Covering the C-arm tube with a lead apron can be effective in reducing the cumulative radiation exposure when performing fluoroscopically guided TFESIs.

Covering the C-arm tube with a lead apron can be effective in reducing the cumulative radiation exposure when performing fluoroscopically guided TFESIs.Whether periodontitis is a risk factor for developing bipolar disorders (BD) has not been investigated. We aimed to determine whether periodontitis is associated with the subsequent development of BD and examine the risk factors for BD among patients with periodontitis.Using ambulatory and inpatient claims data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), we identified 12,337 patients who were aged at least 20 years and newly diagnosed with periodontitis between 2000 and 2004. The date of the first claim with a periodontitis diagnosis was set as the index date. For each patient with periodontitis, 4 subjects without a history of periodontitis were randomly selected from the NHIRD and frequency-matched with the patients with periodontitis according to sex, age (in 5-year bands), and index year.The periodontitis group had a mean age of 44.0 ± 13.7 years and slight predominance of men (51.3%). Compared with the subjects without periodontitis, the patients with periodontitis had higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, stroke, head injury, major depressive disorder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma (P  less then  .001). The incidence rate of BD was higher in the periodontitis group than in the non-periodontitis group (2.74 vs 1.46 per 1000 person-year), with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.82 (95% confidence interval = 1.59-2.08) after adjustment for sex, age, and comorbidities.The patients with periodontitis exhibited a significantly higher risk of developing BD. Keep the better oral hygiene to reduce periodontitis might be a preventive strategy for BD.Right colon-to-rectal anastomosis is performed in relatively rare conditions, including after subtotal colectomy or extended left hemicolectomy. One technique of tension-free anastomosis is the Deloyers procedure that includes cranio-caudal rotation of the right colon. As with other colon surgeries, the laparoscopic approach has been adapted for the Deloyers procedure. Nevertheless, due to its rare indications and technical specificity, only a small case series have been reported. Here, we report our experience with single-port laparoscopic (SPL) Deloyers procedures.Between June 2013 and March 2018, 6 patients underwent SPL Deloyers procedures. Three patients underwent SPL subtotal colectomy with ascending colon-to-rectal anastomosis for sigmoid colon cancer with chronic ischemic colitis, sigmoid colon cancer with left colon ischemia, and synchronous transverse and sigmoid colon cancer, respectively. The other 3 patients underwent SPL Hartmann reversal using the Deloyers procedure technique for 2 transverse cowel movements per day, and 1 patient regularly took loperamide at 6 months after surgery.The SPL Deloyers procedure was feasible and allowed patients to achieve good bowel movements. This operation may be considered an additional surgical option for experienced SPL surgeons in selected patients.Both total-body iron stores and inflammation influence the concentration of ferritin in the blood. Ferritin as an inflammatory marker might serve as a prognostic marker in the elderly. Therefore, we characterized the clinical circumstances and long-term outcomes of hyperferritinemia (> 1000 μg/L) in hospitalized elderly patients.A retrospective analysis of elderly (> 70 years) inpatients with ferritin levels of > 1000 μg/L in a tertiary medical center during a 3-year period. We obtained both laboratory and clinical data, assessing the potential association of high ferritin levels with long-term mortality.Overall, 242 patients (median age 79 years; median ferritin level 1436 μg/L) met the inclusion criteria and were followed for a median time of 18.6 months. Clinical outcomes were dismal for the whole cohort the diagnosis of solid malignancy occurred in 23.5% of cases while 31% had a severe infection (ranging from sepsis to septic shock). The median survival time of the whole cohort was 4.7 months only. Within the cohort, risk stratification was feasible higher ferritin levels differentiate between groups of patients who had a poor prognosis (with either septic shock or solid malignancy) and those who had a relatively favorable prognosis (patients diagnosed as suffering from sepsis without shock and patients with iatrogenic causes for hyperferritinemia).Hyperferritinemia in elderly inpatients is associated with high rates of mortality. Within this group of patients, differential ferritin levels enable further risk stratification. High ferritin levels in the elderly can differentiate the bad from the worst.

Viral hepatitis type B is caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Several studies have linked HBV infection to a higher risk of developing intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), although some give contradictory results. To investigate the association and estimated risk of ICP in patients with HBV infection, we conducted this meta-analysis to summarize all available evidence.

This study consists of 2 meta-analyses. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to July 2019. MRTX1133 inhibitor The first study included studies that reported associations between HBV infection and the risk of ICP. The second analysis included studies comparing the risk of HBV infection in ICP patients with those without ICP. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random-effect, inverse variance method.

Four studies were included in both analyses. The OR of ICP in HBV-infected pregnant women compared with non-HBV pregnant women was 1.68 (95% CI 1.43-1.97; I = 0%). The OR of HBV infection among ICP patients compared with non-ICP patients was 1.70 (95% CI 1.44-2.01; I = 0%).

Our meta-analysis demonstrates not only a higher risk of ICP among HBV-infected pregnant women but also an increased risk of HBV infection among ICP patients. These findings suggest that HBV is a high-risk factor for ICP and screening for hepatitis B in women with ICP symptoms may be beneficial.

Our meta-analysis demonstrates not only a higher risk of ICP among HBV-infected pregnant women but also an increased risk of HBV infection among ICP patients. These findings suggest that HBV is a high-risk factor for ICP and screening for hepatitis B in women with ICP symptoms may be beneficial.