Lysyl oxidase expression is an independent marker of prognosis and a predictor of lymph node metastasis in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)

Proteins of the lysyl oxidase (LOX) family are important modulators of the extracellular matrix. However, they have an important role in the tumour development as well as in tumour progression. To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of the LOX protein in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) we performed QRT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis on two tissue microarrays (622 tissue samples in total). Significantly higher LOX expression was detected in high grade dysplastic oral mucosa as well as in OSCC when compared to normal oral mucosa (P < 0.001). High LOX expression was correlated with clinical TNM stage (P = 0.020), lymph node metastases for the entire cohort (P < 0.001), as well as in the subgroup of small primary tumours (T1/T2, P < 0.001). Moreover, high LOX expression was correlated with poor overall survival (P = 0.004) and disease specific survival (P = 0.037). In a multivariate analysis, high LOX expression was an independent prognostic factor, predicting unfavourable overall survival. In summary, LOX expression is an independent prognostic biomarker and a predictor of lymph node metastasis in OSCC. Moreover, LOX overexpression may be an early phenomenon in the pathogenesis of OSCC and thus an attractive novel target for chemopreventive and therapeutic strategies.

Nutritional risk is a clinical predictor of postoperative mortality and morbidity in surgery for colorectal cancer

This study investigated whether nutritional risk scores applied at hospital admission predict mortality and complications after colorectal cancer surgery.

Resting tremor in Parkinson disease: a negative predictor of levodopa-induced dyskinesia

It is unclear whether patients with different clinical subtypes of Parkinson disease (PD) differ in their risk of developing levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) and whether resting tremor is negatively correlated with this risk.

KPNA2 expression is an independent adverse predictor of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy

To analyze rates of expression of karyopherin alpha 2 (KPNA2) in different prostate tissues and to evaluate the prognostic properties for patients with primary prostate cancer.

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene as a major predictor of severe 5-fluorouracil toxicity

The importance of polymorphisms in the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) gene (DPYD) for the prediction of severe toxicity in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) based chemotherapy has been controversially debated. As a key enzyme in the catabolism of 5-FU, DPD is the top candidate for pharmacogenetic studies on 5-FU toxicity, since a reduced DPD activity is thought to result in an increased half-life of the drug, and thus, an increased risk of toxicity. Here, we review the current knowledge on well-known and frequently studied DPYD variants such as the c.1905+1G>A splice site variant, as well as the recent discoveries of important functional variation in the noncoding regions of DPYD. We also outline future directions that are needed to further improve the risk assessment of 5-FU toxicity, in particular with respect to metabolic profiling and in the context of different combination therapeutic regimens, in which 5-FU is used today.

Evaluation of multidimensional geriatric assessment as a predictor of mortality and cardiovascular events after transcatheter aortic valve implantation

This study evaluated Multidimensional Geriatric Assessment (MGA) as predictor of mortality and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events (MACCE) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Depressive symptoms as a predictor of alcohol relapse after residential treatment programs for alcohol use disorder

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and depressive disorders often co-occur. Findings on the effects of major depressive disorder (MDD) or depressive symptoms on posttreatment alcohol relapse are controversial. The study's aim is to examine the association of MDD and depressive symptoms with treatment outcomes after residential AUD programs. In a naturalistic-prospective, multisite study with 12 residential AUD treatment programs in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, 64 patients with AUD with MDD, 283 patients with AUD with clinically significant depressive symptoms at admission, and 81 patients with AUD with such problems at discharge were compared with patients with AUD only on alcohol use, depressive symptoms, and treatment service utilization. MDD was provisionally identified at admission and definitively defined at discharge. Whereas patients with MDD did not differ from patients with AUD only at 1-year follow-up, patients with AUD with clinically significant depressive symptoms had significantly shorter time-to-first-drink and a lower abstinence rate. These patients also had elevated AUD indices and treatment service utilization for psychiatric disorders. Our results suggest that clinically significant depressive symptoms are a substantial risk factor for relapse so that it may be important to treat them during and after residential AUD treatment programs.

The Rapid TEG α-Angle may be a sensitive predictor of transfusion in moderately injured blunt trauma patients

Background. To guide the administration of blood products, coagulation screening of trauma patients should be fast and accurate. The purpose of this study was to identify the correlation between CCT and TEG in trauma, to determine which CCT or TEG parameter is most sensitive in predicting transfusion in trauma, and to define TEG cut-off points for trauma care. Methods. A six-month, prospective observational study of 76 adult patients with suspected multiple injuries was conducted at a Level 1 trauma centre of a university hospital. Physicians blinded to TEG results made the decision to transfuse based on clinical evaluation. Results. The study results showed that conventional coagulation tests correlate moderately with Rapid TEG parameters (R: 0.44–0.61). Kaolin and Rapid TEG were more sensitive than CCTs, and the Rapid TEG α-Angle was identified as the single parameter with the greatest sensitivity (84%) and validity (77%) at a cut-off of 74.7 degrees. When the Rapid TEG α-Angle was combined with heart rate >75 bpm, or haematocrit < 41%, sensitivity (84%, 88%) and specificity (75%, 73%) were improved. Conclusion. Cutoff points for transfusion can be determined with the Rapid TEG α-Angle and can provide better sensitivity than CCTs, but a larger study population is needed to reproduce this finding.

Self-efficacy as a predictor of outcome after residential treatment programs for alcohol dependence: simply ask the patient one question!

Self-efficacy has been identified as one of the most consistent variables that predict the outcome of alcohol treatment. However, many previous studies in this field failed to control for other important predictors (e.g., dependences severity, psychiatric symptoms, and treatment goal). Our study's first goal was to evaluate the predictive value of self-efficacy when most other relevant variables were statistically controlled. The second goal was to compare the predictive values of self-efficacy assessed with the Situational Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ), and general self-efficacy assessed with a single question.

Apolipoprotein B as a long-term predictor of mortality in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a 15-year follow up

To evaluate the association of apolipoprotein B (apo B) with mortality due to all causes, to cardiac disease and to ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus.