Low-level chronic mercury exposure in children and adolescents: Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Mercury is a well-known neurotoxin. There are three kinds of mercury exposure: elemental mercury poisoning, inorganic mercury poisoning and organomercury poisoning. Organomercury is the most toxic. Twenty-four hour urine for mercury and blood mercury are the gold standards for diagnosis of mercury poisoning, including low-level chronic mercury exposure. Other tests for mercury level are discussed. The purpose of the present paper was to review recent data on the nature, pathophysiology, pharmacokinetics, diagnostic methods, treatment and the linkage to neurodevelopmental disabilities of mercury exposure in children. METHODS: A literature search was undertaken of MEDLINE (1980-2003), and American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American Dental Association, World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control websites. The search string 'mercury' was used in MEDLINE and articles were selected as appropriate by two independent reviewers. All relevant information was reviewed and data were extracted by two independent reviewers. RESULTS: Based on the meta-analysis of the accuracy of hair mercury, hair mercury levels correlated with mercury level in blood (sample size weighted correlation coefficient, r w = 0.61), with 24 h urine ( r w = 0.46) and with cord blood ( r w = 0.64). However, the correlation for hair mercury level with 24 h urine level and blood level was not high enough to replace them in clinical decision-making of individual patient. Epidemiological evidence has shown that low-level mercury poisoning is not a cause of autism (relative risk = 0.49, 95%CI = 0.36-0.66). The risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities from low-level exposure to methylmercury from the regular consumption of fish is still controversial even after combining results from different epidemiological studies worldwide. There is a lack of data in the literature about the effect of chelation therapy in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. CONCLUSION: Mercury poisoning should be diagnosed only with validated methods. There is no evidence to support the association between mercury poisoning and autism.     

Angiographic and Clinical Outcomes of Everolimus‐Eluting Stent in the Treatment of Extra Long Stenoses (AEETES)

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to examine the angiographic and clinical results of stent full metal jacket in treating long lesions using everolimus‐eluting stents (EES).

Background

Data are lacking regarding the use of EES for this lesion subgroup.

Methods

From 2007 to 2011, 77 symptomatic patients who had severe coronary stenoses necessitating implantation of stents with total length longer than 60 mm were treated with overlapping EES.

Results

The mean age of patient was 61 ± 11 years with male predominance (66%). Diabetes mellitus was seen in 35 (45.5%) patients. Majority of patients had class III angina with normal heart function. On average, 3.1 stents were implanted per lesion; the mean stent size and length were 2.70 ± 0.28 mm and 82 ± 16 mm. Restudy angiography was performed on 71 patients (72 lesions) at 8.9 ± 2.5 months. Angiographic restenosis was seen in 9 (12.5%) lesions; the lesion length and late loss were 67 ± 15 mm and 0.4 ± 0.6 mm, respectively. The use of intravascular ultrasound has been found to be a predictor of less restenosis (P = 0.02; HR: 0.02; CI: 0.01–0.59). The in‐hospital and 1 year major adverse cardiac event rates were 7.8% and 13%. The annual cardiac death rates were 2.6%, 3.4%, and 5.3% in the first 3 years.

Conclusions

The use of EES full metal jacket for long lesions is only associated with good short‐term clinical and angiographic outcomes. Long‐term follow‐up has revealed a high cardiac death rate which may necessitate prolongation of dual antiplatelet therapy. (J Interven Cardiol 2013;26:22–28)

     

Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptors and tumor necrosis factor-α in hematological malignancies of childhood

The levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2R) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were determined in the serum of 61 children with hematological malignancy, including 20 patients with leukemia and 16 with lymphoma in active state of malignancy, and 20 patients with leukemia and 5 with lymphoma in complete remission. In addition, serum samples from 15 healthy children were used as controls. It was found that the mean serum levels of sIL-2R and TNF were significantly increased in active malignancy (207.0±17.1 pmol/L for sIL-2R; 209.7±35.0 pg/mL for TNF) compared to the remission status and normal controls (P<0.001). No such difference was observed between leukemia and lymphoma groups. It was concluded that serum sIL-2R and TNF are of potential value in the diagnosis and follow up of patients with neoplastic diseases.     

健康教育在控制糖尿病预防并发症发生中的积极作用

目的 探讨健康教育在控制及预防糖尿病,防止并发症发生中的积极作用.方法 将2009年6月至2010年6月入院治疗的96例糖尿病患者随机分为观察组与对照组各48例,对照组给予常规的治疗与发放糖尿病健康教育宣传手册,观察组在常规治疗的基础上,对患者实施健康教育,并对其进行认知、营养、行为等干预.对2组教育前、教育6个月后的疾病及并发症发生的总体控制情况及教育效果进行对比分析.结果 观察组患者的空腹血糖、餐后2h血糖值、糖化血红蛋白、体重指数以及并发症的发生率与对照组比较显著改善.结论 加强健康教育,可以提高患者的自护能力,有效地改善糖尿病的总体控制水平,更是减少糖尿病急、慢性并发症以及致残、致死率的重要途径.     

Left ventricular volumes measured by MR imaging

We assessed the potential of proton magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for accurately measuring left ventricular volumes using 15 latex casts of excised human left ventricles. The casts were submerged in water to stimulate the endocardial left ventricular cavity interface in in vivo imaging conditions. Tomographic image sections perpendicular to the long axis of the cast were obtained, spanning each cast from apex to base. Simpson's rule was used to calculate the cast volumes. Correlation between the actual cast volumes (as measured by the displacement method) and the calculated volumes using MR imaging for the 15 casts was excellent. Our data demonstrate that MR imaging accurately measures cardiac chamber volumes in this in vitro model.     

解淀粉芽孢杆菌对婴幼儿潜在致病性的研究

解淀粉芽孢杆菌属革兰阳性芽孢杆菌,可污染医院75%酒精消毒液、潮湿损害的房屋、食品,造成新生儿、婴幼儿等免疫力低下的特殊人群感染和房屋污染健康综合征。文章从细菌对环境、食品的污染、院内感染三个方面来阐述其流行状况,从细胞毒素对哺乳动物细胞的毒性来描述其毒理作用,从细菌的芽孢结构特点来证明其特殊的理、化特性,从国外同类菌属的疾病动物模型来进一步探讨其致病性,以期引起临床上的重视。     

湛江地区缺血性脑卒中相关危险因素的分析

目的了解湛江地区缺血性脑卒中的相关危险因素,为指导干预措施提供科学依据。方法回顾性分析本院门诊、住院部就诊并确诊为缺血性脑卒中患者1000例的临床资料,评价缺血性脑卒中的相关危险因素。结果男性患者、年龄≥50岁、高血压、糖尿病、吸烟、颈动脉斑块、高血脂患者缺血性脑卒中发生率较高,是缺血性脑卒中的高危因素,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。结论分析湛江地区缺血性脑卒中的危险因素,从而通过控制其危险因素、改变不良生活方式等方法来进行预防干预,进而降低缺血性脑卒中的发生率。     

不同手术方法治疗骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折的临床效果

目的：探讨并比较微创手术和传统开放手术治疗骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折的临床效果。方法选取本院2012年1月～2014年1月收治的骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折患者60例,随机分为观察组和对照组各30例,对照组行传统开放手术治疗,观察组行经皮椎体后凸成形术（PKP）治疗,比较两组的治疗效果。结果观察组手术时间、术后下床活动时间及住院时间短于对照组,术中出血量少于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;观察组术后椎体高度、椎体压缩率及Cobb角的改善情况均明显优于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;观察组无一例患者出现严重并发症,对照组并发症发生率为13.33%,两组并发症发生率差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;观察组日常活动能力评分明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论与传统开放手术比较,微创PKP治疗骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折具有创伤小、恢复快、并发症少等优势,并可显著改善患者的日常活动能力,提高预后。     

养老机构老年人健康素养与身体健康和心理健康状况的关系

目的了解养老机构老年人健康素养与身体健康、心理健康状况的关系,为进一步提高老年人身体健康和心理健康状况提供科学依据。方法于2011年9月至2012年6月,采用整群抽样法对新疆乌鲁木齐市、昌吉市、石河子市、克拉玛依市44所养老机构1396名老年人进行调查,将其中符合纳入标准的1452名老年人作为研究对象,发放健康素养量表、健康状况问卷及一般状况量表。结果单因素分析结果显示,养老机构老年人身体健康在性别、教育水平、家庭收入、婚姻状况方面差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．01,P〈0．05）;心理健康在教育水平、家庭收入、婚姻状况、曾经从事职业方面差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。进一步分析表明,教育水平低、家庭收入少及丧偶老年人身体健康、心理健康状况较差。养老机构老年人健康素养总分数为（71．74±28．35）分,4个维度分别为健康知识（32．49±16．88）分、健康信念（22．80±7．41）分、健康行为（9．60±3．91）分、健康技能（6．22±5．09）分,均处于较低水平。多元线性回归分析表明,养老机构老年人身体健康的独立影响因素有健康行为、教育水平、婚姻状况、曾经从事职业（P〈0．05）,心理健康的独立影响因素有健康行为、曾经从事职业、家庭人口数、健康技能、教育水平、婚姻状况（P〈0．05）。结论健康素养是影响老年人身体、心理健康状况的重要因素,提高老年人健康素养是促进老年人自我健康管理和健康状况的重要途径。