Nomogram for predicting pathologic complete response following preoperative chemoradiotherapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: In patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), accurately predicting a pathologic complete response (pCR) to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (PCRT) has the potential to enable an active surveillance strategy without esophagectomy. We aimed to establish a reliable multiparameter nomogram model that combines tumor characteristics, imaging modalities, and hematologic markers to predict pCR in patients with ESCC who underwent PCRT and esophagectomy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 457 patients with ESCC who received PCRT followed by esophagectomy between January 2005 and October 2020.

Persistent Positive Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Results in Recovered COVID-19 Hospital Patients: Implications for Interpretation.

Background Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results often remain positive in patients with COVID-19, even after their symptoms have improved. We compared the characteristics of patients with persistently positive RT-PCR test results despite improved COVID-19 symptoms to those whose RT-PCR test results turned negative following symptom improvement. Materials and methods A total of 143 adult patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized at a tertiary university hospital were enrolled.

Optimized Adaptive Radiotherapy with Individualized Plan Library for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Using Internal Target Volume Generation.

The bladder is subject to filling variation, which poses a challenge to radiotherapy (RT) delivery. We aimed to assess feasibility and clinical outcomes in patients with bladder cancer treated with adaptive RT (ART) using individualized plan libraries. We retrospectively analyzed 19 patients who underwent RT for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) in 2015-2021.

Early Supera stent fracture in the femoropopliteal artery.

The Supera peripheral stent has been designed to resist stent fracture, which can develop from the torsion and compressive forces in the femoropopliteal artery. We report on a case of Supera peripheral stent fracture in the early period after the index procedure in a patient with femoropopliteal artery disease. An individualised approach, considering the lesion location, patient's age and exercise capacity is important for the treatment of femoropopliteal artery disease.

Pre-hospital delay and emergency medical services in acute myocardial infarction.

Background/aims: Minimising total ischemic time (TIT) is important for improving clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). TIT has not shown a significant improvement due to persistent pre-hospital delay. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with pre-hospital delay.

Efficacy and safety of gemigliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled with combination treatment of metformin and sulphonylurea: a 24-week, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (TROICA study).

Aims: To assess the efficacy and safety of gemigliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, added to metformin and sulphonylurea in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Materials And Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 219 Korean patients inadequately controlled with metformin and glimepiride. Participants were randomized to gemigliptin 50 mg once daily or placebo added to metformin and glimepiride.

Resurfacing relatively large skin defects of the hand using arterialized venous flaps.

Skin flaps nourished by arterial blood entering through the venous network were applied in 12 cases of relatively large skin defects of the hand. The flaps showed remarkable oedema and multiple bullae on their surface from the second to the 14th postoperative day, but partial necrosis of the flap only developed in three cases. The free arterialized venous flap is a useful procedure for resurfacing relatively large skin defects of the hand.