0000000000931236
AUTHOR
Generoso Uomo
Neoadjuvant Chemo-Radiotherapy for Patients with Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer: A Meta-Analytical Evaluation of Prospective Studies
Context For patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, the benefit of neoadjuvant therapy remains to be defined. Objective We did a systematic search of the literature on this topic. Methods Prospective studies, where chemotherapy, irrespective of regimen, in combination with radiotherapy was given before surgery to patients with borderline resectable cancer, were analyzed by a meta-analytical method. Primary outcome was tumor response; surgical exploration rate, resection rate, therapy-induced toxicity, and survival were secondary outcomes. Data were expressed as weighted pooled proportions with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results Eleven studies with 247 participants were…
Smoking as a cofactor for causation of chronic pancreatitis: a meta-analysis.
Objectives To assess the evidence for tobacco smoking as a risk factor for the causation of chronic pancreatitis. Methods We performed a meta-analysis with random-effects models to estimate pooled relative risks (RRs) of chronic pancreatitis for current, former, and ever smokers, in comparison to never smokers. We also performed dose-response, heterogeneity, publication bias, and sensitivity analyses. Results Ten case-control studies and 2 cohort studies that evaluated, overall, 1705 patients with chronic pancreatitis satisfied the inclusion criteria. When contrasted to never smokers, the pooled risk estimates for current smokers was 2.8 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-4.2) overall and 2…
Plasma calprotectin levels in patients suffering from acute pancreatitis
Calprotectin (Cal) concentration is elevated in acute inflammatory reactions and its increase in the plasma suggests a diagnostic potential for Cal assay. This study aimed (a) to evaluate the Cal plasma levels in patients suffering from acute pancreatitis (AP) and (b) to assess whether early assay of Cal plasma levels can be helpful in assessment of the severity of AP. Forty-six consecutive patients, median age 45 years, suffering from a first attack of AP were recruited at two medical centers. Data collected on admission included age, sex, delay between pain onset and admission, and Glasgow score. A severe outcome was defined according to the Atlanta criteria. AP was defined as edematous o…