METHODS: This was a retrospective computerized tomography (CT) evaluation study of 880 fluoroscopic guided percutaneous pedicle screws. 440 screws were inserted in 73 European patients and 440 screws were inserted in 75 Asian patients. Screw perforations were classified into Grade 0: no violation; Grade 1: <2 mm perforation; Grade 2: 2-4 mm perforation; and Grade 3: >4 mm perforation. For anterior perforations, the pedicle perforations were classified into Grade 0: no violation, Grade 1: <4 mm perforation; Grade 2: 4-6 mm perforation; and Grade 3: >6 mm perforation.
RESULTS: The inter-rater reliability was adequate with a kappa value of 0.83. The mean age of the study group was 58.3 ± 15.6 years. The indications for surgery were tumor (70.3 %), infection (18.2 %), trauma (6.8 %), osteoporotic fracture (2.7 %) and degenerative diseases (2.0 %). The overall screw perforation rate was 9.7 %, in Europeans 9.1 % and in Asians 10.2 % (p > 0.05). Grade 1 perforation rate was 8.4 %, Grade 2 was 1.2 % and Grade 3 was 0.1 % with no difference in the grade of perforations between Europeans and Asians (p > 0.05). The perforation rate was the highest in T1 (33.3 %), followed by T6 (14.5 %) and T4 (14.0 %). Majority of perforations occurred medially (43.5 %), followed by laterally (25.9 %), and anteriorly (23.5 %). There was no statistical significant difference (p > 0.05) in the perforation rates between right-sided pedicle screws and left-sided pedicle screws (R: 10.0 %, L: 9.3 %).
CONCLUSIONS: There were no statistical significant differences in the overall perforation rates, grades of perforations, direction of perforations for implantation of percutaneous thoracic pedicle screws insertion using fluoroscopic guidance between Europeans and Asians. The safety profile for this technique was comparable to the current reported perforation rates for conventional open pedicle screw technique.
METHODS: We prospectively recruited 17 GBS patients and 17 age and gender-matched controls. Serial studies of their nerve conduction parameters and nerve ultrasound, documenting the cross-sectional areas (CSA), were performed at admission and repeated at several time points throughout disease course.
RESULTS: Serial nerve ultrasound revealed significantly enlarged CSA in median, ulnar and sural nerves within the first 3 weeks of disease onset. Longitudinal evaluation revealed an improvement in the nerve CSA with time, reaching significance in the ulnar and sural nerves after 12 weeks. There was no significant difference between the demyelinating and axonal subtypes. There was also no significant correlation found between nerve CSA and neurophysiological parameters or changes in nerve CSA and muscle strength.
CONCLUSION: In GBS, serial studies of peripheral nerve ultrasound CSA are helpful to detect a gradual improvement in the nerve size.
SIGNIFICANCE: Serial nerve ultrasound studies could serve as a useful tool in demonstrating nerve recovery in GBS.
METHODS: In the previous study, the azeotropic drying of non-carrier-added (n.c.a) 18F-Fluorine in the reactor was conducted at atmospheric pressure (0 atm) and shorter duration time. In this study, however, the azeotropic drying of non-carried-added (n.c.a) 18FFluorine was made at a high vacuum pressure (- 0.65 to - 0.85 bar) with an additional time of 30 seconds. At the end of the synthesis, the mean radiochemical yield was statistically compared between the two azeotropic drying conditions so as to observe whether the improvement made was significant to the radiochemical yield.
RESULTS: From the paired sample t-test analysis, the improvement done to the azeotropic drying of non-carrier-added (n.c.a) 18F-Fluorine was statistically significant (p < 0.05). With the improvement made, the 18F-Fluorcholine radiochemical yield was found to have increase by one fold.
CONCLUSION: Improved 18F-Fluorocholine radiochemical yields were obtained after the improvement had been done to the azeotropic drying of non-carrier-added (n.c.a) 18F-Fluorine. It was also observed that improvement made to the azeotropic drying of non-carrier-added (n.c.a) 18F-Fluorine did not affect the 18F-Fluorocholine quality control analysis.
OBJECTIVE: (i) To examine the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index (Ln[fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2]) and its relationship to in vivo insulin sensitivity in obese adolescents (OB) along the spectrum of glucose tolerance and (ii) to compare TyG index with triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein TG/HDL and 1/fasting insulin (1/IF ), other surrogates of insulin sensitivity.
PATIENTS AND DESIGN: Cross-sectional data in 225 OB with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), prediabetes (preDM), and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) who had a 3-h hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and fasting lipid measurement.
RESULTS: Insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (Rd) declined significantly across the glycemic groups from OB-NGT to OB-preDM to OB-T2DM with a corresponding increase in TyG index (8.3 ± 0.5, 8.6 ± 0.5, 8.9 ± 0.6, p