Heparin-binding of the human chitinase-like protein YKL-40 is allosterically modified by chitin oligosaccharides.

The chitinase-like protein YKL-40 (CHI3L1) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of inflammation and cancer. Recent studies highlight the growing interest in targeting and blocking the activity of YKL-40 to treat cancer. Some of those targeting-strategies have been developed to directly block the heparin-affinity of YKL-40 with promising results.

Hybrid Hysterectomy Versus Laparoscopic and Open Approaches: A Propensity Score-Matched Comparison of Outcomes.

Study Objective: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of hybrid hysterectomy for enlarged uteri, compared to laparoscopic and open approaches.

Design: Matched case-control study.

Setting: Tertiary-care academic medical center.

Lifestyle discussions facilitate self-management in RA: a qualitative study of patients' perceptions.

Background: Healthy lifestyle habits (regular physical activity, a healthy diet, no smoking and non-hazardous alcohol consumption) alongside pharmacological treatment can lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases and improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, healthcare professionals in rheumatology care are urged to discuss lifestyle habits with all patients. The aim of this study was to explore patients' perceptions of lifestyle discussions in early rheumatology care.

Home Mechanical Ventilation and Risk of Hospitalization in Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome - The Population-based DISCOVERY Study.

Rationale: Patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) have high risk of hospitalization, which might be decreased by home mechanical ventilation (HMV).

Objectives: To evaluate annualized hospitalization rate (AHR) and change in AHR in patients with OHS starting home mechanical ventilation (HMV), and explore if there were any difference in AHR by starting HMV acutely or electively.

Methods: Population-based longitudinal study of patients with OHS starting HMV in the Swedish DISCOVERY cohort between 1996 and 2018, cross-linked with the National Patient Registry for national data on hospital admissions.

Bowel Endometriosis Excision: Approaches and Outcomes Including Hand Sewing of Discoid Excision.

Study Objective: To examine the outcomes of surgery performed for bowel endometriosis including shaving, discoid resections with hand-sewn closure, and segmental resection.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Large academic hospital.

Endometriosis and Sjögren's syndrome: Bidirectional associations in population-based 15-year retrospective cohorts.

Introduction: Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting salivary and lacrimal glands, while endometriosis involves uterine-like tissue growth outside the uterus, causing pelvic pain and infertility. Investigating their intricate relationship using real-world data is crucial due to limited research on their connection.

Material And Methods: This population-based cohort study included patients with endometriosis and controls without endometriosis.

Predictors at diagnosis for start of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis: a cohort study.

Objectives: To investigate the relation between patient characteristics at rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis and subsequent initiation of treatment with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) or targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs).

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Setting And Participants: Consecutive patients (N=330) with early RA (symptom duration <12 months) diagnosed at Skåne University Hospital, Malmö/Lund, Sweden, from 2012 to 2016, were included.

Persistent pain and its predictors after starting anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy in psoriatic arthritis: what is the role of inflammation control?

Objective: While considerable focus has been placed on pain due to inflammation in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), less is reported on pain despite inflammation control. Here, we aimed to investigate the occurrence/predictors of persistent pain, including non-inflammatory components, after starting anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy.

Method: Bionaïve PsA patients starting a first anti-TNF therapy 2004-2010 were identified (South Swedish Arthritis Treatment Group register; N = 351).

Favorable surgical and obstetrical outcomes in pre- and postconceptional laparoscopic abdominal cerclage: a large multicenter cohort study.

Background: Cervical incompetence is an important cause of extremely preterm delivery. Without specialized treatment, cervical incompetence has a 30% chance of recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy. Recently, the first randomized controlled trial showed significant superiority of abdominal cerclage compared with both high and low vaginal cerclage in preventing preterm delivery at <32 weeks of gestation and fetal loss in patients with a previous failed vaginal cerclage.

Evaluation and Management of Endometriosis in the Adolescent.

Endometriosis is a chronic condition, with debilitating symptoms affecting all ages. Dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain often begin in adolescence, affecting school, daily activities, and relationships. Despite the profound burden of endometriosis, many adolescents experience suboptimal management and significant delay in diagnosis.

Serologic immunogenicity and safety of herpes zoster subunit vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving Janus kinase inhibitors.

Objective: Patients with RA treated with Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) are at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ). The objective of this study was to investigate the serological immunogenicity and safety of the HZ subunit (HZ/su) vaccine in RA patients treated with JAKi, for which little is known.

Methods: RA patients treated with JAKi (n = 82) at the Department of Rheumatology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund and Malmö, Sweden, and healthy controls (n = 51) received two doses of the HZ/su vaccine (Shingrix).

Uterine rupture and factors associated with adverse outcomes.

Purpose: To review cases of uterine rupture and identify risk factors associated with adverse outcomes.

Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort of complete uterine ruptures diagnosed in a large hospital system in Massachusetts between 2004 and 2018. Baseline demographics, labor characteristics and outcomes of uterine rupture were collected from medical records.

Current Methods of Tissue Extraction in Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment of Uterine Fibroids.

Background And Objectives: Since the 2014 Food and Drug Administration communication regarding the use of power morcellation, gynecologists have adopted alternative tissue extraction strategies. The objective of this study is to investigate the current techniques used by gynecologic surgeons for tissue extraction following minimally invasive hysterectomy or myomectomy for fibroids.

Methods: An online survey was distributed to all AAGL members and responses were collected between March 26, 2019 and April 17, 2019.

Very Low Rates of Ureteral Injury in Laparoscopic Hysterectomy Performed by Fellowship-trained Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgeons.

Study Objective: The objective of this case series is to evaluate the rates of ureteral injury at the time of laparoscopic hysterectomy among high-volume fellowship-trained surgeons.

Design: A retrospective chart review was performed, evaluating laparoscopic hysterectomy cases between 2009 and 2019 performed exclusively by fellowship-trained surgeons.

Setting: Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS) at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital in Boston.

Laparoscopic Abdominal Cerclage.

Cervical insufficiency is a well-established cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Recommended treatment of cervical insufficiency includes a procedure in which a stitch, termed a cerclage, is placed around the cervix to keep it closed. Abdominal cerclage is the preferred approach for patients with refractory cervical insufficiency or anatomic limitations to vaginal cerclage placement.

Deep Pelvic Side Wall Anatomy: A Case of Laparoscopic Management of Vaginal Vault Fistula to the Presacral Area.

Study Objective: Video presentation showing retroperitoneal dissection and deep pelvic side wall anatomy [1-3].

Design: Case presentation with showing anatomic structures in detail.

Setting: Tertiary academic teaching hospital.

Endometriosis classification systems: an international survey to map current knowledge and uptake.

Background: In the field of endometriosis, several classification, staging and reporting systems have been developed and published, but there are no data on the uptake of these systems in clinical practice.

Objectives: The objective of the current study was to examine whether clinicians routinely use the existing endometriosis classification systems, which system do they use and what are the clinicians’ motivations?

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed to gather data on the current use of endometriosis classification systems, problems encountered and interest in a new simple surgical descriptive system for endometriosis. Of particular focus were three systems most commonly used: the Revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) classification, the Endometriosis Fertility Index (EFI), and the ENZIAN classification.

Mineralization in a Critical Size Bone-Gap in Sheep Tibia Improved by a Chitosan-Calcium Phosphate-Based Composite as Compared to Predicate Device.

Deacetylated chitin derivatives have been widely studied for tissue engineering purposes. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of an injectable product containing a 50% deacetylated chitin derivative (BoneReg-Inject™) and an existing product (chronOS Inject) serving as a predicate device. A sheep model with a critical size drill hole in the tibial plateau was used.

An international terminology for endometriosis, 2021.

Study Question: Can a set of terms and definitions be prepared on endometriosis that would be the basis for standardization in disease description, classification and research?

Summary Answer: The current paper outlines a list of 49 terms and definitions in the field of endometriosis.

What Is Known Already: Different classification systems have been developed for endometriosis, using different definitions for the disease, the different subtypes, symptoms and treatments. In addition, an International Glossary on Infertility and Fertility Care was published in 2017 by the International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ICMART) in collaboration with other organisations.