rebleeding, or death) and 6-week mortality were developed by the logistic model in the training set and validated in the test set. Initial treatment controlled bleeding in 90% of patients, including vasoactive drugs in 27%, endoscopic therapy in 10%, combined (endoscopic and vasoactive) in 45%, balloon tamponade alone in 1%, and none in 17%. The 5-day failure rate was 13%, 6-week rebleeding was 17%, and mortality was 20%. Corresponding findings for variceal versus nonvariceal bleeding were 15% versus 7% (P =.034), 19% versus 10% (P =.019), and 20% versus 15% (P =.22). Active bleeding on endoscopy, hematocrit levels, aminotransferase levels, Child-Pugh class, and portal vein thrombosis were significant predictors of 5-day failure; alcohol-induced etiology, bilirubin, albumin, encephalopathy, and hepatocarcinoma were predictors of 6-week mortality. Prognostic reassessment including blood transfusions improved the predictive accuracy. All the developed prognostic models were superior to the Child-Pugh score. In conclusion, prognosis of digestive bleeding in cirrhosis has much improved over the past 2 decades. Initial treatment stops bleeding in 90% of patients. Accurate predictive rules are provided for early recognition of high-risk patients.

  5. Machine health prognostics using the Bayesian-inference-based probabilistic indication and high-order particle filtering framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Jianbo

    2015-12-01

    Prognostics is much efficient to achieve zero-downtime performance, maximum productivity and proactive maintenance of machines. Prognostics intends to assess and predict the time evolution of machine health degradation so that machine failures can be predicted and prevented. A novel prognostics system is developed based on the data-model-fusion scheme using the Bayesian inference-based self-organizing map (SOM) and an integration of logistic regression (LR) and high-order particle filtering (HOPF). In this prognostics system, a baseline SOM is constructed to model the data distribution space of healthy machine under an assumption that predictable fault patterns are not available. Bayesian inference-based probability (BIP) derived from the baseline SOM is developed as a quantification indication of machine health degradation. BIP is capable of offering failure probability for the monitored machine, which has intuitionist explanation related to health degradation state. Based on those historic BIPs, the constructed LR and its modeling noise constitute a high-order Markov process (HOMP) to describe machine health propagation. HOPF is used to solve the HOMP estimation to predict the evolution of the machine health in the form of a probability density function (PDF). An on-line model update scheme is developed to adapt the Markov process changes to machine health dynamics quickly. The experimental results on a bearing test-bed illustrate the potential applications of the proposed system as an effective and simple tool for machine health prognostics.

  6. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma prognostic determination using pre-operative serum C-reactive protein levels.

    PubMed

    Lin, Zi-Ying; Liang, Zhen-Xing; Zhuang, Pei-Lin; Chen, Jie-Wei; Cao, Yun; Yan, Li-Xu; Yun, Jing-Ping; Xie, Dan; Cai, Mu-Yan

    2016-10-12

    Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute inflammatory response biomarker, has been recognized as an indicator of malignant disease progression. However, the prognostic significance of CRP levels collected before tumor removal in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma requires further investigation. We sampled the CRP levels in 140 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma who underwent hepatectomies with regional lymphadenectomies between 2006 and 2013. A retrospective analysis of the clinicopathological data was performed. We focused on the impact of serum CRP on the patients' cancer-specific survival and recurrence-free survival rates. High levels of preoperative serum CRP were significantly associated with well-established clinicopathologic features, including gender, advanced tumor stage, and elevated carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis demonstrated a significant association between high levels of serum CRP and adverse cancer-specific survival (P = 0.001) and recurrence-free survival (P < 0.001). In patients with stage I/II intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, the serum CRP level was a prognostic indicator for cancer-specific survival. In patients with stage I/II or stage III/IV, the serum CRP level was a prognostic indicator for recurrence-free survival (P < 0.05). Additionally, multivariate analysis identified serum CRP level in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma as an independent prognostic factor (P < 0.05). We confirmed a significant association of elevated pre-operative CRP levels with poor clinical outcomes for the tested patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Our results indicate that the serum CRP level may represent a useful factor for patient stratification in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma management.

  7. Risk factors for adverse outcomes in older adults with blunt chest trauma: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Sawa, Jake; Green, Robert S; Thoma, Brent; Erdogan, Mete; Davis, Philip J

    2017-08-11

    The objective of this study was to systematically review the published literature for risk factors associated with adverse outcomes in older adults sustaining blunt chest trauma. EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched from inception until March 2017 for prognostic factors associated with adverse outcomes in older adults sustaining blunt chest trauma using a pre-specified search strategy. References were independently screened for inclusion by two reviewers. Study quality was assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool. Where appropriate, descriptive statistics were used to evaluate study characteristics and predictors of adverse outcomes. Thirteen cohort studies representing 79,313 patients satisfied our selection criteria. Overall, 26 prognostic factors were examined across studies and were reported for morbidity (8 studies), length of stay (7 studies), mortality (6 studies), and loss of independence (1 study). No studies examined patient quality of life or emergency department recidivism. Prognostic factors associated with morbidity and mortality included age, number of rib fractures, and injury severity score. Although age and rib fractures were found to be associated with adverse outcomes in more than 3 studies, meta-analysis was not performed due to heterogeneity amongst included studies in how these variables were measured. While blunt chest wall trauma in older adults is relatively common, the literature on prognostic factors for adverse outcomes in this patient population remains inadequate due to a paucity of high quality studies and lack of consistent reporting standards.

  8. A Prognostic Indicator for Patients Hospitalized with Heart Failure.

    PubMed

    Snow, Richard; Vogel, Karen; Vanderhoff, Bruce; Kelch, Benjamin P; Ferris, Frank D

    2016-12-01

    Current methods for identifying patients at risk of dying within six months suffer from clinician biases resulting in underestimation of this risk. As a result, patients who are potentially eligible for hospice and palliative care services frequently do not benefit from these services until they are very close to the end of their lives. To develop a prospective prognostic indicator based on actual survival within Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) claims data that identifies patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) who are at risk of six-month mortality. CMS claims data from January 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009 were reviewed to find the first hospitalization for CHF patients with episode of care diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) 291, 292, and 293. Univariate and multivariable analyses were used to determine the associations between demographic and clinical factors and six-month mortality. The resulting model was evaluated for discrimination and calibration. The resulting prospective prognostic model demonstrated fair discrimination with an ROC of 0.71 and good calibration with a Hosmer-Lemshow statistic of 0.98. Across all DRGs, 5% of discharged patients had a six-month mortality risk of greater than 50%. This prospective approach appears to provide a method to identify patients with CHF who would potentially benefit from a clinical evaluation for referral to hospice care or for a palliative care consult due to high predicted risk of dying within 180 days after discharge from a hospital. This approach can provide a model to match at-risk patients with evidenced-based care in a more consistent manner. This method of identifying patients at risk needs further prospective evaluation to see if it has value for clinicians, increases referrals to hospice and palliative care services, and benefits patients and families.

  9. An elevated serum beta-2-microglobulin level is an adverse prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with early-stage Hodgkin disease.

    PubMed

    Chronowski, Gregory M; Wilder, Richard B; Tucker, Susan L; Ha, Chul S; Sarris, Andreas H; Hagemeister, Fredrick B; Barista, Ibrahim; Hess, Mark A; Cabanillas, Fernando; Cox, James D

    2002-12-15

    The relative importance of prognostic factors in patients with early-stage Hodgkin disease remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate prognostic factors among patients who received chemotherapy before radiotherapy. From 1987 to 1995, 217 consecutive patients ranging in age from 16 to 88 years (median, 28 years) with Ann Arbor Stage I (n = 55) or II (n = 162) Hodgkin disease underwent chemotherapy before radiotherapy at a single center. Most were treated on prospective studies. Patients received a median of three cycles of induction chemotherapy. Mitoxantrone, vincristine, vinblastine, and prednisone (NOVP), doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD), mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP), cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, procarbazine, prednisone, doxorubicin, bleomycin, dacarbazine, and CCNU (CVPP/ABDIC), or other chemotherapeutic regimens were given to 160, 18, 15, 10, and 14 patients, respectively. The median radiotherapy dose was 40 Gy. Serum beta-2-microglobulin (beta-2M) levels ranged from 1.0 to 4.1 mg/L (median, 1.7 mg/L; upper limit of normal, 2.0 mg/L). We studied univariate and multivariate associations between survival and the following clinical features: serum beta-2M level above 1.25 times the upper limit of normal (n = 12), male gender (n = 113), hypoalbuminemia (n = 11), and bulky mediastinal disease (n = 94). Follow-up of surviving patients ranged from 0.9 to 13.4 years (median, 6.6 years) and 92% were observed for 3.0 or more years. Nineteen patients have died. Only elevation of the serum beta-2M level was an independent adverse prognostic factor for overall survival (P = 0.0009). The prognostic significance of a simple, widely available, and inexpensive blood test, beta-2M, has not been studied routinely in patients with Hodgkin disease and should be tested prospectively in large, cooperative group trials. Copyright 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.10998

  10. Lymph microvascularization as a prognostic indicator in neuroblastoma.

    PubMed

    Tadeo, Irene; Gamero-Sandemetrio, Esther; Berbegall, Ana P; Gironella, Marta; Ritort, Félix; Cañete, Adela; Bueno, Gloria; Navarro, Samuel; Noguera, Rosa

    2018-05-25

    Neuroblastoma is the most common extra-cranial solid pediatric cancer and causes approximately 15% of all childhood deaths from cancer. Although lymphatic vasculature is a prerequisite for the maintenance of tissue fluid balance and immunity in the body, little is known about the relationship between lymphatic vascularization and prognosis in neuroblastoma. We used our previously-published custom-designed tool to close open-outline vessels and measure the density, size and shape of all lymphatic vessels and microvascular segments in 332 primary neuroblastoma contained in tissue microarrays. The results were correlated with clinical and biological features of known prognostic value and with risk of progression to establish histological lymphatic vascular patterns associated with unfavorable histology. A high proportion of irregular intermediate lymphatic capillaries and irregular small collector vessels were present in tumors from patients with metastatic stage, undifferentiating neuroblasts and/or classified in the high risk. In addition, a higher lymphatic microvascularization density was found to be predictive of overall survival. Our findings show the crucial role of lymphatic vascularization in metastatic development and maintenance of tumor tissue homeostasis. These patterns may therefore help to indicate more accurate pre-treatment risk stratification and could provide candidate targets for novel therapies.

  11. Prognostic factors in children with acute myeloid leukaemia and excellent response to remission induction therapy.

    PubMed

    Karol, Seth E; Coustan-Smith, Elaine; Cao, Xueyuan; Shurtleff, Sheila A; Raimondi, Susana C; Choi, John K; Ribeiro, Raul C; Dahl, Gary V; Bowman, William Paul; Taub, Jeffrey W; Degar, Barbara; Leung, Wing; Downing, James R; Pui, Ching-Hon; Rubnitz, Jeffrey E; Campana, Dario; Inaba, Hiroto

    2015-01-01

    Minimal residual disease (MRD) is a strong prognostic factor in children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) but nearly one-quarter of patients who achieve MRD-negative status still relapse. The adverse prognostic factors among MRD-negative patients remain unknown. We analysed the AML02 study cohort to identify demographic and genetic prognostic factors. Among the presenting features, certain 11q23 abnormalities, such as t(6;11) and t(10;11), acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia without the t(1;22), and age ≥10 years were associated with inferior outcome in patients who had MRD-negative status after either remission induction I or II. By contrast, those with rearrangement of CBF genes had superior outcome. Our study identifies patient populations for whom close post-remission MRD monitoring to detect and treat emerging relapse and adjustment in treatment intensity might be indicated. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Plasma Level of Interleukin-35 as an Independent Prognostic Indicator in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Qiu, Xiangting; Wang, Xinhua; Song, Yucui; Chen, Lingling

    2016-12-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma is a major type of liver cancer with poor prognosis. The aim of the study was to determine the prognostic significance of plasma interleukin-35 level in hepatocellular carcinoma. A total of 153 hepatocellular carcinoma patients and 153 healthy controls were enrolled. Blood samples were obtained at admission. Plasma interleukin-35 level was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Distribution of T cell subset and expression of Fas/FasL protein were detected by flow cytometry. The patients were followed up for 2 years. Poor prognosis was defined as death of hepatocellular carcinoma. The plasma levels of interleukin-35 were significantly higher in the patients than the controls (25.1 ± 13.1, 9.3 ± 6.3 pg/mL, P < 0.001). After adjusted for multiple confounding factors, the multivariate logistic regression analyses reported that high level of interleukin-35 (≥25.0 pg/mL) was associated with the poor prognosis in the patients (OR 6.63, 95 % CI 3.27-13.47). Compared with the patients with low level of interleukin-35 (<25.0 pg/mL), the patients with high level of interleukin-35 showed higher frequencies of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ and CD3+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001) and also showed higher apoptosis levels of CD8+ T cells (P < 0.001). Circulating interleukin-35 concentration might be an independent prognostic indicator in hepatocellular carcinoma. Such prognostic significance could be partly involved in the activation of regulatory T cell and the apoptosis of CD8+ T cell.

  13. Prognostic indices of perioperative outcome following transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

    PubMed

    Kiziloz, Halil; Meraney, Anoop; Dorin, Ryan; Nip, Jonathan; Kesler, Stuart; Shichman, Steven

    2014-08-01

    We sought to identify preoperative patient and tumor characteristics that may be useful prognostic indicators of postsurgical outcome in patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA). Data from 92 patients who underwent 93 transabdominal LA procedures between 2006-2012 were retrieved. Patients were stratified based on estimated blood loss (EBL), length of stay (LOS), and perioperative complications. Interdependencies between surgical outcome and patient demographics, tumor characteristics, comorbidities, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were statistically analyzed. The predictive capacity of each index was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves. Neither age, gender, tumor laterality, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, nor CCI predicted the occurrence of perioperative complications. EBL was significantly associated with increased age, tumor size, ASA score, and CCI, whereas prolonged LOS was associated with higher ASA score. Tumor size was related, although not significantly, to LOS and perioperative complications. Tumors ≥7.5 cm in diameter were significantly associated with worse perioperative outcomes. LA for adrenal lesions demonstrated reasonable complication rates and perioperative outcomes. Tumor size, CCI, and ASA score are predictive of increased EBL and LOS.

  14. Adverse prognostic value of peritumoral vascular invasion: is it abrogated by adequate endocrine adjuvant therapy? Results from two International Breast Cancer Study Group randomized trials of chemoendocrine adjuvant therapy for early breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Viale, G.; Giobbie-Hurder, A.; Gusterson, B. A.; Maiorano, E.; Mastropasqua, M. G.; Sonzogni, A.; Mallon, E.; Colleoni, M.; Castiglione-Gertsch, M.; Regan, M. M.; Brown, R. W.; Golouh, R.; Crivellari, D.; Karlsson, P.; Öhlschlegel, C.; Gelber, R. D.; Goldhirsch, A.; Coates, A. S.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Peritumoral vascular invasion (PVI) may assist in assigning optimal adjuvant systemic therapy for women with early breast cancer. Patients and methods: Patients participated in two International Breast Cancer Study Group randomized trials testing chemoendocrine adjuvant therapies in premenopausal (trial VIII) or postmenopausal (trial IX) node-negative breast cancer. PVI was assessed by institutional pathologists and/or central review on hematoxylin–eosin-stained slides in 99% of patients (analysis cohort 2754 patients, median follow-up >9 years). Results: PVI, present in 23% of the tumors, was associated with higher grade tumors and larger tumor size (trial IX only). Presence of PVI increased locoregional and distant recurrence and was significantly associated with poorer disease-free survival. The adverse prognostic impact of PVI in trial VIII was limited to premenopausal patients with endocrine-responsive tumors randomized to therapies not containing goserelin, and conversely the beneficial effect of goserelin was limited to patients whose tumors showed PVI. In trial IX, all patients received tamoxifen: the adverse prognostic impact of PVI was limited to patients with receptor-negative tumors regardless of chemotherapy. Conclusion: Adequate endocrine adjuvant therapy appears to abrogate the adverse impact of PVI in node-negative disease, while PVI may identify patients who will benefit particularly from adjuvant therapy. PMID:19633051

  15. Comprehensive analysis and validation of contemporary survival prognosticators in Korean patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with targeted therapy: prognostic impact of pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.

    PubMed

    Koo, Kyo Chul; Lee, Kwang Suk; Cho, Kang Su; Rha, Koon Ho; Hong, Sung Joon; Chung, Byung Ha

    2016-06-01

    In line with the era of targeted therapy (TT), an increasing number of prognosticators are becoming available for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Here, potential prognosticators of cancer-specific survival (CSS) were identified based on the contemporary literature and were comprehensively validated in an independent cohort of patients treated for mRCC. Data were collected from 478 patients treated with TT for mRCC between January 1999 and July 2013 at a single institution. The analysis included 25 clinicopathological covariates that included both traditional and contemporary prognosticators. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to quantify the effect of covariates on CSS. Median survival from the initial diagnosis of metastasis was 24.5 (IQR, 11.5-55.7) months. There were 303 (63.4 %) cancer-specific deaths, yielding a 2-year CSS rate of 62.5 %. Low Karnofsky performance status (KPS), hypercalcemia, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the number of metastatic sites (≥2), and the presence of brain metastases were independent adverse prognosticators of CSS. The C-index of the model was 0.78. Patients with at least one adverse prognosticator demonstrated lower 2-year CSS rates compared to those with no prognosticators (53.9 vs. 70.6 %; log rank p < 0.001). Together with traditional prognosticators such as KPS, hypercalcemia, and the number and location of metastases, the NLR was an independent predictor of CSS in patients with mRCC treated with TT. Our findings could be useful for guiding clinical decision making including stratification of patients for TT and inclusion in clinical trials.

  16. Interleukin-8 is a prognostic indicator in human hilar cholangiocarcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Qi; Li, Fanni; Sun, Fengkai; Niu, Jun

    2015-01-01

    Interleukin-8 (IL-8), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and neovascularization have been implicated to be associated with biological processes, especially cancer progression. However, few studies have investigated the role of IL-8 in human hilar cholangiocarcinoma. In this study we detected the expression of IL-8 combined with MMP-9 and microvessel density (MVD) in hilar cholangiocarcinoma to evaluate their clinicopathological significance and prognostic value. A total of 62 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent curative surgery were enrolled in this study. The expression of IL-8, MMP-9 and MVD were examined immunohistochemically. The correlation of IL-8 with MMP-9 expression, MVD, clinicopathological features and survival time of patients were then analyzed. Expression of IL-8 was observed in 56.5% tumors, which was related to advanced TNM stage (P = 0.026) and tumor recurrence (P = 0.018). IL-8 had a positive correlation with MMP-9 expression and MVD. Furthermore, patients with high IL-8 expression had a significantly shorter overall survival than those with low IL-8 expression (P = 0.01). Multivariate analysis confirmed IL-8 as an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.005). In conclusion, IL-8 expression significantly correlated with MMP-9 expression and MVD, and IL-8 was a valuable prognostic factor for human hilar cholangiocarcinoma. PMID:26339407

  17. Blunt splenic injury: are early adverse events related to trauma, nonoperative management, or surgery?

    PubMed Central

    Frandon, Julien; Rodiere, Mathieu; Arvieux, Catherine; Vendrell, Anne; Boussat, Bastien; Sengel, Christian; Broux, Christophe; Bricault, Ivan; Ferretti, Gilbert; Thony, Frédéric

    2015-01-01

    PURPOSE We aimed to compare clinical outcomes and early adverse events of operative management (OM), nonoperative management (NOM), and NOM with splenic artery embolization (SAE) in blunt splenic injury (BSI) and identify the prognostic factors. METHODS Medical records of 136 consecutive patients with BSI admitted to a trauma center from 2005 to 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were separated into three groups: OM, NOM, and SAE. We focused on associated injuries and early adverse events. Multivariate analysis was performed on 23 prognostic factors to find predictors. RESULTS The total survival rate was 97.1%, with four deaths all occurred in the OM group. The spleen salvage rate was 91% in NOM and SAE. At least one adverse event was observed in 32.8%, 62%, and 96% of patients in NOM, SAE, and OM groups, respectively (P < 0.001). We found significantly more deaths, infectious complications, pleural drainage, acute renal failures, and pancreatitis in OM and more pseudocysts in SAE. Six prognostic factors were statistically significant for one or more adverse events: simplified acute physiology score 2 ≥25 for almost all adverse events, age ≥50 years for acute respiratory syndrome, limb fracture for secondary bleeding, thoracic injury for pleural drainage, and at least one associated injury for pseudocyst. Adverse events were not related to the type of BSI management. CONCLUSION Patients with BSI present worse outcome and more adverse events in OM, but this is related to the severity of injury. The main predictor of adverse events remains the severity of injury. PMID:26081719

  18. Blunt splenic injury: are early adverse events related to trauma, nonoperative management, or surgery?

    PubMed

    Frandon, Julien; Rodiere, Mathieu; Arvieux, Catherine; Vendrell, Anne; Boussat, Bastien; Sengel, Christian; Broux, Christophe; Bricault, Ivan; Ferretti, Gilbert; Thony, Frédéric

    2015-01-01

    We aimed to compare clinical outcomes and early adverse events of operative management (OM), nonoperative management (NOM), and NOM with splenic artery embolization (SAE) in blunt splenic injury (BSI) and identify the prognostic factors. Medical records of 136 consecutive patients with BSI admitted to a trauma center from 2005 to 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were separated into three groups: OM, NOM, and SAE. We focused on associated injuries and early adverse events. Multivariate analysis was performed on 23 prognostic factors to find predictors. The total survival rate was 97.1%, with four deaths all occurred in the OM group. The spleen salvage rate was 91% in NOM and SAE. At least one adverse event was observed in 32.8%, 62%, and 96% of patients in NOM, SAE, and OM groups, respectively (P < 0.001). We found significantly more deaths, infectious complications, pleural drainage, acute renal failures, and pancreatitis in OM and more pseudocysts in SAE. Six prognostic factors were statistically significant for one or more adverse events: simplified acute physiology score 2 ≥25 for almost all adverse events, age ≥50 years for acute respiratory syndrome, limb fracture for secondary bleeding, thoracic injury for pleural drainage, and at least one associated injury for pseudocyst. Adverse events were not related to the type of BSI management. Patients with BSI present worse outcome and more adverse events in OM, but this is related to the severity of injury. The main predictor of adverse events remains the severity of injury.

  19. A new Leukemia Prognostic Scoring System for refractory/relapsed adult acute myelogeneous leukaemia patients: a GOELAMS study.

    PubMed

    Chevallier, P; Labopin, M; Turlure, P; Prebet, T; Pigneux, A; Hunault, M; Filanovsky, K; Cornillet-Lefebvre, P; Luquet, I; Lode, L; Richebourg, S; Blanchet, O; Gachard, N; Vey, N; Ifrah, N; Milpied, N; Harousseau, J-L; Bene, M-C; Mohty, M; Delaunay, J

    2011-06-01

    A simplified prognostic score is presented based on the multivariate analysis of 138 refractory/relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients (median age 55 years, range: 19-70) receiving a combination of intensive chemotherapy+Gemtuzumab as salvage regimen. Overall, 2-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 29±4% and 36±4%, respectively. Disease status (relapse <12 months, including refractory patients), FLT3-ITD-positive status and high-risk cytogenetics were the three strongest independent adverse prognostic factors for OS and EFS in this series. We then defined three subgroups with striking different outcomes at 2 years: no adverse factor (favourable, N=36): OS 58%, EFS 45%; one adverse factor (intermediate, N=54): OS 37%, EFS 31%; two or three adverse factors (poor, N=43): OS 12%, EFS 12% (P<10(-4), P=0.001). This new simplified Leukemia Prognostic Scoring System was then validated on an independent cohort of 111 refractory/relapsed AML patients. This new simplified prognostic score, using three clinical and biological parameters routinely applied, allow to discriminate around two third of the patients who should benefit from a salvage intensive regimen in the setting of refractory/relapsed AML patients. The other one third of the patients should receive investigational therapy.

  20. Tissue microarray immunohistochemical detection of brachyury is not a prognostic indicator in chordoma.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Linlin; Guo, Shang; Schwab, Joseph H; Nielsen, G Petur; Choy, Edwin; Ye, Shunan; Zhang, Zhan; Mankin, Henry; Hornicek, Francis J; Duan, Zhenfeng

    2013-01-01

    Brachyury is a marker for notochord-derived tissues and neoplasms, such as chordoma. However, the prognostic relevance of brachyury expression in chordoma is still unknown. The improvement of tissue microarray technology has provided the opportunity to perform analyses of tumor tissues on a large scale in a uniform and consistent manner. This study was designed with the use of tissue microarray to determine the expression of brachyury. Brachyury expression in chordoma tissues from 78 chordoma patients was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarray. The clinicopathologic parameters, including gender, age, location of tumor and metastatic status were evaluated. Fifty-nine of 78 (75.64%) tumors showed nuclear staining for brachyury, and among them, 29 tumors (49.15%) showed 1+ (<30% positive cells) staining, 15 tumors (25.42%) had 2+ (31% to 60% positive cells) staining, and 15 tumors (25.42%) demonstrated 3+ (61% to 100% positive cells) staining. Brachyury nuclear staining was detected more frequently in sacral chordomas than in chordomas of the mobile spine. However, there was no significant relationship between brachyury expression and other clinical variables. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, brachyury expression failed to produce any significant relationship with the overall survival rate. In conclusion, brachyury expression is not a prognostic indicator in chordoma.

  1. Late renal transplant failure: an adverse prognostic factor at initiation of peritoneal dialysis.

    PubMed

    Sasal, J; Naimark, D; Klassen, J; Shea, J; Bargman, J M

    2001-01-01

    . Deaths were due mainly to gram-negative peritonitis and cardiovascular disease. We conclude that late failed renal transplant patients starting dialysis are at increased risk of complications and have strikingly higher mortality rates than non-Tx patients. A previously failed kidney transplant can be considered an adverse prognostic factor for patients commencing PD; these patients need to be closely monitored. Although this study was limited to PD patients, the same principles likely apply to fTx patients returning to any form of renal replacement therapy.

  2. Phosphohistone-H3 (PHH3) is prognostic relevant in Merkel cell carcinomas but Merkel cell polyomavirus is a more powerful prognostic factor than AJCC clinical stage, PHH3, Ki-67 or mitotic indices.

    PubMed

    Iwasaki, Takeshi; Matsushita, Michiko; Nonaka, Daisuke; Kato, Masako; Nagata, Keiko; Murakami, Ichiro; Hayashi, Kazuhiko

    2015-08-01

    Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs) associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) have better prognosis than those without MCPyV. The relationship between mitotic index (MI) and MCC outcome has remained elusive because of the difficulty in differentiating mitotic cells from apoptotic ones. We evaluated the role of phosphohistone-H3 (PHH3) (Ser10), a new mitotic count biomarker, in MCPyV-positive or -negative MCC patients, and assessed its prognostic value in comparison to Ki-67 labeling index or MI using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. We compared the prognostic value of PHH3 mitotic index with that of MI by HE in 19 MCPyV-positive and 9 MCPyV-negative MCC patients. PHH3-positive immunoreactivity was mostly observed in mitotic figures. Multivariate analysis significantly showed that MCPyV status (HR, 0.004; 95% CI 0.0003-0.058) and the American Joint Committee of Cancer (AJCC) stage (HR, 5.02; 95% CI 1.23-20.51) were observed as significantly independent prognostic factors for OS. PHH3-positive cell counts/10 HPF was a slightly significant independent prognostic factor for OS (HR, 4.96; 95% CI 0.93-26.55). PHH3-positive MI and MCPyV status in MCC patients are useful in prognostication, although MCPyV-infection is a more powerful prognostic factor in MCCs than the AJCC scheme on proliferation or mitotic indices. © 2015 Japanese Society of Pathology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  3. Quantitative modeling of clinical, cellular, and extracellular matrix variables suggest prognostic indicators in cancer: a model in neuroblastoma.

    PubMed

    Tadeo, Irene; Piqueras, Marta; Montaner, David; Villamón, Eva; Berbegall, Ana P; Cañete, Adela; Navarro, Samuel; Noguera, Rosa

    2014-02-01

    Risk classification and treatment stratification for cancer patients is restricted by our incomplete picture of the complex and unknown interactions between the patient's organism and tumor tissues (transformed cells supported by tumor stroma). Moreover, all clinical factors and laboratory studies used to indicate treatment effectiveness and outcomes are by their nature a simplification of the biological system of cancer, and cannot yet incorporate all possible prognostic indicators. A multiparametric analysis on 184 tumor cylinders was performed. To highlight the benefit of integrating digitized medical imaging into this field, we present the results of computational studies carried out on quantitative measurements, taken from stromal and cancer cells and various extracellular matrix fibers interpenetrated by glycosaminoglycans, and eight current approaches to risk stratification systems in patients with primary and nonprimary neuroblastoma. New tumor tissue indicators from both fields, the cellular and the extracellular elements, emerge as reliable prognostic markers for risk stratification and could be used as molecular targets of specific therapies. The key to dealing with personalized therapy lies in the mathematical modeling. The use of bioinformatics in patient-tumor-microenvironment data management allows a predictive model in neuroblastoma.

  4. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) as a simple and independent prognostic factor in extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type.

    PubMed

    Li, Ya-Jun; Li, Zhi-Ming; Xia, Yi; Huang, Jia-Jia; Huang, Hui-Qiang; Xia, Zhong-Jun; Lin, Tong-Yu; Li, Su; Cai, Xiu-Yu; Wu-Xiao, Zhi-Jun; Jiang, Wen-Qi

    2013-01-01

    C-reactive protein (CRP) is a biomarker of the inflammatory response, and it shows significant prognostic value for several types of solid tumors. The prognostic significance of CRP for lymphoma has not been fully examined. We evaluated the prognostic role of baseline serum CRP levels in patients with extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL). We retrospectively analyzed 185 patients with newly diagnosed ENKTL. The prognostic value of the serum CRP level was evaluated for the low-CRP group (CRP≤10 mg/L) versus the high-CRP group (CRP>10 mg/L). The prognostic value of the International Prognostic Index (IPI) and the Korean Prognostic Index (KPI) were evaluated and compared with the newly developed prognostic model. Patients in the high-CRP group tended to display increased adverse clinical characteristics, lower rates of complete remission (P<0.001), inferior progression-free survival (PFS, P = 0.001), and inferior overall survival (OS, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that elevated serum CRP levels, age >60 years, hypoalbuminemia, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels were independent adverse predictors of OS. Based on these four independent predictors, we constructed a new prognostic model that identified 4 groups with varying OS: group 1, no adverse factors; group 2, 1 factor; group 3, 2 factors; and group 4, 3 or 4 factors (P<0.001). The novel prognostic model was found to be superior to both the IPI in discriminating patients with different outcomes in the IPI low-risk group and the KPI in distinguishing between the low- and intermediate-low-risk groups, the intermediate-low- and high-intermediate-risk groups, and the high-intermediate- and high-risk groups. Our results suggest that pretreatment serum CRP levels represent an independent predictor of clinical outcome for patients with ENKTL. The prognostic value of the new prognostic model is superior to both IPI and KPI.

  5. Further evidence for periodontal disease as a risk indicator for adverse pregnancy outcomes.

    PubMed

    Turton, Mervyn; Africa, Charlene W J

    2017-06-01

    Although there is increasing evidence to suggest an association between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes, the issue remains controversial. This study tested the hypothesis that periodontal disease is a risk indicator for preterm delivery of low-birthweight infants. The study sample comprised 443 pregnant women with a mean (± standard deviation) age of 24.13 (±5.30) years. At first visit, maternal oral health status was assessed by the measurement of probing pocket depth and clinical attachment loss, and periodontal status was graded as absent, mild, moderate or severe. An association was sought between pregnancy outcomes and maternal periodontal status. While controlling for other factors, significant associations were found between pregnancy outcomes and maternal periodontal index scores. This study provides further evidence that periodontal disease is a risk indicator for adverse pregnancy outcomes. © 2016 FDI World Dental Federation.

  6. Genomic scar signatures associated with homologous recombination deficiency predict adverse clinical outcomes in patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Chao, Angel; Lai, Chyong-Huey; Wang, Tzu-Hao; Jung, Shih-Ming; Lee, Yun-Shien; Chang, Wei-Yang; Yang, Lan-Yang; Ku, Fei-Chun; Huang, Huei-Jean; Chao, An-Shine; Wang, Chin-Jung; Chang, Ting-Chang; Wu, Ren-Chin

    2018-05-03

    We investigated whether genomic scar signatures associated with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), which include telomeric allelic imbalance (TAI), large-scale transition (LST), and loss of heterozygosity (LOH), can predict clinical outcomes in patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC). We enrolled patients with OCCC (n = 80) and high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC; n = 92) subjected to primary cytoreductive surgery, most of whom received platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Genomic scar signatures based on genome-wide copy number data were determined in all participants and investigated in relation to prognosis. OCCC had significantly lower genomic scar signature scores than HGSC (p < 0.001). Near-triploid OCCC specimens showed higher TAI and LST scores compared with diploid tumors (p < 0.001). While high scores of these genomic scar signatures were significantly associated with better clinical outcomes in patients with HGSC, the opposite was evident for OCCC. Multivariate survival analysis in patients with OCCC identified high LOH scores as the main independent adverse predictor for both cancer-specific (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.22, p = 0.005) and progression-free survival (HR = 2.54, p = 0.01). In conclusion, genomic scar signatures associated with HRD predict adverse clinical outcomes in patients with OCCC. The LOH score was identified as the strongest prognostic indicator in this patient group. Genomic scar signatures associated with HRD are less frequent in OCCC than in HGSC. Genomic scar signatures associated with HRD have an adverse prognostic impact in patients with OCCC. LOH score is the strongest adverse prognostic factor in patients with OCCC.

  7. Checkpoint kinase 1 expression is an adverse prognostic marker and therapeutic target in MYC-driven medulloblastoma

    PubMed Central

    Shah, Monil; Mulcahy Levy, Jean M.; Griesinger, Andrea M.; Alimova, Irina; Harris, Peter S.; Birks, Diane K.; Donson, Andrew M.; Davidson, Nathan; Remke, Marc; Taylor, Michael D.; Handler, Michael H.; Foreman, Nicholas K.; Venkataraman, Sujatha; Vibhakar, Rajeev

    2016-01-01

    Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is an integral component of the cell cycle as well as the DNA Damage Response (DDR) pathway. Previous work has demonstrated the effectiveness of inhibiting CHK1 with small-molecule inhibitors, but the role of CHK1 mediated DDR in medulloblastoma is unknown. CHK1, both at the mRNA and protein level, is highly expressed in medulloblastoma and elevated CHK1 expression in Group3 medulloblastoma is an adverse prognostic marker. CHK1 inhibition with the small-molecule drug AZD7762, results in decreased cell growth, increased DNA damage and cell apoptosis. Furthermore, AZD7762 acts in synergy with cisplatin in reducing cell proliferation in medulloblastoma. Similar phenotypic changes were observed with another CHK1 inhibitor, PF477736, as well as genetic knockdown using siRNA against CHK1. Treatments with small-molecule inhibitors of CHK1 profoundly modulated the expression of both upstream and downstream target proteins within the CHK1 signaling pathways. This suggests the presence of a feedback loop in activating CHK1. Overall, our results demonstrate that small-molecule inhibition of CHK1 in combination with, cisplatin, is more advantageous than either treatment alone, especially for Group 3 medulloblastoma, and therefore this combined therapeutic approach serves as an avenue for further investigation. PMID:27449089

  8. Checkpoint kinase 1 expression is an adverse prognostic marker and therapeutic target in MYC-driven medulloblastoma.

    PubMed

    Prince, Eric W; Balakrishnan, Ilango; Shah, Monil; Mulcahy Levy, Jean M; Griesinger, Andrea M; Alimova, Irina; Harris, Peter S; Birks, Diane K; Donson, Andrew M; Davidson, Nathan; Remke, Marc; Taylor, Michael D; Handler, Michael H; Foreman, Nicholas K; Venkataraman, Sujatha; Vibhakar, Rajeev

    2016-08-16

    Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is an integral component of the cell cycle as well as the DNA Damage Response (DDR) pathway. Previous work has demonstrated the effectiveness of inhibiting CHK1 with small-molecule inhibitors, but the role of CHK1 mediated DDR in medulloblastoma is unknown. CHK1, both at the mRNA and protein level, is highly expressed in medulloblastoma and elevated CHK1 expression in Group3 medulloblastoma is an adverse prognostic marker. CHK1 inhibition with the small-molecule drug AZD7762, results in decreased cell growth, increased DNA damage and cell apoptosis. Furthermore, AZD7762 acts in synergy with cisplatin in reducing cell proliferation in medulloblastoma. Similar phenotypic changes were observed with another CHK1 inhibitor, PF477736, as well as genetic knockdown using siRNA against CHK1. Treatments with small-molecule inhibitors of CHK1 profoundly modulated the expression of both upstream and downstream target proteins within the CHK1 signaling pathways. This suggests the presence of a feedback loop in activating CHK1. Overall, our results demonstrate that small-molecule inhibition of CHK1 in combination with, cisplatin, is more advantageous than either treatment alone, especially for Group 3 medulloblastoma, and therefore this combined therapeutic approach serves as an avenue for further investigation.

  9. Myoglobin as a prognostic indicator for outcome in dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus.

    PubMed

    Adamik, Katja N; Burgener, Iwan A; Kovacevic, Alan; Schulze, Sebastian P; Kohn, Barbara

    2009-06-01

    To determine whether myoglobin (Mb) is a useful prognostic indicator for outcome and to investigate any relationship between Mb and mortality in dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Prospective study. Veterinary teaching hospital. Seventy-two dogs with GDV. Blood sampling. Mb levels were measured at the time of diagnosis (Mbt0), 24 hours (Mbt1), and 48 hours (Mbt2) after signs of GDV were recognized. Fifty-seven dogs survived (group I) and 15 dogs did not survive (group II). Mbt0 differed significantly between groups (P=0.04). Mbt0 in group I ranged from <30 to >700 ng/mL (n=57, median 74 ng/mL), and in group II from 34 to >700 ng/mL (n=15, median 238 ng/mL). Analysis of a receiver operating characteristic curve of Mbt0 suggested that the best single cutpoint would be 168 ng/mL (sensitivity 60.0%, specificity 84.2%). Fifty percent of dogs with Mbt0>168 ng/mL were euthanized, while 88.9% with Mbt0<168 ng/mL survived. Mbt1 and Mbt2 differed significantly between groups I and II. Mbt1 in group I ranged from 32 to >700 ng/mL (n=55, median 123 ng/mL), and Mbt1 in group II ranged from 131 to 643 ng/mL (n=7, median 343 ng/mL) (P=0.006). Mbt2 in group I ranged from 30 to 597 ng/mL (n=54, median 101 ng/mL), and in group II from 141 to >700 ng/mL (n=8, median 203 ng/mL) (P=0.02). In this study, Mbt0 is a moderately sensitive and specific prognostic indicator. Almost 90% of the dogs below the cutpoint survived to discharge, whereas 50% with Mbt0 above the cutpoint did not survive.

  10. Non-O blood groups can be a prognostic marker of in-hospital and long-term major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

    PubMed

    Cetin, Mehmet Serkan; Ozcan Cetin, Elif Hande; Aras, Dursun; Topaloglu, Serkan; Temizhan, Ahmet; Kisacik, Halil Lutfi; Aydogdu, Sinan

    2015-09-01

    Recent studies have suggested ABO blood type locus as an inherited predictor of thrombosis, cardiovascular risk factors, myocardial infarction. However, data is scarce about the impact of non-O blood groups on prognosis in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic importance of non-O blood groups in patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) METHODS: 1835 consecutive patients who were admitted with acute STEMI between 2010 and 2015 were included and followed-up for a median of 35.6months. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia, total cholesterol, LDL, peak CKMB and no-reflow as well as hospitalization duration were higher in patients with non-O blood groups. Gensini score did not differ between groups. During the in-hospital and long-term follow-up period, MACE, the prevalence of stent thrombosis, non-fatal MI, and mortality were higher in non-O blood groups. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, non-0 blood groups were demonstrated to be independent predictors of in-hospital (OR:2.085 %CI: 1.328-3.274 p=0.001) and long term MACE (OR:2.257 %CI: 1.325-3.759 p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis according to the long-term MACE free survival revealed a higher occurrence of MACE in non-O blood group compared with O blood group (p<0.001, Chi-square: 22.810). Non-O blood groups were determined to be significant prognostic indicators of short- and long-term cardiovascular adverse events and mortality in patients with STEMI undergoing pPCI. In conjunction with other prognostic factors, evaluation of this parameter may improve the risk categorization and tailoring the individual therapy and follow-up in STEMI patient population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Treatment patterns and prognostic indicators of response to therapy among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in Australia, Canada, and South Korea.

    PubMed

    Whiteley, Jennifer; Iyer, Shrividya; Candrilli, Sean D; Kaye, James A

    2015-02-01

    Given the multiple options for treatment of chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, our objective was to understand treatment patterns in routine practice and prognostic indicators of response. We conducted a retrospective medical record review of 681 patients with CML in Australia, Canada, and South Korea. Eligible patients had a diagnosis of chronic-phase CML, were Philadelphia chromosome and/or BCR-ABL positive, were aged 18 years or older, and had been treated with first-line imatinib therapy between January 2005 and September 2010. Data on patient demographics, medical history (e.g., comorbidities, Sokal score), and treatment characteristics (e.g., time to initiation, therapy duration) were abstracted. Descriptive analyses were stratified by country and therapy line. Prognostic indicators of response to imatinib were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for country, patient demographics, medical history, treatment characteristics, and side effects. Hematologic, cytogenetic, and molecular responses at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months following initiation of each therapy line. Patients' average age was 57 years, and 59% were male. Overall, imatinib was initiated approximately 4 months following CML diagnosis. Complete or major molecular response (C/MMR) at 6 months following imatinib initiation was 54% in Australia, 22% in Canada, and 38% in South Korea. At 18 months, over 60% of patients achieved C/MMR. Approximately 30% of patients discontinued imatinib primarily due to intolerance and lack of response. Among patients who received second-line treatment, dasatinib was used more frequently than nilotinib. Multivariable regression results indicated Sokal score was identified as a prognostic indicator of response to imatinib therapy at several time points. There are several limitations to this study. First, we selected a convenience sample of patients and physicians and therefore results may not be

  12. Acoustic Reflex and House-Brackmann Rating Scale as Prognostic Indicators of Peripheral Facial Palsy in Neuroborreliosis.

    PubMed

    Sekelj, Alen; Đanić, Davorin

    2017-09-01

    Lyme borreliosis is a vector-borne infectious disease characterized by three disease stages. In the areas endemic for borreliosis, every acute facial palsy indicates serologic testing and implies specific approach to the disease. Th e aim of the study was to identify and confirm the value of acoustic refl ex and House-Brackman (HB) grading scale as prognostic indicators of facial palsy in neuroborreliosis. Th e study included 176 patients with acute facial palsy divided into three groups based on serologic testing: borreliosis, Bell's palsy, and facial palsy caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Study patients underwent baseline audiometry with tympanometry and acoustic reflex, whereas current state of facial palsy was assessed by the HB scale. Subsequently, the same tests were obtained on three occasions, i.e. in week 3, 6 and 12 of presentation. Th e patients diagnosed with borreliosis, Bell's palsy and HSV-1 differed according to the time to acoustic refl ex recovery, which took longest time in patients with borreliosis. Th ese patients had the highest percentage of suprastapedial lesions at all time points and recovery was achieved later as compared with the other two diagnoses. Th e mean score on the HB scale declined with time, also at a slower rate in borreliosis patients. Th e prognosis of acoustic refl ex and facial palsy recovery according to HB scale was not associated with the length of elapsed time. The results obtained in the present study strongly confirmed the role of acoustic reflex and HB grading scale as prognostic indicators of facial palsy in neuroborreliosis.

  13. Serum C-Reactive Protein (CRP) as a Simple and Independent Prognostic Factor in Extranodal Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma, Nasal Type

    PubMed Central

    Xia, Yi; Huang, Jia-Jia; Huang, Hui-Qiang; Xia, Zhong-Jun; Lin, Tong-Yu; Li, Su; Cai, Xiu-Yu; Wu-Xiao, Zhi-Jun; Jiang, Wen-Qi

    2013-01-01

    Background C-reactive protein (CRP) is a biomarker of the inflammatory response, and it shows significant prognostic value for several types of solid tumors. The prognostic significance of CRP for lymphoma has not been fully examined. We evaluated the prognostic role of baseline serum CRP levels in patients with extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL). Methods We retrospectively analyzed 185 patients with newly diagnosed ENKTL. The prognostic value of the serum CRP level was evaluated for the low-CRP group (CRP≤10 mg/L) versus the high-CRP group (CRP>10 mg/L). The prognostic value of the International Prognostic Index (IPI) and the Korean Prognostic Index (KPI) were evaluated and compared with the newly developed prognostic model. Results Patients in the high-CRP group tended to display increased adverse clinical characteristics, lower rates of complete remission (P<0.001), inferior progression-free survival (PFS, P = 0.001), and inferior overall survival (OS, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that elevated serum CRP levels, age >60 years, hypoalbuminemia, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels were independent adverse predictors of OS. Based on these four independent predictors, we constructed a new prognostic model that identified 4 groups with varying OS: group 1, no adverse factors; group 2, 1 factor; group 3, 2 factors; and group 4, 3 or 4 factors (P<0.001). The novel prognostic model was found to be superior to both the IPI in discriminating patients with different outcomes in the IPI low-risk group and the KPI in distinguishing between the low- and intermediate-low-risk groups, the intermediate-low- and high-intermediate-risk groups, and the high-intermediate- and high-risk groups. Conclusions Our results suggest that pretreatment serum CRP levels represent an independent predictor of clinical outcome for patients with ENKTL. The prognostic value of the new prognostic model is superior to both IPI and KPI. PMID:23724031

  14. A new prognostic model for chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia.

    PubMed

    Ahn, Shin; Lee, Yoon-Seon; Lee, Jae-Lyun; Lim, Kyung Soo; Yoon, Sung-Cheol

    2016-02-01

    The objective of this study was to develop and validate a new prognostic model for febrile neutropenia (FN). This study comprised 1001 episodes of FN: 718 for the derivation set and 283 for the validation set. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed with unfavorable outcome as the primary endpoint and bacteremia as the secondary endpoint. In the derivation set, risk factors for adverse outcomes comprised age ≥ 60 years (2 points), procalcitonin ≥ 0.5 ng/mL (5 points), ECOG performance score ≥ 2 (2 points), oral mucositis grade ≥ 3 (3 points), systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg (3 points), and respiratory rate ≥ 24 breaths/min (3 points). The model stratified patients into three severity classes, with adverse event rates of 6.0 % in class I (score ≤ 2), 27.3 % in class II (score 3-8), and 67.9 % in class III (score ≥ 9). Bacteremia was present in 1.1, 11.5, and 29.8 % of patients in class I, II, and III, respectively. The outcomes of the validation set were similar in each risk class. When the derivation and validation sets were integrated, unfavorable outcomes occurred in 5.9 % of the low-risk group classified by the new prognostic model and in 12.2 % classified by the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) risk index. With the new prognostic model, we can classify patients with FN into three classes of increasing adverse outcomes and bacteremia. Early discharge would be possible for class I patients, short-term observation could safely manage class II patients, and inpatient admission is warranted for class III patients.

  15. New classification system for indications for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography predicts diagnoses and adverse events.

    PubMed

    Yuen, Nicholas; O'Shaughnessy, Pauline; Thomson, Andrew

    2017-12-01

    Indications for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) have received little attention, especially in scientific or objective terms. To review the prevailing ERCP indications in the literature, and to propose and evaluate a new ERCP indication system, which relies on more objective pre-procedure parameters. An analysis was conducted on 1758 consecutive ERCP procedures, in which contemporaneous use was made of an a-priori indication system. Indications were based on the objective pre-procedure parameters and divided into primary [cholangitis, clinical evidence of biliary leak, acute (biliary) pancreatitis, abnormal intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC), or change/removal of stent for benign/malignant disease] and secondary [combination of two or three of: pain attributable to biliary disease ('P'), imaging evidence of biliary disease ('I'), and abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) ('L')]. A secondary indication was only used if a primary indication was not present. The relationship between this newly developed classification system and ERCP findings and adverse events was examined. The indications of cholangitis and positive IOC were predictive of choledocholithiasis at ERCP (101/154 and 74/141 procedures, respectively). With respect to secondary indications, only if all three of 'P', 'I', and 'L' were present there was a statistically significant association with choledocholithiasis (χ 2 (1) = 35.3, p < .001). Adverse events were associated with an unusual indication leading to greater risk of unplanned hospitalization (χ 2 (1) = 17.0, p < .001). An a-priori-based indication system for ERCP, which relies on pre-ERCP objective parameters, provides a more useful and scientific classification system than is available currently.

  16. Prognostic indicators of 6-month mortality in elderly people with advanced dementia: A systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Brown, Meghan A; Sampson, Elizabeth L; Jones, Louise

    2013-01-01

    Background: For end-of-life dementia patients, palliative care offers a better quality of life than continued aggressive or burdensome medical interventions. To provide the best care options to dementia sufferers, validated, reliable, sensitive, and accurate prognostic tools to identify end-of-life dementia stages are necessary. Aim: To identify accurate prognosticators of mortality in elderly advanced dementia patients consistently reported in the literature. Design: Systematic literature review. Data sources: PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO databases were searched up to September 2012. Reference lists of included studies were also searched. Inclusion criteria were studies measuring factors specifically related to 6-month outcome in patients diagnosed with dementia in any residential or health-care setting. Results: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, five of which were set in the United States and two in Israel. Methodology and prognostic outcomes varied greatly between the studies. All but one study found that Functional Assessment Staging phase 7c, currently widely used to assess hospice admission eligibility in the United States, was not a reliable predictor of 6-month mortality. The most common prognostic variables identified related to nutrition/nourishment, or eating habits, followed by increased risk on dementia severity scales and comorbidities. Conclusions: Although the majority of studies agreed that the Functional Assessment Staging 7c criterion was not a reliable predictor of 6-month mortality, we found a lack of prognosticator concordance across the literature. Further studies are essential to identify reliable, sensitive, and specific prognosticators, which can be applied to the clinical setting and allow increased availability of palliative care to dementia patients. PMID:23175514

  17. Comparison of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment short and long form and serum albumin as prognostic indicators of hip fracture outcomes.

    PubMed

    Helminen, Heli; Luukkaala, Tiina; Saarnio, Juha; Nuotio, Maria

    2017-04-01

    Malnutrition is common among older hip fracture patients and associated with adverse outcomes. We examined Mini Nutritional Assessment short (MNA-SF) and long form (MNA-LF) and serum albumin as prognostic indicators of mobility, living arrangements and mortality after hip fracture. Population-based prospective data were collected on 594 hip fracture patients aged 65 and over. MNA-SF, MNA-LF and serum albumin were assessed on admission. Outcomes were poorer mobility; transfer to more assisted living accommodation and mortality one month, four months and one year post fracture. Logistic regression analyses for mobility and living arrangements with odds ratios (OR) and Cox proportional hazards model for mortality with hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used, adjusted for age, gender, ASA grade and fracture type. All measures predicted mortality at all time-points. Risk of malnutrition and malnutrition measured by MNA-LF predicted mobility and living arrangements within four months of hip fracture. At one year, risk of malnutrition predicted mobility and malnutrition predicted living arrangements, when measured by MNA-LF. Malnutrition, but not risk thereof, measured by MNA-SF predicted living arrangements at all time-points. None of the measures predicted one-month mobility. All measures were strong indicators of short- and long-term mortality after hip fracture. MNA-LF was superior in predicting mobility and living arrangements, particularly at four months. All measures were relatively poor in predicting short-term outcomes of mobility and living arrangements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Low expression of G protein-coupled oestrogen receptor 1 (GPER) is associated with adverse survival of breast cancer patients

    PubMed Central

    Martin, Stewart G.; Lebot, Marie N.; Sukkarn, Bhudsaban; Ball, Graham; Green, Andrew R.; Rakha, Emad A.; Ellis, Ian O.; Storr, Sarah J.

    2018-01-01

    G protein-coupled oestrogen receptor 1 (GPER), also called G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30), is attracting considerable attention for its potential role in breast cancer development and progression. Activation by oestrogen (17β-oestradiol; E2) initiates short term, non-genomic, signalling events both in vitro and in vivo. Published literature on the prognostic value of GPER protein expression in breast cancer indicates that further assessment is warranted. We show, using immunohistochemistry on a large cohort of primary invasive breast cancer patients (n=1245), that low protein expression of GPER is not only significantly associated with clinicopathological and molecular features of aggressive behaviour but also significantly associated with adverse survival of breast cancer patients. Furthermore, assessment of GPER mRNA levels in the METABRIC cohort (n=1980) demonstrates that low GPER mRNA expression is significantly associated with adverse survival of breast cancer patients. Using artificial neural networks, genes associated with GPER mRNA expression were identified; these included notch-4 and jagged-1. These results support the prognostic value for determination of GPER expression in breast cancer. PMID:29899833

  19. Low first postoperative day intraocular pressure as a positive prognostic indicator in deep sclerectomy.

    PubMed

    Shaarawy, T; Flammer, J; Smits, G; Mermoud, A

    2004-05-01

    To study the possibility of using intraocular pressure (IOP) in the first postoperative day after sclerectomy as a prognostic indicator. Non-randomised prospective trial involving 105 eyes of 105 patients with medically uncontrolled primary and secondary open angle glaucoma. Visual acuity, IOP, and slit lamp examinations were performed before and after surgery at 1 and 7 days, and 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48, 54, 60, and 66 months. Visual field examinations were repeated every 6 months. A split point on day 1 IOP of less than or equal to 5 mm Hg (61%) versus more than 5 mm Hg (39%) was used. The first postoperative day IOP was examined in relation to the need for subsequent Nd:YAG goniopuncture, the subsequent use of postoperative antiglaucoma medications, and as a stratification variable in the Kaplan-Meier analyses. The mean follow up was 43.2 (SD 14.3) months. The mean preoperative IOP was 26.8 (SD 7.7) mm Hg; the mean postoperative IOP was 5.1 (3.3) mm Hg at day 1 and 11.8 (3.1) mm Hg at month 60. Patients with IOP 5 mm Hg, the median time to failure was only 6 months (CI 2 to 9). No significant difference in postoperative antiglaucoma medications was observed. First postoperative day IOP can be considered to be a significant prognostic indicator in deep sclerectomy.

  20. Clinical course, characteristics and prognostic indicators in patients presenting with back and leg pain in primary care. The ATLAS study protocol

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Low-back related leg pain with or without nerve root involvement is associated with a poor prognosis compared to low back pain (LBP) alone. Compared to the literature investigating prognostic indicators of outcome for LBP, there is limited evidence on prognostic factors for low back-related leg pain including the group with nerve root pain. This 1 year prospective consultation-based observational cohort study will describe the clinical, imaging, demographic characteristics and health economic outcomes for the whole cohort, will investigate differences and identify prognostic indicators of outcome (i.e. change in disability at 12 months), for the whole cohort and, separately, for those classified with and without nerve root pain. In addition, nested qualitative studies will provide insights on the clinical consultation and the impact of diagnosis and treatment on patients' symptom management and illness trajectory. Methods Adults aged 18 years and over consulting their General Practitioner (GP) with LBP and radiating leg pain of any duration at (n = 500) GP practices in North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, UK will be invited to participate. All participants will receive a standardised assessment at the clinic by a study physiotherapist and will be classified according to the clinically determined presence or absence of nerve root pain/involvement. All will undergo a lumbar spine MRI scan. All participants will be managed according to their clinical need. The study outcomes will be measured at 4 and 12 months using postal self-complete questionnaires. Data will also be collected each month using brief postal questionnaires to enable detailed description of the course of low back and leg pain over time. Clinical observations and patient interviews will be used for the qualitative aspects of the study. Discussion This prospective clinical observational cohort will combine self-reported data, comprehensive clinical and MRI assessment, together with

  1. Prognostic indicators in ovarian serous borderline tumours.

    PubMed

    Malpica, Anais; Longacre, Teri A

    2018-02-01

    There have been great strides in our understanding of the serous group of borderline and malignant pelvic epithelial neoplasms in the past decade. While most serous borderline tumours have a favourable prognosis, recurrences and progression to carcinoma occur, often following a protracted clinical course. Clinical and pathological risk factors tend to co-vary, but the presence and type of extraovarian disease is the most important predictor for progression. Progression usually takes the form of low-grade serous carcinoma, although transformation to high-grade carcinoma is occasionally seen. A serous borderline - low-grade serous carcinoma pathway analogous to neoplastic transformation pathways seen in other organ systems has been proposed, based on global gene expression profiling, shared mutations in KRAS or BRAF, and in most cases, the presence of serous borderline tumour in de novo low-grade serous carcinoma. This discussion focuses on the key prognostic factors that predispose to disease progression and/or transformation to carcinoma in serous borderline tumours. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Neuroblastoma in children: Update on clinicopathologic and genetic prognostic factors.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Atif A; Zhang, Lei; Reddivalla, Naresh; Hetherington, Maxine

    2017-04-01

    Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood accounting for 8-10% of all childhood malignancies. The tumor is characterized by a spectrum of histopathologic features and a heterogeneous clinical phenotype. Modern multimodality therapy results in variable clinical response ranging from cure in localized tumors to limited response in aggressive metastatic disease. Accurate clinical staging and risk assessment based on clinical, surgical, biologic and pathologic criteria are of pivotal importance in assigning prognosis and planning effective treatment approaches. Numerous studies have analyzed the presence of several clinicopathologic and biologic factors in association with the patient's prognosis and outcome. Although patient's age, tumor stage, histopathologic classification, and MYCN amplification are the most commonly validated prognostic markers, several new gene mutations have been identified in sporadic and familial neuroblastoma cases that show association with an adverse outcome. Novel molecular studies have also added data on chromosomal segmental aberrations in MYCN nonamplified tumors. In this review, we provide an updated summary of the clinical, serologic and genetic prognostic indicators in neuroblastoma including classic factors that have consistently played a role in risk stratification of patients as well as newly discovered biomarkers that may show a potential significance in patients' management.

  3. The floating knee: epidemiology, prognostic indicators & outcome following surgical management

    PubMed Central

    Rethnam, Ulfin; Yesupalan, Rajam S; Nair, Rajagopalan

    2007-01-01

    Background Floating Knee injuries are complex injuries. The type of fractures, soft tissue and associated injuries make this a challenging problem to manage. We present the outcome of these injuries after surgical management. Methods 29 patients with floating knee injuries were managed over a 3 year period. This was a prospective study were both fractures of the floating knee injury were surgically fixed using different modalities. The associated injuries were managed appropriately. Assessment of the end result was done by the Karlstrom criteria after bony union. Results The mechanism of injury was road traffic accident in 27/29 patients. There were 38 associated injuries. 20/29 patients had intramedullary nailing for both fractures. The complications were knee stiffness, foot drop, delayed union of tibia and superficial infection. The bony union time ranged from 15 – 22.5 weeks for femur fractures and 17 – 28 weeks for the tibia. According to the Karlstrom criteria the end results were Excellent – 15, Good – 11, Acceptable – 1 and Poor – 3. Conclusion The associated injuries and the type of fracture (open, intra-articular, comminution) are prognostic indicators in the Floating knee. Appropriate management of the associated injuries, intramedullary nailing of both the fractures and post operative rehabilitation are necessary for good final outcome. PMID:18271992

  4. The degree of circumferential tumour involvement as a prognostic factor in oesophageal cancer.

    PubMed

    Sillah, Karim; Pritchard, Susan A; Watkins, Gillian R; McShane, James; West, Catharine M; Page, Richard; Welch, Ian M

    2009-08-01

    Tumour length is an adverse prognostic factor in oesophageal cancer. However, the prognostic role of the degree of oesophageal circumference (DOC) involved by tumour with or without resection margin invasion is not clear. This work assessed the relationship between DOC involved by tumour, clinico-pathological variables and prognosis. The clinico-pathological details of 320 patients who underwent potentially curative oesophagogastrectomy for cancer between 1994 and 2007 were analysed. The DOC involved with tumour measured macroscopically on the resected specimen was classified as small (<2.5 cm, n = 115), large (> or = 2.5 cm, n = 144) or circumferential (i.e. involving the whole circumference, n = 61). Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were carried out. The DOC with tumour was higher in ulcerating tumours than stenosing or polypoidal types (p = 0.017). Tumour length, T-stage, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and vascular invasion were independently associated with DOC with tumour on multivariate analysis (p < 0.05 for all). DOC > or = 2.5 cm was an adverse prognostic factor in univariate analysis (p = 0.002) with a hazard ratio of 1.52 [95% CI 1.13-2.04] compared with those <2.5 cm. Circumferential tumours had a similar prognosis to tumours > or = 2.5 cm (p = 0.60). The prognostic significance of DOC with tumour was lost in multivariate analysis where the factors retaining independence were patient age, T-stage, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion and positive resection margins. However, when patients were stratified by use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n = 121), the DOC with tumour retained prognostic significance on multivariate analysis in the 199 patients who did not undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.04). The DOC with tumour appears to provide prognostic information in oesophageal cancer surgery, especially in patients who do not undergo preoperative chemotherapy.

  5. Prognostic significance of MRI findings in patients with myxoid-round cell liposarcoma.

    PubMed

    Tateishi, Ukihide; Hasegawa, Tadashi; Beppu, Yasuo; Kawai, Akira; Satake, Mitsuo; Moriyama, Noriyuki

    2004-03-01

    The aims of this study were to determine the prognostic significance of MRI findings in patients with myxoid-round cell liposarcomas and to clarify which MRI features best indicate tumors with adverse clinical behavior. The initial MRI studies of 36 pathologically confirmed myxoid-round cell liposarcomas were retrospectively reviewed, and observations from this review were correlated with the histopathologic features. MR images were evaluated by two radiologists with agreement by consensus, and both univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate survival with a median clinical follow-up of 33 months (range, 9-276 months). Statistically significant MRI findings that favored a diagnosis of intermediate- or high-grade tumor were large tumor size (> 10 cm), deeply situated tumor, tumor possessing irregular contours, absence of lobulation, absence of thin septa, presence of thick septa, absence of tumor capsule, high-intensity signal pattern, pronounced enhancement, and globular or nodular enhancement. Of these MRI findings, thin septa (p < 0.05), a tumor capsule (p < 0.01), and pronounced enhancement (p < 0.01) were associated significantly, according to univariate analysis, with overall survival. Multivariate analysis indicated that pronounced enhancement was associated significantly with overall survival (p < 0.05). Contrast-enhanced MRI findings can indicate a good or adverse prognosis in patients with myxoid-round cell liposarcomas.

  6. Delay discounting rates: a strong prognostic indicator of smoking relapse.

    PubMed

    Sheffer, Christine E; Christensen, Darren R; Landes, Reid; Carter, Larry P; Jackson, Lisa; Bickel, Warren K

    2014-11-01

    Recent evidence suggests that several dimensions of impulsivity and locus of control are likely to be significant prognostic indicators of relapse. One-hundred and thirty-one treatment seeking smokers were enrolled in six weeks of multi-component cognitive-behavioral therapy with eight weeks of nicotine replacement therapy. Cox proportional hazard regressions were used to model days to relapse with each of the following: delay discounting of $100, delay discounting of $1000, six subscales of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), Rotter's Locus of Control (RLOC), Fagerstrom's Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Hazard ratios for a one standard deviation increase were estimated with 95% confidence intervals for each explanatory variable. Likelihood ratios were used to examine the level of association with days to relapse for different combinations of the explanatory variables while accounting for nicotine dependence and stress level. These analyses found that the $100 delay discounting rate had the strongest association with days to relapse. Further, when discounting rates were combined with the FTND and PSS, the associations remained significant. When the other measures were combined with the FTND and PSS, their associations with relapse non-significant. These findings indicate that delay discounting is independently associated with relapse and adds to what is already accounted for by nicotine dependence and stress level. They also signify that delay discounting is a productive new target for enhancing treatment for tobacco dependence. Consequently, adding an intervention designed to decrease discounting rates to a comprehensive treatment for tobacco dependence has the potential to decrease relapse rates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Newly identified poor prognostic factors for adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

    PubMed

    Tokunaga, Masahito; Uto, Hirofumi; Takeuchi, Shogo; Nakano, Nobuaki; Kubota, Ayumu; Tokunaga, Mayumi; Takatsuka, Yoshifusa; Seto, Masao; Ido, Akio; Utsunomiya, Atae

    2017-01-01

    To explore pre-transplantation prognostic factors for adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL), we retrospectively analyzed allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in 70 patients at our institute (63 acute type and seven lymphoma type patients). Forty-five patients died after HSCT and the three-year overall survival (OS) rate was 35.2%. By univariate analysis, the adverse prognostic factors for OS were performance status ≥2, hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI) score ≥3, European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) risk score ≥5, HSCT from an HLA-mismatched donor, serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) level ≥10,000 U/mL, lymphocyte count ≥4000/μL, and hemoglobin <9 g/dL at the time of HSCT. EBMT risk score and sIL-2R were identified as significant adverse prognostic factors using multivariate analysis. This analysis clearly demonstrates for the first time that HCT-CI and EBMT risk scores are reliable prognostic factors for ATL patients receiving allo-HSCT.

  8. Prognostic factors of whiplash-associated disorders: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies.

    PubMed

    Scholten-Peeters, Gwendolijne G M; Verhagen, Arianne P; Bekkering, Geertruida E; van der Windt, Daniëlle A W M; Barnsley, Les; Oostendorp, Rob A B; Hendriks, Erik J M

    2003-07-01

    We present a systematic review of prospective cohort studies. Our aim was to assess prognostic factors associated with functional recovery of patients with whiplash injuries. The failure of some patients to recover following whiplash injury has been linked to a number of prognostic factors. However, there is some inconsistency in the literature and there have been no systematic attempts to analyze the level of evidence for prognostic factors in whiplash recovery. Studies were selected for inclusion following a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the database of the Dutch Institute of Allied Health Professions up until April 2002 and hand searches of the reference lists of retrieved articles. Studies were selected if the objective was to assess prognostic factors associated with recovery; the design was a prospective cohort study; the study population included at least an identifiable subgroup of patients suffering from a whiplash injury; and the paper was a full report published in English, German, French or Dutch. The methodological quality was independently assessed by two reviewers. A study was considered to be of 'high quality' if it satisfied at least 50% of the maximum available quality score. Two independent reviewers extracted data and the association between prognostic factors and functional recovery was calculated in terms of risk estimates. Fifty papers reporting on twenty-nine cohorts were included in the review. Twelve cohorts were considered to be of 'high quality'. Because of the heterogeneity of patient selection, type of prognostic factors and outcome measures, no statistical pooling was able to be performed. Strong evidence was found for high initial pain intensity being an adverse prognostic factor. There was strong evidence that for older age, female gender, high acute psychological response, angular deformity of the neck, rear-end collision, and compensation not being associated with an adverse prognosis. Several physical (e

  9. Circulating Endothelial Cells and Endothelial Function predict Major Adverse Cardiac Events and Early Adverse Left Ventricular Remodeling in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

    PubMed Central

    Magdy, Abdel Hamid; Bakhoum, Sameh; Sharaf, Yasser; Sabry, Dina; El-Gengehe, Ahmed T; Abdel-Latif, Ahmed

    2016-01-01

    Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are mobilized from the bone marrow and increase in the early phase after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic significance of CECs and indices of endothelial dysfunction in patients with STEMI. In 78 patients with acute STEMI, characterization of CD34+/VEGFR2+ CECs, and indices of endothelial damage/dysfunction such as brachial artery flow mediated dilatation (FMD) were determined. Blood samples for CECs assessment and quantification were obtained within 24 hours of admission and FMD was assessed during the index hospitalization. At 30 days follow up, the primary composite end point of major cardiac adverse events (MACE) consisting of all-cause mortality, recurrent non-fatal MI, or heart failure and the secondary endpoint of early adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling were analyzed. The 17 patients (22%) who developed MACE had significantly higher CEC level (P = 0.004), vWF level (P =0.028), and significantly lower FMD (P = 0.006) compared to the remaining patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that CECs level and LV ejection fraction were independent predictors of MACE. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) for CEC level, FMD, and the logistic model with both markers were 0.73, 0.75, and 0.82 respectively for prediction of the MACE. The 16 patients who developed the secondary endpoint had significantly higher CEC level compared to remaining patients (p =0.038). In conclusion, increased circulating endothelial cells and endothelial dysfunction predicted the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events and adverse cardiac remodeling in patients with STEMI. PMID:26864952

  10. Value of the prognostic nutritional index in advanced gastric cancer treated with preoperative chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Sun, Jianyi; Wang, Donghai; Mei, Ying; Jin, Hailong; Zhu, Kankai; Liu, Xiaosun; Zhang, Qing; Yu, Jiren

    2017-03-01

    The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a useful parameter indicating the immune and nutritional status of cancer patients; this study investigated the prognostic value of the PNI in advanced gastric cancer patients treated with preoperative chemotherapy. We retrospectively reviewed 117 advanced gastric cancer patients who met the inclusion criteria for preoperative chemotherapy and underwent surgical resection from July 2004 to December 2011. The patients were divided into PNI-high (PNI ≥ 45) and PNI-low (PNI < 45) groups. Clinicopathologic features, chemotherapy adverse events, and surgical complications were compared between the prechemotherapy PNI-high and PNI-low groups using the chi-square test. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify prognostic factors. Overall survival was better in the prechemotherapy PNI-high group than in the PNI-low group (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.237, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.271-3.393, P = 0.005), while there was no significant difference in Overall survival between the postchemotherapy PNI-high and PNI-low groups (P > 0.05). Cox regression analysis indicated that yield pathologic T (ypT), yield pathologic N (ypN) stage, and prechemotherapy PNI were independent prognostic factors (ypT: HR = 2.914, 95% CI = 1.312-6.470, P = 0.009; ypN: HR = 4.909, 95% CI = 1.764-13.660, P = 0.003; prechemotherapy PNI: HR = 1.963, 95% CI = 1.101-3.499, P = 0.022). The prechemotherapy PNI is a useful predictor of the long-term outcome of patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with preoperative chemotherapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Vehicle Integrated Prognostic Reasoner (VIPR) Final Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bharadwaj, Raj; Mylaraswamy, Dinkar; Cornhill, Dennis; Biswas, Gautam; Koutsoukos, Xenofon; Mack, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    A systems view is necessary to detect, diagnose, predict, and mitigate adverse events during the flight of an aircraft. While most aircraft subsystems look for simple threshold exceedances and report them to a central maintenance computer, the vehicle integrated prognostic reasoner (VIPR) proactively generates evidence and takes an active role in aircraft-level health assessment. Establishing the technical feasibility and a design trade-space for this next-generation vehicle-level reasoning system (VLRS) is the focus of our work.

  12. Incremental prognostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography over coronary calcium scoring for major adverse cardiac events in elderly asymptomatic individuals

    PubMed Central

    Han, Donghee; Hartaigh, Bríain Ó; Gransar, Heidi; Lee, Ji Hyun; Rizvi, Asim; Baskaran, Lohendran; Schulman-Marcus, Joshua; Dunning, Allison; Achenbach, Stephan; Al-Mallah, Mouaz H; Berman, Daniel S; Budoff, Matthew J; Cademartiri, Filippo; Maffei, Erica; Callister, Tracy Q; Chinnaiyan, Kavitha; Chow, Benjamin J W; DeLago, Augustin; Hadamitzky, Martin; Hausleiter, Joerg; Kaufmann, Philipp A; Raff, Gilbert; Shaw, Leslee J; Villines, Todd C; Kim, Yong-Jin; Leipsic, Jonathon; Feuchtner, Gudrun; Cury, Ricardo C; Pontone, Gianluca; Andreini, Daniele; Marques, Hugo; Rubinshtein, Ronen; Hindoyan, Niree; Jones, Erica C; Gomez, Millie; Lin, Fay Y; Chang, Hyuk-Jae; Min, James K

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Aims Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) have prognostic value for coronary artery disease (CAD) events beyond traditional risk assessment. Age is a risk factor with very high weight and little is known regarding the incremental value of CCTA over CAC for predicting cardiac events in older adults. Methods and results Of 27 125 individuals undergoing CCTA, a total of 3145 asymptomatic adults were identified. This study sample was categorized according to tertiles of age (cut-off points: 52 and 62 years). CAD severity was classified as 0, 1–49, and ≥50% maximal stenosis in CCTA, and further categorized according to number of vessels ≥50% stenosis. The Framingham 10-year risk score (FRS) and CACS were employed as major covariates. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined as a composite of all-cause death or non-fatal MI. During a median follow-up of 26 months (interquartile range: 18–41 months), 59 (1.9%) MACE occurred. For patients in the top age tertile, CCTA improved discrimination beyond a model included FRS and CACS (C-statistic: 0.75 vs. 0.70, P-value = 0.015). Likewise, the addition of CCTA improved category-free net reclassification (cNRI) of MACE in patients within the highest age tertile (e.g. cNRI = 0.75; proportion of events/non-events reclassified were 50 and 25%, respectively; P-value <0.05, all). CCTA displayed no incremental benefit beyond FRS and CACS for prediction of MACE in the lower age tertiles. Conclusion CCTA provides added prognostic value beyond cardiac risk factors and CACS for the prediction of MACE in asymptomatic older adults. PMID:28977374

  13. Comparison of two melphalan protocols and evaluation of outcome and prognostic factors in multiple myeloma in dogs

    PubMed Central

    Fernández, Ricardo

    2018-01-01

    Background Multiple myeloma (MM) in dogs typically is treated with melphalan. A daily melphalan dosing schedule reportedly is well tolerated and associated with favorable outcome. Although anecdotally a pulse dose regimen has resulted in successful responses, little long‐term outcome and safety data is available regarding this dosing regimen for dogs with MM. Hypothesis/objectives (1) To compare outcome and adverse event profiles between pulse dose and daily dose melphalan schedules and (2) to report prognostic factors in dogs with MM treated with melphalan. We hypothesized that both protocols would have similar outcomes and tolerability. Animals Thirty‐eight client‐owned dogs diagnosed with MM receiving pulse dose (n = 17) or daily dose (n = 21) melphalan. Methods Retrospective cohort study assessing outcome and adverse events in dogs receiving either protocol. Risk factors were evaluated for their prognostic relevance. Results Both regimens were well tolerated and similarly effective, with an overall median survival time of 930 days. Renal disease and neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were negative prognostic factors, whereas hypercalcemia and osteolytic lesions were not prognostic factors in this study population. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Positive results support the use of either dosing regimen for the treatment of dogs with MM, and renal disease and NLR were negative prognostic factors. Prospective, controlled, and randomized studies are warranted to confirm these findings. PMID:29566439

  14. Vehicle Integrated Prognostic Reasoner (VIPR) 2010 Annual Final Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hadden, George D.; Mylaraswamy, Dinkar; Schimmel, Craig; Biswas, Gautam; Koutsoukos, Xenofon; Mack, Daniel

    2011-01-01

    Honeywell's Central Maintenance Computer Function (CMCF) and Aircraft Condition Monitoring Function (ACMF) represent the state-of-the art in integrated vehicle health management (IVHM). Underlying these technologies is a fault propagation modeling system that provides nose-to-tail coverage and root cause diagnostics. The Vehicle Integrated Prognostic Reasoner (VIPR) extends this technology to interpret evidence generated by advanced diagnostic and prognostic monitors provided by component suppliers to detect, isolate, and predict adverse events that affect flight safety. This report describes year one work that included defining the architecture and communication protocols and establishing the user requirements for such a system. Based on these and a set of ConOps scenarios, we designed and implemented a demonstration of communication pathways and associated three-tiered health management architecture. A series of scripted scenarios showed how VIPR would detect adverse events before they escalate as safety incidents through a combination of advanced reasoning and additional aircraft data collected from an aircraft condition monitoring system. Demonstrating VIPR capability for cases recorded in the ASIAS database and cross linking them with historical aircraft data is planned for year two.

  15. Evaluation of two prognostic indices for adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma in the subtropical endemic area, Okinawa, Japan.

    PubMed

    Tamaki, Keita; Morishima, Satoko; Nomura, Shogo; Nishi, Yukiko; Nakachi, Sawako; Kitamura, Sakiko; Uchibori, Sachie; Tomori, Shouhei; Hanashiro, Taeko; Shimabukuro, Natsuki; Tedokon, Iori; Morichika, Kazuho; Taira, Naoya; Tomoyose, Takeaki; Miyagi, Takashi; Karimata, Kaori; Ohama, Masayo; Yamanoha, Atsushi; Tamaki, Kazumitsu; Hayashi, Masaki; Uchihara, Jun-Nosuke; Ohshiro, Kazuiku; Asakura, Yoshitaka; Kuba-Miyara, Megumi; Karube, Kennosuke; Fukushima, Takuya; Masuzaki, Hiroaki

    2018-05-17

    Aggressive adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) has an extremely poor prognosis and is hyperendemic in Okinawa, Japan. This study evaluated two prognostic indices (PIs) for aggressive ATL, the ATL-PI and Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG)-PI, in a cohort from Okinawa. The PIs were developed using two different Japanese cohorts that included few patients from Okinawa. The endpoint was overall survival (OS). Multivariable Cox regression analyses in the cohort of 433 patients revealed that all seven factors for calculating each PI were statistically significant prognostic predictors. Three-year OS rates for ATL-PI were 35.9% (low-risk, n=66), 10.4% (intermediate-risk, n=256), and 1.6% (high-risk, n=111), and those for JCOG-PI were 22.4% (moderate-risk, n=176) and 5.3% (high-risk, n=257). The JCOG-PI moderate-risk group included both the ATL-PI low- and intermediate-risk groups. ATL-PI more clearly identified the low-risk patient subgroup than JCOG-PI. To evaluate the external validity of the two PIs, we also assessed prognostic discriminability among 159 patients who loosely met the eligibility criteria of a previous clinical trial. Three-year OS rates for ATL-PI were 34.5% (low-risk, n=42), 9.2% (intermediate-risk, n=109), and 12.5% (high-risk, n = 8). Those for JCOG-PI were 22.4% (moderate-risk, n=95) and 7.6% (high-risk, n=64). The low-risk ATL-PI group had a better prognosis than the JCOG-PI moderate-risk group, suggesting that ATL-PI would be more useful than JCOG-PI for establishing and examining novel treatment strategies for ATL patients with a better prognosis. In addition, strongyloidiasis, previously suggested to be associated with ATL-related deaths in Okinawa, was not a prognostic factor in this study. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  16. The Prognostic Value of Late Gadolinium-Enhanced Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Review and Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Becker, Marthe A J; Cornel, Jan H; van de Ven, Peter M; van Rossum, Albert C; Allaart, Cornelis P; Germans, Tjeerd

    2018-04-13

    This review and meta-analysis reviews the prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Late gadolinium-enhanced (LGE) CMR is a noninvasive method to determine the underlying cause of DCM and previous studies reported the prognostic value of the presence of LGE to identify patients at risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. PubMed was searched for studies describing the prognostic implication of LGE in patients with DCM for the specified endpoints cardiovascular mortality, major ventricular arrhythmic events including appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy, rehospitalization for heart failure, and left ventricular reverse remodeling. Data from 34 studies were included, with a total of 4,554 patients. Contrast enhancement was present in 44.8% of DCM patients. Patients with LGE had increased cardiovascular mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 3.40; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.04 to 5.67), ventricular arrhythmic events (OR: 4.52; 95% CI: 3.41 to 5.99), and rehospitalization for heart failure (OR: 2.66; 95% CI: 1.67 to 4.24) compared with those without LGE. Moreover, the absence of LGE predicted left ventricular reverse remodeling (OR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.36). The presence of LGE on CMR substantially worsens prognosis for adverse cardiovascular events in DCM patients, and the absence indicates left ventricular reverse remodeling. Copyright © 2018 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Advanced Methods for Determining Prediction Uncertainty in Model-Based Prognostics with Application to Planetary Rovers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daigle, Matthew J.; Sankararaman, Shankar

    2013-01-01

    Prognostics is centered on predicting the time of and time until adverse events in components, subsystems, and systems. It typically involves both a state estimation phase, in which the current health state of a system is identified, and a prediction phase, in which the state is projected forward in time. Since prognostics is mainly a prediction problem, prognostic approaches cannot avoid uncertainty, which arises due to several sources. Prognostics algorithms must both characterize this uncertainty and incorporate it into the predictions so that informed decisions can be made about the system. In this paper, we describe three methods to solve these problems, including Monte Carlo-, unscented transform-, and first-order reliability-based methods. Using a planetary rover as a case study, we demonstrate and compare the different methods in simulation for battery end-of-discharge prediction.

  18. PPFIA1 is upregulated in liver metastasis of breast cancer and is a potential poor prognostic indicator of metastatic relapse.

    PubMed

    Yang, Jing; Wu, Ning-Ni; Huang, De-Jia; Luo, Yao-Chang; Huang, Jun-Zhen; He, Hai-Yuan; Lu, Hai-Lin; Song, Wen-Ling

    2017-07-01

    Although the oncogenic role of PPFIA1 (liprin-α1) in breast cancer has been reported, whether its dysregulation is associated with metastasis risk or survival outcomes in breast cancer patients is not clear. Our primary data showed that PPFIA1 expression was significantly higher in liver metastatic breast tumors than in the primary tumors. Then, we tried to pool previous annotated genomic data to assess the prognostic value of PPFIA1 in distant metastasis-free survival, the risk of metastatic relapse, and metastatic relapse-free survival in breast cancer patients by data mining in two large databases, Kaplan-Meier plotter and bc-GenExMiner 4.0. Results from Kaplan-Meier plotter showed that although high PPFIA1 expression was generally associated with decreased distant metastasis-free survival in estrogen receptor+ patients, subgroup analysis only confirmed significant association in estrogen receptor+/N- (nodal negative) group (median survival, high PPFIA1 group vs low PPFIA1 cohort: 191.21 vs 236.22 months; hazard ratio: 2.23, 95% confidence interval: 1.42-3.5, p < 0.001), but not in estrogen receptor+/N+ (nodal positive) group (hazard ratio: 1.63, 95% confidence interval: 0.88-3.03, p = 0.12). In estrogen receptor- patients, there was no association between PPFIA1 expression and distant metastasis-free survival, no matter in Nm (nodal status mixed), N-, or N+ subgroups. In bc-GenExMiner 4.0, Nottingham Prognostic Index- and Adjuvant! Online-adjusted analysis validated the independent prognostic value of PPFIA1 in metastatic risks in estrogen receptor+/N- patients. Based on these findings, we infer that high PPFIA1 expression might be an independent prognostic indicator of increased metastatic relapse risk in patients with estrogen receptor+/N- breast cancer, but not in estrogen receptor+/N+ or estrogen receptor- patients.

  19. Impaired Gas Exchange: Prognostic Clinical Indicators of Short-Term Survival in Children with Acute Respiratory Infection.

    PubMed

    Pascoal, Lívia Maia; de Oliveira Lopes, Marcos Venícios; Chaves, Daniel Bruno Resende; Beltrão, Beatriz Amorim; Nunes, Marília Mendes; da Silva, Viviane Martins; de Sousa Freire, Vanessa Emille Carvalho

    2018-02-10

    To establish prognostic indicators of survival for impaired gas exchange (IGE) (00030). Secondary analysis of data from an open prospective cohort developed with a group of 136 children with acute respiratory infection (ARI). On Day 1, IGE (00030) was present in 42.6% of the sample. New cases arose until the last day of evaluation. With regards to defining characteristics, only hypoxemia and abnormal skin color were associated with a higher risk of developing diagnosis. Children with ARI who exhibit hypoxemia and abnormal skin color had a worse prognosis for IGE (00030). Nurses can use the research findings as a predictive marker of the evolution of the patient's health status. © 2018 NANDA International, Inc.

  20. [Use of intravenous iron infusion in a gastroenterology day hospital: Indications, dosage and adverse effects].

    PubMed

    Dosal, Angelina; Calvet, Xavier; Moreno, Laura; López, María; Figuerola, Ariadna; Ruíz, Miquel Angel; Suárez, David; Gené, Emili; Miquel, Mireia; Villoria, Albert

    2010-01-01

    There are no data in the literature on the use of intravenous iron infusion in gastroenterology day hospitals. To determine the indications, dosage and tolerance of intravenous iron infusion in outpatients attending a gastroenterology day hospital. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who received intravenous iron infusion between August 2007 and July 2008. The indications, dosage, transfusion requirements, adverse effects and patients' clinical and laboratory data were recorded. During the study period, 111 patients (41% women, with a mean age of 63.8 ± 18 years) received intravenous iron infusions. The main causes of anemia indicating iron administration were portal hypertensive gastropathy (n=55), inflammatory bowel disease (n=22) and intestinal angiodysplasia (n=12). The patients received a total of 557 iron infusions with a mean dose of 1033 mg iron per patient. There were no adverse effects. Despite the treatment, 46 patients required transfusion. Iron and transfusion requirements and mortality were significantly higher in patients with liver cirrhosis than in the remainder of the study group. Intravenous iron therapy is frequently used in the gastroenterology day hospital. Most infusions were administered in patients with chronic iron loss. Patients with liver cirrhosis had the most severe anemia and underlying disease and the highest mortality.

  1. Differential evolution-based multi-objective optimization for the definition of a health indicator for fault diagnostics and prognostics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baraldi, P.; Bonfanti, G.; Zio, E.

    2018-03-01

    The identification of the current degradation state of an industrial component and the prediction of its future evolution is a fundamental step for the development of condition-based and predictive maintenance approaches. The objective of the present work is to propose a general method for extracting a health indicator to measure the amount of component degradation from a set of signals measured during operation. The proposed method is based on the combined use of feature extraction techniques, such as Empirical Mode Decomposition and Auto-Associative Kernel Regression, and a multi-objective Binary Differential Evolution (BDE) algorithm for selecting the subset of features optimal for the definition of the health indicator. The objectives of the optimization are desired characteristics of the health indicator, such as monotonicity, trendability and prognosability. A case study is considered, concerning the prediction of the remaining useful life of turbofan engines. The obtained results confirm that the method is capable of extracting health indicators suitable for accurate prognostics.

  2. Survival analysis and prognostic indicators of systemic lupus erythematosus in Pakistani patients.

    PubMed

    Rabbani, Malik Anas; Habib, H B; Islam, M; Ahmad, B; Majid, S; Saeed, W; Shah, S M A; Ahmad, A

    2009-08-01

    To aim of this study is to analyse the survival rate and prognostic indicators of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Pakistani population. A total of 198 patients with SLE diagnosed between 1992 and 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical features at presentation, subsequent evolving features, autoantibody profile, damage scores and mortality data were obtained. Prognostic factors for survival were studied by statistical analysis. Of 198 SLE patients studied, 174 were women and 24 were men. The women to men ratio was 7.2:1. Mean age at presentation was 31 years (range 14-76). Mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 2.8 years. Mean duration of follow-up was 34.21 months (+/-33.69). Mean disease duration was 15.6 years. At diagnosis, arthritis, malar rash, oral ulcers and alopecia were the commonest features. During the follow-up, the prevalence of nephritis, arthritis, neurological and hematological disease increased significantly. About 76% (n = 151) of the patients had organ damage at the time of data analysis, and renal disease was the commonest cause. Univariate analysis revealed that renal disease (P = 0.000), seizures (P = 0.048), pleural involvement (P = 0.019), alopecia (P = 0.000) and discoid lesions (P = 0.005) were predictors for damage. Multivariate model, however, revealed that only renal disease was independent risk factor for damage (P = 0.002). During the study period, 47 patients (24%) died (five due to disease-related complications and rest as a result of infections). The 3-, 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-year survival rates of our cohort were 99, 80, 77, 75 and 75%, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed that renal involvement (P = 0.002) and infections (P = 0.004) were independent risk factors for mortality. The survival of our Pakistani SLE patients was significantly lower compared to that of the Caucasian series reported in last decade. Nephritis not only contributes to organ damage but also acts a major determinant for survival

  3. Brainstem gangliogliomas: prognostic factors, surgical indications and functional outcomes.

    PubMed

    Pan, Chang-Cun; Chen, Xin; Xu, Cheng; Wu, Wen-Hao; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Yu; Wu, Tao; Tang, Jie; Xiao, Xin-Ru; Wu, Zhen; Zhang, Jun-Ting; Zhang, Li-Wei

    2016-07-01

    To explore the prognostic factors and discuss the surgical indications of brainstem gangliogliomas. Twenty-one patients with brainstem ganglioglioma were surgically treated at our hospital between 2006 and 2014. The clinical, radiological, operative, and pathological findings of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. The 3-years overall survival and event-free survival (EFS) rates were 90.5 % and 68.4 %, respectively. Four patients (4/18, 22 %) experienced a recurrence with a mean recurrence-free survival of 5.5 months and a mean follow-up of 37 months. Three patients died of surgery-related complications. Three growth patterns were identified: exophytic (6/21), intrinsic (2/21), and endo-exophytic (13/21). Eight patients (8/15, 53 %) harbored a BRAF V600E mutation. All recurrent tumors were endo-exophytic, and except the one without molecular information, were BRAF V600E mutants. A Cox hazard proportion ratio model was used to identify factors influencing EFS, including sex, age, location, growth patterns, extent of resection (EOR), and BRAF V600E mutation status. On univariate analysis, none of these factors reached statistical significance. Among them, EOR and growth patterns were strongly associated with each other (Fisher's exact test, P < 0.01). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that growth patterns were the only factor associated with EFS (P = 0.02; HR 49.05; 95 % CI 1.76-1365.13). Growth patterns may be useful to select surgery candidates and predict prognosis for patients with brainstem gangliogliomas. BRAF V600E was frequently present and appeared to be associated with shorter recurrence-free survival. Studies on BRAF V600E-targeted therapy for patients with high surgical risks are needed.

  4. CD25 expression status improves prognostic risk classification in AML independent of established biomarkers: ECOG phase 3 trial, E1900

    PubMed Central

    Gönen, Mithat; Sun, Zhuoxin; Figueroa, Maria E.; Patel, Jay P.; Abdel-Wahab, Omar; Racevskis, Janis; Ketterling, Rhett P.; Fernandez, Hugo; Rowe, Jacob M.; Tallman, Martin S.; Melnick, Ari; Levine, Ross L.

    2012-01-01

    We determined the prognostic relevance of CD25 (IL-2 receptor-α) expression in 657 patients (≤ 60 years) with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group trial, E1900. We identified CD25POS myeloblasts in 87 patients (13%), of whom 92% had intermediate-risk cytogenetics. CD25 expression correlated with expression of stem cell antigen CD123. In multivariate analysis, controlled for prognostic baseline characteristics and daunorubicin dose, CD25POS patients had inferior complete remission rates (P = .0005) and overall survival (P < .0001) compared with CD25NEG cases. In a subset of 396 patients, we integrated CD25 expression with somatic mutation status to determine whether CD25 impacted outcome independent of prognostic mutations. CD25 was positively correlated with internal tandem duplications in FLT3 (FLT3-ITD), DNMT3A, and NPM1 mutations. The adverse prognostic impact of FLT3-ITDPOS AML was restricted to CD25POS patients. CD25 expression improved AML prognostication independent of integrated, cytogenetic and mutational data, such that it reallocated 11% of patients with intermediate-risk disease to the unfavorable-risk group. Gene expression analysis revealed that CD25POS status correlated with the expression of previously reported leukemia stem cell signatures. We conclude that CD25POS status provides prognostic relevance in AML independent of known biomarkers and is correlated with stem cell gene-expression signatures associated with adverse outcome in AML. PMID:22855599

  5. Prognostic indicators associated with early mortality of wild raptors admitted to a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Spain.

    PubMed

    Molina-López, Rafael A; Casal, Jordi; Darwich, Laila

    2015-03-01

    Assessment of the prognostic indicators of wildlife casualties is critical in wildlife rehabilitation practice, to optimize the use of economical resources, and to protect animal welfare. Few studies have been conducted in this field. To identify the prognostic indicators associated with raptor mortality during the first week of hospitalization. Complete medical records of 1722 wild raptor cases admitted to a wildlife rehabilitation centre from 1995 to 2007 were used. Regression models were created to determine mortality-related factors for different variables (order, sex, body condition (BC), clinical signs, and available haematological and biochemical parameters). In the bivariate analysis, the presence of nervous (OR = 11.9, 95%CI:5.1-27.6) or musculoskeletal (OR = 12.1, 95%CI:5.8-25.3) signs, a poor BC (OR = 32.9, 95%CI:19-81.2), and low values of packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin or total solids (TS), were all associated with early mortality. After adjusting variables in the multivariate model, BC was excluded due to co-linearity with other variables, and alteration of the nervous system was the only significant risk factor (OR = 4.0; 95%CI:1.9-8.8). In species specific analysis, poor prognosis was related to neurological signs in Athene noctua, poor BC in Strix aluco, trauma in Acciptiter nisus and Tyto alba, low PCV in Buteo buteo and Falco tinnunculus and low TS in Falco tinnunculus. Raptors with a poor BC, low values of PCV and those presenting with neurological signs, had the highest risk of dying in the first days of admittance. Thus, either medical care or humane euthanasia for poor prognosis should be performed to address animal welfare.

  6. The Glasgow Prognostic Score Predicts Response to Chemotherapy in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Wang, Dexing; Duan, Li; Tu, Zhiquan; Yan, Fei; Zhang, Cuicui; Li, Xu; Cao, Yuzhu; Wen, Hongsheng

    2016-01-01

    Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death in women worldwide. The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), a cumulative prognostic score based on C-reactive protein and albumin, indicates the presence of a systemic inflammatory response. The GPS has been adopted as a powerful prognostic tool for patients with various types of malignant tumors, including breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the value of the GPS in predicting the response and toxicity in breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Patients with metastatic breast cancers in a progressive stage for consideration of chemotherapy were eligible. The clinical characteristics and demographics were recorded. The GPS was calculated before the onset of chemotherapy. Data on the response to chemotherapy and progression-free survival (PFS) were also collected. Objective tumor responses were evaluated according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Toxicities were graded according to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTC) version 3.0 throughout therapy. In total, 106 breast cancer patients were recruited. The GPS was associated with the response rate (p = 0.05), the clinical benefit rate (p = 0.03), and PFS (p = 0.005). The GPS was the only independent predictor of PFS (p = 0.005). The GPS was significantly associated with neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anorexia, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, and mucositis (p = 0.05-0.001). Our data demonstrate that GPS assessment is associated with poor clinical outcomes and severe chemotherapy-related toxicities in patients with metastatic breast cancer who have undergone chemotherapy, without any specific indication regarding the type of chemotherapy applied. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. De Quervain tendinopathy: survivorship and prognostic indicators of recurrence following a single corticosteroid injection.

    PubMed

    Earp, Brandon E; Han, Carin H; Floyd, W Emerson; Rozental, Tamara D; Blazar, Philip E

    2015-06-01

    To determine short- and long-term success rates of a single corticosteroid injection for de Quervain tendinopathy while identifying prognostic indicators for symptom recurrence and repeat intervention. Fifty consecutive patients with de Quervain tendinopathy treated with corticosteroid injections (lidocaine plus triamcinolone acetonide or dexamethasone) were prospectively enrolled. Patients with inflammatory arthritis, carpometacarpal osteoarthritis, or a previous distal radius fracture affecting the symptomatic wrist were excluded. Demographic data and information on existing comorbidities were recorded. Patients were seen in clinic at 6 weeks after injection and contacted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months following injection to determine symptom recurrence and further intervention. Medical records were also reviewed for this purpose. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression modeling were used to estimate recurrence rates and identify predictors of symptom recurrence and repeat intervention. Fifty wrists in 50 patients (average age, 49 y) were included. One patient was lost to follow-up. Eighty-two percent of patients had resolved symptoms 6 weeks after a steroid injection. Twenty-four patients had a recurrence of symptoms at a median of 84 days after the injection. Eleven patients underwent additional intervention (7 surgical releases and 4 repeat injections) at a median of 129 days (range, 42-365) after the injection. Estimated freedom from symptom recurrence was 52% at 6 and 12 months. Estimated freedom from repeat intervention was 81% at 6 months and 77% at 12 months. Two of 3 patients with a history of trigger finger required subsequent de Quervain surgery. We demonstrated that a single cortisone injection was effective in alleviating symptoms of de Quervain tendinopathy in 82% of patients and that over half remained symptom-free for at least 12 months. All patients with recurring symptoms developed them within the first 6 months. Prognostic IV. Copyright

  8. Are salivary amylase and pH - Prognostic indicators of cancers?

    PubMed

    Ramya, Atmakuri Shanmukha; Uppala, Divya; Majumdar, Sumit; Surekha, Ch; Deepak, K G K

    2015-01-01

    Saliva, "Mirror of body's health" has long been of particular interest as a substitute for blood for disease diagnosis and monitoring. The radiation effects on salivary glands are of particular interest in which salivary amylase is a good indicator of salivary glands function. Thus, estimation of these parameters represents a reasonable approach in evaluation of patient's risk for disease occurrence, intensity and prognosis. To evaluate and compare the pH and amylase levels in saliva of cancer patients prior to treatment, patients during treatment. Saliva samples of 90 individuals were taken which were divided into 3 groups - 30 individuals without cancer, 30 cancer patients prior treatment and 30 cancer patients during treatment. Materials used were pH strips and pH meter, Salivary Amylase assay. Statistical analysis - ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey's test. 1) Significant decrease in salivary amylase levels - in cancer patients, during treatment when compared to others. 2) Significant decrease in salivary pH levels in newly diagnosed cancer patients prior to treatment. To conclude, pH strips and pH meter showed to be a useful tool in the measurement of pH of saliva in individuals with and without cancer. This study showed that cancer patients without treatment have a lower pH of saliva. Treatment increased the pH of the saliva to a more alkaline level whereas amylase levels decreased in those subjects. Therefore those parameters can be an area of further research with an increased sample size, which in-turn may help in opening the doors for new dimension in non invasive prognostic markers.

  9. Treatment results and prognostic indicators in thymic epithelial tumors: a clinicopathological analysis of 45 patients.

    PubMed

    Ansari, Mansour; Dehsara, Farzin; Mohammadianpanah, Mohammad; Mosalaei, Ahmad; Omidvari, Shapour; Ahmadloo, Niloofar

    2014-07-01

    Thymomas are rare epithelial tumors arising from thymus gland. This study aims at investigating the clinical presentation, prognostic factors and treatment outcome of forty five patients with thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Forty-five patients being histologically diagnosed with thymoma or thymic carcinoma that were treated and followed-up at a tertiary academic hospital during January 1987 and December 2008 were selected for the present study. Twelve patients were solely treated with surgery, 14 with surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy, 12 with sequential combined treatment of surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy and 7 with non-surgical approach including radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.  Tumors were classified based on the new World Health Organization (WHO) histological classification. There were 18 women and 27 men with a median age of 43 years. Twelve patients (26.7%) had stage I, 7 (17.8%) had stage II, 23 (51%) had stage III and 2 (4.5%) had stage IV disease. Tumors types were categorized as type A (n=4), type AB (n=10), type B1 (n=9), type B2 (n=10), type B3 (n=5) and type C (n=7). In univariate analysis for overall survival, disease stage (P=0.001), tumor size (P=0.017) and the extent of surgical resection (P<0.001) were prognostic factors. Regarding the multivariate analysis, only the extent of the surgical resection (P<0.001) was the independent prognostic factor and non-surgical treatment had a negative influence on the survival. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 70.8% and 62.9%, respectively. Complete surgical resection is the most important prognostic factor in patients with thymic epithelial tumors.

  10. Prognostics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goebel, Kai; Vachtsevanos, George; Orchard, Marcos E.

    2013-01-01

    Knowledge discovery, statistical learning, and more specifically an understanding of the system evolution in time when it undergoes undesirable fault conditions, are critical for an adequate implementation of successful prognostic systems. Prognosis may be understood as the generation of long-term predictions describing the evolution in time of a particular signal of interest or fault indicator, with the purpose of estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of a failing component/subsystem. Predictions are made using a thorough understanding of the underlying processes and factor in the anticipated future usage.

  11. A consensus prognostic gene expression classifier for ER positive breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Teschendorff, Andrew E; Naderi, Ali; Barbosa-Morais, Nuno L; Pinder, Sarah E; Ellis, Ian O; Aparicio, Sam; Brenton, James D; Caldas, Carlos

    2006-01-01

    Background A consensus prognostic gene expression classifier is still elusive in heterogeneous diseases such as breast cancer. Results Here we perform a combined analysis of three major breast cancer microarray data sets to hone in on a universally valid prognostic molecular classifier in estrogen receptor (ER) positive tumors. Using a recently developed robust measure of prognostic separation, we further validate the prognostic classifier in three external independent cohorts, confirming the validity of our molecular classifier in a total of 877 ER positive samples. Furthermore, we find that molecular classifiers may not outperform classical prognostic indices but that they can be used in hybrid molecular-pathological classification schemes to improve prognostic separation. Conclusion The prognostic molecular classifier presented here is the first to be valid in over 877 ER positive breast cancer samples and across three different microarray platforms. Larger multi-institutional studies will be needed to fully determine the added prognostic value of molecular classifiers when combined with standard prognostic factors. PMID:17076897

  12. Prognostic Value of Right Ventricular Dysfunction Markers for Serious Adverse Events in Acute Normotensive Pulmonary Embolism.

    PubMed

    Weekes, Anthony J; Johnson, Angela K; Troha, Daniel; Thacker, Gregory; Chanler-Berat, Jordan; Runyon, Michael

    2017-02-01

    Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in pulmonary embolism (PE) has been associated with increased morbidity. Tools for RVD identification are not well defined. The prognostic value of RVD markers to predict serious adverse events (SAE) during hospitalization is unclear. Prospectively compare the incidence of SAE in normotensive emergency department patients with PE based upon RVD by goal-directed echocardiography (GDE), cardiac biomarkers, and right-to-left ventricle ratio by computed tomography (CT). Simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI) was calculated. Deaths and readmissions within 30 days were recorded. Consecutive normotensive PE patients underwent GDE focused on RVD (RV enlargement, hypokinesis, or septal bowing), serum troponin, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and evaluation of the CT ventricle ratio. In-hospital SAE and complications within 30 days were recorded. We enrolled 123 normotensive PE patients (median age 59 years, 49% female). Twenty-six of 123 (26%) patients had one or more SAE. RVD was detected in 26% by GDE, in 39% by biomarkers, and in 38% with CT. In-hospital SAE included one death, six respiratory interventions, six dysrhythmias, three major bleeding episodes, and 21 hypotension episodes. Forty-one percent of patients RVD positive by GDE had SAE, compared to the 18% RVD negative by GDE. Odds ratios for GDE, CT, BNP, troponin, and sPESI for SAE were 3.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-8.5), 2.0 (95% CI 0.8-5.1), 3.3 (95% CI 1.3-8.6), 4.2 (95% CI 1.4-13.5), and 2.9 (95% CI 1.1-8.3), respectively. Five patients had non-PE-related deaths within 30 days. The incidence of SAE within days of PE was significant in our cohort. Those with RVD had an increased risk of nonmortality SAE. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. A novel H-FABP assay and a fast prognostic score for risk assessment of normotensive pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Dellas, Claudia; Tschepe, Merle; Seeber, Valerie; Zwiener, Isabella; Kuhnert, Katherina; Schäfer, Katrin; Hasenfuß, Gerd; Konstantinides, Stavros; Lankeit, Mareike

    2014-05-05

    We tested whether heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) measured by a fully-automated immunoturbidimetric assay in comparison to ELISA provides additive prognostic value in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), and validated a fast prognostic score in comparison to the ESC risk prediction model and the simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI). We prospectively examined 271 normotensive patients with PE; of those, 20 (7%) had an adverse 30-day outcome. H-FABP levels determined by immunoturbidimetry were higher (median, 5.2 [IQR; 2.7-9.8] ng/ml) than those by ELISA (2.9 [1.1-5.4] ng/ml), but Bland-Altman plot demonstrated a good agreement of both assays. The area under the curve for H-FABP was greater for immunoturbidimetry than for ELISA (0.82 [0.74-0.91] vs 0.78 [0.68-0.89]; P=0.039). H-FABP measured by immunoturbidimetry (but not by ELISA) provided additive prognostic information to other predictors of 30-day outcome (OR, 12.4 [95% CI, 1.6-97.6]; P=0.017). When H-FABP determined by immunoturbidimetry was integrated into a novel prognostic score (H-FABP, Syncope, and Tachycardia; FAST score), the score provided additive prognostic information by multivariable analysis (OR, 14.2 [3.9-51.4]; p<0.001; c-index, 0.86) which were superior to information obtained by the ESC model (c-index, 0.62; net reclassification improvement (NRI), 0.39 [0.21-0.56]; P<0.001) or the sPESI (c-index, 0.68; NRI, 0.24 [0.05-0.43]; P=0.012). In conclusion, determination of H-FABP by immunoturbidimetry provides prognostic information superior to that of ELISA and, if integrated in the FAST score, appears more suitable to identify patients with an adverse 30-day outcome compared to the ESC model and sPESI.

  14. Treatment Results and Prognostic Indicators in Thymic Epithelial Tumors: A Clinicopathological Analysis of 45 Patients

    PubMed Central

    Ansari, Mansour; Dehsara, Farzin; Mohammadianpanah, Mohammad; Mosalaei, Ahmad; Omidvari, Shapour; Ahmadloo, Niloofar

    2014-01-01

    Background: Thymomas are rare epithelial tumors arising from thymus gland. This study aims at investigating the clinical presentation, prognostic factors and treatment outcome of forty five patients with thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Methods: Forty-five patients being histologically diagnosed with thymoma or thymic carcinoma that were treated and followed-up at a tertiary academic hospital during January 1987 and December 2008 were selected for the present study. Twelve patients were solely treated with surgery, 14 with surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy, 12 with sequential combined treatment of surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy and 7 with non-surgical approach including radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.  Tumors were classified based on the new World Health Organization (WHO) histological classification. Results: There were 18 women and 27 men with a median age of 43 years. Twelve patients (26.7%) had stage I, 7 (17.8%) had stage II, 23 (51%) had stage III and 2 (4.5%) had stage IV disease. Tumors types were categorized as type A (n=4), type AB (n=10), type B1 (n=9), type B2 (n=10), type B3 (n=5) and type C (n=7). In univariate analysis for overall survival, disease stage (P=0.001), tumor size (P=0.017) and the extent of surgical resection (P<0.001) were prognostic factors. Regarding the multivariate analysis, only the extent of the surgical resection (P<0.001) was the independent prognostic factor and non-surgical treatment had a negative influence on the survival. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 70.8% and 62.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Complete surgical resection is the most important prognostic factor in patients with thymic epithelial tumors. PMID:25031486

  15. Canine Distemper Virus Antigen Detection in External Epithelia of Recently Vaccinated, Sick Dogs by Fluorescence Microscopy Is a Valuable Prognostic Indicator

    PubMed Central

    Neel, Tina

    2014-01-01

    Currently, there are no reliable predictors of the clinical outcomes of domesticated dogs that have been recently vaccinated against canine distemper virus (CDV) and develop respiratory disease. In this study, vaccinated dogs from Oklahoma City that were showing clinical signs of respiratory disease were evaluated for CDV antigen using a direct fluorescent antibody test (FAT). Clinical outcomes after standard symptomatic therapy for respiratory disease were recorded, and a statistical analysis of the results was performed. We present our study showing that CDV FAT results were predictive of clinical recovery (prognostic indicator, prospects of clinical recovery) among vaccinated dogs showing clinical signs of respiratory disease. Negative CDV FAT results equated to 80% chances of recovery after symptomatic therapy, compared to 55% chances of recovery when the CDV FAT results were positive. Based on the results of this study, we show that veterinarians can make better informed decisions about the clinical outcomes of suspected CDV cases, with 2-h turnaround times, by using the CDV FAT. Thus, antemortem examination with the CDV FAT on external epithelia of recently vaccinated, sick dogs is a clinically useful diagnostic test and valuable prognostic indicator for veterinarians. Application of the CDV FAT to these samples avoids unnecessary euthanasia of dogs with suspected CDV. PMID:25428156

  16. Seizure Freedom Rates and Prognostic Indicators After Resection of Gangliogliomas: A Review.

    PubMed

    Bonney, Phillip A; Glenn, Chad A; Ebeling, Peter A; Conner, Andrew K; Boettcher, Lillian B; Cameron, Drew M; Battiste, James D; Sughrue, Michael E

    2015-12-01

    Gangliogliomas are rare tumors that comprise up to 40% of lesional epilepsy. Seizure control represents an important quality-of-life determinant in patients with these tumors. Here we present results of a literature review addressing rates of seizure freedom in in patients with gangliogliomas. Across studies, seizure freedom occurred in 63%-100% of patients. Many studies included follow-up times of greater than 5 years, suggesting that the responses are durable. We discuss potential prognostic factors associated with seizure freedom, including the duration of epilepsy, patient age, frequency and semiology of seizures, tumor location, extent of surgical resection, and operative strategy, including surgical approach and use of invasive monitoring. Although significant differences in study populations and treatments preclude meta-analysis, we discuss prognostic factors identified in individual studies. Increased extent of resection, lesser duration of epilepsy, and younger age at surgery have been associated with increased seizure freedom rates in at least 2 studies each. Although all studies were retrospective in nature and are consequently limited by the weaknesses inherent to such investigations, the literature suggests that surgery is able to relieve most ganglioglioma patients--regardless of patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and operative variables--of seizures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Intraepithelial Attack Rather than Intratumorally Infiltration of CD8+T Lymphocytes is a Favorable Prognostic Indicator in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

    PubMed

    Zhang, J; Wang, Y F; Wu, B; Zhong, Z X; Wang, K X; Yang, L Q; Wang, Y Q; Li, Y Q; Gao, J; Li, Z S

    2017-01-01

    Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are one of the major participants in the tumor microenvironment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the mechanism of interaction between TILs and tumors is complex and remains unclear. To evaluate the state of immunoreactions in PDAC tissues, and explore the prognostic value of these markers in a large sample, to provide a new theoretical basis for PDAC immunotherapy. Immunohistochemical staining of CD4+ and CD8+T cells was performed in a tissue microarray (TMA) of 143 cases of PDAC. Two major variables for the spatial distributions of CD4+T and CD8+T cells in PDAC tissues, intraepithelial attack and intratumoral infiltration, were used to evaluate the state of immunoreactions, and the interrelationships with the clinicopathological variables were analyzed. Our data showed that both the intraepithelial CD4+T and CD8+T attack were less frequent than the intratumoral infiltration. CD8+T intraepithelial attack and intratumoral infiltration were more intense than CD4+T. CD8+T intraepithelial attack was an independent favorable prognostic factor for overall survival, correlating negatively with vascular invasion and positively with CD4+T and CD8+T high intratumoral infiltration. CD8+T high intratumoral infiltration without CD8+T intraepithelial attack was a poor prognostic factor. CD8+T high intratumoral infiltration was accompanied by T stage progression. Conclusively, in PDAC progression, imbalances of T cells occurred in CD4+ and CD8+ immunoreactions. The CD8+T intraepithelial attack was an independent favorable prognostic indicator, however the intraepithelial attack of CD4+T and the both intratumoral infiltration of CD8+T and CD4+T played an ambiguous role. Our data suggested that it is a potential approach to increasing the number of intraepithelial attacking CD8+T cells for tumor immunotherapy, and exploring a new mechanism for immunosuppression in a tumor microenvironment with high T cell infiltration

  18. Combined prognostic value of pretreatment anemia and cervical node necrosis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy: A large-scale retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Lu-Lu; Zhou, Guan-Qun; Li, Yi-Yang; Tang, Ling-Long; Mao, Yan-Ping; Lin, Ai-Hua; Ma, Jun; Qi, Zhen-Yu; Sun, Ying

    2017-12-01

    This study investigated the combined prognostic value of pretreatment anemia and cervical node necrosis (CNN) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Retrospective review of 1302 patients with newly diagnosed nonmetastatic NPC treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) ± chemotherapy. Patients were classified into four groups according to anemia and CNN status. Survival was compared using the log-rank test. Independent prognostic factors were identified using the Cox proportional hazards model. The primary end-point was overall survival (OS); secondary end-points were disease-free survival (DFS), locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). Pretreatment anemia was an independent, adverse prognostic factor for DMFS; pretreatment CNN was an independent adverse prognostic factor for all end-points. Five-year survival for non-anemia and non-CNN, anemia, CNN, and anemia and CNN groups were: OS (93.1%, 87.2%, 82.9%, 76.3%, P < 0.001), DFS (87.0%, 84.0%, 73.9%, 64.6%, P < 0.001), DMFS (94.1%, 92.1%, 82.4%, 72.5%, P < 0.001), and LRRFS (92.8%, 92.4%, 88.7%, 84.0%, P = 0.012). The non-anemia and non-CNN group had best survival outcomes; anemia and CNN group, the poorest. Multivariate analysis demonstrated combined anemia and CNN was an independent prognostic factor for OS, DFS, DMFS, and LRRFS (P < 0.05). The combination of anemia and CNN is an independent adverse prognostic factor in patients with NPC treated using IMRT ± chemotherapy. Assessment of pretreatment anemia and CNN improved risk stratification, especially for patients with anemia and CNN who have poorest prognosis. This study may aid the design of individualized treatment plans to improve treatment outcomes. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is associated with adverse prognosis and distant metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Wong, Li-Fan; Lee, Jang-Ming

    2016-01-01

    Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a frequently recurrent deadly cancer for which no efficient targeted drug exists. AXL is an adverse prognostic factor in some cancers. Strong clinical evidence to support the prognostic role of AXL in ESCC is lacking. A total of 116 patients diagnosed with operable primary ESCC were enrolled. Both AXL and HER2 expression were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in esophageal tissue and were correlated with the clinical outcome of patients. The efficacy of the AXL targeted drug foretinib was also evaluated in ESCC cells. Expression of AXL was found in about 80 % of ESCC tissue, and was significantly correlated with progression of tumor (P<0.001), increased risk of death (Hazard ratio HR [95 % CI=2.09[1.09-4.04], P=0.028], and distant metastasis (odds ratio OR [95 %CI]=3.96 (1.16-13.60), P=0.029). The adverse clinical impact of AXL was more evident when cumulatively expressed with HER2. In cell model, ESCC cells were more sensitive to AXL inhibitor foretinib than to the HER2 inhibitor lapatinib. Meanwhile, the AXL inhibitor foretinib showed a synergistic effect with HER2 inhibitors and the potential to overcome drug resistance to lapatinib. We thus concluded that AXL is a strong adverse prognostic factor for ESCC. Therapeutic agents targeting AXL have great potential to improve prognosis of ESCC patients. PMID:27172793

  20. [THERMAL STABILITY AS A PROGNOSTIC INDICATOR OF CONSERVATION OF LIVE EMBRYONIC SMALLPOX VACCINE (TEOVAC) DURING STORAGE].

    PubMed

    Zhukov, V A; Kokorev, S V; Rogozhkina, S V; Melnikov, D G; Terentiev, A I; Kovalchuk, E A; Vakhnov, E Yu; Borisevich, S V

    2016-01-01

    Determination of values of coefficients of thermal stability of TEOVac for prognosis of conservation of the vaccine (specific biological activity) during the process of warranty period storage. TEOVac (masticatory tablets) in primary packaging was kept at increased temperature (accelerated and stress-tests) and at the conditions established by PAP for the preparation (long-term tests). Biological activity of the vaccine was determined by titration on 12-day chicken embryos. A correlation between the value of coefficients of thermal stability and conservation of the prepared series of the condition preparation at the final date of storage was experimentally established. Coefficients of thermal stability could be used as a prognostic indicator of quality of the produced pelleted formulation of the preparation for evaluation of conservation of the vaccine during warranty period storage.

  1. Family Type as a Prognostic Indicator of Rehabilitation Outcome with Post-Hospitalized Male Schizophrenics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beres, Barbara Oliver; Frumkin, Robert M.

    1973-01-01

    A study of 65 male schizophrenic patients at the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation Unit, Cleveland Psychiatric Institute, Cleveland, Ohio revealed that family type (conjugal settings, parental settings, living alone) is found to to be a valuable prognosticator of rehabilitation outcome among post-hospitalized schizophrenics. (EA)

  2. Prognostic Implications of Monosomies in Patients With Multiple Myeloma.

    PubMed

    Shin, Sang-Yong; Eom, Hyeon-Seok; Sohn, Ji Yeon; Lee, Hyewon; Park, Boram; Joo, Jungnam; Jang, Ja-Hyun; Lee, Mi-Na; Kim, Jung Kwon; Kong, Sun-Young

    2017-03-01

    Cytogenetic analysis aides in risk stratification for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Although several cytogenetic aberrations have been reported to be prognostic, less is known about the association between the presence of monosomies and prognosis. The present study evaluated the prevalence and prognostic implications of monosomies in patients with MM. Karyotypes were determined using conventional cytogenetics and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The prognostic effect of monosomies was evaluated by comparison with the clinical factors in MM patients with normal karyotypes. Karyotypes were successfully determined in 167 of the 170 patients with MM. Of these 167 patients, 52 (31.1%) had abnormal karyotypes. Univariable analyses showed that a normal karyotype, hypodiploidy, monosomies of chromosomes 13 and 16, deletion or monosomy of 13q14, and loss of X detected by metaphase analysis were each associated with reduced progression-free survival (P < .05 for each). Univariable analyses showed that a normal karyotype, hypodiploidy, monosomies of chromosomes 13 and 16, deletion or monosomy of 13q14 detected by metaphase analysis and FISH-determined RB1 (13q)/TP53 (17p) deletion were each associated with reduced overall survival (P < .05 for each). Multivariable analysis showed that hypodiploidy detected by metaphase analysis was independently prognostic of shorter progression-free survival (P < .05 for each) and that hypodiploidy, monosomy 16, and loss of Y chromosome and FISH-determined TP53 (17p) deletion were associated with reduced overall survival (P < .05 for each). In addition to known cytogenetic abnormalities, such as monosomy 13, hypodiploidy, and TP53 (17p) deletion, monosomy 16 and loss of the Y chromosome have adverse prognostic implications in patients with MM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Canine distemper virus antigen detection in external epithelia of recently vaccinated, sick dogs by fluorescence microscopy is a valuable prognostic indicator.

    PubMed

    Kapil, Sanjay; Neel, Tina

    2015-02-01

    Currently, there are no reliable predictors of the clinical outcomes of domesticated dogs that have been recently vaccinated against canine distemper virus (CDV) and develop respiratory disease. In this study, vaccinated dogs from Oklahoma City that were showing clinical signs of respiratory disease were evaluated for CDV antigen using a direct fluorescent antibody test (FAT). Clinical outcomes after standard symptomatic therapy for respiratory disease were recorded, and a statistical analysis of the results was performed. We present our study showing that CDV FAT results were predictive of clinical recovery (prognostic indicator, prospects of clinical recovery) among vaccinated dogs showing clinical signs of respiratory disease. Negative CDV FAT results equated to 80% chances of recovery after symptomatic therapy, compared to 55% chances of recovery when the CDV FAT results were positive. Based on the results of this study, we show that veterinarians can make better informed decisions about the clinical outcomes of suspected CDV cases, with 2-h turnaround times, by using the CDV FAT. Thus, antemortem examination with the CDV FAT on external epithelia of recently vaccinated, sick dogs is a clinically useful diagnostic test and valuable prognostic indicator for veterinarians. Application of the CDV FAT to these samples avoids unnecessary euthanasia of dogs with suspected CDV. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  4. The vasovagal tonus index as a prognostic indicator in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Y Martinez; Woolley, R; Culshaw, G; French, A; Martin, M

    2008-11-01

    To investigate the prognostic and diagnostic value of heart rate variability (HRV) using the vasovagal tonus index (VVTI) in dogs suffering from idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings of 369 patients presented to a referral centre between 1993 and 2006 were reviewed. VVTI values were calculated from 132 dogs. Lower VVTI values were found in patients in International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council (ISACHC) heart failure (HF) class 2 and 3 compared with class 1. VVTI was found to be positively correlated with survival time (ST) in class 2 and 3 patients. When a cut-off value of 7.59 for VVTI was used, the test could differentiate patients in ISACHC HF class 1 versus 2 and 3 with a sensitivity of 89 per cent and a specificity of 62.5 per cent. The ST for patients with VVTI values less than 7.59 was significantly lower. The VVTI is a useful index, obtained from a standard ECG recording that estimates HRV in dogs and does not require any specific equipment for its calculation. It can be useful as a diagnostic tool to assess the severity of HF and is a useful prognostic tool in dogs with DCM.

  5. Akt activation is a common event in pediatric malignant gliomas and a potential adverse prognostic marker: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.

    PubMed

    Pollack, Ian F; Hamilton, Ronald L; Burger, Peter C; Brat, Daniel J; Rosenblum, Marc K; Murdoch, Geoffrey H; Nikiforova, Marina N; Holmes, Emiko J; Zhou, Tianni; Cohen, Kenneth J; Jakacki, Regina I

    2010-09-01

    Aberrant activation of Akt is a common finding in adult malignant gliomas, resulting in most cases from mutations or deletions involving PTEN, which allows constitutive Akt phosphorylation. In contrast, we have previously reported that pediatric malignant gliomas, which are morphologically similar to lesions arising in adults, have a substantially lower incidence of genomic alterations of PTEN. The objective of this study was to determine whether Akt activation was also an uncommon finding in childhood malignant gliomas and whether this feature was associated with survival. To address this issue, we examined the frequency of Akt activation, determined by overexpression of the activated phosphorylated form of Akt (Se(473)) on immunohistochemical analysis, in a series of 53 childhood malignant gliomas obtained from newly diagnosed patients treated on the Children's Oncology Group ACNS0126 and 0423 studies. The relationship between Akt activation and p53 overexpression, MIB1 labeling, and tumor histology was evaluated. The association between Akt activation and survival was also assessed. Overexpression of activated Akt was observed in 42 of 53 tumors, far in excess of the frequency of PTEN mutations we have previously observed. There was no association between Akt activation and either histology, p53 overexpression, or MIB1 proliferation indices. Although tumors that lacked Akt overexpression had a trend toward more favorable event-free survival and overall survival (p = 0.06), this association reflected that non-overexpressing tumors were significantly more likely to have undergone extensive tumor removal, which was independently associated with outcome. Activation of Akt is a common finding in pediatric malignant gliomas, although it remains uncertain whether this is an independent adverse prognostic factor. In view of the frequency of Akt activation, the evaluation of molecularly targeted therapies that inhibit this pathway warrants consideration for these tumors.

  6. Heparanase expression is a prognostic indicator for postoperative survival in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Rohloff, J; Zinke, J; Schoppmeyer, K; Tannapfel, A; Witzigmann, H; Mössner, J; Wittekind, C; Caca, K

    2002-01-01

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has a median survival of less than 6 months from diagnosis. This is due to the difficulty in early diagnosis, the aggressive biological behaviour of the tumour and a lack of effective therapies for advanced disease. Mammalian heparanase is a heparan-sulphate proteoglycan cleaving enzyme. It helps to degrade the extracellular matrix and basement membranes and is involved in angiogenesis. Degradation of extracellular matrix and basement membranes as well as angiogenesis are key conditions for tumour cell spreading. Therefore, we have analysed the expression of heparanase in human pancreatic cancer tissue and cell lines. Heparanase is expressed in cell lines derived from primary tumours as well as from metastatic sites. By immunohistochemical analysis, it is preferentially expressed at the invading edge of a tumour at both metastatic and primary tumour sites. There is a trend towards heparanase expression in metastasising tumours as compared to locally growing tumours. Postoperative survival correlates inversely with heparanase expression of the tumour reflected by a median survival of 34 and 17 month for heparanase negative and positive tumours, respectively. Our results suggest, that heparanase promotes cancer cell invasion in pancreatic carcinoma and could be used as a prognostic indicator for postoperative survival of patients. British Journal of Cancer (2002) 86, 1270–1275. DOI: 10.1038/sj/bjc/6600232 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 Cancer Research UK PMID:11953884

  7. Prognostic factors of pathologic stage IB non-small cell lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Yano, Motoki; Sasaki, Hidefumi; Moriyama, Satoru; Kawano, Osamu; Hikosaka, Yu; Fujii, Yoshitaka

    2011-01-01

    In pathologic IB (pIB) non-small cell lung cancer, especially in adenocarcinoma, adjuvant chemotherapy with uracil-tegafur is widely recognized as being effective. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic factors of pIB disease. Sixty patients who were diagnosed with pIB disease between 2004 and 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Of 60 patients, 22 (36.7%) opted for surgery plus adjuvant chemotherapy with uracil-tegafur, whereas 38 (63.3%) opted for surgery only. The oral administration dose of uracil-tegafur was 400 mg/body. Compliance of adjuvant chemotherapy with uracil-tegafur was 65.5% in 12 months, 57.3% in 24 months. Adjuvant chemotherapy was interrupted in 11 patients because of the recurrence of disease in 3 patients and adverse reaction in 8 patients. Anorexia was the most common adverse reaction. The larger tumor diameter (5 cm<) and p2 pleural invasion were the worse prognostic factors in disease free survival in a univariate analysis and a multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = 0.26 and 0.25; p = 0.028 and 0.032, respectively). The prognosis of the patients with pleural invasion and a tumor diameter >5 cm was poor, and these, partly support the forthcoming classification.

  8. GPU Accelerated Prognostics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gorospe, George E., Jr.; Daigle, Matthew J.; Sankararaman, Shankar; Kulkarni, Chetan S.; Ng, Eley

    2017-01-01

    Prognostic methods enable operators and maintainers to predict the future performance for critical systems. However, these methods can be computationally expensive and may need to be performed each time new information about the system becomes available. In light of these computational requirements, we have investigated the application of graphics processing units (GPUs) as a computational platform for real-time prognostics. Recent advances in GPU technology have reduced cost and increased the computational capability of these highly parallel processing units, making them more attractive for the deployment of prognostic software. We present a survey of model-based prognostic algorithms with considerations for leveraging the parallel architecture of the GPU and a case study of GPU-accelerated battery prognostics with computational performance results.

  9. Prognostic assessment in COPD without lung function: the B-AE-D indices.

    PubMed

    Boeck, Lucas; Soriano, Joan B; Brusse-Keizer, Marjolein; Blasi, Francesco; Kostikas, Konstantinos; Boersma, Wim; Milenkovic, Branislava; Louis, Renaud; Lacoma, Alicia; Djamin, Remco; Aerts, Joachim; Torres, Antoni; Rohde, Gernot; Welte, Tobias; Martinez-Camblor, Pablo; Rakic, Janko; Scherr, Andreas; Koller, Michael; van der Palen, Job; Marin, Jose M; Alfageme, Inmaculada; Almagro, Pere; Casanova, Ciro; Esteban, Cristobal; Soler-Cataluña, Juan J; de-Torres, Juan P; Miravitlles, Marc; Celli, Bartolome R; Tamm, Michael; Stolz, Daiana

    2016-06-01

    Several composite markers have been proposed for risk assessment in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, choice of parameters and score complexity restrict clinical applicability. Our aim was to provide and validate a simplified COPD risk index independent of lung function.The PROMISE study (n=530) was used to develop a novel prognostic index. Index performance was assessed regarding 2-year COPD-related mortality and all-cause mortality. External validity was tested in stable and exacerbated COPD patients in the ProCOLD, COCOMICS and COMIC cohorts (total n=2988).Using a mixed clinical and statistical approach, body mass index (B), severe acute exacerbations of COPD frequency (AE), modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea severity (D) and copeptin (C) were identified as the most suitable simplified marker combination. 0, 1 or 2 points were assigned to each parameter and totalled to B-AE-D or B-AE-D-C. It was observed that B-AE-D and B-AE-D-C were at least as good as BODE (body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea, exercise capacity), ADO (age, dyspnoea, airflow obstruction) and DOSE (dyspnoea, obstruction, smoking, exacerbation) indices for predicting 2-year all-cause mortality (c-statistic: 0.74, 0.77, 0.69, 0.72 and 0.63, respectively; Hosmer-Lemeshow test all p>0.05). Both indices were COPD specific (c-statistic for predicting COPD-related 2-year mortality: 0.87 and 0.89, respectively). External validation of B-AE-D was performed in COCOMICS and COMIC (c-statistic for 1-year all-cause mortality: 0.68 and 0.74; c-statistic for 2-year all-cause mortality: 0.65 and 0.67; Hosmer-Lemeshow test all p>0.05).The B-AE-D index, plus copeptin if available, allows a simple and accurate assessment of COPD-related risk. Copyright ©ERS 2016.

  10. Prognostic assessment in COPD without lung function: the B-AE-D indices

    PubMed Central

    Boeck, Lucas; Blasi, Francesco; Kostikas, Konstantinos; Boersma, Wim; Milenkovic, Branislava; Louis, Renaud; Lacoma, Alicia; Djamin, Remco; Aerts, Joachim; Torres, Antoni; Rohde, Gernot; Welte, Tobias; Martinez-Camblor, Pablo; Rakic, Janko; Scherr, Andreas; Koller, Michael; van der Palen, Job; Marin, Jose M.; Alfageme, Inmaculada; Almagro, Pere; Casanova, Ciro; Esteban, Cristobal; Soler-Cataluña, Juan J.; de-Torres, Juan P.; Miravitlles, Marc; Celli, Bartolome R.; Tamm, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Several composite markers have been proposed for risk assessment in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, choice of parameters and score complexity restrict clinical applicability. Our aim was to provide and validate a simplified COPD risk index independent of lung function. The PROMISE study (n=530) was used to develop a novel prognostic index. Index performance was assessed regarding 2-year COPD-related mortality and all-cause mortality. External validity was tested in stable and exacerbated COPD patients in the ProCOLD, COCOMICS and COMIC cohorts (total n=2988). Using a mixed clinical and statistical approach, body mass index (B), severe acute exacerbations of COPD frequency (AE), modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea severity (D) and copeptin (C) were identified as the most suitable simplified marker combination. 0, 1 or 2 points were assigned to each parameter and totalled to B-AE-D or B-AE-D-C. It was observed that B-AE-D and B-AE-D-C were at least as good as BODE (body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea, exercise capacity), ADO (age, dyspnoea, airflow obstruction) and DOSE (dyspnoea, obstruction, smoking, exacerbation) indices for predicting 2-year all-cause mortality (c-statistic: 0.74, 0.77, 0.69, 0.72 and 0.63, respectively; Hosmer–Lemeshow test all p>0.05). Both indices were COPD specific (c-statistic for predicting COPD-related 2-year mortality: 0.87 and 0.89, respectively). External validation of B-AE-D was performed in COCOMICS and COMIC (c-statistic for 1-year all-cause mortality: 0.68 and 0.74; c-statistic for 2-year all-cause mortality: 0.65 and 0.67; Hosmer–Lemeshow test all p>0.05). The B-AE-D index, plus copeptin if available, allows a simple and accurate assessment of COPD-related risk. PMID:27103389

  11. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as prognostic indicator in gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Bowen, Randy C; Little, Nancy Ann B; Harmer, Joshua R; Ma, Junjie; Mirabelli, Luke G; Roller, Kyle D; Breivik, Andrew Mackay; Signor, Emily; Miller, Alec B; Khong, Hung T

    2017-05-09

    An accurate, time efficient, and inexpensive prognostic indicator is needed to reduce cost and assist with clinical decision making for cancer management. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which is derived from common serum testing, has been explored in a variety of cancers. We sought to determine its prognostic value in gastrointestinal cancers and performed a meta-analysis of published studies using the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Included were randomized control trials and observational studies that analyzed humans with gastrointestinal cancers that included NLR and hazard ratios (HR) with overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and/or cancer-specific survival (CSS).We analyzed 144 studies comprising 45,905 patients, two-thirds of which were published after 2014. The mean, median, and mode cutoffs for NLR reporting OS from multivariate models were 3.4, 3.0, 5.0 (±IQR 2.5-5.0), respectively. Overall, NLR greater than the cutoff was associated with a HR for OS of 1.63 (95% CI, 1.53-1.73; P < 0.001). This association was observed in all subgroups based on tumor site, stage, and geographic region. HR for elevated NLR for DFS, PFS, and CSS were 1.70 (95% CI, 1.52-1.91, P < 0.001), 1.64 (95% CI, 1.36-1.97, P < 0.001), and 1.83 (95% CI, 1.50-2.23, P < 0.001), respectively.Available evidence suggests that NLR greater than the cutoff reduces OS, independent of geographic location, gastrointestinal cancer type, or stage of cancer. Furthermore, DFS, PFS, and CSS also have worse outcomes with elevated NLR.

  12. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as prognostic indicator in gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Bowen, Randy C.; Little, Nancy Ann B.; Harmer, Joshua R.; Ma, Junjie; Mirabelli, Luke G.; Roller, Kyle D.; Breivik, Andrew Mackay; Signor, Emily; Miller, Alec B.; Khong, Hung T.

    2017-01-01

    An accurate, time efficient, and inexpensive prognostic indicator is needed to reduce cost and assist with clinical decision making for cancer management. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which is derived from common serum testing, has been explored in a variety of cancers. We sought to determine its prognostic value in gastrointestinal cancers and performed a meta-analysis of published studies using the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Included were randomized control trials and observational studies that analyzed humans with gastrointestinal cancers that included NLR and hazard ratios (HR) with overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and/or cancer-specific survival (CSS). We analyzed 144 studies comprising 45,905 patients, two-thirds of which were published after 2014. The mean, median, and mode cutoffs for NLR reporting OS from multivariate models were 3.4, 3.0, 5.0 (±IQR 2.5-5.0), respectively. Overall, NLR greater than the cutoff was associated with a HR for OS of 1.63 (95% CI, 1.53-1.73; P < 0.001). This association was observed in all subgroups based on tumor site, stage, and geographic region. HR for elevated NLR for DFS, PFS, and CSS were 1.70 (95% CI, 1.52-1.91, P < 0.001), 1.64 (95% CI, 1.36-1.97, P < 0.001), and 1.83 (95% CI, 1.50-2.23, P < 0.001), respectively. Available evidence suggests that NLR greater than the cutoff reduces OS, independent of geographic location, gastrointestinal cancer type, or stage of cancer. Furthermore, DFS, PFS, and CSS also have worse outcomes with elevated NLR. PMID:28418870

  13. Serum cholinesterase is an important prognostic factor in chronic heart failure.

    PubMed

    Sato, Takamasa; Yamauchi, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Satoshi; Yoshihisa, Akiomi; Yamaki, Takayoshi; Sugimoto, Koichi; Kunii, Hiroyuki; Nakazato, Kazuhiko; Suzuki, Hitoshi; Saitoh, Shu-ichi; Takeishi, Yasuchika

    2015-03-01

    We determine the importance of indicators of nutrition including lymphocyte, total protein, albumin, cholinesterase and body mass index, and compare the prognostic significance in chronic heart failure (CHF). We examined consecutive 465 CHF patients (376 males, age 62 ± 14 years) who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing, echocardiography and blood examination including indicators of nutrition at the same time in our hospital. The patients were followed up [median period 766 days (interquartile range 500-1060)] to register cardiac deaths and rehospitalization due to worsening heart failure. There were 180 cardiac events during the follow-up periods. Patients with cardiac events had lower cholinesterase level than those without events (P < 0.001). On the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the best cut-off value for cholinesterase was 240 U/l (area under the curve 0.720). In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients with cholinesterase <240 U/l had significantly higher cardiac event rates than those with cholinesterase >240 U/l. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that NYHA class III [hazard ratio (HR): 1.688, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.062-2.684, P = 0.027], eGFR (HR: 0.983, 95 % CI 0.971-0.995, P = 0.006), sodium concentration (HR: 0.947, 95 % CI 0.897-0.999, P < 0.046), log BNP (HR: 1.880, 95 % CI 1.509-2.341, P < 0.001), cholinesterase (HR: 0.996, 95 % CI 0.993-0.998, P = 0.002) and exertional periodic breathing (HR: 1.619, 95 % CI 1.098-2.388, P = 0.015) were independent factors to predict adverse clinical outcomes. Serum cholinesterase level was an important prognostic factor in CHF.

  14. High Phosphohistone H3 Expression Correlates with Adverse Clinical, Biological, and Pathological Factors in Neuroblastomas

    PubMed Central

    Ramani, Pramila; Taylor, Scott; Miller, Elizabeth; Sowa-Avugrah, Emile; May, Margaret T.

    2015-01-01

    Phosphohistone H3 (pHH3), a biomarker of the late G2- and M-phase of the cell cycle, provides a powerful indication of the proliferative state of many cancers. We investigated the prognostic significance of pHH3 by immunostaining 80 neuroblastomas and counting the average number of strongly stained nuclei and mitotic figures. The median and 75th percentile pHH3 proliferation indices (PIs) were 0.54% and 1.06% (range, 0.01% to 2.23%) respectively. pHH3 expression was significantly higher in neuroblastomas from patients with adverse clinical characteristics, all unfavorable pathological factors including high mitosis karyorrhexis index (MKI), and adverse biological factors including MYCN oncogene amplification. High pHH3-PIs, at 1% threshold, were significantly associated with a shorter overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) in the univariable Cox regression analyses. In the multivariable models, high pHH3 counts were significantly associated with worse OS after adjustment for age but were not independent of either high MKI or MYCN amplification. In children less than 18 months of age, high MKIs and high PHH3-PIs were associated with significantly worse OS and EFS. In conclusion, high pHH3 expression correlates strongly with high MKI and MYCN amplification and indicates poor prognosis in neuroblastomas. PMID:25711230

  15. Integration of Wall Motion, Coronary Flow Velocity, and Left Ventricular Contractile Reserve in a Single Test: Prognostic Value of Vasodilator Stress Echocardiography in Patients with Diabetes.

    PubMed

    Cortigiani, Lauro; Huqi, Alda; Ciampi, Quirino; Bombardini, Tonino; Bovenzi, Francesco; Picano, Eugenio

    2018-06-01

    Coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) and left ventricular contractile reserve (LVCR) have demonstrated prognostic importance in patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic contribution of combined evaluation of CFVR and LVCR in patients with diabetes with nonischemic stress echocardiography. Three hundred seventy-five patients with diabetes (mean age, 68 ± 9 years) with nonischemic dipyridamole stress echocardiography underwent assessment of CFVR of the left anterior descending coronary artery (prospectively) and LVCR with left ventricular force (retrospectively) in a multicenter study. On receiver operating characteristic analysis, LVCR ≤ 1.1 was the best prognostic predictor and was considered an abnormal value. CFVR was abnormal (≤2) in 139 patients (37%), LVCR in 156 (42%), neither in 157 (42%), and both in 77 (21%). During a median follow-up period of 16 months, 86 major adverse cardiac events occurred: 16 deaths, 13 myocardial infarctions, and 57 revascularizations. Multivariate prognostic indicators were CFVR ≤ 2 (P < .0001), age (P = .03), and LVCR ≤ 1.1 (P = .04). The 3-year rate of major adverse cardiac events was 63% in patients with both abnormal CFVR and LVCR, 42% in those with abnormal CFVR only, 19% in those with abnormal LVCR only, and 10% in patients with both normal CFVR and LVCR. The 3-year hard event rate was 3% in patients with both normal CFVR and LVCR, fivefold higher in patients with abnormal CFVR or LVCR only, and ninefold higher in patients with both abnormal CFVR and LVCR. Patients with diabetes with nonischemic dipyridamole stress echocardiography may still have significant risk in presence of abnormal CFVR and/or LVCR, which assess the underlying, largely unrelated, microvascular and myocardial components of coronary circulation. Copyright © 2017 American Society of Echocardiography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Prognostics for Microgrid Components

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saxena, Abhinav

    2012-01-01

    Prognostics is the science of predicting future performance and potential failures based on targeted condition monitoring. Moving away from the traditional reliability centric view, prognostics aims at detecting and quantifying the time to impending failures. This advance warning provides the opportunity to take actions that can preserve uptime, reduce cost of damage, or extend the life of the component. The talk will focus on the concepts and basics of prognostics from the viewpoint of condition-based systems health management. Differences with other techniques used in systems health management and philosophies of prognostics used in other domains will be shown. Examples relevant to micro grid systems and subsystems will be used to illustrate various types of prediction scenarios and the resources it take to set up a desired prognostic system. Specifically, the implementation results for power storage and power semiconductor components will demonstrate specific solution approaches of prognostics. The role of constituent elements of prognostics, such as model, prediction algorithms, failure threshold, run-to-failure data, requirements and specifications, and post-prognostic reasoning will be explained. A discussion on performance evaluation and performance metrics will conclude the technical discussion followed by general comments on open research problems and challenges in prognostics.

  17. Prognostic Significance of Human Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease (APE/Ref-1) Expression in Rectal Cancer Treated With Preoperative Radiochemotherapy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kim, Jun-Sang, E-mail: k423j@cnu.ac.kr; Cancer Research Institute, Chungnam National University, Daejeon; Kim, Jin-Man

    Purpose: Human apurinic endonuclease/redox factor 1 (APE/Ref-1) mediates repair of radiation-induced DNA lesions and regulates transcription via redox-based activation. We investigated the predictive and prognostic significance of APE/Ref-1 expression in pretreatment biopsy specimens in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) (cT3-T4 or N+). Methods and Materials: APE/Ref-1 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in pretreatment biopsy specimens obtained from 83 patients with LARC. Patients received preoperative radiotherapy of 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions, combined with oral capecitabine and leucovorin chemotherapy, followed by curative surgery. The prognostic significance of various clinicopathologic characteristics, including APE/Ref-1 protein expression, was evaluated. Results: APE/Ref-1 was expressed inmore » 97% of patient samples. Exclusive APE/Ref-1 nuclear staining was observed in 49 of 83 samples (59%), and mixed nuclear and cytoplasmic staining was observed in 31 samples (37%). APE/Ref-1 nuclear expression levels were low in 49 patients (59%) and high in 34 patients (41%). The level of APE/Ref-1 nuclear expression was not a prognostic factor for overall and disease-free survival. Cytoplasmic expression of APE/Ref-1 was a borderline-significant predictive factor for pathologic tumor response (p = 0.08) and a significant prognostic factor for disease-free survival, as shown by univariate analysis (p = 0.037). Multivariate analysis confirmed that cytoplasmic localization of APE/Ref-1 is a significant predictor of disease-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.45; p = 0.046). Conclusions: APE/Ref-1 was expressed in a majority of pretreatment biopsy specimens from patients with LARC. The level of APE/Ref-1 nuclear expression was not a significant predictive and prognostic factor; however, cytoplasmic localization of the protein was negatively associated with disease-free survival. These results indicate that cytoplasmic expression of APE/Ref-1 represents an

  18. Bone marrow T-cell percentage: A novel prognostic indicator in acute myeloid leukemia.

    PubMed

    Ismail, Manar M; Abdulateef, Nahla A B

    2017-04-01

    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy for which overall disease-free survival is less than 50%. Manipulation of the immune system is an interesting and promising therapy for AML patients. We aimed to characterize the immune system of AML patients, highlighting the clinical relevance of total bone marrow (BM) lymphocytes and subpopulations. Sixty-six new AML cases diagnosed according to WHO criteria from King Abdullah Medical City, KSA, from October 2012 to February 2015. Analysis of BM lymphocytes and subpopulations was done by flowcytometry. Significantly, high percentages of BM lymphocytes, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells were detected in the group that achieved complete remission (P values = 0.004, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively). Overall survival (OS) was significantly prolonged in patients with high BM lymphocytes and T cells (P values = 0.047 and P 0.002, respectively). Multivariate analysis indicated that BM T-cell percentage and cytogenetics were independent prognostic factors predictive of OS (HR 4.7, P value = 0.011). BM T-cell percentage constitutes a novel host factor that can be used in combination with cytogenetics to better predict OS. Large-scale multicenter studies are recommended to clarify its role as a predictor of OS and leukemia-free survival.

  19. Prevalence and Predictors of Adverse Events in Older Surgical Patients: Impact of the Present on Admission Indicator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Hongsoo; Capezuti, Elizabeth; Kovner, Christine; Zhao, Zhonglin; Boockvar, Kenneth

    2010-01-01

    Purpose of the Study: To examine the effects of the present on admission (POA) indicator on the prevalence of and factors associated with postsurgical adverse events in older patients. Design and Methods: This is a secondary data analysis of 82,898 surgical patients aged 65 years or older in 252 acute care hospitals in California in 2004. Four…

  20. Evaluation of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic indicator in a European cohort of patients with prostate cancer treated with radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Langsenlehner, Tanja; Pichler, Martin; Thurner, Eva-Maria; Krenn-Pilko, Sabine; Stojakovic, Tatjana; Gerger, Armin; Langsenlehner, Uwe

    2015-05-01

    Recent evidence suggests that the presence of a systemic inflammatory response plays an important role in the progression of several solid tumors. The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been proposed as an easily assessable marker of systemic inflammation and has been shown to represent a prognostic marker in different cancer entities. To evaluate the prognostic value of the PLR in prostate cancer, we performed the present study. Data from 374 consecutive patients with prostate cancer, treated with 3D conformal radiotherapy from 1999 to 2007, were analyzed. Distant metastases-free survival (MFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS), biochemical disease-free survival, and time to salvage systemic therapy were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to calculate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to adjust for other covariates. Using receiver operating characteristics analysis, the optimal cutoff level for the PLR was 190. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed that PLR≥190 was a prognostic factor for decreased MFS (P = 0.004), CSS (P = 0.004), and OS (P = 0.024) whereas a significant association of an elevated PLR with biochemical disease-free survival (P = 0.740) and time to salvage systemic therapy (P = 0.063) was not detected. In multivariate analysis, an increased PLR remained a significant prognostic factor for poor MFS (HR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.06-4.76, P = 0.036), CSS (HR = 3.99, 95% CI: 1.19-13.4, P = 0.025), and OS (HR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.02-3.42, P = 0.044). Our findings indicate that the PLR may predict prognosis in patients with prostate cancer and may contribute to future individual risk assessment in them. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The pattern of prognostic and risk indicators among women with breast cancer undergoing modified radical mastectomy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Mwakigonja, Amos R; Rabiel, Happiness; Mbembati, Naboth A; Lema, Leonard E K

    2016-01-01

    Breast cancer is the commonest female malignancy globally and the second (after uterine cervix) in sub-Saharan Africa including Tanzania. Prognostic indicators reportedly influence post-mastectomy adjuvant therapy by predicting risks on survival and recurrence although in Tanzania this data is lacking. Here, we evaluate the pattern of prognostic and risk indicators among women with breast cancer undergoing modified-radical-mastectomy (MRM) at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and Tumaini Hospital (TH), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This hospital-based prospective cross-sectional study included female patients undergoing MRM from April 2011 to January 2012. Clinical stage I-III patients were enrolled after being scheduled for mastectomy. Patients with evidence of distant metastasis (stage IV) were excluded. Mastectomy and axillary lymph nodes biopsies were submitted to the Histopathology laboratory for grade, type, nodal and margins status. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. A total of 348 patients were admitted with breast cancer including 86 patients (with 16 from TH having similar demography and presentation) meeting inclusion criteria. Age-range at diagnosis was 28-79 years, mean 52.1 years. Most (89 %) attained menarche after 11 years. About 56 % were postmenopausal. The majority (78 %) were multiparous with positive family history in 14.1 and 37.6 % used hormonal contraceptives. About 27.1 % were social alcohol drinkers. The majority (61 %) had T4b disease, 75.6 % had positive axillary nodes including 42.7 % with 4-9 involved nodes (N2). The commonest (91.9 %) histological type was invasive ductal carcinoma. Lobular, medullary and mucinous carcinomas were rare. Most (83.7 %) of our patients presented with stage III and the rest stage II. Intermediate- and high-grade tumors accounted for 73.5 %. Following MRM, 25 % of our patients had positive surgical margins and similarly for the base. Most of our breast

  2. Prognostication in Philadelphia Chromosome Negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: a Review of the Recent Literature.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Amy; Afzal, Amber; Oh, Stephen T

    2017-10-01

    The prognosis for patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) is highly variable. All Ph-negative MPNs carry an increased risk for thrombotic complications, bleeding, and leukemic transformation. Several clinical, biological, and molecular prognostic factors have been identified in recent years, which provide important information in guiding management of patients with Ph-negative MPNs. In this review, we critically evaluate the recent published literature and discuss important new developments in clinical and molecular factors that impact survival, disease transformation, and thrombosis in patients with polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, and primary myelofibrosis. Recent studies have identified several clinical factors and non-driver mutations to have prognostic impact on Ph-negative MPNs independent of conventional risk stratification and prognostic models. In polycythemia vera (PV), leukocytosis, abnormal karyotype, phlebotomy requirement on hydroxyurea, increased bone marrow fibrosis, and mutations in ASXL1, SRSF2, and IDH2 were identified as additional adverse prognostic factors. In essential thrombocythemia (ET), JAK2 V617F mutation, splenomegaly, and mutations in SH2B3, SF3B1, U2AF1, TP53, IDH2, and EZH2 were found to be additional negative prognostic factors. Bone marrow fibrosis and mutations in ASXL1, SRSF2, EZH2, and IDH1/2 have been found to be additional prognostic factors in primary myelofibrosis (PMF). CALR mutations appear to be a favorable prognostic factor in PMF, which has not been clearly demonstrated in ET. The prognosis for patients with PV, ET, and PMF is dependent upon the presence or absence of several clinical, biological, and molecular risk factors. The significance of additional risk factors identified in these recent studies will need further validation in prospective studies to determine how they may be best utilized in the management of these disorders.

  3. [Usefulness of scoring risk for adverse outcomes in older patients with the Identification of Seniors at Risk scale and the Triage Risk Screening Tool: a meta-analysis].

    PubMed

    Rivero-Santana, Amado; Del Pino-Sedeño, Tasmania; Ramallo-Fariña, Yolanda; Vergara, Itziar; Serrano-Aguilar, Pedro

    2017-02-01

    A considerable proportion of the geriatric population experiences unfavorable outcomes of hospital emergency department care. An assessment of risk for adverse outcomes would facilitate making changes in clinical management by adjusting available resources to needs according to an individual patient's risk. Risk assessment tools are available, but their prognostic precision varies. This systematic review sought to quantify the prognostic precision of 2 geriatric screening and risk assessment tools commonly used in emergency settings for patients at high risk of adverse outcomes (revisits, functional deterioration, readmissions, or death): the Identification of Seniors at Risk (ISAR) scale and the Triage Risk Screening Tool (TRST). We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and SCOPUS, with no date limits, to find relevant studies. Quality was assessed with the QUADAS-2 checklist (for quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies). We pooled data for prognostic yield reported for the ISAR and TRST scores for each short- and medium-term outcome using bivariate random-effects modeling. The sensitivity of the ISAR scoring system as a whole ranged between 67% and 99%; specificity fell between 21% and 41%. TRST sensitivity ranged between 52% and 75% and specificity between 39% and 51%.We conclude that the tools currently used to assess risk of adverse outcomes in patients of advanced age attended in hospital emergency departments do not have adequate prognostic precision to be clinically useful.

  4. Adverse prognostic impact of the CpG island methylator phenotype in metastatic colorectal cancer

    PubMed Central

    Cha, Yongjun; Kim, Kyung-Ju; Han, Sae-Won; Rhee, Ye Young; Bae, Jeong Mo; Wen, Xianyu; Cho, Nam-Yun; Lee, Dae-Won; Lee, Kyung-Hun; Kim, Tae-Yong; Oh, Do-Youn; Im, Seock-Ah; Bang, Yung-Jue; Jeong, Seung-Yong; Park, Kyu Joo; Kang, Gyeong Hoon; Kim, Tae-You

    2016-01-01

    Background: The association between the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) and clinical outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer remains unclear. We investigated the prognostic impact of CIMP in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with systemic chemotherapy. Methods: Eight CIMP-specific promoters (CACNA1G, IGF2, NEUROG1, RUNX3, SOCS1, CDKN2A, CRABP1, and MLH1) were examined. The CIMP status was determined by the number of methylated promoters as high (⩾5), low (1–4), and negative (0). Results: A total of 153 patients were included (men/women, 103/50; median age, 61 years; range, 22–80 years). The CIMP status was negative/low/high in 77/ 69/7 patients, respectively. Overall survival (OS) was significantly different among the three CIMP groups, with median values of 35.7, 22.2, and 9.77 months for the negative, low, and high groups, respectively (P<0.001). For patients treated with fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin first-line chemotherapy (N=128), OS and progression-free survival (PFS) were significantly different among the three CIMP groups; the median OS was 37.9, 23.8, and 6.77 months for the negative, low, and high groups, respectively (P<0.001), while the median PFS was 9.97, 7.87, and 1.83 months, respectively (P=0.002). Response rates were marginally different among the three CIMP groups (53.4% vs 45.1% vs 16.7%, respectively; P=0.107). For patients treated with fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan second-line chemotherapy (N=86), only OS showed a difference according to the CIMP status, with median values of 20.4, 13.4, and 2.90 months for the negative, low, and high groups, respectively (P<0.001). Conclusions: The CIMP status is a negative prognostic factor for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with chemotherapy. PMID:27310704

  5. Adverse prognostic impact of the CpG island methylator phenotype in metastatic colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Cha, Yongjun; Kim, Kyung-Ju; Han, Sae-Won; Rhee, Ye Young; Bae, Jeong Mo; Wen, Xianyu; Cho, Nam-Yun; Lee, Dae-Won; Lee, Kyung-Hun; Kim, Tae-Yong; Oh, Do-Youn; Im, Seock-Ah; Bang, Yung-Jue; Jeong, Seung-Yong; Park, Kyu Joo; Kang, Gyeong Hoon; Kim, Tae-You

    2016-07-12

    The association between the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) and clinical outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer remains unclear. We investigated the prognostic impact of CIMP in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with systemic chemotherapy. Eight CIMP-specific promoters (CACNA1G, IGF2, NEUROG1, RUNX3, SOCS1, CDKN2A, CRABP1, and MLH1) were examined. The CIMP status was determined by the number of methylated promoters as high (⩾5), low (1-4), and negative (0). A total of 153 patients were included (men/women, 103/50; median age, 61 years; range, 22-80 years). The CIMP status was negative/low/high in 77/ 69/7 patients, respectively. Overall survival (OS) was significantly different among the three CIMP groups, with median values of 35.7, 22.2, and 9.77 months for the negative, low, and high groups, respectively (P<0.001). For patients treated with fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin first-line chemotherapy (N=128), OS and progression-free survival (PFS) were significantly different among the three CIMP groups; the median OS was 37.9, 23.8, and 6.77 months for the negative, low, and high groups, respectively (P<0.001), while the median PFS was 9.97, 7.87, and 1.83 months, respectively (P=0.002). Response rates were marginally different among the three CIMP groups (53.4% vs 45.1% vs 16.7%, respectively; P=0.107). For patients treated with fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan second-line chemotherapy (N=86), only OS showed a difference according to the CIMP status, with median values of 20.4, 13.4, and 2.90 months for the negative, low, and high groups, respectively (P<0.001). The CIMP status is a negative prognostic factor for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with chemotherapy.

  6. Prognostic value of FDG-PET indices for the assessment of histological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and outcome in pediatric patients with Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma

    PubMed Central

    Bailly, Clement; Leforestier, Rodolphe; Campion, Loic; Thebaud, Estelle; Moreau, Anne; Kraeber-Bodere, Francoise

    2017-01-01

    Purpose The objective of this retrospective work was to evaluate the prognostic value on histological response and survival of quantitative indices derived from FDG-PET performed before and after chemotherapy (CHT), in a homogeneous pediatric Ewing sarcoma (EWS) and Osteosarcoma (OST) population. Methods Thirty-one patients with EWS and 31 with OST were included. All patients were treated with neoadjuvant CHT, and underwent surgery for local control. All patients had FDG-PET at diagnosis and after CHT, prior to surgery. Several parameters were evaluated: SUVmax, SUVpeak, SUVmean, metabolic tumor volume, total lesion glycolysis, 7 textural features and 3 shape features (SF). The segmentation was performed using an adaptive approach. Results were compared to histopathological regression of the resected tumor and to clinical follow-up for survival evaluation. Results For EWS, univariate analysis did not highlight any prognostic value on histological response, or survival regardless of all the considered metrics. For OST, only one of the SF, namely elongation, was significantly associated with PFS and OS on both univariate and multivariate analysis (PFS: p = 0.019, HR = 5.583; OS: p = 0.0062, HR = 7.113). Conclusion Only elongation determined on initial FDG-PET has a potential interest as a prognostic factor of PFS and OS in pediatric OST patients. Unlike recent studies of the literature realized in adult population, all the metrics reveal limited additional prognostic value in pediatric EWS patients. This seems to reinforce the question of whether children experience different subtypes of the same pathologies than older patients, with different outcomes. PMID:28841702

  7. Heat shock protein 70 and tumor-infiltrating NK cells as prognostic indicators for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck after radiochemotherapy: A multicentre retrospective study of the German Cancer Consortium Radiation Oncology Group (DKTK-ROG).

    PubMed

    Stangl, Stefan; Tontcheva, Nikoletta; Sievert, Wolfgang; Shevtsov, Maxim; Niu, Minli; Schmid, Thomas E; Pigorsch, Steffi; Combs, Stephanie E; Haller, Bernhard; Balermpas, Panagiotis; Rödel, Franz; Rödel, Claus; Fokas, Emmanouil; Krause, Mechthild; Linge, Annett; Lohaus, Fabian; Baumann, Michael; Tinhofer, Inge; Budach, Volker; Stuschke, Martin; Grosu, Anca-Ligia; Abdollahi, Amir; Debus, Jürgen; Belka, Claus; Maihöfer, Cornelius; Mönnich, David; Zips, Daniel; Multhoff, Gabriele

    2018-05-01

    Tumor cells frequently overexpress heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and present it on their cell surface, where it can be recognized by pre-activated NK cells. In our retrospective study the expression of Hsp70 was determined in relation to tumor-infiltrating CD56 + NK cells in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumor specimens of patients with SCCHN (N = 145) as potential indicators for survival and disease recurrence. All patients received radical surgery and postoperative cisplatin-based radiochemotherapy (RCT). In general, Hsp70 expression was stronger, but with variable intensities, in tumor compared to normal tissues. Patients with high Hsp70 expressing tumors (scores 3-4) showed significantly decreased overall survival (OS; p = 0.008), local progression-free survival (LPFS; p = 0.034) and distant metastases-free survival (DMFS; p = 0.044), compared to those with low Hsp70 expression (scores 0-2), which remained significant after adjustment for relevant prognostic variables. The adverse prognostic value of a high Hsp70 expression for OS was also observed in patient cohorts with p16- (p = 0.001), p53- (p = 0.0003) and HPV16 DNA-negative (p = 0.001) tumors. The absence or low numbers of tumor-infiltrating CD56 + NK cells also correlated with significantly decreased OS (p = 0.0001), LPFS (p = 0.0009) and DMFS (p = 0.0001). A high Hsp70 expression and low numbers of tumor-infiltrating NK cells have the highest negative predictive value (p = 0.00004). In summary, a strong Hsp70 expression and low numbers of tumor-infiltrating NK cells correlate with unfavorable outcome following surgery and RCT in patients with SCCHN, and thus serve as negative prognostic markers. © 2017 The Authors International Journal of Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of UICC.

  8. Neurological prognostication of outcome in patients in coma after cardiac arrest.

    PubMed

    Rossetti, Andrea O; Rabinstein, Alejandro A; Oddo, Mauro

    2016-05-01

    Management of coma after cardiac arrest has improved during the past decade, allowing an increasing proportion of patients to survive, thus prognostication has become an integral part of post-resuscitation care. Neurologists are increasingly confronted with raised expectations of next of kin and the necessity to provide early predictions of long-term prognosis. During the past decade, as technology and clinical evidence have evolved, post-cardiac arrest prognostication has moved towards a multimodal paradigm combining clinical examination with additional methods, consisting of electrophysiology, blood biomarkers, and brain imaging, to optimise prognostic accuracy. Prognostication should never be based on a single indicator; although some variables have very low false positive rates for poor outcome, multimodal assessment provides resassurance about the reliability of a prognostic estimate by offering concordant evidence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Hypoglycorrhachia in Adults with Community-Acquired Meningitis: Etiologies and Prognostic Significance

    PubMed Central

    Shrikanth, Vandana; Salazar, Lucrecia; Khoury, Nabil; Wootton, Susan; Hasbun, Rodrigo

    2015-01-01

    Study objectives Hypoglycorrhachia (CSF glucose < 45mg/dL) has been identified as a prognostic factor in patients with meningitis. We analyzed the differential diagnosis of hypoglycorrhachia and its clinical significance. Methods Retrospective study of 620 adult patients with community acquired meningitis [CSF WBC >5 cells/mm3, absence of a CSF shunt or recent neurosurgical procedure (< 1 month)] at 8 Memorial Hermann Hospitals in Houston, TX from January, 2005 to December, 2010. An adverse clinical outcome was defined as a Glasgow outcome scale of 4 or less. Results Out of 620 patients with meningitis, 116 (19%) had hypoglycorrachia. Etiologies of hypoglycorrhachia were idiopathic (40), bacterial (27), cryptococcal (26), viral (15), and tuberculous (4). Patients with hypoglycorrachia were more likely to be immunosuppressed, have a history of intravenous drug use, and present with a vesicular or petechial rash, nausea or vomiting, nuchal rigidity, sinusitis/otitis, abnormal mental status and focal neurological deficits compared to those patients without hypoglycorrachia (p<0.05). Additionally, patients in the hypoglycorrhachia group had significantly higher rates of positive CSF and blood cultures, urgent treatable conditions and abnormal cranial imaging (p<005). Furthermore, patients with hypoglycorrachia had more adverse clinical outcomes [26 out of 116 (22.4%) vs. 45 out of 504 (8.9%)] (p< 0.001). Conclusion Hypoglycorrhachia has significant clinical and prognostic value in the evaluation of adult patients with community-acquired meningitis. PMID:26299186

  10. Novel immunological and nutritional-based prognostic index for gastric cancer.

    PubMed

    Sun, Kai-Yu; Xu, Jian-Bo; Chen, Shu-Ling; Yuan, Yu-Jie; Wu, Hui; Peng, Jian-Jun; Chen, Chuang-Qi; Guo, Pi; Hao, Yuan-Tao; He, Yu-Long

    2015-05-21

    To assess the prognostic significance of immunological and nutritional-based indices, including the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio in gastric cancer. We retrospectively reviewed 632 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy between 1998 and 2008. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated to compare the predictive ability of the indices, together with estimating the sensitivity, specificity and agreement rate. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for overall survival (OS). Propensity score analysis was performed to adjust variables to control for selection bias. Each index could predict OS in gastric cancer patients in univariate analysis, but only PNI had independent prognostic significance in multivariate analysis before and after adjustment with propensity scoring (hazard ratio, 1.668; 95% confidence interval: 1.368-2.035). In subgroup analysis, a low PNI predicted a significantly shorter OS in patients with stage II-III disease (P = 0.019, P < 0.001), T3-T4 tumors (P < 0.001), or lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001). Canton score, a combination of PNI, NLR, and platelet, was a better indicator for OS than PNI, with the largest area under the curve for 12-, 36-, 60-mo OS and overall OS (P = 0.022, P = 0.030, P < 0.001, and P = 0.024, respectively). The maximum sensitivity, specificity, and agreement rate of Canton score for predicting prognosis were 84.6%, 34.9%, and 70.1%, respectively. PNI is an independent prognostic factor for OS in gastric cancer. Canton score can be a novel preoperative prognostic index in gastric cancer.

  11. An elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio is associated with adverse outcomes following single time-point paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose: a time-course analysis.

    PubMed

    Craig, Darren G; Kitto, Laura; Zafar, Sara; Reid, Thomas W D J; Martin, Kirsty G; Davidson, Janice S; Hayes, Peter C; Simpson, Kenneth J

    2014-09-01

    The innate immune system is profoundly dysregulated in paracetamol (acetaminophen)-induced liver injury. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a simple bedside index with prognostic value in a number of inflammatory conditions. To evaluate the prognostic accuracy of the NLR in patients with significant liver injury following single time-point and staggered paracetamol overdoses. Time-course analysis of 100 single time-point and 50 staggered paracetamol overdoses admitted to a tertiary liver centre. Timed laboratory samples were correlated with time elapsed after overdose or admission, respectively, and the NLR was calculated. A total of 49/100 single time-point patients developed hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Median NLRs were higher at both 72 (P=0.0047) and 96 h after overdose (P=0.0041) in single time-point patients who died or were transplanted. Maximum NLR values by 96 h were associated with increasing HE grade (P=0.0005). An NLR of more than 16.7 during the first 96 h following overdose was independently associated with the development of HE [odds ratio 5.65 (95% confidence interval 1.67-19.13), P=0.005]. Maximum NLR values by 96 h were strongly associated with the requirement for intracranial pressure monitoring (P<0.0001), renal replacement therapy (P=0.0002) and inotropic support (P=0.0005). In contrast, in the staggered overdose cohort, the NLR was not associated with adverse outcomes or death/transplantation either at admission or subsequently. The NLR is a simple test which is strongly associated with adverse outcomes following single time-point, but not staggered, paracetamol overdoses. Future studies should assess the value of incorporating the NLR into existing prognostic and triage indices of single time-point paracetamol overdose.

  12. Novel recurrent chromosomal aberrations detected in clonal plasma cells of light chain amyloidosis patients show potential adverse prognostic effect: first results from a genome-wide copy number array analysis.

    PubMed

    Granzow, Martin; Hegenbart, Ute; Hinderhofer, Katrin; Hose, Dirk; Seckinger, Anja; Bochtler, Tilmann; Hemminki, Kari; Goldschmidt, Hartmut; Schönland, Stefan O; Jauch, Anna

    2017-07-01

    Immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare plasma cell dyscrasia characterized by the deposition of abnormal amyloid fibrils in multiple organs, thus impairing their function. In the largest cohort studied up to now of 118 CD138-purified plasma cell samples from previously untreated immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis patients, we assessed in parallel copy number alterations using high-density copy number arrays and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (iFISH). We used fluorescence in situ hybridization probes for the IgH translocations t(11;14), t(4;14), and t(14;16) or any other IgH rearrangement as well as numerical aberrations of the chromosome loci 1q21, 8p21, 5p15/5q35, 11q22.3 or 11q23, 13q14, 15q22, 17p13, and 19q13. Recurrent gains included chromosomes 1q (36%), 9 (24%), 11q (24%), as well as 19 (15%). Recurrent losses affected chromosome 13 (29% monosomy) and partial losses of 14q (19%), 16q (14%) and 13q (12%), respectively. In 88% of patients with translocation t(11;14), the hallmark chromosomal aberration in AL amyloidosis, a concomitant gain of 11q22.3/11q23 detected by iFISH was part of the unbalanced translocation der(14)t(11;14)(q13;q32) with the breakpoint in the CCND1/MYEOV gene region. Partial loss of chromosome regions 14q and 16q were significantly associated to gain 1q. Gain 1q21 detected by iFISH almost always resulted from a gain of the long arm of chromosome 1 and not from trisomy 1, whereas deletions on chromosome 1p were rarely found. Overall and event-free survival analysis found a potential adverse prognostic effect of concomitant gain 1q and deletion 14q as well as of deletion 1p. In conclusion, in the first whole genome report of clonal plasma cells in AL amyloidosis, novel aberrations and hitherto unknown potential adverse prognostic effects were uncovered. Copyright© 2017 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

  13. Novel recurrent chromosomal aberrations detected in clonal plasma cells of light chain amyloidosis patients show potential adverse prognostic effect: first results from a genome-wide copy number array analysis

    PubMed Central

    Granzow, Martin; Hegenbart, Ute; Hinderhofer, Katrin; Hose, Dirk; Seckinger, Anja; Bochtler, Tilmann; Hemminki, Kari; Goldschmidt, Hartmut; Schönland, Stefan O.; Jauch, Anna

    2017-01-01

    Immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare plasma cell dyscrasia characterized by the deposition of abnormal amyloid fibrils in multiple organs, thus impairing their function. In the largest cohort studied up to now of 118 CD138-purified plasma cell samples from previously untreated immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis patients, we assessed in parallel copy number alterations using high-density copy number arrays and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (iFISH). We used fluorescence in situ hybridization probes for the IgH translocations t(11;14), t(4;14), and t(14;16) or any other IgH rearrangement as well as numerical aberrations of the chromosome loci 1q21, 8p21, 5p15/5q35, 11q22.3 or 11q23, 13q14, 15q22, 17p13, and 19q13. Recurrent gains included chromosomes 1q (36%), 9 (24%), 11q (24%), as well as 19 (15%). Recurrent losses affected chromosome 13 (29% monosomy) and partial losses of 14q (19%), 16q (14%) and 13q (12%), respectively. In 88% of patients with translocation t(11;14), the hallmark chromosomal aberration in AL amyloidosis, a concomitant gain of 11q22.3/11q23 detected by iFISH was part of the unbalanced translocation der(14)t(11;14)(q13;q32) with the breakpoint in the CCND1/MYEOV gene region. Partial loss of chromosome regions 14q and 16q were significantly associated to gain 1q. Gain 1q21 detected by iFISH almost always resulted from a gain of the long arm of chromosome 1 and not from trisomy 1, whereas deletions on chromosome 1p were rarely found. Overall and event-free survival analysis found a potential adverse prognostic effect of concomitant gain 1q and deletion 14q as well as of deletion 1p. In conclusion, in the first whole genome report of clonal plasma cells in AL amyloidosis, novel aberrations and hitherto unknown potential adverse prognostic effects were uncovered. PMID:28341732

  14. Which prognostic indicator should we use for clinical practice in the initial evaluation and follow-up of IIP: should we depend on PFT, HRCT or...what?

    PubMed

    Caminati, Antonella; Harari, Sergio

    2005-12-01

    Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias are a group of diffuse, inflammatory and fibrotic disorders of the lung parenchyma that cause restrictive physiology and impair gas exchange. Usual interstitial pneumonia and non-specific interstitial pneumonia comprise the majority of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia cases. Previous studies have identified the histopathologic pattern as the most important baseline factor in determining prognosis. The non-invasive diagnosis of these diseases is sometimes uncertain but histological evaluation is an imperfect gold-standard. In some cases, the biopsy specimen may not be representative of the entire lung. In other cases, there may be differences in interpretation of the histological findings. HRCT has also assumed a greater role in the diagnosis and management of patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. Factors affecting prognosis are discussed controversially. Histological criteria, clinical features, or lung function parameters are not clear prognostic indicators. Increased interstitial abnormalities in the HRCT, parameters indicating restrictive lung function, desaturation at 6MWT and abnormal gas exchange are possible determinants of survival. The prognostic value of pulmonary function trends over time may prove more useful. Longitudinal behavior is a more accurate determinant of outcome than evaluation at a single point in time. It is important to remember that no predictor of survival can ever reliably predict an individual patient's prognosis. Physicians should realize this limitation, and use predictor tools as general prognostic guides, not crystal balls. However, due to the great variability in the natural history of the disease, close monitoring of the patients may be necessary to evaluate the individual course of each patient.

  15. Prognostic significance of KIT exon 11 deletion mutation in intermediate-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

    PubMed

    Quek, Richard; Farid, Mohamad; Kanjanapan, Yada; Lim, Cindy; Tan, Iain Beehuat; Kesavan, Sittampalam; Lim, Tony Kiat Hon; Oon, Lynette Lin-Ean; Goh, Brian Kp; Chan, Weng Hoong; Teo, Melissa; Chung, Alexander Yf; Ong, Hock Soo; Wong, Wai Keong; Tan, Patrick; Yip, Desmond

    2017-06-01

    Benefit of adjuvant imatinib therapy following curative resection in patients with intermediate-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is unclear. GIST-specific exon mutations, in particular exon 11 deletions, have been shown to be prognostic. We hypothesize that specific KIT mutations may improve risk stratification in patients with intermediate-risk GIST, identifying a subgroup of patients who may benefit from adjuvant therapy. In total, 142 GIST patients with complete clinicopathologic and mutational data from two sites were included. Risk classification was based on the modified National Institute of Health (NIH) criteria. In this cohort, 74% (n = 105) of patients harbored a KIT mutation; 61% (n = 86) were found in exon 11 of which nearly 70% were KIT exon 11 deletions (n = 60). A total of 18% (n = 25) of cases were classified as having intermediate-risk disease. Univariate analysis confirmed tumor size, mitotic index, nongastric origin, presence of tumor rupture and modified NIH criteria were adversely prognostic for relapse-free survival (RFS). Among KIT/PDGFRA mutants, KIT exon 11 deletions had a significantly worse prognosis (hazard ratio 2.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.30-4.10; P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis confirmed KIT exon 11 deletion (P = 0.003) and clinical risk classification (P < 0.001) as independent adverse prognostic factors for RFS. Intermediate-risk patients harboring KIT exon 11 deletions had RFS outcomes similar to high-risk patients. The presence of KIT exon 11 deletion mutation in patients with intermediate-risk GIST is associated with an inferior clinical outcome with RFS similar to high-risk patients. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  16. Adverse cardiovascular events in acute coronary syndrome with indications for anticoagulation.

    PubMed

    Knight, Stacey; McCubrey, Raymond O; Yuan, Zhong; Woller, Scott C; Horne, Benjamin D; Bunch, T Jared; Le, Viet T; Mills, Roger M; Muhlestein, Joseph B

    2016-08-01

    Randomized acute coronary syndrome (ACS) trials testing various antithrombotic (AT) regimens have largely excluded patients with coexisting conditions and indications for anticoagulation (AC). The purpose of this study is to examine the 2-year clinical outcomes of patients with ACS with indication for AC due to venous thromboembolism (VTE) during hospitalization for the ACS event or a prior or new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) with a CHADS2 (Congestive heart failure; Hypertension; Age; Diabetes; previous ischemic Stroke) score ⩾2. ACS patients with AC indication from 2004 to 2009 were identified (n = 619). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the primary efficacy outcome of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke. The primary explanatory variable was at-discharge antithrombotic strategy [single antiplatelet ± AC, dual antiplatelet (DAP) ± AC or AC only; referent DAP + AC]. A total of 261 (42.2%) patients had a MACE event. AT strategy was not a significant factor for MACE (all p > 0.09). The factors associated with MACE were high mortality risk score [hazard ratio (HR)=1.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.39- 2.52; p < 0.001), prior MI (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.03-2.01; p= 0.033) and presentation of ST elevation MI (HR = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.61-4.51; p < 0.001) or non-ST elevation MI (HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.15-2.49; p < 0.001) compared with angina. In this real world observational study, the at-discharge AT strategy was not significantly associated with the 2-year risk of MACE. These findings do not negate the need for randomized trials to generate evidence-based approaches to management of this important population. © The Author(s), 2016.

  17. Adverse cardiovascular events in acute coronary syndrome with indications for anticoagulation

    PubMed Central

    Knight, Stacey; McCubrey, Raymond O.; Yuan, Zhong; Woller, Scott C.; Horne, Benjamin D.; Bunch, T. Jared; Le, Viet T.; Mills, Roger M.; Muhlestein, Joseph B.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: Randomized acute coronary syndrome (ACS) trials testing various antithrombotic (AT) regimens have largely excluded patients with coexisting conditions and indications for anticoagulation (AC). The purpose of this study is to examine the 2-year clinical outcomes of patients with ACS with indication for AC due to venous thromboembolism (VTE) during hospitalization for the ACS event or a prior or new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) with a CHADS2 (Congestive heart failure; Hypertension; Age; Diabetes; previous ischemic Stroke) score ⩾2. Methods: ACS patients with AC indication from 2004 to 2009 were identified (n = 619). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the primary efficacy outcome of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke. The primary explanatory variable was at-discharge antithrombotic strategy [single antiplatelet ± AC, dual antiplatelet (DAP) ± AC or AC only; referent DAP + AC]. Results: A total of 261 (42.2%) patients had a MACE event. AT strategy was not a significant factor for MACE (all p > 0.09). The factors associated with MACE were high mortality risk score [hazard ratio (HR)=1.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.39– 2.52; p < 0.001), prior MI (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.03–2.01; p= 0.033) and presentation of ST elevation MI (HR = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.61–4.51; p < 0.001) or non-ST elevation MI (HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.15–2.49; p < 0.001) compared with angina. Conclusions: In this real world observational study, the at-discharge AT strategy was not significantly associated with the 2-year risk of MACE. These findings do not negate the need for randomized trials to generate evidence-based approaches to management of this important population. PMID:26920371

  18. Diagnostic and Prognostic Stratification in the Emergency Department Using Urinary Biomarkers of Nephron Damage

    PubMed Central

    Nickolas, Thomas L.; Schmidt-Ott, Kai M.; Canetta, Pietro; Forster, Catherine; Singer, Eugenia; Sise, Meghan; Elger, Antje; Maarouf, Omar; Sola-Del Valle, David Antonio; O'Rourke, Matthew; Sherman, Evan; Lee, Peter; Geara, Abdallah; Imus, Philip; Guddati, Achuta; Polland, Allison; Rahman, Wasiq; Elitok, Saban; Malik, Nasir; Giglio, James; El-Sayegh, Suzanne; Devarajan, Prasad; Hebbar, Sudarshan; Saggi, Subodh J.; Hahn, Barry; Kettritz, Ralph; Luft, Friedrich C.; Barasch, Jonathan

    2012-01-01

    Objectives This study aimed to determine the diagnostic and prognostic value of urinary biomarkers of intrinsic acute kidney injury (AKI) when patients were triaged in the emergency department. Background Intrinsic AKI is associated with nephron injury and results in poor clinical outcomes. Several urinary biomarkers have been proposed to detect and measure intrinsic AKI. Methods In a multicenter prospective cohort study, 5 urinary biomarkers (urinary neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin, kidney injury molecule-1, urinary liver-type fatty acid binding protein, urinary interleukin-18, and cystatin C) were measured in 1,635 unselected emergency department patients at the time of hospital admission. We determined whether the biomarkers diagnosed intrinsic AKI and predicted adverse outcomes during hospitalization. Results All biomarkers were elevated in intrinsic AKI, but urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin was most useful (81% specificity, 68% sensitivity at a 104-ng/ml cutoff) and predictive of the severity and duration of AKI. Intrinsic AKI was strongly associated with adverse in-hospital outcomes. Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and urinary kidney injury molecule 1 predicted a composite outcome of dialysis initiation or death during hospitalization, and both improved the net risk classification compared with conventional assessments. These biomarkers also identified a substantial subpopulation with low serum creatinine at hospital admission, but who were at risk of adverse events. Conclusion Urinary biomarkers of nephron damage enable prospective diagnostic and prognostic stratification in the emergency department. PMID:22240130

  19. Biomarkers of adverse drug reactions.

    PubMed

    Carr, Daniel F; Pirmohamed, Munir

    2018-02-01

    Adverse drug reactions can be caused by a wide range of therapeutics. Adverse drug reactions affect many bodily organ systems and vary widely in severity. Milder adverse drug reactions often resolve quickly following withdrawal of the casual drug or sometimes after dose reduction. Some adverse drug reactions are severe and lead to significant organ/tissue injury which can be fatal. Adverse drug reactions also represent a financial burden to both healthcare providers and the pharmaceutical industry. Thus, a number of stakeholders would benefit from development of new, robust biomarkers for the prediction, diagnosis, and prognostication of adverse drug reactions. There has been significant recent progress in identifying predictive genomic biomarkers with the potential to be used in clinical settings to reduce the burden of adverse drug reactions. These have included biomarkers that can be used to alter drug dose (for example, Thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) and azathioprine dose) and drug choice. The latter have in particular included human leukocyte antigen (HLA) biomarkers which identify susceptibility to immune-mediated injuries to major organs such as skin, liver, and bone marrow from a variety of drugs. This review covers both the current state of the art with regard to genomic adverse drug reaction biomarkers. We also review circulating biomarkers that have the potential to be used for both diagnosis and prognosis, and have the added advantage of providing mechanistic information. In the future, we will not be relying on single biomarkers (genomic/non-genomic), but on multiple biomarker panels, integrated through the application of different omics technologies, which will provide information on predisposition, early diagnosis, prognosis, and mechanisms. Impact statement • Genetic and circulating biomarkers present significant opportunities to personalize patient therapy to minimize the risk of adverse drug reactions. ADRs are a significant heath issue

  20. Prognostic role of cardiac power index in ambulatory patients with advanced heart failure.

    PubMed

    Grodin, Justin L; Mullens, Wilfried; Dupont, Matthias; Wu, Yuping; Taylor, David O; Starling, Randall C; Tang, W H Wilson

    2015-07-01

    Cardiac pump function is often quantified by left ventricular ejection fraction by various imaging modalities. As the heart is commonly conceptualized as a hydraulic pump, cardiac power describes the hydraulic function of the heart. We aim to describe the prognostic value of resting cardiac power index (CPI) in ambulatory patients with advanced heart failure. We calculated CPI in 495 sequential ambulatory patients with advanced heart failure who underwent invasive haemodynamic assessment with longitudinal follow-up of adverse outcomes (all-cause mortality, cardiac transplantation, or ventricular assist device placement). The median CPI was 0.44 W/m(2) (interquartile range 0.37, 0.52). Over a median of 3.3 years, there were 117 deaths, 104 transplants, and 20 ventricular assist device placements in our cohort. Diminished CPI (<0.44 W/m(2) ) was associated with increased adverse outcomes [hazard ratio (HR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8-3.1, P < 0.0001). The prognostic value of CPI remained significant after adjustment for age, gender, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, cardiac index, pulmonary vascular resistance, left ventricular ejection fraction, and creatinine [HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.03-2.3, P = 0.04). Furthermore, CPI can risk stratify independently of peak oxygen consumption (HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4-3.4, P = 0.0003). Resting cardiac power index provides independent and incremental prediction in adverse outcomes beyond traditional haemodynamic and cardio-renal risk factors. © 2015 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure © 2015 European Society of Cardiology.

  1. Localized primary gastrointestinal diffuse large B cell lymphoma received a surgical approach: an analysis of prognostic factors and comparison of staging systems in 101 patients from a single institution.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Shengting; Wang, Li; Yu, Dong; Shen, Yang; Cheng, Shu; Zhang, Li; Qian, Ying; Shen, Zhixiang; Li, Qinyu; Zhao, Weili

    2015-08-15

    Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents the most common histological subtype of primary gastrointestinal lymphoma and is a heterogeneous group of disease. Prognostic characterization of individual patients is an essential prerequisite for a proper risk-based therapeutic choice. Clinical and pathological prognostic factors were identified, and predictive value of four previously described prognostic systems were assessed in 101 primary gastrointestinal DLBCL (PG-DLBCL) patients with localized disease, including Ann Arbor staging with Musshoff modification, International Prognostic Index (IPI), Lugano classification, and Paris staging system. Univariate factors correlated with inferior survival time were clinical parameters [age>60 years old, multiple extranodal/gastrointestinal involvement, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase and β2-microglobulin, and decreased serum albumin], as well as pathological parameters (invasion depth beyond serosa, involvement of regional lymph node or adjacent tissue, Ki-67 index, and Bcl-2 expression). Major independent variables of adverse outcome indicated by multivariate analysis were multiple gastrointestinal involvement. In patients unfit for Rituximab but received surgery, radical surgery significantly prolonged the survival time, comparing with alleviative surgery. Addition of Rituximab could overcome the negative prognostic effect of alleviative surgery. Among the four prognostic systems, IPI and Lugano classification clearly separated patients into different risk groups. IPI was able to further stratify the early-stage patients of Lugano classification into groups with distinct prognosis. Radical surgery might be proposed for the patients unfit for Rituximab treatment, and a combination of clinical and pathological staging systems was more helpful to predict the disease outcome of PG-DLBCL patients.

  2. Vascular invasion is a prognostic indicator in hepatoblastoma.

    PubMed

    Shi, Yan; Commander, Sarah J; Masand, Prakash M; Heczey, Andras; Goss, John A; Vasudevan, Sanjeev A

    2017-06-01

    The data regarding vascular invasion as a prognostic factor in hepatoblastoma (HB) are conflicted. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between vascular invasion and outcomes. This is a retrospective review of patients <18 years old who underwent resection for hepatoblastoma from 1998 to 2015. Pathology reports were used to identify patients who had pathologic vascular invasion (VI), and those who did not (NVI). Sixty-six children were identified with a median age at diagnosis of 21months (interquartile range: 10-33months). Pathologic vascular invasion was present in 42/66 (64%) patients. A significant difference (P=0.02) in 3-year overall survival (3YOS) was detected between NVI (95%) and VI (61%). Recurrent disease was present in 8/66 (12%) patients. A marginally significant difference (P=0.08) was found in 3-year recurrence free survival (3YRFS) between NVI (94%) and the VI (76%) groups. Patients with NVI had no metastatic disease, had a lower recurrence rate, universally responded to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and were less likely to have small cell undifferentiated histology. Twenty-one children underwent orthotopic liver transplant (OLT), with no difference in 3YROS or 3YRFS. Pathologic vascular invasion is associated with significantly worse 3YOS in HB, and lack of vascular invasion was associated with more favorable disease characteristics. The presence of pathologic vascular invasion did not confer a worse outcome in patients treated with liver transplantation in this cohort of patients. Retrospective review. Level III. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Hyponatremia is Associated with Fluid Imbalance and Adverse Renal Outcome in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Treated with Diuretics.

    PubMed

    Lim, Lee Moay; Tsai, Ni-Chin; Lin, Ming-Yen; Hwang, Daw-Yang; Lin, Hugo You-Hsien; Lee, Jia-Jung; Hwang, Shang-Jyh; Hung, Chi-Chih; Chen, Hung-Chun

    2016-11-14

    Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is frequently complicated with hyponatremia, probably because of fluid overload or diuretic usage. Hyponatremia in CKD population is associated with increased mortality, but the effect on renal outcome was unknown. We investigated whether hyponatremia is associated with fluid status and is a prognostic indicator for adverse outcomes in a CKD cohort of 4,766 patients with 1,009 diuretic users. We found that diuretic users had worse clinical outcomes compared with diuretic non-users. Hyponatremia (serum sodium <135 mEq/L) was associated with excessive volume and volume depletion, measured as total body water by bioimpedance analysis, in diuretic users, but not in diuretic non-users. Furthermore, in Cox survival analysis, hyponatremia was associated with an increased risk for renal replacement therapy (hazard ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.13-1.85, P < 0.05) in diuretic users, but not in diuretic non-users (P for interaction <0.05); restricted cubic spline model also showed a similar result. Hyponatremia was not associated with all-cause mortality or cardiovascular event whereas hypernatremia (serum sodium >141 mEq/L) was associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality. Thus, hyponatremia is an indicator of fluid imbalance and also a prognostic factor for renal replacement therapy in CKD patients treated with diuretics.

  4. Hyponatremia is Associated with Fluid Imbalance and Adverse Renal Outcome in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Treated with Diuretics

    PubMed Central

    Lim, Lee Moay; Tsai, Ni-Chin; Lin, Ming-Yen; Hwang, Daw-Yang; Lin, Hugo You-Hsien; Lee, Jia-Jung; Hwang, Shang-Jyh; Hung, Chi-Chih; Chen, Hung-Chun

    2016-01-01

    Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is frequently complicated with hyponatremia, probably because of fluid overload or diuretic usage. Hyponatremia in CKD population is associated with increased mortality, but the effect on renal outcome was unknown. We investigated whether hyponatremia is associated with fluid status and is a prognostic indicator for adverse outcomes in a CKD cohort of 4,766 patients with 1,009 diuretic users. We found that diuretic users had worse clinical outcomes compared with diuretic non-users. Hyponatremia (serum sodium <135 mEq/L) was associated with excessive volume and volume depletion, measured as total body water by bioimpedance analysis, in diuretic users, but not in diuretic non-users. Furthermore, in Cox survival analysis, hyponatremia was associated with an increased risk for renal replacement therapy (hazard ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.13–1.85, P < 0.05) in diuretic users, but not in diuretic non-users (P for interaction <0.05); restricted cubic spline model also showed a similar result. Hyponatremia was not associated with all-cause mortality or cardiovascular event whereas hypernatremia (serum sodium >141 mEq/L) was associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality. Thus, hyponatremia is an indicator of fluid imbalance and also a prognostic factor for renal replacement therapy in CKD patients treated with diuretics. PMID:27841359

  5. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: A prognostic model comprising only two biomarkers (IGHV mutational status and FISH cytogenetics) separates patients with different outcome and simplifies the CLL-IPI.

    PubMed

    Delgado, Julio; Doubek, Michael; Baumann, Tycho; Kotaskova, Jana; Molica, Stefano; Mozas, Pablo; Rivas-Delgado, Alfredo; Morabito, Fortunato; Pospisilova, Sarka; Montserrat, Emili

    2017-04-01

    Rai and Binet staging systems are important to predict the outcome of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) but do not reflect the biologic diversity of the disease nor predict response to therapy, which ultimately shape patients' outcome. We devised a biomarkers-only CLL prognostic system based on the two most important prognostic parameters in CLL (i.e., IGHV mutational status and fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH] cytogenetics), separating three different risk groups: (1) low-risk (mutated IGHV + no adverse FISH cytogenetics [del(17p), del(11q)]); (2) intermediate-risk (either unmutated IGHV or adverse FISH cytogenetics) and (3) high-risk (unmutated IGHV + adverse FISH cytogenetics). In 524 unselected subjects with CLL, the 10-year overall survival was 82% (95% CI 76%-88%), 52% (45%-62%), and 27% (17%-42%) for the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, respectively. Patients with low-risk comprised around 50% of the series and had a life expectancy comparable to the general population. The prognostic model was fully validated in two independent cohorts, including 417 patients representative of general CLL population and 337 patients with Binet stage A CLL. The model had a similar discriminatory value as the CLL-IPI. Moreover, it applied to all patients with CLL independently of age, and separated patients with different risk within Rai or Binet clinical stages. The biomarkers-only CLL prognostic system presented here simplifies the CLL-IPI and could be useful in daily practice and to stratify patients in clinical trials. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Copy number increase of ACTN4 is a prognostic indicator in salivary gland carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Watabe, Yukio; Mori, Taisuke; Yoshimoto, Seiichi; Nomura, Takeshi; Shibahara, Takahiko; Yamada, Tesshi; Honda, Kazufumi

    2014-01-01

    Copy number increase (CNI) of ACTN4 has been associated with poor prognosis and metastatic phenotypes in various human carcinomas. To identify a novel prognostic factor for salivary gland carcinoma, we investigated the copy number of ACTN4. We evaluated DNA copy number of ACTN4 in 58 patients with salivary gland carcinoma by using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). CNI of ACTN4 was recognized in 14 of 58 patients (24.1%) with salivary gland carcinoma. The cases with CNI of ACTN4 were closely associated with histological grade (P = 0.047) and vascular invasion (P = 0.033). The patients with CNI of ACTN4 had a significantly worse prognosis than the patients with normal copy number of ACTN4 (P = 0.0005 log-rank test). Univariate analysis by the Cox proportional hazards model showed that histological grade, vascular invasion, and CNI of ACTN4 were independent risk factors for cancer death. Vascular invasion (hazard ratio [HR]: 7.46; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.98–28.06) and CNI of ACTN4 (HR: 3.23; 95% CI: 1.08–9.68) remained as risk factors for cancer death in multivariate analysis. Thus, CNI of ACTN4 is a novel indicator for an unfavorable outcome in patients with salivary gland carcinoma. PMID:24574362

  7. Prognostic Impact of Calcium Score after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Performed With New Generation Prosthesis.

    PubMed

    Akodad, Mariama; Lattuca, Benoit; Agullo, Audrey; Macia, Jean-Christophe; Gandet, Thomas; Marin, Grégory; Iemmi, Anaïs; Vernhet, Hélène; Schmutz, Laurent; Nagot, Nicolas; Albat, Bernard; Cayla, Guillaume; Leclercq, Florence

    2018-05-15

    Calcium score (CS) is a well-known prognostic factor after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) performed with first generation prosthesis but few data are available concerning new generation valves. The aim of this study was to evaluate if CS remains a prognostic factor after Sapien 3 and Evolut R valves implantation. Agatston CS was evaluated on multislice computed tomography before TAVI in 346 patients implanted with Sapien XT (n = 61), CoreValve (n = 57) devices, (group 1, n = 118), and with new generation Sapien 3 (n = 147), Evolut R (n = 81) prosthesis, (group 2, n = 228). Major adverse cardiovascular events and aortic regurgitation (AR) were evaluated at 1 month. The 2 groups were similar at baseline except for logistic Euroscore (20.1% in group 1 vs 15.0 % in group 2; p = 0.001), chronic renal failure (44.1% vs 37.2% respectively, p = 0.007) and preprocedural CS (4,092 ± 2,176 vs 3,682 ± 2,109 respectively, p = 0.022). In group 1, 28 patients (23.7%) had adverse clinical events vs 21 (9.2%) in group 2 (p <0.01). In multivariate analysis, a higher CS was predictive of adverse events in group 1 (5,785 ± 3,285 vs 3,565 ± 1,331 p <0.0001) but not in group 2 (p = 0.28). A higher CS was associated with AR in group 1 (6,234 ± 2711 vs 3,429 ± 1,505; p <0.001) and in patients implanted with an Evolut R device from group 2 (4,085 ± 3,645 vs 2,551 ± 1,356; p = 0.01). In conclusion, CS appears as an important prognostic factor of major events after TAVI with first generation valves but not with new generation devices. CS remains associated with AR only with new generation self-expandable Evolut R devices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. A Generic Software Architecture For Prognostics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Teubert, Christopher; Daigle, Matthew J.; Sankararaman, Shankar; Goebel, Kai; Watkins, Jason

    2017-01-01

    Prognostics is a systems engineering discipline focused on predicting end-of-life of components and systems. As a relatively new and emerging technology, there are few fielded implementations of prognostics, due in part to practitioners perceiving a large hurdle in developing the models, algorithms, architecture, and integration pieces. As a result, no open software frameworks for applying prognostics currently exist. This paper introduces the Generic Software Architecture for Prognostics (GSAP), an open-source, cross-platform, object-oriented software framework and support library for creating prognostics applications. GSAP was designed to make prognostics more accessible and enable faster adoption and implementation by industry, by reducing the effort and investment required to develop, test, and deploy prognostics. This paper describes the requirements, design, and testing of GSAP. Additionally, a detailed case study involving battery prognostics demonstrates its use.

  9. A new biologic prognostic model based on immunohistochemistry predicts survival in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Perry, Anamarija M; Cardesa-Salzmann, Teresa M; Meyer, Paul N; Colomo, Luis; Smith, Lynette M; Fu, Kai; Greiner, Timothy C; Delabie, Jan; Gascoyne, Randy D; Rimsza, Lisa; Jaffe, Elaine S; Ott, German; Rosenwald, Andreas; Braziel, Rita M; Tubbs, Raymond; Cook, James R; Staudt, Louis M; Connors, Joseph M; Sehn, Laurie H; Vose, Julie M; López-Guillermo, Armando; Campo, Elias; Chan, Wing C; Weisenburger, Dennis D

    2012-09-13

    Biologic factors that predict the survival of patients with a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, such as cell of origin and stromal signatures, have been discovered by gene expression profiling. We attempted to simulate these gene expression profiling findings and create a new biologic prognostic model based on immunohistochemistry. We studied 199 patients (125 in the training set, 74 in the validation set) with de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with rituximab and CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) or CHOP-like therapies, and immunohistochemical stains were performed on paraffin-embedded tissue microarrays. In the model, 1 point was awarded for each adverse prognostic factor: nongerminal center B cell-like subtype, SPARC (secreted protein, acidic, and rich in cysteine) < 5%, and microvascular density quartile 4. The model using these 3 biologic markers was highly predictive of overall survival and event-free survival in multivariate analysis after adjusting for the International Prognostic Index in both the training and validation sets. This new model delineates 2 groups of patients, 1 with a low biologic score (0-1) and good survival and the other with a high score (2-3) and poor survival. This new biologic prognostic model could be used with the International Prognostic Index to stratify patients for novel or risk-adapted therapies.

  10. Glutamate Decarboxylase 1 Overexpression as a Poor Prognostic Factor in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yi-Ying; Chao, Tung-Bo; Sheu, Ming-Jen; Tian, Yu-Feng; Chen, Tzu-Ju; Lee, Sung-Wei; He, Hong-Lin; Chang, I-Wei; Hsing, Chung-Hsi; Lin, Ching-Yih; Li, Chien-Feng

    2016-01-01

    Background : Glutamate decarboxylase 1 (GAD1) which serves as a rate-limiting enzyme involving in the production of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), exists in the GABAergic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). Little is known about the relevance of GAD1 to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Through data mining on a data set derived from a published transcriptome database, this study first identified GAD1 as a differentially upregulated gene in NPC. We aimed to evaluate GAD1 expression and its prognostic effect on patients with early and locoregionally advanced NPC. Methods : We evaluated GAD1 immunohistochemistry and performed an H-score analysis on biopsy specimens from 124 patients with nonmetastasized NPC receiving treatment. GAD1 overexpression was defined as an H score higher than the median value. The findings of such an analysis are correlated with clinicopathological behaviors and survival rates, namely disease-specific survival (DSS), distant-metastasis-free survival (DMeFS), and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rates. Results : GAD1 overexpression was significantly associated with an increase in the primary tumor status ( p < 0.001) and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stages III-IV ( p = 0.002) and was a univariate predictor of adverse outcomes of DSS ( p = 0.002), DMeFS ( p < 0.0001), and LRFS ( p = 0.001). In the multivariate comparison, in addition to advanced AJCC stages III-IV, GAD1 overexpression remained an independent prognosticator of short DSS ( p = 0.004, hazard ratio = 2.234), DMeFS ( p < 0.001, hazard ratio = 4.218), and LRFS ( p = 0.013, hazard ratio = 2.441) rates. Conclusions : Our data reveal that GAD1 overexpression was correlated with advanced disease status and may thus be a critical prognostic indicator of poor outcomes in NPC and a potential therapeutic target to facilitate the development of effective treatment modalities.

  11. An original approach was used to better evaluate the capacity of a prognostic marker using published survival curves.

    PubMed

    Dantan, Etienne; Combescure, Christophe; Lorent, Marine; Ashton-Chess, Joanna; Daguin, Pascal; Classe, Jean-Marc; Giral, Magali; Foucher, Yohann

    2014-04-01

    Predicting chronic disease evolution from a prognostic marker is a key field of research in clinical epidemiology. However, the prognostic capacity of a marker is not systematically evaluated using the appropriate methodology. We proposed the use of simple equations to calculate time-dependent sensitivity and specificity based on published survival curves and other time-dependent indicators as predictive values, likelihood ratios, and posttest probability ratios to reappraise prognostic marker accuracy. The methodology is illustrated by back calculating time-dependent indicators from published articles presenting a marker as highly correlated with the time to event, concluding on the high prognostic capacity of the marker, and presenting the Kaplan-Meier survival curves. The tools necessary to run these direct and simple computations are available online at http://www.divat.fr/en/online-calculators/evalbiom. Our examples illustrate that published conclusions about prognostic marker accuracy may be overoptimistic, thus giving potential for major mistakes in therapeutic decisions. Our approach should help readers better evaluate clinical articles reporting on prognostic markers. Time-dependent sensitivity and specificity inform on the inherent prognostic capacity of a marker for a defined prognostic time. Time-dependent predictive values, likelihood ratios, and posttest probability ratios may additionally contribute to interpret the marker's prognostic capacity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Human papillomavirus reduces the prognostic value of nodal involvement in tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas.

    PubMed

    Straetmans, Jos M J A A; Olthof, Nadine; Mooren, Jeroen J; de Jong, Jos; Speel, Ernst-Jan M; Kremer, Bernd

    2009-10-01

    Assessment of the prognostic value of nodal status in relation to human papillomavirus (HPV) status and the various treatment modalities in tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas (TSCC). Retrospective 5-year survival analysis. A 5-year follow-up of disease-free, disease-specific, and overall survival in a group of 81 patients with TSCC was conducted. The nodal status and integration of HPV-DNA in the genome (detected with fluorescence in situ hybridization) as prognostic indicators were examined while correcting for other clinical parameters (smoking habits, alcohol consumption, treatment modality, differentiation, TNM classification). Of TSCCs, 41% were positive for HPV type 16. In these TSCCs, the primary tumor was significantly smaller when compared to HVP-negative TSCCs (P = .04), whereas the percentage of cases with cervical metastases was identical. In the total population, it was not nodal involvement, but rather HPV manifestation, which was related to patient prognosis. Within the treatment modalities (surgery combined with radiotherapy and radiotherapy alone), neither nodal status nor HPV were prognostic indicators. Since a substantial percentage of TSCCs are HPV-positive and metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes in less advanced primary tumors, the N status is an unreliable prognostic indicator in TSCCs. HPV is only prognostically relevant in the total tumor population, but loses its value within patient groups receiving a single treatment modality. The value of HPV for prognosis of patients with TSCC requires further study.

  13. Glasgow Prognostic Score as a Prognostic Clinical Marker in T4 Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Ohira, Masaichi; Kubo, Naoshi; Masuda, Go; Yamashita, Yoshito; Sakurai, Katsunobu; Toyokawa, Takahiro; Tanaka, Hiroaki; Muguruma, Kazuya; Hirakawa, Kosei

    2015-09-01

    Patients with clinical T4 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) have an unfavorable prognosis, mainly indicated by the response to chemoradiotherapy (CRT), crucial to estimating long-term survival. Other prognostic measures include systemic inflammatory or immunonutritional indices such as the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) that have not been sufficiently documented. This study retrospectively evaluated 91 patients with T4 ESCC treated at our Hospital between 2000 and 2013. All patients initially received CRT, including 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and cisplatin or nedaplatin with concurrent 2-Gy/fraction radiation (total dose, 40-60 Gy). Curative tumor resection was undertaken in suitable patients on completing CRT. Patients were classified as GPS0, GPS1, or GPS2 based on C-reactive protein (CRP) ≤ 10 mg/l and albumin ≥ 35 g/l, CRP >10 mg/l or albumin <35 g/l, or CRP >10 mg/l and albumin <35 g/l, respectively. PNI was calculated as 10-times the serum albumin (g/dl)+0.005 × total lymphocyte count (/mm(3)). The impact of the pre-treatment GPS and PNI on the prognosis of patients with T4 ESCC was investigated in univariate and multivariate analyses. Sixty (67%) patients responded to CRT (9 complete responses and 51 partial responses). Forty-one (45%) patients also underwent surgical resection of the residual tumor. The overall 5-year survival rate and median survival time were 27.0% and 11.8 months, respectively. In the cohort of CRT-plus-surgical resection, the 5-year survival rate was significantly higher than in the groups treated with CRT-alone (51.1% vs. 6.5%; p < 0.01). On multivariate analysis, good response to CRT [hazard ratio (HR) =0.449, p<0.01], GPS1/2 (HR=2.151, p=0.015), and surgical resection (HR=0.282, p<0.01) were significant prognostic factors, whereas PNI was not. The GPS is a useful, simple survival marker for patients with T4 ESCC undergoing multimodal therapy. Copyright© 2015 International Institute of

  14. Toward IVHM Prognostics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Walsh, Kevin; Venti, Mike

    2007-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation reviews the prognostics of Integrated Vehicle Health Management. The contents include: 1) Aircraft Operations-Today's way of doing business; 2) Prognostics; 3) NASA's instrumentation data-system rack; 4) Data mining for IVHM; 5) NASA GRC's C-MAPSS generic engine model; and 6) Concluding thoughts.

  15. The association of colonoscopy quality indicators with the detection of screen-relevant lesions, adverse events, and postcolonoscopy cancers in an asymptomatic Canadian colorectal cancer screening population.

    PubMed

    Hilsden, Robert J; Dube, Catherine; Heitman, Steven J; Bridges, Ronald; McGregor, S Elizabeth; Rostom, Alaa

    2015-11-01

    Although several quality indicators of colonoscopy have been defined, quality assurance activities should be directed at the measurement of quality indicators that are predictive of key screening colonoscopy outcomes. The goal of this study was to examine the association among established quality indicators and the detection of screen-relevant lesions (SRLs), adverse events, and postcolonoscopy cancers. Historical cohort study. Canadian colorectal cancer screening center. A total of 18,456 asymptomatic men and women ages 40 to 74, at either average risk or increased risk for colorectal cancer because of a family history, who underwent a screening colonoscopy from 2008 to 2010. Using univariate and multivariate analyses, we explored the association among procedural quality indicators and 3 colonoscopy outcomes: detection of SRLs, adverse events, and postcolonoscopy cancers. The crude rates of SRLs, adverse events, and postcolonoscopy cancers were 240, 6.44, and .54 per 1000 colonoscopies, respectively. Several indicators, including endoscopist withdrawal time (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4) and cecal intubation rate (OR, 13.9; 95% CI, 1.9-96.9), were associated with the detection of SRLs. No quality indicator was associated with the risk of adverse events. Endoscopist average withdrawal time over 6 minutes (OR, .12; 95% CI, .002-.85) and SRL detection rate over 20% (OR, .17; 95% CI, .03-.74) were associated with a reduced risk of postcolonoscopy cancers. Single-center study. Quality assurance programs should prioritize the measurement of endoscopist average withdrawal time and adenoma (SRL) detection rate. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Outcome and prognostic factors in metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients receiving second-line chemotherapy: an analysis of real-world clinical practice data in Japan.

    PubMed

    Matsumoto, Ryuji; Abe, Takashige; Ishizaki, Junji; Kikuchi, Hiroshi; Harabayashi, Toru; Minami, Keita; Sazawa, Ataru; Mochizuki, Tango; Akino, Tomoshige; Murakumo, Masashi; Osawa, Takahiro; Maruyama, Satoru; Murai, Sachiyo; Shinohara, Nobuo

    2018-06-25

    The objective of the present study was to investigate the survival outcome and prognostic factors of metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients treated with second-line systemic chemotherapy in real-world clinical practice. Overall, 114 patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma undergoing second-line systemic chemotherapy were included in this retrospective analysis. The dominant second-line chemotherapy was a paclitaxel-based combination regimen (60%, 68/114). We assessed the progression-free survival and overall survival times using the Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox proportional hazards model was applied to identify the factors affecting overall survival. The median progression-free survival and overall survival times were 4 and 9 months, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score greater than 0 at presentation, C-reactive protein level ≧1 mg/dl and poor response to prior chemotherapy were adverse prognostic indicators. Patients with 0, 1, 2 and 3 of those risk factors had a median overall survival of 17, 12, 7 and 3 months, respectively. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status at presentation, C-reactive protein level and response to prior chemotherapy were prognostic factors for metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients undergoing second-line chemotherapy. In the future, this information might help guide the choice of salvage treatment, such as second-line chemotherapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors, after the failure of first-line chemotherapy.

  17. Prognostic Biomarkers Used for Localised Prostate Cancer Management: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Lamy, Pierre-Jean; Allory, Yves; Gauchez, Anne-Sophie; Asselain, Bernard; Beuzeboc, Philippe; de Cremoux, Patricia; Fontugne, Jacqueline; Georges, Agnès; Hennequin, Christophe; Lehmann-Che, Jacqueline; Massard, Christophe; Millet, Ingrid; Murez, Thibaut; Schlageter, Marie-Hélène; Rouvière, Olivier; Kassab-Chahmi, Diana; Rozet, François; Descotes, Jean-Luc; Rébillard, Xavier

    2017-03-07

    Prostate cancer stratification is based on tumour size, pretreatment PSA level, and Gleason score, but it remains imperfect. Current research focuses on the discovery and validation of novel prognostic biomarkers to improve the identification of patients at risk of aggressive cancer or of tumour relapse. This systematic review by the Intergroupe Coopérateur Francophone de Recherche en Onco-urologie (ICFuro) analysed new evidence on the analytical validity and clinical validity and utility of six prognostic biomarkers (PHI, 4Kscore, MiPS, GPS, Prolaris, Decipher). All available data for the six biomarkers published between January 2002 and April 2015 were systematically searched and reviewed. The main endpoints were aggressive prostate cancer prediction, additional value compared to classical prognostic parameters, and clinical benefit for patients with localised prostate cancer. The preanalytical and analytical validations were heterogeneous for all tests and often not adequate for the molecular signatures. Each biomarker was studied for specific indications (candidates for a first or second biopsy, and potential candidates for active surveillance, radical prostatectomy, or adjuvant treatment) for which the level of evidence (LOE) was variable. PHI and 4Kscore were the biomarkers with the highest LOE for discriminating aggressive and indolent tumours in different indications. Blood biomarkers (PHI and 4Kscore) have the highest LOE for the prediction of more aggressive prostate cancer and could help clinicians to manage patients with localised prostate cancer. The other biomarkers show a potential prognostic value; however, they should be evaluated in additional studies to confirm their clinical validity. We reviewed studies assessing the value of six prognostic biomarkers for prostate cancer. On the basis of the available evidence, some biomarkers could help in discriminating between aggressive and non-aggressive tumours with an additional value compared to the

  18. Prognostic grouping of metastatic prostate cancer using conventional pretreatment prognostic factors.

    PubMed

    Mikkola, Arto; Aro, Jussi; Rannikko, Sakari; Ruutu, Mirja

    2009-01-01

    To develop three prognostic groups for disease specific mortality based on the binary classified pretreatment variables age, haemoglobin concentration (Hb), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), plasma testosterone and estradiol level in hormonally treated patients with metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). The present study comprised 200 Finnprostate 6 study patients, but data on all variables were not known for every patient. The patients were divided into three prognostic risk groups (Rgs) using the prognostically best set of pretreatment variables. The best set was found by backward stepwise selection and the effect of every excluded variable on the binary classification cut-off points of the remaining variables was checked and corrected when needed. The best group of variables was ALP, PSA, ESR and age. All data were known in 142 patients. Patients were given one risk point each for ALP > 180 U/l (normal value 60-275 U/l), PSA > 35 microg/l, ESR > 80 mm/h and age < 60 years. Three risk groups were formed: Rg-a (0-1 risk points), Rg-b (2 risk points) and Rg-c (3-4 risk points). The risk of death from PCa increased statistically significantly with advancing prognostic group. Patients with metastatic PCa can be divided into three statistically significantly different prognostic risk groups for PCa-specific mortality by using the binary classified pretreatment variables ALP, PSA, ESR and age.

  19. Hypoglycorrhachia in adults with community-acquired meningitis: etiologies and prognostic significance.

    PubMed

    Shrikanth, Vandana; Salazar, Lucrecia; Khoury, Nabil; Wootton, Susan; Hasbun, Rodrigo

    2015-10-01

    Hypoglycorrhachia (cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucose <45 mg/dl) has been identified as a prognostic factor in patients with meningitis. The differential diagnosis of hypoglycorrhachia and its clinical significance was analyzed in the present study. This was a retrospective study of 620 adult patients with community-acquired meningitis (CSF white blood cell count >5 × 10(6) cells/l and absence of a CSF shunt or recent neurosurgical procedure (<1 month)) at eight Memorial Hermann hospitals in Houston, Texas, from January 2005 to December 2010. An adverse clinical outcome was defined as a Glasgow outcome scale score of ≤ 4. Out of 620 patients with meningitis, 116 (19%) had hypoglycorrhachia. Etiologies of hypoglycorrhachia were idiopathic (n=40), bacterial (n=27), cryptococcal (n=26), viral (n=15), and tuberculous (n=4). Patients with hypoglycorrhachia were more likely to be immunosuppressed, have a history of intravenous drug use, and present with a vesicular or petechial rash, nausea or vomiting, nuchal rigidity, sinusitis/otitis, abnormal mental status, and focal neurological deficits compared to those patients without hypoglycorrhachia (p<0.05). Additionally, patients in the hypoglycorrhachia group had significantly higher rates of positive CSF and blood cultures, urgent treatable conditions, and abnormal cranial imaging (p<0.05). Furthermore, patients with hypoglycorrhachia had more adverse clinical outcomes (26/116 (22.4%) vs. 45/504 (8.9%); p<0.001). Hypoglycorrhachia has significant clinical and prognostic value in the evaluation of adult patients with community-acquired meningitis. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  20. Acute Kidney Injury Predicts Major Adverse Outcomes in Diabetes: Synergic Impact With Low Glomerular Filtration Rate and Albuminuria.

    PubMed

    Monseu, Mathilde; Gand, Elise; Saulnier, Pierre-Jean; Ragot, Stéphanie; Piguel, Xavier; Zaoui, Philippe; Rigalleau, Vincent; Marechaud, Richard; Roussel, Ronan; Hadjadj, Samy; Halimi, Jean-Michel

    2015-12-01

    Subjects with diabetes are prone to the development of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular complications. In separate studies, acute kidney injury (AKI), albuminuria, and low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were shown to predict adverse outcomes, but, when considered together, their respective prognostic value is unknown. Patients with type 2 diabetes consecutively recruited in the SURDIAGENE cohort were prospectively followed up for major diabetes-related events, as adjudicated by an independent committee: death (with cause), major cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, congestive heart failure, amputation, and arterial revascularization), and renal failure (i.e., sustained doubling of serum creatinine level or end-stage renal disease). Intrahospital AKI occurred in 411 of 1,371 patients during the median follow-up period of 69 months. In multivariate analyses, AKI was significantly associated with cardiovascular and noncardiovascular death, including cancer-related death. In multivariate analyses, AKI was a powerful predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events, heart failure requiring hospitalization, myocardial infarction, stroke, lower-limb amputation or revascularization, and carotid artery revascularization. AKI, eGFR, and albuminuria, even when simultaneously considered in multivariate models, predicted all-cause and cardiovascular deaths. All three renal biomarkers were also prognostic of most adverse outcomes and of the risk of renal failure. AKI, low eGFR, and elevated albuminuria, separately or together, are compelling biomarkers of major adverse outcomes and death in diabetes. © 2015 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.

  1. Discriminative ability of commonly used indices to predict adverse outcomes after poster lumbar fusion: a comparison of demographics, ASA, the modified Charlson Comorbidity Index, and the modified Frailty Index.

    PubMed

    Ondeck, Nathaniel T; Bohl, Daniel D; Bovonratwet, Patawut; McLynn, Ryan P; Cui, Jonathan J; Shultz, Blake N; Lukasiewicz, Adam M; Grauer, Jonathan N

    2018-01-01

    As research tools, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification system, the modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (mCCI), and the modified Frailty Index (mFI) have been associated with complications following spine procedures. However, with respect to clinical use for various adverse outcomes, no known study has compared the predictive performance of these indices specifically following posterior lumbar fusion (PLF). This study aimed to compare the discriminative ability of ASA, mCCI, and mFI, as well as demographic factors including age, body mass index, and gender for perioperative adverse outcomes following PLF. A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was performed. Patients undergoing elective PLF with or without interbody fusion were extracted from the 2011-2014 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). Perioperative adverse outcome variables assessed included the occurrence of minor adverse events, severe adverse events, infectious adverse events, any adverse event, extended length of hospital stay, and discharge to higher-level care. Patient comorbidity indices and characteristics were delineated and assessed for discriminative ability in predicting perioperative adverse outcomes using an area under the curve analysis from the receiver operating characteristics curves. In total, 16,495 patients were identified who met the inclusion criteria. The most predictive comorbidity index was ASA and demographic factor was age. Of these two factors, age had the larger discriminative ability for three out of the six adverse outcomes and ASA was the most predictive for one out of six adverse outcomes. A combination of the most predictive demographic factor and comorbidity index resulted in improvements in discriminative ability over the individual components for five of the six outcome variables. For PLF, easily obtained patient ASA and age have overall similar or better

  2. Male gender and renal dysfunction are predictors of adverse outcome in nonpostoperative ischemic colitis patients.

    PubMed

    Lee, Tsung-Chun; Wang, Hsiu-Po; Chiu, Han-Mo; Lien, Wan-Ching; Chen, Mei-Jyh; Yu, Linda C H; Sun, Chia-Tung; Lin, Jaw-Town; Wu, Ming-Shiang

    2010-01-01

    Ischemic colitis (IC) spans a broad spectrum from self-limiting illness to intestinal gangrene and mortality. Prognostic factors specifically for nonpostoperative IC were not fully characterized. We aim to focus on nonpostoperative IC in patients with renal dysfunction and try to identify prognostic factors for adverse outcomes. We conducted a retrospective analysis at a university-affiliated tertiary medical center in Taiwan. From January 2003 to August 2008, 25 men and 52 women (mean age: 66 y) had colonoscopic biopsy-proven IC without prior culprit surgery. We estimated glomerular filtration rate with simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. Nine patients with glomerular filtration rate below 30 mL per minute per 1.73 m were classified as renal dysfunction group (including 7 dialysis patients). Adverse outcomes were defined as need for surgery and mortality. Predictors for adverse outcomes were captured by univariate and multivariate analysis. Research ethical committee approved the study protocol. Patients with renal dysfunction more often had: diabetes mellitus (56% vs. 16%, P=0.02), prolonged symptoms (6.8 d vs. 3.5 d, P=0.01), lower hemoglobin (11.1 g/dL vs. 13.4 g/dL, P=0.01), and more often right colonic involvement (56% vs. 19%, P=0.03). Renal dysfunction patients also had longer hospitalization days (median 15 d vs. 4 d, P=0.045). However, there was no statistical significance in the rate of either surgery or mortality between these 2 groups (P>0.05). Univariate analysis showed that renal dysfunction, sex, emergency department referral, presentation with abdominal pain were significant for adverse outcome (P<0.1). Multivariate analysis revealed that male sex conveyed 9.5-fold risk (P=0.01) and renal dysfunction conveyed 8.5-fold risk (P=0.03) for adverse outcomes. Nonpostoperative IC patients with concurrent renal dysfunction had distinct clinical profiles. Multivariate analysis showed that male patients had 9.5-fold and renal

  3. Prognostic significance of biochemical markers in African Burkitt's lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Arthur, F K N; Owusu, L; Yeboah, F A; Rettig, T; Osei-Akoto, A

    2011-10-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (eBL) remains the prevalent form of paediatric cancer in tropical Africa with subtle pathological differences. This calls for intensified efforts to validate the global prognostic markers within local settings for improved cancer treatment and survival. This study proposes prognostic markers for enhanced eBL treatment and management. PATIENTS AND METHOD One hundred and eighty histologically and/or clinically diagnosed BL patients at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana were eligible for this cross-sectional eight-year retrospective study. Biochemical, clinical and demographic data, before chemotherapy administration, were documented and examined for their progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) significance. RESULTS A mean age of 6 (SD=2.7, range: 1-16) years was observed with general male dominance (M:F=1.69:1). Total serum lactate dehydrogenase (HR=2.04; 95% CI, 1.25-3.32; log rank=8.3; p=0.004), serum creatinine (HR=3.59; 95% CI, 1.62-7.98; log rank=15.4; p=0.002) and St. Jude stage (HR=1.74; 95% CI, 1.11-2.73; log rank=8.0; p=0.015) were important independent prognostic biochemical markers for both PFS and OS. Age, serum calcium, uric acid, potassium, sodium and phosphorus were non-prognostic. CONCLUSION The better monitoring of these prognostic indices coupled with risk-stratification treatment may improve patients' survival, especially in resource-limited settings.

  4. Prognostic evaluation of platelet to lymphocyte ratio in patients with colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Lu, Chong; Gao, Peng; Yang, Yuchong; Chen, Xiaowan; Wang, Longyi; Yu, Dehao; Song, Yongxi; Xu, Qingzhou; Wang, Zhenning

    2017-10-17

    Growing evidence indicates that inflammation plays an important role in cancer progression and prognosis; however, the prognostic role of platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in colorectal cancer (CRC) is unknown. A cohort of 1845 CRC patients from the Department of Surgical Oncology at The First Hospital of China Medical University (CMU-SO) was retrospectively analyzed. Harrell's concordance index (c-index) was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of PLR and evaluate its predictive ability. Our results from CMU-SO indicated that the overall survival (OS) rate was significantly lower in the high-PLR group compared with the low-PLR group ( P = 0.001). A similar result was observed for the cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate between these two groups ( P = 0.001). The multivariate analysis indicated that high PLR was an independent prognostic indicator of poor OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.356, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.117-1.647, P = 0.002) and CSS (HR = 1.364, 95% CI = 1.111-1.675, P = 0.003). In addition, the c-indexes of TNM staging combined with PLR were greater than those of TNM staging alone (OS: 0.768 vs. 0.732; CSS: 0.785 vs. 0.746). In conclusion, elevated PLR is a negative prognostic indicator of CRC and may serve as an additional index of the current TNM staging system for predicting CRC.

  5. A Distributed Approach to System-Level Prognostics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daigle, Matthew J.; Bregon, Anibal; Roychoudhury, Indranil

    2012-01-01

    Prognostics, which deals with predicting remaining useful life of components, subsystems, and systems, is a key technology for systems health management that leads to improved safety and reliability with reduced costs. The prognostics problem is often approached from a component-centric view. However, in most cases, it is not specifically component lifetimes that are important, but, rather, the lifetimes of the systems in which these components reside. The system-level prognostics problem can be quite difficult due to the increased scale and scope of the prognostics problem and the relative Jack of scalability and efficiency of typical prognostics approaches. In order to address these is ues, we develop a distributed solution to the system-level prognostics problem, based on the concept of structural model decomposition. The system model is decomposed into independent submodels. Independent local prognostics subproblems are then formed based on these local submodels, resul ting in a scalable, efficient, and flexible distributed approach to the system-level prognostics problem. We provide a formulation of the system-level prognostics problem and demonstrate the approach on a four-wheeled rover simulation testbed. The results show that the system-level prognostics problem can be accurately and efficiently solved in a distributed fashion.

  6. Validation and Potential Mechanisms of Red Cell Distribution Width as a Prognostic Marker in Heart Failure

    PubMed Central

    ALLEN, LARRY A.; FELKER, G. MICHAEL; MEHRA, MANDEEP R.; CHIONG, JUN R.; DUNLAP, STEPHANIE H.; GHALI, JALAL K.; LENIHAN, DANIEL J.; OREN, RON M.; WAGONER, LYNNE E.; SCHWARTZ, TODD A.; ADAMS, KIRKWOOD F.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Adverse outcomes have recently been linked to elevated red cell distribution width (RDW) in heart failure. Our study sought to validate the prognostic value of RDW in heart failure and to explore the potential mechanisms underlying this association. Methods and Results: Data from the Study of Anemia in a Heart Failure Population (STAMINA-HFP) registry, a prospective, multicenter cohort of ambulatory patients with heart failure supported multivariable modeling to assess relationships between RDW and outcomes. The association between RDW and iron metabolism, inflammation, and neurohormonal activation was studied in a separate cohort of heart failure patients from the United Investigators to Evaluate Heart Failure (UNITE-HF) Biomarker registry. RDW was independently predictive of outcome (for each 1% increase in RDW, hazard ratio for mortality 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.12; hazard ratio for hospitalization or mortality 1.06; 95% CI 1.02-1.10) after adjustment for other covariates. Increasing RDW correlated with decreasing hemoglobin, increasing interleukin-6, and impaired iron mobilization. Conclusions: Our results confirm previous observations that RDW is a strong, independent predictor of adverse outcome in chronic heart failure and suggest elevated RDW may indicate inflammatory stress and impaired iron mobilization. These findings encourage further research into the relationship between heart failure and the hematologic system. PMID:20206898

  7. Validation and potential mechanisms of red cell distribution width as a prognostic marker in heart failure.

    PubMed

    Allen, Larry A; Felker, G Michael; Mehra, Mandeep R; Chiong, Jun R; Dunlap, Stephanie H; Ghali, Jalal K; Lenihan, Daniel J; Oren, Ron M; Wagoner, Lynne E; Schwartz, Todd A; Adams, Kirkwood F

    2010-03-01

    Adverse outcomes have recently been linked to elevated red cell distribution width (RDW) in heart failure. Our study sought to validate the prognostic value of RDW in heart failure and to explore the potential mechanisms underlying this association. Data from the Study of Anemia in a Heart Failure Population (STAMINA-HFP) registry, a prospective, multicenter cohort of ambulatory patients with heart failure supported multivariable modeling to assess relationships between RDW and outcomes. The association between RDW and iron metabolism, inflammation, and neurohormonal activation was studied in a separate cohort of heart failure patients from the United Investigators to Evaluate Heart Failure (UNITE-HF) Biomarker registry. RDW was independently predictive of outcome (for each 1% increase in RDW, hazard ratio for mortality 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.12; hazard ratio for hospitalization or mortality 1.06; 95% CI 1.02-1.10) after adjustment for other covariates. Increasing RDW correlated with decreasing hemoglobin, increasing interleukin-6, and impaired iron mobilization. Our results confirm previous observations that RDW is a strong, independent predictor of adverse outcome in chronic heart failure and suggest elevated RDW may indicate inflammatory stress and impaired iron mobilization. These findings encourage further research into the relationship between heart failure and the hematologic system. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Transfontanellar duplex brain ultrasonography resistive indices as a prognostic tool in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy before and after treatment with therapeutic hypothermia.

    PubMed

    Gerner, G J; Burton, V J; Poretti, A; Bosemani, T; Cristofalo, E; Tekes, A; Seyfert, D; Parkinson, C; Leppert, M; Allen, M; Huisman, T A G M; Northington, F J; Johnston, M V

    2016-03-01

    Prior to therapeutic hypothermia (that is, cooling), transfontanellar duplex brain sonography resistive indices (RI) were studied as a bedside non-invasive measures of cerebral hemodynamics in neonates who suffered from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). We compared pre- and post-cooling RI values and examined the relationships between RI values and specific long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Transfontanellar duplex brain sonography, including RI, were obtained for 28 neonates prior to cooling and for 20 neonates following cooling. All RI values were sampled in the anterior cerebral artery at the beginning of each ultrasound study. Neurodevelopmental assessment was conducted between ages 20-32 months with the Mullen Scale of Early Learning. The relationships between pre- and post-cooling RI and cognitive and motor outcomes were studied. Neonates with RI values <0.60 prior to and following cooling were more likely to die or have severe neurodevelopmental disability by ages 20-32 months than those with RI>0.60. Lower RI values were associated with specific neurodevelopmental deficits in motor skill attainment. Pre- and post-cooling transfontanellar duplex brain sonography RI values may be a useful prognostic tool, in conjunction with other clinical information, for neonates diagnosed with HIE. The results of this study suggest that further study of the prognostic value of RI values for short- and long-term outcomes is warranted.

  9. Prognostic significance of SRSF2 mutations in myelodysplastic syndromes and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Arbab Jafari, Pourya; Ayatollahi, Hossein; Sadeghi, Ramin; Sheikhi, Maryam; Asghari, Amir

    2018-05-14

    Serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 2 (SRSF2) mutations were detected frequently in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) patients. However, its prognostic value has not yet been fully clarified. In this meta-analysis, Hazard Ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for overall-survival (OS) were chosen to evaluate the prognostic impact of SRSF2 mutations and to compare SRSF2 mutations to those with wild-type. A total of 2056 patients from 12 studies were obtained. The pooled HRs for OSsuggested that patients with MDS had a poorer prognosis (HR = 1.780, 95% CI (1.410-2.249)), while analysis on SRSF2 mutations revealed no significant effect on the prognosis of CMML patients (HR = 1.091, 95% CI (0.925-1.286)). The frequency of SRSF2 mutations was found to be 11.5% and 39.8% in patients with MDS and CMML, respectively. This meta-analysis suggests that SRSF2 has a poor prognosis in patients with MDS, but no prognosis impact on patients with CMML. In conclusion, SRSF2 mutations were significantly related to the shorter OS in patients with MDS which may consider as an adverse prognostic risk factor. Whereas, analysis did not show any prognostic effect on OS of CMML patients with SRSF2 mutations.

  10. Generic Software Architecture for Prognostics (GSAP) User Guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Teubert, Christopher Allen; Daigle, Matthew John; Watkins, Jason; Sankararaman, Shankar; Goebel, Kai

    2016-01-01

    The Generic Software Architecture for Prognostics (GSAP) is a framework for applying prognostics. It makes applying prognostics easier by implementing many of the common elements across prognostic applications. The standard interface enables reuse of prognostic algorithms and models across systems using the GSAP framework.

  11. Distilling the Verification Process for Prognostics Algorithms

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Roychoudhury, Indranil; Saxena, Abhinav; Celaya, Jose R.; Goebel, Kai

    2013-01-01

    The goal of prognostics and health management (PHM) systems is to ensure system safety, and reduce downtime and maintenance costs. It is important that a PHM system is verified and validated before it can be successfully deployed. Prognostics algorithms are integral parts of PHM systems. This paper investigates a systematic process of verification of such prognostics algorithms. To this end, first, this paper distinguishes between technology maturation and product development. Then, the paper describes the verification process for a prognostics algorithm as it moves up to higher maturity levels. This process is shown to be an iterative process where verification activities are interleaved with validation activities at each maturation level. In this work, we adopt the concept of technology readiness levels (TRLs) to represent the different maturity levels of a prognostics algorithm. It is shown that at each TRL, the verification of a prognostics algorithm depends on verifying the different components of the algorithm according to the requirements laid out by the PHM system that adopts this prognostics algorithm. Finally, using simplified examples, the systematic process for verifying a prognostics algorithm is demonstrated as the prognostics algorithm moves up TRLs.

  12. Preoperative serum lipids as prognostic predictors in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients with esophagectomy.

    PubMed

    Chen, Pengxiang; Han, Lihui; Wang, Cong; Jia, Yibin; Song, Qingxu; Wang, Jianbo; Guan, Shanghui; Tan, Bingxu; Liu, Bowen; Jia, Wenqiao; Cui, Jianfeng; Zhou, Wei; Cheng, Yufeng

    2017-06-20

    This study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of serum lipids in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients who underwent esophagectomy. Preoperative serum lipids were collected from 214 patients who were diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. All of the patients received esophagectomy in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January 2007 to December 2008. The records and data were analyzed retrospectively. We found that low total cholesterol (for T stage, p = 0.006; for TNM stage, p = 0.039) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (for T stage, p = 0.031; for TNM stage, p = 0.035) were associated with advanced T stage and TNM stage. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that low total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were associated with shorter disease-free survival(for total cholesterol, p = 0.045; for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, p < 0.001) and overall survival (for total cholesterol, p = 0.043; for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, p < 0.001). Lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (LHR) indicated poorer disease-free survival and overall survival (both p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and LHR were independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival and overall survival. In conclusion, our study indicated that preoperative serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are prognostic factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients who underwent esophagectomy. LHR can serve as a promising serum lipids-based prognostic indicator.

  13. Evaluating biomarkers for prognostic enrichment of clinical trials.

    PubMed

    Kerr, Kathleen F; Roth, Jeremy; Zhu, Kehao; Thiessen-Philbrook, Heather; Meisner, Allison; Wilson, Francis Perry; Coca, Steven; Parikh, Chirag R

    2017-12-01

    A potential use of biomarkers is to assist in prognostic enrichment of clinical trials, where only patients at relatively higher risk for an outcome of interest are eligible for the trial. We investigated methods for evaluating biomarkers for prognostic enrichment. We identified five key considerations when considering a biomarker and a screening threshold for prognostic enrichment: (1) clinical trial sample size, (2) calendar time to enroll the trial, (3) total patient screening costs and the total per-patient trial costs, (4) generalizability of trial results, and (5) ethical evaluation of trial eligibility criteria. Items (1)-(3) are amenable to quantitative analysis. We developed the Biomarker Prognostic Enrichment Tool for evaluating biomarkers for prognostic enrichment at varying levels of screening stringency. We demonstrate that both modestly prognostic and strongly prognostic biomarkers can improve trial metrics using Biomarker Prognostic Enrichment Tool. Biomarker Prognostic Enrichment Tool is available as a webtool at http://prognosticenrichment.com and as a package for the R statistical computing platform. In some clinical settings, even biomarkers with modest prognostic performance can be useful for prognostic enrichment. In addition to the quantitative analysis provided by Biomarker Prognostic Enrichment Tool, investigators must consider the generalizability of trial results and evaluate the ethics of trial eligibility criteria.

  14. Risk factors and screening instruments to predict adverse outcomes for undifferentiated older emergency department patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Carpenter, Christopher R; Shelton, Erica; Fowler, Susan; Suffoletto, Brian; Platts-Mills, Timothy F; Rothman, Richard E; Hogan, Teresita M

    2015-01-01

    A significant proportion of geriatric patients experience suboptimal outcomes following episodes of emergency department (ED) care. Risk stratification screening instruments exist to distinguish vulnerable subsets, but their prognostic accuracy varies. This systematic review quantifies the prognostic accuracy of individual risk factors and ED-validated screening instruments to distinguish patients more or less likely to experience short-term adverse outcomes like unanticipated ED returns, hospital readmissions, functional decline, or death. A medical librarian and two emergency physicians conducted a medical literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov using numerous combinations of search terms, including emergency medical services, risk stratification, geriatric, and multiple related MeSH terms in hundreds of combinations. Two authors hand-searched relevant specialty society research abstracts. Two physicians independently reviewed all abstracts and used the revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies instrument to assess individual study quality. When two or more qualitatively similar studies were identified, meta-analysis was conducted using Meta-DiSc software. Primary outcomes were sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR+), and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) for predictors of adverse outcomes at 1 to 12 months after the ED encounters. A hypothetical test-treatment threshold analysis was constructed based on the meta-analytic summary estimate of prognostic accuracy for one outcome. A total of 7,940 unique citations were identified yielding 34 studies for inclusion in this systematic review. Studies were significantly heterogeneous in terms of country, outcomes assessed, and the timing of post-ED outcome assessments. All studies occurred in ED settings and none used published clinical decision rule derivation methodology. Individual risk factors assessed included dementia, delirium, age, dependency

  15. Prognostic Importance of Small Prostate Size in Men Receiving Definitive Prostate Brachytherapy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Taira, Al V.; Merrick, Gregory S., E-mail: gmerrick@urologicresearchinstitute.org; Galbreath, Robert W.

    Purpose: To assess whether small prostate size is an adverse prognostic factor in men undergoing brachytherapy in the same manner in which it seems to be for men undergoing radical prostatectomy. Methods and Materials: From April 1995 to June 2008, 2024 patients underwent brachytherapy by a single brachytherapist. Median follow-up was 7.4 years. The role of small prostate size ({<=}20 cm{sup 3}) as a prognostic factor for biochemical progression-free survival, cause-specific survival, and all-cause mortality was investigated. The differences in survival between men with small and larger prostates were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. Results: Median prostate sizemore » for the entire cohort was 32.7 cm{sup 3}. For the 167 men with small prostates, median prostate size was 17.4 cm{sup 3}. There was no difference in biochemical progression-free survival (95.2% vs 96.2%, P=.603), cause-specific survival (97.7% vs 98.3%, P=.546), or all-cause mortality (78.0% vs 77.2%, P=.838) at 10 years for men with small prostates compared with men with larger prostates. On univariate and multivariate analysis, small prostate size was not associated with any of the primary outcome measures. Conclusion: Men with small prostates treated with brachytherapy have excellent outcomes and are at no higher risk of treatment failure than men with larger glands. High-quality implants with adequate margins seem sufficient to address the increased adverse risk factors associated with small prostate size.« less

  16. Diagnostic and prognostic value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation.

    PubMed

    Weber, Michael; Hausen, Michael; Arnold, Roman; Moellmann, Helge; Nef, Holger; Elsaesser, Albrecht; Mitrovic, Vesselin; Hamm, Christian

    2008-07-21

    BNP and its N-terminal fragment NT-proBNP have proven to be of diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with valvular aortic stenosis. Data regarding those biomarkers in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) are sparse. Thus it was the aim of the present study to evaluate the diagnostic and the long term prognostic value of NT-proBNP in patients presenting with AR. This study included 60 patients with isolated AR of varying severity (AR I mild, AR II moderate and AR III severe) and preserved left ventricular function. Patients were followed over a median period of 824 (770-921) days. NT-proBNP at baseline was related to disease severity and to functional status (161 (70-456) pg/ml in AR I, 226 (100-666) pg/ml in AR II and 1268 (522-5446) pg/ml in AR III (p=0.003)). Patients (n=6) experiencing an adverse event had higher NT-proBNP values at baseline as event free survivors (1271 (613-2992) pg/ml vs. 215 (92-534) pg/ml; p=0.034). The AUC of the ROC curve for NT-proBNP as a predictor for an adverse event was 0.76 (p<0.036) with an optimised cut-off value of 602 pg/ml. Consequently, in Kaplan-Meier analysis NT-proBNP values dichotomised at this cut-off were able to discriminate patients with an adverse outcome in the entire study group (Log rank 9.98, p=0.0016) and even better in the conservative group (Log rank 26.92, p<0.001). NT-proBNP is linked to disease severity in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation reflecting hemodynamic stress due to volume overload. It provides prognostic information for the clinical outcome and thus might be a useful biomarker for risk stratification.

  17. Elevated resting heart rate in heart transplant recipients: innocent bystander or adverse prognostic indicator?

    PubMed

    Wachter, S Blake; McCandless, Sean P; Gilbert, Edward M; Stoddard, Gregory J; Kfoury, Abdallah G; Reid, Bruce B; McKellar, Stephen H; Nativi-Nicolau, Jose; Saidi, Abdulfattah; Barney, Jacob; McCreath, Lauren; Koliopoulou, Antigone; Wright, Spencer E; Fang, James C; Stehlik, Josef; Selzman, Craig H; Drakos, Stavros G

    2015-09-01

    The elevated baseline heart rate (HR) of a heart transplant recipient has previously been considered inconsequential. However, we hypothesized that a resting HR above 100 beats per minute (bpm) may be associated with morbidity and mortality. The U.T.A.H. Cardiac Transplant Program studied patients who received a heart transplant between 2000 and 2011. Outpatient HR values for each patient were averaged during the first year post-transplant. The study cohort was divided into two groups: the tachycardic (TC) (HR > 100 bpm) and the non-TC group (HR ≤ 100 bpm) in which mortality, incidence of rejection, and cardiac allograft vasculopathy were compared. Three hundred and ten patients were included as follows: 73 in the TC and 237 in the non-TC group. The TC group had a higher risk of a 10-yr all-cause mortality (p = 0.004) and cardiovascular mortality (p = 0.044). After adjustment for donor and recipient characteristics in multivariable logistic regression analysis, the hazard ratio was 3.9, (p = 0.03, CI: 1.2-13.2) and 2.6 (p = 0.02, CI: 1.2-5.5) for cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality, respectively. Heart transplant recipients with elevated resting HR appear to have higher mortality than those with lower resting HR. Whether pharmacologically lowering the HR would result in better outcomes warrants further investigation. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Improving the Prognostic Ability through Better Use of Standard Clinical Data - The Nottingham Prognostic Index as an Example

    PubMed Central

    Winzer, Klaus-Jürgen; Buchholz, Anika; Schumacher, Martin; Sauerbrei, Willi

    2016-01-01

    Background Prognostic factors and prognostic models play a key role in medical research and patient management. The Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) is a well-established prognostic classification scheme for patients with breast cancer. In a very simple way, it combines the information from tumor size, lymph node stage and tumor grade. For the resulting index cutpoints are proposed to classify it into three to six groups with different prognosis. As not all prognostic information from the three and other standard factors is used, we will consider improvement of the prognostic ability using suitable analysis approaches. Methods and Findings Reanalyzing overall survival data of 1560 patients from a clinical database by using multivariable fractional polynomials and further modern statistical methods we illustrate suitable multivariable modelling and methods to derive and assess the prognostic ability of an index. Using a REMARK type profile we summarize relevant steps of the analysis. Adding the information from hormonal receptor status and using the full information from the three NPI components, specifically concerning the number of positive lymph nodes, an extended NPI with improved prognostic ability is derived. Conclusions The prognostic ability of even one of the best established prognostic index in medicine can be improved by using suitable statistical methodology to extract the full information from standard clinical data. This extended version of the NPI can serve as a benchmark to assess the added value of new information, ranging from a new single clinical marker to a derived index from omics data. An established benchmark would also help to harmonize the statistical analyses of such studies and protect against the propagation of many false promises concerning the prognostic value of new measurements. Statistical methods used are generally available and can be used for similar analyses in other diseases. PMID:26938061

  19. Optimizing collection of adverse event data in cancer clinical trials supporting supplemental indications.

    PubMed

    Kaiser, Lee D; Melemed, Allen S; Preston, Alaknanda J; Chaudri Ross, Hilary A; Niedzwiecki, Donna; Fyfe, Gwendolyn A; Gough, Jacqueline M; Bushnell, William D; Stephens, Cynthia L; Mace, M Kelsey; Abrams, Jeffrey S; Schilsky, Richard L

    2010-12-01

    Although much is known about the safety of an anticancer agent at the time of initial marketing approval, sponsors customarily collect comprehensive safety data for studies that support supplemental indications. This adds significant cost and complexity to the study but may not provide useful new information. The main purpose of this analysis was to assess the amount of safety and concomitant medication data collected to determine a more optimal approach in the collection of these data when used in support of supplemental applications. Following a prospectively developed statistical analysis plan, we reanalyzed safety data from eight previously completed prospective randomized trials. A total of 107,884 adverse events and 136,608 concomitant medication records were reviewed for the analysis. Of these, four grade 1 to 2 and nine grade 3 and higher events were identified as drug effects that were not included in the previously established safety profiles and could potentially have been missed using subsampling. These events were frequently detected in subsamples of 400 patients or larger. Furthermore, none of the concomitant medication records contributed to labeling changes for the supplemental indications. Our study found that applying the optimized methodologic approach, described herein, has a high probability of detecting new drug safety signals. Focusing data collection on signals that cause physicians to modify or discontinue treatment ensures that safety issues of the highest concern for patients and regulators are captured and has significant potential to relieve strain on the clinical trials system.

  20. Tumour biomarkers: homeostasis as a novel prognostic indicator

    PubMed Central

    Falco, Michela; Palma, Giuseppe; Rea, Domenica; De Biase, Davide; Scala, Stefania; D'Aiuto, Massimiliano; Facchini, Gaetano; Perdonà, Sisto; Barbieri, Antonio

    2016-01-01

    The term ‘personalized medicine’ refers to a medical procedure that consists in the grouping of patients based on their predicted individual response to therapy or risk of disease. In oncologic patients, a ‘tailored’ therapeutic approach may potentially improve their survival and well-being by not only reducing the tumour, but also enhancing therapeutic response and minimizing the adverse effects. Diagnostic tests are often used to select appropriate and optimal therapies that rely both on patient genome and other molecular/cellular analysis. Several studies have shown that lifestyle and environmental factors can influence the epigenome and that epigenetic events may be involved in carcinogenesis. Thus, in addition to traditional biomarkers, epigenetic factors are raising considerable interest, because they could potentially be used as an excellent tool for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this review, we summarize the role of conventional cancer genetic biomarkers and their association with epigenomics. Furthermore, we will focus on the so-called ‘homeostatic biomarkers’ that result from the physiological response to cancer, emphasizing the concept that an altered ‘new’ homeostasis influence not only tumour environment, but also the whole organism. PMID:27927793

  1. Prognostic value of bone marrow involvement by clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in follicular lymphoma

    PubMed Central

    Berget, Ellen; Helgeland, Lars; Liseth, Knut; Løkeland, Turid; Molven, Anders; Vintermyr, Olav Karsten

    2014-01-01

    Aims We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of routine use of PCR amplification of immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in bone marrow (BM) staging in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). Methods Clonal rearrangements were assessed by immunoglobulin heavy and light-chain gene rearrangement analysis in BM aspirates from 96 patients diagnosed with FL and related to morphological detection of BM involvement in biopsies. In 71 patients, results were also compared with concurrent flow cytometry analysis. Results BM involvement was detected by PCR in 34.4% (33/96) of patients. The presence of clonal rearrangements by PCR was associated with advanced clinical stage (I–III vs IV; p<0.001), high FL International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) score (0–1, 2 vs ≥3; p=0.003), and detection of BM involvement by morphology and flow cytometry analysis (p<0.001 for both). PCR-positive patients had a significantly poorer survival than PCR-negative patients (p=0.001, log-rank test). Thirteen patients positive by PCR but without morphologically detectable BM involvement, had significantly poorer survival than patients with negative morphology and negative PCR result (p=0.002). The poor survival associated with BM involvement by PCR was independent of the FLIPI score (p=0.007, Cox regression). BM involvement by morphology or flow cytometry did not show a significant impact on survival. Conclusions Our results showed that routine use of PCR-based clonality analysis significantly improved the prognostic impact of BM staging in patients with FL. BM involvement by PCR was also an independent adverse prognostic factor. PMID:25233852

  2. The Glasgow Prognostic Score as a significant predictor of diffuse large B cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP in China.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiaoyang; Zhang, Yunxiang; Zhao, Weili; Liu, Zhao; Shen, Yang; Li, Junmin; Shen, Zhixiang

    2015-01-01

    The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) incorporates C-reactive protein and albumin as clinically useful markers of tumor behavior and shows significant prognostic value in several types of solid tumors. The accuracy of the GPS in predicting outcomes in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains unknown. We performed this study to evaluate the prognostic significance of the GPS in DLBCL in China. We retrospectively analyzed 160 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL at the Shanghai Ruijin Hospital (China). The prognostic value of the GPS was evaluated and compared with that of the International Prognostic Index (IPI) and immunohistochemical subtyping. The GPS was defined as follows: GPS-0, C-reactive protein (CRP) ≤10 mg/L and albumin ≥35 g/L; GPS-1, CRP >10 mg/L or albumin <35 g/L; and GPS-2, CRP >10 mg/L and albumin <35 g/L. Patients with lower GPS tended to have better outcomes including progression-free survival (PFS, P < 0.001) and overall survival (OS, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that high GPS and high IPI score were independent adverse predictors of OS. Similar to several other tumors, GPS is a reliable predictor of survival outcomes in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP therapy. Inflammatory responses are implicated in the progression and survival of patients with DLBCL.

  3. Prognostic Value of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient in Newborns with Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy Treated with Therapeutic Hypothermia.

    PubMed

    Heursen, Eva-Marie; Zuazo Ojeda, Amaya; Benavente Fernández, Isabel; Jimenez Gómez, Gema; Campuzano Fernández-Colima, Rosalía; Paz-Expósito, José; Lubián López, Simón Pedro

    2017-01-01

    Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) quantification has been proven to be of prognostic value in term newborns with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) who were treated under normothermia. To evaluate the prognostic value of ADC in standardized brain regions in neonates with HIE who were treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH). This prospective cohort study included 54 term newborns who were admitted with HIE and treated with TH. All magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed between days 4 and 6 of life, and ADC values were measured in 13 standardized regions of the brain. At 2 years of age we explored whether ADC values were related to composite outcomes (death or survival with abnormal neurodevelopment). The severity of HIE is inversely related to ADC values in different brain regions. We found that lower ADC values in the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), the thalami, the semioval centre, and frontal and parietal white matter were related to adverse outcomes. ADC values in the PLIC and thalami are good predictors of adverse outcomes (AUC 0.86 and 0.76). Low ADC values in the PLIC, thalamus, semioval centre, and frontal and parietal white matter in full-term infants with HIE treated with TH were associated with a poor outcome. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Model-Based Prognostics of Hybrid Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daigle, Matthew; Roychoudhury, Indranil; Bregon, Anibal

    2015-01-01

    Model-based prognostics has become a popular approach to solving the prognostics problem. However, almost all work has focused on prognostics of systems with continuous dynamics. In this paper, we extend the model-based prognostics framework to hybrid systems models that combine both continuous and discrete dynamics. In general, most systems are hybrid in nature, including those that combine physical processes with software. We generalize the model-based prognostics formulation to hybrid systems, and describe the challenges involved. We present a general approach for modeling hybrid systems, and overview methods for solving estimation and prediction in hybrid systems. As a case study, we consider the problem of conflict (i.e., loss of separation) prediction in the National Airspace System, in which the aircraft models are hybrid dynamical systems.

  5. Distributed Prognostic Health Management with Gaussian Process Regression

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saha, Sankalita; Saha, Bhaskar; Saxena, Abhinav; Goebel, Kai Frank

    2010-01-01

    Distributed prognostics architecture design is an enabling step for efficient implementation of health management systems. A major challenge encountered in such design is formulation of optimal distributed prognostics algorithms. In this paper. we present a distributed GPR based prognostics algorithm whose target platform is a wireless sensor network. In addition to challenges encountered in a distributed implementation, a wireless network poses constraints on communication patterns, thereby making the problem more challenging. The prognostics application that was used to demonstrate our new algorithms is battery prognostics. In order to present trade-offs within different prognostic approaches, we present comparison with the distributed implementation of a particle filter based prognostics for the same battery data.

  6. Diagnostic and prognostic stratification in the emergency department using urinary biomarkers of nephron damage: a multicenter prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Nickolas, Thomas L; Schmidt-Ott, Kai M; Canetta, Pietro; Forster, Catherine; Singer, Eugenia; Sise, Meghan; Elger, Antje; Maarouf, Omar; Sola-Del Valle, David Antonio; O'Rourke, Matthew; Sherman, Evan; Lee, Peter; Geara, Abdallah; Imus, Philip; Guddati, Achuta; Polland, Allison; Rahman, Wasiq; Elitok, Saban; Malik, Nasir; Giglio, James; El-Sayegh, Suzanne; Devarajan, Prasad; Hebbar, Sudarshan; Saggi, Subodh J; Hahn, Barry; Kettritz, Ralph; Luft, Friedrich C; Barasch, Jonathan

    2012-01-17

    This study aimed to determine the diagnostic and prognostic value of urinary biomarkers of intrinsic acute kidney injury (AKI) when patients were triaged in the emergency department. Intrinsic AKI is associated with nephron injury and results in poor clinical outcomes. Several urinary biomarkers have been proposed to detect and measure intrinsic AKI. In a multicenter prospective cohort study, 5 urinary biomarkers (urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, kidney injury molecule-1, urinary liver-type fatty acid binding protein, urinary interleukin-18, and cystatin C) were measured in 1,635 unselected emergency department patients at the time of hospital admission. We determined whether the biomarkers diagnosed intrinsic AKI and predicted adverse outcomes during hospitalization. All biomarkers were elevated in intrinsic AKI, but urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin was most useful (81% specificity, 68% sensitivity at a 104-ng/ml cutoff) and predictive of the severity and duration of AKI. Intrinsic AKI was strongly associated with adverse in-hospital outcomes. Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and urinary kidney injury molecule 1 predicted a composite outcome of dialysis initiation or death during hospitalization, and both improved the net risk classification compared with conventional assessments. These biomarkers also identified a substantial subpopulation with low serum creatinine at hospital admission, but who were at risk of adverse events. Urinary biomarkers of nephron damage enable prospective diagnostic and prognostic stratification in the emergency department. Copyright © 2012 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Prognostic significance of peripheral monocyte count in patients with extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jia-Jia; Li, Ya-Jun; Xia, Yi; Wang, Yu; Wei, Wen-Xiao; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Lin, Tong-Yu; Huang, Hui-Qiang; Jiang, Wen-Qi; Li, Zhi-Ming

    2013-05-03

    Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKL) has heterogeneous clinical manifestations and prognosis. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic impact of absolute monocyte count (AMC) in ENKL, and provide some immunologically relevant information for better risk stratification in patients with ENKL. Retrospective data from 163 patients newly diagnosed with ENKL were analyzed. The absolute monocyte count (AMC) at diagnosis was analyzed as continuous and dichotomized variables. Independent prognostic factors of survival were determined by Cox regression analysis. The AMC at diagnosis were related to overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with ENKL. Multivariate analysis identified AMC as independent prognostic factors of survival, independent of International Prognostic Index (IPI) and Korean prognostic index (KPI). The prognostic index incorporating AMC and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), another surrogate factor of immune status, could be used to stratify all 163 patients with ENKL into different prognostic groups. For patients who received chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (102 cases), the three AMC/ALC index categories identified patients with significantly different survivals. When superimposed on IPI or KPI categories, the AMC/ALC index was better able to identify high-risk patients in the low-risk IPI or KPI category. The baseline peripheral monocyte count is shown to be an effective prognostic indicator of survival in ENKL patients. The prognostic index related to tumor microenvironment might be helpful to identify high-risk patients with ENKL.

  8. Prognostic significance of peripheral monocyte count in patients with extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKL) has heterogeneous clinical manifestations and prognosis. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic impact of absolute monocyte count (AMC) in ENKL, and provide some immunologically relevant information for better risk stratification in patients with ENKL. Methods Retrospective data from 163 patients newly diagnosed with ENKL were analyzed. The absolute monocyte count (AMC) at diagnosis was analyzed as continuous and dichotomized variables. Independent prognostic factors of survival were determined by Cox regression analysis. Results The AMC at diagnosis were related to overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with ENKL. Multivariate analysis identified AMC as independent prognostic factors of survival, independent of International Prognostic Index (IPI) and Korean prognostic index (KPI). The prognostic index incorporating AMC and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), another surrogate factor of immune status, could be used to stratify all 163 patients with ENKL into different prognostic groups. For patients who received chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (102 cases), the three AMC/ALC index categories identified patients with significantly different survivals. When superimposed on IPI or KPI categories, the AMC/ALC index was better able to identify high-risk patients in the low-risk IPI or KPI category. Conclusion The baseline peripheral monocyte count is shown to be an effective prognostic indicator of survival in ENKL patients. The prognostic index related to tumor microenvironment might be helpful to identify high-risk patients with ENKL. PMID:23638998

  9. Prognostic value of inflammation-based scores in patients with osteosarcoma

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Bangjian; Huang, Yujing; Sun, Yuanjue; Zhang, Jianjun; Yao, Yang; Shen, Zan; Xiang, Dongxi; He, Aina

    2016-01-01

    Systemic inflammation responses have been associated with cancer development and progression. C-reactive protein (CRP), Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and neutrophil-platelet score (NPS) have been shown to be independent risk factors in various types of malignant tumors. This retrospective analysis of 162 osteosarcoma cases was performed to estimate their predictive value of survival in osteosarcoma. All statistical analyses were performed by SPSS statistical software. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was generated to set optimal thresholds; area under the curve (AUC) was used to show the discriminatory abilities of inflammation-based scores; Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to plot the survival curve; cox regression models were employed to determine the independent prognostic factors. The optimal cut-off points of NLR, PLR, and LMR were 2.57, 123.5 and 4.73, respectively. GPS and NLR had a markedly larger AUC than CRP, PLR and LMR. High levels of CRP, GPS, NLR, PLR, and low level of LMR were significantly associated with adverse prognosis (P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that GPS, NLR, and occurrence of metastasis were top risk factors associated with death of osteosarcoma patients. PMID:28008988

  10. Prognostic Factors and Expression of MDM2 in Patients with Primary Extremity Liposarcoma

    PubMed Central

    Júnior, Rosalvo Zósimo Bispo; de Camargo, Olavo Pires; de Oliveira, Cláudia Regina G. C. M.; Filippi, Renée Zon; Baptista, André Mathias; Caiero, Marcelo Tadeu

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate MDM2 (murine double minute 2) protein expression and evaluate its relationship with some anatomical and pathological aspects, aiming also to identify prognostic factors concerning local recurrence-free survival, metastasis-free survival and overall survival in patients with primary liposarcomas of the extremities. MATERIALS AND METHODS Of 50 patients with primary liposarcomas of the extremities admitted to a Reference Service, between 1968 and 2004, 25 were enrolled in the study, following eligibility and exclusion criteria. RESULTS The adverse factors that influenced the risk for local recurrence in the univariant analysis included male sex (P = 0.023), pleomorphic histological subtype (P = 0.027), and high histological grade (P = 0.007). Concerning metastasis-free survival, age less than 50 years (P = 0.040), male sex (P = 0.040), pleomorphic subtype (P < 0.001), and high histological grade (P = 0.003) had a worse prognosis. Adverse factors for overall survival were age under 50 years (P = 0.040), male sex (P = 0.040), pleomorphic subtype (P < 0.001), and high histological grade (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS There was no correlation between immunohistochemically observed MDM2 protein expressions and the anatomical and pathological variables studied. The immunohistochemical expression of MDM2 protein was not considered to have a prognostic value for any of the surviving patients in this study (local recurrence-free survival, metastasis-free survival, or overall survival). The immunoexpression of MDM2 protein was a frequent event in the different subtypes of liposarcomas. PMID:18438568

  11. The obesity paradox in stable chronic heart failure does not persist after matching for indicators of disease severity and confounders.

    PubMed

    Frankenstein, Lutz; Zugck, Christian; Nelles, Manfred; Schellberg, Dieter; Katus, Hugo A; Remppis, B Andrew

    2009-12-01

    To verify whether controlling for indicators of disease severity and confounders represents a solution to the obesity paradox in chronic heart failure (CHF). From a cohort of 1790 patients, we formed 230 nested matched triplets by individually matching patients with body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg/m(2) (Group 3), BMI 20-24.9 k/m(2) (Group 1) and BMI 25-29.9 kg/m(2) (Group 2), according to NT-proBNP, age, sex, and NYHA class (triplet = one matched patient from each group). Although in the pre-matching cohort, BMI group was a significant univariable prognostic indicator, it did not retain significance [heart rate (HR): 0.91, 95% CI: 0.78-1.05, chi(2): 1.67] when controlled for group propensities as covariates. Furthermore, in the matched cohort, 1-year mortality and 3-year mortality did not differ significantly. Here, BMI again failed to reach statistical significance for prognosis, either as a continuous or categorical variable, whether crude or adjusted. This result was confirmed in the patients not selected for matching. NT-proBNP, however, remained statistically significant (log(NT-proBNP): HR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.13-1.97, chi(2): 7.82) after multivariable adjustment. The obesity paradox does not appear to persist in a matched setting with respect to indicators of disease severity and other confounders. NT-proBNP remains an independent prognostic indicator of adverse outcome irrespective of obesity status.

  12. Prognostic impact of c-Rel nuclear expression and REL amplification and crosstalk between c-Rel and the p53 pathway in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

    PubMed Central

    Ok, Chi Young; Tzankov, Alexandar; Manyam, Ganiraju C.; Sun, Ruifan; Visco, Carlo; Zhang, Mingzhi; Montes-Moreno, Santiago; Dybkaer, Karen; Chiu, April; Orazi, Attilio; Zu, Youli; Bhagat, Govind; Richards, Kristy L.; Hsi, Eric D.; Choi, William W.L.; van Krieken, J. Han; Huh, Jooryung; Ponzoni, Maurilio; Ferreri, Andrés J.M.; Møller, Michael B.; Wang, Jinfeng; Parsons, Ben M.; Winter, Jane N.; Piris, Miguel A.; Pham, Lan V.; Medeiros, L. Jeffrey; Young, Ken H.

    2015-01-01

    Dysregulated NF-κB signaling is critical for lymphomagenesis. The regulation, function, and clinical relevance of c-Rel/NF-κB activation in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have not been well studied. In this study we analyzed the prognostic significance and gene-expression signature of c-Rel nuclear expression as surrogate of c-Rel activation in 460 patients with de novo DLBCL. Nuclear c-Rel expression, observed in 137 (26.3%) DLBCL patients frequently associated with extranoal origin, did not show significantly prognostic impact in the overall- or germinal center B-like-DLBCL cohort, likely due to decreased pAKT and Myc levels, up-regulation of FOXP3, FOXO3, MEG3 and other tumor suppressors coincided with c-Rel nuclear expression, as well as the complicated relationships between NF-κB members and their overlapping function. However, c-Rel nuclear expression correlated with significantly poorer survival in p63+ and BCL-2− activated B-cell-like-DLBCL, and in DLBCL patients with TP53 mutations. Multivariate analysis indicated that after adjusting clinical parameters, c-Rel positivity was a significantly adverse prognostic factor in DLBCL patients with wild type TP53. Gene expression profiling suggested dysregulations of cell cycle, metabolism, adhesion, and migration associated with c-Rel activation. In contrast, REL amplification did not correlate with c-Rel nuclear expression and patient survival, likely due to co-amplification of genes that negatively regulate NF-κB activation. These insights into the expression, prognostic impact, regulation and function of c-Rel as well as its crosstalk with the p53 pathway underscore the importance of c-Rel and have significant therapeutic implications. PMID:26324762

  13. Endocrine active agents: implications of adverse and non-adverse changes.

    PubMed

    Foster, Paul M D; McIntyre, Barry S

    2002-01-01

    The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently in the process of developing screening and testing methodologies for the assessment of agents that may possess endocrine-like activity--the so-called endocrine disruptors. Moreover, the EPA has signaled its intention of placing information arising from such studies on the worldwide web. This has created significant interest in how such information may be used in risk assessment and by policymakers and the public in the potential regulation or deselection of specific chemical agents. The construction of lists of endocrine disruptors, although fulfilling the requirements of some parties, is really of little use when the nature of the response, the dose level employed, and the lifestage of the test species used are not given. Thus, we have already seen positive in vitro information available on the interaction with a receptor being used as a key indicator when the results of large, high quality in vivo studies showing no adverse changes have been ignored. Clearly a number of in vitro systems are available to ascertain chemical interaction with specific (mainly steroid) hormone receptors including a number of reporter gene assays. These assays only provide indicators of potential problems and should not be, in isolation, indicators of toxicity. Likewise, short-term in vivo screens such as the uterotrophic and Hershberger studies are frequently conducted in castrated animals and thus indicate the potential for a pharmacological response in vivo rather than an adverse effect. A number of new end points have been added to standard rodent testing protocols in the belief of providing more sensitivity to detect endocrine related changes. These include the measurement of anogenital distance (AGD), developmental landmarks [vaginal opening (VO), preputial separation (PPS)], and in some studies the counting of nipples and areolae on males. AGD, VO, and PPS are all affected by the size of the pup in which they are measured

  14. Geriatric Patient Safety Indicators Based on Linked Administrative Health Data to Assess Anticoagulant-Related Thromboembolic and Hemorrhagic Adverse Events in Older Inpatients: A Study Proposal

    PubMed Central

    Quantin, Catherine; Reich, Oliver; Tuppin, Philippe; Fagot-Campagna, Anne; Paccaud, Fred; Peytremann-Bridevaux, Isabelle; Burnand, Bernard

    2017-01-01

    Background Frail older people with multiple interacting conditions, polypharmacy, and complex care needs are particularly exposed to health care-related adverse events. Among these, anticoagulant-related thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events are particularly frequent and serious in older inpatients. The growing use of anticoagulants in this population and their substantial risk of toxicity and inefficacy have therefore become an important patient safety and public health concern worldwide. Anticoagulant-related adverse events and the quality of anticoagulation management should thus be routinely assessed to improve patient safety in vulnerable older inpatients. Objective This project aims to develop and validate a set of outcome and process indicators based on linked administrative health data (ie, insurance claims data linked to hospital discharge data) assessing older inpatient safety related to anticoagulation in both Switzerland and France, and enabling comparisons across time and among hospitals, health territories, and countries. Geriatric patient safety indicators (GPSIs) will assess anticoagulant-related adverse events. Geriatric quality indicators (GQIs) will evaluate the management of anticoagulants for the prevention and treatment of arterial or venous thromboembolism in older inpatients. Methods GPSIs will measure cumulative incidences of thromboembolic and bleeding adverse events based on hospital discharge data linked to insurance claims data. Using linked administrative health data will improve GPSI risk adjustment on patients’ conditions that are present at admission and will capture in-hospital and postdischarge adverse events. GQIs will estimate the proportion of index hospital stays resulting in recommended anticoagulation at discharge and up to various time frames based on the same electronic health data. The GPSI and GQI development and validation process will comprise 6 stages: (1) selection and specification of candidate indicators, (2

  15. Prognostic significance of hyperfibrinogenemia in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Takashi; Shimada, Hideaki; Nanami, Tatsuki; Oshima, Yoko; Yajima, Satoshi; Washizawa, Naohiro; Kaneko, Hironori

    2017-06-01

    Preoperative hyperfibrinogenemia is associated with inflammatory mediators and a poor prognosis in several types of cancer. However, there is no published information on the monitoring of patients with preoperative hyperfibrinogenemia after surgery. The aim of the study reported here was to assess the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of plasma fibrinogen levels in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma before and after surgical treatment. Plasma fibrinogen levels were analyzed before surgical treatment (endoscopic submucosal dissection and surgery) in 82 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The clinicopathological significance of plasma fibrinogen levels and the relationship of plasma fibrinogen levels with several biomarkers were evaluated. The cutoff value for hyperfibrinogenemia was 321 mg/dl. Univariate and multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model were performed to evaluate the prognostic significance of plasma fibrinogen levels. The changing patterns of plasma fibrinogen were monitored after surgical treatment to evaluate prognostic impact. Hyperfibrinogenemia was significantly associated with advanced pathological stage of cancer and high C-reactive protein levels. Plasma fibrinogen levels significantly decreased after surgical treatment in recurrence-free patients but did not decrease in patients with recurrence. The multivariate analysis indicated that preoperative hyperfibrinogenemia was an independent prognostic factor for poor survival (hazard ratio 1.005, 95% confidence interval 1.000-1.010; P = 0.039). Preoperative hyperfibrinogenemia was associated with inflammatory mediators, tumor progression, and poor survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The absence of a decrease in plasma fibrinogen levels after surgical treatment may indicate the possibility of tumor recurrence.

  16. Cytogenetic abnormalities and their prognostic significance in idiopathic myelofibrosis: a study of 106 cases.

    PubMed

    Reilly, J T; Snowden, J A; Spearing, R L; Fitzgerald, P M; Jones, N; Watmore, A; Potter, A

    1997-07-01

    The prognostic significance of cytogenetic abnormalities was determined in 106 patients with well-characterized idiopathic myelofibrosis who were successfully karyotyped at diagnosis. 35% of the cases exhibited a clonal abnormality (37/106), whereas 65% (69/106) had a normal karyotype. Three characteristic defects, namely del(13q) (nine cases), del(20q) (eight cases) and partial trisomy 1q (seven cases), were present in 64.8% (24/37) of patients with clonal abnormalities. Kaplan-Meier plots and log rank analysis demonstrated an abnormal karyotype to be an adverse prognostic variable (P<0.001). Of the eight additional clinical and haematological parameters recorded at diagnosis, age (P<0.01), anaemia (haemoglobin < or = 10 g/dl: P<0.001), platelet (< or = 100 x 10(9)/l, P<0.0001) and leucocyte count (> 10.3 x 10(9)/l; P=0.06) were also associated with a shorter survival. In contrast, sex, spleen and liver size, and percentage blast cells were not found to be significant. Multivariate analysis, using Cox's regression, revealed karyotype, haemoglobin concentration, platelet and leucocyte counts to retain their unfavourable prognostic significance. A simple and useful schema for predicting survival in idiopathic myelofibrosis has been produced by combining age, haemoglobin concentration and karyotype with median survival times varying from 180 months (good-risk group) to 16 months (poor-risk group).

  17. TNM: evolution and relation to other prognostic factors.

    PubMed

    Sobin, Leslie H

    2003-01-01

    The TNM Classification describes the anatomic extent of cancer. TNM's ability to separately classify the individual tumor (T), node (N), and metastasis (M) elements and then group them into stages differs from other cancer staging classifications (e.g., Dukes), which are only concerned with summarized groups. The objectives of the TNM Classification are to aid the clinician in the planning of treatment, give some indication of prognosis, assist in the evaluation of the results of treatment, and facilitate the exchange of information. During the past 50 years, the TNM system has evolved under the influence of advances in diagnosis and treatment. Radiographic imaging (e.g., endoscopic ultrasound for the depth of invasion of esophageal and rectal tumors) has improved the accuracy of the clinical T, N, and M classifications. Advances in treatment have necessitated more detail in some T4 categories. Developments in multimodality therapy have increased the importance of the "y" symbol and the R (residual tumor) classification. New surgical techniques have resulted in the elaboration of the sentinel node (sn) symbol. The use of immunohistochemistry has resulted in the classification of isolated tumor cells and their distinction from micrometastasis. The most important challenge facing users of the TNM Classification is how it should interface with the large number of non-anatomic prognostic factors that are currently in use or under study. As non-anatomic prognostic factors become widely used, the TNM system provides an inviting foundation upon which to build a prognostic classification; however, this carries a risk that the system will be overwhelmed by a variety of prognostic data. An anatomic extent-of-disease classification is needed to aid practitioners in selecting the initial therapeutic approach, stratifying patients for therapeutic studies, evaluating non-anatomic prognostic factors at specific anatomic stages, comparing the weight of non-anatomic factors with

  18. A novel prognostic six-CpG signature in glioblastomas.

    PubMed

    Yin, An-An; Lu, Nan; Etcheverry, Amandine; Aubry, Marc; Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill; Zhang, Lu-Hua; Mosser, Jean; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Xiang; Liu, Yu-He; He, Ya-Long

    2018-03-01

    We aimed to identify a clinically useful biomarker using DNA methylation-based information to optimize individual treatment of patients with glioblastoma (GBM). A six-CpG panel was identified by incorporating genome-wide DNA methylation data and clinical information of three distinct discovery sets and was combined using a risk-score model. Different validation sets of GBMs and lower-grade gliomas and different statistical methods were implemented for prognostic evaluation. An integrative analysis of multidimensional TCGA data was performed to molecularly characterize different risk tumors. The six-CpG risk-score signature robustly predicted overall survival (OS) in all discovery and validation cohorts and in a treatment-independent manner. It also predicted progression-free survival (PFS) in available patients. The multimarker epigenetic signature was demonstrated as an independent prognosticator and had better performance than known molecular indicators such as glioma-CpG island methylator phenotype (G-CIMP) and proneural subtype. The defined risk subgroups were molecularly distinct; high-risk tumors were biologically more aggressive with concordant activation of proangiogenic signaling at multimolecular levels. Accordingly, we observed better OS benefits of bevacizumab-contained therapy to high-risk patients in independent sets, supporting its implication in guiding usage of antiangiogenic therapy. Finally, the six-CpG signature refined the risk classification based on G-CIMP and MGMT methylation status. The novel six-CpG signature is a robust and independent prognostic indicator for GBMs and is of promising value to improve personalized management. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Prognostic value of echocardiographic indices of left atrial morphology and function in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease.

    PubMed

    Baron Toaldo, Marco; Romito, Giovanni; Guglielmini, Carlo; Diana, Alessia; Pelle, Nazzareno G; Contiero, Barbara; Cipone, Mario

    2018-05-01

    The prognostic relevance of left atrial (LA) morphological and functional variables, including those derived from speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), has been little investigated in veterinary medicine. To assess the prognostic value of several echocardiographic variables, with a focus on LA morphological and functional variables in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). One-hundred and fifteen dogs of different breeds with MMVD. Prospective cohort study. Conventional morphologic and echo-Doppler variables, LA areas and volumes, and STE-based LA strain analysis were performed in all dogs. A survival analysis was performed to test for the best echocardiographic predictors of cardiac-related death. Most of the tested variables, including all LA STE-derived variables were univariate predictors of cardiac death in Cox proportional hazard analysis. Because of strong correlation between many variables, only left atrium to aorta ratio (LA/Ao > 1.7), mitral valve E wave velocity (MV E vel > 1.3 m/s), LA maximal volume (LAVmax > 3.53 mL/kg), peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS < 30%), and contraction strain index (CSI per 1% increase) were entered in the univariate analysis, and all were predictors of cardiac death. However, only the MV E vel (hazard ratio [HR], 4.45; confidence interval [CI], 1.76-11.24; P < .001) and LAVmax (HR, 2.32; CI, 1.10-4.89; P = .024) remained statistically significant in the multivariable analysis. The assessment of LA dimension and function provides useful prognostic information in dogs with MMVD. Considering all the LA variables, LAVmax appears the strongest predictor of cardiac death, being superior to LA/Ao and STE-derived variables. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

  20. Prognostic value of echocardiographic indices of left atrial morphology and function in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease

    PubMed Central

    Romito, Giovanni; Guglielmini, Carlo; Diana, Alessia; Pelle, Nazzareno G.; Contiero, Barbara; Cipone, Mario

    2018-01-01

    Background The prognostic relevance of left atrial (LA) morphological and functional variables, including those derived from speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), has been little investigated in veterinary medicine. Objectives To assess the prognostic value of several echocardiographic variables, with a focus on LA morphological and functional variables in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Animals One‐hundred and fifteen dogs of different breeds with MMVD. Methods Prospective cohort study. Conventional morphologic and echo‐Doppler variables, LA areas and volumes, and STE‐based LA strain analysis were performed in all dogs. A survival analysis was performed to test for the best echocardiographic predictors of cardiac‐related death. Results Most of the tested variables, including all LA STE‐derived variables were univariate predictors of cardiac death in Cox proportional hazard analysis. Because of strong correlation between many variables, only left atrium to aorta ratio (LA/Ao > 1.7), mitral valve E wave velocity (MV E vel > 1.3 m/s), LA maximal volume (LAVmax > 3.53 mL/kg), peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS < 30%), and contraction strain index (CSI per 1% increase) were entered in the univariate analysis, and all were predictors of cardiac death. However, only the MV E vel (hazard ratio [HR], 4.45; confidence interval [CI], 1.76‐11.24; P < .001) and LAVmax (HR, 2.32; CI, 1.10‐4.89; P = .024) remained statistically significant in the multivariable analysis. Conclusions and Clinical Importance The assessment of LA dimension and function provides useful prognostic information in dogs with MMVD. Considering all the LA variables, LAVmax appears the strongest predictor of cardiac death, being superior to LA/Ao and STE‐derived variables. PMID:29572938

  1. Hyperfibrinogenemia is a poor prognostic factor in diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Niu, Jun-Ying; Tian, Tian; Zhu, Hua-Yuan; Liang, Jin-Hua; Wu, Wei; Cao, Lei; Lu, Rui-Nan; Wang, Li; Li, Jian-Yong; Xu, Wei

    2018-06-02

    Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphomas worldwide. Previous studies indicated that hyperfibrinogenemia was a poor predictor in various tumors. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the prognostic effect of hyperfibrinogenemia in DLBCL. Data of 228 patients, who were diagnosed with DLBCL in our hospital between May 2009 and February 2016, were analyzed retrospectively. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were performed to find prognostic factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve and the areas under the curve were used to evaluate the predictive accuracy of predictors. Comparison of characters between groups indicated that patients with high National Comprehensive Cancer Network-International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) score (4-8) and advanced stage (III-IV) were more likely to suffer from hyperfibrinogenemia. The Kaplan-Meier method revealed that patients with hyperfibrinogenemia showed inferior PFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P < 0.001) than those without hyperfibrinogenemia. Multivariate analysis showed that hyperfibrinogenemia was an independent prognostic factor associated with poor outcomes (HR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.15-3.16 for PFS, P = 0.013; HR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.46-4.79 for OS, P = 0.001). We combined hyperfibrinogenemia and NCCN-IPI to build a new prognostic index (NPI). The NPI was demonstrated to have a superior predictive effect on prognosis (P = 0.0194 for PFS, P = 0.0034 for OS). Hyperfibrinogenemia was demonstrated to be able to predict poor outcome in DLBCL, especially for patients with advanced stage and high NCCN-IPI score. Adding hyperfibrinogenemia to NCCN-IPI could significantly improve the predictive effect of NCCN-IPI.

  2. State of the art and taxonomy of prognostics approaches, trends of prognostics applications and open issues towards maturity at different technology readiness levels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Javed, Kamran; Gouriveau, Rafael; Zerhouni, Noureddine

    2017-09-01

    Integrating prognostics to a real application requires a certain maturity level and for this reason there is a lack of success stories about development of a complete Prognostics and Health Management system. In fact, the maturity of prognostics is closely linked to data and domain specific entities like modeling. Basically, prognostics task aims at predicting the degradation of engineering assets. However, practically it is not possible to precisely predict the impending failure, which requires a thorough understanding to encounter different sources of uncertainty that affect prognostics. Therefore, different aspects crucial to the prognostics framework, i.e., from monitoring data to remaining useful life of equipment need to be addressed. To this aim, the paper contributes to state of the art and taxonomy of prognostics approaches and their application perspectives. In addition, factors for prognostics approach selection are identified, and new case studies from component-system level are discussed. Moreover, open challenges toward maturity of the prognostics under uncertainty are highlighted and scheme for an efficient prognostics approach is presented. Finally, the existing challenges for verification and validation of prognostics at different technology readiness levels are discussed with respect to open challenges.

  3. Prognostic and predictive factors in colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Bolocan, A; Ion, D; Ciocan, D N; Paduraru, D N

    2012-01-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is an important public health problem; it is a leading cause of cancer mortality in the industrialized world, second to lung cancer: each year there are nearly one million new cases of CRC diagnosed worldwide and half a million deaths (1). This review aims to summarise the most important currently available markers for CRC that provide prognostic or predictive information. Amongst others, it covers serum markers such as CEA and CA19-9, markers expressed by tumour tissues, such as thymidylate synthase, and also the expression/loss of expression of certain oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes such as K-ras and p53. The prognostic value of genomic instability, angiogenesis and proliferative indices, such as the apoptotic index, are discussed. The advent of new therapies created the pathway for a personalized approach of the patient. This will take into consideration the complex genetic mechanisms involved in tumorigenesis, besides the classical clinical and pathological stagings. The growing number of therapeutic agents and known molecular targets in oncology lead to a compulsory study of the clinical use of biomarkers with role in improving response and survival, as well as in reducing toxicity and establishing economic stability. The potential predictive and prognostic biomarkers which have arisen from the study of the genetic basis of colorectal cancer and their therapeutical significance are discussed. RevistaChirurgia.

  4. On Applying the Prognostic Performance Metrics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saxena, Abhinav; Celaya, Jose; Saha, Bhaskar; Saha, Sankalita; Goebel, Kai

    2009-01-01

    Prognostics performance evaluation has gained significant attention in the past few years. As prognostics technology matures and more sophisticated methods for prognostic uncertainty management are developed, a standardized methodology for performance evaluation becomes extremely important to guide improvement efforts in a constructive manner. This paper is in continuation of previous efforts where several new evaluation metrics tailored for prognostics were introduced and were shown to effectively evaluate various algorithms as compared to other conventional metrics. Specifically, this paper presents a detailed discussion on how these metrics should be interpreted and used. Several shortcomings identified, while applying these metrics to a variety of real applications, are also summarized along with discussions that attempt to alleviate these problems. Further, these metrics have been enhanced to include the capability of incorporating probability distribution information from prognostic algorithms as opposed to evaluation based on point estimates only. Several methods have been suggested and guidelines have been provided to help choose one method over another based on probability distribution characteristics. These approaches also offer a convenient and intuitive visualization of algorithm performance with respect to some of these new metrics like prognostic horizon and alpha-lambda performance, and also quantify the corresponding performance while incorporating the uncertainty information.

  5. Prognostic significance of perioperative nutritional parameters in patients with gastric cancer.

    PubMed

    Oh, Sung Eun; Choi, Min-Gew; Seo, Jeong-Meen; An, Ji Yeong; Lee, Jun Ho; Sohn, Tae Sung; Bae, Jae Moon; Kim, Sung

    2018-02-20

    It has been suggested that nutritional status is related to the survival outcomes of cancer patients. The purpose of the current research is to evaluate the importance of the prognosis of various nutritional parameters during the perioperative period in patients with gastric cancer. This study enrolled patients with gastric cancer who underwent D2 gastrectomy at the Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, in 2008. The prognostic significance of nutritional parameters was analyzed, along with other clinical and pathological variables, preoperatively and postoperatively at 3, 6, and 12 months. The total number of patients was 1415. The mean values of nutritional parameters, weight, body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin, total cholesterol, and total lymphocyte count (TLC) decreased significantly over time after surgery. On the contrary, albumin and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) score increased significantly during the postoperative follow-up period. Preoperatively, low BMI (<18.5 kg/m 2 ) and low TLC level (<1000 per mm 3 ) were revealed as independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. Low preoperative TLC level and decline in PNI (ΔPNI < -2.2) at postoperative 3 months; low preoperative TLC level and decline in TLC (ΔTLC < -279.9 per mm 3 ) at postoperative 6 months; and low preoperative BMI, albumin, and TLC levels at postoperative 12 months were independent nutritional prognostic indicators. Various perioperative nutritional parameters were confirmed as independent prognostic factors in patients with gastric cancer. Our results imply prognostic benefit from careful nutritional support for patients with poor nutritional parameters. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

  6. Osmotic indices and kidney concentrating activity: population-based data on correlates and prognostic power.

    PubMed

    Cirillo, Massimo; Bilancio, Giancarlo; Lombardi, Cinzia; Cavallo, Pierpaolo; Terradura Vagnarelli, Oscar; Zanchetti, Alberto; Laurenzi, Martino

    2018-02-01

    Research data are limited on indices of osmotic equilibrium and of kidney concentrating activity (KCA). This study investigated correlates and prognostic power of these indices in a sample of the general population. Urine osmolality (U-osm), plasma osmolality (P-osm), plasma creatinine and other variables were measured by the Gubbio Study for the 1988-92 exam (baseline). Plasma creatinine and other variables were re-measured in the 2001-07 exam (follow-up). KCA was assessed as the U-osm/P-osm ratio and kidney function as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Baseline data were complete in 4220 adults, of whom 852 died before follow-up and 2795 participated in the follow-up. At baseline, the following independent cross-sectional associations were identified: female sex and higher urine flow with lower values of U-osm, P-osm and U-osm/P-osm ratio (P < 0.01); obesity with higher values of U-osm, P-osm and U-osm/P-osm ratio (P < 0.01); older age and lower eGFR with lower U-osm, lower U-osm/P-osm ratio and higher P-osm (P < 0.05); hypertension and smoking with lower U-osm and lower U-osm/P-osm ratio (P < 0.05) but not with P-osm. From baseline to follow-up, the annualized rate was 1.26% for mortality and -0.74 ± 0.76 mL/min × 1.73 m2 for eGFR change. Mortality was independently predicted by baseline U-osm and baseline U-osm/P-osm ratio (hazard ratio for one higher standard deviation was ≤0.91, 95% confidence interval was ≤0.97, P < 0.01), but not by baseline P-osm. The eGFR change was not independently predicted by baseline values of U-osm, P-osm and U-osm/P-osm ratio (P ≥ 0.4). Sex, age, obesity, eGFR, urine flow, hypertension and smoking independently associated with U-osm and KCA. U-osm and KCA independently predicted mortality, but not kidney function change over time. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

  7. Chromosomal aberrations and their prognostic value in a series of 174 untreated patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

    PubMed

    Nguyen-Khac, Florence; Lambert, Jerome; Chapiro, Elise; Grelier, Aurore; Mould, Sarah; Barin, Carole; Daudignon, Agnes; Gachard, Nathalie; Struski, Stéphanie; Henry, Catherine; Penther, Dominique; Mossafa, Hossein; Andrieux, Joris; Eclache, Virginie; Bilhou-Nabera, Chrystèle; Luquet, Isabelle; Terre, Christine; Baranger, Laurence; Mugneret, Francine; Chiesa, Jean; Mozziconacci, Marie-Joelle; Callet-Bauchu, Evelyne; Veronese, Lauren; Blons, Hélène; Owen, Roger; Lejeune, Julie; Chevret, Sylvie; Merle-Beral, Hélène; Leblondon, Véronique

    2013-04-01

    Waldenström's macroglobulinemia is a disease of mature B cells, the genetic basis of which is poorly understood. Few recurrent chromosomal abnormalities have been reported, and their prognostic value is not known. We conducted a prospective cytogenetic study of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and examined the prognostic value of chromosomal aberrations in an international randomized trial. The main aberrations were 6q deletions (30%), trisomy 18 (15%), 13q deletions (13%), 17p (TP53) deletions (8%), trisomy 4 (8%), and 11q (ATM) deletions (7%). There was a significant association between trisomy of chromosome 4 and trisomy of chromosome 18. Translocations involving the IGH genes were rare (<5%). Deletion of 6q and 11q, and trisomy 4, were significantly associated with adverse clinical and biological parameters. Patients with TP53 deletion had short progression-free survival and short disease-free survival. Although rare (<5%), trisomy 12 was associated with short progression-free survival. In conclusion, the cytogenetic profile of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia appears to differ from that of other B-cell lymphomas. Chromosomal abnormalities may help with diagnosis and prognostication, in conjunction with other clinical and biological characteristics.

  8. Visit-to-visit blood pressure variability as a prognostic marker in patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases--relationships and comparisons with vascular markers of atherosclerosis.

    PubMed

    Lau, Kui Kai; Wong, Yuen Kwun; Chan, Yap Hang; Teo, Kay Cheong; Chan, Koon Ho; Wai Li, Leonard Sheung; Cheung, Raymond Tak Fai; Siu, Chung Wah; Ho, Shu Leong; Tse, Hung Fat

    2014-07-01

    Visit-to-visit blood pressure variability (BPV) is a simple surrogate marker for the development of atherosclerotic diseases, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Nevertheless, the relative prognostic value of BPV in comparison with other established vascular assessments remain uncertain. We prospectively followed-up 656 high-risk patients with diabetes or established cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases for the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Baseline brachial endothelial function, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque burden, ankle-brachial index and arterial stiffness were determined. Visit-to-visit BPV were recorded during a mean 18 ± 9 outpatient clinic visits. After a mean 81 ± 12 month's follow-up, 123 patients (19%) developed MACEs. Patients who developed a MACE had significantly higher systolic BPV, more severe endothelial function, arterial stiffness and systemic atherosclerotic burden compared to patients who did not develop a MACE (all P<0.01). BPV significantly correlated with all of the vascular assessments (P<0.01). A high carotid IMT had the greatest prognostic value in predicting development of a MACE (area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.69 ± 0.03, P<0.01). A high BPV also had moderate prognostic value in prediction of MACE (AUC 0.65 ± 0.03, P<0.01). After adjustment of confounding factors, a high BPV remained a significant independent predictor of MACE (hazards ratio 1.67, 95% confidence interval 1.14-2.43, P<0.01). Compared with established surrogate markers of atherosclerosis, visit-to-visit BPV provides similar prognostic information and may represent a new and simple marker for adverse outcomes in patients with vascular diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. TAZ Expression as a Prognostic Indicator in Colorectal Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Tham, Jill M.; Zhang, Xiaoqian; Zeng, Qi; Zhang, Shu-Dong; Hong, WanJin

    2013-01-01

    The Hippo pathway restricts the activity of transcriptional coactivators TAZ (WWTR1) and YAP. TAZ and YAP are reported to be overexpressed in various cancers, however, their prognostic significance in colorectal cancers remains unstudied. The expression levels of TAZ and YAP, and their downstream transcriptional targets, AXL and CTGF, were extracted from two independent colon cancer patient datasets available in the Gene Expression Omnibus database, totaling 522 patients. We found that mRNA expressions of both TAZ and YAP were positively correlated with those of AXL and CTGF (p<0.05). High level mRNA expression of TAZ, AXL or CTGF significantly correlated with shorter survival. Importantly, patients co-overexpressing all 3 genes had a significantly shorter survival time, and combinatorial expression of these 3 genes was an independent predictor for survival. The downstream target genes for TAZ-AXL-CTGF overexpression were identified by Java application MyStats. Interestingly, genes that are associated with colon cancer progression (ANTXR1, EFEMP2, SULF1, TAGLN, VCAN, ZEB1 and ZEB2) were upregulated in patients co-overexpressing TAZ-AXL-CTGF. This TAZ-AXL-CTGF gene expression signature (GES) was then applied to Connectivity Map to identify small molecules that could potentially be utilized to reverse this GES. Of the top 20 small molecules identified by connectivity map, amiloride (a potassium sparing diuretic,) and tretinoin (all-trans retinoic acid) have shown therapeutic promise in inhibition of colon cancer cell growth. Using MyStats, we found that low level expression of either ANO1 or SQLE were associated with a better prognosis in patients who co-overexpressed TAZ-AXL-CTGF, and that ANO1 was an independent predictor of survival together with TAZ-AXL-CTGF. Finally, we confirmed that TAZ regulates Axl, and plays an important role in clonogenicity and non-adherent growth in vitro and tumor formation in vivo. These data suggest that TAZ could be a therapeutic

  10. Geriatric Patient Safety Indicators Based on Linked Administrative Health Data to Assess Anticoagulant-Related Thromboembolic and Hemorrhagic Adverse Events in Older Inpatients: A Study Proposal.

    PubMed

    Le Pogam, Marie-Annick; Quantin, Catherine; Reich, Oliver; Tuppin, Philippe; Fagot-Campagna, Anne; Paccaud, Fred; Peytremann-Bridevaux, Isabelle; Burnand, Bernard

    2017-05-11

    Frail older people with multiple interacting conditions, polypharmacy, and complex care needs are particularly exposed to health care-related adverse events. Among these, anticoagulant-related thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events are particularly frequent and serious in older inpatients. The growing use of anticoagulants in this population and their substantial risk of toxicity and inefficacy have therefore become an important patient safety and public health concern worldwide. Anticoagulant-related adverse events and the quality of anticoagulation management should thus be routinely assessed to improve patient safety in vulnerable older inpatients. This project aims to develop and validate a set of outcome and process indicators based on linked administrative health data (ie, insurance claims data linked to hospital discharge data) assessing older inpatient safety related to anticoagulation in both Switzerland and France, and enabling comparisons across time and among hospitals, health territories, and countries. Geriatric patient safety indicators (GPSIs) will assess anticoagulant-related adverse events. Geriatric quality indicators (GQIs) will evaluate the management of anticoagulants for the prevention and treatment of arterial or venous thromboembolism in older inpatients. GPSIs will measure cumulative incidences of thromboembolic and bleeding adverse events based on hospital discharge data linked to insurance claims data. Using linked administrative health data will improve GPSI risk adjustment on patients' conditions that are present at admission and will capture in-hospital and postdischarge adverse events. GQIs will estimate the proportion of index hospital stays resulting in recommended anticoagulation at discharge and up to various time frames based on the same electronic health data. The GPSI and GQI development and validation process will comprise 6 stages: (1) selection and specification of candidate indicators, (2) definition of administrative data

  11. Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor R and Z1 expression as independent prognostic indicators in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Duś-Szachniewicz, Kamila; Woźniak, Marta; Nelke, Kamil; Gamian, Elżbieta; Gerber, Hanna; Ziółkowski, Piotr

    2015-12-01

    The actions of tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are controlled by tyrosine kinases and phosphatases. Although substantial previous data have revealed the role of several protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) in various cancers, the function of protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor R (PTPRR) and protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor-type, Z polypeptide 1 (PTPRZ1) proteins in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has not been studied to date. The PTPRR and PTPRZ1 immunoreactivity in 67 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded oral cancer tissues at different stages were analyzed with the technique of immunohistochemistry (IHC). The presence of PTPRR in cancerous tissue was confirmed by Western blotting. The occurrence of PTPRR and PTPRZ1 proteins in the cancer specimens was more frequent in lower grade tumors. In addition, the association between the immunoreactivity of both examined proteins and improved patients survival was detected. Moreover, the PTPRR expression was found to be related to the absence of synchronous lymph node involvement. The above results indicate that the PTPRR and PTPRZ1 protein expression should be monitored in oral cancer for patients' prognostic stratification. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Circulating FABP4 is a prognostic biomarker in patients with acute coronary syndrome but not in asymptomatic individuals.

    PubMed

    Reiser, Hans; Klingenberg, Roland; Hof, Danielle; Cooksley-Decasper, Seraina; Fuchs, Nina; Akhmedov, Alexander; Zoller, Stefan; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Marti Soler, Helena; Heg, Dik; Landmesser, Ulf; Rodondi, Nicolas; Mach, Francois; Windecker, Stephan; Vollenweider, Peter; Matter, Christian M; Lüscher, Thomas F; von Eckardstein, Arnold; Gawinecka, Joanna

    2015-08-01

    Blood-borne biomarkers reflecting atherosclerotic plaque burden have great potential to improve clinical management of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Using data integration from gene expression profiling of coronary thrombi versus peripheral blood mononuclear cells and proteomic analysis of atherosclerotic plaque-derived secretomes versus healthy tissue secretomes, we identified fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) as a biomarker candidate for coronary artery disease. Its diagnostic and prognostic performance was validated in 3 different clinical settings: (1) in a cross-sectional cohort of patients with stable coronary artery disease, ACS, and healthy individuals (n=820), (2) in a nested case-control cohort of patients with ACS with 30-day follow-up (n=200), and (3) in a population-based nested case-control cohort of asymptomatic individuals with 5-year follow-up (n=414). Circulating FABP4 was marginally higher in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (24.9 ng/mL) compared with controls (23.4 ng/mL; P=0.01). However, elevated FABP4 was associated with adverse secondary cerebrovascular or cardiovascular events during 30-day follow-up after index ACS, independent of age, sex, renal function, and body mass index (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.5; P=0.02). Circulating FABP4 predicted adverse events with similar prognostic performance as the GRACE in-hospital risk score or N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide. Finally, no significant difference between baseline FABP4 was found in asymptomatic individuals with or without coronary events during 5-year follow-up. Circulating FABP4 may prove useful as a prognostic biomarker in risk stratification of patients with ACS. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  13. Distributed Prognostics based on Structural Model Decomposition

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daigle, Matthew J.; Bregon, Anibal; Roychoudhury, I.

    2014-01-01

    Within systems health management, prognostics focuses on predicting the remaining useful life of a system. In the model-based prognostics paradigm, physics-based models are constructed that describe the operation of a system and how it fails. Such approaches consist of an estimation phase, in which the health state of the system is first identified, and a prediction phase, in which the health state is projected forward in time to determine the end of life. Centralized solutions to these problems are often computationally expensive, do not scale well as the size of the system grows, and introduce a single point of failure. In this paper, we propose a novel distributed model-based prognostics scheme that formally describes how to decompose both the estimation and prediction problems into independent local subproblems whose solutions may be easily composed into a global solution. The decomposition of the prognostics problem is achieved through structural decomposition of the underlying models. The decomposition algorithm creates from the global system model a set of local submodels suitable for prognostics. Independent local estimation and prediction problems are formed based on these local submodels, resulting in a scalable distributed prognostics approach that allows the local subproblems to be solved in parallel, thus offering increases in computational efficiency. Using a centrifugal pump as a case study, we perform a number of simulation-based experiments to demonstrate the distributed approach, compare the performance with a centralized approach, and establish its scalability. Index Terms-model-based prognostics, distributed prognostics, structural model decomposition ABBREVIATIONS

  14. A dexamethasone-regulated gene signature is prognostic for poor survival in glioblastoma patients

    PubMed Central

    Luedi, Markus M.; Singh, Sanjay K.; Mosley, Jennifer C.; Hatami, Masumeh; Gumin, Joy; Sulman, Erik P.; Lang, Frederick F.; Stueber, Frank; Zinn, Pascal O.; Colen, Rivka R.

    2016-01-01

    Background Dexamethasone is reported to induce both tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting effects. The purpose of this study was to identify the genomic impact of dexamethasone in glioblastoma stem cell (GSC) lines and its prognostic value; furthermore, to identify drugs that can counter these side effects of dexamethasone exposure. Methods We utilized three independent GSC lines with tumorigenic potential for this study. Whole-genome expression profiling and pathway analyses were done with dexamethasone-exposed and control cells. GSCs were also co-exposed to dexamethasone and temozolomide. Risk scores were calculated for most affected genes, and their associations with survival in TCGA and REMBRANDT databases. In silico connectivity Map analysis identified camptothecin as antagonist to dexamethasone induced negative effects. Results Pathway analyses predicted an activation of dexamethasone network (z-score:2.908). Top activated canonical pathways included ‘role of BRCA1 in DNA damage response’ (p=1.07E-04). GSCs were protected against temozolomide-induced apoptosis when co-incubated with dexamethasone. Altered cellular functions included cell-movement, cell-survival, and apoptosis with z-scores of 2.815, 5.137, and −3.122 respectively. CEBPB was activated in a dose dependent manner specifically in slow-dividing ‘stem-like’ cells. CEBPB was activated in dexamethasone-treated orthotopic tumors. Patients with high risk score had significantly shorter survival. Camptothecin was validated as potential partial neutralizer of dexamethasone effects. Conclusions Dexamethasone exposure induces a genetic program and CEBPB expression in GSCs that adversely affects key cellular functions and response to therapeutics. High risk scores associated with these genes have negative prognostic value. Our findings further suggest camptothecin as a potential neutralizer of adverse dexamethasone-mediated effects. PMID:27653222

  15. Prechemotherapy neutrophil : lymphocyte ratio is superior to the platelet : lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic indicator for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Ji, W H; Jiang, Y H; Ji, Y L; Li, B; Mao, W M

    2016-07-01

    prechemotherapy platelet to lymphocyte ratio ≤30 to preoperative platelet to lymphocyte ratio ≤130 group. In conclusions, prechemotherapy neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and, as an adverse prognostic predictor, increased prechemotherapy neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is superior to platelet to lymphocyte ratio. Maintaining a low neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio throughout treatment is a predictor of better OS. © 2015 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

  16. Electroretinography is a prognostic indicator for postoperative vision in dogs undergoing retinal reattachment surgery.

    PubMed

    Hoffman, Allison; Sisler, Steve; Pappania, Marie; Hsu, Kimberly; Ross, Maya; Ofri, Ron

    2018-05-01

    To determine whether pre-operative electroretinography (ERG) predicts postoperative vision in dogs undergoing retinal reattachment surgery (RRS). This 18-month prospective study recorded signalment, duration, cause, and extent of retinal detachment and pre-operative vision status. Rod and mixed rod-cone ERG responses were recorded prior to RRS. Referring veterinary ophthalmologists assessed vision 2 months postoperatively. Thirty dogs (40 affected eyes) aged 4 months to 12.1 years were included. The detachment extent was 150 ° -320 ° in 15 of 40 eyes, 360 ° in 24 of 40 eyes, and not recorded in one eye. Most dogs had a genetic predisposition for retinal detachment. Eight eyes of seven dogs had previous cataract surgery. Mean estimated duration of detachment prior to surgery was 24.5 ± 19.6 days. Pre-operatively, 34 of 40 eyes were blind, two of 40 eyes were sighted, and four of 40 eyes had severely diminished vision. Compared to normative ERG values in our clinics, pre-operative ERGs were classified as "normal" in five of 40 eyes, "attenuated" in seven of 40 eyes, and "flat" in 28 of 40 eyes. Following RRS, the retina was fully reattached in all operated eyes. Two-month postoperatively, 30 of 40 eyes had "normal" vision as defined by referring veterinary ophthalmologists, six of 40 eyes had "limited" or "diminished" vision and four of 40 eyes were blind. Normal vision was regained in 12 of 12 (100%) of eyes with normal or attenuated pre-operative ERG's, but only in 18 of 28 (64%) of eyes with flat pre-operative ERG 's (Linear-by-linear test, P = 0.029). A recordable pre-operative ERG, even if attenuated, is associated with return of vision in canine RRS patients, and is a favorable prognostic indicator. © 2017 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

  17. Prognostic significance of anaplasia and angiogenesis in childhood medulloblastoma: a pediatric oncology group study.

    PubMed

    Ozer, Erdener; Sarialioglu, Faik; Cetingoz, Riza; Yüceer, Nurullah; Cakmakci, Handan; Ozkal, Sermin; Olgun, Nur; Uysal, Kamer; Corapcioglu, Funda; Canda, Serefettin

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate whether quantitative assessment of cytologic anaplasia and angiogenesis may predict the clinical prognosis in medulloblastoma and stratify the patients to avoid both undertreatment and overtreatment. Medulloblastomas from 23 patients belonging to the Pediatric Oncology Group were evaluated with respect to some prognostic variables, including histologic assessment of nodularity and desmoplasia, grading of anaplasia, measurement of nuclear size, mitotic cell count, quantification of angiogenesis, including vascular surface density (VSD) and microvessel number (NVES), and immunohistochemical scoring of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Univariate and multivariate analyses for prognostic indicators for survival were performed. Univariate analysis revealed that extensive nodularity was a significant favorable prognostic factor, whereas the presence of anaplasia, increased nuclear size, mitotic rate, VSD, and NVES were significant unfavorable prognostic factors. Using multivariate analysis, increased nuclear size was found to be an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for survival. Neither the presence of desmoplasia nor VEGF expression was significantly related to patient survival. Although care must be taken not to overstate the importance of the results of this single-institution preliminary report, pathologic grading of medulloblastomas with respect to grading of anaplasia and quantification of nodularity, nuclear size, and microvessel profiles may be clinically useful for the treatment of medulloblastomas. Further validation of the independent prognostic significance of nuclear size in stratifying patients is required.

  18. Prognostic Value of Coronary Computed Tomography Imaging in Patients at High Risk Without Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease.

    PubMed

    Dedic, Admir; Ten Kate, Gert-Jan R; Roos, Cornelis J; Neefjes, Lisan A; de Graaf, Michiel A; Spronk, Angela; Delgado, Victoria; van Lennep, Jeanine E Roeters; Moelker, Adriaan; Ouhlous, Mohamed; Scholte, Arthur J H A; Boersma, Eric; Sijbrands, Eric J G; Nieman, Koen; Bax, Jeroen J; de Feijter, Pim J

    2016-03-01

    At present, traditional risk factors are used to guide cardiovascular management of asymptomatic subjects. Intensified surveillance may be warranted in those identified as high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aims to determine the prognostic value of coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography (CCTA) next to the coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in patients at high CVD risk without symptoms suspect for coronary artery disease (CAD). A total of 665 patients at high risk (mean age 56 ± 9 years, 417 men), having at least one important CVD risk factor (diabetes mellitus, familial hypercholesterolemia, peripheral artery disease, or severe hypertension) or a calculated European systematic coronary risk evaluation of >10% were included from outpatient clinics at 2 academic centers. Follow-up was performed for the occurrence of adverse events including all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or coronary revascularization. During a median follow-up of 3.0 (interquartile range 1.3 to 4.1) years, adverse events occurred in 40 subjects (6.0%). By multivariate analysis, adjusted for age, gender, and CACS, obstructive CAD on CCTA (≥50% luminal stenosis) was a significant predictor of adverse events (hazard ratio 5.9 [CI 1.3 to 26.1]). Addition of CCTA to age, gender, plus CACS, increased the C statistic from 0.81 to 0.84 and resulted in a total net reclassification index of 0.19 (p <0.01). In conclusion, CCTA has incremental prognostic value and risk reclassification benefit beyond CACS in patients without CAD symptoms but with high risk of developing CVD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Protein electrophoresis as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in raptor medicine.

    PubMed

    Tatum, L M; Zaias, J; Mealey, B K; Cray, C; Bossart, G D

    2000-12-01

    Plasma proteins of 139 healthy adult birds of prey from 10 species were separated by electrophoresis to characterize and document normal reference ranges and species-specific electrophoretic patternsand to evaluate the value of this technique for health screening, disease diagnosis, and prognostic indication. Species studied included bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), barn owl (Tyto alba), great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), Harris' hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus), Stellar's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus), barred owl (Strix varia), screech owl (Otus asio), and black vulture (Coragyps atratus). Several clinical cases show the diagnostic/therapeutic value of protein electrophoresis in raptors. This study establishes species-specific reference ranges for several birds of prey and discusses the benefit of electrophoresis as a diagnostic technique in health screens, as a diagnostic aid in conjunction with other tests, and as a prognostic indicator in clinical evaluation of raptors.

  20. Prognostic significance of surgical extranodal extension in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients.

    PubMed

    Matsumoto, Fumihiko; Mori, Taisuke; Matsumura, Satoko; Matsumoto, Yoshifumi; Fukasawa, Masahiko; Teshima, Masanori; Kobayashi, Kenya; Yoshimoto, Seiichi

    2017-08-01

    Lymph node metastasis with extranodal extension represents one of the most important adverse prognostic factors for survival in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We propose that extranodal extension occurs to differing extents. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of extranodal extension in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Two hundred and ninety-eight patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who underwent surgical resection and neck dissection were included. Cervical lymph nodes were classified into four categories: (i) pathological N negative, (ii) extranodal extension negative, (iii) non-surgical extranodal extension and (iv) surgical extranodal extension. Lymph node metastases were detected in 67.1% of laryngeal/hypopharyngeal cancer patients and 52.7% of oral cancer patients. The 3-year disease-specific survival rates for patients in the pathological N negative, extranodal extension negative, non-surgical extranodal extension and surgical extranodal extension groups were 90.9%, 79.6%, 63.8% and 48.3%, respectively. In laryngeal/hypopharyngeal cancer patients, surgical extranodal extension was associated with a significantly poorer disease-specific survival than a pathological N negative, extranodal extension negative or non-surgical extranodal extension status. In oral cancer patients, no significant differences were observed between the non-surgical and surgical extranodal extension groups. However, non-surgical extranodal extension was associated with a poorer disease-specific survival than a pathological N negative or extranodal extension negative status. Surgical extranodal extension was a poor prognostic factor in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The prognostic significance of surgical extranodal extension differed between laryngeal/hypopharyngeal and oral cancer patients. The clinical significance of surgical extranodal extension was much greater for

  1. Prognostic role of ABO blood type in patients with extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma, nasal type: a triple-center study.

    PubMed

    Li, Ya-Jun; Yi, Ping-Yong; Li, Ji-Wei; Liu, Xian-Ling; Tang, Tian; Zhang, Pei-Ying; Jiang, Wen-Qi

    2017-07-31

    The prognostic significance of ABO blood type for lymphoma is largely unknown. We evaluated the prognostic role of ABO blood type in patients with extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL). We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 697 patients with newly diagnosed ENKTL from three cancer centers. The prognostic value of ABO blood type was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models. The prognostic values of the International Prognostic Index (IPI) and the Korean Prognostic Index (KPI) were also evaluated. Compared with patients with blood type O, those with blood type non-O tended to display elevated baseline serum C-reactive protein levels (P = 0.038), lower rate of complete remission (P = 0.005), shorter progression-free survival (PFS, P < 0.001), and shorter overall survival (OS, P = 0.001). Patients with blood type O/AB had longer PFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P = 0.001) compared with those with blood type A/B. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that age >60 years (P < 0.001), mass ≥5 cm (P = 0.001), stage III/IV (P < 0.001), elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (P = 0.001), and blood type non-O were independent adverse predictors of OS (P = 0.001). ABO blood type was found to be superior to both the IPI in discriminating patients with different outcomes in the IPI low-risk group and the KPI in distinguishing between the intermediate-to-low- and high-to-intermediate-risk groups. ABO blood type was an independent predictor of clinical outcome for patients with ENKTL.

  2. HOXB2 as a novel prognostic indicator for stage I lung adenocarcinomas.

    PubMed

    Inamura, Kentauro; Togashi, Yuki; Okui, Michiyo; Ninomiya, Hironori; Hiramatsu, Miyako; Satoh, Yukitoshi; Okumura, Sakae; Nakagawa, Ken; Shimoji, Takashi; Noda, Tetsuo; Ishikawa, Yuichi

    2007-09-01

    Outcomes of patients with lung adenocarcinomas can be predicted to some extent from the pathologic stage (p-stage). Although all attempts are made to fully remove cancer lesions, still a number of p-stage I patients without metastatic disease at the time of surgery develop recurrences and die of cancer. It is thus very important to identify p-stage I patients who are at risk of recurrence. Previously, using microdissected samples, we identified metastasis-related genes. Using real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis, we investigated the transcriptional levels of the top metastasis-related genes using 96 independent test lung adenocarcinoma samples and investigated their correlations with the prognosis. We document evidence that p-stage I patients with HOXB2 up-regulation have a worse prognosis than those with HOXB2 down-regulation (p = 0.0065), whereas the HOXB2 status has no prognostic significance for p-stage II-IV patients. Comparing tumors and corresponding normal lung tissue, we confirmed HOXB2 up-regulated lesions to have much higher HOXB2 expression than the corresponding normal tissue. Confirmation with a larger number of samples is needed, with further research to clarify the molecular functions of HOXB2.

  3. Cost-Utility of a Prognostic Test Guiding Adjuvant Chemotherapy Decisions in Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

    PubMed

    Stenehjem, David D; Bellows, Brandon K; Yager, Kraig M; Jones, Joshua; Kaldate, Rajesh; Siebert, Uwe; Brixner, Diana I

    2016-02-01

    A prognostic test was developed to guide adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) decisions in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) adenocarcinomas. The objective of this study was to compare the cost-utility of the prognostic test to the current standard of care (SoC) in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Lifetime costs (2014 U.S. dollars) and effectiveness (quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs]) of ACT treatment decisions were examined using a Markov microsimulation model from a U.S. third-party payer perspective. Cancer stage distribution and probability of receiving ACT with the SoC were based on data from an academic cancer center. The probability of receiving ACT with the prognostic test was estimated from a physician survey. Risk classification was based on the 5-year predicted NSCLC-related mortality. Treatment benefit with ACT was based on the prognostic score. Discounting at a 3% annual rate was applied to costs and QALYs. Deterministic one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses examined parameter uncertainty. Lifetime costs and effectiveness were $137,403 and 5.45 QALYs with the prognostic test and $127,359 and 5.17 QALYs with the SoC. The resulting incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for the prognostic test versus the SoC was $35,867/QALY gained. One-way sensitivity analyses indicated the model was most sensitive to the utility of patients without recurrence after ACT and the ACT treatment benefit. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated the prognostic test was cost-effective in 65.5% of simulations at a willingness to pay of $50,000/QALY. The study suggests using a prognostic test to guide ACT decisions in early-stage NSCLC is potentially cost-effective compared with using the SoC based on globally accepted willingness-to-pay thresholds. Providing prognostic information to decision makers may help some patients with high-risk early stage non-small cell lung cancer receive appropriate adjuvant chemotherapy while avoiding the associated toxicities and

  4. lncRNA co-expression network model for the prognostic analysis of acute myeloid leukemia

    PubMed Central

    Pan, Jia-Qi; Zhang, Yan-Qing; Wang, Jing-Hua; Xu, Ping; Wang, Wei

    2017-01-01

    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous hematologic malignancy with great variability of prognostic behaviors. Previous studies have reported that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in AML and may thus be used as potential prognostic biomarkers. However, thus use of lncRNAs as prognostic biomarkers in AML and their detailed mechanisms of action in this disease have not yet been well characterized. For this purpose, in the present study, the expression levels of lncRNAs and mRNAs were calculated using the RNA-seq V2 data for AML, following which a lncRNA-lncRNA co-expression network (LLCN) was constructed. This revealed a total of 8 AML prognosis-related lncRNA modules were identified, which displayed a significant correlation with patient survival (p≤0.05). Subsequently, a prognosis-related lncRNA module pathway network was constructed to interpret the functional mechanism of the prognostic modules in AML. The results indicated that these prognostic modules were involved in the AML pathway, chemokine signaling pathway and WNT signaling pathway, all of which play important roles in AML. Furthermore, the investigation of lncRNAs in these prognostic modules suggested that an lncRNA (ZNF571-AS1) may be involved in AML via the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway by regulating KIT and STAT5. The results of the present study not only provide potential lncRNA modules as prognostic biomarkers, but also provide further insight into the molecular mechanisms of action of lncRNAs. PMID:28204819

  5. An inflammation-based cumulative prognostic score system in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma in rituximab era.

    PubMed

    Sun, Feifei; Zhu, Jia; Lu, Suying; Zhen, Zijun; Wang, Juan; Huang, Junting; Ding, Zonghui; Zeng, Musheng; Sun, Xiaofei

    2018-01-02

    Systemic inflammatory parameters are associated with poor outcomes in malignant patients. Several inflammation-based cumulative prognostic score systems were established for various solid tumors. However, there is few inflammation based cumulative prognostic score system for patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We retrospectively reviewed 564 adult DLBCL patients who had received rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (R-CHOP) therapy between Nov 1 2006 and Dec 30 2013 and assessed the prognostic significance of six systemic inflammatory parameters evaluated in previous studies by univariate and multivariate analysis:C-reactive protein(CRP), albumin levels, the lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR), the platelet-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)and fibrinogen levels. Multivariate analysis identified CRP, albumin levels and the LMR are three independent prognostic parameters for overall survival (OS). Based on these three factors, we constructed a novel inflammation-based cumulative prognostic score (ICPS) system. Four risk groups were formed: group ICPS = 0, ICPS = 1, ICPS = 2 and ICPS = 3. Advanced multivariate analysis indicated that the ICPS model is a prognostic score system independent of International Prognostic Index (IPI) for both progression-free survival (PFS) (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001). The 3-year OS for patients with ICPS =0, ICPS =1, ICPS =2 and ICPS =3 were 95.6, 88.2, 76.0 and 62.2%, respectively (p < 0.001). The 3-year PFS for patients with ICPS = 0-1, ICPS = 2 and ICPS = 3 were 84.8, 71.6 and 54.5%, respectively (p < 0.001). The prognostic value of the ICPS model indicated that the degree of systemic inflammatory status was associated with clinical outcomes of patients with DLBCL in rituximab era. The ICPS model was shown to classify risk groups more accurately than any single inflammatory prognostic parameters. These findings may be

  6. Pneumococcal pneumonia - Are the new severity scores more accurate in predicting adverse outcomes?

    PubMed

    Ribeiro, C; Ladeira, I; Gaio, A R; Brito, M C

    2013-01-01

    The site-of-care decision is one of the most important factors in the management of patients with community-acquired pneumonia. The severity scores are validated prognostic tools for community-acquired pneumonia mortality and treatment site decision. The aim of this paper was to compare the discriminatory power of four scores - the classic PSI and CURB65 ant the most recent SCAP and SMART-COP - in predicting major adverse events: death, ICU admission, need for invasive mechanical ventilation or vasopressor support in patients admitted with pneumococcal pneumonia. A five year retrospective study of patients admitted for pneumococcal pneumonia. Patients were stratified based on admission data and assigned to low-, intermediate-, and high-risk classes for each score. Results were obtained comparing low versus non-low risk classes. We studied 142 episodes of hospitalization with 2 deaths and 10 patients needing mechanical ventilation and vasopressor support. The majority of patients were classified as low risk by all scores - we found high negative predictive values for all adverse events studied, the most negative value corresponding to the SCAP score. The more recent scores showed better accuracy for predicting ICU admission and need for ventilation or vasopressor support (mostly for the SCAP score with higher AUC values for all adverse events). The rate of all adverse outcomes increased directly with increasing risk class in all scores. The new gravity scores appear to have a higher discriminatory power in all adverse events in our study, particularly, the SCAP score. Copyright © 2012 Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  7. A study of different indicators of Maillard reaction with whey proteins and different carbohydrates under adverse storage conditions.

    PubMed

    Leiva, Graciela E; Naranjo, Gabriela B; Malec, Laura S

    2017-01-15

    This study examined different indicators of each stage of Maillard reaction under adverse storage conditions in a system with whey proteins and lactose or glucose. The analysis of lysine loss by the o-phthaldialdehyde method can be considered a good indicator of the early stage, showing considerable differences in reactivity when systems with mono and disaccharides were analyzed. Capillary electrophoresis proved to be a sensitive method for evaluating the extent of glycosylation of the native proteins, providing valuable information when the loss of lysine was not significant. The estimation of the Amadori compound from the determination of total 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde would have correlate well with reactive lysine content if the advanced stages of the reaction had not been reached. For assessing the occurrence of the intermediate and final stages, the measurement of free 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde and color, proved not to be suitable for storage conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Prognostic categories and timing of negative prognostic communication from critical care physicians to family members at end-of-life in an intensive care unit.

    PubMed

    Gutierrez, Karen M

    2013-09-01

    Negative prognostic communication is often delayed in intensive care units, which limits time for families to prepare for end-of-life. This descriptive study, informed by ethnographic methods, was focused on exploring critical care physician communication of negative prognoses to families and identifying timing influences. Prognostic communication of critical care physicians to nurses and family members was observed and physicians and family members were interviewed. Physician perception of prognostic certainty, based on an accumulation of empirical data, and the perceived need for decision-making, drove the timing of prognostic communication, rather than family needs. Although prognoses were initially identified using intuitive knowledge for patients in one of the six identified prognostic categories, utilizing decision-making to drive prognostic communication resulted in delayed prognostic communication to families until end-of-life (EOL) decisions could be justified with empirical data. Providers will better meet the needs of families who desire earlier prognostic information by separating prognostic communication from decision-making and communicating the possibility of a poor prognosis based on intuitive knowledge, while acknowledging the uncertainty inherent in prognostication. This sets the stage for later prognostic discussions focused on EOL decisions, including limiting or withdrawing treatment, which can be timed when empirical data substantiate intuitive prognoses. This allows additional time for families to anticipate and prepare for end-of-life decision-making. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Prognostic discrimination in "good-risk" chronic granulocytic leukemia.

    PubMed

    Sokal, J E; Cox, E B; Baccarani, M; Tura, S; Gomez, G A; Robertson, J E; Tso, C Y; Braun, T J; Clarkson, B D; Cervantes, F

    1984-04-01

    The prognostic significance of disease features recorded at the time of diagnosis was examined among 813 patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive, nonblastic chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) collected from six European and American series. The survival pattern for this population was typical of "good-risk" patients, and median survival was 47 mo. There were multiple interrelationships among different disease features, which led to highly significant correlations with survival for some that had no primary prognostic significance, such as hematocrit. Multivariable regression analysis indicated that spleen size and the percentage of circulating blasts were the most important prognostic indicators. These features, and age, behaved as continuous variables with progressively unfavorable import at higher values. The platelet count did not influence survival significantly at values below 700 X 10(9)/liter but was increasingly unfavorable above this level. Basophils plus eosinophils over 15%, more than 5% marrow blasts, and karyotypic abnormalities in addition to the Ph1 were also significant unfavorable signs. The Cox model, generated with four variables representing percent blasts, spleen size, platelet count, and age, provided a useful representation of risk status in this population, with good fit between predicted and observed survival over more than a twofold survival range. A hazard function derived from half of the patient population successfully segregated the remainder into three groups with significantly different survival patterns. We conclude that it should be possible to identify a lower risk group of patients with a 2-yr survival of 90%, subsequent risk averaging somewhat less than 20%/yr and median survival of 5 yr, an intermediate group, and a high-risk group with a 2-yr survival of 65%, followed by a death rate of about 35%/yr and median survival of 2.5 yr.

  10. A Physics-Based Modeling Framework for Prognostic Studies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kulkarni, Chetan S.

    2014-01-01

    Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) methodologies have emerged as one of the key enablers for achieving efficient system level maintenance as part of a busy operations schedule, and lowering overall life cycle costs. PHM is also emerging as a high-priority issue in critical applications, where the focus is on conducting fundamental research in the field of integrated systems health management. The term diagnostics relates to the ability to detect and isolate faults or failures in a system. Prognostics on the other hand is the process of predicting health condition and remaining useful life based on current state, previous conditions and future operating conditions. PHM methods combine sensing, data collection, interpretation of environmental, operational, and performance related parameters to indicate systems health under its actual application conditions. The development of prognostics methodologies for the electronics field has become more important as more electrical systems are being used to replace traditional systems in several applications in the aeronautics, maritime, and automotive fields. The development of prognostics methods for electronics presents several challenges due to the great variety of components used in a system, a continuous development of new electronics technologies, and a general lack of understanding of how electronics fail. Similarly with electric unmanned aerial vehicles, electrichybrid cars, and commercial passenger aircraft, we are witnessing a drastic increase in the usage of batteries to power vehicles. However, for battery-powered vehicles to operate at maximum efficiency and reliability, it becomes crucial to both monitor battery health and performance and to predict end of discharge (EOD) and end of useful life (EOL) events. We develop an electrochemistry-based model of Li-ion batteries that capture the significant electrochemical processes, are computationally efficient, capture the effects of aging, and are of suitable

  11. Local-Level Prognostics Health Management Systems Framework for Passive AdvSMR Components. Interim Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Roy, Surajit; Hirt, Evelyn H.

    2014-09-12

    This report describes research results to date in support of the integration and demonstration of diagnostics technologies for prototypical AdvSMR passive components (to establish condition indices for monitoring) with model-based prognostics methods. The focus of the PHM methodology and algorithm development in this study is at the localized scale. Multiple localized measurements of material condition (using advanced nondestructive measurement methods), along with available measurements of the stressor environment, enhance the performance of localized diagnostics and prognostics of passive AdvSMR components and systems.

  12. Metrics for Offline Evaluation of Prognostic Performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saxena, Abhinav; Celaya, Jose; Saha, Bhaskar; Saha, Sankalita; Goebel, Kai

    2010-01-01

    Prognostic performance evaluation has gained significant attention in the past few years. Currently, prognostics concepts lack standard definitions and suffer from ambiguous and inconsistent interpretations. This lack of standards is in part due to the varied end-user requirements for different applications, time scales, available information, domain dynamics, etc. to name a few. The research community has used a variety of metrics largely based on convenience and their respective requirements. Very little attention has been focused on establishing a standardized approach to compare different efforts. This paper presents several new evaluation metrics tailored for prognostics that were recently introduced and were shown to effectively evaluate various algorithms as compared to other conventional metrics. Specifically, this paper presents a detailed discussion on how these metrics should be interpreted and used. These metrics have the capability of incorporating probabilistic uncertainty estimates from prognostic algorithms. In addition to quantitative assessment they also offer a comprehensive visual perspective that can be used in designing the prognostic system. Several methods are suggested to customize these metrics for different applications. Guidelines are provided to help choose one method over another based on distribution characteristics. Various issues faced by prognostics and its performance evaluation are discussed followed by a formal notational framework to help standardize subsequent developments.

  13. Vehicle Integrated Prognostic Reasoner (VIPR) Metric Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cornhill, Dennis; Bharadwaj, Raj; Mylaraswamy, Dinkar

    2013-01-01

    This document outlines a set of metrics for evaluating the diagnostic and prognostic schemes developed for the Vehicle Integrated Prognostic Reasoner (VIPR), a system-level reasoner that encompasses the multiple levels of large, complex systems such as those for aircraft and spacecraft. VIPR health managers are organized hierarchically and operate together to derive diagnostic and prognostic inferences from symptoms and conditions reported by a set of diagnostic and prognostic monitors. For layered reasoners such as VIPR, the overall performance cannot be evaluated by metrics solely directed toward timely detection and accuracy of estimation of the faults in individual components. Among other factors, overall vehicle reasoner performance is governed by the effectiveness of the communication schemes between monitors and reasoners in the architecture, and the ability to propagate and fuse relevant information to make accurate, consistent, and timely predictions at different levels of the reasoner hierarchy. We outline an extended set of diagnostic and prognostics metrics that can be broadly categorized as evaluation measures for diagnostic coverage, prognostic coverage, accuracy of inferences, latency in making inferences, computational cost, and sensitivity to different fault and degradation conditions. We report metrics from Monte Carlo experiments using two variations of an aircraft reference model that supported both flat and hierarchical reasoning.

  14. Chromosomal aberrations and their prognostic value in a series of 174 untreated patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia

    PubMed Central

    Nguyen-Khac, Florence; Lambert, Jerome; Chapiro, Elise; Grelier, Aurore; Mould, Sarah; Barin, Carole; Daudignon, Agnes; Gachard, Nathalie; Struski, Stéphanie; Henry, Catherine; Penther, Dominique; Mossafa, Hossein; Andrieux, Joris; Eclache, Virginie; Bilhou-Nabera, Chrystèle; Luquet, Isabelle; Terre, Christine; Baranger, Laurence; Mugneret, Francine; Chiesa, Jean; Mozziconacci, Marie-Joelle; Callet-Bauchu, Evelyne; Veronese, Lauren; Blons, Hélène; Owen, Roger; Lejeune, Julie; Chevret, Sylvie; Merle-Beral, Hélène; Leblondon, Véronique

    2013-01-01

    Waldenström's macroglobulinemia is a disease of mature B cells, the genetic basis of which is poorly understood. Few recurrent chromosomal abnormalities have been reported, and their prognostic value is not known. We conducted a prospective cytogenetic study of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and examined the prognostic value of chromosomal aberrations in an international randomized trial. The main aberrations were 6q deletions (30%), trisomy 18 (15%), 13q deletions (13%), 17p (TP53) deletions (8%), trisomy 4 (8%), and 11q (ATM) deletions (7%). There was a significant association between trisomy of chromosome 4 and trisomy of chromosome 18. Translocations involving the IGH genes were rare (<5%). Deletion of 6q and 11q, and trisomy 4, were significantly associated with adverse clinical and biological parameters. Patients with TP53 deletion had short progression-free survival and short disease-free survival. Although rare (<5%), trisomy 12 was associated with short progression-free survival. In conclusion, the cytogenetic profile of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia appears to differ from that of other B-cell lymphomas. Chromosomal abnormalities may help with diagnosis and prognostication, in conjunction with other clinical and biological characteristics. This trial is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, numbers NCT00566332 and NCT00608374. PMID:23065509

  15. High lncRNA H19 expression as prognostic indicator: data mining in female cancers and polling analysis in non-female cancers.

    PubMed

    Peng, Li; Yuan, Xiao-Qing; Liu, Zhao-Yang; Li, Wen-Ling; Zhang, Chao-Yang; Zhang, Ya-Qin; Pan, Xi; Chen, Jun; Li, Yue-Hui; Li, Guan-Cheng

    2017-01-03

    Upregulation of lncRNA H19 expression is associated with an unfavorable prognosis in some cancers. However, the prognostic value of H19 in female-specific cancers has remained uncharacterized. In this study, the prognostic power of high H19 expression in female cancer patients from the TCGA datasets was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox's proportional hazard modeling. In addition, in a meta-analysis of non-female cancer patients from TCGA datasets and 12 independent studies, hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS)/relapse-free survival (RFS)/metastasis-free survival (MFS)/progression-free survival (PFS) were pooled to assess the prognostic value of high H19 expression. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with uterine corpus cancer and higher H19 expression had a shorter OS (HR=2.710, p<0.05), while females with cervical cancer and increased H19 expression had a shorter RFS (HR=2.261, p<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high H19 expression could independently predict a poorer prognosis in cervical cancer patients (HR=4.099, p<0.05). In the meta-analysis, patients with high H19 expression showed a poorer outcome in non-female cancer (p<0.05). These results suggest that high lncRNA H19 expression is predictive of an unfavorable prognosis in two female cancers (uterine corpus endometrioid cancer and cervical cancer) as well as in non-female cancer patients.

  16. Cytogenetic prognostication within medulloblastoma subgroups.

    PubMed

    Shih, David J H; Northcott, Paul A; Remke, Marc; Korshunov, Andrey; Ramaswamy, Vijay; Kool, Marcel; Luu, Betty; Yao, Yuan; Wang, Xin; Dubuc, Adrian M; Garzia, Livia; Peacock, John; Mack, Stephen C; Wu, Xiaochong; Rolider, Adi; Morrissy, A Sorana; Cavalli, Florence M G; Jones, David T W; Zitterbart, Karel; Faria, Claudia C; Schüller, Ulrich; Kren, Leos; Kumabe, Toshihiro; Tominaga, Teiji; Shin Ra, Young; Garami, Miklós; Hauser, Peter; Chan, Jennifer A; Robinson, Shenandoah; Bognár, László; Klekner, Almos; Saad, Ali G; Liau, Linda M; Albrecht, Steffen; Fontebasso, Adam; Cinalli, Giuseppe; De Antonellis, Pasqualino; Zollo, Massimo; Cooper, Michael K; Thompson, Reid C; Bailey, Simon; Lindsey, Janet C; Di Rocco, Concezio; Massimi, Luca; Michiels, Erna M C; Scherer, Stephen W; Phillips, Joanna J; Gupta, Nalin; Fan, Xing; Muraszko, Karin M; Vibhakar, Rajeev; Eberhart, Charles G; Fouladi, Maryam; Lach, Boleslaw; Jung, Shin; Wechsler-Reya, Robert J; Fèvre-Montange, Michelle; Jouvet, Anne; Jabado, Nada; Pollack, Ian F; Weiss, William A; Lee, Ji-Yeoun; Cho, Byung-Kyu; Kim, Seung-Ki; Wang, Kyu-Chang; Leonard, Jeffrey R; Rubin, Joshua B; de Torres, Carmen; Lavarino, Cinzia; Mora, Jaume; Cho, Yoon-Jae; Tabori, Uri; Olson, James M; Gajjar, Amar; Packer, Roger J; Rutkowski, Stefan; Pomeroy, Scott L; French, Pim J; Kloosterhof, Nanne K; Kros, Johan M; Van Meir, Erwin G; Clifford, Steven C; Bourdeaut, Franck; Delattre, Olivier; Doz, François F; Hawkins, Cynthia E; Malkin, David; Grajkowska, Wieslawa A; Perek-Polnik, Marta; Bouffet, Eric; Rutka, James T; Pfister, Stefan M; Taylor, Michael D

    2014-03-20

    Medulloblastoma comprises four distinct molecular subgroups: WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4. Current medulloblastoma protocols stratify patients based on clinical features: patient age, metastatic stage, extent of resection, and histologic variant. Stark prognostic and genetic differences among the four subgroups suggest that subgroup-specific molecular biomarkers could improve patient prognostication. Molecular biomarkers were identified from a discovery set of 673 medulloblastomas from 43 cities around the world. Combined risk stratification models were designed based on clinical and cytogenetic biomarkers identified by multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses. Identified biomarkers were tested using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) on a nonoverlapping medulloblastoma tissue microarray (n = 453), with subsequent validation of the risk stratification models. Subgroup information improves the predictive accuracy of a multivariable survival model compared with clinical biomarkers alone. Most previously published cytogenetic biomarkers are only prognostic within a single medulloblastoma subgroup. Profiling six FISH biomarkers (GLI2, MYC, chromosome 11 [chr11], chr14, 17p, and 17q) on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, we can reliably and reproducibly identify very low-risk and very high-risk patients within SHH, Group 3, and Group 4 medulloblastomas. Combining subgroup and cytogenetic biomarkers with established clinical biomarkers substantially improves patient prognostication, even in the context of heterogeneous clinical therapies. The prognostic significance of most molecular biomarkers is restricted to a specific subgroup. We have identified a small panel of cytogenetic biomarkers that reliably identifies very high-risk and very low-risk groups of patients, making it an excellent tool for selecting patients for therapy intensification and therapy de-escalation in future clinical trials.

  17. Glasgow prognostic score is superior to other inflammation-based scores in predicting survival of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

    PubMed Central

    Wei, Xiaolei; Zhou, Lizhi; Wei, Qi; Zhang, Yuankun; Huang, Weimin; Feng, Ru

    2017-01-01

    Inflammation-based prognostic scores, such as the glasgow prognostic score (GPS), prognostic index (PI), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were related to survival in many solid tumors. Recent study showed that GPS can be used to predict outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, other inflammation related scores had not been reported and it also remained unknown which of them was the most useful to evaluate the survival in DLBCLs. In this retrospective study, a number of 252 newly diagnosed and histologically proven DLBCLs from January 2003 to December 2014 were included. The high GPS, high PI, high NLR, high PLR and low PNI were all associated with poor overall survival (p < 0.05) and event-free survival (p < 0.05) in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis indicated that GPS (HR = 1.781, 95% CI = 1.065–2.979, p = 0.028) remained an independent prognostic predictor in DLBCL. The c-index of GPS (0.735, 95% CI = 0.645–0.824) was greater than that of PI (0.710, 95% CI = 0.621–0.799, p = 0.602), PNI (0.600, 95% CI = 0.517–0.683, p = 0.001), PLR (0.599, 95% CI = 0.510–0.689, p = 0.029) and NLR (0.572, 95% CI = 0.503–0.642, p = 0.005) by Harrell's concordance index. Especially in DLBCLs treated with R-CHOP, GPS still remained the most powerful prognostic score when comparing with others (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively for OS and EFS). In conclusion, it is indicated that inflammation-based prognostic scores such as GPS, PI, NLR, PNI and PLR all could be used to predict the outcome of DLBCLs. Among them, GPS is the most powerful indicator in predicting survival in DLBCLs, even in the rituximab era. PMID:29100345

  18. Identifying prognostic signature in ovarian cancer using DirGenerank

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jian-Yong; Chen, Ling-Ling; Zhou, Xiong-Hui

    2017-01-01

    Identifying the prognostic genes in cancer is essential not only for the treatment of cancer patients, but also for drug discovery. However, it's still a big challenge to select the prognostic genes that can distinguish the risk of cancer patients across various data sets because of tumor heterogeneity. In this situation, the selected genes whose expression levels are statistically related to prognostic risks may be passengers. In this paper, based on gene expression data and prognostic data of ovarian cancer patients, we used conditional mutual information to construct gene dependency network in which the nodes (genes) with more out-degrees have more chances to be the modulators of cancer prognosis. After that, we proposed DirGenerank (Generank in direct netowrk) algorithm, which concerns both the gene dependency network and genes’ correlations to prognostic risks, to identify the gene signature that can predict the prognostic risks of ovarian cancer patients. Using ovarian cancer data set from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) as training data set, 40 genes with the highest importance were selected as prognostic signature. Survival analysis of these patients divided by the prognostic signature in testing data set and four independent data sets showed the signature can distinguish the prognostic risks of cancer patients significantly. Enrichment analysis of the signature with curated cancer genes and the drugs selected by CMAP showed the genes in the signature may be drug targets for therapy. In summary, we have proposed a useful pipeline to identify prognostic genes of cancer patients. PMID:28615526

  19. Comparative effectiveness of incorporating a hypothetical DCIS prognostic marker into breast cancer screening.

    PubMed

    Trentham-Dietz, Amy; Ergun, Mehmet Ali; Alagoz, Oguzhan; Stout, Natasha K; Gangnon, Ronald E; Hampton, John M; Dittus, Kim; James, Ted A; Vacek, Pamela M; Herschorn, Sally D; Burnside, Elizabeth S; Tosteson, Anna N A; Weaver, Donald L; Sprague, Brian L

    2018-02-01

    Due to limitations in the ability to identify non-progressive disease, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is usually managed similarly to localized invasive breast cancer. We used simulation modeling to evaluate the potential impact of a hypothetical test that identifies non-progressive DCIS. A discrete-event model simulated a cohort of U.S. women undergoing digital screening mammography. All women diagnosed with DCIS underwent the hypothetical DCIS prognostic test. Women with test results indicating progressive DCIS received standard breast cancer treatment and a decrement to quality of life corresponding to the treatment. If the DCIS test indicated non-progressive DCIS, no treatment was received and women continued routine annual surveillance mammography. A range of test performance characteristics and prevalence of non-progressive disease were simulated. Analysis compared discounted quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs for test scenarios to base-case scenarios without the test. Compared to the base case, a perfect prognostic test resulted in a 40% decrease in treatment costs, from $13,321 to $8005 USD per DCIS case. A perfect test produced 0.04 additional QALYs (16 days) for women diagnosed with DCIS, added to the base case of 5.88 QALYs per DCIS case. The results were sensitive to the performance characteristics of the prognostic test, the proportion of DCIS cases that were non-progressive in the model, and the frequency of mammography screening in the population. A prognostic test that identifies non-progressive DCIS would substantially reduce treatment costs but result in only modest improvements in quality of life when averaged over all DCIS cases.

  20. Added Value of Physical Performance Measures in Predicting Adverse Health-Related Events: Results from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study

    PubMed Central

    Cesari, Matteo; Kritchevsky, Stephen B; Newman, Anne B; Simonsick, Eleanor M; Harris, Tamara B; Penninx, Brenda W; Brach, Jennifer S; Tylavsky, Frances A; Satterfield, Suzanne; Bauer, Doug C; Rubin, Susan M; Visser, Marjolein; Pahor, Marco

    2009-01-01

    Objectives To determine how three different physical performance measures (PPM) combine for added utility in predicting adverse health events in elders. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study. Participants 3,024 well-functioning older persons (mean age 73.6 years). Measurements Timed gait, repeated chair stands and balance (semi- and full-tandem, and single leg stands each held for 30 seconds) tests were administered at baseline. Usual gait speed was categorized to distinguish high and low risk participants using the previously established 1 m/sec cut-point. The same population-percentile (21.3%) was used to identify cut-points for repeated chair stands (17.05 sec) and balance (53 sec) tests. Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed to evaluate the added value of PPM in predicting mortality, hospitalization, and (severe) mobility limitation events over 6.9 years of follow-up. Results Risk estimates for developing adverse health-related events were similarly large for each of the three high risk groups considered separately. A greater number of PPM scores at the high risk level was associated with a greater risk of developing adverse health-related events. When all three PPMs were considered, having only one poor performance was sufficient to indicate a highly significant higher risk of (severe) lower extremity and mortality events. Conclusion Although gait speed is considered the most important predictor of adverse health events, these findings demonstrate that poor performance on other tests of lower extremity function are equally prognostic. This suggests that chair stand and standing balance performance may be adequate substitutes when gait speed is unavailable. PMID:19207142

  1. Prognostic relevance of proliferation markers (Ki-67, PHH3) within the cross-relation of ERG translocation and androgen receptor expression in prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Goltz, Diane; Montani, Matteo; Braun, Martin; Perner, Sven; Wernert, Nicolas; Jung, Klaus; Dietel, Manfred; Stephan, Carsten; Kristiansen, Glen

    2015-12-01

    We evaluated the prognostic value of the mitosis-associated marker phosphorylated histone H3 (PHH3) and Ki-67 in prostate cancer with respect to ERG status and androgen receptor (AR) expression.PHH3 and Ki-67 expression was immunohistochemically detected and digitally quantitated in a radical prostatectomy cohort (n = 640). The results were correlated to clinicopathological parameters including biochemical recurrence times. Prognostic values of PHH3 and Ki-67 were analysed by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier statistics.In prostate cancer, mean Ki-67 and PHH3 rates were 3.40% (95%CI 3.16-3.63%) and 0.0152% (95%CI 0.0112-0.0191%), respectively.Ki-67 showed a significant correlation with Gleason scores, pT status, margin status, and AR expression, while PHH3 showed a significant correlation with Gleason scores and pT status. Univariate analyses for biochemical recurrence times demonstrated a significant prognostic value for median Ki-67 rate and for the PHH3 rate of the 90th percentile. Of importance, in patient subgroups stratified according to AR expression and ERG translocation, the prognostic power of proliferation markers PHH3 and Ki-67 was markedly enhanced in ERG translocation negative and high-level AR expressing ERG translocation positive prostate cancers.As expected, the proliferation markers PHH3 and Ki-67 predict adverse outcome of prostate cancer and have a particularly pronounced prognostic value in specific molecular subsets of prostate cancer (ERG- or AR+).

  2. Machinery health prognostics: A systematic review from data acquisition to RUL prediction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lei, Yaguo; Li, Naipeng; Guo, Liang; Li, Ningbo; Yan, Tao; Lin, Jing

    2018-05-01

    Machinery prognostics is one of the major tasks in condition based maintenance (CBM), which aims to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of machinery based on condition information. A machinery prognostic program generally consists of four technical processes, i.e., data acquisition, health indicator (HI) construction, health stage (HS) division, and RUL prediction. Over recent years, a significant amount of research work has been undertaken in each of the four processes. And much literature has made an excellent overview on the last process, i.e., RUL prediction. However, there has not been a systematic review that covers the four technical processes comprehensively. To fill this gap, this paper provides a review on machinery prognostics following its whole program, i.e., from data acquisition to RUL prediction. First, in data acquisition, several prognostic datasets widely used in academic literature are introduced systematically. Then, commonly used HI construction approaches and metrics are discussed. After that, the HS division process is summarized by introducing its major tasks and existing approaches. Afterwards, the advancements of RUL prediction are reviewed including the popular approaches and metrics. Finally, the paper provides discussions on current situation, upcoming challenges as well as possible future trends for researchers in this field.

  3. Systematic profiling of alternative splicing signature reveals prognostic predictor for ovarian cancer.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Junyong; Chen, Zuhua; Yong, Lei

    2018-02-01

    The majority of genes are alternatively spliced and growing evidence suggests that alternative splicing is modified in cancer and is associated with cancer progression. Systematic analysis of alternative splicing signature in ovarian cancer is lacking and greatly needed. We profiled genome-wide alternative splicing events in 408 ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OV) patients in TCGA. Seven types of alternative splicing events were curated and prognostic analyses were performed with predictive models and splicing network built for OV patients. Among 48,049 mRNA splicing events in 10,582 genes, we detected 2,611 alternative splicing events in 2,036 genes which were significant associated with overall survival of OV patients. Exon skip events were the most powerful prognostic factors among the seven types. The area under the curve of the receiver-operator characteristic curve for prognostic predictor, which was built with top significant alternative splicing events, was 0.937 at 2,000 days of overall survival, indicating powerful efficiency in distinguishing patient outcome. Interestingly, splicing correlation network suggested obvious trends in the role of splicing factors in OV. In summary, we built powerful prognostic predictors for OV patients and uncovered interesting splicing networks which could be underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. The adverse health effects of chronic cannabis use.

    PubMed

    Hall, Wayne; Degenhardt, Louisa

    2014-01-01

    This paper summarizes the most probable of the adverse health effects of regular cannabis use sustained over years, as indicated by epidemiological studies that have established an association between cannabis use and adverse outcomes; ruled out reverse causation; and controlled for plausible alternative explanations. We have also focused on adverse outcomes for which there is good evidence of biological plausibility. The focus is on those adverse health effects of greatest potential public health significance--those that are most likely to occur and to affect a substantial proportion of regular cannabis users. These most probable adverse effects of regular use include a dependence syndrome, impaired respiratory function, cardiovascular disease, adverse effects on adolescent psychosocial development and mental health, and residual cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Capillary refill: prognostic value in Kenyan children

    PubMed Central

    Pamba, A; Maitland, K

    2004-01-01

    Aims: To determine whether delayed capillary refill time (>3 seconds) is a useful prognostic indicator in Kenyan children admitted to hospital. Methods: A total of 4160 children admitted to Kilifi District Hospital with malaria, malarial anaemia, acute respiratory tract infection (ARI), severe anaemia (haemoglobin <50 g/l), gastroenteritis, malnutrition, meningitis, or septicaemia were studied. Results: Overall, delayed capillary refill time (dCRT), present in 346/4160 (8%) of the children, was significantly more common in fatal cases (44/189, 23%) than survivors (7.5%), and had useful prognostic value. In children admitted with malaria, gastroenteritis, or malnutrition, likelihood ratio tests suggested that dCRT was useful in identifying high risk groups for mortality, but its prognostic value in anaemia, ARI, and sepsis was unclear due to low case fatality or limited numbers. The severity features of impaired consciousness and deep breathing were significantly associated both with the presence of dCRT and fatal outcome. In children, with either of these severity features, a less stringent value of dCRT(>2 s) identified 50% of children with hypotension (systolic BP <2SD) and 40% of those requiring volume resuscitation (for metabolic acidosis). Conclusions: Although CRT is a simple bedside test, which may be used in resource poor settings as a guide to the circulatory status, dCRT should not be relied on in the absence of other features of severity. In non-severe disease, the additional presence of hypoxia, a moderately raised creatinine (>80 µmol/l), or a raised white cell count should prompt the need for fluid expansion. PMID:15383440

  6. Prognosis Research Strategy (PROGRESS) 2: prognostic factor research.

    PubMed

    Riley, Richard D; Hayden, Jill A; Steyerberg, Ewout W; Moons, Karel G M; Abrams, Keith; Kyzas, Panayiotis A; Malats, Núria; Briggs, Andrew; Schroter, Sara; Altman, Douglas G; Hemingway, Harry

    2013-01-01

    Prognostic factor research aims to identify factors associated with subsequent clinical outcome in people with a particular disease or health condition. In this article, the second in the PROGRESS series, the authors discuss the role of prognostic factors in current clinical practice, randomised trials, and developing new interventions, and explain why and how prognostic factor research should be improved.

  7. Contrasting breast cancer molecular subtypes across serial tumor progression stages: biological and prognostic implications

    PubMed Central

    Kimbung, Siker; Kovács, Anikó; Danielsson, Anna; Bendahl, Pär-Ola; Lövgren, Kristina; Stolt, Marianne Frostvik; Tobin, Nicholas P.; Lindström, Linda; Bergh, Jonas; Einbeigi, Zakaria; Fernö, Mårten; Hatschek, Thomas; Hedenfalk, Ingrid

    2015-01-01

    The relevance of the intrinsic subtypes for clinical management of metastatic breast cancer is not comprehensively established. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic significance of drifts in tumor molecular subtypes during breast cancer progression. A well-annotated cohort of 304 women with advanced breast cancer was studied. Tissue microarrays of primary tumors and synchronous lymph node metastases were constructed. Conventional biomarkers were centrally assessed and molecular subtypes were assigned following the 2013 St Gallen guidelines. Fine-needle aspirates of asynchronous metastases were transcriptionally profiled and subtyped using PAM50. Discordant expression of individual biomarkers and molecular subtypes was observed during tumor progression. Primary luminal-like tumors were relatively unstable, frequently adopting a more aggressive subtype in the metastases. Notably, loss of ER expression and a luminal to non-luminal subtype conversion was associated with an inferior post-recurrence survival. In addition, ER and molecular subtype assessed at all tumor progression stages were independent prognostic factors for post-recurrence breast cancer mortality in multivariable analyses. Our results demonstrate that drifts in tumor molecular subtypes may occur during tumor progression, conferring adverse consequences on outcome following breast cancer relapse. PMID:26375671

  8. Prognostic Disclosures to Children: A Historical Perspective.

    PubMed

    Sisk, Bryan A; Bluebond-Langner, Myra; Wiener, Lori; Mack, Jennifer; Wolfe, Joanne

    2016-09-01

    Prognostic disclosure to children has perpetually challenged clinicians and parents. In this article, we review the historical literature on prognostic disclosure to children in the United States using cancer as an illness model. Before 1948, there was virtually no literature focused on prognostic disclosure to children. As articles began to be published in the 1950s and 1960s, many clinicians and researchers initially recommended a "protective" approach to disclosure, where children were shielded from the harms of bad news. We identified 4 main arguments in the literature at this time supporting this "protective" approach. By the late 1960s, however, a growing number of clinicians and researchers were recommending a more "open" approach, where children were included in discussions of diagnosis, which at the time was often synonymous with a terminal prognosis. Four different arguments in the literature were used at this time supporting this "open" approach. Then, by the late 1980s, the recommended approach to prognostic disclosure in pediatrics shifted largely from "never tell" to "always tell." In recent years, however, there has been a growing appreciation for the complexity of prognostic disclosure in pediatrics. Current understanding of pediatric disclosure does not lead to simple "black-and-white" recommendations for disclosure practices. As with most difficult questions, we are left to balance competing factors on a case-by-case basis. We highlight 4 categories of current considerations related to prognostic disclosure in pediatrics, and we offer several approaches to prognostic disclosure for clinicians who care for these young patients and their families. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  9. Conceptualizing prognostic awareness in advanced cancer: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Applebaum, Allison J; Kolva, Elissa A; Kulikowski, Julia R; Jacobs, Jordana D; DeRosa, Antonio; Lichtenthal, Wendy G; Olden, Megan E; Rosenfeld, Barry; Breitbart, William

    2014-09-01

    This systematic review synthesizes the complex literature on prognostic awareness in cancer. A total of 37 studies examining cancer patients' understanding of their prognosis were included. Prognostic awareness definitions and assessment methods were inconsistent across studies. A surprisingly high percentage of patients (up to 75%) were unaware of their poor prognosis, and in several studies, even their cancer diagnosis (up to 96%), particularly in studies conducted outside of North America. This review highlights surprisingly low rates of prognostic awareness in patients with advanced cancer as well as discrepancies in prognostic awareness assessment, suggesting the need for empirically validated measures of prognostic awareness. © The Author(s) 2013.

  10. Conceptualizing prognostic awareness in advanced cancer: A systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Applebaum, Allison J; Kolva, Elissa A; Kulikowski, Julia R; Jacobs, Jordana D; DeRosa, Antonio; Lichtenthal, Wendy G; Olden, Megan E; Rosenfeld, Barry; Breitbart, William

    2015-01-01

    This systematic review synthesizes the complex literature on prognostic awareness in cancer. A total of 37 studies examining cancer patients’ understanding of their prognosis were included. Prognostic awareness definitions and assessment methods were inconsistent across studies. A surprisingly high percentage of patients (up to 75%) were unaware of their poor prognosis, and in several studies, even their cancer diagnosis (up to 96%), particularly in studies conducted outside of North America. This review highlights surprisingly low rates of prognostic awareness in patients with advanced cancer as well as discrepancies in prognostic awareness assessment, suggesting the need for empirically validated measures of prognostic awareness. PMID:24157936

  11. Neutrophil infiltration is a favorable prognostic factor in early stages of colon cancer.

    PubMed

    Wikberg, Maria L; Ling, Agnes; Li, Xingru; Öberg, Åke; Edin, Sofia; Palmqvist, Richard

    2017-10-01

    The tumor immune response has been proven critical to prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC), but studies on the prognostic role of neutrophil infiltration have shown contradictory results. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognostic role of infiltrating neutrophils at different intratumoral subsites and in different molecular subgroups of CRC. The relations between neutrophil infiltration and infiltration of other immune cells (T-cell and macrophage subsets) were also addressed. Expression of the neutrophil marker CD66b was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 448 archival human tumor tissue samples from patients surgically resected for CRC. The infiltration of CD66b-positive cells was semi-quantitatively evaluated along the tumor invasive front, in the tumor center, and within the tumor epithelium (intraepithelial expression). We found that poor infiltration of CD66b-positive cells in the tumor front indicated a worse patient prognosis. The prognostic significance of CD66b infiltration was found to be mainly independent of tumor molecular characteristics and maintained significance in multivariable analysis of stage I-II colon cancers. We further analyzed the prognostic impact of CD66b-positive cells in relation to other immune markers (NOS2, CD163, Tbet, FOXP3, and CD8) and found that neutrophil infiltration, even though strongly correlated to infiltration of other immune cell subsets, had additional prognostic value. In conclusion, we find that low infiltration of neutrophils in the tumor front is an independent prognostic factor for a poorer patient prognosis in early stages of colon cancers. Further studies are needed to elucidate the biological role of neutrophils in colorectal carcinogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Adverse childhood events, substance abuse, and measures of affiliation.

    PubMed

    Zlotnick, Cheryl; Tam, Tammy; Robertson, Marjorie J

    2004-08-01

    Adverse childhood events may influence later behaviors, including adulthood substance use and social affiliation. Studies have noted high prevalence rates of adverse childhood experiences and adulthood substance abuse among homeless adults. Using an existing longitudinal, countywide probability sample of 397 homeless adults, we examine the relationships among adverse childhood events on adulthood substance use, and the relationship of these variables to affiliation. Almost 75% of the sample had experienced an adverse childhood event. Path analysis indicated adulthood substance abuse mediated the inverse relationship between adverse childhood events and two measures of adulthood affiliation. Thus, although there is a relationship between adverse childhood events and adulthood substance use, it is adulthood substance use that determines most aspects of affiliation.

  13. Prognostic value of platelet-derived growth factor-A (PDGF-A) in gastric carcinoma.

    PubMed Central

    Katano, M; Nakamura, M; Fujimoto, K; Miyazaki, K; Morisaki, T

    1998-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Because our previous study indicated that PDGF-A mRNA expression in biopsy specimens might identify a subgroup of high-risk patients with gastric carcinoma, in this study we analyzed the prognostic value of platelet-derived growth factor-A (PDGF-A) gene expression in gastric carcinoma biopsy specimens. METHODS: Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze the PDGF-A gene expression in 65 gastric carcinoma endoscopic biopsy specimens. The 65 patients were divided into a PDGF-A-positive group (29 patients) and a PDGF-A-negative group (36 patients). RESULTS: On the basis of 2-year follow-up data, the PDGF-A-positive group demonstrated a shorter overall survival rate compared with the PDGF-A-negative group (p < 0.0001). A similar correlation was found in 34 advanced-stage patients (p = 0.003) and in 24 advanced-stage patients who underwent a curative resection (p = 0.003). Multivariance analysis indicated that the transcription of PDGF-A gene is a potent prognostic factor that is independent of the traditional pathologic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of PDGF-A mRNA in gastric biopsy specimens may be a new preoperative prognostic parameter in gastric carcinoma. Images Figure 1. Figure 5. PMID:9527059

  14. Cytogenetic Prognostication Within Medulloblastoma Subgroups

    PubMed Central

    Shih, David J.H.; Northcott, Paul A.; Remke, Marc; Korshunov, Andrey; Ramaswamy, Vijay; Kool, Marcel; Luu, Betty; Yao, Yuan; Wang, Xin; Dubuc, Adrian M.; Garzia, Livia; Peacock, John; Mack, Stephen C.; Wu, Xiaochong; Rolider, Adi; Morrissy, A. Sorana; Cavalli, Florence M.G.; Jones, David T.W.; Zitterbart, Karel; Faria, Claudia C.; Schüller, Ulrich; Kren, Leos; Kumabe, Toshihiro; Tominaga, Teiji; Shin Ra, Young; Garami, Miklós; Hauser, Peter; Chan, Jennifer A.; Robinson, Shenandoah; Bognár, László; Klekner, Almos; Saad, Ali G.; Liau, Linda M.; Albrecht, Steffen; Fontebasso, Adam; Cinalli, Giuseppe; De Antonellis, Pasqualino; Zollo, Massimo; Cooper, Michael K.; Thompson, Reid C.; Bailey, Simon; Lindsey, Janet C.; Di Rocco, Concezio; Massimi, Luca; Michiels, Erna M.C.; Scherer, Stephen W.; Phillips, Joanna J.; Gupta, Nalin; Fan, Xing; Muraszko, Karin M.; Vibhakar, Rajeev; Eberhart, Charles G.; Fouladi, Maryam; Lach, Boleslaw; Jung, Shin; Wechsler-Reya, Robert J.; Fèvre-Montange, Michelle; Jouvet, Anne; Jabado, Nada; Pollack, Ian F.; Weiss, William A.; Lee, Ji-Yeoun; Cho, Byung-Kyu; Kim, Seung-Ki; Wang, Kyu-Chang; Leonard, Jeffrey R.; Rubin, Joshua B.; de Torres, Carmen; Lavarino, Cinzia; Mora, Jaume; Cho, Yoon-Jae; Tabori, Uri; Olson, James M.; Gajjar, Amar; Packer, Roger J.; Rutkowski, Stefan; Pomeroy, Scott L.; French, Pim J.; Kloosterhof, Nanne K.; Kros, Johan M.; Van Meir, Erwin G.; Clifford, Steven C.; Bourdeaut, Franck; Delattre, Olivier; Doz, François F.; Hawkins, Cynthia E.; Malkin, David; Grajkowska, Wieslawa A.; Perek-Polnik, Marta; Bouffet, Eric; Rutka, James T.; Pfister, Stefan M.; Taylor, Michael D.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose Medulloblastoma comprises four distinct molecular subgroups: WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4. Current medulloblastoma protocols stratify patients based on clinical features: patient age, metastatic stage, extent of resection, and histologic variant. Stark prognostic and genetic differences among the four subgroups suggest that subgroup-specific molecular biomarkers could improve patient prognostication. Patients and Methods Molecular biomarkers were identified from a discovery set of 673 medulloblastomas from 43 cities around the world. Combined risk stratification models were designed based on clinical and cytogenetic biomarkers identified by multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses. Identified biomarkers were tested using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) on a nonoverlapping medulloblastoma tissue microarray (n = 453), with subsequent validation of the risk stratification models. Results Subgroup information improves the predictive accuracy of a multivariable survival model compared with clinical biomarkers alone. Most previously published cytogenetic biomarkers are only prognostic within a single medulloblastoma subgroup. Profiling six FISH biomarkers (GLI2, MYC, chromosome 11 [chr11], chr14, 17p, and 17q) on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, we can reliably and reproducibly identify very low-risk and very high-risk patients within SHH, Group 3, and Group 4 medulloblastomas. Conclusion Combining subgroup and cytogenetic biomarkers with established clinical biomarkers substantially improves patient prognostication, even in the context of heterogeneous clinical therapies. The prognostic significance of most molecular biomarkers is restricted to a specific subgroup. We have identified a small panel of cytogenetic biomarkers that reliably identifies very high-risk and very low-risk groups of patients, making it an excellent tool for selecting patients for therapy intensification and therapy de-escalation in future clinical trials. PMID

  15. Diazepam and halazepam in anxiety: some prognostic indicators.

    PubMed

    Rickels, K; Case, W G; Chung, H; Downing, R W; Vlahovich, J

    1978-01-01

    A multiple step-search regression procedure was applied to data obtained with 37 diazepam and 42 halazepam treated anxious outpatients. Good treatment outcome was predicted for those patients who reported a more adequate family adjustment, the presence of precipitating stress, and who either had no prior psychotropic drug treatment, or if they had received such treatment, had experienced a good response. Probably of greatest interest to the practicing clinician was the observation that patients high in initial anxiety but low in initial interpersonal problems improved the most with both medications. Differential drug effects indicated halazepam to do particularly poorly in less anxious patients and in those patients given a good prognosis by the doctor. Diazepam response was much less affected by these variables. It is speculated that the excessive sedating effect of the daily halazepam dosage (160 mg/d) used in this study may explain these differential drug effects. In the dosages employed, namely, diazepam 20 mg/d and halazepam 160 mg/d, diazepam produced the more consistent anti-anxiety effects. The indication that halazepam 160 mg/d was more effective than diazepam 20 mg/d in the initially sicker patients, while of interest, is probably simply a dose-related phenomenon, indicating that diazepam 20 mg/d was too low a daily dosage for severely anxious patients, a fact well known by most clinicians.

  16. High lncRNA H19 expression as prognostic indicator: data mining in female cancers and polling analysis in non-female cancers

    PubMed Central

    Peng, Li; Liu, Zhao-Yang; Li, Wen-Ling; Zhang, Chao-Yang; Zhang, Ya-Qin; Pan, Xi; Chen, Jun; Li, Yue-Hui

    2017-01-01

    Upregulation of lncRNA H19 expression is associated with an unfavorable prognosis in some cancers. However, the prognostic value of H19 in female-specific cancers has remained uncharacterized. In this study, the prognostic power of high H19 expression in female cancer patients from the TCGA datasets was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox's proportional hazard modeling. In addition, in a meta-analysis of non-female cancer patients from TCGA datasets and 12 independent studies, hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS)/relapse-free survival (RFS)/metastasis-free survival (MFS)/progression-free survival (PFS) were pooled to assess the prognostic value of high H19 expression. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with uterine corpus cancer and higher H19 expression had a shorter OS (HR=2.710, p<0.05), while females with cervical cancer and increased H19 expression had a shorter RFS (HR=2.261, p<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high H19 expression could independently predict a poorer prognosis in cervical cancer patients (HR=4.099, p<0.05). In the meta-analysis, patients with high H19 expression showed a poorer outcome in non-female cancer (p<0.05). These results suggest that high lncRNA H19 expression is predictive of an unfavorable prognosis in two female cancers (uterine corpus endometrioid cancer and cervical cancer) as well as in non-female cancer patients. PMID:27926484

  17. Biomarkers in Natural Fish Populations Indicate Adverse Biological Effects of Offshore Oil Production

    PubMed Central

    Balk, Lennart; Hylland, Ketil; Hansson, Tomas; Berntssen, Marc H. G.; Beyer, Jonny; Jonsson, Grete; Melbye, Alf; Grung, Merete; Torstensen, Bente E.; Børseth, Jan Fredrik; Skarphedinsdottir, Halldora; Klungsøyr, Jarle

    2011-01-01

    Background Despite the growing awareness of the necessity of a sustainable development, the global economy continues to depend largely on the consumption of non-renewable energy resources. One such energy resource is fossil oil extracted from the seabed at offshore oil platforms. This type of oil production causes continuous environmental pollution from drilling waste, discharge of large amounts of produced water, and accidental spills. Methods and principal findings Samples from natural populations of haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in two North Sea areas with extensive oil production were investigated. Exposure to and uptake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were demonstrated, and biomarker analyses revealed adverse biological effects, including induction of biotransformation enzymes, oxidative stress, altered fatty acid composition, and genotoxicity. Genotoxicity was reflected by a hepatic DNA adduct pattern typical for exposure to a mixture of PAHs. Control material was collected from a North Sea area without oil production and from remote Icelandic waters. The difference between the two control areas indicates significant background pollution in the North Sea. Conclusion It is most remarkable to obtain biomarker responses in natural fish populations in the open sea that are similar to the biomarker responses in fish from highly polluted areas close to a point source. Risk assessment of various threats to the marine fish populations in the North Sea, such as overfishing, global warming, and eutrophication, should also take into account the ecologically relevant impact of offshore oil production. PMID:21625421

  18. Biomarkers in natural fish populations indicate adverse biological effects of offshore oil production.

    PubMed

    Balk, Lennart; Hylland, Ketil; Hansson, Tomas; Berntssen, Marc H G; Beyer, Jonny; Jonsson, Grete; Melbye, Alf; Grung, Merete; Torstensen, Bente E; Børseth, Jan Fredrik; Skarphedinsdottir, Halldora; Klungsøyr, Jarle

    2011-01-01

    Despite the growing awareness of the necessity of a sustainable development, the global economy continues to depend largely on the consumption of non-renewable energy resources. One such energy resource is fossil oil extracted from the seabed at offshore oil platforms. This type of oil production causes continuous environmental pollution from drilling waste, discharge of large amounts of produced water, and accidental spills. Samples from natural populations of haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in two North Sea areas with extensive oil production were investigated. Exposure to and uptake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were demonstrated, and biomarker analyses revealed adverse biological effects, including induction of biotransformation enzymes, oxidative stress, altered fatty acid composition, and genotoxicity. Genotoxicity was reflected by a hepatic DNA adduct pattern typical for exposure to a mixture of PAHs. Control material was collected from a North Sea area without oil production and from remote Icelandic waters. The difference between the two control areas indicates significant background pollution in the North Sea. It is most remarkable to obtain biomarker responses in natural fish populations in the open sea that are similar to the biomarker responses in fish from highly polluted areas close to a point source. Risk assessment of various threats to the marine fish populations in the North Sea, such as overfishing, global warming, and eutrophication, should also take into account the ecologically relevant impact of offshore oil production.

  19. Prognostic Value of Pulmonary Vascular Resistance by Magnetic Resonance in Systolic Heart Failure

    PubMed Central

    Fabregat-Andrés, Óscar; Estornell-Erill, Jordi; Ridocci-Soriano, Francisco; Pérez-Boscá, José Leandro; García-González, Pilar; Payá-Serrano, Rafael; Morell, Salvador; Cortijo, Julio

    2016-01-01

    Background Pulmonary hypertension is associated with poor prognosis in heart failure. However, non-invasive diagnosis is still challenging in clinical practice. Objective We sought to assess the prognostic utility of non-invasive estimation of pulmonary vascular resistances (PVR) by cardiovascular magnetic resonance to predict adverse cardiovascular outcomes in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Methods Prospective registry of patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 40% and recently admitted for decompensated heart failure during three years. PVRwere calculated based on right ventricular ejection fraction and average velocity of the pulmonary artery estimated during cardiac magnetic resonance. Readmission for heart failure and all-cause mortality were considered as adverse events at follow-up. Results 105 patients (average LVEF 26.0 ±7.7%, ischemic etiology 43%) were included. Patients with adverse events at long-term follow-up had higher values of PVR (6.93 ± 1.9 vs. 4.6 ± 1.7estimated Wood Units (eWu), p < 0.001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, PVR ≥ 5 eWu(cutoff value according to ROC curve) was independently associated with increased risk of adverse events at 9 months follow-up (HR2.98; 95% CI 1.12-7.88; p < 0.03). Conclusions In patients with HFrEF, the presence of PVR ≥ 5.0 Wu is associated with significantly worse clinical outcome at follow-up. Non-invasive estimation of PVR by cardiac magnetic resonance might be useful for risk stratification in HFrEF, irrespective of etiology, presence of late gadolinium enhancement or LVEF. PMID:26840055

  20. Adverse environments and children's creativity development: transforming the notion of "success in adversity" in China.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Li; Tan, Mei; Liu, Zhengkui

    2015-01-01

    China has been undergoing great social change due to its new focus on urbanization and globalization. Such change has had a tremendous adverse impact on the living conditions of millions of young children, simultaneously generating new interest in children's creativity development. The intersection of these two issues has important implications for China's future as it brings together one of China's core cultural values-"success in adversity"-the importance of creativity, and very real social and economic needs. "Success in adversity" reflects the strongly held belief that individuals who suffer adverse environments can rise to excellence and success through persistence, effort, and creativity. In this article, we briefly explore the historical sources of this belief and how it is closely related to the Chinese conception of creativity. We then present some studies on the creativity of some of China's migrant children. Findings show that while migrant children as a group may not generally exhibit higher creativity than their urban peers as hypothesized, indications of resilience and creative potential suggest that the notion of success in adversity may contribute to the positive development of China's migrant children more substantially when it is informed by research and augmented by research-supported policy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Evaluation of the Glasgow Prognostic Score in patients receiving chemoradiotherapy for stage III and IV esophageal cancer.

    PubMed

    Kimura, J; Kunisaki, C; Makino, H; Oshima, T; Ota, M; Oba, M; Takagawa, R; Kosaka, T; Ono, H A; Akiyama, H; Endo, I

    2016-11-01

    High Glasgow Prognostic scores (GPSs) have been associated with poor outcomes in various tumors, but the values of GPS and modified GPS (mGPS) in patients with advanced esophageal cancer receiving chemoradiotherapy (CRT) has not yet been reported. We have evaluated these with respect to predicting responsiveness to CRT and long-term survival. Between January 2002 and December 2011, tumor responses in 142 esophageal cancer patients (131 men and 11 women) with stage III (A, B and C) and IV receiving CRT were assessed. We assessed the value of the GPS as a predictor of a response to definitive CRT and also as a prognostic indicator in patients with esophageal cancer receiving CRT. We found that independent predictors of CRT responsiveness were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, GPS and cTNM stage. Independent prognostic factors were ECOG performance status and GPS for progression-free survival and ECOG performance status, GPS and cTNM stage IV for disease-specific survival. GPS may be a novel predictor of CRT responsiveness and a prognostic indicator for progression-free and disease-specific survival in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. However, a multicenter study as same regime with large number of patients will be needed to confirm these outcomes. © 2015 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

  2. Prognostic Value of Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin on the First Day of Admission for Adverse Events in Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

    PubMed

    Nakada, Yasuki; Kawakami, Rika; Matsui, Masaru; Ueda, Tomoya; Nakano, Tomoya; Takitsume, Akihiro; Nakagawa, Hitoshi; Nishida, Taku; Onoue, Kenji; Soeda, Tsunenari; Okayama, Satoshi; Watanabe, Makoto; Kawata, Hiroyuki; Okura, Hiroyuki; Saito, Yoshihiko

    2017-05-18

    Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (U-NGAL) is an early predictor of acute kidney injury and adverse events in various diseases; however, in acute decompensated heart failure patients, its significance remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of U-NGAL on the first day of admission for the occurrence of acute kidney injury and long-term outcomes in acute decompensated heart failure patients. We studied 260 acute decompensated heart failure patients admitted to our department between 2011 and 2014 by measuring U-NGAL in 24-hour urine samples collected on the first day of admission. Primary end points were all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and heart failure admission. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their median U-NGAL levels (32.5 μg/gCr). The high-U-NGAL group had a significantly higher occurrence of acute kidney injury during hospitalization than the low-U-NGAL group ( P =0.0012). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the high-U-NGAL group exhibited a worse prognosis than the low-U-NGAL group in all-cause death (hazard ratio 2.07; 95%CI 1.38-3.12, P =0.0004), cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 2.29; 95%CI 1.28-4.24, P =0.0052), and heart failure admission (hazard ratio 1.77; 95%CI 1.13-2.77, P =0.0119). The addition of U-NGAL to the estimated glomerular filtration rate significantly improved the predictive accuracy of all-cause mortality ( P =0.0083). In acute decompensated heart failure patients, an elevated U-NGAL level on the first day of admission was related to the development of clinical acute kidney injury and independently associated with poor prognosis. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  3. Standardizing the definition of adverse pathology for lower risk men undergoing radical prostatectomy.

    PubMed

    Kozminski, Michael A; Tomlins, Scott; Cole, Adam; Singhal, Udit; Lu, Louis; Skolarus, Ted A; Palapattu, Ganesh S; Montgomery, Jeffrey S; Weizer, Alon Z; Mehra, Rohit; Hollenbeck, Brent K; Miller, David C; He, Chang; Feng, Felix Y; Morgan, Todd M

    2016-09-01

    Numerous definitions of adverse pathology at radical prostatectomy (RP) have been proposed and implemented for both research and clinical care, and there is tremendous variation in the specific criteria used to define adverse pathology in these settings. Given the current landscape in which magnetic resonance imaging criteria and biomarker cutoffs are validated for disparate adverse pathology definitions, we sought to identify which of these is most closely tied to biochemical recurrence (BCR) after RP. A total of 2,837 patients who underwent RP at a single institution for localized prostate cancer (PCa) were included. We evaluated the following existing definitions of adverse pathology at RP: (1) Gleason score ≥7, (2) primary Gleason pattern ≥4, (3) Gleason score ≥7 or pathologic stage T3-4, (4) pathologic stage T3-4, (5) primary Gleason pattern ≥4 or pathologic stage T3-4. The primary outcome measure was BCR. Multiple statistical techniques were used to assess BCR prediction. Of the 5 definitions assessed, 1 (primary Gleason pattern ≥4 or pathologic stage T3-4, 540 patients [19% of cohort]) consistently outperformed the other definitions across all statistical measures. Additionally, a total of only 13 (6.6%) and 34 (10.3%) men with very-low-risk and low-risk cancer per National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline, respectively, met this definition of adverse pathology at the time of RP. Varying definitions of adverse pathology differ in their prognostic performance. The criteria defined by either primary Gleason pattern ≥4 or pT3-4 disease appears to most accurately predict BCR in this subset of patients with lower risk PCa at the time of diagnosis. Additionally, men with very-low-risk or low-risk PCa per National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines are relatively unlikely to have adverse pathology at the time of surgical resection. These data may help inform the use of imaging and molecular markers as well as the intensity of surveillance in

  4. Incorporating prognostic imaging biomarkers into clinical practice

    PubMed Central

    Miles, Kenneth A.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract A prognostic imaging biomarker can be defined as an imaging characteristic that is objectively measurable and provides information on the likely outcome of the cancer disease in an untreated individual and should be distinguished from predictive imaging biomarkers and imaging markers of response. A range of tumour characteristics of potential prognostic value can be measured using a variety imaging modalities. However, none has currently been adopted into routine clinical practice. This article considers key examples of emerging prognostic imaging biomarkers and proposes an evaluation framework that aims to demonstrate clinical efficacy and so support their introduction into the clinical arena. With appropriate validation within an established evaluation framework, prognostic imaging biomarkers have the potential to contribute to individualized cancer care, in some cases reducing the financial burden of expensive cancer treatments by facilitating their more rational use. PMID:24060808

  5. Early warning score independently predicts adverse outcome and mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis.

    PubMed

    Jones, Michael J; Neal, Christopher P; Ngu, Wee Sing; Dennison, Ashley R; Garcea, Giuseppe

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic value of established scoring systems with early warning scores in a large cohort of patients with acute pancreatitis. In patients presenting with acute pancreatitis, age, sex, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) grade, Modified Glasgow Score, Ranson criteria, APACHE II scores and early warning score (EWS) were recorded for the first 72 h following admission. These variables were compared between survivors and non-survivors, between patients with mild/moderate and severe pancreatitis (based on the 2012 Atlanta Classification) and between patients with a favourable or adverse outcome. A total of 629 patients were identified. EWS was the best predictor of adverse outcome amongst all of the assessed variables (area under curve (AUC) values 0.81, 0.84 and 0.83 for days 1, 2 and 3, respectively) and was the most accurate predictor of mortality on both days 2 and 3 (AUC values of 0.88 and 0.89, respectively). Multivariable analysis revealed that an EWS ≥2 was independently associated with severity of pancreatitis, adverse outcome and mortality. This study confirms the usefulness of EWS in predicting the outcome of acute pancreatitis. It should become the mainstay of risk stratification in patients with acute pancreatitis.

  6. Prognostic value of tripartite motif containing 29 expression in patients with gastric cancer following surgical resection.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chenghu; Zhou, Yi; Chen, Beibei; Yuan, Weiwei; Huang, Jinxi

    2018-04-01

    Tripartite motif containing 29 (TRIM29) dysregulation serves an important function in the progression of numerous types of cancer, but its function in the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer remains unknown. The present study assessed the prognostic value of TRIM29 in patients with gastric cancer following surgical resection. A total of 243 fresh gastric adenocarcinoma and adjacent normal tissues were continuously retrieved from patients who underwent curative surgery for gastric cancer at the Cancer Hospital of Henan Province (Zhengzhou, China) between January 2005 and December 2011. The reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to assess TRIM29 expression. The association between TRIM29 expression and clinicopathological features and prognosis was subsequently evaluated. The results of the present study revealed that the expression of TRIM29 was increased in the gastric cancer tissues compared with the normal adjacent tissues, and that upregulated expression of TRIM29 was associated with tumor cell differentiation, tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. In the training and validation data, high TRIM29 expression was associated with poor overall survival in patients with gastric cancer. Furthermore, multivariate analysis identified that TRIM29 expression was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival, in addition to TNM stage and Lauren classification. Combining TRIM29 expression with the TNM staging system generated a novel predictive model that exhibited improved prognostic accuracy for overall survival in patients with gastric cancer. The present study revealed that TRIM29 was an independent adverse prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer. Incorporating TRIM29 expression level into the TNM staging system may improve risk stratification and render prognosis more accurate in patients with gastric cancer.

  7. Prognostic significance of extranodal extension in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cN0 patients with occult metastatic neck nodes.

    PubMed

    Lop, Joan; Rigó, Antoni; Codina, Alberto; de Juan, Julia; Quer, Miquel; León, Xavier

    Extranodal extension in nodal metastases is an independent adverse prognostic factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. However, few studies specifically address the subgroup of patients with no clinical evidence of nodal disease. We retrospectively analysed data from 348 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients without any previous treatment and lacking clinical or radiological evidence of neck node metastases during the initial workup, treated with an elective neck dissection between 1992-2014. The incidence of occult metastatic neck nodes with extranodal extension and the impact of extranodal extension in survival were evaluated. The proportion of patients with occult neck node metastases was 33%. Of these, 23.5% had at least one metastatic neck node with extranodal extension. There were significant differences in the disease-specific survival rate according to neck node status. Five-year disease-specific survival for patients without histopathological metastases was 90%, for patients with occult neck node metastases without extranodal extension it was 71.2%, and for patients with occult neck node metastases with extranodal extension it was 25.9% (P=.0001). The multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of occult node metastases with extranodal extension was the factor with strongest impact on survival. The inclusion of the extranodal extension as a criterion of histopathological evaluation in the 8th TNM classification edition improves the prognostic capacity compared to previous TNM editions. Appearance of metastatic neck nodes with extranodal extension is an adverse prognostic factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients without clinical evidence of regional disease during the initial workup of the tumour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.

  8. An Integrated Approach for Gear Health Prognostics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    He, David; Bechhoefer, Eric; Dempsey, Paula; Ma, Jinghua

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, an integrated approach for gear health prognostics using particle filters is presented. The presented method effectively addresses the issues in applying particle filters to gear health prognostics by integrating several new components into a particle filter: (1) data mining based techniques to effectively define the degradation state transition and measurement functions using a one-dimensional health index obtained by whitening transform; (2) an unbiased l-step ahead RUL estimator updated with measurement errors. The feasibility of the presented prognostics method is validated using data from a spiral bevel gear case study.

  9. Towards Prognostics of Electrolytic Capacitors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Celaya, Jose R.; Kulkarni, Chetan; Biswas, Gautam; Goegel, Kai

    2011-01-01

    A remaining useful life prediction algorithm and degradation model for electrolytic capacitors is presented. Electrolytic capacitors are used in several applications ranging from power supplies on critical avionics equipment to power drivers for electro-mechanical actuators. These devices are known for their low reliability and given their criticality in electronics subsystems they are a good candidate for component level prognostics and health management research. Prognostics provides a way to assess remaining useful life of a capacitor based on its current state of health and its anticipated future usage and operational conditions. In particular, experimental results of an accelerated aging test under electrical stresses are presented. The capacitors used in this test form the basis for a remaining life prediction algorithm where a model of the degradation process is suggested. This preliminary remaining life prediction algorithm serves as a demonstration of how prognostics methodologies could be used for electrolytic capacitors.

  10. Differential Prognostic Value of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography in Relation to Exercise Electrocardiography in Asymptomatic Subjects

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Sang-Eun; Cho, Iksung; Hong, Geu-Ru; Sung, Ji Min; Cho, In-Jeong; Shim, Chi Young; Choi, Byoung Wook; Chung, Namsik

    2015-01-01

    Background To explore the prognostic performance of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and exercise electrocardiography (XECG) in asymptomatic subjects. Methods We retrospectively enrolled 812 (59 ± 9 years, 60.8% male) asymptomatic subjects who underwent CCTA and XECG concurrently from 2003 through 2009. Subjects were followed-up for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and revascularization after 90 days from index CCTA. Results The prevalence of occult coronary artery disease (CAD) detected by CCTA was 17.5% and 120 subjects (14.8%) had positive XECG. During a mean follow-up of 37 ± 16 months, nine subjects experienced MACE. In multivariable Cox-regression analysis, only the presence of CAD by CCTA independently predicted future MACE (p = 0.002). Moreover, CAD by CCTA improved the predictive value when added to a clinical risk factor model using the likelihood ratio test (p < 0.001). Notably, the prognostic value of CCTA persisted in the moderate-to-high-risk group as classified by the Duke treadmill score (p = 0.040), but not in the low-risk group (p = 0.991). Conclusion CCTA provides incremental prognostic benefit over and above XECG in an asymptomatic population, especially for those in a moderate-to-high-risk group as classified by the Duke treadmill score. Risk stratification using XECG may prove valuable for identifying asymptomatic subjects who can benefit from CCTA. PMID:26755933

  11. Prognostic factors in prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Braeckman, Johan; Michielsen, Dirk

    2007-01-01

    In the nineteenth century the main goal of medicine was predictive: diagnose the disease and achieve a satisfying prognosis of the patient's chances. Today the effort has shifted to cure the disease. Since the twentieth century, the word prognosis has also been used in nonmedical contexts, for example in corporate finance or elections. The most accurate form of prognosis is achieved statistically. Based on different prognostic factors it should be possible to tell patients how they are expected to do after prostate cancer has been diagnosed and how different treatments may change this outcome. A prognosis is a prediction. The word prognosis comes from the Greek word (see text) and means foreknowing. In the nineteenth century this was the main goal of medicine: diagnose the disease and achieve a satisfying prognosis of the patient's chances. Today the effort has shifted towards seeking a cure. Prognostic factors in (prostate) cancer are defined as "variables that can account for some of the heterogeneity associated with the expected course and outcome of a disease". Bailey defined prognosis as "a reasoned forecast concerning the course, pattern, progression, duration, and end of the disease. Prognostic factors are not only essential to understand the natural history and the course of the disease, but also to predict possible different outcomes of different treatments or perhaps no treatment at all. This is extremely important in a disease like prostate cancer where there is clear evidence that a substantial number of cases discovered by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing are unlikely ever to become clinically significant, not to mention mortal. Furthermore, prognostic factors are of paramount importance for correct interpretation of clinical trials and for the construction of future trials. Finally, according to WHO national screening committee criteria for implementing a national screening programme, widely accepted prognostic factors must be defined before

  12. FDG-PET/CT at the end of immuno-chemotherapy in follicular lymphoma: the prognostic role of the ratio between target lesion and liver SUVmax (rPET).

    PubMed

    Annunziata, Salvatore; Cuccaro, Annarosa; Tisi, Maria Chiara; Hohaus, Stefan; Rufini, Vittoria

    2018-06-01

    To retrospectively investigate the prognostic role of the ratio between target lesion and liver SUV max (rPET) in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) submitted to FDG-PET/CT at the end of immuno-chemotherapy (PI-PET), and to compare rPET with International Harmonization Project criteria (IHP), Deauville Score (5p-DS) and FL International Prognostic Index at diagnosis (FLIPI). Eighty-nine patients with FL undergoing PI-PET were evaluated. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) approach was applied to identify the optimal cut-point of rPET with respect to 5-years progression free survival (PFS). The prognostic significance of rPET was compared with IHP, DS and FLIPI. Positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated using the presence of adverse events as gold standard. The ROC analysis for rPET as predictor of progression showed an optimal rPET cut-point of 0.98. Patients with positive values of IHP, DS and rPET had a PFS of 50, 30 and 31%. PPV were of 56, 80 and 80%, NPV of 83, 86 and 88%, respectively. DS and rPET differed only in two patients. FLIPI was not predictive of progression and relapse. rPET is a prognostic factor in patients with FL submitted to PI-PET. Although it has a similar prognostic power as DS, it can have methodological advantages over visual analysis. PI-PET with different evaluation systems has a stronger prognostic power than FLIPI at diagnosis, so it could be useful to identify patients with FL at risk for early relapse after immuno-chemotherapy.

  13. Prognostic nutritional index as a prognostic biomarker for survival in digestive system carcinomas.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yang; Xu, Peng; Kang, Huafeng; Lin, Shuai; Wang, Meng; Yang, Pengtao; Dai, Cong; Liu, Xinghan; Liu, Kang; Zheng, Yi; Dai, Zhijun

    2016-12-27

    The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) has been reported to correlate with the prognosis in patients with various malignancies. We performed a meta-analysis to determine the predictive potential of PNI in digestive system cancers. Twenty-three studies with a total of 7,384 patients suffering from digestive system carcinomas were involved in this meta-analysis. A lower PNI was significantly associated with the shorter overall survival (OS) [Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.83, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.62-2.07], the poorer disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.19-2.89), and the higher rate of post-operative complications (HR 2.31, 95% CI 1.63-3.28). In conclusion, PNI was allowed to function as an efficient indicator for the prognosis of patients with digestive system carcinomas.

  14. Current state of prognostication and risk stratification in myelodysplastic syndromes.

    PubMed

    Zeidan, Amer M; Gore, Steven D; Padron, Eric; Komrokji, Rami S

    2015-03-01

    Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are characterized by significant biologic and clinical heterogeneity. Because of the wide outcome variability, accurate prognostication is vital to high-quality risk-adaptive care of MDS patients. In this review, we discuss the current state of prognostic schemes for MDS and overview efforts aimed at utilizing molecular aberrations for prognostication in clinical practice. Several prognostic instruments have been developed and validated with increasing accuracy and complexity. Oncologists should be aware of the inherent limitations of these prognostic tools as they counsel patients and make clinical decisions. As more therapies are becoming available for MDS, the focus of model development is shifting from prognostic to treatment-specific predictive instruments. In addition to providing additional prognostic data beyond traditional clinical and pathologic parameters, the improved understanding of the genetic landscape and pathophysiologic consequences in MDS may allow the construction of treatment-specific predictive instruments. How to best use the results of molecular mutation testing to inform clinical decision making in MDS is still a work in progress. Important steps in this direction include standardization in performance and interpretation of assays and better understanding of the independent prognostic importance of the recurrent mutations, especially the less frequent ones.

  15. Bimodality of intratumor Ki67 expression is an independent prognostic factor of overall survival in patients with invasive breast carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Laurinavicius, Arvydas; Plancoulaine, Benoit; Rasmusson, Allan; Besusparis, Justinas; Augulis, Renaldas; Meskauskas, Raimundas; Herlin, Paulette; Laurinaviciene, Aida; Abdelhadi Muftah, Abir A; Miligy, Islam; Aleskandarany, Mohammed; Rakha, Emad A; Green, Andrew R; Ellis, Ian O

    2016-04-01

    Proliferative activity, assessed by Ki67 immunohistochemistry (IHC), is an established prognostic and predictive biomarker of breast cancer (BC). However, it remains under-utilized due to lack of standardized robust measurement methodologies and significant intratumor heterogeneity of expression. A recently proposed methodology for IHC biomarker assessment in whole slide images (WSI), based on systematic subsampling of tissue information extracted by digital image analysis (DIA) into hexagonal tiling arrays, enables computation of a comprehensive set of Ki67 indicators, including intratumor variability. In this study, the tiling methodology was applied to assess Ki67 expression in WSI of 152 surgically removed Ki67-stained (on full-face sections) BC specimens and to test which, if any, Ki67 indicators can predict overall survival (OS). Visual Ki67 IHC estimates and conventional clinico-pathologic parameters were also included in the study. Analysis revealed linearly independent intrinsic factors of the Ki67 IHC variance: proliferation (level of expression), disordered texture (entropy), tumor size and Nottingham Prognostic Index, bimodality, and correlation. All visual and DIA-generated indicators of the level of Ki67 expression provided significant cutoff values as single predictors of OS. However, only bimodality indicators (Ashman's D, in particular) were independent predictors of OS in the context of hormone receptor and HER2 status. From this, we conclude that spatial heterogeneity of proliferative tumor activity, measured by DIA of Ki67 IHC expression and analyzed by the hexagonal tiling approach, can serve as an independent prognostic indicator of OS in BC patients that outperforms the prognostic power of the level of proliferative activity.

  16. Prognostic Analysis System and Methods of Operation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    MacKey, Ryan M. E. (Inventor); Sneddon, Robert (Inventor)

    2014-01-01

    A prognostic analysis system and methods of operating the system are provided. In particular, a prognostic analysis system for the analysis of physical system health applicable to mechanical, electrical, chemical and optical systems and methods of operating the system are described herein.

  17. Prognostic value of three-dimensional ultrasound for fetal hydronephrosis

    PubMed Central

    WANG, JUNMEI; YING, WEIWEN; TANG, DAXING; YANG, LIMING; LIU, DONGSHENG; LIU, YUANHUI; PAN, JIAOE; XIE, XING

    2015-01-01

    The present study evaluated the prognostic value of three-dimensional ultrasound for fetal hydronephrosis. Pregnant females with fetal hydronephrosis were enrolled and a novel three-dimensional ultrasound indicator, renal parenchymal volume/kidney volume, was introduced to predict the postnatal prognosis of fetal hydronephrosis in comparison with commonly used ultrasound indicators. All ultrasound indicators of fetal hydronephrosis could predict whether postnatal surgery was required for fetal hydronephrosis; however, the predictive performance of renal parenchymal volume/kidney volume measurements as an individual indicator was the highest. In conclusion, ultrasound is important in predicting whether postnatal surgery is required for fetal hydronephrosis, and the three-dimensional ultrasound indicator renal parenchymal volume/kidney volume has a high predictive performance. Furthermore, the majority of cases of fetal hydronephrosis spontaneously regress subsequent to birth, and the regression time is closely associated with ultrasound indicators. PMID:25667626

  18. Prognostic significance of ZNF217 expression in gastric carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Shida, Atsuo; Fujioka, Shuichi; Kurihara, Hideaki; Ishibashi, Yoshio; Mitsumori, Norio; Omura, Nobuo; Yanaga, Katsuhiko

    2014-09-01

    The zinc finger protein ZNF217 is a candidate oncogene in breast cancer and ovarian clear cell cancer. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the significance of this protein's expression in gastric carcinoma and to evaluate the outcome of these patients. Using paraffin-embedded specimens from 84 patients with gastric cancer, ZNF217 protein was detected using an anti-ZNF217 goat polyclonal antibody. We evaluated the ZNF217 protein expression in relation to patient outcome and clinicopathological parameters. The ZNF217 protein was expressed in 34 (40.5%) tumor sections. Patients with ZNF217-negative tumors had better relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) than those with ZNF217-positive tumors by the log-rank test. Notably, multivariate analysis indicated that ZNF217 was an independent prognostic factor for RFS. ZNF217 expression seems to be a novel prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer. Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  19. Prognostics of Power MOSFET

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Celaya, Jose Ramon; Saxena, Abhinav; Vashchenko, Vladislay; Saha, Sankalita; Goebel, Kai Frank

    2011-01-01

    This paper demonstrates how to apply prognostics to power MOSFETs (metal oxide field effect transistor). The methodology uses thermal cycling to age devices and Gaussian process regression to perform prognostics. The approach is validated with experiments on 100V power MOSFETs. The failure mechanism for the stress conditions is determined to be die-attachment degradation. Change in ON-state resistance is used as a precursor of failure due to its dependence on junction temperature. The experimental data is augmented with a finite element analysis simulation that is based on a two-transistor model. The simulation assists in the interpretation of the degradation phenomena and SOA (safe operation area) change.

  20. Prognostic role of pretreatment blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in advanced cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 66 cohort studies.

    PubMed

    Mei, Zubing; Shi, Lu; Wang, Bo; Yang, Jizhen; Xiao, Zhihong; Du, Peixin; Wang, Qingming; Yang, Wei

    2017-07-01

    Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is crucial for the incidence and mortality of various tumors. However, little is known on NLR and its association with prognosis in advanced tumors. Here we performed a meta-analysis to establish the prognostic significance of pretreatment blood NLR for advanced tumors. A systematic literature search through April 2016 was performed to evaluate the association between pretreatment blood NLR and overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced tumors. Data were extracted from studies reporting hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) and pooled using the Mantel-Haenszel random-effect model. Sixty-six studies with a total of 24536 individuals were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled analyses revealed that elevated pretreatment NLR was associated with worse OS (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.57-1.84, P<0.001) and PFS (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.42-1.82, P<0.001) in advanced tumors. Subgroup analysis stratified by tumor type demonstrated that pancreatic cancer patients with high pretreatment NLR had the worst OS (HR 1.94, 95% CI 1.55-2.54, P<0.001) and colorectal cancer with the worst PFS (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.04-2.90, P<0.001). When stratified by cut-off value for NLR, we found that cut-off value being five indicated the worst PFS (HR 2.23, 95% CI 1.54-3.23, P=0.019). Overall, high pretreatment blood NLR could be an adverse prognostic indicator for advanced tumor. Large-scale prospective studies investigating its survival outcomes in specific cancer type are strongly advocated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The prognostic significance of UCA1 for predicting clinical outcome in patients with digestive system malignancies

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Zheng-Ming

    2017-01-01

    Background Urothelial Carcinoma Associated 1 (UCA1) was an originally identified lncRNA in bladder cancer. Previous studies have reported that UCA1 played a significant role in various types of cancer. This study aimed to clarify the prognostic value of UCA1 in digestive system cancers. Results The meta-analysis of 15 studies were included, comprising 1441 patients with digestive system cancers. The pooled results of 14 studies indicated that high expression of UCA1 was significantly associated with poorer OS in patients with digestive system cancers (HR: 1.89, 95 % CI: 1.52–2.26). In addition, UCA1 could be as an independent prognostic factor for predicting OS of patients (HR: 1.85, 95 % CI: 1.45–2.25). The pooled results of 3 studies indicated a significant association between UCA1 and DFS in patients with digestive system cancers (HR = 2.50; 95 % CI = 1.30–3.69). Statistical significance was also observed in subgroup meta-analysis. Furthermore, the clinicopathological values of UCA1 were discussed in esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer. Materials and methods A comprehensive retrieval was performed to search studies evaluating the prognostic value of UCA1 in digestive system cancers. Many databases were involved, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang database. Quantitative meta-analysis was performed with standard statistical methods and the prognostic significance of UCA1 in digestive system cancers was qualified. Conclusions Elevated level of UCA1 indicated the poor clinical outcome for patients with digestive system cancers. It may serve as a new biomarker related to prognosis in digestive system cancers. PMID:28380443

  2. The prognostic significance of UCA1 for predicting clinical outcome in patients with digestive system malignancies.

    PubMed

    Liu, Fang-Teng; Dong, Qing; Gao, Hui; Zhu, Zheng-Ming

    2017-06-20

    Urothelial Carcinoma Associated 1 (UCA1) was an originally identified lncRNA in bladder cancer. Previous studies have reported that UCA1 played a significant role in various types of cancer. This study aimed to clarify the prognostic value of UCA1 in digestive system cancers. The meta-analysis of 15 studies were included, comprising 1441 patients with digestive system cancers. The pooled results of 14 studies indicated that high expression of UCA1 was significantly associated with poorer OS in patients with digestive system cancers (HR: 1.89, 95 % CI: 1.52-2.26). In addition, UCA1 could be as an independent prognostic factor for predicting OS of patients (HR: 1.85, 95 % CI: 1.45-2.25). The pooled results of 3 studies indicated a significant association between UCA1 and DFS in patients with digestive system cancers (HR = 2.50; 95 % CI = 1.30-3.69). Statistical significance was also observed in subgroup meta-analysis. Furthermore, the clinicopathological values of UCA1 were discussed in esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer. A comprehensive retrieval was performed to search studies evaluating the prognostic value of UCA1 in digestive system cancers. Many databases were involved, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang database. Quantitative meta-analysis was performed with standard statistical methods and the prognostic significance of UCA1 in digestive system cancers was qualified. Elevated level of UCA1 indicated the poor clinical outcome for patients with digestive system cancers. It may serve as a new biomarker related to prognosis in digestive system cancers.

  3. Evaluating Algorithm Performance Metrics Tailored for Prognostics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saxena, Abhinav; Celaya, Jose; Saha, Bhaskar; Saha, Sankalita; Goebel, Kai

    2009-01-01

    Prognostics has taken a center stage in Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) where it is desired to estimate Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of the system so that remedial measures may be taken in advance to avoid catastrophic events or unwanted downtimes. Validation of such predictions is an important but difficult proposition and a lack of appropriate evaluation methods renders prognostics meaningless. Evaluation methods currently used in the research community are not standardized and in many cases do not sufficiently assess key performance aspects expected out of a prognostics algorithm. In this paper we introduce several new evaluation metrics tailored for prognostics and show that they can effectively evaluate various algorithms as compared to other conventional metrics. Specifically four algorithms namely; Relevance Vector Machine (RVM), Gaussian Process Regression (GPR), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and Polynomial Regression (PR) are compared. These algorithms vary in complexity and their ability to manage uncertainty around predicted estimates. Results show that the new metrics rank these algorithms in different manner and depending on the requirements and constraints suitable metrics may be chosen. Beyond these results, these metrics offer ideas about how metrics suitable to prognostics may be designed so that the evaluation procedure can be standardized. 1

  4. Prognostic factors for chronic headache

    PubMed Central

    Bowers, Hannah; Caldwell, Fiona; Mistry, Dipesh; Underwood, Martin; Matharu, Manjit; Pincus, Tamar

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To identify predictors of prognosis and trial outcomes in prospective studies of people with chronic headache. Methods: This was a systematic review of published literature in peer-reviewed journals. We included (1) randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions for chronic headache that reported subgroup analyses and (2) prospective cohort studies, published in English, since 1980. Participants included adults with chronic headache (including chronic headache, chronic migraine, and chronic tension-type headache with or without medication overuse headache). We searched key databases using free text and MeSH terms. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the methodologic quality of studies and overall quality of evidence identified using appropriate published checklists. Results: We identified 16,556 titles, removed 663 duplicates, and reviewed 199 articles, of which 27 were included in the review—17 prospective cohorts and 10 RCTs with subgroup analyses reported. There was moderate-quality evidence indicating that depression, anxiety, poor sleep and stress, medication overuse, and poor self-efficacy for managing headaches are potential prognostic factors for poor prognosis and unfavorable outcomes from preventive treatment in chronic headache. There was inconclusive evidence about treatment expectations, age, age at onset, body mass index, employment, and several headache features. Conclusions: This review identified several potential predictors of poor prognosis and worse outcome postinterventions in people with chronic headache. The majority of these are modifiable. The findings also highlight the need for more longitudinal high-quality research of prognostic factors in chronic headache. PMID:28615422

  5. [Prognostic value of JAK2, MPL and CALR mutations in Chinese patients with primary myelofibrosis].

    PubMed

    Xu, Z F; Li, B; Liu, J Q; Li, Y; Ai, X F; Zhang, P H; Qin, T J; Zhang, Y; Wang, J Y; Xu, J Q; Zhang, H L; Fang, L W; Pan, L J; Hu, N B; Qu, S Q; Xiao, Z J

    2016-07-01

    To evaluate the prognostic value of JAK2, MPL and CALR mutations in Chinese patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Four hundred and two Chinese patients with PMF were retrospectively analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method, the Log-rank test, the likelihood ratio test and the Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to evaluate the prognostic scoring system. This cohort of patients included 209 males and 193 females with a median age of 55 years (range: 15- 89). JAK2V617F mutations were detected in 189 subjects (47.0% ), MPLW515 mutations in 13 (3.2%) and CALR mutations in 81 (20.1%) [There were 30 (37.0%) type-1, 48 (59.3%) type-2 and 3 (3.7%) less common CALR mutations], respectively. 119 subjects (29.6%) had no detectable mutation in JAK2, MPL or CALR. Univariate analysis indicated that patients with CALR type-2 mutations or no detectable mutations had inferior survival compared to those with JAK2, MPL or CALR type- 1 or other less common CALR mutations (the median survival was 74vs 168 months, respectively [HR 2.990 (95% CI 1.935-4.619),P<0.001]. Therefore, patients were categorized into the high-risk with CALR type- 2 mutations or no detectable driver mutations and the low- risk without aforementioned mutations status. The DIPSS-Chinese molecular prognostic model was proposed by adopting mutation categories and DIPSS-Chinese risk group. The median survival of patients classified in low risk (132 subjects, 32.8% ), intermediate- 1 risk (143 subjects, 35.6%), intermediate- 2 risk (106 subjects, 26.4%) and high risk (21 subjects, 5.2%) were not reached, 156 (95% CI 117- 194), 60 (95% CI 28- 91) and 22 (95% CI 10- 33) months, respectively, and there was a statistically significant difference in overall survival among the four risk groups (P<0.001). There was significantly higher predictive power for survival according to the DIPSS-Chinese molecular prognostic model compared with the DIPSS-Chinese model (P=0.005, -2 log-likelihood ratios of 855.6 and 869

  6. A Distributed Prognostic Health Management Architecture

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bhaskar, Saha; Saha, Sankalita; Goebel, Kai

    2009-01-01

    This paper introduces a generic distributed prognostic health management (PHM) architecture with specific application to the electrical power systems domain. Current state-of-the-art PHM systems are mostly centralized in nature, where all the processing is reliant on a single processor. This can lead to loss of functionality in case of a crash of the central processor or monitor. Furthermore, with increases in the volume of sensor data as well as the complexity of algorithms, traditional centralized systems become unsuitable for successful deployment, and efficient distributed architectures are required. A distributed architecture though, is not effective unless there is an algorithmic framework to take advantage of its unique abilities. The health management paradigm envisaged here incorporates a heterogeneous set of system components monitored by a varied suite of sensors and a particle filtering (PF) framework that has the power and the flexibility to adapt to the different diagnostic and prognostic needs. Both the diagnostic and prognostic tasks are formulated as a particle filtering problem in order to explicitly represent and manage uncertainties; however, typically the complexity of the prognostic routine is higher than the computational power of one computational element ( CE). Individual CEs run diagnostic routines until the system variable being monitored crosses beyond a nominal threshold, upon which it coordinates with other networked CEs to run the prognostic routine in a distributed fashion. Implementation results from a network of distributed embedded devices monitoring a prototypical aircraft electrical power system are presented, where the CEs are Sun Microsystems Small Programmable Object Technology (SPOT) devices.

  7. Prognostic factors for risk stratification of adult cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yee Mei; Lang, Dora; Lockwood, Craig

    Increasing numbers of studies identify new prognostic factors for categorising chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia adult cancer patients into high- or low-risk groups for adverse outcomes. These groupings are used to tailor therapy according to level of risk. However many emerging factors with prognostic significance remain controversial, being based on single studies only. A systematic review was conducted to determine the strength of association of all identified factors associated with the outcomes of chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia patients. The participants included were adults of 15 years old and above, with a cancer diagnosis and who underwent cancer treatment.The review focused on clinical factors and their association with the outcomes of cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia at presentation of fever.All quantitative studies published in English which investigated clinical factors for risk stratification of adult cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia were considered.The primary outcome of interest was to identify the clinical factors for risk stratification of adult cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia. Electronic databases searched from their respective inception date up to December 2011 include MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, Science-Direct, Scopus and Mednar. The quality of the included studies was subjected to assessment by two independent reviewers. The standardised critical appraisal tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) was used to assess the following criteria: representativeness of study population; clearly defined prognostic factors and outcomes; whether potential confounders were addressed and appropriate statistical analysis was undertaken for the study design. Data extraction was performed using a modified version of

  8. BIOBEHAVIORAL PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE: Results from the INSPIRE-II Trial

    PubMed Central

    Blumenthal, James A.; Smith, Patrick J.; Durheim, Michael; Mabe, Stephanie; Emery, Charles F.; Martinu, Tereza; Diaz, Philip T.; Babyak, Michael; Welty-Wolf, Karen; Palmer, Scott

    2015-01-01

    Objective To examine the prognostic value of select biobehavioral factors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a secondary analysis of participants from the INSPIRE-II trial. Methods Three hundred twenty six outpatients with COPD underwent assessments of pulmonary function, physical activity, body mass index, inflammation, pulmonary symptoms, depression, and pulmonary quality of life, and were followed for up to 5.4 years for subsequent clinical events. The prognostic value of each biobehavioral factor, considered individually and combined, also was examined in the context of existing Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2011 risk stratification. Results Sixty-nine individuals experienced a hospitalization or died over a mean follow-up time period of 2.4 (interquartile range = 1.6) years. GOLD classification was associated with an increased risk of clinical events (HR = 2.72 [95% CI 1.63, 4.54], per stage); Six Minute Walk (HR = 0.50 [0.34, 0.73] per 500 feet), total steps (HR = 0.82 [0.71, 0.94] per 1,000 steps), hsC-reactive protein (HR = 1.44 [1.01, 2.06] per 4.5 mg/L), depression (HR = 1.12 [1.01, 1.25] per 4 points), and pulmonary quality of life (HR = 1.73 [1.14, 2.63] per 25 points) were each predictive over and above the GOLD assessment. However, only GOLD group and Six Minute Walk were predictive of all-cause mortality and COPD hospitalization when all biobehavioral variables were included together in a multivariable model. Conclusion Biobehavioral factors provide added prognostic information over and above measures of COPD severity in predicting adverse events in patients with COPD. PMID:26780299

  9. Prognostic relevance of 20q13 gains in sporadic colorectal cancers: a FISH analysis.

    PubMed

    Aust, D E; Muders, M; Köhler, A; Schmidt, M; Diebold, J; Müller, C; Löhrs, U; Waldman, F M; Baretton, G B

    2004-08-01

    Amplification of 20q13 is a frequent chromosomal alteration in solid tumors and harbors a number of putative oncogenes (CAS/CSE1-L, NABC1, or Aurora2). Amplifications on 20q13 have been identified as an independent prognostic marker indicating worse survival in breast and ovarian cancer. However, little is known about the prognostic significance of 20q13 gains in sporadic colorectal cancers. The aim of this study was to correlate 20q13 gains in sporadic colorectal cancers with other known prognostic factors, tumor progression, and overall survival. Nuclei were extracted from 146 paraffin-embedded colorectal cancers of different UICC stages and used for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with a directly labeled probe for 20q13.2 (VYSIS). Signals were counted in 120 nuclei per sample. 20q13 was considered gained when > or =40% of the nuclei showed 3 or more FISH signals. Statistical correlations were tested with log-rank tests and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Signal numbers for 20q13.2 were gained in 78 cases (53%). Cases with gains on 20q13.2 showed worse outcome than cases without: the gain of 20q13.2 was an independent prognostic marker for overall survival (P=0.006) as well as tumor progression (P=0.012) in univariate and multivariate analyses. Gains on 20q13.2 did not correlate with tumor stage. However, there was a significant association between 20q13.2 gains and tumor location in the left-sided colon and an inverse correlation between histologic grade and 20q13.2 gains. These data indicate that gains on 20q13.2 correlate with faster tumor progression and worse patient survival independent from tumor size and lymph node involvement. Therefore, alterations on 20q13 are an important biological event in colorectal tumor progression with independent prognostic relevance.

  10. Independent Prognostic Factors for Acute Organophosphorus Pesticide Poisoning.

    PubMed

    Tang, Weidong; Ruan, Feng; Chen, Qi; Chen, Suping; Shao, Xuebo; Gao, Jianbo; Zhang, Mao

    2016-07-01

    Acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning (AOPP) is becoming a significant problem and a potential cause of human mortality because of the abuse of organophosphate compounds. This study aims to determine the independent prognostic factors of AOPP by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The clinical data for 71 subjects with AOPP admitted to our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. This information included the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores, 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates, admission blood cholinesterase levels, 6-h post-admission blood cholinesterase levels, cholinesterase activity, blood pH, and other factors. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify all prognostic factors and independent prognostic factors, respectively. A receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to analyze the testing power of independent prognostic factors. Twelve of 71 subjects died. Admission blood lactate levels, 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates, blood pH, and APACHE II scores were identified as prognostic factors for AOPP according to the univariate analysis, whereas only 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates, and blood pH were independent prognostic factors identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic analysis suggested that post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates were of moderate diagnostic value. High 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, low blood pH, and low post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates were independent prognostic factors identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Copyright © 2016 by Daedalus Enterprises.

  11. Prognostic implications of preoperative anemia in urothelial carcinoma: A meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Luo, Fei; Wang, Ya-Shen; Su, Yan-Hui; Zhang, Zhi-Hua; Sun, Hong-Hong; Li, Jian

    2017-01-01

    The prognostic significance of preoperative anemia (PA) has been identified in various malignancies. However, its predictive role in urothelial carcinoma (UC) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of PA in UC patients. We performed a meta-analysis of the association between PA and survival outcome in UC patients. Electronic databases were searched up to June 30, 2016. Study characteristics and prognostic data were extracted from each included study. Cancer-specific survival (CSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) were pooled using hazard ratio (HR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Herein, 12 studies comprising 3815 patients were included in the meta-analysis. There were 1593 (41.76%) patients in the PA group and 2222 (58.24%) in the control group. The overall pooled HRs of PA for CSS, RFS, and OS were significant at 2.21, (95% CI: 1.83-2.65, Pheterogeneity = 0.49, I2 = 0%), 1.87 (95% CI: 1.59-2.20, Pheterogeneity = 0.22, I2 = 28%), and 2.04(95% CI: 1.76-2.37, Pheterogeneity = 0.36, I2 = 9%) respectively. Stratified analyses indicated that PA was a predictor of poor prognosis based on ethnicity, sample size, tumor T stage, G grade, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), concomitant carcinoma in situ (CIS), and follow-up values. Our findings show that PA has negative prognostic effects on the survival outcome (CSS, RFS, and OS) in UC patients and can serve as a useful and cost-effective marker to aid prognosis prediction.

  12. Prognostic implications of preoperative anemia in urothelial carcinoma: A meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Fei; Wang, Ya-Shen; Su, Yan-Hui; Zhang, Zhi-Hua; Sun, Hong-Hong; Li, Jian

    2017-01-01

    The prognostic significance of preoperative anemia (PA) has been identified in various malignancies. However, its predictive role in urothelial carcinoma (UC) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of PA in UC patients. We performed a meta-analysis of the association between PA and survival outcome in UC patients. Electronic databases were searched up to June 30, 2016. Study characteristics and prognostic data were extracted from each included study. Cancer-specific survival (CSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) were pooled using hazard ratio (HR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Herein, 12 studies comprising 3815 patients were included in the meta-analysis. There were 1593 (41.76%) patients in the PA group and 2222 (58.24%) in the control group. The overall pooled HRs of PA for CSS, RFS, and OS were significant at 2.21, (95% CI: 1.83–2.65, Pheterogeneity = 0.49, I2 = 0%), 1.87 (95% CI: 1.59–2.20, Pheterogeneity = 0.22, I2 = 28%), and 2.04(95% CI: 1.76–2.37, Pheterogeneity = 0.36, I2 = 9%) respectively. Stratified analyses indicated that PA was a predictor of poor prognosis based on ethnicity, sample size, tumor T stage, G grade, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), concomitant carcinoma in situ (CIS), and follow-up values. Our findings show that PA has negative prognostic effects on the survival outcome (CSS, RFS, and OS) in UC patients and can serve as a useful and cost-effective marker to aid prognosis prediction. PMID:28182725

  13. Adverse events after anthrax vaccination reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 1990-2007.

    PubMed

    Niu, Manette T; Ball, Robert; Woo, Emily Jane; Burwen, Dale R; Knippen, Maureen; Braun, M Miles

    2009-01-07

    During the period March 1, 1998 to January 14, 2007, approximately 6 million doses of Anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA) vaccine were administered. As of January 16, 2007, 4753 reports of adverse events following receipt of AVA vaccination had been submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Taken together, reports to VAERS did not definitively link any serious unexpected risk to this vaccine, and review of death and serious reports did not show a distinctive pattern indicative of a causal relationship to AVA vaccination. Continued monitoring of VAERS and analysis of potential associations between AVA vaccination and rare, serious events is warranted.

  14. [Prognostication of malignization and acute complications of gastric ulcer disease, using multiparametric neuronet clasterization].

    PubMed

    Dzyubanovskiy, I Ya; Selskiy, P R; Viytovych, L E

    2015-03-01

    Results of examination of 20 gastric ulcer disease patients were analyzed for delineation of a high risk group for an acute complications occurrence, and in whom the conduction of organ preserving preventive operative interventions is expedient. For prognostication such following indices were applied: quantity of cells-producents of various immunoglobulins, mitotic and apoptotic indices, relative volume of damaged epitheliocytes, the patients' age.

  15. Cumulative early life adversity predicts longevity in wild baboons

    PubMed Central

    Tung, Jenny; Archie, Elizabeth A.; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C.

    2016-01-01

    In humans and other animals, harsh circumstances in early life predict morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Multiple adverse conditions are thought to be especially toxic, but this hypothesis has rarely been tested in a prospective, longitudinal framework, especially in long-lived mammals. Here we use prospective data on 196 wild female baboons to show that cumulative early adversity predicts natural adult lifespan. Females who experience ≥3 sources of early adversity die a median of 10 years earlier than females who experience ≤1 adverse circumstances (median lifespan is 18.5 years). Females who experience the most adversity are also socially isolated in adulthood, suggesting that social processes partially explain the link between early adversity and adult survival. Our results provide powerful evidence for the developmental origins of health and disease and indicate that close ties between early adversity and survival arise even in the absence of health habit and health care-related explanations. PMID:27091302

  16. Distinguishing prognostic and predictive biomarkers: An information theoretic approach.

    PubMed

    Sechidis, Konstantinos; Papangelou, Konstantinos; Metcalfe, Paul D; Svensson, David; Weatherall, James; Brown, Gavin

    2018-05-02

    The identification of biomarkers to support decision-making is central to personalised medicine, in both clinical and research scenarios. The challenge can be seen in two halves: identifying predictive markers, which guide the development/use of tailored therapies; and identifying prognostic markers, which guide other aspects of care and clinical trial planning, i.e. prognostic markers can be considered as covariates for stratification. Mistakenly assuming a biomarker to be predictive, when it is in fact largely prognostic (and vice-versa) is highly undesirable, and can result in financial, ethical and personal consequences. We present a framework for data-driven ranking of biomarkers on their prognostic/predictive strength, using a novel information theoretic method. This approach provides a natural algebra to discuss and quantify the individual predictive and prognostic strength, in a self-consistent mathematical framework. Our contribution is a novel procedure, INFO+, which naturally distinguishes the prognostic vs predictive role of each biomarker and handles higher order interactions. In a comprehensive empirical evaluation INFO+ outperforms more complex methods, most notably when noise factors dominate, and biomarkers are likely to be falsely identified as predictive, when in fact they are just strongly prognostic. Furthermore, we show that our methods can be 1-3 orders of magnitude faster than competitors, making it useful for biomarker discovery in 'big data' scenarios. Finally, we apply our methods to identify predictive biomarkers on two real clinical trials, and introduce a new graphical representation that provides greater insight into the prognostic and predictive strength of each biomarker. R implementations of the suggested methods are available at https://github.com/sechidis. konstantinos.sechidis@manchester.ac.uk. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

  17. Body mass index is a prognostic factor in adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

    PubMed

    Ando, Taiki; Yamazaki, Etsuko; Ogusa, Eriko; Ishii, Yoshimi; Yamamoto, Wataru; Motohashi, Kenji; Tachibana, Takayoshi; Hagihara, Maki; Matsumoto, Kenji; Tanaka, Masatsugu; Hashimoto, Chizuko; Koharazawa, Hideyuki; Fujimaki, Katsumichi; Taguchi, Jun; Fujita, Hiroyuki; Kanamori, Heiwa; Fujisawa, Shin; Nakajima, Hideaki

    2017-05-01

    Body mass index (BMI), which represents the proportion of weight to height, is a controversial prognostic factor for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We evaluated prognostic value of BMI in Japanese AML. The study included 369 adult patients with newly diagnosed AML who were administered either daunorubicin or idarubicin with cytarabine as induction chemotherapy. The patients were categorized into two groups according to their BMI: the NW group (BMI < 25.0 kg/m 2 ; normal and underweight) and OW group (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m 2 ; overweight and obese). We analyzed treatment efficacy and toxicity of induction chemotherapy, and survival outcomes in each group. Patients in the OW group showed a better complete remission rate than the NW group (86.1 versus 76.5%, P = 0.045), no early death (0.0 versus 4.1%, P = 0.042), and better overall survival (OS) at 3 years (62.2 versus 50.1%, P = 0.012). Multivariate analysis showed BMI is an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.42-0.92, P = 0.017). These results indicate the prognostic value of BMI in adult AML patients.

  18. MiR-148a functions to suppress metastasis and serves as a prognostic indicator in triple-negative breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Xu, Xin; Zhang, Yun; Jasper, Jeff; Lykken, Erik; Alexander, Peter B; Markowitz, Geoffrey J; McDonnell, Donald P; Li, Qi-Jing; Wang, Xiao-Fan

    2016-04-12

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a major challenge in the clinic due to its lack of reliable prognostic markers and targeted therapies. Accumulating evidence strongly supports the notion that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in tumorigenesis and could serve as biomarkers for diagnostic purposes. To identify miRNAs that functionally suppress metastasis of TNBC, we employed a concerted approach with selecting miRNAs that display differential expression profiles from bioinformatic analyses of breast cancer patient databases and validating top candidates with functional assays using breast cancer cell lines and mouse models. We have found that miR-148a exhibits properties as a tumor suppressor as its expression is inversely correlated with the ability of both human and mouse breast cancer cells to colonize the lung in mouse xenograft tumor models. Mechanistically, miR-148a appears to suppress the extravasation process of cancer cells, likely by targeting two genes WNT1 and NRP1 in a cell non-autonomous manner. Importantly, lower expression of miR-148a is detected in higher-grade tumor samples and correlated with increased likelihood to develop metastases and poor prognosis in subsets of breast cancer patients, particularly those with TNBC. Thus, miR-148a is functionally defined as a suppressor of breast cancer metastasis and may serve as a prognostic biomarker for this disease.

  19. Children's Executive Function in a CPS-Involved Sample: Effects of Cumulative Adversity and Specific Types of Adversity.

    PubMed

    Roos, Leslie E; Kim, Hyoun K; Schnabler, Simone; Fisher, Philip A

    2016-12-01

    Prior research has identified the presence of executive function (EF) deficits in child protective service (CPS) involved (versus non-involved) children but minimal work has examined predictors that might explain individual differences within these CPS-involved children. Here, we sought to characterize EF in a large sample (N=694) of CPS-involved children and examine how specific adversities (physical abuse, neglect, caregiver domestic violence, and caregiver substance dependence) and cumulative adversity (at ages 0-3 and 3-6 years) predict EF (at approximately 5-6 years). It was expected that the sample would exhibit low EF overall based on previous research in maltreated children. Specific adversity and cumulative adversity analyses were largely exploratory given the limited previous work in this area. Results indicated poor EF overall, with 43.5% of children performing worse than chance. Amongst children who performed greater than chance, higher cumulative adversity, physical abuse, and caregiver substance use (at ages 3-6 years) predicted better EF. These findings join literature documenting that, within CPS-involved children, the presence of certain adversities predicts variable cognitive function. Findings highlight the potential relevance of evolutionary psychology to understanding how alterations in behavior linked to harsh and unpredictable early environments may cue accelerated brain development underlying relative cognitive advantages, within at-risk, low performing samples. Longitudinal studies are critical to determine if the relative EF advantages linked to higher adversity persist over time or result in lower EF later on, reflecting a more rapid, but overall limited, trajectory of cognitive development.

  20. Association of vascular indices with novel circulating biomarkers as prognostic factors for cardiovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Naka, Katerina K; Papathanassiou, Katerina; Bechlioulis, Aris; Pappas, Konstantinos; Tigas, Stelios; Makriyiannis, Dimitrios; Antoniou, Sophia; Kazakos, Nikolaos; Margeli, Alexandra; Papassotiriou, Ioannis; Tsatsoulis, Agathocles; Michalis, Lampros K

    2018-03-01

    The pathophysiology of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is multifactorial. The association of vascular indices with circulating biomarkers of inflammation and insulin resistance and their role in the long-term cardiovascular prognosis in T2DM patients were currently investigated. Patients with T2DM and poor glycemic control without known cardiovascular diseases (n=119) at baseline were enrolled and followed for about 9years. The end-point was the occurrence of any cardiovascular event (coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease or cardiovascular death). Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx), brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), hsCRP, Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (YKL-40), Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL), Fatty Acid Binding Protein (FABP-4) were assessed. Higher YKL-40 and NGAL were associated with higher PWV, while higher YKL-40 and FABP-4 were related to higher AIx (p<0.05 for all). In univariate Cox regression analysis, PWV>10m/s, YKL-40>78ng/ml and NGAL>42ng/ml were associated with cardiovascular events (p<0.05 for all). In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for classical risk factors and glycemic control, increased NGAL, YKL-40 and PWV and decreased FMD (i.e. ≤2.2%) (p<0.05 for all) were independently associated with cardiovascular events. In T2DM patients without established cardiovascular disease, novel indices of vascular inflammation (NGAL and YKL-40) were associated with subclinical atherosclerosis (arterial stiffness) but also with adverse clinical prognosis. Arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction were also independently related to adverse prognosis. Copyright © 2017 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. A Discussion on Uncertainty Representation and Interpretation in Model-Based Prognostics Algorithms based on Kalman Filter Estimation Applied to Prognostics of Electronics Components

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Celaya, Jose R.; Saxen, Abhinav; Goebel, Kai

    2012-01-01

    This article discusses several aspects of uncertainty representation and management for model-based prognostics methodologies based on our experience with Kalman Filters when applied to prognostics for electronics components. In particular, it explores the implications of modeling remaining useful life prediction as a stochastic process and how it relates to uncertainty representation, management, and the role of prognostics in decision-making. A distinction between the interpretations of estimated remaining useful life probability density function and the true remaining useful life probability density function is explained and a cautionary argument is provided against mixing interpretations for the two while considering prognostics in making critical decisions.

  2. Comparison of prognostic nomograms based on different nodal staging systems in patients with resected gastric cancer.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zi-Xian; Qiu, Miao-Zhen; Jiang, Yu-Ming; Zhou, Zhi-Wei; Li, Guo-Xin; Xu, Rui-Hua

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Previous studies addressing the optimal nodal staging system in patients with resected gastric cancer have shown inconsistent results, and the optimal system for development of prognostic nomograms remains unclear. In this study, we compared prognostic nomograms based on the metastatic lymph node (MLN) count, lymph node ratio (LNR), and log odds of metastatic lymph nodes (LODDS) to predict the 5-year overall survival in patients with resected gastric cancer. Methods: We analysed 15,320 patients with resected gastric cancer in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 1988 and 2010. Missing data were handled using multiple imputation. When assessed as a continuous covariate with restricted cubic splines, each MLN, LNR, and LODDS variable was incorporated into a nomogram with other significant prognosticators to predict the 5-year overall survival. A two-centre Chinese dataset (1,595 cases) was used as external validation data. Results: The discriminatory abilities of the MLN-, LNR-, and LODDS-based nomograms were comparable (concordance indices: 0.744, 0.741, and 0.744, respectively, in the SEER set, P > 0.152 for all pairwise comparisons; 0.715, 0.712, and 0.713, respectively, in the Chinese set, P > 0.445 for all pairwise comparisons). The discriminatory abilities of the three nomograms were all superior to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM classification (concordance indices: 0.713, P < 0.001 for all in the SEER set; and 0.693, P < 0.001 for all in the Chinese set). The discriminatory abilities of the nomograms were comparable regardless of the number of nodes examined. Moreover, decision curve analyses indicated similar net benefits of using the nomograms. Conclusion: MLN-, LNR-, and LODDS should be considered equally in the development of multivariate prognostic models and nomograms to refine the prediction of survival among patients with resected gastric cancer.

  3. Intelligent approach to prognostic enhancements of diagnostic systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vachtsevanos, George; Wang, Peng; Khiripet, Noppadon; Thakker, Ash; Galie, Thomas R.

    2001-07-01

    This paper introduces a novel methodology to prognostics based on a dynamic wavelet neural network construct and notions from the virtual sensor area. This research has been motivated and supported by the U.S. Navy's active interest in integrating advanced diagnostic and prognostic algorithms in existing Naval digital control and monitoring systems. A rudimentary diagnostic platform is assumed to be available providing timely information about incipient or impending failure conditions. We focus on the development of a prognostic algorithm capable of predicting accurately and reliably the remaining useful lifetime of a failing machine or component. The prognostic module consists of a virtual sensor and a dynamic wavelet neural network as the predictor. The virtual sensor employs process data to map real measurements into difficult to monitor fault quantities. The prognosticator uses a dynamic wavelet neural network as a nonlinear predictor. Means to manage uncertainty and performance metrics are suggested for comparison purposes. An interface to an available shipboard Integrated Condition Assessment System is described and applications to shipboard equipment are discussed. Typical results from pump failures are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the methodology.

  4. The prognostic value of node status in different breast cancer subtypes

    PubMed Central

    Hou, Xin-Wei; Chi, Jiang-Rui; Ge, Jie; Wang, Xin; Cao, Xu-Chen

    2017-01-01

    Nodal metastases and breast cancer subtypes (BCS) are both well-recognized prognostic indicators. However, the association between nodal metastases and BCS, and the prognostic value of nodal metastases in different BCS are still remains unclear. Our aim was to investigate the association between nodal metastases and BCS, and the prognostic value of nodal metastases in the different BCS. We found that the breast cancer subtype was closely associated with the pN stage. pN stage and breast cancer subtype were significantly associated with disease-free survival. The subgroup analysis showed that the patients in higher pN stage had a poor outcome than patients in lower pN stage in each breast cancer subtype. Furthermore, when the analysis was stratified by breast cancer subtype, we found that even in the same pN stage (pN0-pN2), there was significant survival difference among patients in different BCS, and Luminal A breast cancer patients had the best survival outcome. However, there were no significant survival difference between Luminal A patients and other breast cancer subtype when patients in pN3 stage. Thus, our study suggested that both lymph node status and molecular subtype played important roles in the outcome of breast cancer patients and they cannot replace each other. PMID:27999188

  5. A comparison of the prognostic value of preoperative inflammation-based scores and TNM stage in patients with gastric cancer.

    PubMed

    Pan, Qun-Xiong; Su, Zi-Jian; Zhang, Jian-Hua; Wang, Chong-Ren; Ke, Shao-Ying

    2015-01-01

    inflammation-based prognostic scores. The present study indicates that preoperative GPS and TNM stage are robust predictors of gastric cancer survival as compared to NLR, PLR, PI, and PNI in patients undergoing tumor resection.

  6. The laboratory risk indicator for necrotizing fasciitis (LRINEC) scoring: the diagnostic and potential prognostic role.

    PubMed

    El-Menyar, Ayman; Asim, Mohammad; Mudali, Insolvisagan N; Mekkodathil, Ahammed; Latifi, Rifat; Al-Thani, Hassan

    2017-03-07

    Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a devastating soft tissue infection associated with potentially poor outcomes. The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) score has been introduced as a diagnostic tool for NF. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of LRINEC scoring in NF patients. A retrospective analysis was conducted for patients who were admitted with NF between 2000 and 2013. Based on LRINEC points, patients were classified into (Group 1: LRINEC < 6 and Group 2: LRINEC ≥ 6). The 2 groups were analyzed and compared. Primary outcomes were hospital length of stay, septic shock and hospital death. A total of 294 NF cases were identified with a mean age 50.9 ± 15 years. When compared to Group1, patients in Group 2 were 5 years older (p = 0.009), more likely to have diabetes mellitus (61 vs 41%, p < 0.001), Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection (p = 0.004), greater Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (11.5 ± 3 vs 8 ± 2, p = 0.001), and prolonged intensive care (median 7 vs 5 days) and hospital length of stay (22 vs 11 days, p = 0.001). Septic shock (37 vs. 15%, p = 0.001) and mortality (28.8 vs. 15.0%, p = 0.005) were also significantly higher in Group 2 patients. Using Receiver operating curve, cutoff LRINEC point for mortality was 8.5 with area under the curve of 0.64. Pearson correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between LRINEC and SOFA scorings (r = 0.51, p < 0.002). Early diagnosis, simplified risk stratification and on-time management are vital to achieve better outcomes in patients with NF. Beside its diagnostic role, LRINEC scoring could predict worse hospital outcomes in patients with NF and simply identify the high-risk patients. However, further prospective studies are needed to support this finding.

  7. Autonomous diagnostics and prognostics of signal and data distribution systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blemel, Kenneth G.

    2001-07-01

    Wiring is the nervous system of any complex system and is attached to or services nearly every subsystem. Damage to optical wiring systems can cause serious interruptions in communication, command and control systems. Electrical wiring faults and failures due to opens, shorts, and arcing probably result in adverse effects to the systems serviced by the wiring. Abnormalities in a system usually can be detected by monitoring some wiring parameter such as vibration, data activity or power consumption. This paper introduces the mapping of wiring to critical functions during system engineering to automatically define the Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis. This mapping can be used to define the sensory processes needed to perform diagnostics during system engineering. This paper also explains the use of Operational Modes and Criticality Effects Analysis in the development of Sentient Wiring Systems as a means for diagnostic, prognostics and health management of wiring in aerospace and transportation systems.

  8. A Model-Based Prognostics Approach Applied to Pneumatic Valves

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daigle, Matthew J.; Goebel, Kai

    2011-01-01

    Within the area of systems health management, the task of prognostics centers on predicting when components will fail. Model-based prognostics exploits domain knowledge of the system, its components, and how they fail by casting the underlying physical phenomena in a physics-based model that is derived from first principles. Uncertainty cannot be avoided in prediction, therefore, algorithms are employed that help in managing these uncertainties. The particle filtering algorithm has become a popular choice for model-based prognostics due to its wide applicability, ease of implementation, and support for uncertainty management. We develop a general model-based prognostics methodology within a robust probabilistic framework using particle filters. As a case study, we consider a pneumatic valve from the Space Shuttle cryogenic refueling system. We develop a detailed physics-based model of the pneumatic valve, and perform comprehensive simulation experiments to illustrate our prognostics approach and evaluate its effectiveness and robustness. The approach is demonstrated using historical pneumatic valve data from the refueling system.

  9. Dialysate bacterial endotoxin as a prognostic indicator of peritoneal dialysis related peritonitis.

    PubMed

    Szeto, Cheuk-Chun; Lai, Ka-Bik; Chow, Kai-Ming; Kwan, Bonnie Ching-Ha; Law, Man-Ching; Pang, Wing-Fai; Ma, Terry King-Wing; Leung, Chi-Bon; Li, Philip Kam-Tao

    2016-12-01

    Peritonitis is the major complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). The aim of our present study is to explore the prognostic value of endotoxin level in PD effluent for the prediction of treatment failure in PD-related peritonitis. We studied 325 peritonitis episodes in 223 patients. PD effluent (PDE) was collected every 5 days for endotoxin level and leukocyte count. Patients were followed for relapsing or recurrent peritonitis. We found 20 episodes (6.2%) had primary treatment failure; 41 (12.6%) developed relapsing, 19 (5.8%) had recurrent, and 22 (6.8%) had repeat episodes. Endotoxin was detectable in the PDE of 19 episodes (24.4%) caused by Gram negative organisms, 4 episodes (6.8%) of mixed bacterial growth, and none of the culture negative episodes or those by Gram positive organisms. For episodes caused by Gram negative bacteria, a detectable endotoxin level in PDE on day 5 had a sensitivity and specificity of 66.7% and 83.3%, respectively, for predicting primary treatment failure. In contrast, PDE leukocyte count > 1000 per mm3 on day 5 had a sensitivity and specificity of 88.9% and 89.1%, respectively; the addition of PDE endotoxin assay did not improve the sensitivity or specificity. We conclude that detectable endotoxin in PDE 5 days after antibiotic therapy might predict primary treatment failure in peritonitis episodes caused by Gram negative organisms. However, the sensitivity and specificity of PDE endotoxin assay was inferior to PDE leukocyte count. © 2016 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

  10. Early Prognostication Markers in Cardiac Arrest Patients Treated with Hypothermia

    PubMed Central

    Karapetkova, Maria; Koenig, Matthew A.; Jia, Xiaofeng

    2015-01-01

    Background and purpose Established prognostication markers, such as clinical findings, electroencephalography (EEG), and biochemical markers, used by clinicians to predict neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest (CA) are altered under therapeutic hypothermia (TH) conditions and their validity remains uncertain. Methods MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for evidence on the current standards for neurologic outcome prediction for out-of-hospital CA patients treated with TH and the validity of a wide range of prognostication markers. Relevant studies that suggested one or several established biomarkers, and multimodal approaches for prognostication were included and reviewed. Results While the prognostic accuracy of various tests has been questioned after TH, pupillary light reflexes and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) are still strongly associated with negative outcome for early prognostication. Increasingly, EEG background activity has also been identified as a valid predictor for outcome after 72 hours after CA and a preferred prognostic method in clinical settings. Neuroimaging techniques, such as MRI and CT, can identify functional and structural brain injury, but are not readily available at the patient’s bedside because of limited availability and high costs. Conclusions A multimodal algorithm composed of neurological examination, EEG-based quantitative testing, and SSEP, in conjunction with newer MRI sequences, if available, holds promise for accurate prognostication in CA patients treated with TH. In order to avoid premature withdrawal of care, prognostication should be performed later than 72 hours after CA. PMID:26228521

  11. Early prognostication markers in cardiac arrest patients treated with hypothermia.

    PubMed

    Karapetkova, M; Koenig, M A; Jia, X

    2016-03-01

    Established prognostication markers, such as clinical findings, electroencephalography (EEG) and biochemical markers, used by clinicians to predict neurological outcome after cardiac arrest (CA) are altered under therapeutic hypothermia (TH) conditions and their validity remains uncertain. MEDLINE and Embase were searched for evidence on the current standards for neurological outcome prediction for out-of-hospital CA patients treated with TH and the validity of a wide range of prognostication markers. Relevant studies that suggested one or several established biomarkers and multimodal approaches for prognostication are included and reviewed. Whilst the prognostic accuracy of various tests after TH has been questioned, pupillary light reflexes and somatosensory evoked potentials are still strongly associated with negative outcome for early prognostication. Increasingly, EEG background activity has also been identified as a valid predictor for outcome after 72 h after CA and a preferred prognostic method in clinical settings. Neuroimaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, can identify functional and structural brain injury but are not readily available at the patient's bedside because of limited availability and high costs. A multimodal algorithm composed of neurological examination, EEG-based quantitative testing and somatosensory evoked potentials, in conjunction with newer magnetic resonance imaging sequences, if available, holds promise for accurate prognostication in CA patients treated with TH. In order to avoid premature withdrawal of care, prognostication should be performed more than 72 h after CA. © 2015 EAN.

  12. Left ventricular energy model predicts adverse events in women with suspected myocardial ischemia: results from the NHLBI-sponsored women’s ischemia syndrome evaluation (WISE) study

    PubMed Central

    Weinberg, Nicole; Pohost, Gerald M.; Bairey Merz, C. Noel; Shaw, Leslee J.; Sopko, George; Fuisz, Anthon; Rogers, William J.; Walsh, Edward G.; Johnson, B. Delia; Sharaf, Barry L.; Pepine, Carl J.; Mankad, Sunil; Reis, Steven E.; Rayarao, Geetha; Vido, Diane A.; Bittner, Vera; Tauxe, Lindsey; Olson, Marian B.; Kelsey, Sheryl F.; Biederman, Robert WW

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To assess the prognostic value of a left ventricular energy-model in women with suspected myocardial ischemia. Background The prognostic value of internal energy utilization (IEU) of the left ventricle in women with suspected myocardial ischemia is unknown. Methods Women [n=227, mean age 59±12 years (range, 31-86 years)], with symptoms of myocardial ischemia, underwent myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) assessment for regional perfusion defects along with measurement of ventricular volumes separately by gated Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) (n=207) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (n=203). During follow-up (40±17 months), time to first major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE, death, myocardial infarction or hospitalization for congestive heart failure) was analyzed using MRI and gated SPECT variables. Results Adverse events occurred in 31 (14%). Multivariable Cox models were formed for each modality: IEU and wall thickness by MRI (Chi-squared 34, P<0.005) and IEU and systolic blood pressure by gated SEPCT (Chi-squared 34, P<0.005). The models remained predictive after adjustment for age, disease history and Framingham risk score. For each Cox model, patients were categorized as high-risk if the model hazard was positive and not high-risk otherwise. Kaplan-Meier analysis of time to MACE was performed for high-risk vs. not high-risk for MR (log rank 25.3, P<0.001) and gated SEPCT (log rank 18.2, P<0.001) models. Conclusions Among women with suspected myocardial ischemia a high internal energy utilization has higher prognostic value than either a low EF or the presence of a myocardial perfusion defect assessed using two independent modalities of MR or gated SPECT. PMID:24015377

  13. Added prognostic value of ischaemic threshold in radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging: a common-sense integration of exercise tolerance and ischaemia severity.

    PubMed

    Marini, Cecilia; Acampa, Wanda; Bauckneht, Matteo; Daniele, Stefania; Capitanio, Selene; Cantoni, Valeria; Fiz, Francesco; Zampella, Emilia; Dib, Bassam; Assante, Roberta; Bruzzi, Paolo; Sambuceti, Gianmario; Cuocolo, Alberto

    2015-04-01

    Reversible ischaemia at radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) accurately predicts risk of cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction (major adverse cardiac events, MACE). This prognostic penetrance might be empowered by accounting for exercise tolerance as an indirect index of ischaemia severity. The present study aimed to verify this hypothesis integrating imaging assessment of ischaemia severity with exercise maximal rate pressure product (RPP) in a large cohort of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD). We analysed 1,502 consecutive patients (1,014 men aged 59 ± 10 years) submitted to exercise stress/rest MPI. To account for exercise tolerance, the summed difference score (SDS) was divided by RPP at tracer injection providing a clinical prognostic index (CPI). Reversible ischaemia was documented in 357 patients (24 %) and was classified by SDS as mild (SDS 2-4) in 180, moderate (SDS 5-7) in 118 and severe (SDS >7) in 59. CPI values of ischaemic patients were clustered into tertiles with lowest and highest values indicating low and high risk, respectively. CPI modified SDS risk prediction in 119/357 (33 %) patients. During a 60-month follow-up, MACE occurred in 68 patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that CPI significantly improved predictive power for MACE incidence with respect to SDS alone. Multivariate Cox analysis confirmed the additive independent value of CPI-derived information. Integration of ischaemic threshold and ischaemia extension and severity can improve accuracy of exercise MPI in predicting long-term outcome in a large cohort of patients with suspected or known CAD.

  14. Diagnostic and Prognostic Models for Generator Step-Up Transformers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vivek Agarwal; Nancy J. Lybeck; Binh T. Pham

    In 2014, the online monitoring (OLM) of active components project under the Light Water Reactor Sustainability program at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) focused on diagnostic and prognostic capabilities for generator step-up transformers. INL worked with subject matter experts from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to augment and revise the GSU fault signatures previously implemented in the Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI’s) Fleet-Wide Prognostic and Health Management (FW-PHM) Suite software. Two prognostic models were identified and implemented for GSUs in the FW-PHM Suite software. INL and EPRI demonstrated the use of prognostic capabilities for GSUs. The complete set of faultmore » signatures developed for GSUs in the Asset Fault Signature Database of the FW-PHM Suite for GSUs is presented in this report. Two prognostic models are described for paper insulation: the Chendong model for degree of polymerization, and an IEEE model that uses a loading profile to calculates life consumption based on hot spot winding temperatures. Both models are life consumption models, which are examples of type II prognostic models. Use of the models in the FW-PHM Suite was successfully demonstrated at the 2014 August Utility Working Group Meeting, Idaho Falls, Idaho, to representatives from different utilities, EPRI, and the Halden Research Project.« less

  15. [PROGNOSTIC MODELS IN MODERN MANAGEMENT OF VULVAR CANCER].

    PubMed

    Tsvetkov, Ch; Gorchev, G; Tomov, S; Nikolova, M; Genchev, G

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the research was to evaluate and analyse prognosis and prognostic factors in patients with squamous cell vulvar carcinoma after primary surgery with individual approach applied during the course of treatment. In the period between January 2000 and July 2010, 113 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva were diagnosed and operated on at Gynecologic Oncology Clinic of Medical University, Pleven. All the patients were monitored at the same clinic. Individual approach was applied to each patient and whenever it was possible, more conservative operative techniques were applied. The probable clinicopathological characteristics influencing the overall survival and recurrence free survival were analyzed. Univariate statistical analysis and Cox regression analysis were made in order to evaluate the characteristics, which were statistically significant for overall survival and survival without recurrence. A multivariate logistic regression analysis (Forward Wald procedure) was applied to evaluate the combined influence of the significant factors. While performing the multivariate analysis, the synergic effect of the independent prognostic factors of both kinds of survivals was also evaluated. Approaching individually each patient, we applied the following operative techniques: 1. Deep total radical vulvectomy with separate incisions for lymph dissection (LD) or without dissection--68 (60.18 %) patients. 2. En-bloc vulvectomy with bilateral LD without vulva reconstruction--10 (8.85%) 3. Modified radical vulvactomy (hemivulvectomy, patial vulvactomy)--25 (22.02%). 4. wide-local excision--3 (2.65%). 5. Simple (total /partial) vulvectomy--5 (4.43%) patients. 6. En-bloc resection with reconstruction--2 (1.77%) After a thorough analysis of the overall survival and recurrence free survival, we made the conclusion that the relapse occurrence and clinical stage of FIGO were independent prognostic factors for overall survival and the independent prognostic factors

  16. Prognostic and predictive potential molecular biomarkers in colon cancer.

    PubMed

    Nastase, A; Pâslaru, L; Niculescu, A M; Ionescu, M; Dumitraşcu, T; Herlea, V; Dima, S; Gheorghe, C; Lazar, V; Popescu, I

    2011-01-01

    An important objective in nowadays research is the discovery of new biomarkers that can detect colon tumours in early stages and indicate with accuracy the status of the disease. The aim of our study was to identify potential biomarkers for colon cancer onset and progression. We assessed gene expression profiles of a list of 10 candidate genes (MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-7, DEFA 1, DEFA-5, DEFA-6, IL-8, CXCL-1, SPP-1, CTHRC-1) by quantitative real time PCR in triplets of colonic mucosa (normal, adenoma, tumoral tissue) collected from the same patient during surgery for a group of 20 patients. Additionally we performed immunohistochemistry for DEFA1-3 and SPP1. We remarked that DEFA5 and DEFA6 are key factors in adenoma formation (p<0.05). MMP7 is important in the transition from a benign to a malignant status (p <0.01) and further in metastasis being a prognostic indicator for tumor transformation and for the metastatic potential of cancer cells. IL8, irrespective of tumor stage, has a high mRNA level in adenocarcinoma (p< 0.05). The level of expression for SPP1 is correlated with tumor level. We suggest that high levels of DEFAS, DEFA6 (key elements in adenoma formation), MMP7 (marker of colon cancer onset and progression to metastasis), SPP1 (marker of progression) and IL8 could be used to diagnose an early stage colon cancer and to evaluate the prognostic of progression for colon tumors. Further, if DEFA5 and DEFA6 level of expression are low but MMP7, SPP1 and IL8 level are high we could point out that the transition from adenoma to adenocarcinoma had already occurred. Thus, DEFA5, DEFA6, MMP7, IL8 and SPP1 consist in a valuable panel of biomarkers, whose detection can be used in early detection and progressive disease and also in prognostic of colon cancer.

  17. Value of coronary computed tomography as a prognostic tool.

    PubMed

    Contractor, Tahmeed; Parekh, Maansi; Ahmed, Shameer; Martinez, Matthew W

    2012-08-01

    Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has become an important part of our armamentarium for noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Emerging technologies have produced lower radiation dose, improved spatial and temporal resolution, as well as information about coronary physiology. Although the prognostic role of coronary artery calcium scoring is known, similar evidence for CCTA has only recently emerged. Initial, small studies in various patient populations have indicated that CCTA-identified CAD may have a prognostic value. These findings were confirmed in a recent analysis of the international, prospective Coronary CT Angiography Evaluation For Clinical Outcomes: An International Multicenter (CONFIRM) registry. An incremental increase in mortality was found with a worse severity of CAD on a per-patient, per-vessel, and per-segment basis. In addition, age-, sex-, and ethnicity-based differences in mortality were also found. Whether changing our management algorithms based on these findings will affect outcomes is unclear. Large prospective studies utilizing targeted management strategies for obstructive and nonobstructive CAD are required to incorporate these recent findings into our daily practice. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Outcomes of Prognostic Disclosure: Associations With Prognostic Understanding, Distress, and Relationship With Physician Among Patients With Advanced Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Enzinger, Andrea C.; Zhang, Baohui; Schrag, Deborah; Prigerson, Holly G.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To determine how prognostic conversations influence perceptions of life expectancy (LE), distress, and the patient-physician relationship among patients with advanced cancer. Patients and Methods This was a multicenter observational study of 590 patients with metastatic solid malignancies with progressive disease after ≥ one line of palliative chemotherapy, undergoing follow-up to death. At baseline, patients were asked whether their oncologist had disclosed an estimate of prognosis. Patients also estimated their own LE and completed assessments of the patient-physician relationship, distress, advance directives, and end-of-life care preferences. Results Among this cohort of 590 patients with advanced cancer (median survival, 5.4 months), 71% wanted to be told their LE, but only 17.6% recalled a prognostic disclosure by their physician. Among the 299 (51%) of 590 patients willing to estimate their LE, those who recalled prognostic disclosure offered more realistic estimates as compared with patients who did not (median, 12 months; interquartile range, 6 to 36 months v 48 months; interquartile range, 12 to 180 months; P < .001), and their estimates were less likely to differ from their actual survival by > 2 (30.2% v 49.2%; odds ratio [OR], 0.45; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.82) or 5 years (9.5% v 35.5%; OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.47). In adjusted analyses, recall of prognostic disclosure was associated with a 17.2-month decrease (95% CI, 6.2 to 28.2 months) in patients' LE self-estimates. Longer LE self-estimates were associated with lower likelihood of do-not-resuscitate order (adjusted OR, 0.439; 95% CI, 0.296 to 0.630 per 12-month increase in estimate) and preference for life-prolonging over comfort-oriented care (adjusted OR, 1.493; 95% CI, 1.091 to 1.939). Prognostic disclosure was not associated with worse patient-physician relationship ratings, sadness, or anxiety in adjusted analyses. Conclusion Prognostic disclosures are associated with more realistic

  19. Outcomes of Prognostic Disclosure: Associations With Prognostic Understanding, Distress, and Relationship With Physician Among Patients With Advanced Cancer.

    PubMed

    Enzinger, Andrea C; Zhang, Baohui; Schrag, Deborah; Prigerson, Holly G

    2015-11-10

    To determine how prognostic conversations influence perceptions of life expectancy (LE), distress, and the patient-physician relationship among patients with advanced cancer. This was a multicenter observational study of 590 patients with metastatic solid malignancies with progressive disease after ≥ one line of palliative chemotherapy, undergoing follow-up to death. At baseline, patients were asked whether their oncologist had disclosed an estimate of prognosis. Patients also estimated their own LE and completed assessments of the patient-physician relationship, distress, advance directives, and end-of-life care preferences. Among this cohort of 590 patients with advanced cancer (median survival, 5.4 months), 71% wanted to be told their LE, but only 17.6% recalled a prognostic disclosure by their physician. Among the 299 (51%) of 590 patients willing to estimate their LE, those who recalled prognostic disclosure offered more realistic estimates as compared with patients who did not (median, 12 months; interquartile range, 6 to 36 months v 48 months; interquartile range, 12 to 180 months; P < .001), and their estimates were less likely to differ from their actual survival by > 2 (30.2% v 49.2%; odds ratio [OR], 0.45; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.82) or 5 years (9.5% v 35.5%; OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.47). In adjusted analyses, recall of prognostic disclosure was associated with a 17.2-month decrease (95% CI, 6.2 to 28.2 months) in patients' LE self-estimates. Longer LE self-estimates were associated with lower likelihood of do-not-resuscitate order (adjusted OR, 0.439; 95% CI, 0.296 to 0.630 per 12-month increase in estimate) and preference for life-prolonging over comfort-oriented care (adjusted OR, 1.493; 95% CI, 1.091 to 1.939). Prognostic disclosure was not associated with worse patient-physician relationship ratings, sadness, or anxiety in adjusted analyses. Prognostic disclosures are associated with more realistic patient expectations of LE, without decrements to

  20. Analyzing risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

    PubMed

    Kramer, Michael S; Zhang, Xun; Platt, Robert W

    2014-02-01

    Approaches for analyzing the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes have been the source of much debate and many publications. Much of the problem, in our view, is the conflation of time at risk with gestational age at birth (or birth weight, a proxy for gestational age). We consider the causal questions underlying such analyses with the help of a generic directed acyclic graph. We discuss competing risks and populations at risk in the context of appropriate numerators and denominators, respectively. We summarize 3 different approaches to quantifying risks with respect to gestational age, each of which addresses a distinct etiological or prognostic question (i.e., cumulative risk, prospective risk, or instantaneous risk (hazard)) and suggest the appropriate denominators for each. We show how the gestational age-specific risk of perinatal death (PND) can be decomposed as the product of the gestational age-specific risk of birth and the risk of PND conditional on birth at a given gestational age. Finally, we demonstrate how failure to consider the first of these 2 risks leads to selection bias. This selection bias creates the well-known crossover paradox, thus obviating the need to posit common causes of early birth and PND other than the study exposure.

  1. Prognostic Modeling in Pathologic N1 Breast Cancer Without Elective Nodal Irradiation After Current Standard Systemic Management.

    PubMed

    Yu, Jeong Il; Park, Won; Choi, Doo Ho; Huh, Seung Jae; Nam, Seok Jin; Kim, Seok Won; Lee, Jeong Eon; Kil, Won Ho; Im, Young-Hyuck; Ahn, Jin Seok; Park, Yeon Hee; Cho, Eun Yoon

    2015-08-01

    This study was conducted to establish a prognostic model in patients with pathologic N1 (pN1) breast cancer who have not undergone elective nodal irradiation (ENI) under the current standard management and to suggest possible indications for ENI. We performed a retrospective study with patients with pN1 breast cancer who received the standard local and preferred adjuvant chemotherapy treatment without neoadjuvant chemotherapy and ENI from January 2005 to June 2011. Most of the indicated patients received endocrine and trastuzumab therapy. In 735 enrolled patients, the median follow-up period was 58.4 months (range, 7.2-111.3 months). Overall, 55 recurrences (7.4%) developed, and locoregional recurrence was present in 27 patients (3.8%). Recurrence-free survival was significantly related to lymphovascular invasion (P = .04, hazard ratio [HR], 1.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-2.88), histologic grade (P = .03, HR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.05-6.26), and nonluminal A subtype (P = .02, HR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.23-7.49) in multivariate analysis. The prognostic model was established by these 3 prognostic factors. Recurrence-free survival was less than 90% at 5 years in cases with 2 or 3 factors. The prognostic model has stratified risk groups in pN1 breast cancer without ENI. Patients with 2 or more factors should be considered for ENI. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Prognostic value of long noncoding RNA HOTAIR in digestive system malignancies.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shuai; Wang, Zhou

    2015-07-01

    HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR), a well-known long noncoding RNA, has been found to play significant roles in several tumors. However, the clinical application value of HOTAIR in digestive system malignancies remains to be clarified. We aimed to explore comprehensively the potential role of HOTAIR as a prognostic indicator in digestive system malignancies. Systematic search was performed in Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science until July 5, 2014. A quantitative meta-analysis was conducted with standard statistical methods for eligible papers on the prognostic value of HOTAIR in digestive system cancers. A total of 1059 patients from 13 studies were included in the meta-analysis. A significant association was found between HOTAIR abundance and poor overall survival (OS) of patients with digestive system malignancies, with pooled hazard ratio (HR) of 2.587 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.054-3.259, P < 0.001). By combining HRs from Cox multivariate analyses, we found HOTAIR was an independent prognostic factor for OS without obvious heterogeneity (HR: 2.405, 95% CI: 1.883-3.0722, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that tumor type, histology type, region, publication year, sample size, and quality score did not alter the predictive value of HOTAIR as an independent factor for survival. Meta-regression and sensitivity analysis both suggested the reliability of our findings. A slight publication bias was observed. After adjustment by nonparametric "trim-and-fill" method, the corrected HRs had no significant change. HOTAIR could be exploited as a novel prognostic biomarker for patients with digestive system malignancies. © 2015 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  3. Fear of knowledge: Clinical hypotheses in diagnostic and prognostic reasoning.

    PubMed

    Chiffi, Daniele; Zanotti, Renzo

    2017-10-01

    Patients are interested in receiving accurate diagnostic and prognostic information. Models and reasoning about diagnoses have been extensively investigated from a foundational perspective; however, for all its importance, prognosis has yet to receive a comparable degree of philosophical and methodological attention, and this may be due to the difficulties inherent in accurate prognostics. In the light of these considerations, we discuss a considerable body of critical thinking on the topic of prognostication and its strict relations with diagnostic reasoning, pointing out the distinction between nosographic and pathophysiological types of diagnosis and prognosis, underlying the importance of the explication and explanation processes. We then distinguish between various forms of hypothetical reasoning applied to reach diagnostic and prognostic judgments, comparing them with specific forms of abductive reasoning. The main thesis is that creative abduction regarding clinical hypotheses in diagnostic process is very unlikely to occur, whereas this seems to be often the case for prognostic judgments. The reasons behind this distinction are due to the different types of uncertainty involved in diagnostic and prognostic judgments. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. Poorly Differentiated Clusters Predict Colon Cancer Recurrence: An In-Depth Comparative Analysis of Invasive-Front Prognostic Markers.

    PubMed

    Konishi, Tsuyoshi; Shimada, Yoshifumi; Lee, Lik Hang; Cavalcanti, Marcela S; Hsu, Meier; Smith, Jesse Joshua; Nash, Garrett M; Temple, Larissa K; Guillem, José G; Paty, Philip B; Garcia-Aguilar, Julio; Vakiani, Efsevia; Gonen, Mithat; Shia, Jinru; Weiser, Martin R

    2018-06-01

    This study aimed to compare common histologic markers at the invasive front of colon adenocarcinoma in terms of prognostic accuracy and interobserver agreement. Consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for stages I to III colon adenocarcinoma at a single institution in 2007 to 2014 were identified. Poorly differentiated clusters (PDCs), tumor budding, perineural invasion, desmoplastic reaction, and Crohn-like lymphoid reaction at the invasive front, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) grade of the entire tumor, were analyzed. Prognostic accuracies for recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared, and interobserver agreement among 3 pathologists was assessed. The study cohort consisted of 851 patients. Although all the histologic markers except WHO grade were significantly associated with RFS (PDCs, tumor budding, perineural invasion, and desmoplastic reaction: P<0.001; Crohn-like lymphoid reaction: P=0.021), PDCs (grade 1 [G1]: n=581; G2: n=145; G3: n=125) showed the largest separation of 3-year RFS in the full cohort (G1: 94.1%; G3: 63.7%; hazard ratio [HR], 6.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.11-9.95; P<0.001), stage II patients (G1: 94.0%; G3: 67.3%; HR, 4.15; 95% CI, 1.96-8.82; P<0.001), and stage III patients (G1: 89.0%; G3: 59.4%; HR, 4.50; 95% CI, 2.41-8.41; P<0.001). PDCs had the highest prognostic accuracy for RFS with the concordance probability estimate of 0.642, whereas WHO grade had the lowest. Interobserver agreement was the highest for PDCs, with a weighted kappa of 0.824. The risk of recurrence over time peaked earlier for worse PDCs grade. Our findings indicate that PDCs are the best invasive-front histologic marker in terms of prognostic accuracy and interobserver agreement. PDCs may replace WHO grade as a prognostic indicator.

  5. Prognostic value of survivin expression in parotid gland cancer in consideration of different histological subtypes.

    PubMed

    Stenner, Markus; Demgensky, Ariane; Molls, Christoph; Hardt, Aline; Luers, Jan C; Grosheva, Maria; Huebbers, Christian U; Klussmann, Jens P

    2011-05-01

    Cancer of the major salivary glands comprises a morphological diverse group of rare tumours of largely unknown cause. Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis has shown to be a significant prognostic indicator in various human cancers. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term prognostic value of survivin in a large group of histological different salivary gland cancers. We analysed the survivin expression in 143 patients with parotid gland cancer by means of immunohistochemistry and tissue micro array. Survivin expression was categorised into a low and a high expressing group. The experimental findings were correlated with clinicopathological and survival parameters. The mean follow-up time was 54.8 months. A positive cytoplasmic expression of survivin was found in 61.5%, a high expression in 25.9% of all specimens. In the whole group, high cytoplasmic survivin expression significantly indicated a poor 5-year disease-free and overall survival rate (p < 0.0001, p = 0.003). This applied for all adeno-, adenoid cystic and undifferentiated carcinomas whereas in mucoepidermoid carcinomas an analogical non-significant trend could be observed. A high cytoplasmic survivin expression significantly indicated a poor survival in high grade but not in low grade tumours. A multivariate analysis revealed that high cytoplasmic survivin expression was the only significant negative prognostic indicator for a poor 5-year disease-free survival rate in all patients (p = 0.042). The correlation between cytoplasmic survivin expression and survival probabilities of salivary gland cancer might make this an effective tool in patient follow-up, prognosis and targeted therapy in future. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Ulex europeus agglutinin-I binding as a potential prognostic marker in ovarian cancer.

    PubMed

    Blonski, Katharina; Milde-Langosch, Karin; Bamberger, Ana-Maria; Osterholz, Tina; Utler, Christian; Berger, Jürgen; Löning, Thomas; Schumacher, Udo

    2007-01-01

    Ovarian cancer represents the malignant tumour of the female genital tract with the worst prognosis, mainly caused by early intraperitoneal spread. Cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions play a functionally important role in this spread and are both mediated by the cell membrane. Changes in the glycosylation of the cell membrane, as detected by lectin histochemistry, are sometimes associated with a poor prognosis. The expression of lectin binding of 164 ovarian cancer patients was analysed and the staining results were correlated with the clinical data of the patients. The univariate and multivariate statistical analysis revealed an independent prognostic significance for Ulex europeus agglutinin-I (UEA-I) binding. These findings indicate that UEA-I binding can serve as a prognostic factor in ovarian cancer.

  7. The correlation of extranodal invasion with other prognostic parameters in lymph node positive breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Altinyollar, Hüseyin; Berberoğlu, Uğur; Gülben, Kaptan; Irkin, Fikret

    2007-06-01

    The presence of extranodal invasion (ENI) in the metastatic lymph nodes is reported to increase the risk of locoregional recurrence while shortening disease-free and overall survival in patients with breast cancer. In this study the relationship between ENI and other prognostic parameters and survival is investigated. Of 650 patients with breast cancer who were treated in Ankara Oncology Teaching and Research Hospital from 1996 to 2003, 368 (56.6%) had lymph node metastasis. The patients with axillary metastasis were separated into two groups as with and without invasion to lymph node capsule and the surrounding adipose tissue. Clinicopathologic features were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Of 368 patients with axillary metastasis, 135 (36.7%) had ENI. Based on multivariate analysis; the number of metastatic lymph nodes, lymphatic invasion, and tumor necrosis were found to be related with ENI. In the group with ENI, 5-year overall survival rate was 74.8%, compared to 82.3% for patients without ENI which was significantly lower (P = 0.04). In lymph node positive breast cancer with presence of ENI, adverse prognostic parameters are more frequently encountered and has a worse overall survival compared to group without ENI. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  8. Adverse childhood experiences and health anxiety in adulthood.

    PubMed

    Reiser, Sarah J; McMillan, Katherine A; Wright, Kristi D; Asmundson, Gordon J G

    2014-03-01

    Childhood experiences are thought to predispose a person to the development of health anxiety later in life. However, there is a lack of research investigating the influence of specific adverse experiences (e.g., childhood abuse, household dysfunction) on this condition. The current study examined the cumulative influence of multiple types of childhood adversities on health anxiety in adulthood. Adults 18-59 years of age (N=264) completed a battery of measures to assess adverse childhood experiences, health anxiety, and associated constructs (i.e., negative affect and trait anxiety). Significant associations were observed between adverse childhood experiences, health anxiety, and associated constructs. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicted that adverse childhood experiences were predictive of health anxiety in adulthood; however, the unique contribution of these experience were no longer significant following the inclusion of the other variables of interest. Subsequently, mediation analyses indicated that both negative affect and trait anxiety independently mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and health anxiety in adulthood. Increased exposure to adverse childhood experiences is associated with higher levels of health anxiety in adulthood; this relationship is mediated through negative affect and trait anxiety. Findings support the long-term negative impact of cumulative adverse childhood experiences and emphasize the importance of addressing negative affect and trait anxiety in efforts to prevent and treat health anxiety. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. The prognostic value of undetectable highly sensitive cardiac troponin I in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Hakemi, Emad U; Alyousef, Tareq; Dang, Geetanjali; Hakmei, Jalal; Doukky, Rami

    2015-03-01

    Elevated cardiac troponin levels have been shown to be associated with adverse outcomes in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). However, few data address the management implications of undetectable cardiac troponin I (cTnI) using a highly sensitive assay. We hypothesized that undetectable cTnI predicts very low in-hospital adverse event rates. In a retrospective cohort study, we classified patients with confirmed acute PE according to cTnI detectability into cTnI+ (≥ 0.012 ng/mL) and cTnI- (< 0.012 ng/mL) groups. The Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) was used for clinical risk determination. The primary outcome was a composite of hard events defined as in-hospital death, CPR, or thrombolytic therapy. The secondary outcome was a composite of soft events defined as ICU admission or inferior vena cava filter placement. Among 298 consecutive patients with confirmed acute PE, 161 (55%) were cTnI+ and 137 (45%) cTnI-. No deaths occurred in the cTnI- group vs nine (6%) in the cTnI+ group (P = .004). No hard events were observed in the cTnI- group vs 15 (9%) in the cTnI+ group (P < .001). Soft events were observed at a lower rate in the cTnI- group (21[15%] vs 69 [43%], P < .001). Patients in the cTnI- group had a higher survival rate free of hard (P = .001) or soft (P < .001) events, irrespective of clinical risk. Furthermore, cTnI provided incremental prognostic value beyond clinical, ECG, and imaging data (P < .001). Highly sensitive cTnI assay provides an excellent prognostic negative predictive value; thus, it plays a role in identifying candidates for out-of-hospital treatment of acute PE.

  10. Noncutaneous malignant melanoma: a prognostic model from a retrospective multicenter study

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background We performed multicenter study to define clinical characteristics of noncutaneous melanomas and to establish prognostic factors patients who received curative resection. Methods Of the 141 patients who were diagnosed of non-cutaneous melanoma at 4 institutions in Korea between June 1992 and May 2005, 129 (91.5%) satisfied the selection criteria. Results Of the 129 noncutaneous melanoma patients, 14 patients had ocular melanoma and 115 patients had mucosal melanoma. For mucosal melanoma, anorectum was the most common anatomic site (n = 39, 30.2%) which was followed by nasal cavity (n = 30, 23.3%), genitourinary (n = 21, 16.3%), oral cavity (n = 14, 10.9%), upper gastrointestinal tract (n = 6, 4.7%) and maxillary sinus (n = 5, 3.9%) in the order of frequency. With the median 64.5 (range 4.3-213.0) months follow-up, the median overall survival were 24.4 months (95% CI 13.2-35.5) for all patients, and 34.6 (95% CI 24.5-44.7) months for curatively resected mucosal melanoma patients. Adverse prognostic factors of survival for 87 curatively resected mucosal melanoma patients were complete resection (R1 resection margin), and age > 50 years. For 14 ocular melanoma, Survival outcome was much better than mucosal melanoma with 73.3% of 2 year OS and 51.2 months of median OS (P = .04). Conclusion Prognosis differed according to primary sites of noncutaneous melanoma. Based on our study, noncutaneous melanoma patients should be treated differently to improve survival outcome. PMID:20426858

  11. Systematic review of renal carcinoma prognostic factors.

    PubMed

    Lorente, D; Trilla, E; Meseguer, A; Planas, J; Placer, J; Celma, A; Salvador, C; Regis, L; Morote, J

    2017-05-01

    The natural history of renal cell carcinoma is heterogeneous. Some scenarios can be found in terms of clinical presentation, clinical evolution or type of recurrence (local/metastatic). The aim of this publication is to analyze the most important prognostic factors published in the literature. A literature review ob published papers was performed using the Pubmed, from first Motzer's classification published in 1999 to 2015, according to PRISMA declaration. Search was done using the following keywords: kidney neoplasm, kidney cancer, renal cell carcinoma, prognostic factors, mortality, survival and disease progression. Papers were classified according to level of evidence, the number of patients included and the type of study performed. The evolution in the knowledge of molecular pathways related to renal oncogenesis and the new targeted therapies has left to remain obsolete the old prognostic models. It's necessary to perform a continuous review to actualize nomograms and to adapt them to the new scenarios. Is necessary to perform a proper external validation of existing prognostic factors using prospective and multicentric studies to add them into the daily urologist clinical practice. Copyright © 2016 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  12. Prognostic value of tumor necrosis at CT in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Adams, Hugo J A; de Klerk, John M H; Fijnheer, Rob; Dubois, Stefan V; Nievelstein, Rutger A J; Kwee, Thomas C

    2015-03-01

    To determine the prognostic value of tumor necrosis at computed tomography (CT) in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This retrospective study included 51 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL who had undergone both unenhanced and intravenous contrast-enhanced CT before R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, oncovin and prednisolone) chemo-immunotherapy. Presence of tumor necrosis was visually and quantitatively assessed at CT. Associations between tumor necrosis status at CT and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) International Prognostic Index (IPI) factors were assessed. Cox regression analysis was used to determine the prognostic impact of NCCN-IPI scores and tumor necrosis status at CT. There were no correlations between tumor necrosis status at CT and the NCCN-IPI factors categorized age (ρ=-0.042, P=0.765), categorized lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ratio (ρ=0.201, P=0.156), extranodal disease in major organs (φ=-0.245, P=0.083), Ann Arbor stage III/IV disease (φ=-0.208, P=0.141), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (φ=0.015, P=0.914). In the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, only tumor necrosis status at CT was an independent predictive factor of progression-free survival (P=0.003) and overall survival (P=0.004). The findings of this study indicate the prognostic potential of tumor necrosis at CT in newly diagnosed DLBCL. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Major prognostic role of Ki67 in localized adrenocortical carcinoma after complete resection.

    PubMed

    Beuschlein, Felix; Weigel, Jens; Saeger, Wolfgang; Kroiss, Matthias; Wild, Vanessa; Daffara, Fulvia; Libé, Rosella; Ardito, Arianna; Al Ghuzlan, Abir; Quinkler, Marcus; Oßwald, Andrea; Ronchi, Cristina L; de Krijger, Ronald; Feelders, Richard A; Waldmann, Jens; Willenberg, Holger S; Deutschbein, Timo; Stell, Anthony; Reincke, Martin; Papotti, Mauro; Baudin, Eric; Tissier, Frédérique; Haak, Harm R; Loli, Paola; Terzolo, Massimo; Allolio, Bruno; Müller, Hans-Helge; Fassnacht, Martin

    2015-03-01

    Recurrence of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) even after complete (R0) resection occurs frequently. The aim of this study was to identify markers with prognostic value for patients in this clinical setting. From the German ACC registry, 319 patients with the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumors stage I-III were identified. As an independent validation cohort, 250 patients from three European countries were included. Clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical markers were correlated with recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Although univariable analysis within the German cohort suggested several factors with potential prognostic power, upon multivariable adjustment only a few including age, tumor size, venous tumor thrombus (VTT), and the proliferation marker Ki67 retained significance. Among these, Ki67 provided the single best prognostic value for RFS (hazard ratio [HR] for recurrence, 1.042 per 1% increase; P < .0001) and OS (HR for death, 1.051; P < .0001) which was confirmed in the validation cohort. Accordingly, clinical outcome differed significantly between patients with Ki67 <10%, 10-19%, and ≥20% (for the German cohort: median RFS, 53.2 vs 31.6 vs 9.4 mo; median OS, 180.5 vs 113.5 vs 42.0 mo). Using the combined cohort prognostic scores including tumor size, VTT, and Ki67 were established. Although these scores discriminated slightly better between subgroups, there was no clinically meaningful advantage in comparison with Ki67 alone. This largest study on prognostic markers in localized ACC identified Ki67 as the single most important factor predicting recurrence in patients following R0 resection. Thus, evaluation of Ki67 indices should be introduced as standard grading in all pathology reports of patients with ACC.

  14. Intestinal Microbiota-Dependent Phosphatidylcholine Metabolites, Diastolic Dysfunction and Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Chronic Systolic Heart Failure

    PubMed Central

    Wilson Tang, W. H.; Wang, Zeneng; Shrestha, Kevin; Borowski, Allen G; Wu, Yuping; Troughton, Richard W; Klein, Allan L; Hazen, Stanley L

    2014-01-01

    Background Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) has been linked to increased cardiovascular risk. We aim to determine the prognostic value of TMAO and its dietary precursors, choline and betaine, in heart failure (HF). Methods and Results In 112 patients with chronic systolic HF with comprehensive echocardiographic evaluation, we measured plasma TMAO, choline, and betaine by mass spectrometry. Median TMAO levels, choline, and betaine levels were 5.8 [3.6, 12.1] μM, 10.9 [8.4, 14.0] μM, 43.8 [37.1, 53.0] μM, respectively, and were correlated with each other (all p<0.0001 for both). TMAO levels were significantly higher in patients with diabetes mellitus (9.4 [4.9, 13.2] vs 4.8 [3.4, 9.8] μM, p=0.005) and in subjects with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or greater (7.0 [4.7, 14.8] vs 4.7 [3.4, 11.3] μM, p=0.02). Elevated TMAO, choline, and betaine levels were each associated with higher plasma NT-proBNP levels and more advanced left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, but not systolic dysfunction or inflammatory and endothelial biomarkers. Higher choline (Hazard ratio (HR) 1.64 [95% CI: 1.22 2.20], p=0.001), betaine (HR 1.51 [1.10–2.08], p=0.01), and TMAO (HR 1.48 [1.10–1.96], p=0.01) predicted increased risk for 5-year adverse clinical events (death/transplant). Only higher TMAO levels predicted incident adverse clinical events independent of age, eGFR, mitral E/septal Ea, and NT-proBNP levels (HR 1.46 [1.03 2.14], p=0.03). Conclusion Elevated plasma TMAO, choline and betaine levels are each associated with more advanced left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and portend poorer long-term adverse clinical outcomes in chronic systolic HF. However, only higher plasma TMAO levels was associated with poor prognosis after adjustment for cardio-renal indices. PMID:25459686

  15. Intestinal microbiota-dependent phosphatidylcholine metabolites, diastolic dysfunction, and adverse clinical outcomes in chronic systolic heart failure.

    PubMed

    Tang, W H Wilson; Wang, Zeneng; Shrestha, Kevin; Borowski, Allen G; Wu, Yuping; Troughton, Richard W; Klein, Allan L; Hazen, Stanley L

    2015-02-01

    Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) has been linked to increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to determine the prognostic value of TMAO and its dietary precursors, choline and betaine, in heart failure (HF). In 112 patients with chronic systolic HF with comprehensive echocardiographic evaluation, we measured plasma TMAO, choline, and betaine by mass spectrometry. Median (interquartile range) TMAO levels, choline, and betaine levels were 5.8 (3.6-12.1) μmol/L, 10.9 (8.4-14.0) μmol/L, and 43.8 (37.1-53.0) μmol/L, respectively, and were correlated with each other (all P < .0001 for both). TMAO levels were significantly higher in patients with diabetes mellitus (9.4 [4.9-13.2] vs 4.8 [3.4-9.8] μmol/L; P = .005) and in subjects with New York Heart Association functional class III or greater (7.0 [4.7-14.8] vs 4.7 [3.4-11.3] μmol/L; P = .02). Elevated TMAO, choline, and betaine levels were each associated with higher plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and more advanced left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, but not systolic dysfunction or inflammatory and endothelial biomarkers. Higher choline (hazard ratio [HR] 1.64, 95% CI 1.22-2.20; P = .001), betaine (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.10-2.08; P = .01), and TMAO (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.10-1.96; P = .01) predicted increased risk for 5-year adverse clinical events (death/transplantation). Only higher TMAO levels predicted incident adverse clinical events independently from age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, mitral E/septal Ea, and NT-proBNP levels (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.03-2.14; P = .03). Elevated plasma TMAO, choline, and betaine levels are each associated with more advanced left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and portend poorer long-term adverse clinical outcomes in chronic systolic HF. However, only higher plasma TMAO was associated with poor prognosis after adjustment for cardiorenal indices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. A Testbed for Data Fusion for Helicopter Diagnostics and Prognostics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-03-01

    and algorithm design and tuning in order to develop advanced diagnostic and prognostic techniques for air craft health monitoring . Here a...and development of models for diagnostics, prognostics , and anomaly detection . Figure 5 VMEP Server Browser Interface 7 Download... detections , and prognostic prediction time horizons. The VMEP system and in particular the web component are ideal for performing data collection

  17. A new prognostic score for AIDS-related lymphomas in the rituximab-era

    PubMed Central

    Barta, Stefan K.; Xue, Xiaonan; Wang, Dan; Lee, Jeannette Y.; Kaplan, Lawrence D.; Ribera, Josep-Maria; Oriol, Albert; Spina, Michele; Tirelli, Umberto; Boue, Francois; Wilson, Wyndham H.; Wyen, Christoph; Dunleavy, Kieron; Noy, Ariela; Sparano, Joseph A.

    2014-01-01

    While the International Prognostic Index is commonly used to predict outcomes in immunocompetent patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, HIV-infection is an important competing risk for death in patients with AIDS-related lymphomas. We investigated whether a newly created prognostic score (AIDS-related lymphoma International Prognostic Index) could better assess risk of death in patients with AIDS-related lymphomas. We randomly divided a dataset of 487 patients newly diagnosed with AIDS-related lymphomas and treated with rituximab-containing chemoimmunotherapy into a training (n=244) and validation (n=243) set. We examined the association of HIV-related and other known risk factors with overall survival in both sets independently. We defined a new score (AIDS-related lymphoma International Prognostic Index) by assigning weights to each significant predictor [age-adjusted International Prognostic Index, extranodal sites, HIV-score (composed of CD4 count, viral load, and prior history of AIDS)] with three risk categories similar to the age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (low, intermediate and high risk). We compared the prognostic value for overall survival between AIDS-related lymphoma International Prognostic Index and age-adjusted International Prognostic Index in the validation set and found that the AIDS-related lymphoma International Prognostic Index performed significantly better in predicting risk of death than the age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (P=0.004) and better discriminated risk of death between each risk category (P=0.015 vs. P=0.13). Twenty-eight percent of patients were defined as low risk by the ARL-IPI and had an estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) of 78% (52% intermediate risk, 5-year OS 60%; 20% high risk, 5-year OS 50%). PMID:25150257

  18. Lifecycle Prognostics Architecture for Selected High-Cost Active Components

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    N. Lybeck; B. Pham; M. Tawfik

    There are an extensive body of knowledge and some commercial products available for calculating prognostics, remaining useful life, and damage index parameters. The application of these technologies within the nuclear power community is still in its infancy. Online monitoring and condition-based maintenance is seeing increasing acceptance and deployment, and these activities provide the technological bases for expanding to add predictive/prognostics capabilities. In looking to deploy prognostics there are three key aspects of systems that are presented and discussed: (1) component/system/structure selection, (2) prognostic algorithms, and (3) prognostics architectures. Criteria are presented for component selection: feasibility, failure probability, consequences of failure,more » and benefits of the prognostics and health management (PHM) system. The basis and methods commonly used for prognostics algorithms are reviewed and summarized. Criteria for evaluating PHM architectures are presented: open, modular architecture; platform independence; graphical user interface for system development and/or results viewing; web enabled tools; scalability; and standards compatibility. Thirteen software products were identified and discussed in the context of being potentially useful for deployment in a PHM program applied to systems in a nuclear power plant (NPP). These products were evaluated by using information available from company websites, product brochures, fact sheets, scholarly publications, and direct communication with vendors. The thirteen products were classified into four groups of software: (1) research tools, (2) PHM system development tools, (3) deployable architectures, and (4) peripheral tools. Eight software tools fell into the deployable architectures category. Of those eight, only two employ all six modules of a full PHM system. Five systems did not offer prognostic estimates, and one system employed the full health monitoring suite but lacked

  19. Prognostic value of purinergic P2X7 receptor expression in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection.

    PubMed

    Liu, Haiou; Liu, Weisi; Liu, Zheng; Liu, Yidong; Zhang, Weijuan; Xu, Le; Xu, Jiejie

    2015-07-01

    The family of type 2 purinergic (P2) receptors, especially P2X7, is responsible for the direct tumor-killing functions of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), but the precise role of P2X7 in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains elusive. This study aims to evaluate prognostic value of P2X7 expression in HCC patients after surgical resection. Expression of P2X7 was assessed by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays containing paired tumor and peritumoral liver tissues from 273 patients with HCC who had undergone hepatectomy between 2006 and 2007. Prognostic value of P2X7 expression and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Peritumoral P2X7 expression was significantly higher than intratumoral P2X7 expression. No significant prognostic difference was observed for overall survival for intratumoral P2X7 density, whereas peritumoral P2X7 density indicates unfavorable overall survival in training set and BCLC stage 0-A subset. Besides, peritumoral P2X7 density, which correlated with tumor size, venous invasion, and BCLC stage, was identified as an independent poor prognosticator for overall survival and recurrence-free survival. The association was further validated in validation set. Peritumoral P2X7 is a potential unfavorable prognosticator for overall survival and recurrence free survival in HCC patients after surgical resection. Further external validation and functional analysis should be pursued to evaluate its potential prognostic value and therapeutic significance for HCC patients.

  20. Inflammation-based prognostic score and number of lymph node metastases are independent prognostic factors in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Takashi; Teruya, Masanori; Kishiki, Tomokazu; Kaneko, Susumu; Endo, Daisuke; Takenaka, Yoshiharu; Miki, Kenji; Kobayashi, Kaoru; Morita, Koji

    2010-08-01

    Few studies have investigated whether the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), an inflammation-based prognostic score, is useful for postoperative prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. GPS was calculated on the basis of admission data as follows: patients with elevated C-reactive protein level (>10 mg/l) and hypoalbuminemia (<35 g/l) were assigned to GPS2. Patients with one or no abnormal value were assigned to GPS1 or GPS0. A new scoring system was constructed using independent prognostic variables and was evaluated on whether it could be used to dictate the choice of clinical options. 65 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled. GPS and the number of lymph node metastases were found to be independent prognostic variables. The scoring system comprising GPS and the number of lymph node metastases was found to be effective in the prediction of a long-term outcome (p < 0.0001). Preoperative GPS may be useful for postoperative prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. GPS and the number of lymph node metastases could be used to identify a subgroup of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who are eligible for radical resection but show poor prognosis.

  1. SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation is a favorable prognosticator and a novel indicator for G-CIMP-positive GBM patients.

    PubMed

    Feng, Ying; Wang, Zheng; Bao, Zhaoshi; Yan, Wei; You, Gan; Wang, Yinyan; Hu, Huimin; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Quangeng; Jiang, Tao

    2014-01-01

    Hypermethylation of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3(SOCS3) promoter has been reported to predict a poor prognosis in several cancers including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We explored the function of SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation in GBM cohorts, including analysis of the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), when a large number of gene loci are simultaneously hypermethylated. A whole genome promoter methylation profile was performed in a cohort of 33 GBM samples, with 13 long-term survivors (LTS; overall survival ≥ 18 months) and 20 short-term survivors (STS; overall survival ≤ 9 months). The SOCS3 promoter methylation status was compared between the two groups. In addition, we investigated the relationship of SOCS3 promoter methylation and G-CIMP status. Interestingly, in our present study, we found that SOCS3 promoter methylation was statistically significantly higher in the 13 LTS than that in the 20 STS. Furthermore, high SOCS3 promoter methylation detected via pyro-sequencing predicted a better prognosis in an independent cohort containing 62 GBM patients. This correlation was validated by the dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) and the Chinese Cancer Genome Atlas(CGGA). In addition, we found that hypermethylation of the SOCS3 promoter was tightly associated with the G-CIMP-positive GBM patients. Using a total of 359 clinical samples, we demonstrate that SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation status has a favorable prognostic value in GBM patients because of whole genome methylation status. Particularly, the hypermethylation of the SOCS3 promoter indicates positive G-CIMP status.

  2. Recurrent ischemia across the spectrum of acute coronary syndromes: prevalence and prognostic significance of (re-)infarction and ST-segment changes in a large contemporary registry.

    PubMed

    Yan, Andrew T; Steg, Philippe Gabriel; Fitzgerald, Gordon; Feldman, Laurent J; Eagle, Kim A; Gore, Joel M; Anderson, Frederick A; López-Sendón, Jose; Gurfinkel, Enrique P; Brieger, David; Goodman, Shaun G

    2010-11-05

    There are limited recent data on the prevalence and potentially different adverse impact of the various types of recurrent ischemia (RI) in unselected patients with acute coronary syndromes(ACS). We examined the clinical features and treatment associated with, and the differential prognostic impact of, the various types of RI in unselected patients across the broad spectrum of ACS in the contemporary era. The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) was a prospective, multinational registry of patients hospitalized for ACS. Data were collected on standardized case report forms. Of the 29,400 ACS patients enrolled in May 2000-March 2007, 21% developed RI; 2.4%, 4.9%, and 16% had myocardial (re-)infarction [(re-)MI], RI with ST-segment changes, and RI without ST-segment changes (not mutually exclusive), respectively. Rates of in-hospital mortality and complications, and 6-month mortality were significantly higher among patients with RI compared to those without; the rates were highest for patients who developed (re-)MI, followed by those with RI and ST-segment changes. After adjusting for other validated prognosticators in the GRACE risk score, all three types of RI retained an independent association with both higher in-hospital and post-discharge 6-month mortality. Early revascularization was associated with lower in-hospital mortality only in the group with (re-)MI (P for interaction=0.003). Despite the current use of intensive medical therapies, RI remains a common and serious consequence across the spectrum of ACS. Different types of RI confer a variable adverse prognostic impact. Re-MI is associated with the worst outcome, which appears to be mitigated by early revascularization. Our findings underscore the persistent need to improve the treatment of ACS. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. NEDD9, an independent good prognostic factor in intermediate-risk acute myeloid leukemia patients

    PubMed Central

    Pallarès, Victor; Hoyos, Montserrat; Chillón, M. Carmen; Barragán, Eva; Conde, M. Isabel Prieto; Llop, Marta; Céspedes, María Virtudes; Nomdedeu, Josep F.; Brunet, Salut; Sanz, Miguel Ángel; González-Díaz, Marcos; Sierra, Jorge; Casanova, Isolda; Mangues, Ramon

    2017-01-01

    Intermediate-risk acute myeloid leukemia (IR-AML) is the largest subgroup of AML patients and is highly heterogeneous. Whereas adverse and favourable risk patients have well-established treatment protocols, IR-AML patients have not. It is, therefore, crucial to find novel factors that stratify this subgroup to implement risk-adapted strategies. The CAS (Crk-associated substrate) adaptor protein family regulates cell proliferation, survival, migration and adhesion. Despite its association with metastatic dissemination and prognosis of different solid tumors, the role of these proteins in hematological malignancies has been scarcely evaluated. Nevertheless, previous work has established an important role for the CAS family members NEDD9 or BCAR1 in the migratory and dissemination capacities of myeloid cells. On this basis, we hypothesized that NEDD9 or BCAR1 expression levels could associate with survival in IR-AML patients and become new prognostic markers. To that purpose, we assessed BCAR1 and NEDD9 gene expression in a cohort of 73 adult AML patients validating the results in an independent cohort (n = 206). We have identified NEDD9, but not BCAR1, as a new a marker for longer overall and disease-free survival, and for lower cumulative incidence of relapse. In summary, NEDD9 gene expression is an independent prognostic factor for favourable prognosis in IR-AML patients. PMID:29100287

  4. Low CLL-1 Expression Is a Novel Adverse Predictor in 123 Patients with De Novo CD34+ Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yan-Yu; Chen, Wen-Lian; Weng, Xiang-Qin; Sheng, Yan; Wu, Jing; Hao, Jie; Liu, Zhan-Yun; Zhu, Yong-Mei; Chen, Bing; Xiong, Shu-Min; Chen, Yu; Chen, Qiu-Sheng; Sun, Hui-Ping; Li, Jun-Min; Wang, Jin

    2017-10-15

    Recent reports state that C-type lectin-like molecule-1 (CLL-1) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is expressed primarily on myeloid cells, but there is still no investigation about its prognostic significance on leukemic blast compartment. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of CLL-1 in 123 patients with de novo CD34 + Non-M3 AML. Multiparameter flow cytometry was used to assess the expression of CLL-1 on immature compartment in AML and control groups. We found that CLL-1 expression level on blast compartment was closely linked to clinical characteristics, treatment response, and survival outcome of patients. Decreased expression of CLL-1 was observed on immature compartment from AML patients as compared with controls (62.6% vs. 86.5%, P < 0.05). Logistic model exhibited that CLL-1 low independently predicted low complete remission rate with an odds ratio of 4.57 (2.53-6.61, P < 0.05). Additionally, CLL-1 expression level at diagnosis was inversely correlated to the residual blast cells (residual leukemia cell) after induction chemotherapy (r = -0.423, P < 0.05). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression model demonstrated that CLL-1 low was still an independent adverse predictor (P < 0.05 for event-free survival, P < 0.05 for overall survival). Notably, CLL-1 low was able to discriminate poor survival patients from intermediate- and favorable-risk groups. Taken together, CLL-1 is a novel prognostic predictor that could be exploited to supplement the current AML prognostic risk stratification system, and potentially optimize the clinical management of AML.

  5. A comparison of the prognostic value of preoperative inflammation-based scores and TNM stage in patients with gastric cancer

    PubMed Central

    Pan, Qun-Xiong; Su, Zi-Jian; Zhang, Jian-Hua; Wang, Chong-Ren; Ke, Shao-Ying

    2015-01-01

    characteristic curve as compared to other inflammation-based prognostic scores. Conclusion The present study indicates that preoperative GPS and TNM stage are robust predictors of gastric cancer survival as compared to NLR, PLR, PI, and PNI in patients undergoing tumor resection. PMID:26124667

  6. Prognostic Value of Negative Coronary CT Angiography in Severely Obese Patients Prior to Bariatric Surgery: a Follow-Up After 6 Years.

    PubMed

    Messerli, Michael; Maywald, Céline; Wälti, Stephan; Warschkow, René; Wildermuth, Simon; Alkadhi, Hatem; Leschka, Sebastian; Schiesser, Marc

    2017-08-01

    This study aims to determine the long-term prognostic value of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) prior to bariatric surgery in severely obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥35 kg/m 2 . Seventy consecutive patients undergoing cardiac CT for coronary assessment prior to bariatric surgery were prospectively included. Images were analysed for the presence of coronary calcification and for non-obstructive (<50%) or obstructive (>50% stenosis) coronary artery disease (CAD). A median clinical follow-up of 6.1 years in 54 patients was obtained for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), defined as death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or coronary revascularisation. Weight loss and BMI decrease following bariatric surgery were recorded. The median BMI prior to surgery was 46.9 kg/m 2 . The median percentage of excess BMI loss after surgery was 75%. CT showed coronary calcification in 26 (48%) patients, whereas 28 (52%) patients had no calcification. CCTA revealed normal coronaries in 47 (87%) and non-obstructive CAD in 7 (13%) patients. No obstructive CAD was found. All patients successfully underwent bariatric surgery, and no MACE occurred neither perioperatively nor in the follow-up period. The negative predictive value of CCTA was 100% (95% confidence interval of 90.1-100.0%). In severely obese patients, the absence of obstructive CAD in cardiac CT prior to bariatric surgery with subsequently marked weight reduction has strong long-term prognostic implications for ruling out major adverse cardiac events in the postoperative period.

  7. Determinants and prognostic implications of cardiac troponin T measured by a sensitive assay in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Hallén, Jonas; Johansen, Odd Erik; Birkeland, Kåre I; Gullestad, Lars; Aakhus, Svend; Endresen, Knut; Tjora, Solve; Jaffe, Allan S; Atar, Dan

    2010-09-15

    The cardiac troponins are biomarkers used for diagnosis of myocardial injury. They are also powerful prognostic markers in many diseases and settings. Recently introduced high-sensitivity assays indicate that chronic cardiac troponin elevations are common in response to cardiovascular (CV) morbidity. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) confers a high risk of CV disease, but little is known about chronic cardiac troponin elevations in diabetic subjects. Accordingly, we aimed to understand the prevalence, determinants, and prognostic implications of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) elevations measured with a high-sensitivity assay in patients with T2DM. cTnT was measured in stored, frozen serum samples from 124 subjects enrolled in the Asker and Bærum Cardiovascular Diabetes trial at baseline and at 2-year follow-up, if available (96 samples available). Results were analyzed in relation to baseline variables, hospitalizations, and group assignment (multifactorial intensive versus conventional diabetes care for lowering CV risk). One-hundred thirteen (90%) had detectable cTnT at baseline and of those, 22 (18% of the total population) subjects had values above the 99th percentile for healthy controls (13.5 ng/L). Levels at baseline were associated with conventional CV risk factors (age, renal function, gender). There was a strong correlation between cTnT levels at the two time-points (r=0.92, p>0.001). Risk for hospitalizations during follow-up increased step-wise by quartiles of hscTnT measured at baseline (p=0.058). Elevations of cTnT above the 99th percentile measured by a highly sensitive assay were encountered frequently in a population of T2DM patients. cTnT levels appeared to be stable over time and associated with conventional CV risk factors. Although a clear trend was present, no statistically robust associations with adverse outcomes could be found.

  8. Enzymes approved for human therapy: indications, mechanisms and adverse effects.

    PubMed

    Baldo, Brian A

    2015-02-01

    Research and drug developments fostered under orphan drug product development programs have greatly assisted the introduction of efficient and safe enzyme-based therapies for a range of rare disorders. The introduction and regulatory approval of 20 different recombinant enzymes has enabled, often for the first time, effective enzyme-replacement therapy for some lysosomal storage disorders, including Gaucher (imiglucerase, taliglucerase, and velaglucerase), Fabry (agalsidase alfa and beta), and Pompe (alglucosidase alfa) diseases and mucopolysaccharidoses I (laronidase), II (idursulfase), IVA (elosulfase), and VI (galsulfase). Approved recombinant enzymes are also now used as therapy for myocardial infarction (alteplase, reteplase, and tenecteplase), cystic fibrosis (dornase alfa), chronic gout (pegloticase), tumor lysis syndrome (rasburicase), leukemia (L-asparaginase), some collagen-based disorders such as Dupuytren's contracture (collagenase), severe combined immunodeficiency disease (pegademase bovine), detoxification of methotrexate (glucarpidase), and vitreomacular adhesion (ocriplasmin). The development of these efficacious and safe enzyme-based therapies has occurred hand in hand with some remarkable advances in the preparation of the often specifically designed recombinant enzymes; the manufacturing expertise necessary for commercial production; our understanding of underlying mechanisms operative in the different diseases; and the mechanisms of action of the relevant recombinant enzymes. Together with information on these mechanisms, safety findings recorded so far on the various adverse events and problems of immunogenicity of the recombinant enzymes used for therapy are presented.

  9. Review and Analysis of Algorithmic Approaches Developed for Prognostics on CMAPSS Dataset

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ramasso, Emannuel; Saxena, Abhinav

    2014-01-01

    Benchmarking of prognostic algorithms has been challenging due to limited availability of common datasets suitable for prognostics. In an attempt to alleviate this problem several benchmarking datasets have been collected by NASA's prognostic center of excellence and made available to the Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) community to allow evaluation and comparison of prognostics algorithms. Among those datasets are five C-MAPSS datasets that have been extremely popular due to their unique characteristics making them suitable for prognostics. The C-MAPSS datasets pose several challenges that have been tackled by different methods in the PHM literature. In particular, management of high variability due to sensor noise, effects of operating conditions, and presence of multiple simultaneous fault modes are some factors that have great impact on the generalization capabilities of prognostics algorithms. More than 70 publications have used the C-MAPSS datasets for developing data-driven prognostic algorithms. The C-MAPSS datasets are also shown to be well-suited for development of new machine learning and pattern recognition tools for several key preprocessing steps such as feature extraction and selection, failure mode assessment, operating conditions assessment, health status estimation, uncertainty management, and prognostics performance evaluation. This paper summarizes a comprehensive literature review of publications using C-MAPSS datasets and provides guidelines and references to further usage of these datasets in a manner that allows clear and consistent comparison between different approaches.

  10. Diagnostic and prognostic contribution of laryngeal electromyography in unilateral vocal-fold immobility in adults.

    PubMed

    Focquet, A; Péréon, Y; Ségura, S; Ferron, C; Malard, O; Espitalier, F

    2017-02-01

    To study the diagnostic and prognostic contribution of laryngeal electromyography in unilateral vocal-fold immobility in adults. A retrospective study included patients with unilateral vocal-fold immobility undergoing laryngeal electromyography between 2007 and 2015. Neurogenic, normal or myogenic findings were compared to the clinical aspect. Prognosis for recovery was assessed from motor unit potentials on laryngeal electromyography, and compared to subsequent progress on laryngoscopy. Sixty-three patients (mean age, 59 years) were initially included; 2 were subsequently excluded from analysis. Mean time from onset of immobility to laryngeal electromyography was 7 months. 85% of the 61 patients showed neurogenic findings, indicating neural lesion; 13% showed normal electromyography, indicating cricoarytenoid joint ankylosis; and 1 patient showed a myogenic pattern. Neurogenic cases were usually secondary to cervical surgery. Thirty-eight patients were followed up. In total, 75% of patients showing reinnervation potentials recovered. The positive predictive value of laryngeal electromyography was 69.2%. Laryngeal electromyography is effective in specifying the origin of unilateral vocal-fold immobility in adults. It also has a prognostic role, lack of reinnervation potentials being a possible indication for early medialization surgery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Systematic review of current prognostication systems for primary gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

    PubMed

    Khoo, Chun Yuet; Chai, Xun; Quek, Richard; Teo, Melissa C C; Goh, Brian K P

    2018-04-01

    The advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors as adjuvant therapy has revolutionized the management of GIST and emphasized the need for accurate prognostication systems. Numerous prognostication systems have been proposed for GIST but at present it remains unknown which system is superior. The present systematic review aims to summarize current prognostication systems for primary treatment-naive GIST. A literature review of the Pubmed and Embase databases was performed to identify all published articles in English, from the 1st January 2002 to 28th Feb 2017, reporting on clinical prognostication systems of GIST. Twenty-three articles on GIST prognostication systems were included. These systems were classified as categorical systems, which stratify patients into risk groups, or continuous systems, which provide an individualized form of risk assessment. There were 16 categorical systems in total. There were 4 modifications of the National Institute of Health (NIH) system, 2 modifications of Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) criteria and 3 modifications of Joensuu (modified NIH) criteria. Of the 7 continuous systems, there were 3 prognostic nomograms, 3 mathematical models and 1 prognostic heat/contour maps. Tumor size, location and mitotic count remain the main variables used in these systems. Numerous prognostication systems have been proposed for the risk stratification of GISTs. The most widely used systems today are the NIH, Joensuu modified NIH, AFIP and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center nomogram. More validation and comparison studies are required to determine the optimal prognostication system for GIST. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.

  12. Prognostic capacity of a clinically indicated exercise test for cardiovascular mortality is enhanced by combined analysis of exercise capacity, heart rate recovery and T-wave alternans.

    PubMed

    Minkkinen, Mikko; Nieminen, Tuomo; Verrier, Richard L; Leino, Johanna; Lehtimäki, Terho; Viik, Jari; Lehtinen, Rami; Nikus, Kjell; Kööbi, Tiit; Turjanmaa, Väinö; Kähönen, Mika

    2015-09-01

    Exercise capacity, heart rate recovery and T-wave alternans are independent predictors of cardiovascular mortality. We tested whether these parameters contain supplementary prognostic information. A total of 3609 consecutive patients (2157 men) referred for a routine, clinically indicated bicycle exercise test were enrolled in the Finnish Cardiovascular Study (FINCAVAS). Exercise capacity was measured in metabolic equivalents, heart rate recovery as the decrease in heart rate from maximum to one minute post-exercise, and T-wave alternans by time-domain Modified Moving Average method. During 57-month median follow-up (interquartile range 35-78 months), 96 patients died of cardiovascular causes (primary endpoint) and 233 from any cause. All three parameters were independent predictors of cardiovascular mortality when analysed as continuous variables. Adding metabolic equivalents (p < 0.001), heart rate recovery (p = 0.002) or T-wave alternans (p = 0.01) to the linear model improved its predictive power for cardiovascular mortality. The combination of low exercise capacity (<6 metabolic equivalents), reduced heart rate recovery (≤12 beats/min) and elevated T-wave alternans (≥60 μV) yielded the highest hazard ratio for cardiovascular mortality of 16.5 (95% confidence interval 4.0-67.7, p < 0.001). Harrell's C index was 0.719 (confidence interval 0.665-0.772) for cardiovascular mortality with previously defined cutpoints (<8 units for metabolic equivalents, ≤18 beats/min for heart rate recovery and ≥60 μV for T-wave alternans). The prognostic capacity of the clinical exercise test is enhanced by combined analysis of exercise capacity, heart rate recovery and T-wave alternans. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

  13. A Distributed Approach to System-Level Prognostics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-01

    the end of (useful) life ( EOL ) and/or the remaining useful life (RUL) of components, subsystems, or systems. The prognostics problem itself can be...system state estimate, computes EOL and/or RUL. In this paper, we focus on a model-based prognostics approach (Orchard & Vachtse- vanos, 2009; Daigle...been focused on individual components, and determining their EOL and RUL, e.g., (Orchard & Vachtsevanos, 2009; Saha & Goebel, 2009; Daigle & Goebel

  14. Community-Acquired Meningitis in Older Adults: Clinical Features, Etiology, and Prognostic Factors

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Amy Y.; Machicado, Jorge D.; Khoury, Nabil T.; Wootton, Susan H.; Salazar, Lucrecia; Hasbun, Rodrigo

    2014-01-01

    Background Bacterial meningitis in older adults is a well-studied and serious disease, but few studies have investigated the epidemiology and outcomes of community-acquired meningitis in older adults. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 619 adults in Houston, Texas, with community-acquired meningitis hospitalized between January 1, 2005, and January 1, 2010. Patients were categorized as older if age ≥65 (N=54) and younger if age 18–64 (N=565). An adverse clinical outcome was defined as a Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 4 or less. Results Older patients consisted of 8.7% (54/619) of the total cohort and had higher rates of comorbidities, abnormal neurological and laboratory findings, abnormalities on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the head and adverse clinical outcomes (ACO) (p<0.05). The majority of patients (65.8%) had meningitis of unknown etiology. Bacterial meningitis was an infrequent cause (7.4%). Of the known causes, bacterial meningitis and West Nile virus were more common in older patients. In contrast, younger patients more frequently had cryptococcal and viral meningitis. On logistic regression, female gender was predictive of a poor outcome in the older patients, whereas abnormal neurologic exam, fever, and CSF glucose <45mg/dLwere significant poor prognostic factors in younger patients (p<0.05). Conclusion Most cases of community-acquired meningitis are of unknown origin. Older patients are more likely to have bacterial meningitis and West Nile virus infection when a cause can be identified. They also have more neurologic abnormalities, laboratory and imaging abnormalities, as well as adverse clinical outcomes. PMID:25370434

  15. One-Year Mortality in Older Patients with Cancer: Development and External Validation of an MNA-Based Prognostic Score.

    PubMed

    Bourdel-Marchasson, Isabelle; Diallo, Abou; Bellera, Carine; Blanc-Bisson, Christelle; Durrieu, Jessica; Germain, Christine; Mathoulin-Pélissier, Simone; Soubeyran, Pierre; Rainfray, Muriel; Fonck, Mariane; Doussau, Adelaïde

    2016-01-01

    The MNA (Mini Nutritional Assessment) is known as a prognosis factor in older population. We analyzed the prognostic value for one-year mortality of MNA items in older patients with cancer treated with chemotherapy as the basis of a simplified prognostic score. The prospective derivation cohort included 606 patients older than 70 years with an indication of chemotherapy for cancers. The endpoint to predict was one-year mortality. The 18 items of the Full MNA, age, gender, weight loss, cancer origin, TNM, performance status and lymphocyte count were considered to construct the prognostic model. MNA items were analyzed with a backward step-by-step multivariate logistic regression and other items were added in a forward step-by-step regression. External validation was performed on an independent cohort of 229 patients. At one year 266 deaths had occurred. Decreased dietary intake (p = 0.0002), decreased protein-rich food intake (p = 0.025), 3 or more prescribed drugs (p = 0.023), calf circumference <31 cm (p = 0.0002), tumor origin (p<0.0001), metastatic status (p = 0.0007) and lymphocyte count <1500/mm3 (0.029) were found to be associated with 1-year mortality in the final model and were used to construct a prognostic score. The area under curve (AUC) of the score was 0.793, which was higher than the Full MNA AUC (0.706). The AUC of the score in validation cohort (229 subjects, 137 deaths) was 0.698. Key predictors of one-year mortality included cancer cachexia clinical features, comorbidities, the origin and the advanced status of the tumor. The prognostic value of this model combining a subset of MNA items and cancer related items was better than the full MNA, thus providing a simple score to predict 1-year mortality in older patients with an indication of chemotherapy.

  16. Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of MUC4 expression in cancers: evidence from meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Huang, Xing; Wang, Xin; Lu, Shi-Ming; Chen, Chen; Wang, Jie; Zheng, Yan-Yan; Ren, Bin-Hui; Xu, Lin

    2015-01-01

    Mucin4 (MUC4) is a secreted glycoprotein. Numerous studies had indicated that MUC4 was an attractive prognostic tumor biomarker. However, the results of different studies have been inconsistent. So we conducted this meta-analysis to explore the association between MUC4 expression and cancer prognosis. A systematically comprehensive search was performed through PubMed, EMBASE and CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure). Prognostic value of MUC4 expression in malignancy patients was evaluated by pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meanwhile, pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI was appropriate for the association between MUC4 expression and clinicopathological parameters. Eighteen studies including 1,933 patients were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Significant association was found between elevated MUC4 expression and poorer overall survival (OS) with pooled hazard ratio (HR) of 1.87 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58-2.23, P<0.001]. Significant associations were also detected in biliary tract carcinoma (HR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.69-3.42, P<0.001), pancreatic cancer (HR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.42-2.86, P<0.001) and colorectal cancer (HR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.17-2.54, P=0.006). Moreover, combined odds ratio (OR) of MUC4 indicated that MUC4 overexpression was associated with tumor stage, tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis. Our results demonstrated that MUC4 may be exploited as a novel prognostic biomarker for cancer patients.

  17. Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of MUC4 expression in cancers: evidence from meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Xing; Wang, Xin; Lu, Shi-Ming; Chen, Chen; Wang, Jie; Zheng, Yan-Yan; Ren, Bin-Hui; Xu, Lin

    2015-01-01

    Mucin4 (MUC4) is a secreted glycoprotein. Numerous studies had indicated that MUC4 was an attractive prognostic tumor biomarker. However, the results of different studies have been inconsistent. So we conducted this meta-analysis to explore the association between MUC4 expression and cancer prognosis. A systematically comprehensive search was performed through PubMed, EMBASE and CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure). Prognostic value of MUC4 expression in malignancy patients was evaluated by pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meanwhile, pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI was appropriate for the association between MUC4 expression and clinicopathological parameters. Eighteen studies including 1,933 patients were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Significant association was found between elevated MUC4 expression and poorer overall survival (OS) with pooled hazard ratio (HR) of 1.87 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58-2.23, P<0.001]. Significant associations were also detected in biliary tract carcinoma (HR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.69-3.42, P<0.001), pancreatic cancer (HR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.42-2.86, P<0.001) and colorectal cancer (HR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.17-2.54, P=0.006). Moreover, combined odds ratio (OR) of MUC4 indicated that MUC4 overexpression was associated with tumor stage, tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis. Our results demonstrated that MUC4 may be exploited as a novel prognostic biomarker for cancer patients. PMID:26379819

  18. Multicollinearity in prognostic factor analyses using the EORTC QLQ-C30: identification and impact on model selection.

    PubMed

    Van Steen, Kristel; Curran, Desmond; Kramer, Jocelyn; Molenberghs, Geert; Van Vreckem, Ann; Bottomley, Andrew; Sylvester, Richard

    2002-12-30

    Clinical and quality of life (QL) variables from an EORTC clinical trial of first line chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer were used in a prognostic factor analysis of survival and response to chemotherapy. For response, different final multivariate models were obtained from forward and backward selection methods, suggesting a disconcerting instability. Quality of life was measured using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire completed by patients. Subscales on the questionnaire are known to be highly correlated, and therefore it was hypothesized that multicollinearity contributed to model instability. A correlation matrix indicated that global QL was highly correlated with 7 out of 11 variables. In a first attempt to explore multicollinearity, we used global QL as dependent variable in a regression model with other QL subscales as predictors. Afterwards, standard diagnostic tests for multicollinearity were performed. An exploratory principal components analysis and factor analysis of the QL subscales identified at most three important components and indicated that inclusion of global QL made minimal difference to the loadings on each component, suggesting that it is redundant in the model. In a second approach, we advocate a bootstrap technique to assess the stability of the models. Based on these analyses and since global QL exacerbates problems of multicollinearity, we therefore recommend that global QL be excluded from prognostic factor analyses using the QLQ-C30. The prognostic factor analysis was rerun without global QL in the model, and selected the same significant prognostic factors as before. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Prognostic factors in Acanthamoeba keratitis.

    PubMed

    Kaiserman, Igor; Bahar, Irit; McAllum, Penny; Srinivasan, Sathish; Elbaz, Uri; Slomovic, Allan R; Rootman, David S

    2012-06-01

    To assess the prognostic factors influencing visual prognosis and length of treatment after acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). Forty-two AK eyes of 41 patients treated between 1999 and 2006 were included. A diagnosis of AK was made on the basis of culture results with a corresponding clinical presentation. We calculated the prognostic effect of the various factors on final visual acuity and the length of treatment. Multivariate regression analysis was used to adjust for the simultaneous effects of the various prognostic factors. Mean follow-up was 19.7 ± 21.0 months. Sixty-four percent of cases had > 1 identified risk factor for AK, the most common risk factor being contact lens wear (92.9% of eyes). At presentation, median best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/200 (20/30 to Hand Motion [HM]) that improved after treatment to 20/50 (20/20 to Counting Fingers [CF]). Infection acquired by swimming or related to contact lenses had significantly better final BCVA (p = 0.03 and p = 0.007, respectively). Neuritis and pseudodendrites were also associated with better final BCVA (p = 0.04 and p = 0.05, respectively). Having had an epithelial defect on presentation and having been treated with topical steroid were associated with worse final best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) (p = 0.0006 and p = 0.04). Multivariate regression analysis found a good initial visual acuity (p = 0.002), infections related to swimming (p = 0.01), the absence of an epithelial defect (p = 0.03), having been treated with chlorhexidine (p = 0.05), and not having receive steroids (p = 0.003) to significantly forecast a good final BCVA. We identified several prognostic factors that can help clinicians evaluate the expected visual damage of the AK infection and thus tailor treatment accordingly. Copyright © 2012 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. All rights reserved.

  20. Quality indicators for eye bank.

    PubMed

    Acharya, Manisha; Biswas, Saurabh; Das, Animesh; Mathur, Umang; Dave, Abhishek; Singh, Ashok; Dubey, Suneeta

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this study is to identify quality indicators of the eye bank and validate their effectivity. Adverse reaction rate, discard rate, protocol deviation rate, and compliance rate were defined as Quality Indicators of the eye bank. These were identified based on definition of quality that captures two dimensions - "result quality" and "process quality." The indicators were measured and tracked as part of quality assurance (QA) program of the eye bank. Regular audits were performed to validate alignment of standard operating procedures (SOP) with regulatory and surgeon acceptance standards and alignment of activities performed in the eye bank with the SOP. Prospective study of the indicators was performed by comparing their observed values over the period 2011-2016. Adverse reaction rate decreased more than 8-fold (from 0.61% to 0.07%), discard rate decreased and stabilized at 30%, protocol deviation rate decreased from 1.05% to 0.08%, and compliance rate reported by annual quality audits improved from 59% to 96% at the same time. In effect, adverse reaction rate, discard rate, and protocol deviation rate were leading indicators, and compliance rate was the trailing indicator. These indicators fulfill an important gap in available literature on QA in eye banking. There are two ways in which these findings can be meaningful. First, eye banks which are new to quality measurement can adopt these indicators. Second, eye banks which are already deeply engaged in quality improvement can test these indicators in their eye bank, thereby incorporating them widely and improving them over time.

  1. Forecasting municipal solid waste generation using prognostic tools and regression analysis.

    PubMed

    Ghinea, Cristina; Drăgoi, Elena Niculina; Comăniţă, Elena-Diana; Gavrilescu, Marius; Câmpean, Teofil; Curteanu, Silvia; Gavrilescu, Maria

    2016-11-01

    For an adequate planning of waste management systems the accurate forecast of waste generation is an essential step, since various factors can affect waste trends. The application of predictive and prognosis models are useful tools, as reliable support for decision making processes. In this paper some indicators such as: number of residents, population age, urban life expectancy, total municipal solid waste were used as input variables in prognostic models in order to predict the amount of solid waste fractions. We applied Waste Prognostic Tool, regression analysis and time series analysis to forecast municipal solid waste generation and composition by considering the Iasi Romania case study. Regression equations were determined for six solid waste fractions (paper, plastic, metal, glass, biodegradable and other waste). Accuracy Measures were calculated and the results showed that S-curve trend model is the most suitable for municipal solid waste (MSW) prediction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Pretreatment Dysphagia Inventory and videofluorographic swallowing study as prognostic indicators of early survival outcomes in head and neck cancer.

    PubMed

    Yang, Chan Joo; Roh, Jong-Lyel; Choi, Kyoung Hyo; Kim, Min-Ju; Choi, Seung-Ho; Nam, Soon Yuhl; Kim, Sang Yoon

    2015-05-15

    The prognostic role of swallowing-related, pretreatment subjective and objective findings has not been investigated in detail. The authors evaluated the association between pretreatment MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) or videofluorographic swallowing study (VFSS) results and standard outcomes, including early recurrence and survival, in patients with treatment-naïve head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Patients with HNSCC (n = 191) who received treatment at the authors' institution and were examined by self-administered MDADI questionnaires and VFSS were prospectively enrolled. MDADI and VFSS findings were analyzed in correlation with clinicopathologic variables, and factors that predicted 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were identified using a Cox proportional-hazards regression model. The 2-year OS and DFS rates were 80.1% and 77.5%, respectively. Clinical tumor (T) and lymph node (N) classifications, overall TNM stage, sex, tumor site, and educational level were significantly associated with specific MDADI subdomains, whereas Karnofsky performance score was significantly associated with all MDADI subdomains. After controlling for clinical factors, total scores, global assessment scores, and emotional and physical MDADI subscores were significantly predictive of 2-year OS and DFS (P < .05 for each). VFSS findings were not significantly associated with survival (P > .05). The current results provide evidence of the prognostic role of the MDADI in predicting early survival outcomes in patients with HNSCC. The MDADI may be a practical and noninvasive method for the identification of patients at risk who would benefit from close follow-up. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

  3. Prognosis Research Strategy (PROGRESS) 3: prognostic model research.

    PubMed

    Steyerberg, Ewout W; Moons, Karel G M; van der Windt, Danielle A; Hayden, Jill A; Perel, Pablo; Schroter, Sara; Riley, Richard D; Hemingway, Harry; Altman, Douglas G

    2013-01-01

    Prognostic models are abundant in the medical literature yet their use in practice seems limited. In this article, the third in the PROGRESS series, the authors review how such models are developed and validated, and then address how prognostic models are assessed for their impact on practice and patient outcomes, illustrating these ideas with examples.

  4. Prognostic indicators of the outcome of arthrocentesis with and without sodium hyaluronate injection for the treatment of disc displacement without reduction: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

    PubMed

    Aktas, I; Yalcin, S; Sencer, S

    2010-11-01

    This study analysed the prognostic factors for successful arthrocentesis with and without sodium hyaluronate (SH) injection for the treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc displacement without reduction (DDwoR) using clinical and radiological results. 29 TMJs in 25 patients with DDwoR were included. Patients were treated with arthrocentesis or arthrocentesis followed by intra-articular (i.a.) injection of SH. Treatment was evaluated for postoperative range of maximum mouth opening and the degree of postoperative pain on a VAS. Prognostic factors analysed were age, sex, duration of locking, trauma history, previous TMJ treatment, depression, bruxism, malocclusion and missing teeth. Degenerative changes were evaluated as probable prognostic factors. After treatment, 24 joints (83%) fulfilled the criteria for success. Duration of locking and present preoperative degenerative changes were the most significant factors for treatment outcome. The results suggest it is sufficient to use only arthrocentesis in patients without preoperative degenerative changes and arthrocentesis with SH in patients with degenerative changes on their preoperative MRIs, but because there were some significant differences between the two groups preventing the authors from comparing them statistically, they cannot come to that conclusion. To clarify the use of SH in such cases, standardized study groups are necessary for future studies. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Prognostic markers in localized prostate cancer: from microscopes to molecules.

    PubMed

    Harding, M A; Theodorescu, D

    Management of patients diagnosed with localized prostate cancer is complicated by the diverse natural history of the disease and variable response to treatment. Prognostic criteria currently in use cannot fully predict tumor behavior and thus limit the ability to recommend treatment regimens with the assurance that they are the best course of action for each individual patient. The search for better prognostic markers is now focussed on the molecular mechanisms which underlay tumor behavior, such as altered cell cycle progression, apoptosis, neuroendocrine differentiation, and angiogenesis. As the number of potential molecular markers increases, it is becoming evident that no single marker will provide the prognostic information necessary to make a significant improvement in patient care. In addition, it seems likely that traditional methods of assessing the prognostic value of this multitude of new markers will prove inadequate. In this review, we briefly examine the current state of prognostication in localized prostate cancer and some of the promising new molecular markers. Next, we examine how new technologies may allow the multiplex analysis of vast numbers of markers and how computational methods such as artificial neural networks will provide meaningful interpretation of the data. In the near future, such an integrated approach may provide a comprehensive prognostic tool for localized prostate cancer.

  6. Vaccine Adverse Events

    MedlinePlus

    ... use in the primary immunization series in infants Report Adverse Event Report a Vaccine Adverse Event Contact FDA (800) 835- ... back to top Popular Content Home Latest Recalls Report an Adverse Event MedWatch Safety Alerts News Releases ...

  7. Comparison of Prognostic and Diagnostic Approaches to Modeling Evapotranspiration in the Nile River Basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yilmaz, M.; Anderson, M. C.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Crow, W. T.; Hain, C.; Ozdogan, M.; Chun, J. A.

    2012-12-01

    may be a valuable model evaluation tool. Motivated by the complementary information that exists in prognostic and diagnostic energy balance modeling, as well as the need for evaluation of water consumption estimates over the Nile basin, the purpose of this study is to 1) better describe the conceptual differences between prognostic and diagnostic modeling, 2) present the potential for diagnostic models to capture important hydrologic features that are not explicitly represented in prognostic model, 3) explore the differences in these two approaches over the Nile Basin, where ground data are sparse and transnational data sharing is unreliable. More specifically, we will compare output from the Noah prognostic model and the Atmosphere-Land Exchange Inverse (ALEXI) diagnostic model generated over ground truth data-poor Nile basin. Preliminary results indicate spatially, temporally, and magnitude wise consistent flux estimates for ALEXI and NOAH over irrigated Delta region, while there are differences over river-fed wetlands.

  8. CMS-dependent prognostic impact of KRAS and BRAFV600E mutations in primary colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Smeby, J; Sveen, A; Merok, M A; Danielsen, S A; Eilertsen, I A; Guren, M G; Dienstmann, R; Nesbakken, A; Lothe, R A

    2018-05-01

    The prognostic impact of KRAS and BRAFV600E mutations in primary colorectal cancer (CRC) varies with microsatellite instability (MSI) status. The gene expression-based consensus molecular subtypes (CMSs) of CRC define molecularly and clinically distinct subgroups, and represent a novel stratification framework in biomarker analysis. We investigated the prognostic value of these mutations within the CMS groups. Totally 1197 primary tumors from a Norwegian series of CRC stage I-IV were analyzed for MSI and mutation status in hotspots in KRAS (codons 12, 13 and 61) and BRAF (codon 600). A subset was analyzed for gene expression and confident CMS classification was obtained for 317 samples. This cohort was expanded with clinical and molecular data, including CMS classification, from 514 patients in the publically available dataset GSE39582. Gene expression signatures associated with KRAS and BRAFV600E mutations were used to evaluate differential impact of mutations on gene expression among the CMS groups. BRAFV600E and KRAS mutations were both associated with inferior 5-year overall survival (OS) exclusively in MSS tumors (BRAFV600E mutation versus KRAS/BRAF wild-type: Hazard ratio (HR) 2.85, P < 0.001; KRAS mutation versus KRAS/BRAF wild-type: HR 1.30, P = 0.013). BRAFV600E-mutated MSS tumors were strongly enriched and associated with metastatic disease in CMS1, leading to negative prognostic impact in this subtype (OS: BRAFV600E mutation versus wild-type: HR 7.73, P = 0.001). In contrast, the poor prognosis of KRAS mutations was limited to MSS tumors with CMS2/CMS3 epithelial-like gene expression profiles (OS: KRAS mutation versus wild-type: HR 1.51, P = 0.011). The subtype-specific prognostic associations were substantiated by differential effects of BRAFV600E and KRAS mutations on gene expression signatures according to the MSI status and CMS group. BRAFV600E mutations are enriched and associated with metastatic disease in CMS1 MSS tumors, leading

  9. Metabolic syndrome and the risk of adverse cardiovascular events after an acute coronary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Cavallari, Ilaria; Cannon, Christopher P; Braunwald, Eugene; Goodrich, Erica L; Im, KyungAh; Lukas, Mary Ann; O'Donoghue, Michelle L

    2018-05-01

    Background The incremental prognostic value of assessing the metabolic syndrome has been disputed. Little is known regarding its prognostic value in patients after an acute coronary syndrome. Design and methods The presence of metabolic syndrome (2005 International Diabetes Federation) was assessed at baseline in SOLID-TIMI 52, a trial of patients within 30 days of acute coronary syndrome (median follow-up 2.5 years). The primary endpoint was major coronary events (coronary heart disease death, myocardial infarction or urgent coronary revascularization). Results At baseline, 61.6% ( n = 7537) of patients met the definition of metabolic syndrome, 34.7% (n = 4247) had diabetes and 29.3% had both ( n = 3584). The presence of metabolic syndrome was associated with increased risk of major coronary events (adjusted hazard ratio (adjHR) 1.29, p < 0.0001) and recurrent myocardial infarction (adjHR 1.30, p < 0.0001). Of the individual components of the definition, only diabetes (adjHR 1.48, p < 0.0001) or impaired fasting glucose (adjHR 1.21, p = 0.002) and hypertension (adjHR 1.46, p < 0.0001) were associated with the risk of major coronary events. In patients without diabetes, metabolic syndrome was numerically but not significantly associated with the risk of major coronary events (adjHR 1.13, p = 0.06). Conversely, diabetes was a strong independent predictor of major coronary events in the absence of metabolic syndrome (adjHR 1.57, p < 0.0001). The presence of both diabetes and metabolic syndrome identified patients at highest risk of adverse outcomes but the incremental value of metabolic syndrome was not significant relative to diabetes alone (adjHR 1.07, p = 0.54). Conclusions After acute coronary syndrome, diabetes is a strong and independent predictor of adverse outcomes. Assessment of the metabolic syndrome provides only marginal incremental value once the presence or absence of diabetes is established.

  10. Gastric lymphomas in Turkey. Analysis of prognostic factors with special emphasis on flow cytometric DNA content.

    PubMed

    Aydin, Z D; Barista, I; Canpinar, H; Sungur, A; Tekuzman, G

    2000-07-01

    In contrast to DNA ploidy, to the authors' knowledge the prognostic significance of S-phase fraction (SPF) in gastric lymphomas has not been determined. In the current study, the prognostic significance of various parameters including SPF and DNA aneuploidy were analyzed and some distinct epidemiologic and biologic features of gastric lymphomas in Turkey were found. A series of 78 gastric lymphoma patients followed at Hacettepe University is reported. DNA flow cytometry was performed for 34 patients. The influence of various parameters on survival was investigated with the log rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was fitted to identify independent prognostic factors. The median age of the patients was 50 years. There was no correlation between patient age and tumor grade. DNA content analysis revealed 4 of the 34 cases to be aneuploid with DNA index values < 1.0. The mean SPF was 33.5%. In the univariate analysis, surgical resection of the tumor, modified Ann Arbor stage, performance status, response to first-line chemotherapy, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, and SPF were important prognostic factors for disease free survival (DFS). The same parameters, excluding LDH level, were important for determining overall survival (OS). In the multivariate analysis, surgical resection of the tumor, disease stage, performance status, and age were found to be important prognostic factors for OS. To the authors' knowledge the current study is the first to demonstrate the prognostic significance of SPF in gastric lymphomas. The distinguishing features of Turkish gastric lymphoma patients are 1) DNA indices of aneuploid cases that all are < 1.0, which is a unique feature; 2) a lower percentage of aneuploid cases; 3) a higher SPF; 4) a younger age distribution; and 5) lack of an age-grade correlation. The authors conclude that gastric lymphomas in Turkey have distinct biologic and epidemiologic characteristics. Copyright 2000 American Cancer Society.

  11. A novel prognostic model in myeloma based on co-segregating adverse FISH lesions and the ISS: analysis of patients treated in the MRC Myeloma IX trial.

    PubMed

    Boyd, K D; Ross, F M; Chiecchio, L; Dagrada, G P; Konn, Z J; Tapper, W J; Walker, B A; Wardell, C P; Gregory, W M; Szubert, A J; Bell, S E; Child, J A; Jackson, G H; Davies, F E; Morgan, G J

    2012-02-01

    The association of genetic lesions detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with survival was analyzed in 1069 patients with newly presenting myeloma treated in the Medical Research Council Myeloma IX trial, with the aim of identifying patients associated with the worst prognosis. A comprehensive FISH panel was performed, and the lesions associated with short progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) in multivariate analysis were +1q21, del(17p13) and an adverse immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IGH) translocation group incorporating t(4;14), t(14;16) and t(14;20). These lesions frequently co-segregated, and there was an association between the accumulation of these adverse FISH lesions and a progressive impairment of survival. This observation was used to define a series of risk groups based on number of adverse lesions. Taking this approach, we defined a favorable risk group by the absence of adverse genetic lesions, an intermediate group with one adverse lesion and a high-risk group defined by the co-segregation of >1 adverse lesion. This genetic grouping was independent of the International Staging System (ISS) and so was integrated with the ISS to identify an ultra-high-risk group defined by ISS II or III and >1 adverse lesion. This group constituted 13.8% of patients and was associated with a median OS of 19.4 months.

  12. Embedded Diagnostic/Prognostic Reasoning and Information Continuity for Improved Avionics Maintenance

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-01-01

    enabling technologies such as built-in-test, advanced health monitoring algorithms, reliability and component aging models, prognostics methods, and...deployment and acceptance. This framework and vision is consistent with the onboard PHM ( Prognostic and Health Management) as well as advanced... monitored . In addition to the prognostic forecasting capabilities provided by monitoring system power, multiple confounding errors by electronic

  13. Application of molecular biology of differentiated thyroid cancer for clinical prognostication.

    PubMed

    Marotta, Vincenzo; Sciammarella, Concetta; Colao, Annamaria; Faggiano, Antongiulio

    2016-11-01

    Although cancer outcome results from the interplay between genetics and environment, researchers are making a great effort for applying molecular biology in the prognostication of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Nevertheless, role of molecular characterisation in the prognostic setting of DTC is still nebulous. Among the most common and well-characterised genetic alterations related to DTC, including mutations of BRAF and RAS and RET rearrangements, BRAF V600E is the only mutation showing unequivocal association with clinical outcome. Unfortunately, its accuracy is strongly limited by low specificity. Recently, the introduction of next-generation sequencing techniques led to the identification of TERT promoter and TP53 mutations in DTC. These genetic abnormalities may identify a small subgroup of tumours with highly aggressive behaviour, thus improving specificity of molecular prognostication. Although knowledge of prognostic significance of TP53 mutations is still anecdotal, mutations of the TERT promoter have showed clear association with clinical outcome. Nevertheless, this genetic marker needs to be analysed according to a multigenetic model, as its prognostic effect becomes negligible when present in isolation. Given that any genetic alteration has demonstrated, taken alone, enough specificity, the co-occurrence of driving mutations is emerging as an independent genetic signature of aggressiveness, with possible future application in clinical practice. DTC prognostication may be empowered in the near future by non-tissue molecular prognosticators, including circulating BRAF V600E and miRNAs. Although promising, use of these markers needs to be refined by the technical sight, and the actual prognostic value is still yet to be validated. © 2016 Society for Endocrinology.

  14. Prognostic Value of MicroRNAs in Coronary Artery Diseases: A Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji Suk; Pak, Kyoungjune; Goh, Tae Sik; Jeong, Dae Cheon; Han, Myoung Eun; Kim, Jihyun; Oh, Sae Ock; Kim, Chi Dae; Kim, Yun Hak

    2018-06-01

    Coronary artery diseases (CADs) are the leading causes of death in the world. Recent studies have reported that differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with prognosis or major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in CAD patients. In a previous meta-analysis, the authors made serious mistakes that we aimed to correct through an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the prognostic value of altered miRNAs in patients with CADs. We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE (from inception to May 2017) and EMBASE (from inception to May 2017) for English-language publications. Studies of CADs with results on miRNAs that reported survival data or MACEs were included. Data were extracted from each publication independently by two reviewers. After reviewing 515 articles, a total eight studies were included in this study. We measured pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of miRNA 133a with a fixed-effect model (pooled HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.56-3.55). High expression of miRNA 133a, 208b, 126, 197, 223, and 122-5p were associated with high mortality. Additionally, high levels of miRNA 208b, 499-5p, 134, 328, and 34a were related with MACEs. The present study confirmed that miRNA 133a, which was associated with high mortality in CAD patients, holds prognostic value in CAD. More importantly, this study corrected issues raised against a prior meta-analysis and provides accurate information. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2018.

  15. Adverse childhood experiences and adult smoking, Nebraska, 2011.

    PubMed

    Yeoman, Kristin; Safranek, Thomas; Buss, Bryan; Cadwell, Betsy L; Mannino, David

    2013-09-19

    Smoking is a public health risk; the prevalence of smoking among adults in Nebraska is 18.4%. Studies indicate that maltreatment of children alters their brain development, possibly increasing risk for tobacco use. Previous studies have documented associations between childhood maltreatment and adult health behaviors, demonstrating the influence of adverse experiences on tobacco use. We examined prevalence and associations between adverse childhood experiences and smoking among Nebraskans. We analyzed 2011 Nebraska Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (Adverse Childhood Experience module) data, defining adverse childhood experience exposures as physical, sexual, and verbal abuse (ie, direct exposures), and household dysfunction associated with mental illness, substance abuse, divorce, domestic violence, and living with persons with incarceration histories (ie, environmental exposures). We estimated prevalence of exposures, taking into account the complex survey design. We used logistic regression with predicted margins to estimate adjusted relative risk for smoking by direct or environmental exposure. Approximately 51% of Nebraskans experienced 1 or more adverse childhood events; 7% experienced 5 or more. Prevalence of environmental exposures (42%) was significantly higher than that of direct exposures (31%). Prevalence of individual exposures ranged from 6% (incarceration of a household member) to 25% (verbal abuse). Adjusted relative risks of smoking for direct and environmental exposures were 1.5 and 1.8, respectively. We present a new method of evaluating adverse childhood experience data. Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences is high among Nebraskans, and these exposures are associated with smoking. State-specific strategies to monitor adverse events among children and provide interventions might help to decrease the smoking rate in this population.

  16. Prognostic Value of Exercise Treadmill Testing in Asymptomatic Chronic Nonischemic Mitral Regurgitation

    PubMed Central

    Supino, Phyllis G.; Borer, Jeffrey S.; Schuleri, Karlheinz; Gupta, Anuj; Hochreiter, Clare; Kligfield, Paul; Herrold, Edmund McM.; Preibisz, Jacek J.

    2007-01-01

    In many heart diseases, exercise treadmill testing(ETT) has useful functional correlates and/or prognostic value. However, its predictive value in mitral regurgitation(MR) is undefined. To determine whether ETT descriptors predict death or indications for mitral valve surgery among patients with MR, we prospectively followed, for 7±3 endpoint-free years, a cohort of 38 patients with chronic severe nonischemic MR who underwent modified Bruce ETT; all lacked surgical indications at study entry. Their baseline exercise descriptors also were compared with those from 46 patients with severe MR who, at entry, already had reached surgical indications. Endpoints during follow-up among the cohort included sudden death(n=1), heart failure symptoms(n=2), atrial fibrillation(n=4), LVEF<60%(n=2), LV systolic dimensions(IDs)≥45 mm(n=12) and LVIDs>40mm(n=11), LVEF<60%+LVIDs 45 mm(n=3), and heart failure+LVIDs 45mm+LVEF<60%(n=1). In univariate analysis, exercise duration(p=.004), chronotropic response(p=.007), percent predicted peak heart rate(p=.01) and heart rate recovery(p<.02) predicted events; in multivariate analysis, only exercise duration was predictive(p<.02). Average annual event risk was 5-fold lower(4.62%) with exercise duration≥15 minutes vs. <15 minutes(average annual risk=23.48%, p=.004). Relative risks among patients with and without exercise-inducible ST segment depression were comparable(≤1.3[NS]) whether defined at entry and/or during follow-up. Exercise duration, but not prevalence of exercise-inducible ST segment depression, was lower(p<.001) among patients with surgical indications at entry vs. initially endpoint-free patients. In conclusion, among asymptomatic patients with chronic severe nonischemic MR and no objective criteria for operation, progression to surgical indications generally is rapid. However, those with excellent exercise tolerance have a relatively benign course. Exercise-inducible ST segment depression has no prognostic value in this

  17. Baseline prostate-specific antigen levels following treatment with abiraterone acetate as a prognostic factor in castration-resistant prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Hiroshige, Tasuku; Eguchi, Yoshiro; Yoshizumi, Osamu; Chikui, Katsuaki; Kumagai, Hisaji; Kawaguchi, Yoshihiro; Onishi, Rei; Hayashi, Tokumasa; Watanabe, Kouta; Mitani, Tomotaro; Saito, Koujiro; Igawa, Tsukasa

    2018-05-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) times in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) who received treatment with abiraterone acetate (AA) in routine clinical settings. A total of 93 patients treated with AA between September 2014 and February 2017 were selected and their medical records were analyzed retrospectively. The median PFS time of docetaxel (DTX)-naïve patients was 171 days, and that of post-DTX patients was 56 days. The OS time of DTX-naïve patients did not reach the median. The median OS time of post-DTX patients was 761 days. Multivariate analyses identified baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level prior to treatment with AA and the PSA response rate as independent prognostic factors for PFS time, and baseline PSA prior to treatment with AA as the only independent prognostic factor for OS time. The results of the present study indicate that the baseline PSA level prior to treatment with AA is a notable prognostic factor in patients with CRPC.

  18. The potential use of primary human upper urinary tract urothelial cell carcinoma (UUT-UCC) cultured cells for prognostic indicators and chemosensitivity test.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Teng-Fu; Chen, Chi-Cheng; Chang, Chao-Hsiang; Yu, Ai-Lin; Ma, Wen-Lung; Shyr, Chih-Rong

    2013-07-01

    Upper urinary tract urothelial cell carcinoma (UUT-UCC) is a rare yet aggressive urologic tumor with a high rate of recurrence and metastasis, resulting in high mortality. Chemotherapy has been used to prevent recurrence and treat metastatic UUT-UCCs. Although UUT-UCC is sensitive to chemotherapy, the patients' responses to therapy vary and the therapy outcome is unpredictable. Therefore, the identification of patients who are at high risk of failure in chemotherapy is important for accurate prognostication, patient counseling, and better therapy. We have obtained cells from UUT-UCC tumor tissues after surgery and established individual primary cultured cell lines, which were used to evaluate E-cadherin and Ki-67 proliferation marker expression and their chemosensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs. Differential Ki-67 expression and chemosensitivity were observed in these primary cultured cell lines, suggesting these types of UUT-UCC cell lines could provide a platform for determining prognostic makers and evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapy. In conclusion, primary cultured cell lines from individual patients will be a great tool for evaluating and determining each individual's personalized chemotherapy course and for testing and screening new chemotherapeutic agents against UUT-UCCs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. Family Adversity and Resilience Measures in Pediatric Acute Care Settings.

    PubMed

    O'Malley, Donna M; Randell, Kimberly A; Dowd, M Denise

    2016-01-01

    Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact health across the life course. The purpose of this study was to identify caregiver ACEs, current adversity, and resilience in families seeking care in pediatric acute care settings. Study aims included identifying demographic characteristics, current adversities, and resilience measures associated with caregiver ACEs ≥4. A cross-sectional survey study design was used and a convenience sample (n = 470) recruited at emergency and urgent care settings of a large Midwest pediatric hospital system. Measures were self-reported. The original 10-item ACEs questionnaire measured caregiver past adversity. Current adversity was measured using the 10-item IHELP. The six-item Brief Resiliency Scale measured resilience, and WHO-5 Well-Being Index was used to measure depressive affect. Compared to participants with ACEs score of 0-3 participants with ACEs ≥4 were more likely to have multiple current adversities, increased risk of depression, and lower resilience. Caregivers using pediatric acute care settings carry a high burden of ACEs and current adversities. Caregiver ACEs are associated with current child experiences of adversity. Caregivers socioeconomic status and education level may not be an accurate indicator of a family's risks or needs. Pediatric acute care settings offer opportunities to access, intervene, and prevent childhood adversity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Accelerated Aging with Electrical Overstress and Prognostics for Power MOSFETs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saha, Sankalita; Celaya, Jose Ramon; Vashchenko, Vladislav; Mahiuddin, Shompa; Goebel, Kai F.

    2011-01-01

    Power electronics play an increasingly important role in energy applications as part of their power converter circuits. Understanding the behavior of these devices, especially their failure modes as they age with nominal usage or sudden fault development is critical in ensuring efficiency. In this paper, a prognostics based health management of power MOSFETs undergoing accelerated aging through electrical overstress at the gate area is presented. Details of the accelerated aging methodology, modeling of the degradation process of the device and prognostics algorithm for prediction of the future state of health of the device are presented. Experiments with multiple devices demonstrate the performance of the model and the prognostics algorithm as well as the scope of application. Index Terms Power MOSFET, accelerated aging, prognostics

  1. Individual differences in early adolescents' latent trait cortisol (LTC): Relation to early adversity.

    PubMed

    Stroud, Catherine B; Chen, Frances R; Doane, Leah D; Granger, Douglas A

    2016-09-01

    Substantial evidence suggests that youth who experience early adversity exhibit alterations in hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis functioning, thereby increasing risk for negative health outcomes. However, few studies have explored whether early adversity alters enduring trait indicators of HPA axis activity. Using objective contextual stress interviews with adolescents and their mothers to assess early adversity, we examined the cumulative impact of nine types of early adversity on early adolescents girls' latent trait cortisol (LTC). Adolescents (n = 122; M age = 12.39 years) provided salivary cortisol samples three times a day (waking, 30 min post-waking, and bedtime) over 3 days. Latent state-trait modeling indicated that the waking and 30 min post-waking samples contributed to a LTC factor. Moreover, greater early adversity was associated with a lower LTC level. Implications of LTC for future research examining the impact of early adversity on HPA axis functioning are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 58:700-713, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Health Status of Adolescents Reporting Experiences of Adversity

    PubMed Central

    Duke, Naomi N.; Borowsky, Iris W.

    2018-01-01

    This study examines relationships between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adolescent health indicators among a sample of 8th, 9th, and 11th graders participating in the 2016 Minnesota Student Survey. Logistic regression was used to determine whether 10 types of ACEs were associated with health indicators that may link to health in adulthood, including self-rated health, body mass index (BMI), sleep duration, and dietary and physical activity participation after adjustment for demographic covariates. Individual and cumulative ACEs measures were significantly associated with adverse health indicators, including poorer self-rated health, increased odds of BMI ≥85% and frequent fast food intake, and reduced odds of adequate sleep duration, daily fruit intake, and physical activity participation on most days of the week. Findings advocate screening for ACEs as a means to inform anticipatory guidance strategies and to support development of care models that are relevant and responsive to youth and family needs. PMID:29687049

  3. Cumulative adversity in childhood and emergent risk factors for long-term health.

    PubMed

    Slopen, Natalie; Koenen, Karestan C; Kubzansky, Laura D

    2014-03-01

    To examine whether and when effects of cumulative adversity in the first 7 years of life are evident in relation to 3 childhood markers of risk for poor adult physical health. The study data are from an English birth cohort. Parental reports of 8 social risk factors were obtained during the child's first 7 years, and scores were created to reflect cumulative adversity at 4 developmental periods. At age 7 and 11 years, weight, height, and blood pressure (BP) were measured by clinic staff, and caregivers reported behavior problems. Linear regression was used to estimate associations of cumulative adversity with each outcome (n = 4361) and changes in these outcomes between 7 and 11 years (n = 3348). At age 7 years, mean adversity and chronic exposure to high adversity were associated with elevated body mass index (BMI) and internalizing and externalizing symptoms (P < .05), but not elevated BP. Adversity in all developmental periods was associated with elevated numbers of internalizing and externalizing symptoms (P < .0001), but associations were less robust for BMI. Adversity did not predict change in BMI or BP between age 7 and 11 years, however, it predicted increases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms (P < .0001). Cumulative adversity was associated with BMI and behavior problems at age 7 years, and our data indicate that timing and chronicity of exposure to adversity differentially influence diverse indicators of long-term health risk commonly measured in childhood. This research suggests the hypothesis that interventions to address adversity could reduce the development of multiple chronic disease risk factors and limit their effects on health. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Autophagy-related prognostic signature for breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Gu, Yunyan; Li, Pengfei; Peng, Fuduan; Zhang, Mengmeng; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Liang, Haihai; Zhao, Wenyuan; Qi, Lishuang; Wang, Hongwei; Wang, Chenguang; Guo, Zheng

    2016-03-01

    Autophagy is a process that degrades intracellular constituents, such as long-lived or damaged proteins and organelles, to buffer metabolic stress under starvation conditions. Deregulation of autophagy is involved in the progression of cancer. However, the predictive value of autophagy for breast cancer prognosis remains unclear. First, based on gene expression profiling, we found that autophagy genes were implicated in breast cancer. Then, using the Cox proportional hazard regression model, we detected autophagy prognostic signature for breast cancer in a training dataset. We identified a set of eight autophagy genes (BCL2, BIRC5, EIF4EBP1, ERO1L, FOS, GAPDH, ITPR1 and VEGFA) that were significantly associated with overall survival in breast cancer. The eight autophagy genes were assigned as a autophagy-related prognostic signature for breast cancer. Based on the autophagy-related signature, the training dataset GSE21653 could be classified into high-risk and low-risk subgroups with significantly different survival times (HR = 2.72, 95% CI = (1.91, 3.87); P = 1.37 × 10(-5)). Inactivation of autophagy was associated with shortened survival of breast cancer patients. The prognostic value of the autophagy-related signature was confirmed in the testing dataset GSE3494 (HR = 2.12, 95% CI = (1.48, 3.03); P = 1.65 × 10(-3)) and GSE7390 (HR = 1.76, 95% CI = (1.22, 2.54); P = 9.95 × 10(-4)). Further analysis revealed that the prognostic value of the autophagy signature was independent of known clinical prognostic factors, including age, tumor size, grade, estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, ERBB2 status, lymph node status and TP53 mutation status. Finally, we demonstrated that the autophagy signature could also predict distant metastasis-free survival for breast cancer. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Measuring Childhood Adversity in Life Course Cardiovascular Research: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Appleton, Allison A; Holdsworth, Elizabeth; Ryan, Margaret; Tracy, Melissa

    2017-05-01

    Identifying the life course health effects of childhood adversity is a burgeoning area of research, particularly in relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, adversity measurement varies widely across studies, which may hamper our ability to make comparisons across studies and identify mechanisms linking adversity to CVD. The purposes of this review are to summarize adversity measurement approaches in the context of CVD, identify gaps, and make recommendations for future research. PubMed and PsycINFO searches were conducted through June 2016. Studies were selected if CVD end point or predisease risk markers were investigated in association with a measure of childhood adversity. Forty-three studies were reviewed. A meta-analysis was not conducted because of the variation in exposures and outcomes assessed. Adversity measurement was heterogeneous across studies. Metrics included different sets of adverse events, relational factors, and socioeconomic indicators. Thirty-seven percent measured childhood adversity prospectively, 23% examined a CVD end point, and 77% treated adversity as an unweighted summary score. Despite the heterogeneity in measurement, most studies found a positive association between childhood adversity and CVD risk, and the association seems to be dose-response. The literature on childhood adversity and CVD would benefit from improving consistency of measurement, using weighted adversity composites, modeling adversity trajectories over time, and considering socioeconomic status as an antecedent factor instead of a component part of an adversity score. We suggest conceptual and analytic strategies to enhance, refine, and replicate the observed association between childhood adversity and CVD risk.

  6. PD-L1 expression in Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma: Indicator of tumor aggressiveness.

    PubMed

    Chang, Kun; Qu, Yuanyuan; Dai, Bo; Zhao, Jian-Yuan; Gan, Hualei; Shi, Guohai; Zhu, Yiping; Shen, Yijun; Zhu, Yao; Zhang, Hailiang; Ye, Dingwei

    2017-05-18

    Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), a promising antitumor target, has proven clinical value against many malignancies. However, the PD-L1 content of Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma (Xp11.2 RCC) and its correlation with clinical outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate PD-L1 expression in Xp11.2 RCC and to assess its prognostic value. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens from 36 adult patients that were histologically confirmed (by fluorescence in situ hybridization) were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis. Of the 36 Xp11.2 RCC patients, 9 (25.0%) had tumors with positive PD-L1 expression and 27 (75.0%) had tumors with negative PD-L1 expression. Positive PD-L1 expression correlated with advanced tumor stage (P = 0.001), regional lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001), and distant metastasis (P < 0.001). A multivariate analysis identified positive PD-L1 expression was an independent adverse prognostic factor for both progression free survival (hazard ratio: 3.7, P = 0.018) and overall survival (hazard ratio: 4.5, P = 0.034). The median PFS and OS for the whole cohort were 13.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.4-16.6 months) and 36.0 months (95% CI, 23.9-48.1 months), respectively. Our findings suggest that positive PD-L1 expression is indicative of worse clinical outcome in Xp11.2 RCC. Further studies are needed to explore the potential efficacy of targeting PD-L1 in Xp11.2 RCC.

  7. Requirements Flowdown for Prognostics and Health Management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goebel, Kai; Saxena, Abhinav; Roychoudhury, Indranil; Celaya, Jose R.; Saha, Bhaskar; Saha, Sankalita

    2012-01-01

    Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) principles have considerable promise to change the game of lifecycle cost of engineering systems at high safety levels by providing a reliable estimate of future system states. This estimate is a key for planning and decision making in an operational setting. While technology solutions have made considerable advances, the tie-in into the systems engineering process is lagging behind, which delays fielding of PHM-enabled systems. The derivation of specifications from high level requirements for algorithm performance to ensure quality predictions is not well developed. From an engineering perspective some key parameters driving the requirements for prognostics performance include: (1) maximum allowable Probability of Failure (PoF) of the prognostic system to bound the risk of losing an asset, (2) tolerable limits on proactive maintenance to minimize missed opportunity of asset usage, (3) lead time to specify the amount of advanced warning needed for actionable decisions, and (4) required confidence to specify when prognosis is sufficiently good to be used. This paper takes a systems engineering view towards the requirements specification process and presents a method for the flowdown process. A case study based on an electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (e-UAV) scenario demonstrates how top level requirements for performance, cost, and safety flow down to the health management level and specify quantitative requirements for prognostic algorithm performance.

  8. Arrival in the labour ward in second stage of labour--any prognostic significance?

    PubMed

    Nkyekyer, K

    1998-05-01

    A comparative descriptive study was carried out to determine whether, in uncomplicated term pregnancies with the foetus in vertex presentation, there were any differences in maternal or foetal outcome between women who arrived in the labour ward in second stage of labour and those who arrived in early active phase. There were two hundred and seventeen women each in the study and comparison groups. There were no significant differences between the two groups as regards age, parity, marital status and level of education. Women in the comparison group were better antenatal clinic attendants. Those in the study group were more likely to have indicated that they had problems with transportation. They also had considerably shorter labours and all achieved spontaneous vaginal deliveries; a significant proportion (10.6%) of the comparison group had interventional deliveries. The incidence of episiotomies, lower genital tract injuries, manual removal of placenta and postpartum haemorrhage after vaginal delivery were not different between the two groups. Babies born to mothers in the study group were significantly lighter, by about 170 gms, and had a lower incidence of low one-minute Apgar scores. There were no significant differences in the rates of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit or in early neonatal deaths. Arrival in the labour ward in second stage of labour prognosticates non-interventional delivery without any increased risk of adverse outcome to the mother or her baby.

  9. Bioinformatics analysis of the prognostic value of Tripartite Motif 28 in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Hao, Ling; Leng, Jun; Xiao, Ruijing; Kingsley, Tembo; Li, Xinran; Tu, Zhenbo; Yang, Xiangyong; Deng, Xinzhou; Xiong, Meng; Xiong, Jie; Zhang, Qiuping

    2017-04-01

    Tripartite motif containing 28 (TRIM28) is a transcriptional regulator acting as an essential corepressor for Krüppel-associated box zinc finger domain-containing proteins in multiple tissue and cell types. An increasing number of studies have investigated the function of TRIM28; however, its prognostic value in breast cancer (BC) remains unclear. In the present study, the expression of TRIM28 was identified to be significantly higher in cancerous compared with healthy tissue samples. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that TRIM28 expression was significantly correlated with several clinicopathological characteristics of patients with BC, such as p53 mutation, tumor recurrence and Elston grade of the tumor. In addition, a protein-protein interaction network was created to illustrate the interactions of TRIM28 with other proteins. The prognostic value of TRIM28 in patients with BC was investigated using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database, which revealed that high expression of TRIM28 is a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with BC. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that TRIM28 provides a survival advantage to patients with BC and is a novel prognostic biomarker, in addition to being a therapeutic target for the treatment of BC.

  10. Prognostic value of depressed midwall systolic function in cardiac light-chain amyloidosis.

    PubMed

    Perlini, Stefano; Salinaro, Francesco; Musca, Francesco; Mussinelli, Roberta; Boldrini, Michele; Raimondi, Ambra; Milani, Paolo; Foli, Andrea; Cappelli, Francesco; Perfetto, Federico; Palladini, Giovanni; Rapezzi, Claudio; Merlini, Giampaolo

    2014-05-01

    Cardiac amyloidosis represents an archetypal form of restrictive heart disease, characterized by profound diastolic dysfunction. As ejection fraction is preserved until the late stage of the disease, the majority of patients do fulfill the definition of diastolic heart failure, that is, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In another clinical model of HFpEF, that is, pressure-overload hypertrophy, depressed midwall fractional shortening (mFS) has been shown to be a powerful prognostic factor. To assess the potential prognostic role of mFS in cardiac light-chain amyloidosis with preserved ejection fraction, we enrolled 221 consecutive untreated patients, in whom a first diagnosis of cardiac light-chain amyloidosis was concluded between 2008 and 2010. HFpEF was present in 181 patients. Patients in whom cardiac involvement was excluded served as controls (n = 121). Prognosis was assessed after a median follow-up of 561 days. When compared with light-chain amyloidosis patients without myocardial involvement, cardiac light-chain amyloidosis was characterized by increased wall thickness (P <0.001), reduced end-diastolic left ventricular volumes (P <0.001), and diastolic dysfunction (P <0.001). In patients with preserved ejection fraction, mFS was markedly depressed [10.6% (8.7-13.5) vs. 17.8% (15.9-19.5) P <0.001]. At multivariable analysis, mFS, troponin I, and NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide were the only significant prognostic determinants (P <0.001), whereas other indices of diastolic (E/E' ratio, transmitral and pulmonary vein flow velocities) and systolic function (tissue Doppler systolic indices, ejection fraction), or the presence/absence of congestive heart failure did not enter the model. In cardiac light-chain amyloidosis with normal ejection fraction, depressed circumferential mFS, a marker of myocardial contractile dysfunction, is a powerful predictor of survival.

  11. Prognostic Value of PD-L1 in Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Wang, Changjun; Zhu, Hanjiang; Zhou, Yidong; Mao, Feng; Lin, Yan; Pan, Bo; Zhang, Xiaohui; Xu, Qianqian; Huang, Xin; Sun, Qiang

    2017-07-01

    Programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a promising therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. However, the correlation between PD-L1 and breast cancer survival remains unclear. Here, we present the first meta-analysis to investigate the prognostic value of PD-L1 in breast cancer. We searched Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases for relevant studies evaluating PD-L1 expression and breast cancer survival. Fixed- and random-effect meta-analyses were conducted based on heterogeneity of included studies. Publication bias was evaluated by funnel plot and Begg's test. Overall, nine relevant studies with 8583 patients were included. PD-L1 overexpression was found in 25.8% of breast cancer patients. PD-L1 (+) associated with several high-risk prognostic indicators, such as ductal cancer (p = 0.037), high tumor grade (p = 0.000), ER negativity (p = 0.000), PR negativity (p = 0.000), HER2 positivity (p = 0.001) and aggressive molecular subtypes (HER2-rich and Basal-like p = 0.000). PD-L1 overexpression had no significant impact on metastasis-free survival (HR 0.924, 95% CI = 0.747-1.141, p = 0.462), disease-free survival (HR 1.122, 95% CI = 0.878-1.434, p = 0.357) and overall specific survival (HR 0.837, 95% CI = 0.640-1.093, p = 0.191), but significantly correlated with shortened overall survival (HR 1.573, 95% CI = 1.010-2.451, p = 0.045). PD-L1 overexpression in breast cancer associates with multiple clinicopathological parameters that indicated poor outcome, and may increase the risk for mortality. Further standardization of PD-L1 assessment assay and well-controlled clinical trials are warranted to clarify its prognostic and therapeutic value. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Prognostic Value of Quantitative Stress Perfusion Cardiac Magnetic Resonance.

    PubMed

    Sammut, Eva C; Villa, Adriana D M; Di Giovine, Gabriella; Dancy, Luke; Bosio, Filippo; Gibbs, Thomas; Jeyabraba, Swarna; Schwenke, Susanne; Williams, Steven E; Marber, Michael; Alfakih, Khaled; Ismail, Tevfik F; Razavi, Reza; Chiribiri, Amedeo

    2018-05-01

    This study sought to evaluate the prognostic usefulness of visual and quantitative perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) ischemic burden in an unselected group of patients and to assess the validity of consensus-based ischemic burden thresholds extrapolated from nuclear studies. There are limited data on the prognostic value of assessing myocardial ischemic burden by CMR, and there are none using quantitative perfusion analysis. Patients with suspected coronary artery disease referred for adenosine-stress perfusion CMR were included (n = 395; 70% male; age 58 ± 13 years). The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, aborted sudden death, and revascularization after 90 days. Perfusion scans were assessed visually and with quantitative analysis. Cross-validated Cox regression analysis and net reclassification improvement were used to assess the incremental prognostic value of visual or quantitative perfusion analysis over a baseline clinical model, initially as continuous covariates, then using accepted thresholds of ≥2 segments or ≥10% myocardium. After a median 460 days (interquartile range: 190 to 869 days) follow-up, 52 patients reached the primary endpoint. At 2 years, the addition of ischemic burden was found to increase prognostic value over a baseline model of age, sex, and late gadolinium enhancement (baseline model area under the curve [AUC]: 0.75; visual AUC: 0.84; quantitative AUC: 0.85). Dichotomized quantitative ischemic burden performed better than visual assessment (net reclassification improvement 0.043 vs. 0.003 against baseline model). This study was the first to address the prognostic benefit of quantitative analysis of perfusion CMR and to support the use of consensus-based ischemic burden thresholds by perfusion CMR for prognostic evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery disease. Quantitative analysis provided incremental prognostic value to visual assessment and

  13. Serum uric acid level predicts adverse outcomes after myocardial revascularization or cardiac valve surgery.

    PubMed

    Lazzeroni, Davide; Bini, Matteo; Camaiora, Umberto; Castiglioni, Paolo; Moderato, Luca; Bosi, Davide; Geroldi, Simone; Ugolotti, Pietro T; Brambilla, Lorenzo; Brambilla, Valerio; Coruzzi, Paolo

    2018-01-01

    Background High levels of serum uric acid have been associated with adverse outcomes in cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and heart failure. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the prognostic role of serum uric acid levels in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation after myocardial revascularization and/or cardiac valve surgery. Design We performed an observational prospective cohort study. Methods The study included 1440 patients with available serum uric acid levels, prospectively followed for 50 ± 17 months. Mean age was 67 ± 11 years; 781 patients (54%) underwent myocardial revascularization, 474 (33%) cardiac valve surgery and 185 (13%) valve-plus-coronary artery by-pass graft surgery. The primary endpoints were overall and cardiovascular mortality while secondary end-points were combined major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. Results Serum uric acid level mean values were 286 ± 95 µmol/l and elevated serum uric acid levels (≥360 µmol/l or 6 mg/dl) were found in 275 patients (19%). Overall mortality (hazard ratio = 2.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.5-3.0; p < 0.001), cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio = 2.0; 95% confidence interval: 1.2-3.2; p = 0.004) and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events rate (hazard ratio = 1.5; 95% confidence interval: 1.0-2.0; p = 0.019) were significantly higher in patients with elevated serum uric acid levels, even after adjustment for age, gender, arterial hypertension, diabetes, glomerular filtration rate, atrial fibrillation and medical therapy. Moreover, strong positive correlations between serum uric acid level and probability of overall mortality ( p < 0.001), cardiovascular mortality ( p < 0.001) and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events ( p = 0.003) were found. Conclusions Serum uric acid levels predict mortality and adverse cardiovascular outcome in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization

  14. Multiple Damage Progression Paths in Model-Based Prognostics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daigle, Matthew; Goebel, Kai Frank

    2011-01-01

    Model-based prognostics approaches employ domain knowledge about a system, its components, and how they fail through the use of physics-based models. Component wear is driven by several different degradation phenomena, each resulting in their own damage progression path, overlapping to contribute to the overall degradation of the component. We develop a model-based prognostics methodology using particle filters, in which the problem of characterizing multiple damage progression paths is cast as a joint state-parameter estimation problem. The estimate is represented as a probability distribution, allowing the prediction of end of life and remaining useful life within a probabilistic framework that supports uncertainty management. We also develop a novel variance control mechanism that maintains an uncertainty bound around the hidden parameters to limit the amount of estimation uncertainty and, consequently, reduce prediction uncertainty. We construct a detailed physics-based model of a centrifugal pump, to which we apply our model-based prognostics algorithms. We illustrate the operation of the prognostic solution with a number of simulation-based experiments and demonstrate the performance of the chosen approach when multiple damage mechanisms are active

  15. Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors in synovial sarcoma.

    PubMed

    Koh, Kyoung Hwan; Cho, Eun Yoon; Kim, Dong Wook; Seo, Sung Wook

    2009-11-01

    Many studies have described the diversity of synovial sarcoma in terms of its biological characteristics and clinical features. Moreover, much effort has been expended on the identification of prognostic factors because of unpredictable behaviors of synovial sarcomas. However, with the exception of tumor size, published results have been inconsistent. We attempted to identify independent risk factors using survival analysis. Forty-one consecutive patients with synovial sarcoma were prospectively followed from January 1997 to March 2008. Overall and progression-free survival for age, sex, tumor size, tumor location, metastasis at presentation, histologic subtype, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and resection margin were analyzed, and standard multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to evaluate potential prognostic factors. Tumor size (>5 cm), nonlimb-based tumors, metastasis at presentation, and a monophasic subtype were associated with poorer overall survival. Multivariate analysis showed metastasis at presentation and monophasic tumor subtype affected overall survival. For the progression-free survival, monophasic subtype was found to be only 1 prognostic factor. The study confirmed that histologic subtype is the single most important independent prognostic factors of synovial sarcoma regardless of tumor stage.

  16. Hypothyroidism during antithyroid drug treatment with methimazole is a favorable prognostic indicator in patients with Graves' disease.

    PubMed

    Choo, Young Kwang; Yoo, Won Sang; Kim, Dong Woo; Chung, Hyun-Kyung

    2010-09-01

    A major problem with antithyroid drug (ATD) therapy in Graves' disease is the high relapse rate. Therefore, clinicians have sought prognostic indicators of permanent remission. Suppression of serum thyrotropin (TSH) when ATD therapy is stopped carries a poor prognosis, but little is known regarding the significance of elevated serum TSH concentrations in the course of ATD therapy. The objective of this study was to determine if elevated serum TSH concentrations during methimazole (MMI) therapy is associated with a favorable long-term prognosis. We retrospectively studied patients with Graves' disease who were initially on MMI, in whom this drug was stopped because they had undetectable thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSAbs) or were euthyroid after at least 24 months on MMI treatment. A strategy of high MMI doses plus T4 was not used in these patients. We identified 40 patients with elevated serum TSH concentration (>10 microIU/mL) during MMI therapy (H-TSH group). Eighty-five percent of the H-TSH group had negative tests for TSAb. The H-TSH group was sex- and age-matched with 37 patients who had similar selection criteria, but did not have elevated serum TSH concentration during MMI therapy (N-TSH group). The H-TSH and N-TSH groups were similar in gross thyroid size, percentage of patients with exophthalmos, serum free thyroxine, duration of MMI treatment, TSAb status, duration that their TSAb tests remained negative, and thyroid peroxidase antibody titers. The patients were followed for 24 months after stopping MMI. In the H-TSH group, MMI-associated hypothyroidism typically occurred after 7-8 months of treatment with daily doses of 10-15 mg MMI. No patient had severe symptoms of hypothyroidism. The percentage of patients in remission at 6, 12, and 24 months after discontinuation of MMI was 90.0, 87.5, and 85.0, respectively, in the H-TSH group and 70.3, 67.6, and 54.1, respectively, in the N-TSH group (p  <  0.05 for the comparison of groups at 6 and 12

  17. Skeletal muscle radiodensity is prognostic for survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Sjøblom, Bjørg; Grønberg, Bjørn H; Wentzel-Larsen, Tore; Baracos, Vickie E; Hjermstad, Marianne J; Aass, Nina; Bremnes, Roy M; Fløtten, Øystein; Bye, Asta; Jordhøy, Marit

    2016-12-01

    Recent research indicates that severe muscular depletion (sarcopenia) is frequent in cancer patients and linked to cachexia and poor survival. Our aim was to investigate if measures of skeletal muscle hold prognostic information in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We included NSCLC patients with disease stage IIIB/IV, performance status 0-2, enrolled in three randomised trials of first-line chemotherapy (n = 1305). Computed tomography (CT) images obtained before start of treatment were used for body composition analyses at the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3). Skeletal muscle mass was assessed by measures of the cross sectional muscle area, from which the skeletal muscle index (SMI) was obtained. Skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD) was measured as the mean Hounsfield unit (HU) of the measured muscle area. A high level of mean HU indicates a high SMD. Complete data were available for 734 patients, mean age 65 years. Both skeletal muscle index (SMI) and muscle radiodensity (SMD) varied largely. Mean SMI and SMD were 47.7 cm 2 /m 2 and 37.4 HU in men (n = 420), 39.6 cm 2 /m 2 and 37.0 HU in women (n = 314). Multivariable Cox regression analyses, adjusted for established prognostic factors, showed that SMD was independently prognostic for survival (Hazard ratio (HR) 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99, p = 0.001), whereas SMI was not (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-1.01, p = 0.329). Low SMD is associated with poorer survival in advanced NSCLC. Further research is warranted to establish whether muscle measures should be integrated into routine practice to improve prognostic accuracy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

  18. Prognostic and predictive impact of central necrosis and fibrosis in early breast cancer. Results from two International Breast Cancer Study Group randomized trials of chemoendocrine adjuvant therapy

    PubMed Central

    Maiorano, Eugenio; Regan, Meredith M.; Viale, Giuseppe; Mastropasqua, Mauro G.; Colleoni, Marco; Castiglione-Gertsch, Monica; Price, Karen N.; Gelber, Richard D.; Goldhirsch, Aron; Coates, Alan S.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose A minority of early invasive breast cancers show a pattern of central necrosis and fibrosis (CNF). Previous studies have documented an adverse prognostic impact and association with other adverse pathological features, but its predictive importance for therapy selection is unknown. Methods We examined the prognostic and predictive value of CNF in two randomized clinical trials comparing chemoendocrine therapy with endocrine therapy alone in patients with node-negative breast cancer. A total of 1850 patients randomly assigned to treatment groups comparing endocrine with chemoendocrine therapy, and with centrally-assessed CNF, ER, PgR and HER2 were included in the analytic cohort. The median follow up was 10 years. Results CNF was present in 84 of 1850 trial patients (4.5%). It was associated with tumor characteristics suggesting poor outcome, but was an independent adverse factor for disease-free survival. In the presence of CNF outcome was worse regardless of tumor grade, whereas in the absence of CNF, patients with grade 3 tumors had poorer outcome than those with grade 1-2 tumors. Among patients with estrogen receptor-absent tumors chemoendocrine therapy was superior to endocrine therapy alone only in the absence of CNF [HR (chemoendocrine:endocrine)=0.46 in CNF-absent, 0.90 in CNF-present], while among those with receptor-positive disease chemoendocrine therapy was beneficial only in the presence of CNF [HR=0.34 CNF-present, 0.96 CNF-absent]. Conclusion The results suggest that the presence of CNF reflects a biological difference in early breast cancer that is important in modulating the efficacy of standard therapies. Accordingly we believe that its presence should be routinely reported. PMID:19280340

  19. In phyllodes tumour of the breast expression of c-kit but not of ALDH1A1 is associated with adverse clinico-pathological features.

    PubMed

    Chougule, Abhijit; Bal, Amanjit; Das, Ashim; Kohli, Pavneet Singh; Singh, Gurpreet

    2016-12-01

    Attempts at identification of an ideal prognostic/predictive biomarker in phyllodes tumour (PT) have not been fruitful so far. Studies evaluating c-kit expression in PT have shown contradictory results. Recently aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1) was proposed as a stem cell marker for malignant PT but its expression has not been studied in benign and borderline tumours. We aimed to evaluate expression and prognostic significance of c-kit and ALDH1A1 in different grades of PT. Epithelial and stromal c-kit and ALDH1A1 expression were studied in 104 PT cases (86 primary and 18 recurrent tumours) and compared with different clinico-pathological features and recurrence rates. Stromal c-kit expression at 1 % cutoff correlated with increasing tumour grade, larger tumour size, hypercellularity, nuclear atypia, stromal overgrowth, infiltrative margins and mitotic count. These associations, however, were lost with higher (5 or 10 %) cutoffs. Conversely, decreased c-kit expression in the epithelial component correlated with increasing tumour grade, regardless of the cutoffs used. Stromal ALDH1A1 expression did not have significant associations with tumour grade or other adverse clinico-pathological features, regardless of different cutoffs. None of the cases showed significant epithelial ALDH1A1 expression. Expression of c-kit was associated with poorer overall survival (p = 0.011), while ALDH1A1 expression was associated with shorter recurrence-free survival (p = 0.036). In conclusion, c-kit expression was associated with higher tumour grade and adverse clinico-pathological features. However, these associations are cutoff dependent, partly explaining the variability in previously reported studies. ALDH1A1 expression did not have significant correlations with tumour grade and adverse clinico-pathological variables.

  20. Prognostic factors and risk stratification in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer receiving docetaxel-based chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Yamashita, Shimpei; Kohjimoto, Yasuo; Iguchi, Takashi; Koike, Hiroyuki; Kusumoto, Hiroki; Iba, Akinori; Kikkawa, Kazuro; Kodama, Yoshiki; Matsumura, Nagahide; Hara, Isao

    2016-03-22

    While novel drugs have been developed, docetaxel remains one of the standard initial systemic therapies for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients. Despite the excellent anti-tumor effect of docetaxel, its severe adverse effects sometimes distress patients. Therefore, it would be very helpful to predict the efficacy of docetaxel before treatment. The aims of this study were to evaluate the potential value of patient characteristics in predicting overall survival (OS) and to develop a risk classification for CRPC patients treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy. This study included 79 patients with CRPC treated with docetaxel. The variables, including patient characteristics at diagnosis and at the start of chemotherapy, were retrospectively collected. Prognostic factors predicting OS were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Risk stratification for overall survival was determined based on the results of multivariate analysis. PSA response ≥50 % was observed in 55 (69.6 %) of all patients, and the median OS was 22.5 months. The multivariate analysis showed that age, serum PSA level at the start of chemotherapy, and Hb were independent prognostic factors for OS. In addition, ECOG performance status (PS) and the CRP-to-albumin ratio were not significant but were considered possible predictors for OS. Risk stratification according to the number of these risk factors could effectively stratify CRPC patients treated with docetaxel in terms of OS. Age, serum PSA level at the start of chemotherapy, and Hb were identified as independent prognostic factors of OS. ECOG PS and the CRP-to-albumin ratio were not significant, but were considered possible predictors for OS in Japanese CRPC patients treated with docetaxel. Risk stratification based on these factors could be helpful for estimating overall survival.

  1. A New Prognostic Staging System for Rectal Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Ueno, Hideki; Price, Ashley B.; Wilkinson, Kay H.; Jass, Jeremy R.; Mochizuki, Hidetaka; Talbot, Ian C.

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To clarify the appropriateness of tumor “budding,” a quantifiable histologic variable, as 1 parameter in the construction of a new prognostic grading system for rectal cancer. Summary Background Data: Patient division according to an accurate prognostic prediction could enhance the effectiveness of postoperative adjuvant therapy and follow-up. Patients and Methods: Tumor budding was defined as an isolated cancer cell or a cluster composed of fewer than 5 cells in the invasive frontal region, and was divided into 2 grades based on its number within a microscopic field of ×250. We analyzed 2 discrete cohorts comprising 638 and 476 patients undergoing potentially curative surgery. Results: In the first cohort, high-grade budding (10 or more foci in a field) was observed in 30% of patients and was significantly associated with a lower 5-year survival rate (41%) than low-grade budding (84%). Similarly, in the second cohort, the 5-year survival rate was 43% in high-grade budding patients and 83% in low-grade budding patients. In both cohorts, multivariate analyses verified budding to be an independent prognosticator, together with nodal involvement and extramural spread. These 3 variables were given weighted scores, and the score range was divided to provide 5 prognostic groups (97%; 86%; 61%; 39%; 17% 5-year survival). The model was tested on the second cohort, and similar prognostic results were obtained. Conclusions: We propose that because of its relevance to prognosis and its reproducibility, budding is an excellent parameter for use in a grading system to provide a confident prediction of clinical outcome. PMID:15492565

  2. Prognostic factors in canine appendicular osteosarcoma - a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Boerman, Ilse; Selvarajah, Gayathri T; Nielen, Mirjam; Kirpensteijn, Jolle

    2012-05-15

    Appendicular osteosarcoma is the most common malignant primary canine bone tumor. When treated by amputation or tumor removal alone, median survival times (MST) do not exceed 5 months, with the majority of dogs suffering from metastatic disease. This period can be extended with adequate local intervention and adjuvant chemotherapy, which has become common practice. Several prognostic factors have been reported in many different studies, e.g. age, breed, weight, sex, neuter status, location of tumor, serum alkaline phosphatase (SALP), bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), infection, percentage of bone length affected, histological grade or histological subtype of tumor. Most of these factors are, however, only reported as confounding factors in larger studies. Insight in truly significant prognostic factors at time of diagnosis may contribute to tailoring adjuvant therapy for individual dogs suffering from osteosarcoma. The objective of this study was to systematically review the prognostic factors that are described for canine appendicular osteosarcoma and validate their scientific importance. A literature review was performed on selected studies and eligible data were extracted. Meta-analyses were done for two of the three selected possible prognostic factors (SALP and location), looking at both survival time (ST) and disease free interval (DFI). The third factor (age) was studied in a qualitative manner. Both elevated SALP level and the (proximal) humerus as location of the primary tumor are significant negative prognostic factors for both ST and DFI in dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma. Increasing age was associated with shorter ST and DFI, however, was not statistically significant because information of this factor was available in only a limited number of papers. Elevated SALP and proximal humeral location are significant negative prognosticators for canine osteosarcoma.

  3. Prognostic value of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Lin, Jie; Xie, Guozhu; Liao, Guixiang; Wang, Baiyao; Yan, Miaohong; Li, Hui; Yuan, Yawei

    2017-05-16

    The prognostic role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography CT (18F-FDG PET/CT) parameters is still controversial in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. We sought to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the prognostic value of maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) on event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Fifteen studies comprising 1,938 patients were included in this study. The combined hazard ratios (HRs) for EFS were 2.63 (95%CI 1.71-4.05) for SUVmax, 2.55 (95%CI 1.49-4.35) for MTV, and 3.32 (95%CI 1.23-8.95) for TLG. The pooled HRs for OS were 2.07 (95%CI 1.54-2.79) for SUVmax, 3.86 (95%CI 1.85-8.06) for MTV, and 2.60 (95%CI 1.55-4.34) for TLG. The prognostic role of SUVmax, MTV and TLG remained similar in the sub-group analyses. A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies which associated 18F-FDG PET/CT to clinical survival outcomes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. The summarized HRs for EFS and OS were estimated by using fixed- or random-effect models according to heterogeneity between trials. The present meta-analysis confirms that high values of SUVmax, MTV and TLG predicted a higher risk of adverse events or death in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, despite clinically heterogeneous nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients and the various methods adopted between these studies.

  4. Accelerated Aging System for Prognostics of Power Semiconductor Devices

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Celaya, Jose R.; Vashchenko, Vladislav; Wysocki, Philip; Saha, Sankalita

    2010-01-01

    Prognostics is an engineering discipline that focuses on estimation of the health state of a component and the prediction of its remaining useful life (RUL) before failure. Health state estimation is based on actual conditions and it is fundamental for the prediction of RUL under anticipated future usage. Failure of electronic devices is of great concern as future aircraft will see an increase of electronics to drive and control safety-critical equipment throughout the aircraft. Therefore, development of prognostics solutions for electronics is of key importance. This paper presents an accelerated aging system for gate-controlled power transistors. This system allows for the understanding of the effects of failure mechanisms, and the identification of leading indicators of failure which are essential in the development of physics-based degradation models and RUL prediction. In particular, this system isolates electrical overstress from thermal overstress. Also, this system allows for a precise control of internal temperatures, enabling the exploration of intrinsic failure mechanisms not related to the device packaging. By controlling the temperature within safe operation levels of the device, accelerated aging is induced by electrical overstress only, avoiding the generation of thermal cycles. The temperature is controlled by active thermal-electric units. Several electrical and thermal signals are measured in-situ and recorded for further analysis in the identification of leading indicators of failures. This system, therefore, provides a unique capability in the exploration of different failure mechanisms and the identification of precursors of failure that can be used to provide a health management solution for electronic devices.

  5. Analysis of Stage and Clinical/Prognostic Factors for Lung Cancer from SEER Registries: AJCC Staging and Collaborative Stage Data Collection System

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Vivien W.; Ruiz, Bernardo A.; Hsieh, Mei-Chin; Wu, Xiao-Cheng; Ries, Lynn; Lewis, Denise R.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th edition introduced major changes in the staging of lung cancer, including Tumor (T), Node (N), Metastasis (M) (TNM) system and new stage/prognostic site-specific factors (SSFs), collected under the Collaborative Stage Version 2 (CSv2) Data Collection System. The intent was to improve the stage precision which could guide treatment options and ultimately lead to better survival. This report examines stage trends, the change in stage distributions from the AJCC 6th to the 7th edition, and findings of the prognostic SSFs for 2010 lung cancer cases. Methods Data were from the November 2012 submission of 18 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program population-based registries. A total of 344 797 cases of lung cancer, diagnosed in 2004–2010, were analyzed. Results The percentages of small tumors and early stage lung cancer cases increased from 2004 to 2010. The AJCC 7th edition, implemented for 2010 diagnosis year, subclassified tumor size and reclassified multiple tumor nodules, pleural effusions, and involvement of tumors in the contralateral lung, resulting in a slight decrease in stage IB and stage IIIB and a small increase in stage IIA and stage IV. Overall about 80% of cases remained the same stage group in AJCC 6th and 7th editions. About 21% of lung cancer patients had separate tumor nodules in the ipsilateral (same) lung, and 23% of the surgically resected patients had visceral pleural invasion, both adverse prognostic factors. Conclusion It is feasible for high quality population-based registries such as the SEER Program to collect more refined staging and prognostic SSFs that allows better categorization of lung cancer patients with different clinical outcomes and to assess their survival. PMID:25412390

  6. Atypical and Malignant Meningioma: Outcome and Prognostic Factors in 119 Irradiated Patients. A Multicenter, Retrospective Study of the Rare Cancer Network

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pasquier, David; Bijmolt, Stefan; Veninga, Theo

    2008-08-01

    Purpose: To retrospectively analyze and assess the outcomes and prognostic factors in a large number of patients with atypical and malignant meningiomas. Methods and Materials: Ten academic medical centers participating in this Rare Cancer Network contributed 119 cases of patients with atypical or malignant meningiomas treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) after surgery or for recurrence. Eligibility criteria were histologically proven atypical or anaplastic (malignant) meningioma (World Health Organization Grade 2 and 3) treated with fractionated EBRT after initial resection or for recurrence, and age >18 years. Sex ratio (male/female) was 1.3, and mean ({+-}SD) age was 57.6 {+-} 12more » years. Surgery was macroscopically complete (Simpson Grades 1-3) in 71% of patients; histology was atypical and malignant in 69% and 31%, respectively. Mean dose of EBRT was 54.6 {+-} 5.1 Gy (range, 40-66 Gy). Median follow-up was 4.1 years. Results: The 5- and 10-year actuarial overall survival rates were 65% and 51%, respectively, and were significantly influenced by age >60 years (p = 0.005), Karnofsky performance status (KPS) (p = 0.01), and high mitotic rate (p = 0.047) on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis age >60 years (p = 0.001) and high mitotic rate (p = 0.02) remained significant adverse prognostic factors. The 5- and 10-year disease-free survival rates were 58% and 48%, respectively, and were significantly influenced by KPS (p 0.04) and high mitotic rate (p = 0.003) on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis only high mitotic rate (p = 0.003) remained a significant prognostic factor. Conclusions: In this multicenter retrospective study, age, KPS, and mitotic rate influenced outcome. Multicenter prospective studies are necessary to clarify the management and prognostic factors of such a rare disease.« less

  7. Research on prognostics and health management of underground pipeline

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Guangdi; Yang, Meng; Yang, Fan; Ni, Na

    2018-04-01

    With the development of the city, the construction of the underground pipeline is more and more complex, which has relation to the safety and normal operation of the city, known as "the lifeline of the city". First of all, this paper introduces the principle of PHM (Prognostics and Health Management) technology, then proposed for fault diagnosis, prognostics and health management in view of underground pipeline, make a diagnosis and prognostics for the faults appearing in the operation of the underground pipeline, and then make a health assessment of the whole underground pipe network in order to ensure the operation of the pipeline safely. Finally, summarize and prospect the future research direction.

  8. Childhood adversity profiles and adult psychopathology in a representative Northern Ireland study.

    PubMed

    McLafferty, Margaret; Armour, Cherie; McKenna, Aine; O'Neill, Siobhan; Murphy, Sam; Bunting, Brendan

    2015-10-01

    Childhood adversities are key aetiological factors in the onset and persistence of psychopathology. The aims of this study were to identify childhood adversity profiles, and investigate the relationship between the adversity classes and psychopathology in Northern Ireland. The study utilized data from the Northern Ireland Study of Health and Stress, an epidemiological survey (N=1986), which used the CIDI to examine mental health disorders and associated risk factors. Latent Class Analysis revealed 3 distinct typologies; a low risk class (n=1709; 86%), a poly-adversity class (n=122; 6.1%), and an economic adversity class (n=155; 7.8%). Logistic Regression models revealed that individuals in the economic adversity class had a heightened risk of anxiety and substance disorders, with individuals in the poly-adversity class more likely to have a range of mental health problems and suicidality. The findings indicate the importance of considering the impact of co-occurring childhood adversities when planning treatment, prevention, and intervention programmes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Distress Due to Prognostic Uncertainty in Palliative Care: Frequency, Distribution, and Outcomes among Hospitalized Patients with Advanced Cancer.

    PubMed

    Gramling, Robert; Stanek, Susan; Han, Paul K J; Duberstein, Paul; Quill, Tim E; Temel, Jennifer S; Alexander, Stewart C; Anderson, Wendy G; Ladwig, Susan; Norton, Sally A

    2018-03-01

    Prognostic uncertainty is common in advanced cancer and frequently addressed during palliative care consultation, yet we know little about its impact on quality of life (QOL). We describe the prevalence and distribution of distress due to prognostic uncertainty among hospitalized patients with advanced cancer before palliative care consultation. We evaluate the association between this type of distress and overall QOL before and after palliative care consultation. Observational cohort study. Hospitalized patients with advanced cancer who receive a palliative care consultation at two geographically distant academic medical centers. At the time of enrollment, before palliative care consultation, we asked participants: "Over the past two days, how much have you been bothered by uncertainty about what to expect from the course of your illness?" (Not at all/Slightly/Moderately/Quite a Bit/Extremely). We defined responses of "Quite a bit" and "Extremely" to be indicative of substantial distress. Two hundred thirty-six participants completed the baseline assessment. Seventy-seven percent reported being at least moderately bothered by prognostic uncertainty and half reported substantial distress. Compared with others, those who were distressed by prognostic uncertainty (118/236) reported poorer overall QOL before palliative care consultation (mean QOL 3.8 out of 10 vs. 5.3 out of 10, p = < 0.001) and greater improvement in QOL following consultation (Adjusted difference in mean QOL change = 1.1; 95% confidence interval = 0.2, 2.0). Prognostic uncertainty is a prevalent source of distress among hospitalized patients with advanced cancer at the time of initial palliative care consultation. Distress from prognostic uncertainty is associated with lower levels of preconsultation QOL and with greater pre-post consultation improvement in the QOL.

  10. Prognostic value of depression, anxiety, and anger in hospitalized cardiovascular disease patients for predicting adverse cardiac outcomes.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Shunichi; Kato, Koji; Yoshida, Asuka; Fukuma, Nagaharu; Okumura, Yasuyuki; Ito, Hiroto; Mizuno, Kyoichi

    2013-05-15

    Although attention has recently been focused on the role of psychosocial factors in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), the factors that have the greatest influence on prognosis have not yet been elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of depression, anxiety, and anger on the prognosis of patients with CVD. Four hundred fourteen consecutive patients hospitalized with CVD were prospectively enrolled. Depression was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire, anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, and anger using the Spielberger Trait Anger Scale. Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to examine the individual effects of depression, anxiety, and anger on a combined primary end point of cardiac death or cardiac hospitalization and on a combined secondary end point of all-cause death or hospitalization during follow-up (median 14.2 months). Multivariate analysis showed that depression was a significant risk factor for cardiovascular hospitalization or death after adjusting for cardiac risk factors and other psychosocial factors (hazard ratio 2.62, p = 0.02), whereas anxiety was not significantly associated with cardiovascular hospitalization or death after adjustment (hazard ratio 2.35, p = 0.10). Anger was associated with a low rate of cardiovascular hospitalization or death (hazard ratio 0.34, p <0.01). In conclusion, depression in hospitalized patients with CVD is a stronger independent risk factor for adverse cardiac events than either anxiety or anger. Anger may help prevent adverse outcomes. Routine screening for depression should therefore be performed in patients with CVD, and the potential effects of anger in clinical practice should be reconsidered. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Towards Prognostics for Electronics Components

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saha, Bhaskar; Celaya, Jose R.; Wysocki, Philip F.; Goebel, Kai F.

    2013-01-01

    Electronics components have an increasingly critical role in avionics systems and in the development of future aircraft systems. Prognostics of such components is becoming a very important research field as a result of the need to provide aircraft systems with system level health management information. This paper focuses on a prognostics application for electronics components within avionics systems, and in particular its application to an Isolated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT). This application utilizes the remaining useful life prediction, accomplished by employing the particle filter framework, leveraging data from accelerated aging tests on IGBTs. These tests induced thermal-electrical overstresses by applying thermal cycling to the IGBT devices. In-situ state monitoring, including measurements of steady-state voltages and currents, electrical transients, and thermal transients are recorded and used as potential precursors of failure.

  12. Prognostic factors of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in patients without HIV infection.

    PubMed

    Kim, Soo Jung; Lee, Jinwoo; Cho, Young-Jae; Park, Young Sik; Lee, Chang-Hoon; Yoon, Ho Il; Lee, Sang-Min; Yim, Jae-Joon; Lee, Jae Ho; Yoo, Chul-Gyu; Lee, Choon-Taek; Kim, Young Whan; Han, Sung Koo; Kim, Hong Bin; Park, Jong Sun

    2014-07-01

    The incidence of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) in patients without HIV infection (non-HIV PCP) has been increasing along with the increased use of chemotherapeutic agents and immunosuppressants, but the prognostic factors of non-HIV PCP remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors of non-HIV PCP. Immunocompromised patients without HIV infection who were diagnosed and treated for PCP were included. The PCP diagnosis was based on positive direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results and compatible clinical symptoms and radiological findings. In total, 372 non-HIV patients with positive PCP DFA or PCR findings were screened and 173 were included. Univariate analysis indicated that age, smoking, chronic lung disease or hematologic malignancy, chemotherapeutic agents, high alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (D[A-a]O2), C-reactive protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), CMV antigenemia, combined bacteremia, high percentage of neutrophils and rate of co-infection in BAL fluid, and mechanical ventilator care were related to the prognosis of non-HIV PCP. Multivariate analysis revealed that high D(A-a)O2, combined bacteremia, increased BUN and preexisting lung disease were indicators of a poor prognosis. High D(A-a)O2, combined bacteremia, increased BUN and preexisting lung disease were independent factors of poor prognosis in non-HIV PCP patients. Copyright © 2014 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Detection of circulating Bmi-1 mRNA in plasma and its potential diagnostic and prognostic value for uterine cervical cancer.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xin; Wang, Chuanxin; Wang, Lili; Du, Lutao; Wang, Shun; Zheng, Guixi; Li, Wei; Zhuang, Xuewei; Zhang, Xuhua; Dong, Zhaogang

    2012-07-01

    Bmi-1 is overexpressed in uterine cervical cancer (UCC) and is found to be associated with adverse clinical characteristics and poor prognosis. However, little information is available on the status of circulating Bmi-1 mRNA in UCC. Because circulating cell-free nucleic acids have emerged as a novel class of markers for cancer detection, our research aims to address this question by detecting the circulating Bmi-1 mRNA and to assess its diagnostic and prognostic potential in UCC. Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR method was established to detect the circulating Bmi-1 mRNA in plasma of 109 patients with UCC, 138 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and 80 healthy volunteers, and found that it was significantly increased in UCC compared with CINs and healthy controls (all at p < 0.001). Moreover, its high level was significantly correlated with advanced clinical stage (p < 0.001) and positive lymph nodes metastasis (p = 0.002). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.881, and the optimal cut-off value was 0.057, providing a sensitivity of 69.7% and a specificity of 95.9%. The AUC for circulating Bmi-1 mRNA showed higher diagnosis capability than that for SCC-Ag (p = 0.035) or CA125 (p < 0.001) currently utilized. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a correlation between increased circulating Bmi-1 mRNA level and reduced disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.015). And, Cox analysis indicated that it was an independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS. We conclude that circulating Bmi-1 mRNA may be a potential noninvasive molecular marker for diagnosis and prognosis of UCC. Copyright © 2011 UICC.

  14. P21, COX-2, and E-cadherin are potential prognostic factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yao; Shen, Lu-Yan; Fu, Hao; Dong, Bin; Yang, He-Li; Yan, Wan-Pu; Kang, Xiao-Zheng; Dai, Liang; Zhou, Hai-Tao; Yang, Yong-Bo; Liang, Zhen; Chen, Ke-Neng

    2017-02-01

    Much research effort has been devoted to identifying prognostic factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by immunohistochemistry; however, no conclusive findings have been reached thus far. We hypothesized that certain molecules identified in previous studies might serve as useful prognostic markers for ESCC. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to validate the most relevant markers showing potential for ESCC prognosis in our prospective esophageal cancer database. A literature search was performed using the PubMed database for papers published between 1980 and 2015 using the following key words: 'esophageal cancer,' 'prognosis,' and 'immunohistochemistry.' Literature selection criteria were established to identify the most widely studied markers, and we further validated the selected markers in a cohort from our single-surgeon team, including 153 esophageal cancer patients treated from 2000 to 2010. A total of 1799 articles were identified, 82 of which met the selection criteria. Twelve markers were found to be the most widely studied, and the validation results indicated that only P21, COX-2, and E-cadherin were independent prognostic factors for ESCC patients in this series. The systemic review and cohort validation suggest that P21, COX-2, and E-cadherin are potential prognostic factors for ESCC, paving the way for more targeted prospective validation in the future. © 2016 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

  15. New breast cancer prognostic factors identified by computer-aided image analysis of HE stained histopathology images

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jia-Mei; Qu, Ai-Ping; Wang, Lin-Wei; Yuan, Jing-Ping; Yang, Fang; Xiang, Qing-Ming; Maskey, Ninu; Yang, Gui-Fang; Liu, Juan; Li, Yan

    2015-01-01

    Computer-aided image analysis (CAI) can help objectively quantify morphologic features of hematoxylin-eosin (HE) histopathology images and provide potentially useful prognostic information on breast cancer. We performed a CAI workflow on 1,150 HE images from 230 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast. We used a pixel-wise support vector machine classifier for tumor nests (TNs)-stroma segmentation, and a marker-controlled watershed algorithm for nuclei segmentation. 730 morphologic parameters were extracted after segmentation, and 12 parameters identified by Kaplan-Meier analysis were significantly associated with 8-year disease free survival (P < 0.05 for all). Moreover, four image features including TNs feature (HR 1.327, 95%CI [1.001 - 1.759], P = 0.049), TNs cell nuclei feature (HR 0.729, 95%CI [0.537 - 0.989], P = 0.042), TNs cell density (HR 1.625, 95%CI [1.177 - 2.244], P = 0.003), and stromal cell structure feature (HR 1.596, 95%CI [1.142 - 2.229], P = 0.006) were identified by multivariate Cox proportional hazards model to be new independent prognostic factors. The results indicated that CAI can assist the pathologist in extracting prognostic information from HE histopathology images for IDC. The TNs feature, TNs cell nuclei feature, TNs cell density, and stromal cell structure feature could be new prognostic factors. PMID:26022540

  16. An Uncertainty Quantification Framework for Prognostics and Condition-Based Monitoring

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sankararaman, Shankar; Goebel, Kai

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents a computational framework for uncertainty quantification in prognostics in the context of condition-based monitoring of aerospace systems. The different sources of uncertainty and the various uncertainty quantification activities in condition-based prognostics are outlined in detail, and it is demonstrated that the Bayesian subjective approach is suitable for interpreting uncertainty in online monitoring. A state-space model-based framework for prognostics, that can rigorously account for the various sources of uncertainty, is presented. Prognostics consists of two important steps. First, the state of the system is estimated using Bayesian tracking, and then, the future states of the system are predicted until failure, thereby computing the remaining useful life of the system. The proposed framework is illustrated using the power system of a planetary rover test-bed, which is being developed and studied at NASA Ames Research Center.

  17. Early prognostic factors of outcomes in monochorionic twin pregnancy: systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Mackie, Fiona L; Hall, Matthew J; Morris, R Katie; Kilby, Mark D

    2018-05-12

    Assess ability of first trimester pregnancy related factors (ultrasound measurements, maternal characteristics, biomarkers) to predict complications in monochorionic twin pregnancies DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Registration of Controlled Trials and Research Registers, and Google Scholar, from inception to 12 May 2017. Grey literature and bibliographies of articles were checked. Studies that reported ultrasound measurements, maternal characteristics, or potential biomarkers, measured in the first trimester in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies, where the potential prognostic ability between the variable and twin-twin transfusion syndrome, growth restriction, or intrauterine fetal death could be assessed. Quality assessment was evaluated using the STROBE checklist by 2 reviewers independently. For meta-analysis, odds ratios using a random effects model, or standardized mean difference were calculated. If a moderate association was found, the prognostic ability was evaluated by calculating the sensitivity and specificity. Risk of heterogeneity was reported as I 2 and publication bias was visually assessed by funnel plots and quantitatively by Egger's test. Forty-eight studies were eligible for inclusion. Twenty meta-analyses could be performed. A moderate association was demonstrated in 3 meta-analyses, between: NT>95th centile in one/both fetuses and TTTS (OR 2.29 [95%CI 1.05, 4.96] I 2 =6.6%, 4 studies, 615 pregnancies); CRL discordance ≥10% and TTTS (OR 2.43 [95%CI 1.13, 5.21] I 2 =14.1%, 3 studies, 708 pregnancies); and maternal ethnicity and TTTS (OR 2.12 [95%CI 1.17, 3.83] I 2 =0.0%, 5 studies, 467 pregnancies), but none demonstrated a prognostic ability for any outcome under investigation. It is not currently possible to predict adverse outcomes in monochorionic twin pregnancies. We have revealed a lack of research investigating first trimester biomarkers in monochorionic twin pregnancies. Different

  18. Sex differences in the risk of rapid cycling and other indicators of adverse illness course in patients with bipolar I and II disorder.

    PubMed

    Erol, Almila; Winham, Stacey J; McElroy, Susan L; Frye, Mark A; Prieto, Miguel L; Cuellar-Barboza, Alfredo B; Fuentes, Manuel; Geske, Jennifer; Mori, Nicole; Biernacka, Joanna M; Bobo, William V

    2015-09-01

    To examine the independent effects of sex on the risk of rapid cycling and other indicators of adverse illness course in patients with bipolar I disorder (BP-I) or bipolar II disorder (BP-II). We analyzed data from the first 1,225 patients enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Individualized Medicine Biobank for Bipolar Disorder. Demographic and clinical variables were ascertained using standardized questionnaires; height and weight were assessed to determine body mass index (BMI). Rates of rapid cycling, cycle acceleration, and increased severity of mood episodes over time were compared between women and men overall and within subgroups defined by bipolar disorder subtype (BP-I or BP-II). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the independent effect of sex on the risk of these indicators of adverse illness course. Women had significantly higher rates of rapid cycling than men. Overall rates of rapid cycling were higher in patients with BP-II than BP-I; and sex differences in the rate of rapid cycling were more pronounced in patients with BP-II than BP-I, although the power to detect statistically significant differences was reduced due to the lower sample size of subjects with BP-II. Female sex was a significant predictor of rapid cycling, cycle acceleration, and increased severity of mood episodes over time after adjusting for age, bipolar disorder subtype, BMI, having any comorbid psychiatric disorder, and current antidepressant use. Female sex was associated with significantly higher risk of rapid cycling, cycle acceleration, and increased severity of mood episodes over time in a sample of 1,225 patients with bipolar disorders. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Life adversity is associated with smoking relapse after a quit attempt.

    PubMed

    Lemieux, Andrine; Olson, Leif; Nakajima, Motohiro; Schulberg, Lauren; al'Absi, Mustafa

    2016-09-01

    Multiple cross-sectional studies have linked adverse childhood events and adult adversities to current smoking, lifetime smoking, and former smoking. To date, however, there have been no direct observational studies assessing the influence of adversities on smoking relapse. We prospectively followed 123 participants, 86 of whom were habitual smokers, from pre-quit ad libitum smoking to four weeks post-quit. Thirty-seven non-smokers were also tested in parallel as a comparison group. Subjects provided biological samples for confirmation of abstinence status and self-report history of adversities such as abuse, neglect, family dysfunction, incarceration, and child-parent separation. They also completed mood and smoking withdrawal symptom measures. The results indicated that within non-smokers and smokers who relapsed within the first month of a quit attempt, but not abstainers, females had significantly higher adversity scores than males. Cigarette craving, which was independent from depressive affect, increased for low adversity participants, but not those with no adversity nor high adversity. These results demonstrate that sex and relapse status interact to predict adversity and that craving for nicotine may be an important additional mediator of relapse. These results add further support to the previous cross-sectional evidence of an adversity and smoking relationship. Further studies to clarify how adversity complicates smoking cessation and impacts smoking behaviors are warranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Prognostic and health management of active assets in nuclear power plants

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Agarwal, Vivek; Lybeck, Nancy; Pham, Binh T.

    This study presents the development of diagnostic and prognostic capabilities for active assets in nuclear power plants (NPPs). The research was performed under the Advanced Instrumentation, Information, and Control Technologies Pathway of the Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program. Idaho National Laboratory researched, developed, implemented, and demonstrated diagnostic and prognostic models for generator step-up transformers (GSUs). The Fleet-Wide Prognostic and Health Management (FW-PHM) Suite software developed by the Electric Power Research Institute was used to perform diagnosis and prognosis. As part of the research activity, Idaho National Laboratory implemented 22 GSU diagnostic models in the Asset Fault Signature Database and twomore » wellestablished GSU prognostic models for the paper winding insulation in the Remaining Useful Life Database of the FW-PHM Suite. The implemented models along with a simulated fault data stream were used to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic capabilities of the FW-PHM Suite. Knowledge of the operating condition of plant asset gained from diagnosis and prognosis is critical for the safe, productive, and economical long-term operation of the current fleet of NPPs. This research addresses some of the gaps in the current state of technology development and enables effective application of diagnostics and prognostics to nuclear plant assets.« less

  1. Prognostic and health management of active assets in nuclear power plants

    DOE PAGES

    Agarwal, Vivek; Lybeck, Nancy; Pham, Binh T.; ...

    2015-06-04

    This study presents the development of diagnostic and prognostic capabilities for active assets in nuclear power plants (NPPs). The research was performed under the Advanced Instrumentation, Information, and Control Technologies Pathway of the Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program. Idaho National Laboratory researched, developed, implemented, and demonstrated diagnostic and prognostic models for generator step-up transformers (GSUs). The Fleet-Wide Prognostic and Health Management (FW-PHM) Suite software developed by the Electric Power Research Institute was used to perform diagnosis and prognosis. As part of the research activity, Idaho National Laboratory implemented 22 GSU diagnostic models in the Asset Fault Signature Database and twomore » wellestablished GSU prognostic models for the paper winding insulation in the Remaining Useful Life Database of the FW-PHM Suite. The implemented models along with a simulated fault data stream were used to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic capabilities of the FW-PHM Suite. Knowledge of the operating condition of plant asset gained from diagnosis and prognosis is critical for the safe, productive, and economical long-term operation of the current fleet of NPPs. This research addresses some of the gaps in the current state of technology development and enables effective application of diagnostics and prognostics to nuclear plant assets.« less

  2. Long-term outcome of patients with triphasic mitral flow with a mid-diastolic L wave: prognostic role of left atrial volume and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sung-Ai; Son, Jungwoo; Shim, Chi-Young; Choi, Eui-Young; Ha, Jong-Won

    2017-09-01

    A mid-diastolic L wave has been recognized as a marker of advanced left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction. However, its prognostic implication is unclear. This study assessed long-term prognosis and independent predictors of adverse outcomes in patients with a mid-diastolic L wave. A total of 144 consecutive patients (mean age 63 ± 12 years, 88 female) with a mid-diastolic L wave of ≥0.2 m/s and in sinus rhythm were identified. Patients with significant valvular heart disease, low LV ejection fraction and arrhythmias were excluded. Subjects were followed up for cardiovascular (CV) mortality and hospitalization for heart failure (HF). During follow-up for a median of 44 months (1-76), CV deaths and hospitalization for HF occurred in 41 (28%) patients. In multivariate Cox analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.11; p = 0.001), log N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)(HR 3.81; 95% CI 1.78-8.15; p = 0.001), and left atrial volume index (HR 1.02; 95% CI 1.01-1.04; p = 0.019) were independent predictors of adverse outcomes in patients with a mid-diastolic L wave. In a stepwise model, NT-proBNP showed an incremental prognostic value for prediction of adverse outcomes when added to the clinical and echocardiographic parameters (Chi square from 30.1 to 41.1, p < 0.001). Patients with a mid-diastolic L wave and clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic evidence of advanced diastolic dysfunction showed poor long-term clinical outcome.

  3. beta(2)microglobulin mRNA expression levels are prognostic for lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Shrout, J; Yousefzadeh, M; Dodd, A; Kirven, K; Blum, C; Graham, A; Benjamin, K; Hoda, R; Krishna, M; Romano, M; Wallace, M; Garrett-Mayer, E; Mitas, M

    2008-06-17

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common non-cutaneous malignancy in the United States and the second most frequent cause of cancer-related death. One of the most important determinants of CRC survival is lymph node metastasis. To determine whether molecular markers might be prognostic for lymph node metastases, we measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR the expression levels of 15 cancer-associated genes in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded primary tissues derived from stage I-IV CRC patients with (n=20) and without (n=18) nodal metastases. Using the mean of the 15 genes as an internal reference control, we observed that low expression of beta(2)microglobulin (B2M) was a strong prognostic indicator of lymph node metastases (area under the curve (AUC)=0.85; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.69-0.94). We also observed that the expression ratio of B2M/Spint2 had the highest prognostic accuracy (AUC=0.87; 95% CI=0.71-0.96) of all potential two-gene combinations. Expression values of Spint2 correlated with the mean of the entire gene set at an R(2) value of 0.97, providing evidence that Spint2 serves not as an independent prognostic gene, but rather as a reliable reference control gene. These studies are the first to demonstrate a prognostic role of B2M at the mRNA level and suggest that low B2M expression levels might be useful for identifying patients with lymph node metastasis and/or poor survival.

  4. Prognostic Value of RUNX1 Mutations in AML: A Meta-Analysis

    PubMed

    Jalili, Mahdi; Yaghmaie, Marjan; Ahmadvand, Mohammad; Alimoghaddam, Kamran; Mousavi, Seyed Asadollah; Vaezi, Mohammad; Ghavamzadeh, Ardeshir

    2018-02-26

    The RUNX1 (AML1) gene is a relatively infrequent mutational target in cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Previous work indicated that RUNX1 mutations can have pathological and prognostic implications. To evaluate prognostic value, we conducted a meta-analysis of 4 previous published works with data for survival according to RUNX1 mutation status. Pooled hazard ratios for overall survival and disease-free survival were 1.55 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.11–2.15; p-value = 0.01) and 1.76 (95% CI = 1.24–2.52; p-value = 0.002), respectively, for cases positive for RUNX1 mutations. This evidence supports clinical implications of RUNX1 mutations in the development and progression of AML cases and points to the possibility of a distinct category within the newer WHO classification. Though it must be kept in mind that the present work was based on data extracted from observational studies, the findings suggest that the RUNX1 status can contribute to risk-stratification and decision-making in management of AML. Creative Commons Attribution License

  5. Prognostic value of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in parotid gland cancer.

    PubMed

    Stenner, Markus; Demgensky, Ariane; Molls, Christoph; Hardt, Aline; Luers, Jan C; Grosheva, Maria; Huebbers, Christian U; Klussmann, Jens P

    2012-04-01

    Although cell proliferation is related to tumour aggressiveness and prognosis, there are few studies describing the expression of proliferative markers in salivary gland cancer. Our aim was to assess the long-term prognostic value of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in a large group of histologically different salivary gland cancers. We analysed the expression of PCNA in 159 patients with parotid gland cancer by means of immunohistochemistry. The mean follow-up time was 56.6 months. A high expression of PCNA showed a significant correlation to the patients' pathological lymph node stage (p = 0.004). A high PCNA expression significantly indicated a poor 5-year disease-free (p = 0.046) and overall survival rate (p = 0.018). The PCNA expression was the only prognostic factor for a worse 5-year disease-free and overall survival in acinic cell carcinomas (p = 0.004, p = 0.022). The correlation between PCNA expression and survival probabilities of salivary gland cancer might make proliferation markers helpful tools in patient follow-up, prognosis and targeted therapy in salivary gland cancer in future.

  6. Mining adverse drug reactions from online healthcare forums using hidden Markov model.

    PubMed

    Sampathkumar, Hariprasad; Chen, Xue-wen; Luo, Bo

    2014-10-23

    Adverse Drug Reactions are one of the leading causes of injury or death among patients undergoing medical treatments. Not all Adverse Drug Reactions are identified before a drug is made available in the market. Current post-marketing drug surveillance methods, which are based purely on voluntary spontaneous reports, are unable to provide the early indications necessary to prevent the occurrence of such injuries or fatalities. The objective of this research is to extract reports of adverse drug side-effects from messages in online healthcare forums and use them as early indicators to assist in post-marketing drug surveillance. We treat the task of extracting adverse side-effects of drugs from healthcare forum messages as a sequence labeling problem and present a Hidden Markov Model(HMM) based Text Mining system that can be used to classify a message as containing drug side-effect information and then extract the adverse side-effect mentions from it. A manually annotated dataset from http://www.medications.com is used in the training and validation of the HMM based Text Mining system. A 10-fold cross-validation on the manually annotated dataset yielded on average an F-Score of 0.76 from the HMM Classifier, in comparison to 0.575 from the Baseline classifier. Without the Plain Text Filter component as a part of the Text Processing module, the F-Score of the HMM Classifier was reduced to 0.378 on average, while absence of the HTML Filter component was found to have no impact. Reducing the Drug names dictionary size by half, on average reduced the F-Score of the HMM Classifier to 0.359, while a similar reduction to the side-effects dictionary yielded an F-Score of 0.651 on average. Adverse side-effects mined from http://www.medications.com and http://www.steadyhealth.com were found to match the Adverse Drug Reactions on the Drug Package Labels of several drugs. In addition, some novel adverse side-effects, which can be potential Adverse Drug Reactions, were also

  7. Development Of A Multivariate Prognostic Model For Pain And Activity Limitation In People With Low Back Disorders Receiving Physiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Ford, Jon J; Richards BPhysio, Matt C; Surkitt BPhysio, Luke D; Chan BPhysio, Alexander Yp; Slater, Sarah L; Taylor, Nicholas F; Hahne, Andrew J

    2018-05-28

    To identify predictors for back pain, leg pain and activity limitation in patients with early persistent low back disorders. Prospective inception cohort study; Setting: primary care private physiotherapy clinics in Melbourne, Australia. 300 adults aged 18-65 years with low back and/or referred leg pain of ≥6-weeks and ≤6-months duration. Not applicable. Numerical rating scales for back pain and leg pain as well as the Oswestry Disability Scale. Prognostic factors included sociodemographics, treatment related factors, subjective/physical examination, subgrouping factors and standardized questionnaires. Univariate analysis followed by generalized estimating equations were used to develop a multivariate prognostic model for back pain, leg pain and activity limitation. Fifty-eight prognostic factors progressed to the multivariate stage where 15 showed significant (p<0.05) associations with at least one of the three outcomes. There were five indicators of positive outcome (two types of low back disorder subgroups, paresthesia below waist, walking as an easing factor and low transversus abdominis tone) and 10 indicators of negative outcome (both parents born overseas, deep leg symptoms, longer sick leave duration, high multifidus tone, clinically determined inflammation, higher back and leg pain severity, lower lifting capacity, lower work capacity and higher pain drawing percentage coverage). The preliminary model identifying predictors of low back disorders explained up to 37% of the variance in outcome. This study evaluated a comprehensive range of prognostic factors reflective of both the biomedical and psychosocial domains of low back disorders. The preliminary multivariate model requires further validation before being considered for clinical use. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. Using Cox's proportional hazards model for prognostication in carcinoma of the upper aero-digestive tract.

    PubMed

    Wolfensberger, M

    1992-01-01

    One of the major short comings of the traditional TNM system is its limited potential for prognostication. With the development of multifactorial analysis techniques, such as Cox's proportional hazards model, it has become possible to simultaneously evaluate a large number of prognostic variables. Cox's model allows both the identification of prognostically relevant variables and the quantification of their prognostic influence. These characteristics make it a helpful tool for analysis as well as for prognostication. The goal of the present study was to develop a prognostic index for patients with carcinoma of the upper aero-digestive tract which makes use of all prognostically relevant variables. To accomplish this, the survival data of 800 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx or larynx were analyzed. Sixty-one variables were screened for prognostic significance; of these only 19 variables (including age, tumor location, T, N and M stages, resection margins, capsular invasion of nodal metastases, and treatment modality) were found to significantly correlate with prognosis. With the help of Cox's equation, a prognostic index (PI) was computed for every combination of prognostic factors. To test the proposed model, the prognostic index was applied to 120 patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx. A comparison of predicted and observed survival showed good overall correlation, although actual survival tended to be better than predicted.

  9. Prognostics of Power Electronics, Methods and Validation Experiments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kulkarni, Chetan S.; Celaya, Jose R.; Biswas, Gautam; Goebel, Kai

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Failure of electronic devices is a concern for future electric aircrafts that will see an increase of electronics to drive and control safety-critical equipment throughout the aircraft. As a result, investigation of precursors to failure in electronics and prediction of remaining life of electronic components is of key importance. DC-DC power converters are power electronics systems employed typically as sourcing elements for avionics equipment. Current research efforts in prognostics for these power systems focuses on the identification of failure mechanisms and the development of accelerated aging methodologies and systems to accelerate the aging process of test devices, while continuously measuring key electrical and thermal parameters. Preliminary model-based prognostics algorithms have been developed making use of empirical degradation models and physics-inspired degradation model with focus on key components like electrolytic capacitors and power MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect-transistor). This paper presents current results on the development of validation methods for prognostics algorithms of power electrolytic capacitors. Particularly, in the use of accelerated aging systems for algorithm validation. Validation of prognostics algorithms present difficulties in practice due to the lack of run-to-failure experiments in deployed systems. By using accelerated experiments, we circumvent this problem in order to define initial validation activities.

  10. Baseline prostate-specific antigen levels following treatment with abiraterone acetate as a prognostic factor in castration-resistant prostate cancer

    PubMed Central

    Hiroshige, Tasuku; Eguchi, Yoshiro; Yoshizumi, Osamu; Chikui, Katsuaki; Kumagai, Hisaji; Kawaguchi, Yoshihiro; Onishi, Rei; Hayashi, Tokumasa; Watanabe, Kouta; Mitani, Tomotaro; Saito, Koujiro; Igawa, Tsukasa

    2018-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) times in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) who received treatment with abiraterone acetate (AA) in routine clinical settings. A total of 93 patients treated with AA between September 2014 and February 2017 were selected and their medical records were analyzed retrospectively. The median PFS time of docetaxel (DTX)-naïve patients was 171 days, and that of post-DTX patients was 56 days. The OS time of DTX-naïve patients did not reach the median. The median OS time of post-DTX patients was 761 days. Multivariate analyses identified baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level prior to treatment with AA and the PSA response rate as independent prognostic factors for PFS time, and baseline PSA prior to treatment with AA as the only independent prognostic factor for OS time. The results of the present study indicate that the baseline PSA level prior to treatment with AA is a notable prognostic factor in patients with CRPC. PMID:29725416

  11. Real-Time Prognostics of a Rotary Valve Actuator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daigle, Matthew

    2015-01-01

    Valves are used in many domains and often have system-critical functions. As such, it is important to monitor the health of valves and their actuators and predict remaining useful life. In this work, we develop a model-based prognostics approach for a rotary valve actuator. Due to limited observability of the component with multiple failure modes, a lumped damage approach is proposed for estimation and prediction of damage progression. In order to support the goal of real-time prognostics, an approach to prediction is developed that does not require online simulation to compute remaining life, rather, a function mapping the damage state to remaining useful life is found offline so that predictions can be made quickly online with a single function evaluation. Simulation results demonstrate the overall methodology, validating the lumped damage approach and demonstrating real-time prognostics.

  12. Distributed Prognostics and Health Management with a Wireless Network Architecture

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goebel, Kai; Saha, Sankalita; Sha, Bhaskar

    2013-01-01

    A heterogeneous set of system components monitored by a varied suite of sensors and a particle-filtering (PF) framework, with the power and the flexibility to adapt to the different diagnostic and prognostic needs, has been developed. Both the diagnostic and prognostic tasks are formulated as a particle-filtering problem in order to explicitly represent and manage uncertainties in state estimation and remaining life estimation. Current state-of-the-art prognostic health management (PHM) systems are mostly centralized in nature, where all the processing is reliant on a single processor. This can lead to a loss in functionality in case of a crash of the central processor or monitor. Furthermore, with increases in the volume of sensor data as well as the complexity of algorithms, traditional centralized systems become for a number of reasons somewhat ungainly for successful deployment, and efficient distributed architectures can be more beneficial. The distributed health management architecture is comprised of a network of smart sensor devices. These devices monitor the health of various subsystems or modules. They perform diagnostics operations and trigger prognostics operations based on user-defined thresholds and rules. The sensor devices, called computing elements (CEs), consist of a sensor, or set of sensors, and a communication device (i.e., a wireless transceiver beside an embedded processing element). The CE runs in either a diagnostic or prognostic operating mode. The diagnostic mode is the default mode where a CE monitors a given subsystem or component through a low-weight diagnostic algorithm. If a CE detects a critical condition during monitoring, it raises a flag. Depending on availability of resources, a networked local cluster of CEs is formed that then carries out prognostics and fault mitigation by efficient distribution of the tasks. It should be noted that the CEs are expected not to suspend their previous tasks in the prognostic mode. When the

  13. Neurological adverse events associated with vaccination.

    PubMed

    Piyasirisilp, Sucheep; Hemachudha, Thiravat

    2002-06-01

    Public tolerance to adverse reactions is minimal. Several reporting systems have been established to monitor adverse events following immunization. The present review summarizes data on neurologic complications following vaccination, and provides evidence that indicates whether they were directly associated with the vaccines. These complications include autism (measles vaccine), multiple sclerosis (hepatitis B vaccine), meningoencephalitis (Japanese encephalitis vaccine), Guillain-Barré syndrome and giant cell arteritis (influenza vaccine), and reactions after exposure to animal rabies vaccine. Seizures and hypotonic/hyporesponsive episodes following pertussis vaccination and potential risks associated with varicella vaccination, as well as vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis following oral poliovirus vaccination, are also described. In addition, claims that complications are caused by adjuvants, preservatives and contaminants [i.e. macrophagic myofasciitis (aluminium), neurotoxicity (thimerosal), and new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (bovine-derived materials)] are discussed.

  14. Preoperative prognostic factors for mortality in peptic ulcer perforation: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Møller, Morten Hylander; Adamsen, Sven; Thomsen, Reimar Wernich; Møller, Ann Merete

    2010-08-01

    Mortality and morbidity following perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) is substantial and probably related to the development of sepsis. During the last three decades a large number of preoperative prognostic factors in patients with PPU have been examined. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize available evidence on these prognostic factors. MEDLINE (January 1966 to June 2009), EMBASE (January 1980 to June 2009), and the Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2009) were screened for studies reporting preoperative prognostic factors for mortality in patients with PPU. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed. Summary relative risks with 95% confidence intervals for the identified prognostic factors were calculated and presented as Forest plots. Fifty prognostic studies with 37 prognostic factors comprising a total of 29,782 patients were included in the review. The overall methodological quality was acceptable, yet only two-thirds of the studies provided confounder adjusted estimates. The studies provided strong evidence for an association of older age, comorbidity, and use of NSAIDs or steroids with mortality. Shock upon admission, preoperative metabolic acidosis, tachycardia, acute renal failure, low serum albumin level, high American Society of Anaesthesiologists score, and preoperative delay >24 h were associated with poor prognosis. In patients with PPU, a number of negative prognostic factors can be identified prior to surgery, and many of these seem to be related to presence of the sepsis syndrome.

  15. Multiple Score Comparison: a network meta-analysis approach to comparison and external validation of prognostic scores.

    PubMed

    Haile, Sarah R; Guerra, Beniamino; Soriano, Joan B; Puhan, Milo A

    2017-12-21

    Prediction models and prognostic scores have been increasingly popular in both clinical practice and clinical research settings, for example to aid in risk-based decision making or control for confounding. In many medical fields, a large number of prognostic scores are available, but practitioners may find it difficult to choose between them due to lack of external validation as well as lack of comparisons between them. Borrowing methodology from network meta-analysis, we describe an approach to Multiple Score Comparison meta-analysis (MSC) which permits concurrent external validation and comparisons of prognostic scores using individual patient data (IPD) arising from a large-scale international collaboration. We describe the challenges in adapting network meta-analysis to the MSC setting, for instance the need to explicitly include correlations between the scores on a cohort level, and how to deal with many multi-score studies. We propose first using IPD to make cohort-level aggregate discrimination or calibration scores, comparing all to a common comparator. Then, standard network meta-analysis techniques can be applied, taking care to consider correlation structures in cohorts with multiple scores. Transitivity, consistency and heterogeneity are also examined. We provide a clinical application, comparing prognostic scores for 3-year mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using data from a large-scale collaborative initiative. We focus on the discriminative properties of the prognostic scores. Our results show clear differences in performance, with ADO and eBODE showing higher discrimination with respect to mortality than other considered scores. The assumptions of transitivity and local and global consistency were not violated. Heterogeneity was small. We applied a network meta-analytic methodology to externally validate and concurrently compare the prognostic properties of clinical scores. Our large-scale external validation indicates

  16. Development of a prognostic tool for the occurrence of feather pecking and cannibalism in laying hens.

    PubMed

    Kaesberg, A-K U; Louton, H; Erhard, M; Schmidt, P; Zepp, M; Helmer, F; Schwarzer, A

    2018-03-01

    In July 2015, a German voluntary decree stipulated that the keeping of beak-trimmed laying hens after the 1st of January 2017 will no longer be permitted. Simultaneously, the present project was initiated to validate a newly developed prognostic tool for laying hen farmers to forecast, at the beginning of a laying period, the probability of future problems with feather pecking and cannibalism in their flock. For this purpose, we used a computer-based prognostic tool in form of a questionnaire that was easy and quick to complete and facilitated comparisons of different flocks. It contained various possible risk factors that were classified into 3 score categories (1 = "no need for action," 2 = "intermediate need for action," 3 = "instant need for action"). For the validation of this tool, 43 flocks of 41 farms were examined twice, at the beginning of the laying period (around the 20th wk of life) and around the 67th wk of life. At both visits, the designated investigators filled out the questionnaire and assessed the plumage condition and the skin lesions (as indicators of occurrence of feather pecking and cannibalism) of 50 laying hens of each flock. The average prognostic score of the first visit was compared with the existence of feather pecking and cannibalism in each flock at the end of the laying period. The results showed that the prognostic score was negatively correlated with the plumage score (r = -0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [-0.56; -0.02]) and positively correlated with the skin lesion score (r = 0.38; 95% CI: [0.09; 0.61]). These relationships demonstrate that a better prognostic score was associated with a better plumage and skin lesion score. After performing a principal component analysis on the single scores, we found that only 6 components are sufficient to obtain highly sensitive and specific prognostic results. Thus, the data of this analysis should be used for creating applicable software for use on laying hen farms.

  17. Contemporary approach to neurologic prognostication of coma after cardiac arrest.

    PubMed

    Ben-Hamouda, Nawfel; Taccone, Fabio S; Rossetti, Andrea O; Oddo, Mauro

    2014-11-01

    Coma after cardiac arrest (CA) is an important cause of admission to the ICU. Prognosis of post-CA coma has significantly improved over the past decade, particularly because of aggressive postresuscitation care and the use of therapeutic targeted temperature management (TTM). TTM and sedatives used to maintain controlled cooling might delay neurologic reflexes and reduce the accuracy of clinical examination. In the early ICU phase, patients' good recovery may often be indistinguishable (based on neurologic examination alone) from patients who eventually will have a poor prognosis. Prognostication of post-CA coma, therefore, has evolved toward a multimodal approach that combines neurologic examination with EEG and evoked potentials. Blood biomarkers (eg, neuron-specific enolase [NSE] and soluble 100-β protein) are useful complements for coma prognostication; however, results vary among commercial laboratory assays, and applying one single cutoff level (eg, > 33 μg/L for NSE) for poor prognostication is not recommended. Neuroimaging, mainly diffusion MRI, is emerging as a promising tool for prognostication, but its precise role needs further study before it can be widely used. This multimodal approach might reduce false-positive rates of poor prognosis, thereby providing optimal prognostication of comatose CA survivors. The aim of this review is to summarize studies and the principal tools presently available for outcome prediction and to describe a practical approach to the multimodal prognostication of coma after CA, with a particular focus on neuromonitoring tools. We also propose an algorithm for the optimal use of such multimodal tools during the early ICU phase of post-CA coma.

  18. Dietary Supplements: Knowledge and Adverse Event Reporting Among American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Physicians.

    PubMed

    Pascale, Blaise; Steele, Clay; Attipoe, Selasi; OʼConnor, Francis G; Deuster, Patricia A

    2016-03-01

    Certain dietary supplements (DSs) used by military populations pose a threat to overall readiness. This study assessed members of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) regarding their knowledge of DS use among their patients and reporting of suspected adverse events. A thirteen-question retrospective, cross-sectional, Web-based survey sought data on practices regarding DSs and adverse event reporting. Anonymous Web-based survey. Military and civilian sports medicine physicians. The primary finding of the study was how frequently practitioners report adverse events associated with DS use. A total of 311 physicians responded to the survey. Only 51% of respondents had a reliable source for information on DS safety and 58% routinely discussed DS use with their patients. Although a majority (71%) of respondents had encountered adverse events associated with DS use, few of those (10%) confirmed reporting such events. Reasons that physicians did not report adverse events were lack of knowledge regarding where to report (68%), how to report (61%), and availability of time (9%). Our results indicate that some AMSSM physicians are familiar with DSs and have encountered adverse events associated with their use. However, reporting of these adverse events to the appropriate agency is minimal at best. The significant gaps in physician knowledge regarding how and where to report such events indicate a need to educate physicians on this subject. The findings of this survey indicate the need for provider education on reporting adverse events associated with DS use. Although reporting of adverse events is essential for removing harmful DSs from the market, a majority of physicians have limited knowledge on this issue. Moreover, the survey provides insight into the barriers to physician reporting of adverse events.

  19. Prognostic Indications of Elevated MCT4 and CD147 across Cancer Types: A Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Bovenzi, Cory D.; Hamilton, James; Tassone, Patrick; Johnson, Jennifer; Cognetti, David M.; Luginbuhl, Adam; Keane, William M.; Zhan, Tingting; Tuluc, Madalina; Bar-Ad, Voichita; Martinez-Outschoorn, Ubaldo; Curry, Joseph M.

    2015-01-01

    Background. Metabolism in the tumor microenvironment can play a critical role in tumorigenesis and tumor aggression. Metabolic coupling may occur between tumor compartments; this phenomenon can be prognostically significant and may be conserved across tumor types. Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) play an integral role in cellular metabolism via lactate transport and have been implicated in metabolic synergy in tumors. The transporters MCT1 and MCT4 are regulated via expression of their chaperone, CD147. Methods. We conducted a meta-analysis of existing publications on the relationship between MCT1, MCT4, and CD147 expression and overall survival and disease-free survival in cancer, using hazard ratios derived via multivariate Cox regression analyses. Results. Increased MCT4 expressions in the tumor microenvironment, cancer cells, or stromal cells were all associated with decreased overall survival and decreased disease-free survival (p < 0.001 for all analyses). Increased CD147 expression in cancer cells was associated with decreased overall survival and disease-free survival (p < 0.0001 for both analyses). Few studies were available on MCT1 expression; MCT1 expression was not clearly associated with overall or disease-free survival. Conclusion. MCT4 and CD147 expression correlate with worse prognosis across many cancer types. These results warrant further investigation of these associations. PMID:26779534

  20. Prognostic significance of NFIA and NFIB in esophageal squamous carcinoma and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma.

    PubMed

    Yang, Bo; Zhou, Zhi-Hang; Chen, Li; Cui, Xiang; Hou, Jun-Yan; Fan, Kai-Jie; Han, Si-Hao; Li, Peng; Yi, Shao-Qiong; Liu, Yang

    2018-05-01

    The nuclear factor I (NFI) family members, especially NFIA and NFIB, play essential roles in cancers. The roles of NFIA and NFIB in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (EJA) remain poorly known. This study aimed to determine the expression of NFIA and NFIB in ESCC and EJA and elucidate their prognostic significance. The expression of NFIA and NFIB was examined in 163 ESCC samples and 26 EJA samples by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that high NFIA expression correlated significantly with poor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and advanced TNM stage in patients with ESCC. High NFIB expression only correlated with poor differentiation in patients with ESCC. Survival analysis showed that NFIA but not NFIB associated with short overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with ESCC. On the other hand, high NFIB expression correlated with lymph node metastasis, advanced TNM stage, and short OS and DFS in patients with EJA. Finally, multivariate analysis demonstrated that high NFIA expression was an independent prognostic factor for ESCC. Taken together, these results demonstrated that NFIA and NFIB could serve as prognostic indicators for ESCC and EJA, respectively. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Prognostic value of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging measurements corrected for age and sex in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

    PubMed

    Swift, Andrew J; Rajaram, Smitha; Campbell, Michael J; Hurdman, Judith; Thomas, Steve; Capener, Dave; Elliot, Charlie; Condliffe, Robin; Wild, Jim M; Kiely, David G

    2014-01-01

    There are limited data on the prognostic value of cardiovascular magnetic resonance measurements in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, with no studies investigating the impact of correction of cardiovascular magnetic resonance indices for age and sex on prognostic value. Consecutive patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5T. Steady-state free precession cardiac volumes and mass measurements were corrected for age, sex, and body surface area according to reference data and prognostic significance assessed. A total of 80 patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension were identified, and 23 patients died during the mean follow-up of 32±14 months. Corrected for age, sex, and body surface area, right ventricular end-systolic volume (P=0.004) strongly predicted mortality, independent of World Health Organization functional class, mean right atrial pressure, cardiac index, and mixed venous oxygen saturations. Consideration should be given to correcting cardiovascular magnetic resonance measures for age, sex, and body surface area, particularly given the changing demographics of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Corrected right ventricular end-systolic volume is a strong prognostic marker in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, independent of invasively derived measurements, mean right atrial pressure cardiac index, and mixed venous oxygen saturations.

  2. Prognostic Impact of the 6th and 7th American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM Staging Systems on Esophageal Cancer Patients Treated With Chemoradiotherapy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nomura, Motoo, E-mail: excell@hkg.odn.ne.jp; Department of Radiation Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital; Shitara, Kohei

    2012-02-01

    Purpose: The new 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging system is based on pathologic data from esophageal cancers treated by surgery alone. There is no information available on evaluation of the new staging system with regard to prognosis of patients treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of the new staging system on esophageal cancer patients treated with CRT. Methods and Materials: A retrospective review was performed on 301 consecutive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with CRT. Comparisons were made of the prognostic impacts of themore » 6th and 7th staging systems and the prognostic impacts of stage and prognostic groups, which were newly defined in the 7th edition. Results: There were significant differences between Stages I and III (p < 0.01) according to both editions. However, the 7th edition poorly distinguishes the prognoses of Stages III and IV (p = 0.36 by multivariate analysis) in comparison to the 6th edition (p = 0.08 by multivariate analysis), although these differences were not significant. For all patients, T, M, and gender were independent prognostic factors by multivariate analysis (p < 0.05). For the Stage I and II prognostic groups, survival curves showed a stepwise decrease with increase in stage, except for Stage IIA. However, there were no significant differences seen between each prognostic stage. Conclusions: Our study indicates there are several problems with the 7th TNM staging system regarding prognostic factors in patients undergoing CRT.« less

  3. A review on prognostic techniques for non-stationary and non-linear rotating systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kan, Man Shan; Tan, Andy C. C.; Mathew, Joseph

    2015-10-01

    The field of prognostics has attracted significant interest from the research community in recent times. Prognostics enables the prediction of failures in machines resulting in benefits to plant operators such as shorter downtimes, higher operation reliability, reduced operations and maintenance cost, and more effective maintenance and logistics planning. Prognostic systems have been successfully deployed for the monitoring of relatively simple rotating machines. However, machines and associated systems today are increasingly complex. As such, there is an urgent need to develop prognostic techniques for such complex systems operating in the real world. This review paper focuses on prognostic techniques that can be applied to rotating machinery operating under non-linear and non-stationary conditions. The general concept of these techniques, the pros and cons of applying these methods, as well as their applications in the research field are discussed. Finally, the opportunities and challenges in implementing prognostic systems and developing effective techniques for monitoring machines operating under non-stationary and non-linear conditions are also discussed.

  4. Prognostic and Clinical Significance of miRNA-205 in Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer.

    PubMed

    Wilczynski, Milosz; Danielska, Justyna; Dzieniecka, Monika; Szymanska, Bozena; Wojciechowski, Michal; Malinowski, Andrzej

    2016-01-01

    Endometrial cancer is one of the most common malignancies of the reproductive female tract, with endometrioid endometrial cancer being the most frequent type. Despite the relatively favourable prognosis in cases of endometrial cancer, there is a necessity to evaluate clinical and prognostic utility of new molecular markers. MiRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules that take part in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Altered expression of miRNAs may be associated with cancer initiation, progression and metastatic capabilities. MiRNA-205 seems to be one of the key regulators of gene expression in endometrial cancer. In this study, we investigated clinical and prognostic role of miRNA-205 in endometrioid endometrial cancer. After total RNA extraction from 100 archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, real-time quantitative RT-PCR was used to define miRNA-205 expression levels. The aim of the study was to evaluate miRNA-205 expression levels in regard to patients' clinical and histopathological features, such as: survival rate, recurrence rate, staging, myometrial invasion, grading and lymph nodes involvement. Higher levels of miRNA-205 expression were observed in tumours with less than half of myometrial invasion and non-advanced cancers. Kaplan-Maier analysis revealed that higher levels of miRNA-205 were associated with better overall survival (p = 0,034). These results indicate potential clinical utility of miRNA-205 as a prognostic marker.

  5. Prognostic impacts of postoperative complications in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after curative operations.

    PubMed

    Miyata, Tatsunori; Yamashita, Yo-Ichi; Yamao, Takanobu; Umezaki, Naoki; Tsukamoto, Masayo; Kitano, Yuki; Yamamura, Kensuke; Arima, Kota; Kaida, Takayoshi; Nakagawa, Shigeki; Imai, Katsunori; Hashimoto, Daisuke; Chikamoto, Akira; Ishiko, Takatoshi; Baba, Hideo

    2017-06-01

    The postoperative complication is one of an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with several gastroenterological cancers after curative operations. We, herein, examined prognostic impacts of postoperative complications in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after curative operations. We retrospectively analyzed 60 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma who underwent primary curative operations from June 2002 to February 2016. Prognostic impacts of postoperative complications were analyzed using log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model. Postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification grade 3 or more) occurred in 13 patients (21.7%). Overall survival of patients without postoperative complications was significantly better than that of patients with postoperative complications (p = 0.025). Postoperative complications are independent prognostic factor of overall survival (hazard ratio 3.02; p = 0.030). In addition, bile duct resection and reconstruction (Odds ratio 59.1; p = 0.002) and hepatitis C virus antibody positive (Odds ratio 7.14; p= 0.022), and lymph node dissection (Odds ratio 6.28; p = 0.040) were independent predictors of postoperative complications. Postoperative complications may be an independent predictor of poorer survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after curative operations. Lymph node dissection and bile duct resection and reconstruction were risk factors for postoperative complications, therefore we should pay attentions to perform lymph node dissections, bile duct resection and reconstruction in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

  6. Influence of prognostic nutritional index and tumor markers on survival in gastric cancer surgery patients.

    PubMed

    Saito, Hiroaki; Kono, Yusuke; Murakami, Yuki; Kuroda, Hirohiko; Matsunaga, Tomoyuki; Fukumoto, Yoji; Osaki, Tomohiro

    2017-05-01

    Blood analytes are easily used in routine clinical practice. Tumor markers (TMs) are useful in diagnosing, treating, and predicting prognosis of gastric cancer (GC). The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was also recently found to be useful in predicting GC prognosis. The PNI and serum levels of CEA and CA19-9 of 453 patients with GC were measured to examine correlations between those levels and patients' prognoses. Of the 453 patients, 84 (18.5%) were positive for CEA and/or CA19-9 and therefore considered positive for TMs. Prognosis of patients who were TM+ was significantly worse than for those who were TM-. Mean PNI was 48.2 (range 27.7-63.6). ROC analysis indicated that 46.7 was the optimal PNI cutoff value. Prognosis of patients in the PNI Low group (<46.7) was significantly worse than in the PNI High group (≥46.7). Prognosis of patients who were both TM+ and PNI Low was significantly worse than that of patients who were either TM+ or PNI Low and those who were both TM- and PNI High . Multivariate analysis indicated that combination of TM and PNI was an independent prognostic indicator. The combination of TM and PNI offers accurate information about a patient's prognosis.

  7. Prognostic Value of Strain by Tissue Tracking Cardiac Magnetic Resonance After ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

    PubMed

    Gavara, Jose; Rodriguez-Palomares, Jose F; Valente, Filipa; Monmeneu, Jose V; Lopez-Lereu, Maria P; Bonanad, Clara; Ferreira-Gonzalez, Ignacio; Garcia Del Blanco, Bruno; Rodriguez-Garcia, Julian; Mutuberria, Maria; de Dios, Elena; Rios-Navarro, Cesar; Perez-Sole, Nerea; Racugno, Paolo; Paya, Ana; Minana, Gema; Canoves, Joaquim; Pellicer, Mauricio; Lopez-Fornas, Francisco J; Barrabes, Jose; Evangelista, Arturo; Nunez, Julio; Chorro, Francisco J; Garcia-Dorado, David; Bodi, Vicente

    2017-12-08

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of strain as assessed by tissue tracking (TT) cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) soon after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The prognostic value of myocardial strain as assessed post-STEMI by TT-CMR is unknown. The authors studied the prognostic value of TT-CMR in 323 patients who underwent CMR 1 week post-STEMI. Global (average of peak segmental values [%]) and segmental (number of altered segments) longitudinal (LS), circumferential, and radial strain were assessed using TT-CMR. Global and segmental strain cutoff values were derived from 32 control patients. CMR-derived left ventricular ejection fraction, microvascular obstruction, and infarct size were determined. Results were validated in an external cohort of 190 STEMI patients. During a median follow-up of 1,085 days, 54 first major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which included 10 cardiac deaths, 25 readmissions for heart failure, and 19 readmissions for reinfarction were documented. MACE was associated with more severe abnormalities in all strain indexes (p < 0.001), although only global LS was an independent predictor (p < 0.001). The MACE rate was higher in patients with a global LS of ≥-11% (22% vs. 9%; p = 0.001). After adjustment for baseline and CMR variables, global LS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11 to 1.32; p < 0.001) was associated with MACE. In the external validation cohort, a global LS ≥-11% was seen in a higher proportion of patients with MACE (34% vs. 9%; p < 0.001). Global LS predicted MACE after adjustment for baseline and CMR variables (HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.33; p = 0.008). The addition of global LS to the multivariate models, including baseline and CMR variables, did not significantly improve the categorical net reclassification improvement index in either the study group (-0.015; p = 0.7) or in the external validation cohort (-0.019; p = 0.9). TT-CMR provided

  8. Serum Lactate Predicts Adverse Outcomes in Emergency Department Patients With and Without Infection.

    PubMed

    Oedorf, Kimie; Day, Danielle E; Lior, Yotam; Novack, Victor; Sanchez, Leon D; Wolfe, Richard E; Kirkegaard, Hans; Shapiro, Nathan I; Henning, Daniel J

    2017-02-01

    Lactate levels are increasingly used to risk stratify emergency department (ED) patients with and without infection. Whether a serum lactate provides similar prognostic value across diseases is not fully elucidated. This study assesses the prognostic value of serum lactate in ED patients with and without infection to both report and compare relative predictive value across etiologies. We conducted a prospective, observational study of ED patients displaying abnormal vital signs (AVS) (heart rate ≥130 bpm, respiratory rate ≥24 bpm, shock index ≥1, and/or systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg). The primary outcome, deterioration, was a composite of acute renal failure, non-elective intubation, vasopressor administration or in-hospital mortality. Of the 1,152 patients with AVS who were screened, 488 patients met the current study criteria: 34% deteriorated and 12.5% died. The deterioration rate was 88/342 (26%, 95% CI: 21 - 30%) for lactate < 2.5 mmol/L, 47/90 (52%, 42 - 63%) for lactate 2.5 - 4.0 mmol/L, and 33/46 (72%, 59 - 85%) for lactate >4.0mmol/L. Trended stratified lactate levels were associated with deterioration for both infected (p<0.01) and non-infected (p<0.01) patients. In the logistic regression models, lactate > 4mmol/L was an independent predictor of deterioration for patients with infection (OR 4.8, 95% CI: 1.7 - 14.1) and without infection (OR 4.4, 1.7 - 11.5). Lactate levels can risk stratify patients with AVS who have increased risk of adverse outcomes regardless of infection status.

  9. Heart failure and anemia: Effects on prognostic variables.

    PubMed

    Cattadori, Gaia; Agostoni, Piergiuseppe; Corrà, Ugo; Sinagra, Gianfranco; Veglia, Fabrizio; Salvioni, Elisabetta; Bonomi, Alice; La Gioia, Rocco; Scardovi, Angela B; Ferraironi, Alessandro; Emdin, Michele; Metra, Marco; Di Lenarda, Andrea; Limongelli, Giuseppe; Raimondo, Rosa; Re, Federica; Guazzi, Marco; Belardinelli, Romualdo; Parati, Gianfranco; Caravita, Sergio; Magrì, Damiano; Lombardi, Carlo; Frigerio, Maria; Oliva, Fabrizio; Girola, Davide; Mezzani, Alessandro; Farina, Stefania; Mapelli, Massimo; Scrutinio, Domenico; Pacileo, Giuseppe; Apostolo, Anna; Iorio, AnnaMaria; Paolillo, Stefania; Filardi, Pasquale Perrone; Gargiulo, Paola; Bussotti, Maurizio; Marchese, Giovanni; Correale, Michele; Badagliacca, Roberto; Sciomer, Susanna; Palermo, Pietro; Contini, Mauro; Giannuzzi, Pantaleo; Battaia, Elisa; Cicoira, Mariantonietta; Clemenza, Francesco; Minà, Chiara; Binno, Simone; Passino, Claudio; Piepoli, Massimo F

    2017-01-01

    Anemia is frequent in heart failure (HF), and it is associated with higher mortality. The predictive power of established HF prognostic parameters in anemic HF patients is unknown. Clinical, laboratory, echocardiographic and cardiopulmonary-exercise-test (CPET) data were analyzed in 3913 HF patients grouped according to hemoglobin (Hb) values. 248 (6%), 857 (22%), 2160 (55%) and 648 (17%) patients had very low (<11g/dL), low (11-12 for females, 11-13 for males), normal (12-15 for females, 13-15 for males) and high (>15) Hb, respectively. Median follow-up was 1363days (606-1883). CPETs were always performed safely. Hb was related to prognosis (Hazard ratio (HR)=0.864). No prognostic difference was observed between normal and high Hb groups. Peak oxygen consumption (VO 2 ), ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO 2 slope), plasma sodium concentration, ejection fraction (LVEF), kidney function and Hb were independently related to prognosis in the entire population. Considering Hb groups separately, peakVO 2 (very low Hb HR=0.549, low Hb HR=0.613, normal Hb HR=0.618, high Hb HR=0.542) and LVEF (very low Hb HR=0.49, low Hb HR=0.692, normal Hb HR=0.697, high Hb HR=0.694) maintained their prognostic roles. High VE/VCO 2 slope was associated with poor prognosis only in patients with low and normal Hb. Anemic HF patients have a worse prognosis, but CPET can be safely performed. PeakVO 2 and LVEF, but not VE/VCO 2 slope, maintain their prognostic power also in HF patients with Hb<11g/dL, suggesting CPET use and a multiparametric approach in HF patients with low Hb. However, the prognostic effect of an anemia-oriented follow-up is unknown. Copyright © 2016 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Comparison of the prognostic utility of the revised International Prognostic Scoring System and the French Prognostic Scoring System in azacitidine-treated patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

    PubMed

    Zeidan, Amer M; Lee, Ju-Whei; Prebet, Thomas; Greenberg, Peter; Sun, Zhuoxin; Juckett, Mark; Smith, Mitchell R; Paietta, Elisabeth; Gabrilove, Janice; Erba, Harry P; Tallman, Martin S; Gore, Steven D

    2014-08-01

    The revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) was developed in a cohort of untreated myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients. A French Prognostic Scoring System (FPSS) was recently reported to identify differential survival among azacitidine-treated patients with high-risk MDS. We applied the FPSS and IPSS-R to 150 patients previously randomized to azacitidine monotherapy or a combination of azacitidine with entinostat (a histone deacetylase inhibitor). Neither score predicted response but both discriminated patients with different overall survival (OS; median OS, FPSS: 9·7, 14·7, and 25·3 months, P = 0·018; IPSS-R: 12·5, 11·3, 20·8, and 36 months, P = 0·005). Statistical analysis suggested no improvement in OS prediction for the FPSS over the IPSS-R in azacitidine-treated patients. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Psychotic-spectrum symptoms, cumulative adversity exposure and substance use among high-risk girls.

    PubMed

    Lansing, Amy E; Plante, Wendy Y; Fennema-Notestine, Christine; Golshan, Shahrokh; Beck, Audrey N

    2018-02-01

    Psychotic-spectrum symptoms are linked to trauma, substance/alcohol use (SAU), criminality/violence and poor functional outcomes, supporting the need for early detection in vulnerable populations. To better understand high-risk girls' mental health, we assessed: (1) psychotic-spectrum symptoms; (2) cumulative trauma, adversity and loss exposures (C-TALE) and adversity-indicators (symptoms, maladaptive coping, stressor-reactivity); and SAU risk-factors; and (3) relationships among psychotic-spectrum symptoms, adversity-indicators and SAU risk-factors. We administered the Structured Clinical Interviews for Psychotic Spectrum, and Trauma and Loss Spectrum to 158 adolescent delinquent girls. Girls' psychotic-spectrum profiles were similar to previously reported adult psychotic patients and characterized by typical symptoms (hallucinations/delusions, reported largely SAU-independent), interpersonal sensitivity, schizoid traits and paranoia (over-interpretation, anger over-reactivity, hypervigilance). Auditory/visual hallucinations (55.7%), delusions (92.4%), ideas of reference (96.8%) and adversity (90.0% ≥10/24 C-TALE-types) were common. Mean loss (4) and trauma (8) onset-age occurred before SAU-onset (12). Significant positive correlations were found among psychotic-spectrum symptoms, stressor-reactivity, C-TALE, adversity-indicators; and number of SAU-types; and a negative correlation occurred between psychotic-spectrum symptoms and earlier alcohol use onset. After controlling for number of SAU-types, stressor-reactivity and adversity-related numbing individually had the largest associations with total psychotic-spectrum symptoms (b = 2.6-4.3). Girls averaged more than 4 maladaptive coping strategies (e.g., 24.8% attempted suicide) in response to adversity, amplifying potential health-disparities. No racial/ethnic differences emerged on psychotic-spectrum symptoms. This symptom constellation during adolescence likely interferes with social and academic

  12. Childhood adversity, adult socioeconomic status and risk of work disability: a prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Halonen, Jaana I; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi; Pentti, Jaana; Virtanen, Marianna; Ervasti, Jenni; Oksanen, Tuula; Lallukka, Tea

    2017-09-01

    To examine the combined effects of childhood adversities and low adult socioeconomic status (SES) on the risk of future work disability. Included were 34 384 employed Finnish Public Sector study participants who responded to questions about childhood adversities (none vs any adversity, eg, parental divorce or financial difficulties) in 2008, and whose adult SES in 2008 was available. We categorised exposure into four groups: neither (reference), childhood adversity only, low SES only or both. Participants were followed from 2009 until the first period of register-based work disability (sickness absence >9 days or disability pension) due to any cause, musculoskeletal or mental disorders; retirement; death or end of follow-up (December 2011). We ran Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for behavioural, health-related and work-related covariates, and calculated synergy indices for the combined effects. When compared with those with neither exposure, HR for work disability from any cause was increased among participants with childhood adversity, with low SES, and those with both exposures. The highest hazard was observed in those with both exposures: HR 2.53, 95% CI 2.29 to 2.79 for musculoskeletal disability, 1.55, 95% CI 1.36 to 1.78 for disability due to mental disorders and 1.29, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.39 for disability due to other reasons. The synergy indices did not indicate synergistic effects. These findings indicate that childhood psychosocial adversity and low adult SES are additive risk factors for work disability. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  13. Treatment-Related Predictive and Prognostic Factors in Trimodality Approach in Stage IIIA/N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

    PubMed

    Jeremić, Branislav; Casas, Francesc; Dubinsky, Pavol; Gomez-Caamano, Antonio; Čihorić, Nikola; Videtic, Gregory; Igrutinovic, Ivan

    2018-01-01

    While there are no established pretreatment predictive and prognostic factors in patients with stage IIIA/pN2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) indicating a benefit to surgery as a part of trimodality approach, little is known about treatment-related predictive and prognostic factors in this setting. A literature search was conducted to identify possible treatment-related predictive and prognostic factors for patients for whom trimodality approach was reported on. Overall survival was the primary endpoint of this study. Of 30 identified studies, there were two phase II studies, 5 "prospective" studies, and 23 retrospective studies. No study was found which specifically looked at treatment-related predictive factors of improved outcomes in trimodality treatment. Of potential treatment-related prognostic factors, the least frequently analyzed factors among 30 available studies were overall pathologic stage after preoperative treatment and UICC downstaging. Evaluation of treatment response before surgery and by pathologic tumor stage after induction therapy were analyzed in slightly more than 40% of studies and found not to influence survival. More frequently studied factors-resection status, degree of tumor regression, and pathologic nodal stage after induction therapy as well as the most frequently studied factor, the treatment (in almost 75% studies)-showed no discernible impact on survival, due to conflicting results. Currently, it is impossible to identify any treatment-related predictive or prognostic factors for selecting surgery in the treatment of patients with stage IIIA/pN2 NSCLC.

  14. [Upper gastrointestinal bleeding: usefulness of prognostic scores].

    PubMed

    Badel, S; Dorta, G; Carron, P-N

    2011-08-24

    Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a potentially serious event, usually requiring urgent endoscopic treatment. Better stratification of the risk of complication or death could optimize management and improve patient outcomes, while ensuring adequate resource allocation. Several prognostic scores have been developed, in order to identify high risk patients, who require immediate treatment, and patients at low risk for whom endoscopy may be delayed. An ideal prognostic score should be accurate, simple, reproducible, and prospectively validated in different populations. Published scores meet these requirements only partially, and thus can only be used as part of an integrative diagnostic and therapeutic process.

  15. Prognostic significance of anaemia in patients with heart failure with preserved and reduced ejection fraction: results from the MAGGIC individual patient data meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Berry, C; Poppe, K K; Gamble, G D; Earle, N J; Ezekowitz, J A; Squire, I B; McMurray, J J V; McAlister, F A; Komajda, M; Swedberg, K; Maggioni, A P; Ahmed, A; Whalley, G A; Doughty, R N; Tarantini, L

    2016-06-01

    Anaemia is common among patients with heart failure (HF) and is an important prognostic marker. We sought to determine the prognostic importance of anaemia in a large multinational pooled dataset of prospectively enrolled HF patients, with the specific aim to determine the prognostic role of anaemia in HF with preserved and reduced ejection fraction (HF-PEF and HF-REF, respectively). Individual person data meta-analysis. Patients with haemoglobin (Hb) data from the MAGGIC dataset were used. Anaemia was defined as Hb < 120 g/l in women and <130 g/l in men. HF-PEF was defined as EF ≥ 50%; HF-REF was EF < 50%. Cox proportional hazard modelling, with adjustment for clinically relevant variables, was undertaken to investigate factors associated with 3-year all-cause mortality. Thirteen thousand two hundred and ninety-five patients with HF from 19 studies (9887 with HF-REF and 3408 with HF-PEF). The prevalence of anaemia was similar among those with HF-REF and HF-PEF (42.8 and 41.6% respectively). Compared with patients with normal Hb values, those with anaemia were older, were more likely to have diabetes, ischaemic aetiology, New York Heart Association class IV symptoms, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and were more likely to be taking diuretic and less likely to be taking a beta-blocker. Patients with anaemia had higher all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25-1.51), independent of EF group: aHR 1.67 (1.39-1.99) in HF-PEF and aHR 2.49 (2.13-2.90) in HF-REF. Anaemia is an adverse prognostic factor in HF irrespective of EF. The prognostic importance of anaemia was greatest in patients with HF-REF. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Accelerated Aging in Electrolytic Capacitors for Prognostics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Celaya, Jose R.; Kulkarni, Chetan; Saha, Sankalita; Biswas, Gautam; Goebel, Kai Frank

    2012-01-01

    The focus of this work is the analysis of different degradation phenomena based on thermal overstress and electrical overstress accelerated aging systems and the use of accelerated aging techniques for prognostics algorithm development. Results on thermal overstress and electrical overstress experiments are presented. In addition, preliminary results toward the development of physics-based degradation models are presented focusing on the electrolyte evaporation failure mechanism. An empirical degradation model based on percentage capacitance loss under electrical overstress is presented and used in: (i) a Bayesian-based implementation of model-based prognostics using a discrete Kalman filter for health state estimation, and (ii) a dynamic system representation of the degradation model for forecasting and remaining useful life (RUL) estimation. A leave-one-out validation methodology is used to assess the validity of the methodology under the small sample size constrain. The results observed on the RUL estimation are consistent through the validation tests comparing relative accuracy and prediction error. It has been observed that the inaccuracy of the model to represent the change in degradation behavior observed at the end of the test data is consistent throughout the validation tests, indicating the need of a more detailed degradation model or the use of an algorithm that could estimate model parameters on-line. Based on the observed degradation process under different stress intensity with rest periods, the need for more sophisticated degradation models is further supported. The current degradation model does not represent the capacitance recovery over rest periods following an accelerated aging stress period.

  17. Pregnancy-related acute kidney injury requiring dialysis as an indicator of severe adverse maternal morbidity at a tertiary center in Southwest Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Awowole, Ibraheem O; Omitinde, Oluseyi S; Arogundade, Fatiu A; Bola-Oyebamiji, Sekinah B; Adeniyi, Olumide A

    2018-05-02

    Despite being a Critical Intervention in the WHO Near-miss concept, the indications and clinical outcomes of patients with Pregnancy-Related Acute Kidney Injury (PRAKI) requiring dialysis at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Nigeria remain unknown. This retrospective review was conducted to facilitate counselling, prognostication and introduction of preventative measures by providing contemporary data on the aetiology and clinical outcomes of women with PRAKI. A retrospective review. The indications for dialysis and feto-maternal outcomes of women with PRAKI requiring dialysis between January 2007 and December 2016 were reviewed. Analysis was performed with IBM SPSS 21.0. There were 43 patients with PRAKI that required dialysis and 11,242 live births, with Maternal Near Miss Ratio (MNMR) of 3.8/1000 live births. Preeclampsia/ecclampsia (40%), Sepsis (37.5%) and Haemorrhage (20%) were the leading aetiologies of kidney injury, while oligo-anuria (100%) was the commonest clinical presentation. Majority (78%) of them had ≤four dialysis sessions before recovery of renal function. The mean (±SD) gestational age and birth weight at delivery were 36 (±3.1) weeks and 2.9 (±0.6)kg, while the Maternal Mortality Index and Perinatal mortality rates were 18% and 34% respectively. Delayed referral, and lower number of dialysis sessions were the significant predictors of mortality, while four women discontinued care due to cost. The high rate of Pregnancy-related acute kidney injury requiring dialysis, with its attendant morbidity and mortality are largely preventable. The prognosis is however good with standardised care. Functional emergency obstetric services, and a review of the Nigerian healthcare financing system are advocated. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Adverse prognostic value of MYBL2 overexpression and association with microRNA-30 family in acute myeloid leukemia patients.

    PubMed

    Fuster, Oscar; Llop, Marta; Dolz, Sandra; García, Paloma; Such, Esperanza; Ibáñez, Mariam; Luna, Irene; Gómez, Inés; López, María; Cervera, José; Montesinos, Pau; Moscardó, Federico; Cordón, Lourdes; Solves, Pilar; de Juan, Inmaculada; Palanca, Sarai; Bolufer, Pascual; Sanz, Miguel Ángel; Barragán, Eva

    2013-12-01

    The MYBL2 gene encodes a transcription factor implicated in cell proliferation and maturation whose amplification or overexpression has been associated with different human malignancies, suggesting that it could be implicated in tumorigenesis. We analyzed MYBL2 expression and its prognostic value in 291 patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and we also evaluated its association with microRNAs 29 and 30 families. MYBL2 expression in AML patients was increased relative to CD34+ cells. Moreover, MYBL2 overexpression was associated with lower expression of miR-30a (P=0.024), miR-30b (P=0.021) and miR-30c (P=0.009). Multivariate analysis showed that MYBL2 expression was an independent factor for disease-free survival (HR 3.0, 95% CI 1.5-6.0, P=0.002) and cumulative incidence of relapse (HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.6, P=0.015) in patients with an intermediate-risk karyotype. In conclusion, our data showed that MYBL2 expression analysis could be useful to define subgroups of patients with poor prognosis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Prognostic value of the Glasgow Prognostic Score for glioblastoma multiforme patients treated with radiotherapy and temozolomide.

    PubMed

    Topkan, Erkan; Selek, Ugur; Ozdemir, Yurday; Yildirim, Berna A; Guler, Ozan C; Ciner, Fuat; Mertsoylu, Huseyin; Tufan, Kadir

    2018-04-25

    To evaluate the prognostic value of the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), the combination of C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin, in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) and concurrent plus adjuvant temozolomide (GPS). Data of newly diagnosed GBM patients treated with partial brain RT and concurrent and adjuvant TMZ were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were grouped into three according to the GPS criteria: GPS-0: CRP < 10 mg/L and albumin > 35 g/L; GPS-1: CRP < 10 mg/L and albumin < 35 g/L or CRP > 10 mg/L and albumin > 35 g/L; and GPS-2: CRP > 10 mg/L and albumin < 35 g/L. Primary end-point was the association between the GPS groups and the overall survival (OS) outcomes. A total of 142 patients were analyzed (median age: 58 years, 66.2% male). There were 64 (45.1%), 40 (28.2%), and 38 (26.7%) patients in GPS-0, GPS-1, and GPS-2 groups, respectively. At median 15.7 months follow-up, the respective median and 5-year OS rates for the whole cohort were 16.2 months (95% CI 12.7-19.7) and 9.5%. In multivariate analyses GPS grouping emerged independently associated with the median OS (P < 0.001) in addition to the extent of surgery (P = 0.032), Karnofsky performance status (P = 0.009), and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group recursive partitioning analysis (RTOG RPA) classification (P < 0.001). The GPS grouping and the RTOG RPA classification were found to be strongly correlated in prognostic stratification of GBM patients (correlation coefficient: 0.42; P < 0.001). The GPS appeared to be useful in prognostic stratification of GBM patients into three groups with significantly different survival durations resembling the RTOG RPA classification.

  20. Diagnosis of potential stressors adversely affecting benthic ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Greenwich Bay is an urbanized embayment of Narragansett Bay potentially impacted by multiple stressors. The present study identified the important stressors affecting Greenwich Bay benthic fauna. First, existing data and information were used to confirm that the waterbody was impaired. Second, the presence of source, stressor, and effect were established. Then linkages between source, stressor, and effect were developed. This allows identification of probable stressors adversely affecting the waterbody. Three pollutant categories were assessed: chemicals, nutrients, and suspended sediments. This weight of evidence approach indicated that Greenwich Bay was primarily impacted by eutrophication-related stressors. The sediments of Greenwich Bay were carbon enriched and low dissolved oxygen concentrations were commonly seen, especially in the western portions of Greenwich Bay. The benthic community was depauperate, as would be expected under oxygen stress. Although our analysis indicated that contaminant loads in Greenwich Bay were at concentrations where adverse effects might be expected, no toxicity was observed, as a result of high levels of organic carbon in these sediments reducing contaminant bioavailability. Our analysis also indicated that suspended sediment impacts were likely nonexistent for much of the Bay. This analysis demonstrates that the diagnostic procedure was useful to organize and assess the potential stressors impacting the ecological well-being

  1. Household Food Insecurity Is Associated with Adverse Mental Health Indicators and Lower Quality of Life among Koreans: Results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2012-2013.

    PubMed

    Chung, Hye-Kyung; Kim, Oh Yoen; Kwak, So Young; Cho, Yoonsu; Lee, Kyong Won; Shin, Min-Jeong

    2016-12-16

    Food insecurity is an ongoing public health issue and contributes to mental health status. We investigated whether food insecurity is associated with inadequate nutrient intake and whether it affects mental health indicators (perceived stress/experience of depressive symptom/suicidal ideation) and quality of life (QOL) among Koreans ( n = 5862, 20-64 years) using data from the Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2012-2013). Household food security status was categorized as "food-secure household", "food-insecure household without hunger", and "food-insecure household with hunger". Data on food insecurity, sociodemographic factors, nutrient intake, mental health indicators, and QOL were used. A logistic regression model was conducted to determine odds ratios (ORs) for psychological health. A greater proportion of food-insecure participants were nutritionally deficient compared with expectations of the 2015 Korean Dietary Reference Intakes. These deficiencies were generally higher in both "food-insecure household" groups. Both "food-insecure household" groups, particularly the "food-insecure household with hunger" group showed significantly adverse mental health status (ORs: 1.52-3.83) and lower QOL (ORs: 1.49-3.92) than did the "food-secure household" group before and after adjusting for sex, age, education, household income, smoking/alcohol consumption, physical activity, marital status, and receiving food assistance. In conclusion, food insecurity may be significantly associated with adverse mental health indicators and decreased QOL in young/middle-aged Koreans.

  2. Baseline Hemodynamics and Response to Contrast Media During Diagnostic Cardiac Catheterization Predict Adverse Events in Heart Failure Patients.

    PubMed

    Denardo, Scott J; Vock, David M; Schmalfuss, Carsten M; Young, Gregory D; Tcheng, James E; O'Connor, Christopher M

    2016-07-01

    Contrast media administered during cardiac catheterization can affect hemodynamic variables. However, little is documented about the effects of contrast on hemodynamics in heart failure patients or the prognostic value of baseline and changes in hemodynamics for predicting subsequent adverse events. In this prospective study of 150 heart failure patients, we measured hemodynamics at baseline and after administration of iodixanol or iopamidol contrast. One-year Kaplan-Meier estimates of adverse event-free survival (death, heart failure hospitalization, and rehospitalization) were generated, grouping patients by baseline measures of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and cardiac index (CI), and by changes in those measures after contrast administration. We used Cox proportional hazards modeling to assess sequentially adding baseline PCWP and change in CI to 5 validated risk models (Seattle Heart Failure Score, ESCAPE [Evaluation Study of Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Artery Catheterization Effectiveness], CHARM [Candesartan in Heart Failure: Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and Morbidity], CORONA [Controlled Rosuvastatin Multinational Trial in Heart Failure], and MAGGIC [Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure]). Median contrast volume was 109 mL. Both contrast media caused similarly small but statistically significant changes in most hemodynamic variables. There were 39 adverse events (26.0%). Adverse event rates increased using the composite metric of baseline PCWP and change in CI (P<0.01); elevated baseline PCWP and decreased CI after contrast correlated with the poorest prognosis. Adding both baseline PCWP and change in CI to the 5 risk models universally improved their predictive value (P≤0.02). In heart failure patients, the administration of contrast causes small but significant changes in hemodynamics. Calculating baseline PCWP with change in CI after contrast predicts adverse events and increases the predictive value of

  3. Overexpression of Transcobalamin 1 is an Independent Negative Prognosticator in Rectal Cancers Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Yi-Ying; Wei, Yu-Ching; Tian, Yu-Feng; Sun, Ding-Ping; Sheu, Ming-Jen; Yang, Ching-Chieh; Lin, Li-Ching; Lin, Chen-Yi; Hsing, Chung-Hsi; Li, Wan-Shan; Li, Chien-Feng; Hsieh, Pei-Ling; Lin, Ching-Yih

    2017-01-01

    Objective: Neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is an increasingly common therapeutic strategy for locally advanced rectal cancer, but stratification of risk and final outcomes remain a major challenge. Transcobalamin 1 (TCN1), a vitamin B12 (cobalamin)-binding protein, regulates cobalamin homeostasis. High expression of TCN1 have been reported in neoplasms such as breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, little is known about the relevance of TCN1 to rectal cancer receiving CCRT. This study examined the predictive and prognostic impact of TCN1 expression in patients with rectal cancer following neoadjuvant CCRT. Methods: Through data mining from a published transcriptome of rectal cancers (GSE35452), we identified upregulation of TCN1 gene as the most significantly predicted poor response to CCRT among ion transport-related genes (GO:0006811). We evaluated TCN1 immunohistochemistry and performed an H-score analysis on endoscopic biopsy specimens from 172 rectal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant CCRT followed by curative surgery. Expression levels of TCN1 were further correlated with clinicopathologic features, therapeutic response, tumor regression grade (TRG) and survivals including metastasis-free survival (MeFS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and recurrent-free survival (LRFS). Results: TCN1 overexpression was significantly related to advanced post-treatment tumor (T3, T4; p<0.001) and nodal status (N1, N2; p<0.001), vascular invasion (p=0.003) and inferior tumor regression grade (p < 0.001). In survival analyses, TCN1 overexpression was significantly associated with shorter DSS (p<0.0001), MeFS (p=0.0002) and LRFS (p=0.0001). Furthermore, it remained an independent prognosticator of worse DSS (p=0.002, hazard ratio=3.344), MeFS (p=0.021, hazard ratio=3.015) and LRFS (p=0.037, hazard ratio=3.037) in the multivariate comparison. Conclusion: Overexpression of TCN1 is associated with poor therapeutic response and adverse outcomes in

  4. Overexpression of Transcobalamin 1 is an Independent Negative Prognosticator in Rectal Cancers Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yi-Ying; Wei, Yu-Ching; Tian, Yu-Feng; Sun, Ding-Ping; Sheu, Ming-Jen; Yang, Ching-Chieh; Lin, Li-Ching; Lin, Chen-Yi; Hsing, Chung-Hsi; Li, Wan-Shan; Li, Chien-Feng; Hsieh, Pei-Ling; Lin, Ching-Yih

    2017-01-01

    adverse outcomes in rectal cancer patients receiving CCRT, justifying the potential prognostic value of TCN1 in rectal cancer receiving CCRT.

  5. Low Tumor Infiltrating Mast Cell Density Confers Prognostic Benefit and Reflects Immunoactivation in Colorectal Cancer.

    PubMed

    Mao, Yihao; Feng, Qingyang; Zheng, Peng; Yang, Liangliang; Zhu, Dexiang; Chang, Wenju; Ji, Meiling; He, Guodong; Xu, Jianmin

    2018-06-06

    The role of mast cells (MCs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression was controversial. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the prognostic value of MCs as well as their correlation with immune microenvironment. A retrospective cohort of CRC patients of stage I-IV was enrolled in this study. 854 consecutive patients were divided into training set (427 patients) and validation set (427 patients) randomly. The findings were further validated in a GEO cohort, GSE39582 (556 patients). The mast cell density (MCD) was measured by immunohistochemical staining of tryptase or by CIBERSORT algorithm. Low MCD predicted prolonged overall survival (OS) in training and validation set. Moreover, MCD was identified as an independent prognostic indicator in both sets. Better stratification for CRC prognosis can be achieved by building a MCD based nomogram. The prognostic role of MCD was further validated in GSE39582. In addition, MCD predicted improved survival in stage II and III CRC patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT). Multiple immune pathways were enriched in low MCD group while cytokines/chemokines promoting anti-tumor immunity were highly expressed in such group. Furthermore, MCD was negatively correlated with CD8+ T cells infiltration. In conclusion, MCD was identified as an independent prognostic factor, as well as a potential biomarker for ACT benefit in stage II and III CRC. Better stratification of CRC prognosis could be achieved by building a MCD based nomogram. Moreover, immunoactivation in low MCD tumors may contributed to improved prognosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 UICC.

  6. Differing prognostic value of pulse pressure in patients with heart failure with reduced or preserved ejection fraction: results from the MAGGIC individual patient meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Jackson, Colette E; Castagno, Davide; Maggioni, Aldo P; Køber, Lars; Squire, Iain B; Swedberg, Karl; Andersson, Bert; Richards, A Mark; Bayes-Genis, Antoni; Tribouilloy, Christophe; Dobson, Joanna; Ariti, Cono A; Poppe, Katrina K; Earle, Nikki; Whalley, Gillian; Pocock, Stuart J; Doughty, Robert N; McMurray, John J V

    2015-05-07

    Low pulse pressure is a marker of adverse outcome in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF) but the prognostic value of pulse pressure in patients with HF and preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF) is unknown. We examined the prognostic value of pulse pressure in patients with HF-PEF [ejection fraction (EF) ≥ 50%] and HF-REF. Data from 22 HF studies were examined. Preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was defined as LVEF ≥ 50%. All-cause mortality at 3 years was evaluated in 27 046 patients: 22 038 with HF-REF (4980 deaths) and 5008 with HF-PEF (828 deaths). Pulse pressure was analysed in quintiles in a multivariable model adjusted for the previously reported Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure prognostic variables. Heart failure and reduced ejection fraction patients in the lowest pulse pressure quintile had the highest crude and adjusted mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio 1.68, 95% confidence interval 1.53-1.84) compared with all other pulse pressure groups. For patients with HF-PEF, higher pulse pressure was associated with the highest crude mortality, a gradient that was eliminated after adjustment for other prognostic variables. Lower pulse pressure (especially <53 mmHg) was an independent predictor of mortality in patients with HF-REF, particularly in those with an LVEF < 30% and systolic blood pressure <140 mmHg. Overall, this relationship between pulse pressure and outcome was not consistently observed among patients with HF-PEF. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Molecular Pathology: Predictive, Prognostic, and Diagnostic Markers in Uterine Tumors.

    PubMed

    Ritterhouse, Lauren L; Howitt, Brooke E

    2016-09-01

    This article focuses on the diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive molecular biomarkers in uterine malignancies, in the context of morphologic diagnoses. The histologic classification of endometrial carcinomas is reviewed first, followed by the description and molecular classification of endometrial epithelial malignancies in the context of histologic classification. Taken together, the molecular and histologic classifications help clinicians to approach troublesome areas encountered in clinical practice and evaluate the utility of molecular alterations in the diagnosis and subclassification of endometrial carcinomas. Putative prognostic markers are reviewed. The use of molecular alterations and surrogate immunohistochemistry as prognostic and predictive markers is also discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. [Prognostic factors of early breast cancer].

    PubMed

    Almagro, Elena; González, Cynthia S; Espinosa, Enrique

    2016-02-19

    Decision about the administration of adjuvant therapy for early breast cancer depends on the evaluation of prognostic factors. Lymph node status, tumor size and grade of differentiation are classical variables in this regard, and can be complemented by hormonal receptor status and HER2 expression. These factors can be combined into prognostic indexes to better estimate the risk of relapse or death. Other factors are less important. Gene profiles have emerged in recent years to identify low-risk patients who can forgo adjuvant chemotherapy. A number of profiles are available and can be used in selected cases. In the future, gene profiling will be used to select patients for treatment with new targeted therapies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  9. Adverse childhood experiences in substance use disorder outpatients of a Lebanese addiction center.

    PubMed

    Naal, Hady; El Jalkh, Tatiana; Haddad, Ramzi

    2018-05-02

    Childhood adversities (CAs) are well reviewed in mental health and addiction research internationally. However, these variables have not been studied within the framework of addiction in the Middle East region. The present study reports the prevalence of Childhood Adversities in a sample of outpatients seeking treatment for Substance Use Disorder. We used the Adverse Childhood Experiences - International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) to map out the prevalence of childhood adversities. The studied population was composed of a clinical outpatient sample that met criteria for substance use disorder (N = 144). Results indicated that almost all the sample reported having experienced at least 1 CA, whereby three quarters of the clinical sample reported experiencing 6 or more adversities. Childhood adversities are highly prevalent in a Lebanese substance use disorder population which raises the need for better screening strategies and more understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences in this specific population.

  10. Prognostic significance of infarct core pathology revealed by quantitative non-contrast in comparison with contrast cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in reperfused ST-elevation myocardial infarction survivors.

    PubMed

    Carrick, David; Haig, Caroline; Rauhalammi, Sam; Ahmed, Nadeem; Mordi, Ify; McEntegart, Margaret; Petrie, Mark C; Eteiba, Hany; Hood, Stuart; Watkins, Stuart; Lindsay, Mitchell; Mahrous, Ahmed; Ford, Ian; Tzemos, Niko; Sattar, Naveed; Welsh, Paul; Radjenovic, Aleksandra; Oldroyd, Keith G; Berry, Colin

    2016-04-01

    To assess the prognostic significance of infarct core tissue characteristics using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in survivors of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We performed an observational prospective single centre cohort study in 300 reperfused STEMI patients (mean ± SD age 59 ± 12 years, 74% male) who underwent CMR 2 days and 6 months post-myocardial infarction (n = 267). Native T1 was measured in myocardial regions of interest (n = 288). Adverse remodelling was defined as an increase in left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume ≥20% at 6 months. All-cause death or first heart failure hospitalization was a pre-specified outcome that was assessed during follow-up (median duration 845 days). One hundred and sixty (56%) patients had a hypo-intense infarct core disclosed by native T1. In multivariable regression, infarct core native T1 was inversely associated with adverse remodelling [odds ratio (95% confidence interval (CI)] per 10 ms reduction in native T1: 0.91 (0.82, 0.00); P = 0.061). Thirty (10.4%) of 288 patients died or experienced a heart failure event and 13 of these events occurred post-discharge. Native T1 values (ms) within the hypo-intense infarct core (n = 160 STEMI patients) were inversely associated with the risk of all-cause death or first hospitalization for heart failure post-discharge (for a 10 ms increase in native T1: hazard ratio 0.730, 95% CI 0.617, 0.863; P < 0.001) including after adjustment for left ventricular ejection fraction, infarct core T2 and myocardial haemorrhage. The prognostic results for microvascular obstruction were similar. Infarct core native T1 represents a novel non-contrast CMR biomarker with potential for infarct characterization and prognostication in STEMI survivors. Confirmatory studies are warranted. CLINICALTRIALS. NCT02072850. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.

  11. Summarizing the incidence of adverse events using volcano plots and time intervals.

    PubMed

    Zink, Richard C; Wolfinger, Russell D; Mann, Geoffrey

    2013-01-01

    Adverse event incidence analyses are a critical component for describing the safety profile of any new intervention. The results typically are presented in lengthy summary tables. For therapeutic areas where patients have frequent adverse events, analysis and interpretation are made more difficult by the sheer number and variety of events that occur. Understanding the risk in these instances becomes even more crucial. We describe a space-saving graphical summary that overcomes the limitations of traditional presentations of adverse events and improves interpretability of the safety profile. We present incidence analyses of adverse events graphically using volcano plots to highlight treatment differences. Data from a clinical trial of patients experiencing an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage are used for illustration. Adjustments for multiplicity are illustrated. Color is used to indicate the treatment with higher incidence; bubble size represents the total number of events that occur in the treatment arms combined. Adjustments for multiple comparisons are displayed in a manner to indicate clearly those events for which the difference between treatment arms is statistically significant. Furthermore, adverse events can be displayed by time intervals, with multiple volcano plots or animation to appreciate changes in adverse event risk over time. Such presentations can emphasize early differences across treatments that may resolve later or highlight events for which treatment differences may become more substantial with longer follow-up. Treatment arms are compared in a pairwise fashion. Volcano plots are space-saving tools that emphasize important differences between the adverse event profiles of two treatment arms. They can incorporate multiplicity adjustments in a manner that is straightforward to interpret and, by using time intervals, can illustrate how adverse event risk changes over the course of a clinical trial.

  12. Prognostic factors and scoring system for survival in colonic perforation.

    PubMed

    Komatsu, Shuhei; Shimomatsuya, Takumi; Nakajima, Masayuki; Amaya, Hirokazu; Kobuchi, Taketsune; Shiraishi, Susumu; Konishi, Sayuri; Ono, Susumu; Maruhashi, Kazuhiro

    2005-01-01

    No ideal and generally accepted prognostic factors and scoring systems exist to determine the prognosis of peritonitis associated with colonic perforation. This study was designed to investigate prognostic factors and evaluate the various scoring systems to allow identification of high-risk patients. Between 1996 and 2003, excluding iatrogenic and trauma cases, 26 consecutive patients underwent emergency operations for colorectal perforation and were selected for this retrospective study. Several clinical factors were analyzed as possible predictive factors, and APACHE II, SOFA, MPI, and MOF scores were calculated. The overall mortality was 26.9%. Compared with the survivors, non-survivors were found more frequently in Hinchey's stage III-IV, a low preoperative marker of pH, base excess (BE), and a low postoperative marker of white blood cell count, PaO2/FiO2 ratio, and renal output (24h). According to the logistic regression model, BE was a significant independent variable. Concerning the prognostic scoring systems, an APACHE II score of 19, a SOFA score of 8, an MPI score of 30, and an MOF score of 7 or more were significantly related to poor prognosis. Preoperative BE and postoperative white blood cell count were reliable prognostic factors and early classification using prognostic scoring systems at specific points in the disease process are useful to improve our understanding of the problems involved.

  13. Prognostic value of Child-Turcotte criteria in medically treated cirrhosis.

    PubMed

    Christensen, E; Schlichting, P; Fauerholdt, L; Gluud, C; Andersen, P K; Juhl, E; Poulsen, H; Tygstrup, N

    1984-01-01

    The Child- Turcotte criteria (CTC) (based on serum bilirubin and albumin, ascites, neurological disorder and nutrition) are established prognostic factors in patients with cirrhosis having portacaval shunt surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of CTC in conservatively treated cirrhosis. Patients (n = 245) with histologically verified cirrhosis from a control group of a controlled clinical trial were studied. Data at entry into the trial were used to classify patients according to CTC. Survival curves for up to 16 years were made, and survival rates were compared using the log-rank test. Survival decreased significantly with increasing degree of abnormality (A----B----C) of albumin (p less than 0.001), ascites (p less than 0.001), bilirubin (p = 0.02) and nutritional status (p = 0.03). Survival was insignificantly influenced by neurological status (p = 0.11) probably because none of the patients had hepatic coma at entry into the trial. The five variables in CTC were combined to a score. With increasing score, the median survival time decreased from 6.4 years (score 5) to 2 months (scores 12 or more). Furthermore, the mortality from hepatic failure, gastrointestinal bleeding or hepatocellular carcinoma increased significantly with increasing score. CTC provide valuable and easily obtainable prognostic information in cirrhosis. However, CTC are inferior to a prognostic index based on multivariate analysis of prognostic factors.

  14. A Prognostic Gene Expression Profile That Predicts Circulating Tumor Cell Presence in Breast Cancer Patients

    PubMed Central

    Molloy, Timothy J.; Roepman, Paul; Naume, Bjørn; van't Veer, Laura J.

    2012-01-01

    The detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood and microarray gene expression profiling of the primary tumor are two promising new technologies able to provide valuable prognostic data for patients with breast cancer. Meta-analyses of several established prognostic breast cancer gene expression profiles in large patient cohorts have demonstrated that despite sharing few genes, their delineation of patients into “good prognosis” or “poor prognosis” are frequently very highly correlated, and combining prognostic profiles does not increase prognostic power. In the current study, we aimed to develop a novel profile which provided independent prognostic data by building a signature predictive of CTC status rather than outcome. Microarray gene expression data from an initial training cohort of 72 breast cancer patients for which CTC status had been determined in a previous study using a multimarker QPCR-based assay was used to develop a CTC-predictive profile. The generated profile was validated in two independent datasets of 49 and 123 patients and confirmed to be both predictive of CTC status, and independently prognostic. Importantly, the “CTC profile” also provided prognostic information independent of the well-established and powerful ‘70-gene’ prognostic breast cancer signature. This profile therefore has the potential to not only add prognostic information to currently-available microarray tests but in some circumstances even replace blood-based prognostic CTC tests at time of diagnosis for those patients already undergoing testing by multigene assays. PMID:22384245

  15. C-reactive protein as an adverse prognostic marker for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC): confirmatory results

    PubMed Central

    Prins, Renee C.; Rademacher, Brooks L.; Mongoue-Tchokote, Solange; Alumkal, Joshi J.; Graff, Julie N.; Eilers, Kristine M.; Beer, Tomasz M.

    2010-01-01

    We previously reported that higher serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) are associated with shorter survival in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). To confirm this finding in an independent data set, we used 119 CRPC patients enrolled in 6 phase II clinical trials and examined the relationship of CRP, alkaline phosphatase, hemoglobin, age, ECOG PS, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) with survival. Median follow-up was 19.7 months (0.9–98.5 months) and 89% have died. After analyzing the form of the risk function using the generalized additive model method, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess associations between baseline individual categorical and continuous variables. Quartiles of CRP were: 1: 0–1.0, 1.1–4.9, 5.0–17.0, and 17.1 to 311 mg/L. In a Cox multivariate model, log2(CRP) (HR 1.106 p=0.013) as well as hemoglobin and alkaline phosphatase were independently associated with survival, confirming that higher CRP is associated with shorter survival in CRPC. Since CRP is a marker of inflammation, this finding suggests that inflammation may play an important role in the natural history of advanced prostate cancer. CRP is a readily measurable biomarker that has the potential to improve prognostic models and should be validated in a prospective clinical trial. PMID:20207556

  16. Cumulative Adversity Sensitizes Neural Response to Acute Stress: Association with Health Symptoms

    PubMed Central

    Seo, Dongju; Tsou, Kristen A; Ansell, Emily B; Potenza, Marc N; Sinha, Rajita

    2014-01-01

    Cumulative adversity (CA) increases stress sensitivity and risk of adverse health outcomes. However, neural mechanisms underlying these associations in humans remain unclear. To understand neural responses underlying the link between CA and adverse health symptoms, the current study assessed brain activity during stress and neutral-relaxing states in 75 demographically matched, healthy individuals with high, mid, and low CA (25 in each group), and their health symptoms using the Cornell Medical Index. CA was significantly associated with greater adverse health symptoms (P=0.01) in all participants. Functional magnetic resonance imaging results indicated significant associations between CA scores and increased stress-induced activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex, insula, striatum, right amygdala, hippocampus, and temporal regions in all 75 participants (p<0.05, whole-brain corrected). In addition to these regions, the high vs low CA group comparison revealed decreased stress-induced activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in the high CA group (p<0.01, whole-brain corrected). Specifically, hypoactive medial OFC and hyperactive right hippocampus responses to stress were each significantly associated with greater adverse health symptoms (p<0.01). Furthermore, an inverse correlation was found between activity in the medial OFC and right hippocampus (p=0.01). These results indicate that high CA sensitizes limbic–striatal responses to acute stress and also identifies an important role for stress-related medial OFC and hippocampus responses in the effects of CA on increasing vulnerability to adverse health consequences. PMID:24051900

  17. Cumulative adversity sensitizes neural response to acute stress: association with health symptoms.

    PubMed

    Seo, Dongju; Tsou, Kristen A; Ansell, Emily B; Potenza, Marc N; Sinha, Rajita

    2014-02-01

    Cumulative adversity (CA) increases stress sensitivity and risk of adverse health outcomes. However, neural mechanisms underlying these associations in humans remain unclear. To understand neural responses underlying the link between CA and adverse health symptoms, the current study assessed brain activity during stress and neutral-relaxing states in 75 demographically matched, healthy individuals with high, mid, and low CA (25 in each group), and their health symptoms using the Cornell Medical Index. CA was significantly associated with greater adverse health symptoms (P=0.01) in all participants. Functional magnetic resonance imaging results indicated significant associations between CA scores and increased stress-induced activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex, insula, striatum, right amygdala, hippocampus, and temporal regions in all 75 participants (p<0.05, whole-brain corrected). In addition to these regions, the high vs low CA group comparison revealed decreased stress-induced activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in the high CA group (p<0.01, whole-brain corrected). Specifically, hypoactive medial OFC and hyperactive right hippocampus responses to stress were each significantly associated with greater adverse health symptoms (p<0.01). Furthermore, an inverse correlation was found between activity in the medial OFC and right hippocampus (p=0.01). These results indicate that high CA sensitizes limbic-striatal responses to acute stress and also identifies an important role for stress-related medial OFC and hippocampus responses in the effects of CA on increasing vulnerability to adverse health consequences.

  18. Prognostic indicators in primary plasma cell leukaemia: a multicentre retrospective study of 117 patients.

    PubMed

    Jurczyszyn, Artur; Radocha, Jakub; Davila, Julio; Fiala, Mark A; Gozzetti, Alessandro; Grząśko, Norbert; Robak, Paweł; Hus, Iwona; Waszczuk-Gajda, Anna; Guzicka-Kazimierczak, Renata; Atilla, Erden; Mele, Giuseppe; Sawicki, Waldemar; Jayabalan, David S; Charliński, Grzegorz; Szabo, Agoston G; Hajek, Roman; Delforge, Michel; Kopacz, Agnieszka; Fantl, Dorotea; Waage, Anders; Avivi, Irit; Rodzaj, Marek; Leleu, Xavier; Richez, Valentine; Knopińska-Posłuszny, Wanda; Masternak, Anna; Yee, Andrew J; Barchnicka, Agnieszka; Druzd-Sitek, Agnieszka; Guerrero-Garcia, Thomas; Liu, Jieqi; Vesole, David H; Castillo, Jorge J

    2018-03-01

    We report a multicentre retrospective study that analysed clinical characteristics and outcomes in 117 patients with primary plasma cell leukaemia (pPCL) treated at the participating institutions between January 2006 and December 2016. The median age at the time of pPCL diagnosis was 61 years. Ninety-eight patients were treated with novel agents, with an overall response rate of 78%. Fifty-five patients (64%) patients underwent upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). The median follow-up time was 50 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 33; 76), with a median overall survival (OS) for the entire group of 23 months (95% CI 15; 34). The median OS time in patients who underwent upfront ASCT was 35 months (95% CI 24·3; 46) as compared to 13 months (95% CI 6·3; 35·8) in patients who did not receive ASCT (P = 0·001). Multivariate analyses identified age ≥60 years, platelet count ≤100 × 10 9 /l and peripheral blood plasma cell count ≥20 × 10 9 /l as independent predictors of worse survival. The median OS in patients with 0, 1 or 2-3 of these risk factors was 46, 27 and 12 months, respectively (P < 0·001). Our findings support the use of novel agents and ASCT as frontline treatment in patients with pPCL. The constructed prognostic score should be independently validated. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Psychological Well-Being and the Human Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity

    PubMed Central

    Fredrickson, Barbara L.; Grewen, Karen M.; Algoe, Sara B.; Firestine, Ann M.; Arevalo, Jesusa M. G.; Ma, Jeffrey; Cole, Steve W.

    2015-01-01

    Research in human social genomics has identified a conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) characterized by up-regulated expression of pro-inflammatory genes and down-regulated expression of Type I interferon- and antibody-related genes. This report seeks to identify the specific aspects of positive psychological well-being that oppose such effects and predict reduced CTRA gene expression. In a new confirmation study of 122 healthy adults that replicated the approach of a previously reported discovery study, mixed effect linear model analyses identified a significant inverse association between expression of CTRA indicator genes and a summary measure of eudaimonic well-being from the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form. Analyses of a 2- representation of eudaimonia converged in finding correlated psychological and social subdomains of eudaimonic well-being to be the primary carriers of CTRA associations. Hedonic well-being showed no consistent CTRA association independent of eudaimonic well-being, and summary measures integrating hedonic and eudaimonic well-being showed less stable CTRA associations than did focal measures of eudaimonia (psychological and social well-being). Similar results emerged from analyses of pooled discovery and confirmation samples (n = 198). Similar results also emerged from analyses of a second new generalization study of 107 healthy adults that included the more detailed Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-being and found this more robust measure of eudaimonic well-being to also associate with reduced CTRA gene expression. Five of the 6 major sub-domains of psychological well-being predicted reduced CTRA gene expression when analyzed separately, and 3 remained distinctively prognostic in mutually adjusted analyses. All associations were independent of demographic characteristics, health-related confounders, and RNA indicators of leukocyte subset distribution. These results identify specific sub-dimensions of eudaimonic

  20. Determinants and prognostic implications of Cardiac Troponin T measured by a sensitive assay in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background The cardiac troponins are biomarkers used for diagnosis of myocardial injury. They are also powerful prognostic markers in many diseases and settings. Recently introduced high-sensitivity assays indicate that chronic cardiac troponin elevations are common in response to cardiovascular (CV) morbidity. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) confers a high risk of CV disease, but little is known about chronic cardiac troponin elevations in diabetic subjects. Accordingly, we aimed to understand the prevalence, determinants, and prognostic implications of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) elevations measured with a high-sensitivity assay in patients with T2DM. Methods cTnT was measured in stored, frozen serum samples from 124 subjects enrolled in the Asker and Bærum Cardiovascular Diabetes trial at baseline and at 2-year follow-up, if availabe (96 samples available). Results were analyzed in relation to baseline variables, hospitalizations, and group assignment (multifactorial intensive versus conventional diabetes care for lowering CV risk). Results One-hundred thirteen (90 %) had detectable cTnT at baseline and of those, 22 (18 % of the total population) subjects had values above the 99th percentile for healthy controls (13.5 ng/L). Levels at baseline were associated with conventional CV risk factors (age, renal function, gender). There was a strong correlation between cTnT levels at the two time-points (r = 0.92, p > 0.001). Risk for hospitalizations during follow-up increased step-wise by quartiles of hscTnT measured at baseline (p = 0.058). Conclusions Elevations of cTnT above the 99th percentile measured by a highly sensitive assay were encountered frequently in a population of T2DM patients. cTnT levels appeared to be stable over time and associated with conventional CV risk factors. Although a clear trend was present, no statistically robust associations with adverse outcomes could be found. PMID:20843304

  1. Prognostic significance of the prognostic nutritional index in esophageal cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Nakatani, M; Migita, K; Matsumoto, S; Wakatsuki, K; Ito, M; Nakade, H; Kunishige, T; Kitano, M; Kanehiro, H

    2017-08-01

    Nutritional status is one of the most important issues faced by cancer patients. Several studies have shown that a low preoperative nutritional status is associated with a worse prognosis in patients with various types of cancer, including esophageal cancer (EC). Recently, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and/or radiotherapy have been accepted as the standard treatment for resectable advanced EC. However, NAC has the potential to deteriorate the nutritional status of a patient. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of the nutritional status for EC patients who underwent NAC. We retrospectively reviewed 66 squamous cell EC patients who underwent NAC consisting of docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil followed by subtotal esophagectomy at Nara Medical University Hospital between January 2009 and August 2015. To assess the patients' nutritional status, the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) before commencing NAC and prior to the operation was calculated as 10 × serum albumin (g/dl) + 0.005 × total lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood (per mm3). The cutoff value of the PNI was set at 45. A multivariable analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). The mean pre-NAC and preoperative PNI were 50.2 ± 5.7 and 48.1 ± 4.7, respectively (P = 0.005). The PNI decreased following NAC in 44 (66.7%) patients. Before initiating NAC, 9 (13.6%) patients had a low PNI, and 12 (18.2%) patients had a low PNI prior to the operation. The pre-NAC PNI and preoperative PNI were significantly associated with the OS (P = 0.013 and P = 0.004, respectively) and RFS (P = 0.036 and P = 0.005, respectively) rates. The multivariable analysis identified the preoperative PNI as an independent prognostic factor for poor OS and RFS, although the pre-NAC PNI was not an independent predictor. Our results suggest that the preoperative PNI is a useful marker for predicting the long-term outcomes of EC patients

  2. The infiltration, and prognostic importance, of Th1 lymphocytes vary in molecular subgroups of colorectal cancer

    PubMed Central

    Ling, Agnes; Lundberg, Ida V; Eklöf, Vincy; Wikberg, Maria L; Öberg, Åke; Palmqvist, Richard

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Giving strong prognostic information, T‐cell infiltration is on the verge of becoming an additional component in the routine clinical setting for classification of colorectal cancer (CRC). With a view to further improving the tools for prognostic evaluation, we have studied how Th1 lymphocyte infiltration correlates with prognosis not only by quantity, but also by subsite, within CRCs with different molecular characteristics (microsatellite instability, CpG island methylator phenotype status, and BRAF and KRAS mutational status). We evaluated the Th1 marker T‐bet by immunohistochemistry in 418 archival tumour tissue samples from patients who underwent surgical resection for CRC. We found that a high number of infiltrating Th1 lymphocytes is strongly associated with an improved prognosis in patients with CRC, irrespective of intratumoural subsite, and that both extent of infiltration and patient outcome differ according to molecular subgroup. In brief, microsatellite instability, CpG island methylator phenotype‐high and BRAF mutated tumours showed increased infiltration of Th1 lymphocytes, and the most pronounced prognostic effect of Th1 infiltration was found in these tumours. Interestingly, BRAF mutated tumours were found to be more highly infiltrated by Th1 lymphocytes than BRAF wild‐type tumours whereas the opposite was seen for KRAS mutated tumours. These differences could be explained at least partly by our finding that BRAF mutated, in contrast to KRAS mutated, CRC cell lines and tumour specimens expressed higher levels of the Th1‐attracting chemokine CXCL10, and reduced levels of CCL22 and TGFB1, stimulating Th2/Treg recruitment and polarisation. In conclusion, the strong prognostic importance of Th1 lymphocyte infiltration in CRC was found at all subsites evaluated, and it remained significant in multivariable analyses, indicating that T‐bet may be a valuable marker in the clinical setting. Our results also indicate that T‐bet is of

  3. Expression of preoperative KISS1 gene in tumor tissue with epithelial ovarian cancer and its prognostic value.

    PubMed

    Cao, Fang; Chen, Liping; Liu, Manhua; Lin, Weiwei; Ji, Jinlong; You, Jun; Qiao, Fenghai; Liu, Hongbin

    2016-11-01

    Our study aimed to elucidate the role of Kisspeptin (KISS1) in tumor tissues of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and investigate the prognostic value of this biomarker.Forty EOC patients and 20 uterine fibroids female patients with healthy ovaries undergoing cytoreductive surgery between January 2010 and January 2014 in our hospital were enrolled in this study. KISS1 expression in tumor and normal tissues was detected. Correlations between clinic-pathologic variables and KISS1 expression in EOC tissues and the prognostic value of KISS1 for overall survival were evaluated.During the follow-up of 11.2 to 62.1 months, the overall survival rate and mean survival time were 28.9% (11/38) and 38.35 ± 2.84 months. Preoperative KISS1 mRNA was higher in tumor tissue than in normal tissue (P <0.001), and it was associated with histologic grade of tumor, surgical FIGO stage, metastasis, and residual tumor size (all P <0.05). Multivariate survival analysis indicated significant influence of residual tumor size (HR = 2.357, P = 0.039) and preoperative KISS1 mRNA (HR = 0.0001, P <0.001) on mean survival time. Patients with low KISS1 mRNA expression had shorter survival time than those with high expression (P = 0.001).Preoperative KISS1 mRNA was a potential prognostic biomarker for EOC, and high preoperative KISS1 expression indicated a favorable prognosis.

  4. Prognostic Significance of Interleukin-34 (IL-34) in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure With or Without Renal Insufficiency.

    PubMed

    Tao, Rong; Fan, Qin; Zhang, Hang; Xie, Hongyang; Lu, Lin; Gu, Gang; Wang, Fang; Xi, Rui; Hu, Jian; Chen, Qiujing; Niu, Wenquan; Shen, Weifeng; Zhang, Ruiyan; Yan, Xiaoxiang

    2017-04-01

    Renal dysfunction, commonly associated with cardiac dysfunction, has predictive value for adverse long-term outcomes in heart failure (HF). We previously identified a novel renal biomarker, interleukin-34 (IL-34), elevated in HF patients and associated with kidney dysfunction and coronary artery disease during HF. However, the prognostic value of IL-34 in HF remains unclear, so that the present study aimed to determine it. This prospective, observational study included 510 consecutive HF patients with their serum IL-34 as well as other variables measured at baseline, and they were followed up for 2 years. The primary end point was a composite of cardiovascular death or a first HF hospitalization, with cardiovascular death, HF hospitalization, and all-cause mortality as secondary outcomes. There was a significant and gradual increase in risk as IL-34 increased, determined by log-rank tests with Kaplan-Meier curves. Serum IL-34 was also a significant prognostic predictor of the primary end point (1.301 [1.115-1.518]; P =0.001), cardiovascular death (1.347 [1.096-1.655]; P =0.005), HF hospitalization (1.234 [1.018-1.494]; P =0.032), and all-cause mortality (1.343 [1.115-1.618]; P =0.002) in HF as per SD increase in the log IL-34 level after adjusting for age, sex, traditional risk factors, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide. Especially, IL-34 had a more-significant prognostic value in HF patients with kidney impairment than those without. IL-34 is a significant predictor of cardiovascular death, HF hospitalization, and all-cause mortality in chronic HF, especially when concomitant with renal dysfunction. Serum IL-34 measurement may provide new insights linking kidney impairment to poor HF outcomes beyond other renal markers. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

  5. [Prognostic value of first fasting glucose measurement compared with admission glucose level in patients with acute coronary syndrome].

    PubMed

    Vivas, David; García-Rubira, Juan C; González-Ferrer, Juan J; Núñez-Gil, Iván; del Prado, Náyade; Fernández-Ortiz, Antonio; Macaya, Carlos

    2008-05-01

    The admission plasma glucose (APG) level is a recognized prognostic factor in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, little is known about the prognostic value of the first fasting plasma glucose (FPG) measurement. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of the first FPG measurement relative to that of the APG level in patients with ACS. The study involved 547 consecutive patients who were admitted to our center with a diagnosis of ACS in 2006. Patients were divided into three groups according to their first FPG or APG level (i.e., <126 mg/dL, 126-200 mg/dL, or >200 mg/dL). The primary endpoint was the combined outcome of death or reinfarction during hospitalization. The primary endpoint was observed in 46 patients, 25 of whom died. Patients in this group were older, were more often diabetics or smokers, more often had had a prior myocardial infarction, were in a higher admission Killip class, showed more than one vessel disease on catheterization, had a lower left ventricular ejection fraction, and had higher admission creatinine, APG, and first FPG levels. Multivariate analysis, adjusted for previously identified factors, revealed that the first FPG level was an independent risk factor for death or reinfarction (126-200 mg/dL, odds ratio [OR]=5.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-25.45; >200 mg/dL, OR=6.66; 95% CI, 2.05-21.63), but that the APG level was not (126-200 mg/dL, OR=0.84; 95% CI, 0.63-1.05; >200 mg/dL, OR=1.14; 95% CI, 0.29-4.51). The first FPG level was found to be a better predictor of an adverse outcome (i.e., death or reinfarction) during hospitalization in ACS patients than the APG level.

  6. Prognostic significance of Glasgow prognostic score in patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Feng, Ji-Feng; Zhao, Qiang; Chen, Qi-Xun

    2014-01-01

    Recent studies have revealed that Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), an inflammation-based prognostic score, is inversely related to prognosis in a variety of cancers; high levels of GPS is associated with poor prognosis. However, few studies regarding GPS in esophageal cancer (EC) are available. The aim of this study was to determine whether the GPS is useful for predicting cancer-specific survival (CSS) of patients for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The GPS was calculated on the basis of admission data as follows: Patients with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level (>10 mg/L) and hypoalbuminemia (<35 g/L) were assigned to GPS2. Patients with one or no abnormal value were assigned to GPS1 or GPS0, respectively. Our study showed that GPS was associated with tumor size, depth of invasion, and nodal metastasis (P<0.001). In addition, there was a negative correlation between the serum CRP and albumin (r=-0.412, P<0.001). The 5-year CSS in patients with GPS0, GPS1, and GPS2 were 60.8%, 34.7% and 10.7%, respectively (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that GPS was a significant predictor of CSS. GPS1-2 had a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.399 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.805-3.190] for 1-year CSS (P<0.001) and 1.907 (95% CI: 1.608-2.262) for 5-year CSS (P<0.001). High levels of GPS is associated with tumor progression. GPS can be considered as an independent prognostic factor in patients who underwent esophagectomy for ESCC.

  7. Adverse health effects of lead exposure on children and exploration to internal lead indicator.

    PubMed

    Wang, Q; Zhao, H H; Chen, J W; Gu, K D; Zhang, Y Z; Zhu, Y X; Zhou, Y K; Ye, L X

    2009-11-15

    Our research on adverse effects of lead exposures on physical and neurobehavioral health of children aged 6-12years in 4 villages, labeled as K, M, L, and X, in rural China, was reported in this article. Lead in blood (PbB), urine (PbU), hairs (PbH), and nails (PbN) were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Abbreviated Symptom Questionnaire of Conner's instruments and Revised Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices were applied to evaluate childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and intelligences. Geometric means (SD) of PbB, PbU, PbH and PbN concentrations were 71.2 microg/L (1.56), 11.7 microg/g (1.75), 12.5 microg/g (2.82), and 25.3 microg/g (2.79), respectively. 54 (17.0%) children had PbB levels of > or =100 microg/L. Boys, 6-10 years old, and living in village K were 2.11, 2.48, and 9.16 times, respectively, more likely to be poisoned by lead than girls, aged 11-12 years, and residing in X. 18 (5.7%) and 37 (11.7%) subjects had ADHD and mental retardations, respectively. Inverse relationships between intelligences and natural log transformed PbU and PbH levels were observed with respective odds ratios (95%CI) of 1.79 (1.00-3.22) and 1.46 (1.06-2.03) or 1.28 (1.04-1.58) and 1.73 (1.18-2.52) by binary or ordinal logistic regression modeling. ADHD prevalence was different by gender and age of subjects. PbU, PbH, and PbN related to PbB positively with respective correlation coefficients of 0.530, 0.477, and 0.181. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the three measurements revealed areas under curves (AUCs) being 0.829, 0.758, and 0.687, respectively. In conclusion, children had moderate levels of lead exposures in this rural area. Intelligence declines were associated with internal lead levels among children. ROC analysis suggests PbU an internal lead indicator close to PbB.

  8. Serum cytochrome c level as a prognostic indicator in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

    PubMed

    Adachi, Naoto; Hirota, Masahiko; Hamaguchi, Masamichi; Okamoto, Kazufumi; Watanabe, Keisuke; Endo, Fumio

    2004-04-01

    Apoptosis may play an important role in the development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and progression to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). To quantify the extent of apoptosis in these morbidities, we developed a sandwich ELISA system to measure serum cytochrome c (cyt-c) levels and we investigated the prognostic significance of cyt-c concentration in SIRS/MODS patients. Cyt-c concentrations in patients with SIRS (n=53) with or at risk for MODS were measured and compared with those of control subjects (n=14). Cyt-c concentrations in SIRS/MODS patients increased (0.24-210 ng/ml), whereas those in control subjects were under detection limits (0.1 ng/ml). Cyt-c concentrations in non-survivors increased significantly compared with those in survivors both on the day of admission and on the fifth hospital day. A significant positive correlation was found between cyt-c concentration and two representative organ dysfunction scores, APACHE II and multi-organ failure (MOF) score. Cyt-c concentrations increased earlier than MOF score during the exacerbation phase and rapidly decreased during the convalescence phase in a survivor, but the level continued to be high in a non-survivor. Determination of serum cyt-c concentrations may be useful to assess the severity of organ dysfunction and to predict the prognosis of SIRS/MODS patients.

  9. Variable selection under multiple imputation using the bootstrap in a prognostic study

    PubMed Central

    Heymans, Martijn W; van Buuren, Stef; Knol, Dirk L; van Mechelen, Willem; de Vet, Henrica CW

    2007-01-01

    Background Missing data is a challenging problem in many prognostic studies. Multiple imputation (MI) accounts for imputation uncertainty that allows for adequate statistical testing. We developed and tested a methodology combining MI with bootstrapping techniques for studying prognostic variable selection. Method In our prospective cohort study we merged data from three different randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess prognostic variables for chronicity of low back pain. Among the outcome and prognostic variables data were missing in the range of 0 and 48.1%. We used four methods to investigate the influence of respectively sampling and imputation variation: MI only, bootstrap only, and two methods that combine MI and bootstrapping. Variables were selected based on the inclusion frequency of each prognostic variable, i.e. the proportion of times that the variable appeared in the model. The discriminative and calibrative abilities of prognostic models developed by the four methods were assessed at different inclusion levels. Results We found that the effect of imputation variation on the inclusion frequency was larger than the effect of sampling variation. When MI and bootstrapping were combined at the range of 0% (full model) to 90% of variable selection, bootstrap corrected c-index values of 0.70 to 0.71 and slope values of 0.64 to 0.86 were found. Conclusion We recommend to account for both imputation and sampling variation in sets of missing data. The new procedure of combining MI with bootstrapping for variable selection, results in multivariable prognostic models with good performance and is therefore attractive to apply on data sets with missing values. PMID:17629912

  10. Thai venous stroke prognostic score: TV-SPSS.

    PubMed

    Poungvarin, Niphon; Prayoonwiwat, Naraporn; Ratanakorn, Disya; Towanabut, Somchai; Tantirittisak, Tassanee; Suwanwela, Nijasri; Phanthumchinda, Kamman; Tiamkoa, Somsak; Chankrachang, Siwaporn; Nidhinandana, Samart; Laptikultham, Somsak; Limsoontarakul, Sansern; Udomphanthuruk, Suthipol

    2009-11-01

    Prognosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) has never been studied in Thailand. A simple prognostic score to predict poor prognosis of CVST has also never been reported. The authors are aiming to establish a simple and reliable prognostic score for this condition. The medical records of CVST patients from eight neurological training centers in Thailand who received between April 1993 and September 2005 were reviewed as part of this retrospective study. Clinical features included headache, seizure, stroke risk factors, Glasgow coma scale (GCS), blood pressure on arrival, papilledema, hemiparesis, meningeal irritation sign, location of occluded venous sinuses, hemorrhagic infarction, cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure, treatment options, length of stay, and other complications were analyzed to determine the outcome using modified Rankin scale (mRS). Poor prognosis (defined as mRS of 3-6) was determined on the discharge date. One hundred ninety four patients' records, 127 females (65.5%) and mean age of 36.6 +/- 14.4 years, were analyzed Fifty-one patients (26.3%) were in the poor outcome group (mRS 3-6). Overall mortality was 8.4%. Univariate analysis and then multivariate analysis using SPSS version 11.5 revealed only four statistically significant predictors influencing outcome of CVST They were underlying malignancy, low GCS, presence of hemorrhagic infarction (for poor outcome), and involvement of lateral sinus (for good outcome). Thai venous stroke prognostic score (TV-SPSS) was derived from these four factors using a multiple logistic model. A simple and pragmatic prognostic score for CVST outcome has been developed with high sensitivity (93%), yet low specificity (33%). The next study should focus on the validation of this score in other prospective populations.

  11. [Assessing the economic impact of adverse events in Spanish hospitals by using administrative data].

    PubMed

    Allué, Natalia; Chiarello, Pietro; Bernal Delgado, Enrique; Castells, Xavier; Giraldo, Priscila; Martínez, Natalia; Sarsanedas, Eugenia; Cots, Francesc

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the incidence and costs of adverse events registered in an administrative dataset in Spanish hospitals from 2008 to 2010. A retrospective study was carried out that estimated the incremental cost per episode, depending on the presence of adverse events. Costs were obtained from the database of the Spanish Network of Hospital Costs. This database contains data from 12 hospitals that have costs per patient records based on activities and clinical records. Adverse events were identified through the Patient Safety Indicators (validated in the Spanish Health System) created by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality together with indicators of the EuroDRG European project. This study included 245,320 episodes with a total cost of 1,308,791,871€. Approximately 17,000 patients (6.8%) experienced an adverse event, representing 16.2% of the total cost. Adverse events, adjusted by diagnosis-related groups, added a mean incremental cost of between €5,260 and €11,905. Six of the 10 adverse events with the highest incremental cost were related to surgical interventions. The total incremental cost of adverse events was € 88,268,906, amounting to an additional 6.7% of total health expenditure. Assessment of the impact of adverse events revealed that these episodes represent significant costs that could be reduced by improving the quality and safety of the Spanish Health System. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  12. Development and Validation of a Lifecycle-based Prognostics Architecture with Test Bed Validation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hines, J. Wesley; Upadhyaya, Belle; Sharp, Michael

    On-line monitoring and tracking of nuclear plant system and component degradation is being investigated as a method for improving the safety, reliability, and maintainability of aging nuclear power plants. Accurate prediction of the current degradation state of system components and structures is important for accurate estimates of their remaining useful life (RUL). The correct quantification and propagation of both the measurement uncertainty and model uncertainty is necessary for quantifying the uncertainty of the RUL prediction. This research project developed and validated methods to perform RUL estimation throughout the lifecycle of plant components. Prognostic methods should seamlessly operate from beginning ofmore » component life (BOL) to end of component life (EOL). We term this "Lifecycle Prognostics." When a component is put into use, the only information available may be past failure times of similar components used in similar conditions, and the predicted failure distribution can be estimated with reliability methods such as Weibull Analysis (Type I Prognostics). As the component operates, it begins to degrade and consume its available life. This life consumption may be a function of system stresses, and the failure distribution should be updated to account for the system operational stress levels (Type II Prognostics). When degradation becomes apparent, this information can be used to again improve the RUL estimate (Type III Prognostics). This research focused on developing prognostics algorithms for the three types of prognostics, developing uncertainty quantification methods for each of the algorithms, and, most importantly, developing a framework using Bayesian methods to transition between prognostic model types and update failure distribution estimates as new information becomes available. The developed methods were then validated on a range of accelerated degradation test beds. The ultimate goal of prognostics is to provide an accurate

  13. Data-mining for detecting signals of adverse drug reactions of fluoxetine using the Korea Adverse Event Reporting System (KAERS) database.

    PubMed

    Kim, Seonji; Park, Kyounghoon; Kim, Mi-Sook; Yang, Bo Ram; Choi, Hyun Jin; Park, Byung-Joo

    2017-10-01

    Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have become one of the most broadly used medications in psychiatry. Fluoxetine is the first representative antidepressant SSRI drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1987. Safety information on fluoxetine use alone was less reported than its combined use with other drugs. There were no published papers on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of fluoxetine analyzing spontaneous adverse events reports. We detected signals of the adverse drug reactions of fluoxetine by data mining using the Korea Adverse Events Reporting System (KAERS) database. We defined signals in this study by the reporting odds ratios (ROR), proportional reporting ratios (PRR), and information components (IC) indices. The KAERS database included 860,224 AE reports, among which 866 reports contained fluoxetine. We compared the labels of fluoxetine among the United States, UK, Germany, France, China, and Korea. Some of the signals, including emotional lability, myositis, spinal stenosis, paradoxical drug reaction, drug dependence, extrapyramidal disorder, adrenal insufficiency, and intracranial hemorrhage, were not labeled in the six countries. In conclusion, we identified new signals that were not known at the time of market approval. However, certain factors should be required for signal evaluation, such as clinical significance, preventability, and causality of the detected signals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. [Seed vigor evaluation based on adversity resistance index of wheat seed germination under stress conditions.

    PubMed

    Chen, Lei Tai; Sun, Ai Qing; Yang, Min; Chen, Lu Lu; Ma, Xue Li; Li, Mei Ling; Yin, Yan Ping

    2016-09-01

    A total of 16 wheat cultivars were selected to detect seed vigor of different genotypes using standard germination test, seed germination test under stress conditions and field emergence test. The adversity resistance indices of seed vigor indices and field emergence percentage under different germination conditions were used as the indices to evaluate adversity resistance. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used for the comprehensive evaluation of seed vigor. Results showed that drought stress, artificial aging and cold soaking treatments affected seed vigor to some extent. The adversity resistance indices of the artificial aging and cold soaking tests were significantly positively correlated with the field emergence percentage, while the adversity resistance index of drought stress test had no significant correlation with the field emergence percentage. 16 wheat cultivars were classified as three groups based on the principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Yunong 949, Yumai 49-198, Luyuan 502, Zhengyumai 9987, Shimai 21, Shannong 23, and Shixin 828 belonged to high vigor seeds. Xunong 5, Yunong 982, Tangmai 8, Jimai 20, Jimai 22, Jinan 17, and Shannong 20 belonged to medium vigor seeds. The other two cultivars, Chang 4738 and Lunxuan 061, belonged to low vigor seeds.

  15. Prognostic factors in canine appendicular osteosarcoma – a meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Appendicular osteosarcoma is the most common malignant primary canine bone tumor. When treated by amputation or tumor removal alone, median survival times (MST) do not exceed 5 months, with the majority of dogs suffering from metastatic disease. This period can be extended with adequate local intervention and adjuvant chemotherapy, which has become common practice. Several prognostic factors have been reported in many different studies, e.g. age, breed, weight, sex, neuter status, location of tumor, serum alkaline phosphatase (SALP), bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), infection, percentage of bone length affected, histological grade or histological subtype of tumor. Most of these factors are, however, only reported as confounding factors in larger studies. Insight in truly significant prognostic factors at time of diagnosis may contribute to tailoring adjuvant therapy for individual dogs suffering from osteosarcoma. The objective of this study was to systematically review the prognostic factors that are described for canine appendicular osteosarcoma and validate their scientific importance. Results A literature review was performed on selected studies and eligible data were extracted. Meta-analyses were done for two of the three selected possible prognostic factors (SALP and location), looking at both survival time (ST) and disease free interval (DFI). The third factor (age) was studied in a qualitative manner. Both elevated SALP level and the (proximal) humerus as location of the primary tumor are significant negative prognostic factors for both ST and DFI in dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma. Increasing age was associated with shorter ST and DFI, however, was not statistically significant because information of this factor was available in only a limited number of papers. Conclusions Elevated SALP and proximal humeral location are significant negative prognosticators for canine osteosarcoma. PMID:22587466

  16. Dietary Supplement Adverse Event Report Data From the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Adverse Event Reporting System (CAERS), 2004-2013.

    PubMed

    Timbo, Babgaleh B; Chirtel, Stuart J; Ihrie, John; Oladipo, Taiye; Velez-Suarez, Loy; Brewer, Vickery; Mozersky, Robert

    2018-05-01

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) oversees the safety of the nation's foods, dietary supplements, and cosmetic products. To present a descriptive analysis of the 2004-2013 dietary supplement adverse event report (AER) data from CAERS and evaluate the 2006 Dietary Supplements and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act as pertaining to dietary supplements adverse events reporting. We queried CAERS for data from the 2004-2013 AERs specifying at least 1 suspected dietary supplement product. We extracted the product name(s), the symptom(s) reported, age, sex, and serious adverse event outcomes. We examined time trends for mandatory and voluntary reporting and performed analysis using SAS v9.4 and R v3.3.0 software. Of the total AERs (n = 15 430) received from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2013, indicating at least 1 suspected dietary supplement product, 66.9% were mandatory, 32.2% were voluntary, and 0.9% were both mandatory and voluntary. Reported serious outcomes included death, life-threatening conditions, hospitalizations, congenital anomalies/birth defects and events requiring interventions to prevent permanent impairments (5.1%). The dietary supplement adverse event reporting rate in the United States was estimated at ~2% based on CAERS data. This study characterizes CAERS dietary supplement adverse event data for the 2004-2013 period and estimates a reporting rate of 2% for dietary supplement adverse events based on CAERS data. The findings show that the 2006 Dietary Supplements and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act had a substantial impact on the reporting of adverse events.

  17. Prognostics for Ground Support Systems: Case Study on Pneumatic Valves

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daigle, Matthew; Goebel, Kai

    2011-01-01

    Prognostics technologies determine the health (or damage) state of a component or sub-system, and make end of life (EOL) and remaining useful life (RUL) predictions. Such information enables system operators to make informed maintenance decisions and streamline operational and mission-level activities. We develop a model-based prognostics methodology for pneumatic valves used in ground support equipment for cryogenic propellant loading operations. These valves are used to control the flow of propellant, so failures may have a significant impact on launch availability. Therefore, correctly predicting when valves will fail enables timely maintenance that avoids launch delays and aborts. The approach utilizes mathematical models describing the underlying physics of valve degradation, and, employing the particle filtering algorithm for joint state-parameter estimation, determines the health state of the valve and the rate of damage progression, from which EOL and RUL predictions are made. We develop a prototype user interface for valve prognostics, and demonstrate the prognostics approach using historical pneumatic valve data from the Space Shuttle refueling system.

  18. Prognostic value of circulating tumor cells in esophageal cancer.

    PubMed

    Xu, Hai-Tao; Miao, Jing; Liu, Jian-Wei; Zhang, Lian-Guo; Zhang, Qing-Guang

    2017-02-21

    To perform a meta-analysis of the related studies to assess whether circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be used as a prognostic marker of esophageal cancer. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and references in relevant studies were searched to assess the prognostic relevance of CTCs in patients with esophageal cancer. The primary outcome assessed was overall survival (OS). The meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model, with hazard ratio (HR), risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) as effect measures. Nine eligible studies were included involving a total of 911 esophageal cancer patients. Overall analyses revealed that CTCs-positivity predicted disease progression (HR = 2.77, 95%CI: 1.75-4.40, P < 0.0001) and reduced OS (HR = 2.67, 95%CI: 1.99-3.58, P < 0.00001). Further subgroup analyses demonstrated that CTCs-positive patients also had poor OS in different subsets. Moreover, CTCs-positivity was also significantly associated with TNM stage (RR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.07-2.06, P = 0.02) and T stage (RR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.13-1.84, P = 0.003) in esophageal cancer. Detection of CTCs at baseline indicates poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. However, this finding relies on data from observational studies and is potentially subject to selection bias. Prospective trials are warranted.

  19. Childhood adversity, attachment and personality styles as predictors of anxiety among elderly caregivers.

    PubMed

    Prigerson, H G; Shear, M K; Bierhals, A J; Zonarich, D L; Reynolds, C F

    1996-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which childhood adversity, attachment and personality styles influenced the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder among aged caregivers for terminally ill spouses. We also sought to determine how childhood adversity and attachment/personality styles jointly influenced the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder among aged caregivers. Data were derived from semistructured interviews with 50 spouses (aged 60 and above) of terminally ill patients. The Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse (CECA) record provided retrospective, behaviorally based information on childhood adversity. Measures of attachment and personality styles were obtained from self-report questionnaires, and the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-III-R (SCID) was used to determine diagnoses for anxiety disorders. Logistic regression models estimated the effects of childhood adversity, attachment/personality disturbances, and the interaction between the two on the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder. Results indicated that childhood adversity and paranoid, histrionic and self-defeating styles all directly increase the odds of having an anxiety disorder as an elderly spousal caregiver. In addition, childhood adversity in conjunction with borderline, antisocial and excessively dependent styles increased the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder. The results indicate the need to investigate further the interaction between childhood experiences and current attachment/personality styles in their effects on the development of anxiety disorders.

  20. Doubt and belief in physicians' ability to prognosticate during critical illness: The perspective of surrogate decision makers

    PubMed Central

    Zier, Lucas S.; Burack, Jeffrey H.; Micco, Guy; Chipman, Anne K.; Frank, James A.; Luce, John M.; White, Douglas B.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: Although discussing a prognosis is a duty of physicians caring for critically ill patients, little is known about surrogate decision-makers' beliefs about physicians' ability to prognosticate. We sought to determine: 1) surrogates' beliefs about whether physicians can accurately prognosticate for critically ill patients; and 2) how individuals use prognostic information in their role as surrogate decision-makers. Design, Setting, and Patients: Multicenter study in intensive care units of a public hospital, a tertiary care hospital, and a veterans' hospital. We conducted semistructured interviews with 50 surrogate decision-makers of critically ill patients. We analyzed the interview transcripts using grounded theory methods to inductively develop a framework to describe surrogates' beliefs about physicians' ability to prognosticate. Validation methods included triangulation by multidisciplinary analysis and member checking. Measurements and Main Results: Overall, 88% (44 of 50) of surrogates expressed doubt about physicians' ability to prognosticate for critically ill patients. Four distinct themes emerged that explained surrogates' doubts about prognostic accuracy: a belief that God could alter the course of the illness, a belief that predicting the future is inherently uncertain, prior experiences where physicians' prognostications were inaccurate, and experiences with prognostication during the patient's intensive care unit stay. Participants also identified several factors that led to belief in physicians' prognostications, such as receiving similar prognostic estimates from multiple physicians and prior experiences with accurate prognostication. Surrogates' doubts about prognostic accuracy did not prevent them from wanting prognostic information. Instead, most surrogate decision-makers view physicians' prognostications as rough estimates that are valuable in informing decisions, but are not determinative. Surrogates identified the act of prognostic