In recent years, domestic and foreign scholars have carried out extensive research on the prognostic factors of gastric cancer. Among them, non-specific inflammatory markers and nutritional indicators are the most concentrated in gastric cancer. C-reactive protein, as an acute phase protein, has been widely used to diagnose acute and chronic inflammation throughout the body. Prealbumin is a sensitive indicator of nutrition with a shorter half-life, which can quickly reflect the nutritional status of the body. At present, C-reactive protein and prealbumin as sensitive indicators of inflammation and nutrition, have shown certain predictive value in terms of postoperative complications and prognosis of gastric cancer. This article reviews the use of C-reactive protein, prealbumin and their ratios in predicting postoperative complications and prognosis of gastric cancer, aiming to provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of patients after gastric cancer.
ObjectiveTo research prognostic prediction value of serum γ-glutamyltransferase-to-prealbumin ratio (GPR) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radical resection. MethodsThe clinical data of HCC patients undergoing radical resection from January 2013 to November 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The optimal critical value of GPR was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The patients were allocated into the low GPR group (GPR was the optimal critical value or less) and the high GPR group (GPR was greater than the optimal critical value). The differences of clinicopathologic characteristics were compared between the two groups. The overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier survival curve and compared by the log-rank test between the two groups. The risk factors affecting the OS and RFS of patients with HCC were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression, and the predictive value of GPR on the OS was evaluated by ROC curve. ResultsA total of 216 eligible HCC patients were gathered. The optimal critical value of GPR was 0.29, 93 cases were in the low GPR group and 123 cases were in the high GPR group. Compared with the low GPR group, the proportions of the patients with preoperative alanine aminotransferase >50 U/L, albumin <40 g/L, total bilirubin ≥34.2 μmol/L, tumor size >5 cm, multiple tumor lesions, stage Ⅲ of China liver cancer staging (CNLC), and major hepatectomy (liver segment resection was 3 or more) were higher in the high GPR group (P<0.05). The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the OS and RFS of the low GPR group were better than those of the high GPR group (χ2=14.356, P＜0.001; χ2=7.963, P=0.005). Cox regression multivariate analysis showed that the preoperative alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥400 μg/L, GPR >0.29, stage Ⅲ of CNLC, and operation time (more than 3 h) were the risk factors for OS and RFS of HCC patients (P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve of GPR alone and it in combination with risk factors (preoperative AFP and CNLC stage, respectively) and in combination with the above three indicators to predict the OS of patients with HCC were 0.636, 0.712, 0.696, and 0.737, respectively. ConclusionFrom the results of this study, GPR is associated with the postoperative survival of patients with HCC after radical resection, and GPR in combination with preoperative AFP and CNLC stage has a certain predictive value for the OS.
Objective
To measure the concentration of serum transthyretin (TTR) of patients with different stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR).
Methods
A total of 176 patients with diabetes mellitus were included in this study. There were 104 males and 72 females. The patients aged from 21 to 74 years, with the mean age of (56±11) years. The diabetes duration raged from 1 to 30 years, with the mean diabetes duration of (10±7) years. The HbA1C was 5.2%?14.1%, with the mean HbA1C of (8.6±2.0)%. According to the fundus examination, 58 patients had DR (33.0%), but the other 118 patients not (67.0%). For these DR patients, 10 patients were in stage Ⅰ (5.7%), 26 patients in stage Ⅱ (14.8%), 8 patients in stage Ⅲ (4.5%), and 14 patients in stage Ⅳ (8.0%). The concentration of serum TTR was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay kit. The differences in the concentration of serum TTR between different DR stages were compared.Bivariate analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of TTR.
Results
The concentrations of serum TTR of the patients without DR or with DR of stage Ⅰ to Ⅳ were (224.96±65.47), (383.68±102.99), (247.44±63.21), (228.2±45.89), (189.34±70.12) mg/L, respectively. The difference between different DR stages was statistically significant (F=14.690,P＜0.001).Bivariate analysis showed that the concentration of TTR was correlation to DR (r=0.179,P=0.017). There was no correlation between the concentration of TTR and diabetes duration (r=?0.027,P=0.727), hypertension (r=0.018,P=0.810), hyperlipoidemia (r=0.101,P=0.182), and the use of insulin (r=?0.032,P=0.675).
Conclusion
The concentration of serum TTR was increased in early DR patients, and gradually decreased with the progression of DR. The concentration of TTR is correlated to DR.
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical characteristics of patients with familial vitreous amyloidosis (FVA) and the efficacy of vitrectomy (PPV) and the occurrence of complications. MethodsA retrospective clinical study. From June 2009 to March 2020, 32 eyes of 18 patients from 3 FVA families who were diagnosed and treated by PPV at Department of Ophthalmology of Jiaxing TCM Hospital were included in the study. Among them, there were 12 males with 22 eyes and 6 females with 10 eyes. The average age of onset was 42.28±3.25 years; the average duration of disease was 3.75±3.93 years. All the affected eyes underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and B-mode ultrasound examination. A logarithmic visual acuity chart was used in the BCVA examination, which was converted to the logarithmic minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity when recorded. The average logMAR BCVA of the affected eye was 1.72±0.53; the intraocular pressure was less than 21 mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa). The vitreous body of the affected eye was obviously cloudy. All the affected eyes underwent standard three-channel PPV through the flat part of the ciliary body, and vitreous specimens were collected for pathological examination during the operation. Peripheral venous blood of probands from 3 families was collected, and the whole exome gene sequencing was performed. The follow-up time after surgery was ≥6 months. The patient's clinical characteristics, fundus lesions in PPV, changes in BCVA after surgery, and complications was observed. One-way analysis of variance or t test was performed for measurement data comparison; χ2 test was performed for count data comparison. ResultsThe vitreous body of the affected eye showed gray-white dense and thick flocculent changes, and the posterior capsule attached to the lens showed "foot disc-like" turbidity; later the lens was mainly cystic opacity. Pathological examination of the vitreous body showed positive staining of Congo red; under a polarized light microscope, it showed apple green dots and sheet-like birefringence. The genetic test results showed that there was a c.307G>C (p.Gly103Arg) missense mutation in the TTR gene of the proband in Family 2. Peripheral retinal hemorrhages in 4 eyes (12.5%, 4/32), retinal tears in 5 eyes (15.6%, 5/32), retinal degeneration in 4 eyes (12.5%, 4/32), retinal detachment were found in PPV 3 eyes (9.4%, 3/32). The vitreous body was filled with C3F8 and silicone oil respectively for 2, 1 eye. Six months after the operation, the logMAR BCVA of the affected eye was 0.39±0.32, which was significantly higher than that before the operation, and the difference was statistically significant (t=15.131, P=0.000). After the operation, high intraocular pressure occurred in 2 eyes (6.3%, 2/32), secondary glaucoma in 1 eye (3.1%, 1/32), retinal detachment in 2 eyes (6.3%, 2/32), neovascular glaucoma (NVG) in 2 eyes (6.3%, 2/32), cataract in 10 eyes (31.3%, 10/32). ConclusionThe vitreous body of FVA eyes are gray-white dense, thick and flocculent, attached to the posterior lens capsule, showing "foot disc-like" turbidity; PPV treatment can effectively improve the BCVA of the FVA eyes; secondary glaucoma, secondary retinal detachment, NVG can occur after surgery.
ObjectiveTo explore repressive effects of transthyretitin (TTR) on the growth of human retinal endothelial cells (hREC) under high glucose and hypoxia environment.MethodshRECs were divided into 8 groups, including normal glucose group (5.5 mmol/L glucose), hypoxia group, high glucose group (25.0 mmol/L glucose), high glucose and hypoxia group, normal glucose group+TTR, normal glucose and hypoxia group+TTR, high glucose group+TTR, high glucose and hypoxia group+TTR. Flow cytometry was used to analyze cellular apoptosis. The expression level of Akt, p-Akt, eNOS, Bcl-2 and Bax protein were measured by Western blot.ResultsHypoxia could induce apoptosis as the apoptosis rate of normal and hypoxia group was higher than normal group (χ2=25.360, P＜0.05), high glucose and hypoxia group was higher that high glucose group (χ2=17.400, P＜0.05). The cell apoptosis rate of high glucose and hypoxia group+TTR were increased significantly as compared with high glucose and hypoxia group (χ2=9.900, P＜0.05). There was no statistically significant difference on the cell apoptosis rate between normal group and high glucose group, normal group+TTR and normal group, high glucose group+TTR and high glucose group, normal and hypoxia group+TTR and normal and hypoxia group (P＞0.05). Western blot showed that the expression of Akt did not change significantly in all eight groups（F=2.450, P＞0.05). Compared to normal group, the expression of p-Akt, eNOS, Bcl-2 in normal and hypoxia group were decreased (t=9.406, 5.306, 4.819), and the expression of Bax (t=?4.503) was increased (P＜0.05). Compared to high glucose group, same trend was found in high glucose and hypoxia group (t=8.877, 7.723, 6.500, ?14.646; P＜0.05). The expression of p-Akt in normal and hypoxia group+TTR was higher than normal and hypoxia group (t=?5.024, P＜0.05) , but there was no difference on the expression of eNOS, Bcl-2, Bax between these two groups (t=?2.235, ?2.656, ?0.272; P＞0.05). Compared to high glucose and hypoxia group, the expression of p-Akt and Bcl-2 in high glucose and hypoxia group+TTR were decreased (t=4.355, 4.308; P＜0.05), the expression of Bax was increased (t=?4.311, P＜0.05), and there was no difference on the expression of eNOS between these two groups (t=?1.590, P＞0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the expression of p-Akt, eNOS, Bcl-2, Bax between high glucose group and normal group (t=?3.407, ?4.228, ?4.302, ?2.076; P＞0.05), normal group+TTR and normal group (t=?4.245, ?4.298, ?2.816, ?1.326; P＞0.05), high glucose group+TTR and high glucose group (t=4.016, ?0.784, 0.707, ?0.328; P＞0.05).ConclusionUnder high glucose and hypoxia, transthyretitin suppress the growth of hREC through Akt/Bcl-2/Bax, but not Akt/eNOS signaling pathway.
Objective To study the relation between the pathogenesis of gallstone and blood lipid and protein.Methods Then indexes of blood lipid and protein in 204 cases of gallstone patients were measured and analysed by statistical software SPSS. Results There was a significant difference between the gallstone group and control in the value of proalbumin, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein and carrier protein B (Ｐ＜0.01), the value of total protein, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol and carrier protein A1 were higher than those in the control (Ｐ＜0.05). Conclusion The indexes mentioned above may play an important role in the gallstone formation.
ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between the levels of transferrin (TRF), prealbumin (PAB) and total bile acids (TBA) in serum and the loss of the hepatic reserve function in primary liver cancer (PHC) patients and the importance of the former factors for diagnosis of PHC.
MethodsA total of 154 patients with PHC collected between March 2010 and February 2013 were included in our study. Based on the information of hepatic reserve function and the Child-Pugh classification standard, the patients were divided into Child-Pugh-A, B, and C groups with 67, 55 and 42 patients respectively. Another 58 healthy subjects were selected as the control group. Serum TRF, PAB and TBA levels were measured by automated chemiluminescence immunoassay, immune turbidimetric assay and enzymatic cycling respectively, and they were compared among the groups.
ResultsTRF level of patients in the control group and Child-Pugh-A, B, and C groups was respectively (2.574±0.214), (1.618±0.135), (0.988±0.121), and (0.314±0.107) g/L, with significant differences among the groups (P<0.05). PAB level of patients in four groups was respectively (269.32±37.29), (165.22±21.01), (123.24±31.15), and (83.66±19.74) mg/L, with significant differences among the groups (P<0.05). TBA level in the above four groups was respectively (9.16±2.48), (65.13±4.25), (133.62±8.44), and (250.73±21.59) μmol/L, and there was also significant differences among the groups. A positive correlation between serum TRF and PAB was found (r=0.927, P<0.001), and negative correlations between serum TBA level and serum TRF and between TBA and PAB were found (r=-0.454, P<0.001; r=-0.432, P<0.001, respectively).
ConclusionSerum TRF, PAB and TBA levels are closely related to the hepatic reserve function in PHC patients, and they can be used as an important indicator for PHC diagnosis.
ObjectiveTo explore the effects of transthyretin (TTR) on biological behavior of retinal microvascular epithelial cell (RMVEC).
MethodsRMVEC was cultured in medium with 0 μmol/L and 4 μmol/L TTR. The proliferation, migration and healing abilities (0, 24, 48 hours) of RMVEC with different concentrations of TTR were measured by methyl thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay, transwell assay and scarification test.
ResultsMTT assay shows that RMVEC with the concentrations of 4 μmol/L TTR [absorbance (A) value=0.17±0.02] glows faster than with the concentrations of 0 μmol/L TTR (A value=0.40±0.03), the difference was statistically significant (t=15.47, P=0.000 1). The transwell assay shows RMVEC with the concentration of 4 μmol/L TTR [(140±7) cells] migrants faster than RMVEC with the concentration of 0 μmol/L TTR [(227±14) cells], the difference was statistically significant (t=5.44, P=0.000 6). The scarification test shows that the RMVEC with the concentration of 4 μmol/L TTR [(134.4±45.4) μm] heals faster than the RMVEC with the concentration of 0 μmol/L TTR [(330.0±23.1) μm], the difference was statistically significant (t=8.25, P<0.01). The cells in 48 hours and 4 μmol/L group were healed completely, but not healed in 0 μmol/L group.
ConclusionTTR can promote the proliferation, migration and healing abilities of RMVEC.
