Increased levels of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in cerebrospinal fluid of subarachnoid hemorrhage patients

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) has been highlighted as a key amplifier of inflammatory response in various diseases. To determine the contribution of TREM-1 in the inflammatory cascade after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), concentrations of soluble TREM-1 (sTREM-1) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 30 SAH patients and 9 healthy volunteers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. It was shown that the CSF sTREM-1 levels of SAH patients increased significantly than that of the volunteers (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the levels were up-regulated dynamically over time with an early increase within 2 days and a late peak at day 6 after SAH onset. In addition, it was found that the early sTREM-1 levels (within 3 days post-SAH) were negatively correlated with Glasgow Coma Scale (r = −0.550, P = 0.022) and positively correlated with the Hunt and Hess scale (r = 0.603, P = 0.010) respectively conducted on admission, also the early sTREM-1 levels were negatively correlated with Glasgow Outcome Scale (r = −0.505, P = 0.039) and positively correlated with modified Rankin Scale (r = 0.557, P = 0.020) respectively conducted one month after SAH. Altogether, this is the first study showing CSF sTREM-1 dynamics in SAH patients, and exploring the correlations of early CSF sTREM-1 levels to patients’ severity and prognosis, which suggests that TREM-1 may play an important role in the inflammatory cascade after SAH and act as a monitoring biomarker facilitated to assess the severity and prognosis of SAH patients.     

ABO blood groups do not predict progression of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage

ABO blood groups are associated with genetically predisposed variations in von Willebrand factor (VWF) resulting in higher risks of thrombotic events in non-O blood types and bleeding complications in blood type O. The role of ABO blood groups in progression of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (TICH) is unknown. Given statistically lower VWF levels in blood type O in the general population, we hypothesized that blood type O patients have a higher risk of such progression. A retrospective review of adult trauma patients with isolated TICH admitted to a Level 1 trauma center over eight years was conducted. Patients were categorized with blood type O and non-O (types A, B, AB) delineation. The primary outcome was radiological progression of TICH during the first 24 h. Secondary outcomes included surgical intervention after follow-up computed tomography (CT), complications, days on mechanical ventilation (DMV), intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, and mortality. Of 949 patients, 432 (45.5%) had blood type O. When comparing O and non-O groups, no significant differences were found in gender, age, race, admission vital signs, Glasgow Coma Scale, coagulation profile, TICH type, or Injury Severity Score. No difference in TICH progression was found between O and non-O groups: 73 (17%) vs 80 (15%), respectively, p = 0.55. Blood type O mortality was 12 (3% vs. 23 (4%), p = 0.174). Rate of TICH surgical intervention after follow-up CT, DMV, complications, and ICU and hospital LOS did not differ. No association between ABO blood types and radiological progression of TICH was identified.     

中国女性乳腺癌发病相关危险因素：病例对照研究

目的筛查中国女性乳腺癌发病相关危险因素,为个体化评估中国女性乳腺癌发病危险性提供依据。方法在全国8个省市14家研究中心开展1∶m配对病例对照研究,采用调查问卷通过面对面交流收集乳腺癌发病相关危险因素信息。乳腺癌患者及其配对健康对照女性年龄、生活环境相匹配。应用1∶m条件Logistic回归分析乳腺癌相关危险因素在病例组和对照组间的分布特点,明确其与乳腺癌发病危险性的相关性。结果共纳入416例乳腺癌患者及1156例健康对照女性。中国女性乳腺癌发病相关危险因素包括体重指数（body mass index,BMI）≥24（OR=4.07,95%CI：2.98~5.55）,乳腺良性病变活检史（OR=1.68,95%CI：1.19~2.38）,初潮年龄≥14岁（OR=1.41,95%CI：1.07~1.87）,生存压力大（1~4级,OR=2.15,95%CI：1.26~3.66;5~9级,OR=3.48,95%CI：2.03~5.95）,绝经（OR=2.22,95%CI：1.50~3.28）（P〈0.05）,乳腺癌家族史（OR=1.72,95%CI：1.15~2.58）,肿瘤家族史（乳腺癌除外）（OR=1.55,95%CI：1.22~1.98）。口服避孕药（OR=1.59,95%CI：0.83~3.05）亦增加乳腺癌发病危险性,但差异未达到显著统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论中国女性乳腺癌发病相关危险因素包括BMI≥24、乳腺良性病变活检史、初潮年龄≥14岁、生存压力大、绝经、乳腺癌家族史及其他肿瘤家族史。本研究为个体化评估中国女性罹患乳腺癌危险性及广泛开展乳腺癌防治工作提供了依据。     

Are hospitalized Parkinson’s disease patients more likely to carry a do-not-resuscitate order?

While DNR utilization is a complex subjective phenomenon, the effect of such a decision can collectively influence attitudes of care. The role of palliative care in advanced PD has been under appreciated. We reviewed the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2012 for all hospitalizations ⩾65 years. We identified PD by using ICD-9-CM code 332.0 and DNR status with ICD code – V49.86 entered during the same admission as a secondary diagnosis. We estimated risk of mortality by the 3 M™ All Patient Refined DRG (APR DRG) classification System and generated multivariate regression models to assess associations between DNR and PD after adjusting for confounders. Finally, we tested for interaction by risk of mortality. We analyzed 12,700,000 hospitalizations with age ⩾65 years in 2012, of which 246625 (1.94%) pts had PD. Proportion of DNR utilization was higher among PD patients vs. those without, 20895 (8.47%) vs. 723090 (5.8%) (p < 0.01). In multivariable regression analysis, PD patients were associated with higher odds of DNR utilization [Adjusted Odds ratio (aOR): 1.26, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.30, p < 0.001]. Finally, the odds of DNR utilization increased significantly with APR-DRG stage [aOR: 1 vs. 1.61 (Stage 2) vs. 2.46 (Stage 3) vs. 3.61 (Stage 4); p < 0.0001]. PD patients have higher odds of DNR utilization than the general population, which worsens with increasing objective risk of mortality. This is likely correlated with perception of end of life and importance of QOL with increasing severity of overall illness.     

Epigenetic aspects of rheumatoid arthritis: contribution of non-coding RNAs

Since microRNA was discovered in the late 1990s the role of non-coding RNAs in the regulation of cellular processes has been confirmed. Intensive researches have revealed a number of subtypes of non-coding RNA. It has been proved that these molecules can influence each step of the development of cells and tissues. Moreover, researchers have found their expression change during disease development.In this article, we gathered the current results on the contribution of microRNA and long non-coding RNA in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis and their potential use in rheumatoid arthritis treatment. Although the present stage of studies on this matter is still very early, many studies have confirmed non-coding RNAs’ involvement in rheumatoid arthritis development. We showed ncRNAs changes in various tissues or cell lines of RA in humans or in animal models of RA. We tried to present possible mechanisms causing respective modifications of ncRNAs expression. There are some propositions to use some of them as markers of rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, very advanced techniques of drug preparation are proposed to influence the microRNA or lncRNA pathways to inhibit inflammation in RA patients. None of them are now at the trial stage, but some are very promising.     

胫骨高位截骨治疗膝骨性关节炎中长期疗效分析

目的 :分析胫骨高位截骨治疗膝骨性关节炎的中长期疗效。方法 :自2001年1月至2005年12月,采用胫骨高位截骨术治疗45例63膝关节内侧间室骨性关节炎患者,男10例(15膝),女35例(48膝);年龄45~64岁,平均(54.76±5.54)岁。术前常规行膝关节负重正侧位X线检查,准确测量股胫角大小,根据术前股胫角决定胫骨外侧截骨量,手术均在硬膜外麻醉下常规行胫骨高位截骨术,大部分行腓骨中段截骨,部分病例行上胫腓关节松解。术后第2天即行功能锻炼,2周开始无负重下床活动,术后8~10周开始负重。术后第2天、8~10周、半年、1年及以后每年1次拍片复查,对全部病例术前、术后3~5年、术后10~14年采用视觉模拟评分(VAS)、美国特种外科医院膝关节评分(HSS)和美国膝关节协会评分(KSS)评价膝关节疼痛、畸形、功能和运动范围。结果 :43例(61膝)进行了10年及以上的随访,全部患者手术切口Ⅰ期愈合,术后8~10周截骨处均达骨性愈合。术后10~14年HSS评分平均76.24±5.27,优27膝,良25膝,可7膝,差2膝。术前与术后3~5年、术前与术后10~14年VAS、HSS、KSS比较有差异,术后3~5年与术后10~14年各项评分无明显差异。结论:胫骨高位截骨治疗膝骨性关节炎(内侧间室关节炎)只要手术指征掌握适当,术后积极锻炼,其中长期疗效满意。