Albumin Might Attenuate Bacteria-Induced Damage on Kupffer Cells for Patients with Chronic Liver Disease

Modified geriatric nutritional risk index in patients with pancreatic cancer: a propensity score-matched analysis

Background

The modified nutritional geriatric risk index (mGNRI) was developed as a novel index and provides a more appropriate prognostic index than the original GNRI, which was reported to be a useful index for predicting prognoses for various malignancies. This study investigated the prognostic significance of the mGNRI compared with that of the GNRI in patients with pancreatic cancer and the association with psoas muscle volume (PMV) for survival outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective study included 137 patients who had undergone pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer. The enrolled patients were grouped as high mGNRI (≥ 85.3) or low mGNRI (< 85.3), and high GNRI (≥ 92) or low GNRI (< 92) for prognostic analysis based on cutoff values. A propensity-matched analysis was performed in this study.

Results

The 5-year overall survival of patients in the high mGNRI group or high GNRI group was significantly longer than those in the low mGNRI group or low GNRI group. Statistically significant differences for the 5-year OS were observed in the three groups with respect to the combination of mGNRI and PMV. Patients with low mGNRI/low PMV had a worse 5-year OS rate compared with patients with high GNRI/high PMV or those with high GNRI or high PMV, but not both. The concordance index of the mGNRI to predict the 5-year overall survival was greater than that of the GNRI or the combination of the GNRI and PMV, but lower than that of the combination of the mGNRI and PMV. Multivariate analysis revealed that the mGNRI was an independent prognostic factor for patients with pancreatic cancer (P = 0.005).

Conclusions

The mGNRI might be a more useful prognostic factor than the GNRI for patients with pancreatic cancer, and might predict prognostic outcomes more accurately when combined with PMV.

State of the Art of Innate Immunity—An Overview

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against bacterial and viral infections and sterile inflammation through the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) as well as danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) by pathogen-recognition receptors (PRRs), and produces proinflammatory and antiviral cytokines and chemokines [...]

Association between sleep duration and albumin in US adults: a cross-sectional study of NHANES 2015-2018

BACKGROUND

Albumin has multiple functions and is used in the clinical assessment of liver function, kidney function and nutritional status. However, few epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between sleep duration and albumin. Therefore, we carried out a cross-sectional study to address this issue. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between sleep duration and albumin in American adults based on the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey).

METHODS

A total of 9,973 participants aged [Formula: see text] 20 years were included in this study from NHANES 2015-2018. Weighted data were calculated according to analytical guidelines. Linear regression models and smooth curve fitting were used to assess and describe the relationship between sleep duration and albumin. The inflection point was determined by a two-step recursive method. Moreover, univariate and stratified analyses were performed.

RESULTS

There was an inverted U-shaped association between sleep duration and albumin levels. Albumin levels were highest when the sleep duration was 7.5 h. Compared to 7-8 h of sleep, short sleep duration was linked to lower albumin levels [sleep duration [Formula: see text] 5 h: β [Formula: see text]-1.00, 95% CI (-1.26, -0.74), P < 0.0001]. Compared to 7-8 h of sleep, long sleep duration was related to lower albumin levels [sleep duration [Formula: see text] 9 h: β [Formula: see text] -0.48, 95% CI (-0.68, -0.27), P < 0.0001].

CONCLUSIONS

Sleep duration had an inverted U-shaped relationship with albumin, with short or long sleep duration associated with significantly lower albumin levels.