Intestinal Bacteremia After Liver Transplantation Is a Risk Factor for Recurrence of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Background: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic progressive pathological process, related to inflammatory bowel disease and subsequent bacterial translocation. Liver transplantation (LT) is the only curative therapy, but outcomes are compromised by recurrence of PSC (rPSC). The aim of the study was to investigate a potential link between intestinal bacteremia, fucosyltransferase-2 (FUT2), and rPSC after LT.

Cut-off values for low skeletal muscle mass at the level of the third cervical vertebra (C3) in patients with head and neck cancer.

Background: Low skeletal muscle mass is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with cancer. For patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), skeletal muscle mass is often assessed at the third cervical vertebra on head and neck imaging. Due to the unavailability of standardized cut-off values for low skeletal muscle mass in patients with head and cancer, there is heterogeneousness of cut-off values for low skeletal muscle mass described in literature.

Arterial calcification on preoperative computed tomography imaging as a risk factor for pharyngocutaneous fistula formation after total laryngectomy.

Background: Research in esophageal surgery showed that computed tomography (CT) assessed arterial calcification (AC) is associated with postoperative complications. We investigated the association between AC and pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) formation after laryngectomy.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing laryngectomy.

Validation of skeletal muscle mass assessment at the level of the third cervical vertebra in patients with head and neck cancer.

Background: Low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is associated with adverse outcomes. SMM is often assessed at the third lumbar vertebra (L3) on abdominal imaging. Abdominal imaging is not routinely performed in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

The association of pretreatment low skeletal muscle mass with chemotherapy dose-limiting toxicity in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing primary chemoradiotherapy with high-dose cisplatin.

Background: Low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is an adverse prognostic factor for chemotherapy dose-limiting toxicity (CDLT). In patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoing chemoradiotherapy (CRT), low SMM is a predictor for CDLT. We aimed to validate these findings.