A model of multiple tumor marker for lymph node metastasis assessment in colorectal cancer: a retrospective study

Background Assessment of colorectal cancer (CRC) lymph node metastasis (LNM) is critical to the decision of surgery, prognosis, and therapy strategy. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a multiple tumor marker nomogram for predicting LNM in CRC patients. Methods A total of 674 patients who met the inclusion criteria were collected and randomly divided into primary cohort and internal test cohort at a ratio of 7:3. An external test cohort enrolled 178 CRC patients from the West China Hospital. Clinicopathologic variables were obtained from electronic medical records. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and interquartile range analysis were carried out for variable dimensionality reduction and feature selection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to develop predictive models of LNM. The performance of the established models was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration belt, and clinical usefulness. Results Based on minimum criteria, 18 potential features were reduced to six predictors by LASSO and interquartile range in the primary cohort. The model demonstrated good discrimination and ROC curve (AUC = 0.721 in the internal test cohort, AUC = 0.758 in the external test cohort) in LNM assessment. Good calibration was shown for the probability of CRC LNM in the internal and external test cohorts. Decision curve analysis illustrated that multi-tumor markers nomogram was clinically useful. Conclusions The study proposed a reliable nomogram that could be efficiently and conveniently utilized to facilitate the assessment of individually-tailored LNM in patients with CRC, complementing imaging and biopsy tests. </jats:sec

High-sensitivity CRP: Possible link between job stress and atherosclerosis

BackgroundChronic inflammation may play an important role in linking job stress to atherosclerosis. We sought to investigate the relationship between job stress and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) among Chinese workers. MethodsA total of 731 subjects (506 men and 225 women) were analyzed. Job stress was evaluated by effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model. ResultsAmong men, after adjustment for confounders, effort, overcommitment, and ERI were significantly positively correlated with hs-CRP; and reward was significantly inversely related with hs-CRP; high level of effort, overcommitment, or ERI, respectively, significantly increased the odds of high hs-CRP with ORs of 2.0, 3.5, and 3.3 (all P&lt;0.001), compared with the corresponding low level groups. Among women, high overcommitment or ERI also increased risk of high hs-CRP with ORs of 2.8, and 4.1 (P&lt;0.05). ConclusionsHigh effort, overcommmitment, and ERI were positively associated with hs-CRP. Inflammation indicated by hs-CRP may be one of important mediators linking job stress and atherosclerosis. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:773-779, 2015. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Scholars of Peking University Third Hospital [Y78504-1]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [NNSFC 81400319]SCI(E)[email protected]

Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of 17 Hospitalized Patients with 2019 Novel Coronavirus Infections Outside Wuhan, China

SUMMARYAn increasing number of cases of novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) infected with 2019-nCoV have been identified in Wuhan and other cities in China, since December 2019. We analyzed data on the 17 confirmed cases in Dazhou to provide the epidemiologic characteristics of NCP outside Wuhan. Among them, 12 patients were still quarantined in the hospital, 5 patients were discharged NCP patients according to the national standards. Compared with non-discharged NCP patients, the discharged NCP patients had younger ages. Moreover, discharged NCP patients had higher heart rate, lymphocytes levels and monocytes levels than non-discharged NCP patients on admission to the hospital. Notably, all of 17 patients had abnormal increased C-reactive protein levels, and 16 patients had abnormal computed tomography images. This study provided some information that younger age, higher lymphocytes levels and monocytes levels at the diagnoses of 2019-nCoV may contributed to faster recovery and better therapeutic outcome.</jats:p