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Background-Although ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation is a widely used therapy for patients with VT, the ideal end points for this procedure are not well defined. We performed a meta-analysis of the published literature to assess the predictive value of noninducibility of postinfarction VT for long-term outcomes after VT ablation. Methods and Results-We performed a systematic review of MEDLINE (1950MEDLINE ( -2013, EMBASE (1988EMBASE ( -2013, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Fourth Quarter, 2012), and reports presented at scientific meetings (1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013). Randomized controlled trials, case-control, and cohort studies of VT ablation were included. Outcomes reported in eligible studies were freedom from VT/ventricular fibrillation and all-cause mortality. Of the 3895 studies evaluated, we identified 8 cohort studies enrolling 928 patients for the meta-analysis. Noninducibility after VT ablation was associated with a significant increase in arrhythmia-free survival compared with partial success (odds ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.84; P=0.009) or failed ablation procedure (odds ratio, 0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-0.18; P<0.001). There was also a significant reduction in all-cause mortality if patients were noninducible after VT ablation compared with patients with partial success (odds ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.36-0.98; P=0.04) or failed ablation (odds ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.99; P=0.049). Web-based search engine OVID with explode option for each subject term and the option AND for combining keywords. The MEDLINE was searched from January 1950 to May 2013. The MeSH terms included VT and ablation. We also used a previously developed MEDLINE search strategy to retrieve the strongest scientific studies of treatment by conducting a sensitive search. 11 The EMBASE database was searched from January 1988 to 2013 with keywords including VT and catheter ablation. The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register was searched with a similar approach. All searches were performed in May 2013. We conducted additional searches using 11 author names frequently cited in narrative reviews of VT ablation, as well as modified versions of the Cochrane Optimal Search Strategy. 12 The bibliographies of 10 most recent narrative review articles were also hand-searched. To reduce bias, we restricted our searches to articles reported in English language. 13 Because the meta-analysis was an analysis of prior published studies, an institutional review board approval is not applicable. Conclusions-Noninducibility Study SelectionRandomized controlled trials, case-control, or cohort studies evaluating ablation for treatment of VT were eligible. Case-control and cohort studies were defined according to the STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology) statement. The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses...

BackgroundThe current study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) combined with interleukin (IL)-6 on admission day and the 28-day mortality of septic patients.Material and MethodsWe conducted an observational retrospective study. Patients with presumed sepsis were included. We observed the correlation of studied biomarkers (NLR, IL-6, PCT, and CRP) and the severity scores (APACHE II and SOFA scores) by plotting scatter plots. The relationships of the studied biomarkers and 28-day mortality were evaluated by using Cox regression model, receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and reclassification analysis.ResultsA total of 264 patients diagnosed with sepsis were enrolled. It was revealed that IL-6 had the strongest correlation with both APACHE II and SOFA scores, followed by the NLR and PCT, and there was no obvious correlation between CRP and the illness severity. NLR and IL-6 were independent predictors of the 28-day mortality in septic patients in the Cox regression model [NLR, odds ratio 1.281 (95% CI 1.159–1.414), P &lt; 0.001; IL-6, odds ratio 1.017 (95% CI 1.005–1.028), P=0.004]. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of NLR, IL-6 and NLR plus IL-6 (NLR_IL-6) was 0.776, 0.849, and 0.904, respectively.ConclusionOur study showed that the levels of NLR and IL-6 were significantly higher in the deceased patients with sepsis. NLR and IL-6 appeared to be independent predictors of 28-day mortality in septic patients. Moreover, NLR combined with IL-6 could dramatically enhance the prediction value of 28-day mortality.

Atrophic non-union is a serious complication of fractures. The underlying biological mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis are not yet completely understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are a type of endogenous small non-coding RNA, which participate in various physiological and pathophysiological processes. In this study, differentially expressed miRNAs were screened in patients with atrophic nonunion. In total, 4 miRNAs (miR-149*, miR-221, miR-628-3p and miR-654-5p) were upregulated and 7 miRNAs (let-7b*, miR-220b, miR-513a-3p, miR-551a, miR-576-5p, miR-1236 and kshv-miR-K12-6-5p) were downregulated at the fracture sites in patients with atrophic non-union. Among the upregulated miRNAs, miR-628-3p and miR-654-5p expression was found to be persistently decreased during osteoblast differentiation, indicating their possible inhibitory effect on osteogenesis. Gain-of-function experiment demonstrated that miR-628-3p, but not miR-654-5p, attenuated osteoblast differentiation. Further, in silico analysis revealed that runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), the master transcript factor for osteoblast differentiation, was the target of miR-628-3p, which had two binding site-condense regions in the 3′ untranslated region. The exact binding site of miR-628-3p was further identified with luciferase reporter assay. In addition, the overexpression of miR-628-3p appeared to be associated with the suppression of RUNX2 expression at both the mRNA and protein level, suggesting that miR-628-3p inhibits osteoblast differentiation via RUNX2. On the whole, the findings of this study provide evidence of the upregulation of miR-628-3p in patients with atrophic non-union and that miR-628-3p may exert an inhibitory effect on osteogenesis via the suppression of its target gene, RUNX2. The study provides valuable insight into the pathogenesis of atrophic non-union and suggests new potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of this disorder.