Interobserver Variability and Diagnostic Performance of Gadoxetic Acid-enhanced MRI for Predicting Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background Accurate identification of microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before treatment is critical for selecting a proper treatment strategy. Purpose To evaluate the interobserver agreement and the diagnostic performance of the MRI assessment of MVI in HCC according to the level of radiologist experience. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 100 patients with surgically confirmed HCCs smaller than 5 cm who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI between 2013 and 2016.

Outcomes of transported and in-house patients on extracorporeal life support: a propensity score-matching study.

Objectives: Patients on extracorporeal life support (ECLS), like other critically ill patients, are transported to other institutions for various reasons. However, little has been reported concerning the characteristics and clinical outcomes of transported patients compared with those of in-house patients.

Methods: A total of 281 adult patients received ECLS between January 2014 and August 2016.

Late clinical outcomes after mechanical aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis: old versus new prostheses.

Background: The study aimed to evaluate the late clinical outcomes of new-generation mechanical valves for severe aortic stenosis (AS) compared with old mechanical valves.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 254 patients with severe AS, who underwent primary mechanical aortic valve replacement from 1995 to 2013. Patients were classified into two groups: old-valve group (n=65: 33 ATS standard, 32 Medtronic-Hall) and new-valve group (n=189: 113 St.

Revascularization vs. Medical Therapy for Coronary Chronic Total Occlusions in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: We investigated whether the outcome of revascularization differed from the outcome of medical therapy in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and non-CKD patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO).

Methods and results: A total of 2,010 patients with CTO who underwent revascularization (n=1,355), including percutaneous coronary intervention (n=878) and coronary artery bypass grafting (n=477), or had medical therapy alone (n=655) were examined. The primary outcome was all-cause death during follow-up.

Classification and regression tree model for predicting tracheostomy in patients with traumatic cervical spinal cord injury.

Purpose: In patients with cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI), respiratory compromise and the need for tracheostomy are common. The purpose of this study was to identify common risk factors for tracheostomy following traumatic CSCI and develop a decision tree for tracheostomy in traumatic CSCI patients without pulmonary function test.

Methods: Data of 105 trauma patients with CSCI admitted in our institution from April, 2008 to February, 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.

Morphine Does Not Affect Myocardial Salvage in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Recent studies have proposed intravenous (IV) morphine is associated with delayed action of antiplatelet agents in acute myocardial infarction. However, it is unknown whether morphine results in increased myocardial damage in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We investigated myocardial salvage index (MSI) to determine whether IV morphine affects myocardial injury adversely in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.

Impact of Metformin Use on Lactate Kinetics in Patients with Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the impact of metformin use on lactate kinetics in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Methods: We analyzed data from a registry that included patients who presented to the emergency department and met criteria for severe sepsis or septic shock. Patients were divided into two groups based on metformin use.

Transarterial chemoembolization versus resection for intermediate-stage (BCLC B) hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background/aims: Several studies have suggested that surgical resection (SR) can provide a survival benefit over transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the intermediate stage according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system. However, the criteria for SR remain to be determined. This study compared the long-term outcome of intermediate-stage HCC patients treated by either TACE or SR as a primary treatment modality, with the aim of identifying the patient subgroup that gained a survival benefit by either modality.

Clinical and hemodynamic influences of prophylactic tricuspid annuloplasty in mechanical mitral valve replacement.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical and hemodynamic influences of prophylactic tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) in patients with less-than-moderate tricuspid regurgitation (TR) who underwent mitral valve replacement (MVR).

Methods: Between November 1994 and December 2010, 293 patients with less-than-moderate TR who underwent primary mechanical MVR were categorized into 2 groups: TAP (n = 151) or no TAP (n = 142). The median age was 51 years (quartile (Q)1-Q3, 43-59 years).

On the role of Baseline measurements for crossover designs under the self and mixed carryover effects model.

It is well known that optimal designs are strongly model dependent. In this article, we apply the Lagrange multiplier approach to the optimal design problem, using a recently proposed model for carryover effects. Generally, crossover designs are not recommended when carryover effects are present and when the primary goal is to obtain an unbiased estimate of the treatment effect.