Circulating angiotensin converting enzyme 2 and COVID-19

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has triggered a widespread outbreak since December 2019. The SARS-CoV-2 infection-related illness has been dubbed the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization. Asymptomatic and subclinical infections, a severe hyper-inflammatory state, and mortality are all examples of clinical signs. After attaching to the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, the SARS-CoV-2 virus can enter cells through membrane fusion and endocytosis. In addition to enabling viruses to cling to target cells, the connection between the spike protein (S-protein) of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 may potentially impair the functionality of ACE2. Blood pressure is controlled by ACE2, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of the active vasoconstrictor octapeptide angiotensin (Ang) II to the heptapeptide Ang-(1-7) and free L-Phe. Additionally, Ang I can be broken down by ACE2 into Ang-(1-9) and metabolized into Ang-(1-7). Numerous studies have demonstrated that circulating ACE2 (cACE2) and Ang-(1-7) have the ability to restore myocardial damage in a variety of cardiovascular diseases and have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-cardiomyocyte fibrosis actions. There have been some suggestions for raising ACE2 expression in COVID-19 patients, which might be used as a target for the creation of novel treatment therapies. With regard to this, SARS-CoV-2 is neutralized by soluble recombinant human ACE2 (hrsACE2), which binds the viral S-protein and reduces damage to a variety of organs, including the heart, kidneys, and lungs, by lowering Ang II concentrations and enhancing conversion to Ang-(1-7). This review aims to investigate how the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and cACE2 are related. Additionally, there will be discussion of a number of potential therapeutic approaches to tip the ACE/ACE-2 balance in favor of the ACE-2/Ang-(1-7) axis.     

HIV/AIDS患者结核潜伏感染的影响因素研究

背景 结核病是导致人免疫缺陷病毒/获得性免疫缺陷综合征（HIV/AIDS）患者死亡的首要原因，而HIV感染也是导致结核潜伏感染（LTBI）发展为结核病的主要危险因素。因此，对HIV/AIDS患者进行LTBI筛查和治疗是预防该类人群结核病的发生从而减少其死亡的重要举措。 目的 对宁夏回族自治区银川市市区内HIV/AIDS患者进行LTBI筛查，并分析其影响因素，识别高危人群，为HIV/AIDS患者结核病的预防性治疗提供科学依据。 方法 选取2021年3—8月于宁夏回族自治区银川市市区内定点管理单位治疗的546例HIV/AIDS患者为研究对象。通过现场问卷调查及查阅患者管理档案的方式收集HIV/AIDS患者的一般资料，其中一般人口学特征包括性别、年龄、民族、学历、婚姻状况、家庭人均年收入、职业类型、体质指数（BMI）、吸烟情况、饮酒情况等；临床资料包括慢性病患病情况、与结核病患者密切接触情况、HIV/AIDS确诊时长、抗病毒治疗时长、合并其他感染情况、近期CD4+ T淋巴细胞计数（CD4）等。通过结核菌素皮肤试验（TST）对研究对象进行LTBI筛查，根据TST结果将546例HIV/AIDS患者分为非LTBI组（TST阴性413例）和LTBI组（TST阳性133例）。比较两组患者的一般资料，采用多因素Logistic回归分析探讨HIV/AIDS患者发生LTBI的影响因素，并利用R软件建立限制性立方样条模型拟合CD4与LTBI风险之间的量效关系。 结果 银川市市区内HIV/AIDS患者的TST阳性率为24.4%。已婚〔OR=0.544，95%CI（0.321，0.922），P<0.05〕是HIV/AIDS患者发生LTBI的保护因素；吸烟〔OR=1.919，95%CI（1.213，3.037），P<0.05〕、与结核病患者有过密切接触〔OR=11.100，95%CI（2.889，42.648），P<0.05〕是HIV/AIDS患者发生LTBI的危险因素。限制性立方样条模型拟合结果显示，HIV/AIDS患者的CD4与LTBI风险呈近似"n"形的非线性关系（非线性检验χ2=29.080，P<0.001）。 结论 应重点关注HIV/AIDS患者中未婚、吸烟、与结核病患者有过密切接触人群LTBI的发生情况，并及时进行预防性治疗；对于CD4较低的患者，建议采用多种方法进行LTBI筛查。     

Role of serum and synovial procalcitonin in differentiating septic from non-septic arthritis- a prospective study

IntroductionSeptic arthritis is a serious orthopaedic emergency that must be diagnosed and managed early to prevent devastating complications. The current gold standard for diagnosing septic arthritis is synovial fluid culture, but results are delayed by 48–72 h, and the sensitivity of the test is very low. Differentiating Septic from non-septic arthritis is vital to prevent unnecessary use of antibiotics and prevent complications. Serum Procalcitonin (PCT) is a useful marker in differentiating septic from non-septic arthritis but there are very few studies that have studied the role of synovial PCT for the same.AimTo determine the role of serum and synovial PCT in differentiating acute Septic from non-septic arthritis.Materials and methodsProspective clinical study in which 60 patients presenting with acute inflammatory arthritis (<2 weeks duration) were enrolled from May 2018 to May 2020. Serum and synovial fluid samples were drawn at presentation and routine blood investigations, synovial fluid culture sensitivity, and Procalcitonin levels were measured. Patients were divided into 3 groups, with group-1 having confirmed pyogenic, group-2 having presumed pyogenic, and group-3 having non –pyogenic patients, respectively. All data was tabulated and statistically analysed using appropriate tests.ResultsMean serum PCT values in groups 1, 2 and 3 were 1.06 ± 1.11, 0.85 ± 0.74, and 0.11 ± 0.24, respectively. Patients in the Pyogenic group (group1 and group 2) had significantly higher mean serum PCT as compared to group3 (p < 0.0001). Group 1 had higher serum PCT as compared to group 2, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.58). Mean synovial PCT in group 1, 2 and 3 were 2.42 ± 1.98, 1.89 ± 1.18, and 0.22 ± 0.40, respectively. Patients in the Pyogenic group (Group1 and Group2) had significantly higher mean synovial PCT as compared to Group 3 (p < 0.0001). Group 1 had higher mean synovial PCT as compared to group 2, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.54). The area under the ROC curve of the serum levels of PCT was 0.0.895, and the area under the ROC curve of the synovial fluid levels of PCT was 0.914, which was higher than the serum PCT level.ConclusionSerum and synovial Procalcitonin may be used as a diagnostic marker in differentiating septic from inflammatory arthritis and can help in reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics and early diagnosis and management of septic arthritis, thereby preventing complications.     

信息化随访干预措施对HBV感染患者依从性影响分析

目的通过信息化随访方式干预慢性乙型病毒性肝炎患者,对比分析其对患者疾病及用药依从性影响。方法收集2014年10月至2017年10月惠州市第六人民医院门诊及住院部诊断为慢性乙型病毒性肝炎、乙肝肝硬化患者,剔除不符合纳入条件患者,共纳入符合条件患者264例,有42例合并肝硬化。对纳入患者采取分层随机抽样方法进行分组,最终微信+电话随访组87例,电话随访组88例,对照组89例。随访并对比三组在2年后肝功能、肝硬化人数及停用恩替卡韦时间等不同差异。结果随访年后三组在失访人数上差异存在统计学意义,其中A组与B组2年后两组在ALT(Z=-3.218,P=0.02)、AST(Z=-2.749,P=0.03)、Alb(Z=1.746,P=0.04)、乙肝病毒DNA(Z=-3.231,P=0.02)指标差异具有统计学意义,而TBil、FIB-4指数、APRI、γ-GT指标差异无统计学意义。A组与C组2年后对比结果显示,两组在ALT(Z=-11.089,P<0.001)、AST(Z=-9.247,P=0.01)、TBil(Z=-7.623,P=0.01)、APRI(Z=-4.834,P=0.01)、γ-GT(Z=-2.867,P=0.03)、Alb(Z=3.187,P=0.02)、乙肝病毒DNA(Z=-10.078,P<0.001)指标差异具有统计学意义,而FIB-4指数指标差异无统计学意义。B组与C组2年后两组对比结果显示,两组在ALT(Z=-1.275,P=0.04)、AST(Z=-2.045,P=0.03)、TBil(Z=-3.762,P=0.02)、APRI(Z=-1.461,P=0.04)、γ-GT(Z=-2.254,P=0.03)、乙肝病毒DNA(Z=-1.782,P=0.04)指标差异具有统计学意义,而Alb、FIB-4指数指标差异无统计学意义。随访2年后A组肝硬化人数为12人,B组为16人,C组为24人。A组与B组(χ²=0.945,P=0.408)、B组与C组肝硬化人数(χ²=2.741,P=0.103)差异无统计学意义,而A、C两组肝硬化人数差异有统计学意义(χ²=6.843,P=0.013)。在2年时间内,A组有15例患者暂停使用恩替卡韦,B组有28例,C组有61例,三组停用恩替卡韦人数差异有统计学意义(χ²=25.061,P<0.001),通过Kaplan-meier分析,结果显示A组使用恩替卡韦时间长于B组(83.0%vs 68.5%,χ²=5.754,P=0.016)及C组(83.0%vs 33.7%,χ²=61.601,P<0.001),而B组使用时间长于C组(63.5%vs 33.7%,χ²=32.451,P<0.001)。结论通过对患者强化信息化干预,可以使患者服用抗乙肝病毒药物依从性提高,降低患者肝功能异常发生及肝硬化发病率。