Sarcopenia and Post-Operative Morbidity and Mortality in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Stephen O Brien,Maria Twomey,Fiachra Moloney,Richard G. Kavanagh,Brian W. Carey,Derek Power,Michael M. Maher,Owen J. OConnor,Criostoir ÓSúilleabháin 대한위암학회 2018 Journal of gastric cancer Vol.18 No.3

Purpose: Surgical resection for gastric adenocarcinoma is associated with significant post-operative morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic significance of sarcopenia in patients undergoing resection for gastric adenocarcinoma with respect to post-operative morbidity and survival. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection for gastric adenocarcinoma between 2008 and 2014. Patient demographics, radiological parameters, and pathological data were collected. OsiriX software (Pixmeo) was used to measure skeletal muscle area, which was normalized for height to calculate skeletal muscle index. Results: A total of 56 patients (41 male, 15 female; mean age, 68.4 ± 11.9 years) met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 36% (20 of 56) of the patients were sarcopenic pre-operatively. Both sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patient groups were equally matched with the exception of weight and body mass index (P=0.036 and 0.001, respectively). Sarcopenia was associated with a decreased overall survival (log-rank P=0.003) and was an adverse prognostic predictor of overall survival in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 10.915; P=0.001). Sarcopenia was a predictor of serious in-hospital complications in multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 3.508; P=0.042). Conclusions: In patients undergoing curative resection for gastric cancer, there was a statistically significant association between sarcopenia and both decreased overall survival and serious post-operative complications. The measurement and reporting of skeletal muscle index on pre-operative computed tomography should be considered.

Sarcopenia and Post-Operative Morbidity and Mortality in Patients with Gastric Cancer

O'Brien, Stephen,Twomey, Maria,Moloney, Fiachra,Kavanagh, Richard G.,Carey, Brian W.,Power, Derek,Maher, Michael M.,O'Connor, Owen J.,O'Suilleabhain, Criostoir The Korean Gastric Cancer Association 2018 Journal of gastric cancer Vol.18 No.3

Purpose: Surgical resection for gastric adenocarcinoma is associated with significant post-operative morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic significance of sarcopenia in patients undergoing resection for gastric adenocarcinoma with respect to post-operative morbidity and survival. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection for gastric adenocarcinoma between 2008 and 2014. Patient demographics, radiological parameters, and pathological data were collected. OsiriX software (Pixmeo) was used to measure skeletal muscle area, which was normalized for height to calculate skeletal muscle index. Results: A total of 56 patients (41 male, 15 female; mean age, $68.4{\pm}11.9years$) met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 36% (20 of 56) of the patients were sarcopenic pre-operatively. Both sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patient groups were equally matched with the exception of weight and body mass index (P=0.036 and 0.001, respectively). Sarcopenia was associated with a decreased overall survival (log-rank P=0.003) and was an adverse prognostic predictor of overall survival in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 10.915; P=0.001). Sarcopenia was a predictor of serious in-hospital complications in multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 3.508; P=0.042). Conclusions: In patients undergoing curative resection for gastric cancer, there was a statistically significant association between sarcopenia and both decreased overall survival and serious post-operative complications. The measurement and reporting of skeletal muscle index on pre-operative computed tomography should be considered.

Journal clubs in Australian medical schools: prevalence, application, and educators’ opinions

Damian James Ianno,Kelly Mirowska-Allen,Stephen Anthony Kunz,Richard O’Brien 한국보건의료인국가시험원 2020 보건의료교육평가 Vol.17 No.-

Purpose: Medically-focused journal clubs have been used as an educational tool for over 100 years, with research indicating that theyimprove knowledge, reading behaviour, and critical appraisal skills. However, it is unknown how widespread they are in Australian medical schools, nor the opinions of medical education leaders as to their value. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was performed among academic leaders from every Australian medical school. Individuals were asked to complete a survey detailing their attitudes towards journal clubs using single- or multiple-answer questions, Likertscales, and ranked data. They were asked whether students at their institutions were able to partake in journal clubs, and if so, provideddetails on their implementation. Results: At least 1 response was collected from 18 of 19 Australian medical schools. The response rate was 40.8% (60 of 147), and 36responses (60.0%) were from heads of clinical schools. Respondents from 15 of 18 institutions (83.3%) stated that their institution hada journal club. Of these, 23 (65.7%) were metropolitan institutions and 12 (34.3%) were rural institutions. Eighteen (51.4%) journalclubs were clinician-led, 13 (37.1%) were run through specific hospital departments, and 23 (65.7%) occurred during clinical years. Most respondents (20 [57.1%]) stated that the primary aim of the journal club was to develop critical appraisal skills. Conclusion: Journal clubs are a highly regarded educational tool in the armoury of medical school educators, with significant heterogeneity in their structure, geographic prevalence, and intended purpose. Further studies of their efficacy in teaching evidence-based medicine is warranted.

Subspecific Status of the Korean Tiger Inferred by Ancient DNA Analysis

Mu-Yeong Lee,Jee Yun Hyun,Seo-Jin Lee,Junghwa An,Eunok Lee,Mi-Sook Min,Junpei Kimura,Shin-ichiro Kawada,Nozomi Kurihara,Shu-Jin Luo,Stephen J. O’Brien,Warren E. Johnson,Hang Lee 한국동물분류학회 2012 Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity Vol.28 No.1

The tiger population that once inhabited the Korean peninsula was initially considered a unique subspecies (Panthera tigris coreensis), distinct from the Amur tiger of the Russian Far East (P. t. altaica). However, in the following decades, the population of P. t. coreensis was classified as P. t. altaica and hence forth the two populations have been considered the same subspecies. From an ecological point of view, the classification of the Korean tiger population as P. t. altaica is a plausible conclusion. Historically, there were no major dispersal barriers between the Korean peninsula and the habitat of Amur tigers in Far Eastern Russia and northeastern China that might prevent gene flow, especially for a large carnivore with long-distance dispersal abilities. However, there has yet to be a genetic study to confirm the subspecific status of the Korean tiger. Bone samples from four tigers originally caught in the Korean peninsula were collected from two museums in Japan and the United States. Eight mitochondrial gene fragments were sequenced and compared to previously published tiger subspecies’ mtDNA sequences to assess the phylogenetic relationship of the Korean tiger. Three individuals shared an identical haplotype with the Amur tigers. One specimen grouped with Malayan tigers, perhaps due to misidentification or mislabeling of the sample. Our results support the conclusion that the Korean tiger should be classified as P. t. altaica, which has important implications for the conservation and reintroduction of Korean tigers.

Subspecific Status of the Korean Tiger Inferred by Ancient DNA Analysis

Lee, Mu-Yeong,Hyun, Jee-Yun,Lee, Seo-Jin,An, Jung-Hwa,Lee, Eun-Ok,Min, Mi-Sook,Kimura, Junpei,Kawada, Shin-Ichiro,Kurihara, Nozomi,Luo, Shu-Jin,O'Brien, Stephen J.,Johnson, Warren E.,Lee, Hang The Korean Society of Systematic Zoology 2012 Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity Vol.28 No.1

The tiger population that once inhabited the Korean peninsula was initially considered a unique subspecies (Panthera tigris coreensis), distinct from the Amur tiger of the Russian Far East (P. t. altaica). However, in the following decades, the population of P. t. coreensis was classified as P. t. altaica and hence forth the two populations have been considered the same subspecies. From an ecological point of view, the classification of the Korean tiger population as P. t. altaica is a plausible conclusion. Historically, there were no major dispersal barriers between the Korean peninsula and the habitat of Amur tigers in Far Eastern Russia and northeastern China that might prevent gene flow, especially for a large carnivore with long-distance dispersal abilities. However, there has yet to be a genetic study to confirm the subspecific status of the Korean tiger. Bone samples from four tigers originally caught in the Korean peninsula were collected from two museums in Japan and the United States. Eight mitochondrial gene fragments were sequenced and compared to previously published tiger subspecies' mtDNA sequences to assess the phylogenetic relationship of the Korean tiger. Three individuals shared an identical haplotype with the Amur tigers. One specimen grouped with Malayan tigers, perhaps due to misidentification or mislabeling of the sample. Our results support the conclusion that the Korean tiger should be classified as P. t. altaica, which has important implications for the conservation and reintroduction of Korean tigers.