Risk factors predicting osteosarcopenia in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: A retrospective study.

There is growing interest in "osteosarcopenia" as the coexistence of osteoporosis and sarcopenia exacerbates negative outcomes. However, limited information is available regarding the risk factors of osteosarcopenia development in patients with osteoporosis. Therefore, we retrospectively reviewed 276 consecutive patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis who regularly visited Showa University Hospital. Patients were eligible for the study if they were ≥65 years of age and underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, blood sampling, and physical performance assessment. Patients were divided into the osteosarcopenia and osteoporosis alone groups according to the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. Of the 276 patients with osteoporosis, 54 patients (19.6%) had osteosarcopenia. Patients in the osteosarcopenia group had a greater risk of frailty than did those in the osteoporosis alone group (odds ratio 2.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-4.80, P = 0.028). Low body mass index seemed to be the strongest factor related to the development of osteosarcopenia, and none of the patients in the osteosarcopenia group were obese (BMI ≥27.5 kg/m2). Multiple logistic analyses revealed that patients aged 65-74 years who had comorbidities such as kidney dysfunction and high levels of HbA1c were at risk of developing osteosarcopenia. Thus, we strongly recommend the assessment of the key components of the diagnosis of osteosarcopenia in an osteoporosis clinic for patients with low body mass index. Furthermore, appropriate assessments, including comorbidities, will help in identifying patients at greater risk of developing osteosarcopenia

<i>Kras</i> Gene Analysis Using Liquid-Based Cytology Specimens Predicts Therapeutic Responses and Prognosis in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer

Background: Although several molecular analyses have shown that the Kras gene status is related to long-term survival of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the results remain controversial. Here, we examined the Kras gene status in a cohort of unresectable PDAC patients who underwent first-line therapy with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (GA) and assessed differences in chemotherapy responses and survival. Methods: Patients with a histological diagnosis of PDAC (based on EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration) from 2017 to 2019 were enrolled. Tumor genomic DNA was extracted from residual liquid-based cytology specimens and Kras mutations were assessed using the quenching probe method. The relationships between the Kras status and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed. Results: Of the 110 patients analyzed, 15 had wild-type Kras. Those with the wild-type gene showed significantly longer PFS and OS than those with mutant Kras (6.9/5.3 months (p = 0.044) vs. 19.9/11.8 months (p = 0.037), respectively). Multivariate analyses identified wild-type Kras as a significant independent factor associated with longer PFS and OS (HR = 0.53 (p = 0.045) and HR = 0.35 (p = 0.007), respectively). Conclusions: The analysis of the Kras gene status could be used to predict therapeutic responses to GA and prognosis in unresectable PDAC patients