Calciphylaxis – a topical overview

'Calciphylaxis', a calcification syndrome associated with ischaemic cutaneous necrosis, is acquired naturally in humans in disease states. It is a life and limb-threatening complication, usually observed in patients with renal disease and secondary hyperparathyroidism, but known to occur in the absence of renal or parathyroid disease. The reported mortality rate, which ranges from 60-80%, relates to wound infection, sepsis and organ failure. It is a small-vessel vasculopathy, which is estimated to occur in about 4% of haemodialysis patients. Clinically, violaceous, reticulate areas of cutaneous necrosis and eschar may be evident, particularly in the extremities. In addition to the clinical picture, a raised calcium phosphorous product, an elevated parathyroid hormone level, radiographic evidence of vessel and soft-tissue calcification and the finding of mural calcification affecting small arteries and arterioles on histopathology help to confirm the diagnosis of this entity which generally has a poor prognosis. A high index of suspicion and an active multidisciplinary management approach, with rigorous attention to wound care and prevention of sepsis, are vital in the management of these patients. In this overview, we discuss the pathophysiology, clinical features and associations, risk factors, diagnosis and management issues relating to calciphylaxis.     

CYP3A5 and ABCB1 Polymorphisms and Tacrolimus Pharmacokinetics in Renal Transplant Candidates: Guidelines from an Experimental Study

Genetic polymorphisms in biotransformation enzyme CYP3A5 (6986G > A, CYP3A5*3; 14690A > G, CYP3A5*6) and drug transporter ABCB1 (1236C > T; 2677G > T/A; 3435C > T) are known to influence tacrolimus (Tac) dose requirements and trough blood levels in stable transplant patients. In a group of 19 volunteers selected with relevant genotypes among a list of 221 adult renal transplant candidates, we evaluated whether consideration of CYP3A5 and ABCB1 genetic polymorphisms could explain the interindividual variability in Tac pharmacokinetics after the first administration of a standard dose (0.1 mg/kg body weight twice a day). Lower area under the time versus blood concentration curves (AUC) or lower trough concentrations were observed among CYP3A5 expressors (n = 9) than among nonexpressors (n = 10) using two different analytical methods for Tac determination (liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and immunoassay). The median AUC(0-infinity) was 2.6- and 2.1-fold higher in nonexpressors for LC-MS/MS and immunologic methods, respectively. No difference was observed in Tac pharmacokinetic parameters in relation to ABCB1 polymorphisms. In conclusion, our study confirms the very significant effect of CYP3A5 polymorphism early after the first administration of Tac. It also provides a strong argument for a doubling of the loading dose in patients early identified a priori on the transplantation list as possessing at least one CYP3A5*1 allele.     

Interferon-induced depressive illness in hep C patients responds to SSRI antidepressant treatments

This paper examines the role of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the treatment of hepatitis-C virus (HCV) patients who have developed interferon-α induced depression. A 2-year data analysis of HCV psychiatric liaison clinic has been undertaken. The diagnosis, treatment, and progress of those patients who were treated with interferon-α (INF-α) are reported. 53 of the 78 patients enrolled at the HCV Clinic and treated with INF-α were referred for psychiatric consultation. Six patients developed major depressive illness following INF therapy. They were all treated with SSRIs and they made full recovery. This is a significant observation and is concordant with other studies. Its biochemical ramifications are presented. It is concluded that INF-induced depression is fully reversible. A hypothesis is proposed that SSRIs modulate the neuro-protective neurotoxic ratio by possibly inhibiting the indole-2,3-dioxygenase induction of the kynurenine pathway.     

帕金森病患者运动皮质兴奋性的经颅磁刺激研究

目的:本研究拟应用低频重复性经颅磁刺激(rTMS)分别刺激帕金森病(PD)患者M1手代表区(M1Hand)及运动前区(PMC),探讨不同干预手段对运动皮质兴奋性的影响,以及M1与PMC间的联系。方法:对18名确诊PD患者先后进行4种不同干预,即口服美多芭、低频rTMS刺激M1Hand(0.5Hz,100%静息阈值,共1600次脉冲)、低频rTMS刺激PMC(0.5Hz,100%静息阈值,共1600次脉冲)以及假刺激。于每次干预前后各进行临床评价并测定运动诱发电位(MEP)相关指标。结果:①口服美多芭后UPDRSⅢ(P=0.001)以及其中有关僵直(P=0.001)、运动迟缓(P<0.001)的评分均较服药前显著改善。三种不同磁刺激干预产生结果不同,M1Hand组UPDRSⅢ减低(P=0.015),僵直(P=0.010)、运动迟缓(P=0.004)亦有所改善;PMC组UPDRSⅢ较干预前减低(P=0.046),僵直评分亦减低,但无显著性意义(P=0.163);②口服美多芭1h后MEP120减低(P=0.002),CSP延长(P=0.006);M1Hand组MEP120无著变,而CSP延长(P=0.015);PMC组MEP120减低(P=0.004),而CSP无著变;假刺激组则均无显著性改变。结论:低频rTMS对不同脑区产生的效应不同:刺激M1可使CSP延长;而刺激PMC可使MEP波幅减低。     

中央腺体内前列腺癌3D 1 H-MRSI的初步研究

目的 应用3D氢质子磁共振波谱成像（3D ^1H-MRSI）研究中央腺体（CG）前列腺癌（PC）的代谢特点，并初步探讨3D ^1H-MRSI对CG内PC的鉴别诊断价值。资料与方法 分析18例良性前列腺增生（BPH）和16例PC的3D ^1H-MRSI表现，16例PC中2例源于CG，14例肿块较大同时累及外周带和CG。测量CG内PC及BPH的CG体素（Cho＋Cre）／Cit比值及Cho／Cre比值，并分别对PC与BPH体素的两组代谢物比值进行比较。结果 CG内PC波谱主要表现为Cit峰明显下降甚至消失，Cho峰显著升高，两者波峰可呈现倒置。CG的腺体增生组织主要表现为Cit峰高耸，Cho峰次之，Cre峰最低，基质增生者Cit、Cho峰均降低；CG内PC体素（Cho＋Cre）／Cit比值显著高于BPH的CG（P〈0．001），但两组体素存在部分重叠（29／133，21．8％）。CG内PC体素的Cho／Cre比值明显高于BPH的CG（P〈0．001），但两组之间重叠较多（105／133，78．9％）。结论 CG内PC的诊断存在一定困难，其（Cho＋Cre）／Cit明显高于BPH的CG，但与BPH有部分重叠，综合Cit峰降低、Cho峰升高、Cho／Cre增大有助于CG内PC的检出。     

Th免疫反应在以壳聚糖为佐剂的幽门螺杆菌疫苗免疫保护中的作用

目的：探讨以壳聚糖为佐剂的脚疫苗的免疫保护作用及其机理。方法：BALB／c小鼠随机分为7组：空白对照组、壳聚糖酸溶液组、壳聚糖颗粒组、却抗原组、脚抗原＋壳聚糖酸溶液组、却抗原＋壳聚糖颗粒组和脚抗原＋CT组，各组于第0、7、14和21天灌胃各免疫1次，末次免疫后4周给予SS1Hp菌攻击，隔日1次，共2次。在攻击前后分批处死小鼠，取胃黏膜检测坳和Th1、Th2细胞因子含量，同时检测血清中抗Hp IgG2a和IgG1含量。结果：①以壳聚糖为佐剂的坳疫苗的免疫保护率达60％，与以CT为佐剂的印疫苗的免疫保护率（58．33％）相似，显著高于单纯脚抗原组及其他不含Hp抗原组（P〈0．001～0．05）。②却攻击后胃黏膜内IFN-γ、IL-2和IL-12含量在含佐剂组显著高于无抗原和无佐剂组（P〈0．001～0．05）；③坳攻击后胃黏膜内IL-4含量在以壳聚糖颗粒为佐剂组显著高于以CT为佐剂组（P〈0．05），以壳聚糖溶液为佐剂组显著高于对照组、无佐剂组及佐剂中含CT组（P〈0．001～0．05）。结论：以壳聚糖为佐剂的坳疫苗对脚感染具有免疫保护作用，同时可促进Th1和Th2的混合免疫反应。     

宫颈上皮内瘤变108例临床分析

目的通过总结108例宫颈上皮内瘤变（CIN）的临床与预后，探讨分析CIN的诊断与治疗。方法归纳总结共108例各级CIN的临床特点及治疗方法，术前肉眼多点活检及阴道镜下活检与术后病理诊断的符合率，分析其预后。结果所有病人均有性生活史。除45／108（417％）无症状外，63／108（58．3％）有分泌物增多，或同房出血或阴道不规则流血。术前阴道镜下活检与术后病理诊断的符合率高于肉眼多．最活检符合率，但统计学差异无显著性，（P〉0．05）。根据病人要求、CIN级别及病变部位、范围采取不同的手术方式，其中14例随访超过5a，全部病人无1例复发，3、5a存活率均为100％。结论临床上对有性生活史的生育年龄妇女要警惕CIN，肉眼多点活检或阴道镜下活检可作为确诊手段，对不同的病人，依据病灶的性质，采用不同的手术方式，可避免复发，获100％的治愈率。     

HD-91-2型肝病治疗仪治疗脂肪肝24例临床观察

[目的]探讨脂肪肝有效治疗方法。[方法]采用HD-91-2型肝病治疗仪、中药穴位透入、推按运经治疗脂肪肝24例。[结果]总有效率为91.67%。[结论]HD-91-2型肝病治疗仪作为一非药物治疗脂肪肝又一途径,是值得临床推广。     

脑囊虫病患者血清和脑脊液IL-6和SIL-2R的水平及其与癫痫发作的关系

目的测定脑囊虫病患者血清和脑脊液IL-6和SIL-2R水平,并探讨其与癫痫发作的关系。方法应用双抗体夹心ELISA法测定45例脑囊虫病患者和43例对照组患者血清和脑脊液IL-6利SIL-2R的水平,其中脑囊虫病组又分为癫痫组(23例)和非癫痫组(22例),分别进行了比较分析。结果脑囊虫病组血清SIL-2R水平明显高于对照组(P<0.05);而IL-6水平与对照组比较无显著性差异(P>0.05)。脑囊虫病组脑脊液SIL-2R和IL-6水平均较对照组低(P<0.01,P<0.05);脑囊虫病组血清SIL-2R和IL-6水平与脑脊液SIL-2R和IL-6水平均呈正相关(r=0.322,P<0.05;r=0.768,P<0.01)。脑囊虫病癫痫组血清SIL-2R和IL-6水平与非癫痫组比较均无显著性差异(P>0.05);而脑脊液SIL-2R和IL-6水平癫痫组明显高于非癫痫组(P<0.01)。结论脑囊虫病患者外周血和中枢神经系统存在免疫激活,且SIL-2R和IL-6可能参与了癫痫发生过程。