Risk factors for perioperative major cardiac events in Chinese elderly patients with coronary heart disease undergoing noncardiac surgery

Background Few studies have investigated perioperative major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in elderly Chinese patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) undergoing noncardiac surgery.This study examin...     

Sevoflurane Versus Propofol for Myocardial Protection in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery： a Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective To systematically review randomized controlled trials to compare myocardial protection profiles of sevoflurane with propofol in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting （CABG） surgery. Methods Electronic databases were searched to identify all randomized controlled trials comparing sevoflurane with propofol for protecting myocardium in adult patients undergoing CABG surgery. Two authors independently extracted patients＇ perioperative data, including patients＇ baseline characteristics, surgical variables, and outcome data. For continuous variables, treatment effects were calculated as weighted mean difference （WMD） and 95% confidential interval （C/）. For dichotomous data, treatment effects were calculated as odds ratio （OR） and 95% CI. Each outcome was tested for heterogeneity, and randomized-effects or fixed-effects model was used in the presence or absence of significant heterogeneity （Q test P〈0.05）. Sensitivity analyses were done by examining the influence of statistical model on estimated treatment effects. Publication bias was explored through visual inspection of funnel plots of the outcomes. Statistical significance was defined as P〈0.05. Results Our search yielded 13 studies including 696 patients, and 402 patients were allocated into sevoflurane group and 294 into propofol group. There was no significant difference in postoperative mechanical ventilation time, inotropic support, mortality, myocardial infarction, and atrial fibrillation between the two groups （all P〉0.05）. Patients randomized into sevoflurane group had higher post-bypass cardiac index （WMD=0.39, 95% CI： 0.18 to 0.60, P=0.0003）, lower troponin I level （WMD=-0.82, 95% CI：-0.87 to -0.85, P=0.0002）, lower incidence of myocardial ischemia （OR=0.37, 95% CI： 0.16 to 0.83, P=0.02）, shorter ICU and hospital stay length （WMD=-10.99, 95% CI： -12.97 to -9.01, P〈0.00001; WMD=-0.78, 95% CI： -1.00 to -0.56, P〈0.00001, respectively）. Conclusion This meta-analysis has found some evidence showing that sevoflurane has better myocardial protection than propofol in CABG surgery.     

Downregulation of p38 MAPK involved in inhibition of LDL-induced proliferation of mesangial cells and matrix by curcumin

Curcumin, as a main pharmacological component in the traditional Chinese medicine-- tttrmeric, has shown anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor and anti-fibrotic effects. This study aimed to investigate the possible underlying signaling pathway which was involved in the inhibition of LDL-induced proliferation of mesangial cells and matrix by curcumin. Rat mesangial cells in vitro were incubated with low-density lipoprotein （LDL） and different concentrations of curcumin （0, 6.25, 12.5, 25.0 9mol/L） or p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580 （10 μmol/L）. Under LDL incubation, mesangial cells proliferated, the expression of MMP-2 mRNA and protein was decreased, the expression of COX-2 mRNA and protein was increased, reactive oxygen species （ROS） generation was increased and p38 MAPK was activated significantly （P〈0.05）. When LDL-induced cells were treated with curcumin in the concentration of 12.5 or 25.0 μmol/L, LDL-induced proliferation ofmesangial cells was suppressed, the expression of MMP-2 mRNA and protein increased, the expression of COX-2 mRNA and protein downregulated, the production of ROS inhibited and p38 MAPK inactivated （P〈0.05）. In conclusion, curcumin can inhibit the LDL-induced proliferation of mesangial cells and up-regulate the expression of MMP-2, which may be related with the inhibitory effect of curcumin on COX-2 expression, ROS pro- duction and p38 MAPK.     

Homeopathic Thuja 30C ameliorates benzo（a）pyrene- induced DNA damage,stress and viability of perfused lung cells of mice in vitro

OBJECTIVE： To examine if the ultra-highly diluted homeopathic remedy Thuja 30C can ameliorate benzo（a）pyrene （BaP）-induced DNA damage, stress and viability of perfused lung cells of Swiss albino mice in vitro. METHODS： Perfused normal lung cells from mice were cultured in 5% Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium and exposed to BaP, a potent carcinogen, at the half maximal inhibitory concentration dose （2.2 μmol/L） for 24 h. Thereafter, the intoxicated cells were either treated with Thuja 30C （used against tumor or cancer） or its vehicle media, succussed alcohol 30C. Relevant parameters of study involving reactive oxygen species （ROS） accumulation, total glutathione （GSH） content, and generations of heat shock protein （hsp）-90 were measured; the cell viability and other test parameters were measured after treatment with either Thuja 30C or its vehicle media. Circular dichroism spectroscopy was performed to examine if Thuja 30C directly interacted with calf thymus DNA as target. For ascertaining if DNA damaged by BaP could be partially repaired and restituted by the remedy, 4＇,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining was performed. RESULTS： Thuja 30C increased cell viability of BaP-intoxicated cells significantly, as compared to drug-untreated or drug-vehicle control. A minimal dose of Thuja 30C significantly inhibited BaP-induced stress level, by down-regulating ROS and hsp-90, and increasing GSH content. Thuja 30C itself had no DNA-damaging effect, and no direct drug-DNA interaction. However, it showed quite striking ability to repair DNA damage caused by BaP. CONCLUSION： Thuja 30C ameliorates BaP-induced toxicity, stress and DNA damage in perfused lung cells of mice and it apparently has no effect on normal lung cells.     

Retrieval of dislodged coronary stent from left renal artery by gooseneck snare

A rapamycin-eluting stent was dislodged during attempt of implantation at the proximal right coronary artery,which was found by fluoroscopy to have migrated into the anterior trunk of the left renal artery.We chose a 5 mm diameter Amplatz gooseneck snare and successfully retrieved the lost stent from the lodging vessel.     

Renoprotective effect of alprostadil in combination with statins in patients with mild to moderate renal failure undergoing coronary angiography

Background The role of alprostadil and statins in contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is controversial.The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of combined therapy with alprostad...     

Twelve years’ experience and clinical results of using the radial artery for coronary revascularization

Background The radial artery （RA） is becoming a popular conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting （CABG）,yet data reporting the long-term results are rare.We reported our clinical,angiographic and intravascular ultrasound findings on 93 patients who had the RA used as part of the conduit for the CABG procedures during a 12-year period from June 2001 to June 2013.Methods A total of 118 radial artery conduits were harvested in 87 males and 6 females,age from 28 to 66 （mean 49.9） years.An ＂intra-operative Allen＇s test＂ was developed to safeguard blood supply to the arm and hand.A ＂double-clip ＆ scissors-cut＂ technique was carried out to minimize the thermal injury to the radial artery from the diathermy.The left radial artery was used in 67 patients,the right in one,and bilateral radial arteries in 25 patients.One hundred and twenty-two out of 272 distal anastomoses （44.9％） were constructed with radial arteries,with an average of 2.9 grafts per patient （range 2-6）.Results Follow-up angiography and intravascular ultrasound study at 3-139 postoperative months （mean 59 months） revealed a 93.1％ RA patency.String sign occurred in one patient in whom the RA was directed to a big right coronary artery with a stenosis of around 50％.The patency for the internal mammary artery was 96.4％.Conclusions The RA is an excellent conduit that broadens the options for total arterial CABG surgery.Good graft patency could be achieved through careful harvesting techniques and choice of proper target coronary vessels.     

Febuxostat, a nonpurine selective inhibitor of xanthine oxidase: a promising medical therapy for chronic heart failure?

Heart failure is currently one of the most common and most cost-intensive of the chronic diseases The main cause of chronic heart failure （CHF） is the abnormalities of both cardiac contractile performance and myocardial energy metabolism. Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS） have been proposed to contribute to both of them. Xanthine oxidoreductase （XO） is a major source of ROS in the cardiovascular system. XO inhibitors （XOIs） have been the cornerstone of the clinical management of gout and conditions associated with hyperuricemia for several decades.     

Role of BKCa channels in diabetic vascular complications

Objective This review focuses on the role of the large conductance calcium-activated potassium （BKCa） channels in diabetic vascular complications.Data sources Relevant articles published in English or Chinese from 1981 to present were selected from PubMed.The search terms were ＂BKCa channels＂ and ＂diabetes＂.Important references from selected articles were also retrieved.Study selection Articles regarding the role of BKCa channels in diabetic vascular complications and relevant mechanisms were selected.Results The BKCa channels are abundantly expressed in vascular smooth cells and play an important role in regulation of vascular tone.Multiple studies indicated that the expression and function of BKCa channels are altered by different mechanisms in diabetic vascular diseases such as coronary arterial disease,cerebral arterial disease,and diabetic retinopathy.Conclusion BKCa channels may play an important role in diabetic vascular complications and may be an effective therapeutic target for relieving and reducing the burden of diabetic vascular complications.     

Saffron （Crocus sativus L.） and major depressive disorder： a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Due to safety concerns and side effects of many antidepressant medications, herbal psychopharmacology research has increased, and herbal remedies are becoming increasingly popular as alternatives to prescribed medications for the treatment of major depressive disorder （MDD）. Of these, accumulating trials reveal positive effects of the spice saffron （Crocus sativus L.） for the treatment of depression. A comprehensive and statistical review of the clinical trials examining the effects of saffron for treatment of MDD is warranted. OBJECTIVE： The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials examining the effects of saffron supplementation on symptoms of depression among participants with MDD. SEARCH STRATEGY： We conducted electronic and non-electronic searches to identify all relevant randomized, double-blind controlled trials. Reference lists of all retrieved articles were searched for relevant studies. INCLUSION CRITERIA： The criteria for study selection included the following： （1） adults （aged 18 and older） with symptoms of depression, （2） randomized controlled trial, （3） effects of saffron supplementation on depressive symptoms examined, and （4） study had either a placebo control or antidepressant comparison group. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS： Using random effects modeling procedures, we calculated weighted mean effect sizes separately for the saffron supplementation vs placebo control groups, and for the saffron supplementation vs antidepressant groups. The methodological quality of all studies was assessed using the Jadad score. The computer software Comprehensive Meta- analysis 2 was used to analyze the data. RESULTS： Based on our pre-specified criteria, five randomized controlled trials （n = 2 placebo controlled trials, n = 3 antidepressant controlled trials） were included in our review. A large effect size was found for saffron supplementation vs placebo control in treating depressive symptoms （M ES = 1.62, P 〈 0.001）, revealing that saffron supplementation significantly reduced depression symptoms compared to the placebo control. A null effect size was evidenced between saffron supplementation and the antidepressant groups （M ES = -0.15） indicating that both treatments were similarly effective in reducing depression symptoms. The mean Jadad score was 5 indicating high quality of trials. CONCLUSION： Findings from clinical trials conducted to date indicate that saffron supplementation can improve symptoms of depression in adults with MDD. Larger clinical trials, conducted by research teams outside of Iran, with long-term follow-ups are needed before firm conclusions can be made regarding saffron＇s efficacy and safety for treating depressive symptoms.     

Effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure treatment on insulin resistance and ghrelin levels in non-diabetic apnoeic patients with coronary heart disease

Background Obesity is a common risk factor for several diseases.Obesity related hormone and increased insulin resistance (IR) may contribute to the effects of obstructive sleep apnoea on cardiovascular...     

Association between intervertebral disc degeneration and disturbances of blood supply to the vertebrae

Low back pain is a common public health problem in western industrialized societies and the world as well.Studies indicate that the prevalence rate ranges to 35%, with around 10% of patients from 12% becoming chronically disabled. It also places an enormous economic burden on society. Although the exact cause of low back pain has yet to be defined, intervertebral disc degeneration is considered a major source of it. Since patients with degenerative discs are often asymptomatic, the mechanisms of it are still unclear.     

Relevance of muscle biopsy for diagnosing multifocal motor neuropathy

Multifocal motor neuropathy （MMN） is a rare,.focal,inflammatory,demyelinating disease of the peripheral nerves with pure motor involvementJ MMN is clinically characterized by slowly progressive,asymmetric,distal,upper limb predominant weakness,in the absence of sensory disturbances） Weakness is usually multifocal and connected to a distinct motor nerve,such as the musculocutaneous nerve resulting in biceps weakness,the posterior interosseus nerve resulting in finger drop,the median,ulnar,or radial nerve resulting in dexterity problems or grip weakness,or the peroneal nerve resulting in a foot drop.Onset of clinical manifestations is between 20 and 50 years of age.The prevalence of MMN is reported as 1-2 per 100 000.2 MMN is three times more frequent in men as compared to women.     

The relationship between serum amyloid A and apolipoprotein A-I in high-density lipoprotein isolated from patients with coronary heart disease

Background Alteration in the protein composition of high-density lipoprotein （HDL） has been proposed as a mechanism for the development of coronary heart disease （CHD）.In HDL,an increase in serum amyloid A protein （SAA） accompanying the decrease in apolipoprotein A-I （apoA-I） has been found during the acute inflammation period.However,whether this phenomenon persists in CHD patients,a disease related to inflammation,is unknown.The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationship between SAA and apoA-I in HDL isolated from CHD patients.Methods Overall,98 patients with confirmed stable CHD and 90 control subjects matched for age and gender were enrolled in this case-control study.Potassium bromide （KBr） density gradient ultracentrifugation was used to isolate HDL from plasma.The levels of SAA and apoA-I in the HDL samples were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.Pearson＇s correlation and general linear models were used in the analysis.Results Compared with controls,patients with CHD had a significant decrease in the amount of apoA-I （（14.21±8.44） μg/ml vs.（10.95±5.95） μg/ml,P =0.003） in HDL and a significant increase in the amount of log SAA （1.21±0.46 vs.1.51±0.55,P 〈0.00001）.Differences were independent of age,body mass index （BMI）,HDL cholesterol （HDL-C）,and other factors.An independently and statistically significant positive correlation between log SAA and apoA-I in HDL was observed only in the CHD group （β =2.0,P =0.026）.In the general linear model,changes in Iog（SAA）,age,age2,gender,BMI and HDL-C could explain a statistically significant 43% of the variance in apoA-I.Conclusions This study provides direct evidence for the first time that there was an independent positive correlation between log SAA and apoA-I in the HDL of CHD patients,indicating the alteration of protein composition in HDL.However,the question of whether this alteration in HDL is associated with impairment of HDL functions requires further research.     

痘苗病毒天坛株的减毒与其作为疫苗载体研究进展

1痘苗病毒天坛株的历史天花是人类历史上最可怕的传染病之一。天花由天花病毒（variola virus）引起,人是该病毒的惟一宿主。人感染天花病毒后的死亡率达到30%~40%[1]。世界上公认的对天花最早的准确记录来自中国,晋代药学家葛洪于公元430年左右,在《肘后备急方》中对天花有清楚的描述[1]。     

Pre-hospital care-seeking in patients with acute myocardial infarction and subsequent quality of care in Beijing

Background Cumulative evidence demonstrates that primary percutaneous coronary intervention（PCI）is a mperfusion strategy for ST-elevation myocardial Infarction（STEMI）.This study was undertaken to evaluate the pre-hospital care-seeking pathway and subsequent care quality in patients with STEMI in the Beijing health care system,which offers patients a choice between seeking care in a small community hospital（SH group）or a large hospital（LH group）.Methods Between January 1 and December 31,2006, a cross-sectional and multicenter survey was conducted in 11 hospitals qualified as tertiary centers in Beijing and included consecutive patients with STEMI admitted within 24 hours after onset of symptoms.Results Among the 566 patients interviewed,28.3%first arnved at a small community hospitaI and were transferred to large hospitals with the ability to perform primary PCI.The median total pre-hospital delay in the SH group（n=160）was significantly longer than in the LH group（n=406）（225 vs.120 minutes,P〈0.001）.Multivariate analysis showed that interpreting symptoms to non-cardiac origin（OR,1.996;95%CI： 1.264-3.155）,absence of history of myocardial infarction（OR,1.595;95%CI：1.086-3.347）,non-health insuranca coverage（OR,1.931;95%Cl：1.079-3.012）and absence of sense of impending doom （OR,4.367;95%CI：1.279-1 4.925） were independent predictors for choosing small hospitals.After adjusting for demographics and medical history,patients in the SH group were 1.698 times（95% CI： 1.1 82-3.661） less likely to receive primary PCI compared with those in the LH group. Conclusions Above one fourth of the STEMI patients in Beijing experienced inter-hospital transfer.Factors including symptoms interpretation,symptoms,history of myocardial infarcUon,and insurance coverage were associated with the patients＇pre-hospital care-seeking pathway.The patients who were transferred had longer pre-hospital delays and were less Iikely to receive primary PCI.     

Chinese herbal medicine Xinfeng Capsule in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis： study protocol of a multicenter randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND： Rheumatoid arthritis （RA）, as a common systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease, affects approximately 1 in 100 individuals. Effective treatment for RA is not yet available because current research does not have a clear understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of RA. Xinfeng Capsule, a patent Chinese herbal medicine, has been used in the treatment of RA in recent years. Despite its reported clinical efficacy, there are no large-sample, multicenter, randomized trials that support the use of Xinfeng Capsule for RA. Therefore, we designed a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of Xinfeng Capsule in the treatment of RA. METHODS AND DESIGN： This is a 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial on the treatment of RA. The participants will be randomly assigned to the experimental group and the control group at a ratio of 1：1. Participants in the experimental group will receive Xinfeng Capsule and a pharmaceutical placebo （imitation leflunomide）. The control group will receive leflunomide and an herbal placebo （imitation Xinfeng Capsule）. The American College of Rheumatology （ACR） Criteria for RA will be used to measure the efficacy of the Xinfeng Capsule. The primary outcome measure will be the percentage of study participants who achieve an ACR 20% response rate （ACR20）, which will be measured every 4 weeks after randomization. Secondary outcomes will include the ACR50 and ACR70 responses, the side effects of the medications, the Disease Activity Score 28, RA biomarkers, quality of life, and X-rays of the hands and wrists. The first four of the secondary outcomes will be measured every 4 weeks and the others will be measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. DISCUSSION： The result of this trial will help to evaluate whether Xinfeng Capsule is effective and safe in the treatment of RA. TRIAL REGISTRATION： This trial has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. The identifier is N CT01774877.     

WHO西太区与世界中医药学会联合会中医名词术语国际标准比较研究：八纲辨证（三）

The Chinese characters 寒 and 热, 虚, and 实 are quite common concepts in Chinese language. However in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）, they are used as four principles in syndrome differentiation. In terms of translation, 寒 and 热 are very easy to understand and can be simply translated as ＂cold＂ and ＂heat＂. But the transla- tion of 虚 and 实 used to be a problem. For a quite long time in translation practice,