幼年特发性关节炎白介素6、γ干扰素诱导蛋白10和白介素17的表达及意义

目的 研究幼年特发性关节炎(JIA)患儿外周血及关节液中白介素6(IL-6)、γ干扰素诱导蛋白10(IP-10)及白介素17(IL-17)的表达差异.方法 收集JIA患儿血清27例[其中全身型JIA (sJIA) 13例、多关节型JIA(pJIA) 14例]及关节液18例;疑诊sJIA患儿血清19例.另收集健康体检儿童血清28例作为对照.采用酶联免疫吸附法检测血清及关节液上清IL-6、IP-10及IL-17的浓度.结果 (1)血清细胞因子浓度:sJIA组血清IL-6浓度明显高于健康对照组[28.0(4.2 ～59.2)ng/L vs.12.3(2.1 ～ 13.8) ng/L,P＜0.05],但疑诊sJIA组与健康对照组相比无明显升高[11.8(7.7～39.2)ng/Lvs.12.3(2.1 ～13.8)ng/L,JP＞0.05].sJIA组血清IL-17浓度高于健康对照组[14.0(9.8～ 34.3)ng/L vs.9.8(7.9 ～ 16.2)ng/L,P＜0.05],pJIA组血清IL-17浓度与健康对照组相比无明显升高[14.2(9.9 ～ 16.9)ng/L vs.9.8(7.9 ～ 16.2)ng/L,P＞0.05].(2) sJIA及pJIA组关节液中IP-10的浓度均分别高于两组血清[619.7(160.9,873.1)ng/L vs.64.8(27.4 ～ 111.9) ng/L,P＜0.01;660.9(401.9,1349.8)ng/L vs.97.4(41.9 ～222.1)ng/L,P＜0.01].关节液中IL-17浓度仅pJIA组显著高于血清[22.9(17.1,45.8) ng/L vs.14.2(9.9 ～ 16.9)ng/L,P＜0.01].结论 (1)IL-6在sJIA发病中起重要作用,并且可能成为关节炎症早期的重要生物学标记.(2) sJIA发病机制中可能共同存在自身炎症反应和自身免疫反应.(3) IL-17在pJIA关节液局部高表达,而在外周血表达并不升高.(4)趋化因子IP-10在关节液和外周血中存在显著浓度梯度,可能是其发挥趋化作用,进而致sJIA关节损害的基础.     

CXCL13 在结节性胃炎患儿胃黏膜中的表达及意义

目的探讨超化因子CXCL13在结节性胃炎患儿胃黏膜中的表达及意义。方法选择临床诊断胃炎并行胃镜检查的216例患儿为研究对象,根据其内镜下是否存在结节性改变分为结节组和非结节组,评估研究对象胃黏膜组织病理学特点及CXCL13/CXCR5在胃黏膜中表达情况。结果结节组(n=102)与非结节组(n=114)胃黏膜中幽门螺杆菌(HP)感染率分别为70.59%和42.11%,中重度单核细胞浸润比例为74.51%和22.81%,中性粒细胞浸润比例为62.75%和33.33%,淋巴滤泡发生率为64.71%和20.18%,两组间差异均有统计学意义(P0.001)。所有HP感染者胃黏膜中均可见CXCL13、CXCR 5阳性染色。结节组胃黏膜中CXCL 13、CXCR 5阳性细胞百分比为(71.33±7.14)%和(73.54±7.92)%,高于非结节组的(45.88±5.92)%和(50.42±5.98)%,差异均有统计学意义(P0.001)。结论儿童结节性胃炎主要与HP感染有关,CXCL 13/CXCR 5在Hp感染患儿胃黏膜中表达增加,尤其在结节性胃炎中,可能参与了胃黏膜中淋巴样组织形成。     

Interleukin-8/CXCL8 forms an autocrine loop in fetal intestinal mucosa

IL-8/CXC ligand (CXCL) 8 is ingested in high concentrations by the human fetus/neonate with amniotic fluid and human milk, and is also produced constitutively by intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). We have shown that recombinant human IL-8/CXCL8 (rhIL-8/CXCL8) protects cultured IEC against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and cycloheximide-induced cytotoxicity. In view of its constitutive production, we hypothesized that IL-8/CXCL8 might play an autocrine role in fetal enterocyte maintenance. In this study, we measured IL-8/CXCL8 mRNA concentrations in fetal intestine (11-22 wk gestation), sought the presence of the protein by immunohistochemistry in fetal stomach and intestine (9-24 wk), measured IL-8/CXCL8 in neonatal gastric secretions, and studied constitutive and stimulated IL-8/CXCL8 expression in cultured IEC. We found that IL-8/CXCL8 is consistently transcribed and expressed in fetal intestinal tissue, in a developmentally regulated inverse relationship with gestational maturation. The cognate receptors for IL-8/CXCL8 are also expressed abundantly in the fetal intestine, and, therefore, we sought to determine whether the expressed IL-8/CXCL8 would complete an autocrine loop. Neutralization of IL-8/CXCL8 resulted in increased cell death in cultured IEC in the presence of TNF-alpha. This effect is specifically mediated through the CXCR2 receptors. We speculate that IL-8/CXCL8 secretion during cytotoxic stress reflects a cellular self-defense mechanism.     

Serum measurement of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine/CCL17 in children with atopic dermatitis: elevated normal levels in infancy and age-specific analysis in atopic dermatitis

Elevated blood levels of thymus and activation‐regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17 have been observed in atopic dermatitis (AD) and may serve as a new biomarker for AD. However, the normal levels, especially in children, have not been well determined. We sought to establish an efficient enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a wide range of detection that would be suitable for measurement of serum TARC/CCL17 and to determine the normal ranges of this chemokine in different age groups and its diagnostic usefulness for AD. A sensitive specific ELISA for TARC/CCL17, which we previously reported, was modified to accommodate the wide range of TARC/CCL17 values often found in sera. Twenty‐seven children with AD under 6 yr of age and 25 age‐matched normal non‐atopic controls, and 18 patients with AD and 27 controls who were 6 yr and older were enrolled. The severity of AD was evaluated using the SCORAD index. The serum levels of TARC/CCL17 were measured with the ELISA, and the serum levels of IP‐10/CXCL10 were also measured. With the novel ELISA system, the assayable range of TARC/CCL17 was 14–8000 pg/ml, and the coefficient of variation at various concentrations ranged from 2.3% to 5.0%. The serum levels of TARC/CCL17 in normal individuals were significantly higher in young children, especially in the age group of 0–1 yr. The cut‐off values of TARC/CCL17 for the diagnosis of AD were 1431 pg/ml for 0–1 yr group, 803 pg/ml for 2–5 yr group and 510 pg/ml for the 6 yr and older group, with high sensitivity and specificity of 0.83 and 0.93, 0.83 and 0.92, 0.85 and 0.96, respectively. The magnitude of the decrease in the SCORAD index after treatment with topical steroids correlated significantly with the decrease in serum TARC/CCL17. There was no difference in the serum levels of IP‐10/CXCL10 between AD and the controls. The TARC/CCL17:IP‐10/CXCL10 ratio tended to be higher in the control children aged 0–1 yr than in those aged 2–5 yr. The serum level of TARC/CCL17 reflects the severity and therapeutic response in AD. The high normal levels in infants should be taken into account when assaying TARC/CCL17.     

Hypokalemia and Hyperkalemia in Infants and Children: Pathophysiology and Treatment

Potassium is the second most abundant cation in the body. About 98% of potassium is intracellular and that is particularly in the skeletal muscle. Electrical disturbances associated with disorders of potassium homeostasis are a function of both the extracellular and intracellular potassium concentrations. Clinical disorders of potassium homeostasis occur with some regularity, especially in hospitalized patients receiving many medications. This article will review the pathophysiology of potassium homeostasis, symptoms, causes, and treatment of hypo- and hyperkalemia.     

Neuromuscular function and balance of prepubertal and pubertal blind and sighted boys

Aim : To compare the neuromuscular function and balance of blind prepuberty- and puberty-aged boys to those with normal sight. Methods : Thirty-three prepubertal (aged 9–13 y) and pubertal (aged 15–18 y) blind and sighted boys were tested for muscle mass thickness, electromyography and maximal isometric strength, dynamic explosive actions, and balance. Results : There was no difference in the muscle mass thickness, maximal strength or vertical jump between the blind and sighted boys. However, fitness-ball throwing and five-jump distances were significantly shorter in both blind groups compared to the sighted groups. One-leg stance of the prepuberty-aged sighted boys was 109 (67) s and in blind boys 32 (12) s, and in the puberty-aged boys 120 (57) s and 31 (8) s, respectively. When vision was blocked in the sighted boys, differences between the blind and sighted boys disappeared.
Conclusion : The results showed comparable performance between prepubertal and pubertal blind and sighted boys in the static physical fitness tests. However, balance and performance in dynamic multi-joint tests did not improve similarly in the blind groups compared to sighted groups, indicating that maturation, learning and experience by themselves cannot compensate for the loss of sight.     

镇痛镇静治疗的发展历史与现状

疼痛和焦虑等是ICU患者常见的不良感受.现代医学已越来越认识到提高危重患者治疗舒适性的重要性.镇痛镇静治疗日趋受到重视并不断完善,已成为ICU等多学科综合治疗的重要组成部分.该文仅就古今中外镇痛镇静治疗的发展历史、国内外ICU镇痛镇静治疗现状、儿童与成人的区别等几个方面进行介绍.     

Fetal brady- and tachyarrhythmias: new and accepted diagnostic and treatment methods

Sustained bradyarrhythmias are typically the result of symptomatic sinus bradycardia, atrial bigeminy or complete atrioventricular (AV) block. Fetal tachyarrhythmias relate to sinus tachycardia, atrial flutter and supraventricular tachycardia as the main aetiology. Ultrasound is essential to understand the underlying arrhythmia mechanism, to study the impact on cardiac function, to exclude cardiac defects or tumours, and to survey the fetal heart rate and well-being, e.g. during anti-arrhythmic treatment. Based on retrospective studies, several more or less safe, effective and well-tolerated anti-arrhythmic agents are currently available for the treatment of atrial and supraventricular tachycardia. Isolated congenital complete AV block is mainly related to maternal anti-Ro/La auto-antibodies. The rationale to treat a fetus at this irreversible stage of AV nodal damage is primarily to mitigate or prevent concomitant myocardial inflammation and to augment cardiac output. A recently published study demonstrated a significant improved outcome with transmaternal dexamethasone and β-stimulation.