Long-term and short-term prognostic value of the prognostic nutritional index in cancer: a narrative review.

Objective: To perform a narrative review of the prognostic value of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in cancers.

Background: Prognostic estimation greatly determines the treatment approach in various cancers. The PNI, calculated using the serum albumin level and total lymphocyte count, is a useful indicator to assess nutritional and immunological conditions.

The diagnostic utility of pleural markers for tuberculosis pleural effusion.

Tuberculosis pleural effusion (TPE) is common in clinical practice, and its diagnosis remains a challenge for clinicians. Ziehl-Neelsen staining, PE Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture, and biopsy are the gold standards for TPE diagnosis; however, they are time-consuming, invasive, observer-dependent, and insensitive. PE markers represent a rapid, low-cost, and non-invasive objective diagnostic tool for TPE.

Predictive accuracy of serum total calcium for both critically high and critically low ionized calcium in critical illness.

Background: The accuracy of total calcium and its corrected value for predicting critically high and critically low ionized calcium in critical illness is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the concentration of total serum calcium, either corrected for albumin or not, could predict critically high or low values in critical illness.

Methods: This report describes a retrospective study using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) III database.

UVB induces apoptosis via downregulation of CALML3-dependent JNK1/2 and ERK1/2 pathways in cataract.

The aim of the current study was to understand the mechanisms of apoptosis occurring in cultured human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) following ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation. The investigations intended to confirm the presence of apoptosis and to reveal the roles of oxidative stress, calcium (Ca2+), c‑Jun NH2‑terminal kinase (JNK)1/2, and extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 signaling pathway in these progresses. Cell apoptosis, ROS generation and intracellular Ca2+ concentration was measured by flow cytometry.

Red blood cell distribution width and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio are correlated with disease activity of dermatomyositis and polymyositis.

Background: Previous studies indicated that both red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were useful indices in assessing the disease activity of autoimmune diseases. However, the evidence for the association between RDW, NLR and dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) is limited. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the disease activity of PM/DM and both RDW and NLR.

Red blood cell distribution width and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio are associated with outcomes of adult subarachnoid haemorrhage patients admitted to intensive care unit.

Background Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been reported to be associated with outcomes of acute cerebral infarction. However, their prognostic value in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of RDW and NLR in SAH patients.

Lower mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration is associated with poorer outcomes in intensive care unit admitted patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Accumulated studies have shown that hematological parameters [e.g., red blood cell distribution width (RDW), hemoglobin, platelet count] and serum potassium level can impact the prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Prognostic value of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio for gastric cancer.

Background: Although the prognostic value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in gastric cancer (GC) patients has been investigated by many studies, the results are heterogeneous. The objective of this systematic review is to ascertain the prognostic value of NLR in GC patients.

Methods: PubMed and Embase were retrieved to identify potential studies published before 8 June, 2014.

Diagnostic accuracy of cytokeratin-19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) for bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Previous studies have evaluated the accuracy of serum and urinary measurements of cytokeratin-19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) for the diagnosis of bladder cancer; however, the results have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the overall accuracy of CYFRA 21-1 for the diagnosis of bladder cancer. We performed a search for English-language publications reporting on the detection of CYFRA21-1 levels for the diagnosis of bladder cancer through November 2, 2014, using public medical databases, including EMBASE, Web of Science, and Medline.

Red blood cell distribution width and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio are positively correlated with disease activity in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Objective: The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are increased in various inflammation related diseases, but their clinical significance in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) has not been reported. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of RDW and NLR in pSS patients.

Methods: The medical records of pSS patients who were admitted to Changhai Hospital of the Second Military Medical University between April 2012 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed.

Prognostic value of red blood cell distribution width for patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Aims: Multiple studies have investigated the prognostic role of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) for patients with heart failure (HF), but the results have been inconsistent. The aim of the present study was to estimate the impact of RDW on the prognosis of HF by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods And Results: The Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched up to November 16, 2013 to identify eligible cohort studies.

Diagnostic accuracy of anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies for primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Objectives: To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies for primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

Methods: Sixty-four pSS subjects and 108 non-pSS patients were prospectively enrolled in this study. Serum anti-alpha-fodrin IgA and IgG were detected by ELISA in a blind fashion.

Red blood cell distribution width is a potential index to assess the disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: General population-based investigations have revealed that red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is associated with inflammatory indexes such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Chronic inflammation is one of the major components of many autoimmune diseases and RDW may reflect the severity of these autoimmune diseases as well. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between RDW and disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Value of baseline platelet count for prediction of complications in primary biliary cirrhosis patients treated with ursodeoxycholic acid.

Background: Decreased platelet count has been observed in various liver diseases, but its significance in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) remains unknown. The present study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the platelet count at diagnosis for PBC-related complications in patients newly diagnosed with PBC and treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).

Methods: Ninety-six PBC patients without complications treated with UDCA immediately after diagnosis were retrospectively reviewed.

Angiogenesis and clinicopathologic characteristics in different hepatocellular carcinoma subtypes defined by EpCAM and α-fetoprotein expression status.

Recently, two hepatic lineage markers epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) were used to classify hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) into four subtypes with prognostic implication. In the present study, we further evaluated the clinicopathologic and angiogenic characteristics among these HCC subtypes. EpCAM expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry in 115 HCC primary tumors.