肝纤维化无创性诊断技术应用的新进展

肝纤维化准确分期对指导临床治疗具有重要意义,无创性诊断技术可使患者避免或减少肝活组织检查,有可能成为临床诊断肝纤维化的重要手段。笔者通过对患者的临床、血清学及影像学等肝纤维化资料的评估,介绍了提高肝纤维化及肝硬化诊断率的无创性诊断技术新进展。     

肝脏疾病弹性成像研究进展

弹性成像为肝脏疾病的诊断提供了新的方法,通过测量肝组织弹性模量的差异,从而达到无创性诊断肝脏疾病的目的:尤其是Fibroscan在分期诊断慢性丙型肝炎肝纤维化、监测肝硬化及门静脉高压发展中表现出优异的诊断价值;此外,磁共振弹性成像、声脉冲辐射力成像技术已初步应用于肝脏疾病的诊断.本文针对弹性成像的理论基础及肝脏疾病弹性成像临床研究进展进行综述.     

Fibroscan对肝纤维化诊断价值的研究进展

近年来,国内外学者关注于肝纤维化的无创性诊断.其中,多种血清纤维化指标检验及影像学检查是目前临床较为常用的无创性评估肝纤维化的方法,但敏感性和特异性不高.Fibroscan是一种对肝纤维化进行定量诊断的新技术,以瞬时弹性成像为原理,通过对肝脏硬度指标的测量进行肝纤维化程度评估.本文就其工作原理、临界值确定、诊断价值及应用现状进行综述.     

肝纤维化的影像学评价方法及研究进展

肝纤维化是各种慢性肝病发展的必经阶段.肝纤维化尚属可逆的过程,早期诊断与及时有效治疗可延缓或避免发展成为不可逆的肝硬化阶段.因此,如何准确、有效、简便地评价肝纤维化的严重程度成为临床亟待解决的难题.超声、CT、核磁共振成像都是肝脏病变的常用检查手段,影像学检查可以比较准确的无创性评估肝纤维化程度,随着新技术的发展与应用,弹性技术在肝纤维化评估中得到广泛应用.本文就影像学评估肝纤维化的方法,尤其是弹性技术的应用进展进行综述.     

超声弹性成像评价慢性肝纤维化研究进展

超声弹性成像是一种可对肝纤维化进行定量的无创性新技术,本文基于国内外弹性成像技术的发展现状,归纳了此项技术的应用范围、诊断价值、临界值确定和实际应用中的优缺点。近年来,超声弹性成像发展迅速,在肝纤维化诊断和评价研究方面取得了显著进展。这种无创性诊断方法首先在慢性丙型肝炎患者中得到应用,并且正逐渐扩展至其他慢性肝病如非酒精性脂肪性肝病、慢性乙型肝炎和酒精性肝病等,减少了对肝组织活检的需求。     

瞬时弹性扫描仪在肝纤维化诊断中的应用价值

瞬时弹性扫描仪(Fibroscan,FS)是一种新型的、无创性的通过测定肝脏硬度值来评估慢性肝脏疾病患者肝纤维化程度的仪器.他具有操作简单、快速、重复性好等优点.目前,FS不仅用于慢性丙型肝炎患者肝纤维化的测定,也可用于其他原因引起的肝脏疾病的肝纤维化测定.FS对测定早期肝硬化及合并肝硬化并发症患者的肝脏硬度值有较大的价值.由于FS能被患者普遍接受及可以重复测定,因此可用于监测肝脏纤维化的进展或逆转,指导临床治疗.但FS在临床应用中也存在一些影响因素和一定局限性.本文就FS在肝纤维化诊断方面的应用价值作一综述.     

血清学指标综合模型预测慢性乙型肝炎进展性肝纤维化

慢性乙型肝炎(chronic hepatitis B,CHB)肝纤维化的严重程度是决定CHB及其他肝病疾病发展、预后和治疗策略的重要因素,评估肝纤维化的严重程度对临床治疗具有重要意义.目前,肝活组织病理学检查仍然是诊断肝纤维化及肝硬化的金标准,但由于肝穿刺活检是创伤性操作,且存在采样误差及标本穿刺偏移、病理科医师间的评估结果差异以及患者依从性差等原因,一直不能成为临床常规检查.因此,寻求无创性诊断肝纤维化及肝硬化的方法以替代肝穿刺活检已成为当今研究热点.     

FibroScan技术在肝纤维化中的临床应用

肝纤维化是各种慢性肝病共同的病理表现。肝纤维化在早期乃至晚期都可以发生逆转。故预测及早期诊断肝脏纤维化对整个疾病的进程和治疗特别重要。肝活检仍是诊断肝纤维化的金标准,因有创性限制了其在临床上的广泛应用。目前,Fi-broScan作为一种无创性诊断方法成为研究热点,广泛应用于肝纤维化的诊断,此文就FibroScan临床应用进展作一综述。     

超声技术无创评估肝纤维化的临床应用进展

肝纤维化可发展为肝硬化,其中部分可进展为肝癌、肝衰竭。因此肝纤维化程度的评估对临床治疗、预后评价非常重要,而超声弹性成像是一种新的无创性评估肝纤维化程度的方法,为肝纤维化的早期诊断提供了新思路。本文就其在肝纤维化诊断中的应用进行综述。     

乙型肝炎相关性肝硬化的无创性诊断

慢性乙型肝炎(chronic hepatitis B,CHB)相关性肝硬化是威胁公众健康的主要疾病,20%-30%的CHB可进展到肝硬化.世界范围内,每年大约有650000人死于CHB导致的各种并发症,肝硬化已成为一个全球关注的问题.肝硬化是由肝纤维化进展而来的,肝纤维化的早期诊断是根本.纤维化的分期对于肝病患者的预后和管理是至关重要的.肝组织活检被认为是肝纤维化分期及诊断的金标准.但是肝活检是有创性检查,存在一定的痛苦和可能致命的并发症.因此一些基于血清学和影像学的非侵入性的技术应运而生,并在肝纤维化诊断中得到验证.本文主要介绍上述这些无创性技术在CHB患者肝纤维化临床诊断中的应用价值、检验效能、优势及局限性.     

The immunoneuroendocrine role of melatonin

Abstract: A tight, physiological link between the pineal gland and the immune system is emerging from a series of experimental studies. This link might reflect the evolutionary connection between self-recognition and reproduction. Pinealectomy or other experimental methods which inhibit melatonin synthesis and secretion induce a state of immunodepression which is counteracted by melatonin. In general, melatonin seems to have an immunoenhancing effect that is particularly apparent in immunodepressive states. The negative effect of acute stress or immunosuppressive pharmacological treatments on various immune parameters are counteracted by melatonin. It seems important to note that one of the main targets of melatonin is the thymus, i.e., the central organ of the immune system. The clinical use of melatonin as an immunotherapeutic agent seems promising in primary and secondary immunodeficiencies as well as in cancer immunotherapy. The immunoenhancing action of melatonin seems to be mediated by T-helper cell-derived opioid peptides as well as by lymphokines and, perhaps, by pituitary hormones. Melatonin-induced-immuno-opioids (MHO) and lymphokines imply the presence of specific binding sites or melatonin receptors on cells of the immune system. On the other hand, lymphokines such as -γ-interferon and interleukin-2 as well as thymic hormones can modulate the synthesis of melatonin in the pineal gland. The pineal gland might thus be viewed as the crux of a sophisticated immunoneuroendocrine network which functions as an unconscious, diffuse sensory organ.     

Changes in connexin43, the gap junction protein of astrocytes, during development of the rat pineal gland

Abstract: The abundance of gap junctions between rat pineal astrocytes formed by connexin43 (Cx43) was studied during development. Levels and distribution of Cx43 were measured by immunoblotting and indirect immunofluorescence, respectively. The amount of Cx43 in cells located within the gland was low until about the 7th postnatal day and increased to adult values between the 14th and 21st days postpartum. Although astrocytes, recognized by their vimentin immunoreactivity, were scarce before birth, they were abundant by the 7th postnatal day suggesting that the low levels of Cx43 found at this age corresponded to a low expression of this protein. Localization of the immunoreactivity to Cx43 and vimentin showed a close correlation, indicating that mature or immature pineal astrocytes form gap junctions made of Cx43. Since Cx43 levels attained their adult values at about the time the innervation and the functional state of the gland reached maturity (2–3 weeks after birth), it is proposed that astrocyte gap junctions are involved in the function of the adult rat pineal gland.     

Response of rat pineal melatonin to calcium, magnesium, and lithium is circadian stage dependent

Abstract: Herein we documented the response of pineal melatonin production to electrolytes known to be effective on pineal function in view of a possible circadian stage dependence. We studied the release of melatonin by perifused rat pineal glands at 2 different circadian stages corresponding to the middle of the light and dark periods, i.e., respectively, 7 and 19 HALO (Hours After Light Onset, L:D = 12:12). The initial efflux rates were, as expected, much higher in the perifusates of glands removed from rats sacrificed during the dark phase than of those removed during the light phase. After 3 hr of perifusion, melatonin release reached similar levels which were found constant up to the 8th hr of perifusion, whatever the circadian stage. Perifusion of the glands with physiological concentrations for the rat of calcium (5.2 mmol/1) and magnesium (1.34 mmol/1) resulted in a stimulatory effect on the pineal glands removed from rats sacrificed in the middle of the dark period (19 HALO), whereas no effects were observed on the pineal glands removed from rats sacrificed during the light (7 HALO). Lithium (0.28 and 0.55 mmol/1) was ineffective on melatonin release in pineal glands removed 7 and 19 HALO. Our results show differences in the initial efflux rates of melatonin and in the response of perifused pineal glands to calcium and magnesium according to the circadian stage.     

Conservative management of perforated duodenal diverticulum： A case report and review of the literature

Duodenal diverticula are a relatively common condition. They are asymptomatic, unless they become complicated, with perforation being the rarest but most severe complication. Surgical treatment is the most frequently performed approach. We report the case of a patient with a perforated duodenal diverticulum, which was diagnosed early and treated conservatively with antibiotics and percutaneous drainage of secondary retroperitoneal abscesses. We suggest this method could be an acceptable option for the management of similar cases, provided that the patient is in good general condition and without septic signs.     

Presence of immunoreactive growth hormone and prolactin in the ovine pineal gland

Abstract: The use of antisera raised against bovine growth hormone (GH) and ovine prolactin (PRL) enabled the detection of related immunoreactive (ir) sequences of proteins in ovine pineal tissue. The isolation of PRL-like ir-material was accomplished using a 0.25 M ammonium sulphate (pH 5.5) extraction followed by ethanol precipitation, whereas the resulting 2.0 M ammonium sulphate (pH 7.0) precipitate contained a GH-like immunoreactivity. Gel chromatography of the GH-like immunoreactivity (Sephadex G-100) indicated the presence of several GH-like fragments ranging in the M_r range of 7,000 to 55,000. Analyses of the PRL-like ir-material found in pineal tissue on HPLC using a TSK 545-DEAE column led to the resolution into a single peak of immunoreactivity. A single peak of activity was also observed following chromatofocusing and hydrophobic interaction chromatography of the ir-peak from the TSK 545-DEAE column. The PRL-like ir-material inhibited the binding of [¹²⁵I]ovine PRL-S14 to anti-ovine PRL antibodies without showing an affinity for binding to anti-rat PRL or anti-bovine GH antibodies. Scatchard analysis of the binding of pineal PRL-like ir-material and pituitary ovine PRL-S14 to liver membranes from day-20 pregnant rats revealed similar affinity constants (K_a of 4.7 ± 0.2 × 10⁹ M^-1). In addition, the replication of Nb 2 Node rat lymphoma cells was stimulated by pineal PRL-like ir-material, an effect known to be specific for lactogenic hormones. The pineal PRL-like immunoreactivity appeared on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels as a single major band of M_r 24,000. The functional status of PRL-and GH-like ir-material in the ovine pineal remains to be determined, but evidence is presented that the overall protein synthesis rate of the rat pineal responded to circulating concentrations of PRL.     

Microbiology of human immunodeficiency virus anorectal disease

PURPOSE: Individuals who are seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus are at high risk for opportunistic infection and anorectal disorders. Little prospective information is available regarding anorectal pathogens in these patients. METHODS: One hundred sixty-three HIV-seropositive patients presented to the colorectal clinic between 1989 and 1992. Forty-seven (29 percent) patients were thought to have an infectious process and were prospectively studied using a standardized multiculture protocol. RESULTS: Mean age was 33 (range, 19–59) years. All were male; high-risk behavior accounted for 87 percent of HIV transmissions. Presenting complaints included anorectal pain (79 percent), pus per anum (28 percent), and blood per anum (26 percent). Examination revealed perianal tenderness (60 percent), condyloma (38 percent), perianal ulcers (38 percent), and anal fissures (34 percent). Sixty-six sets of cultures were performed; 28 patients had one set, 15 had two sets, and 4 had three sets. Thirty-two of these 47 patients (68 percent) had positive cultures including herpes (50 percent), cytomegalovirus (25 percent),Neisseria gonorrhoeae (16 percent), chlamydia (16 percent), acidfast bacilli (2 percent), and others (9 percent). Six of 32 patients with positive cultures had more than one organism cultured. Sixteen (50 percent) patients with positive cultures were treated medically, 8 (25 percent) were treated surgically and 8 (25 percent) were treated with both modalities. Sixty-one procedures were performed on 17 patients for condylomata. Eighteen patients had 20 procedures for abscesses, 50 percent of whom had positive cultures for other than common bowel flora; all improved. Fourteen patients underwent 33 procedures for perianal fistulas.Mycobacterium fortuitum was cultured from one patient who required 13 procedures for abscesses and fistulas. Forty-five (96 percent) patients were followed for an average of 12.5 months ±2.9 SEM (range, 1–94 months). Symptoms were improved or resolved in 22 of 32 (69 percent) patients with positive cultures and in 11 of 13 (84 percent) with negative cultures. CONCLUSIONS: Specific pathogens may often be identified in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive patients with anorectal disorders if aggressively sought. Although patients without specific pathogens identified may be expected to improve with planned empiric treatment, positive identification allows more directed therapy.