Yu Sun

Background: After head and neck cancer surgery with free flap reconstruction, the use of glucocorticoids is often required to alleviate inflammation and edema. However, the impact of glucocorticoid on postoperative complications and cancer progression remains unclear. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 711 elderly patients who underwent head and neck cancer surgery with free flap reconstruction at Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2022. Patients were categorized based on postoperative glucocorticoid usage into a high-dose steroid group (n = 307) and a control group (n = 404). The study focused on the impact of postoperative GC use on postoperative complications and long-term oncological outcomes. Results: Multivariate analysis indicated that compared to the control group, the high-dose steroid group had a significant increase in postoperative complications, including atelectasis (OR: 3.83, 95% CI: 1.27–14.11, P = 0.025), postoperative hyperglycemia (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.14–2.08, P = 0.006), and flap complications (OR: 4.61, 95% CI: 3.31–6.47, P < 0.001). These complications often required extended hospital stays (β: 1.656, 95% CI: 1.075-2.236, P < 0.001). Additionally, the high-dose steroid group had a higher rate of unplanned readmissions within one year (OR: 5.61, 95% CI: 3.87–8.25, P < 0.001). The increased readmission rates were notably due to difficulties swallowing requiring percutaneous gastrostomy (OR: 3.62, 95% CI: 1.97–6.98, P < 0.001), recurrence (OR: 9.34, 95% CI: 5.02–19.05, P < 0.001), and metastasis (OR: 4.78, 95% CI: 2.58-9.44, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The use of high-dose postoperative glucocorticoids is associated with increased postoperative complications, higher readmission rates, and poorer oncological outcomes in patients. The results advocate for cautious use and dosage management of perioperative glucocorticoids in head and neck surgeries to optimize patient outcomes.

Background: Exposure to house dust endotoxins is known to cause diseases across various organ systems; however, their effect on mortality remains unclear. Objective: This study is aimed at investigating the association between house dust endotoxins and mortality in US adults. Methods: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2005 to 2006 were used in this study. Participants were linked to mortality data from the date of the survey through December 31, 2019. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to determine the association between house dust endotoxins and mortality. All analyses were performed in the overall population and across different sensitization statuses. Results: This cohort study included 3171 adults aged 20 years or older (weighted median age (P25–P75): 45 (32–58) years; 49.2% male). Among them, 1287 participants were sensitized to inhalant allergens. During a median follow‐up of 13.8 years, 672 deaths occurred. In participants sensitized to inhalant allergens, house dust endotoxins were significantly associated with all‐cause mortality. The hazard ratio (HR) comparing the highest and lowest tertiles of house dust endotoxin levels was 1.98 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32–2.97) for all‐cause mortality. An association was observed between endotoxin concentration and cardiovascular disease mortality when analyzed as a continuous variable (HR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.01–1.56). In nonsensitized participants, no significant association was found between house dust endotoxins and mortality. Conclusion: Exposure to house dust endotoxins was associated with all‐cause mortality in adults sensitized to inhalant allergens.

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the predictive abilities of the 5-item modified Frailty Index (5-mFI), Prognostic Nutrition Index (PNI), and their combination in older adult patients undergoing oral cancer resection and free flap reconstruction. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Secondary care involving multiple centres treating older adult patients for oral cancer. Participants This study included a total of 1197 patients aged ≥60 years who underwent oral cancer resection with free flap reconstruction between January 2014 and December 2022. The study included patients aged ≥60 years with malignant tumours who underwent selective radical surgery, such as mandibulectomy, maxillectomy, glossectomy or laryngectomy, followed by free flap reconstruction under general anaesthesia. Exclusion criteria included the presence of any inflammatory disease affecting blood test results, incomplete clinical records or missing data for any of the five items in the 5-mFI. Patients were categorised into four groups based on PNI and 5-mFI values: (1) ‘Control’ (neither frail nor malnourished), (2) ‘Frailty’ (frail only), (3) ‘Malnutrition’ (malnourished only) and (4) ‘Frailty+Malnutrition’ (both frail and malnourished). Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome was the rate of complications within 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included unplanned reoperation rates, length of postoperative hospital stay and the predictive performance of PNI, 5-mFI and their combination. Results The overall complication rate within 30 days post-surgery was 34.6%. The Frailty+Malnutrition group exhibited the highest risk of complications, longer postoperative hospital stays and increased rates of unplanned reoperation compared with the Control, Frailty and Malnutrition groups. The combined PNI and 5-mFI model significantly improved the predictive value for postoperative complications compared with either PNI or 5-mFI alone. Conclusions Older adult patients undergoing oral cancer resection with free flap reconstruction face considerable risk from frailty and malnutrition. Although both 5-mFI and PNI independently demonstrated good predictive abilities for postoperative complications, the combined model provided the best prediction. These findings could help optimise preoperative management in this high-risk population.

The acute pain induced by clinical procedures, such as venipuncture, dental operations, and dermatological treatments, as well as postoperative pain, drives the advancement of anesthetic techniques aimed at alleviating discomfort. This situation underscores the ongoing significance of effective pain management strategies within the field of anesthesia. This paper presents an integrated iontophoresis (ITP)-driven fiber-based microneedle patch (IFMP) regulated by a smartphone for controllable, long-lasting lidocaine transdermal delivery. The IFMP integrates pure cotton fiber canvas-based dissolving microneedles (MNs) with ITP into a patch, with the MNs tips and gel layers significantly increasing the drug-loading capacity, achieving a one-step drug administration strategy of “dissolution, diffusion, and ITP.” Lidocaine is released via the microchannels of MNs by passive diffusion. Additionally, an electric current initiates active ITP for lidocaine delivery, creating synergy. User-requirement-based drug release by precisely modulating electrical signals in rat pain models is described herein. A smartphone application enables precise dosage control. It offers three different delivery modes: single-dose, pulse delivery, and sustained-release, ensuring rapid onset, and long-lasting pain relief. This versatility makes the system suitable for various pain conditions. The IFMP represents a promising system for patient-controlled local analgesia treatment, enabling active and long-term local self-controlled pain management in a safe and regulated manner. Graphical Abstract The iontophoresis-driven fiber-based microneedle patch combines fiber-based dissolving microneedles with iontophoresis, facilitating controlled lidocaine release through diffusion and electrical activation for enhanced effect. Precise modulation of electrical signals allows user-requirement-based drug release in rat pain models. A smart application supports precise dosing in single-dose, pulse, or sustained-release modes, ensuring efficient and prolonged pain management.

Chronic pain is a prevalent and debilitating condition with significant impacts on individuals and society. While the role of diet in chronic pain is well-known, the relationship between special dietary choices and chronic pain remains unclear. This study investigates the causal associations between 20 dietary habits and chronic pain using a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Publicly available genome-wide association study data from the UK Biobank dataset were utilized for secondary analysis, and genetic instrumental variables strongly correlated with 20 different dietary habits were selected. Multisite chronic pain (MCP) scores were used as the primary outcome, with site-specific chronic pain (SSCP) including back pain, headache, knee pain, neck pain, and hip pain as secondary outcomes. The inverse-variance-weighted (IVW) method was the primary method used in the MR. The weighted median (WM) and Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier test (MR-PRESSO) methods were used as sensitivity analyses. This study identified causal associations between specific dietary habits and chronic pain. A high intake of cheese, cereal, dried fruits, and fresh fruits was associated with lower MCP scores. Conversely, high alcohol, salt, pork, and poultry intakes were associated with higher MCP scores. Similar associations between special dietary habits and some types of SSCP, such as back and neck pain, were also observed. The findings were consistent across different statistical methods, and sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability of the results. In conclusion, our study provides evidence of a causal relationship between various dietary habits and different types of chronic pain based on secondary analysis of the UK Biobank dataset. Adhering to an anti-inflammatory diet, including increased consumption of fruits and cereal while reducing salt and pork intake, may potentially alleviate chronic pain symptoms.

Background: Previous studies have shown that the anesthetic technique may influence long-term outcomes after cancer surgery. However, the association between the anesthetic technique and long-term oncological outcomes after oral cancer surgery remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted this study to address this gap. Methods: We reviewed the electronic medical records of patients who underwent elective oral cancer surgery between January 2014 and December 2015. The patients were grouped based on the anesthesia maintenance: either propofol or sevoflurane. Propensity score matching in a 1:1 ratio was performed to deal with the potential confounding effects of baseline characteristics. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to compare hazard ratios (HRs) and identify the risk factors for death and recurrence. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan–Meier method, and survival curves were constructed from the date of surgery to death. Results: In total, 1347 patients were eligible for analysis, with 343 and 1004 patients in the propofol and sevoflurane groups, respectively. After propensity score matching, 302 patients remained in each group. Kaplan–Meier survival curves demonstrated the 5-year overall and recurrence-free survival rates of 59.3% and 56.0% and 62.7% and 56.5% in the propofol and sevoflurane groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in overall survival or recurrence-free survival between the groups. The multivariate Cox analysis verified this conclusion with HRs of 1.10 and 1.11 for overall survival and recurrence-free survival, respectively, in the sevoflurane group. Older age, advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class III were associated with poor overall survival. Patients with advanced TNM stage and poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma had a higher recurrence risk than their counterparts. Conclusion: The overall and recurrence-free survival rates were similar between propofol-based intravenous anesthesia and sevoflurane volatile anesthesia in patients who underwent oral cancer surgery.

Background: Exposure to anesthetics during brain development may impair neurological function, however, the mechanisms underlying anesthetic neurotoxicity are unclear. Recent studies indicate that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial for regulating the functional brain development during neurogenesis. This study aimed to determine the regulatory effects and potential mechanisms of lncRNA Peg13 (Peg13) on sevoflurane exposure-related neurotoxicity against neural stem cells (NSCs). Methods: Mouse embryotic NSCs were isolated and their self-renewal and differentiation were characterized by immunofluorescence. NSCs were exposed to 4.1% sevoflurane 2 h daily for three consecutive days. The potential toxicities of sevoflurane against NSCs were evaluated by neurosphere formation, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation and flow cytometry assays. The Peg13, miR-128-3p and Sox13 expression in NSCs were quantified. The potential interactions among Peg13, miR-128-3p and Sox13 were analyzed by luciferase reporter assay. The effects of Peg13 and/or miR-128-3p over-expression on the sevoflurane-related neurotoxicity and Sox13 expression were determined in NSCs. Results: The isolated mouse embryotic NSCs displayed potent self-renewal ability and differentiated into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in vitro, which were significantly inhibited by sevoflurane exposure. Sevoflurane exposure significantly down-regulated Peg13 and Sox13, but enhanced miR-128-3p expression in NSCs. Transfection with miR-128-3p mimics, but not the control, significantly mitigated the Peg13 or Sox13-regulated luciferase expression in 293T cells. Peg13 over-expression significantly reduced the sevoflurane-related neurotoxicity and increased Sox13 expression in NSCs, which were mitigated by miR-128-3p transfection. Conclusion: Such data indicated that Peg13 mitigated the sevoflurane-related neurotoxicity by sponging miR-128-3p to preserve Sox13 expression in NSCs.

King Vision and McGrath MAC video laryngoscopes (VLs) are increasingly used. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of nasotracheal intubation in patients with predicted difficult intubations using non-channeled King Vision VL, McGrath MAC VL or Macintosh laryngoscope by experienced intubators. Ninety nine ASA I or II adult patients, scheduled for oral maxillofacial surgeries with El-Ganzouri risk index 1–7 were enrolled. Patients were randomly allocated to intubate with one of three laryngoscopes (non-channeled King Vision, McGrath MAC and Macintosh). The intubators were experienced with more than 100 successful nasotracheal intubations using each device. The primary outcome was intubation time. The secondary outcomes included first success rate, time required for viewing the glottis, Cormack-Lehane grade of glottis view, the number of assist maneuvers, hemodynamic responses, the subjective evaluating of sensations of performances and associated complications. The intubation time of King Vision and McGrath group was comparable (37.6 ± 7.3 s vs. 35.4 ± 8.8 s) and both were shorter than Macintosh group (46.8 ± 10.4 s, p < 0.001). Both King Vision and McGrath groups had a 100% first attempt success rate, significantly higher than Macintosh group (85%, p < 0.05). The laryngoscopy time was comparable between King Vision and McGrath group (16.7 ± 5.5 s vs. 15.6 ± 6.3 s) and was shorter than Macintosh group (22.8 ± 7.2 s, p < 0.05) also. Compared with Macintosh laryngoscope, Glottis view was obviously improved when exposed with either non-channeled King Vision or McGrath MAC VL (p < 0.001), and assist maneuvers required were reduced (p < 0.001). The maximum fluctuations of MAP were significantly attenuated in VL groups (47.7 ± 12.5 mmHg and 45.1 ± 10.3 mmHg vs. 54.9 ± 10.2 mmHg, p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). Most device insertions were graded as excellent in McGrath group, followed by Macintosh and King Vision group (p = 0.0014). The tube advancements were easier in VLs compared with the Macintosh laryngoscope (p < 0.001). Sore throat was found more frequent in Macintosh group compared with King Vision group (p < 0.05). Non-channeled King Vision and McGrath MAC VLs were comparable and both devices facilitated nasotracheal intubation in managing predicted difficult intubations compared with Macintosh laryngoscope. ClinicalTrials registration number NCT03126344 . Registered on April 24, 2017.

Inhalation of sevoflurane can induce neuronal apoptosis, cognitive impairment and abnormal behaviors. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can secret neurotrophic factors and cytokines to protect from oxidative stress-related neuronal apoptosis. However, whether MSCs can protect from sevoflurane-induced neuronal apoptosis and the potential mechanisms are unclear. A non-contact co-culture of MSCs with human neuroglioma H4 cells (H4 cells) was built. H4 cells were co-cultured with MSCs or without MSCs (control) for 24 h. The co-cultured H4 cells were exposed to 4% sevoflurane for 6 h. The levels of caspase-3, reactive oxygen species (ROS), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and the release of cytochrome C were determined by Western blot and fluorescence assay. Sevoflurane exposure significantly elevated the levels of cleaved caspase 3 and Bax in H4 cells. However, these phenomena were significantly offset by the co-culture with MSCs in H4 cells. Co-culture with MSCs before, but not after, sevoflurane exposure, significantly attenuated sevoflurane-induced ROS production in H4 cells. MSCs prevented sevoflurane-mediated release of cytochrome C from the mitochondria and production of ATP in H4 cells. Our study indicated that soluble factors secreted by MSCs attenuated the sevoflurane-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis of neuronal cells by preserving their mitochondrial function.