Midterm Outcomes of Angioplasty for Pediatric Renovascular Hypertension

PurposeTo evaluate the midterm outcomes of percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) for pediatric renovascular hypertension (RVH).Materials and MethodsThe clinical data of patients who underwent PTRA for RVH in the authors’ hospital from 2012 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Postprocedural blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of the affected kidney, restenosis, and complications were closely monitored.ResultsPTRA was performed in a total of 30 children (20 boys and 10 girls), with a mean age of 7.3 years ± 0.7 (range, 40 days to 13.9 years) and a mean weight of 25.0 kg ± 2.3 (range, 3.4–53 kg). The median follow-up period was 26.5 months (range, 1 month to 7.5 years). Technical success was achieved in 26 (86.7%) of the 30 patients. Restenosis developed in 3 patients (10.0%). Only 1 patient underwent stent implantation, and the stent fractured 8 months later, requiring further intervention. There were no other complications. In terms of clinical benefit of blood pressure control after the initial PTRA procedure, 15 patients (50%) were cured and 7 patients (23.3%) showed improvement. There was no significant difference in the etiology, lesion location, and lesion length between patients with clinical benefit and failure (P = .06, P = .202, and P = .06, respectively). GFR of the affected kidney was significantly improved from 19.9 mL/min ± 11.2 to 38.1 mL/min ± 11.9 at the 6-month follow-up after PTRA (P < .001).ConclusionsThe overall results of PTRA for pediatric RVH caused by different etiologies are promising. PTRA not only provided a clinical benefit of blood pressure control in 73.3% of the patients but also significantly improved the function of the affected kidney.     

435例原发性高血压患者脉图参数与心血管危险分层的相关性分析

目的 本研究旨在探讨原发性高血压患者脉图参数与心血管危险分层的相关性，为原发性高血压患者心血管风险事件预警提供中医特色的依据。方法 采集435例原发性高血压患者的症状体征、脉象信息、生化指标等，分为低中危组、高危组、很高危组，采用单因素方差分析、秩和检验、有序logistic回归分析等方法，探讨原发性高血压患者脉图参数与心血管危险分层的相关性。结果 ①高血压低中危组→高危组→很高危组患者病程逐渐延长，两两组间比较有统计学差异；②高血压低中危组→高危组→很高危组患者的脉图参数H3/H1、H4/H1逐渐上升；高血压患者很高危组H5/H1、T1/T低于低中危组；③有序logistic回归分析结果显示，脉图参数T1、T4、T5、T为影响因素。结论 病程、血脂、肾功能是高血压患者心血管危险分层的影响因素之一。心血管危险分层等级的升高与脉图参数H3/H1、H4/H1、T5、T的升高及H5/H1、T4、T1的降低相关，说明脉图能一定程度上反映原发性高血压患者血管壁增厚、血管内壁受损、血管硬化及左心室收缩功能的减退程度。     

Cancer Stem Cells and Circulatory Tumor Cells Promote Breast Cancer Metastasis

Breast cancer (BC) is a highly metastatic, pathological cancer that significantly affects women worldwide. The mortality rate of BC is related to its heterogeneity, aggressive phenotype, and metastasis. Recent studies have highlighted that the tumor microenvironment (TME) is critical for the interplay between metastasis mediators in BC. BC stem cells, tumor-derived exosomes, circulatory tumor cells (CTCs), and signaling pathways dynamically remodel the TME and promote metastasis. This review examines the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) that facilitate metastasis. This review also discusses the role of cancer stem cells (CSCs), tumor-derived exosomes, and CTs in promoting BC metastasis. Furthermore, the review emphasizes major signaling pathways that mediate metastasis in BC. Finally, the interplay among CSCs, exosomes, and CTCs in mediating metastasis have been highlighted. Therefore, understanding the molecular cues that mediate the association of CSCs, exosomes, and CTCs in TME helps to optimize systemic therapy to target metastatic BC.     

Pulmonary alveolar capillary dysplasia in infants: A rare and deadly missed diagnosis

The pulmonary alveolocapillary dysplasia (ACD) with pulmonary vein misalignment (PVM) is a rare condition characterized by a congenital anomaly of the development of the pulmonary parenchyma. We present a case of an 8-month-old infant who died quickly from acute respiratory failure complicating an unknown ACD. We also describe its epidemiological characteristics in infants and we discuss the diagnosis's difficulties. In this case, a pulmonary arterial hypertension was decompensated by an infection. A medico-legal autopsy was performed. As for the Histological examination, it showed the features of ACD/PVM.