Correlations between symptoms as assessed in traditional chinese medicine (TCM) and ACR20 efficacy response: a comparison study in 396 patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with TCM or Western medicine.

OBJECTIVE: This research was designed to explore the role of joint and nonarticular clinical manifestations traditionally evaluated in Chinese herbal medicine in predicting efficacy of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Three hundred ninety-six patients were randomly divided to receive Western medicine (WM) therapy, 197 cases; and traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCM), 199 cases. A complete physical examination and 18 clinical manifestations typically assessed in TCM were recorded before the randomization. The WM therapy included diclofenac extended action tablets, methotrexate, and sulfasalazine. The TCM therapy included Glucosidorum Tripterygll Totorum tablets and Yishen Juanbi tablets. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response criteria were used for efficacy evaluation. All data were analyzed using the SPSS11.5 statistical package. RESULTS: ACR20 and 50 responses with WM treatment were higher at 24 weeks than in the TCM group. In the WM group, 89% achieved ACR20 whereas 65.8% on TCM reached this response In the WM group, efficacy was negatively related to subjective symptoms of dizziness, and positively related to joint tenderness and thirst as recorded at entry. In contrast, in the TCM group the efficacy was positively related to joint tenderness and joint pain, and negatively related to the joint stiffness and more nocturia. CONCLUSION: Symptoms including those not directly related to joints and those inquired about in TCM may have influence on the efficacy of therapy, and might merit further study to ascertain if they can be helpful to guide specific therapy.     

Clinical significance of CT-defined minimal ascites in patients with gastric cancer

AIM: To study the clinical significance of minimal ascites, which was only defined by the CT and whose nature was not determined preoperatively, in the relationship with the peritoneal carcinomatosis. METHODS: The medical records and the dynamic CT films of 118 patients with gastric cancer were reviewed. Factors associated with peritoneal carcinomatosis were analyzed in 40 patients who had CT-defined ascites of which the nature was surgically confirmed. RESULTS: Only 12.5-25% of the CT-defined minimal ascites, whose volume was estimated to be less than 50 mL, were associated with peritoneal carcinomatosis. When the estimated CT-defined ascitic volume was 50 mL or more, peritoneal carcinomatosis was identified in 75-100%. When CT-defined lymph node enlargements were not found beyond the regional gastric area, perigastric invasions were not suspected, and the size of tumor was less than 3 cm, peritoneal carcinomatosis seemed significantly less accompanied at the univariate analysis. However, except for the minimal volume of CT-defined ascites in comparison with the mild or more, other factors were not confirmed multivariately. CONCLUSION: In the patients with gastric cancer, CT-defined minimal ascites alone is rarely associated with peritoneal carcinomatosis, if it does not accompany other signs suggestive of malignant seeding. Therefore, consideration of active curative resection should not be hesitated, if CT-defined minimal ascites is the only delusive sign.     

Endoscopic detection of early upper GI cancers

The detection of early-stage neoplastic lesions in the upper GI tract is associated with improved survival and the potential for complete endoscopic resection that is minimally invasive and less morbid than surgery. Despite technological advances in standard white-light endoscopy, the ability of the endoscopist to reliably detect dysplastic and early cancerous changes in the upper GI tract remains limited. In conditions such as Barrett's oesophagus, practice guidelines recommend periodic endoscopic surveillance with multiple biopsies, a methodology that is hindered by random sampling error, inconsistent histopathological interpretation, and delay in diagnosis. Early detection may be enhanced by several promising diagnostic modalities such as chromoendoscopy, magnification endoscopy, and optical spectroscopic/imaging techniques, as these modalities offer the potential to identify in real-time lesions that are inconspicuous under conventional endoscopy. The combination of novel diagnostic techniques and local endoscopic therapies will provide the endoscopist with much needed tools that can considerably enhance the detection and management of early stage lesions in the upper GI tract.     

Brucella endocarditis in a non-endemic country: first reported case in East Asia.

Human brucellosis is a rare zoonosis in East Asia. A case of brucella endocarditis in a 59-year-old farmer who had mild rheumatic mitral stenosis is presented. Excision of the mitral valve with associated vegetation was performed and a mechanical valve was substituted. Antibiotic treatment with doxycycline, rifampicin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was continued for 6 months. After 18 months of follow-up, the patient had no symptoms and no signs of relapse.     

The clinical and hemodynamic results of mitral balloon valvuloplasty for patients with mitral stenosis complicated by severe pulmonary hypertension

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV) has become the procedure of choice for isolated, uncomplicated mitral stenosis (MS) with favorable morphology and may be a useful method for surgical high-risk conditions such as advanced age, the presence of severe tricuspid regurgitation, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV at presentation, and severe pulmonary hypertension (PH). The development of PH is a common and important sequela in patients with advanced mitral stenosis and is associated with hemodynamic and clinical decompensation. However, the influence of PBMV on patients with severe PH has seldom been evaluated. Our objective was to probe into the immediate and long-term effects of PBMV on patients with MS complicated by severe PH and to predict the factors that determine the prognosis of patients with severe PH. METHODS: We included 44 patients with MS complicated by severe PH (systolic pulmonary pressure >80 mm Hg, group S) and 67 patients with MS complicated by mild PH (systolic pulmonary pressure <50 mm Hg, group M) in this study and we compared their immediate and late results after a follow-up period of 24 months after PBMV. RESULTS: Compared with group M, patients in group S were older, presented more frequently with NYHA III-IV class, valvular echo score >or=8, and more severe tricuspid regurgitation, and had a bigger left atrial diameter before PBMV. The successful rate and the incidence of severe complications from the PBMV procedure were similar in both groups. There were more cases of post-PBMV mitral valve area >or=1.5 cm(2) in group M than in group S, and the average mitral valve area in group M was somewhat larger than that of group S. After PBMV, NYHA class obviously improved in both groups, but there were more patients with NYHA0.05). NYHA class I or II was present for 80.6% in group M and 59.1% in group S (p<0.10). RESULTS: PBMV is a safe and effective procedure for patients with severe PH. It can remarkably improve clinical outcomes, although hemodynamic effects of PBMV on this subgroup are not complete. Pre-existing older age, more severe valvular lesion and tricuspid regurgitation, worse cardiac function, and bigger left atrial size in patients with severe PH may be important risk factors for the poor hemodynamic outcomes of PBMV.     

乙肝病毒特异性转移因子治疗慢性乙型肝炎的临床研究

目的　评价乙肝病毒特异性转移因子治疗慢性乙型肝炎的临床疗效。方法　选择慢性乙型肝炎 86例 ,随机分为两组。对照组 40例 ,应用常规保肝降酶疗法 ;研究组 46例 ,在保肝降酶疗法的基础上加用乙肝病毒特异性转移因子。结果　研究组HBeAg及HBVDNA的阴转率显著高于对照组 (P <0 0 5 ) ,抗 HBe阳转率亦显著高于对照组 (P <0 0 1)。结论　乙肝病毒特异性转移因子用于治疗慢性乙型肝炎 ,可以改善患者的乙肝病毒病原学指标。     

Analysis of PTEN Gene Mutations in Korean Patients With Cowden Syndrome and Polyposis Syndrome

PURPOSE PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted in chromosome 10) is a candidate tumor suppressor gene. Mutations of this gene are responsible for PTEN hamartoma tumor syndromes, including Cowden syndrome, Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, Proteus syndrome, and Proteus -like syndromes. Recently, PTEN mutations were identified in several human neoplasms. We analyzed the DNA of various organs and lesions in Korean patients with Cowden syndrome, their family members, and patients with familial adenomatous polyposis for germline or somatic PTEN mutations.METHODS The 11 patients included in this study were 5 patients with Cowden syndrome, 4 of their family members, and 2 patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. Deletions and mutations in exons 1 to 9 of the PTEN gene were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism and sequencing analysis in esophageal acanthosis, gastric polyps, colonic polyps, skin lesions, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. To exclude common polymorphisms, 240 controls were tested.RESULTS All patients with Cowden syndrome showed several to numerous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. A missense mutation at codon 217 (GTC to GAC, Val to Asp) in exon 7 was identified in one Cowden syndrome patient, and a nonsense mutation at codon 211 (TGC to TGA, Cys to stop) in exon 6 was identified in a second patient. Identical mutations were found in all tissue samples, including colonic polyps, from each patient. No PTEN mutations were found in their family members or in any patient with familial adenomatous polyposis. None of tested controls contained a mutation.CONCLUSIONS We have identified two new germline PTEN mutations in Korean patients with Cowden syndrome. Mutations in the introns and regulatory regions of the PTEN gene may be present in additional patients with Cowden syndrome and polyposis syndrome.Supported by a grant (Grant number 2003-261) from the Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Seoul, Korea.Reprints are not available.Presented at the meeting of International Gastrointestinal Bioregulation Conference, Hyogo, Japan, March 27, 2004.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa possesses homologues of mammalian phenylalanine hydroxylase and 4 alpha-carbinolamine dehydratase/DCoH as part of a three-component gene cluster.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa possesses a multigeneoperon that includes phenylalanine hydroxylase (PhhA; phenylalanine4-monooxygenase, EC 1.14.16.1). phhA encodes PhhA (M(r) = 30,288), phhB (M(r) =13,333) encodes a homologue of mammalian 4 alpha-carbinolaminedehydratase/homeodomain protein transregulator, and phhC encodes an aromaticaminotransferase (M(r) = 43,237). The reading frames specifying phhB and phhCoverlap by 2 bases. The P. aeruginosa PhhA appears to contain iron and is pterindependent. Unlike the multimeric mammalian hydroxylase, the native P. aeruginosaenzyme is a monomer. The P. aeruginosa PhhA is homologous with mammalian PhhA,tryptophan hydroxylase, and tyrosine hydroxylase. Expression of PhhA from itsnative promoter required phhB. This may suggest a positive regulatory role forphhB, consistent with the dual catalytic and regulatory roles of thecorresponding mammalian homologue.     

突击量氯磷定治疗急性有机磷农药中毒致呼吸肌麻痹76例观察

目的 比较突击量与非突击量氯磷定方案对急性有机磷农药中毒（ＡＯＰＰ）致呼吸肌麻痹（ＲＭＰ）的治疗效果。方法 对７６例ＡＯＰＰ致ＲＭＰ闰人,根据救治时头３ｄ是否应用突击量氯磷定方案或近似突击量氯磷定方案,将病人分为两组。Ａ组３０例,平均年龄２８．９岁。每天氯磷定用量≥１０．０ｇ,平均１１．４ｇ。Ｂ组病人４６例,平均年龄３０．７岁。每天氯磷定用量〈１０．０ｇ,平均６．３ｇ。结果 Ａ组病人自主呼吸恢复时