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miR-17-5p is abnormally expressed in various tumor types. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression level of miR-17-5p in serum of patients with lung cancer and to determine whether serum miR-17-5p expression is related to the prognosis of patients with lung cancer. RT-qPCR was used to examine expression of miRNA-17-5p in 20 pairs of lung cancer and adjacent normal tissues, and sera from 221 patients with lung cancer and 54 matched controls. The correlation of serum miR-17-5p with clinicopathological factors or prognosis of patients with lung cancer was analyzed. The expression level of miR-17-5p obviously increased in lung cancer tissues (P = 0.004). Furthermore, serum miR-17-5p expression also significantly increased in patients with lung cancer compared with healthy individuals (P = 0.03). The survival analysis showed that serum miR-17-5p expression was closely related to the survival of patients with lung cancer. Patients with high miR-17-5p expression had shorter survival times [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.767, 95 %CI 1.039-3.005, P = 0.035]. A lower expression level of serum miR-17-5p helps extend the survival of patients with lung cancer. Thus, miR-17-5p may be potential biomarker for prediction the prognosis in patients with lung cancer.

BackgroundObesity is considered to be related to recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF), left atrial thrombus formation, and atrial remodeling. However, whether obesity is an independent risk factor for stroke and other thromboembolic events is still controversial.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effects of body mass index (BMI) on the risks of stroke, thromboembolism, and mortality in AF patients.MethodsPatients who were diagnosed with nonvalvular AF were included in this observational, retrospective study. The study population was stratified by BMI at baseline. The Cox proportional hazard model was adopted to calculate adjusted hazard ratios of risk factors for adverse clinical events (stroke, thromboembolism, and mortality).ResultsA total of 1286 AF patients (males, 78.30%; mean age, 74.50 years; 94.48% paroxysmal AF) were followed up for a median of 2.1 years (IQR: 1.5–2.9 years). Overall, 159 patients died. A total of 84 strokes and 35 thromboembolic events occurred. Multivariate analysis showed that overweight (25.0≤BMI<30.0 kg/m2) and age ≥75 years were independent risk factors for ischemic stroke (both P<0.01). Obesity (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2), age ≥75 years, persistent/permanent AF, and prior thromboembolism were independent risk factors for thromboembolism (all P<0.05). Underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2), age ≥75 years, prior ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack, renal dysfunction, and heart failure were independent risk factors for all-cause deaths (all P<0.05).ConclusionsOverweight or obesity may be a risk factor of ischemic stroke and thromboembolism in AF patients. Excessive low weight is significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality.

Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effects of metformin and clomiphene in combination with lifestyle adjustment on infertility in women with obese polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).Methods:A total of 101 infertile women with obese PCOS admitted to our hospital from July 2013 to July 2015 were randomly divided into an observation group (n=51) and a control group (n=50). The control group was treated with metformin plus clomiphene, based on which the observation group was also subjected to lifestyle adjustment. The body weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were measured before and after treatment. The changes of reproductive hormones, ovaries and endometrium were detected, and the rates of menstrual recovery, ovulation and pregnancy were observed.Results:The body weight and BMI of the observation group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment and of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in WHR between the two groups. In the observation group, there were significant differences in LH, T, LH/FSH, FINS and TG levels before and after treatment and from those of the control group after treatment (P<0.05). Both the left and right ovarian volumes of the observation group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment and of the control group after treatment (P<0.05). The menstrual recovery, ovulation and pregnancy rates of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion:Lifestyle adjustment combined with metformin and clomiphene can improve the reproductive endocrine and lipid metabolism of obese PCOS patients, decrease the volumes of left and right ovaries, and increase the menstrual recovery, ovulation and pregnancy rates.