Clinical analysis of peritoneal dialysis in the treatment of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis

Objective To observe the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) caused by lupus nephritis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, or primary glomerulonephritis who were treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) and then withdrew PD because of renal recovery. Methods Data of the above patients were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were diagnosed as RPGN and received PD therapy in Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University from February 2009 to August 2018. The patients were divided into early withdrawal group (PD time≤183 days, n=24) and late withdrawal group (PD time＞183 day, n=24). The differences of clinical characteristics between the two groups were compared. The cumulative incidence of adverse events in both groups was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the risk factors influencing the prognosis of patients. Results Forty-eight RPGN patients were included. The median time of maintaining PD was 178(76, 378) days. Compared with the late withdrawal group, the patients in early withdrawal group had lower levels of urine volume, serum albumin and parathyroid hormone, and lower rates of gross hematuria and hypertension at the beginning of PD, and received higher rates of methylprednisolone impulse, combined immunosuppressive agents, and hemodialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy (all P＜0.05). At the time of PD withdrawal, the levels of serum creatinine, serum calcium, serum albumin and parathyroid hormone in the early withdrawal group were significantly lower than those in the late withdrawal group (all P＜0.05). The Kaplan-Meier curves showed that there was no significant difference in the cumulative survival of patients in both groups (log-rank test χ2=3.485, P=0.062). Cox regression analysis revealed serum creatinine≥209 μmol/L at the time of PD withdrawal was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis (HR=5.253，95%CI 1.757-15.702, P=0.003). Conclusions PD can be used for RPGN patients caused by lupus nephritis, ANCA-associated vasculitis and primary nephritis. Serum creatinine≥209 μmol/L at the time of PD withdrawal is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis.     

Traumatic axonal injury of the cingulum in patients with mild traumatic brain injury: a diffusion tensor tractography study

The cingulum, connecting the orbitofrontal cortex to the medial temporal lobe, involves in diverse cognition functions including attention, memory, and motivation. To investigate the relationship between the cingulum injury and cognitive impairment in patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury, we evaluated the integrity between the anterior cingulum and the basal forebrain using diffusion tensor tractography in 73 patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury(39 males, 34 females, age 43.29 ± 11.42 years) and40 healthy controls(22 males, 18 females, age 40.11 ± 16.81 years). The patients were divided into three subgroups based on the integrity between the anterior cingulum and the basal forebrain on diffusion tensor tractography: subgroup A(n = 19 patients)-both sides of the anterior cingulum were intact; subgroup B(n= 36 patients)-either side of the anterior cingulum was intact; and subgroup C(18 patients)-both sides of the anterior cingulum were discontinued. There were significant differences in total Memory Assessment Scale score between subgroups A and B and between subgroups A and C. There were no significant differences in diffusion tensor tractography parameters(fractional anisotropy, apparent diffusion coefficient, and fiber volume) between patients and controls. These findings suggest that the integrity between the anterior cingulum and the basal forebrain, but not diffusion tensor tractography parameter, can be used to predict the cognitive function of patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury. This study was approved by Yeungnam University Hospital Institutional Review Board(approval No. YUMC-2014-01-425-010) on August 16, 2017.     

Effect of corneal stromal pocket irrigation in small-incision lenticule extraction

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of corneal stromal pocket irrigation after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) on visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal parameters and complications after surgery.MethodsA total of 242 eyes of 121 patients undergoing SMILE were enrolled in this prospective controlled study, and it was designed for one eye to randomly undergo SMILE with balanced salt solution irrigation of the corneal stromal pocket, while the other eye was not. The uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and slit lamp examination were recorded at 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month. Postoperative corneal density, corneal biomechanical, corneal endothelial cell number, and anterior OCT images were compared at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month.ResultsCompared with the nonirrigation group, the irrigation group showed significantly higher UDVA at 1 day postoperatively (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference during the rest of the postoperative period (1 hour, 1 week, and 1 month). In addition, no significant differences were found in IOP, corneal density, corneal biomechanics, corneal endothelial cells, and corneal morphology. No visual decline or severe postoperative complications were found in the patients in this study.ConclusionsInterlamellar irrigation did not affect IOP, corneal parameters, morphology, complications, or UDVA at 1 hour, 1 week, and 1 month after the operation, but it may promote UDVA 1 day after the operation.Subject terms: Refractive errors, Outcomes research, Surgery     

Role of macrophages in peripheral nerve injury and repair

Resident and inflammatory macrophages are essential effectors of the innate immune system. These cells provide innate immune defenses and regulate tissue and organ homeostasis. In addition to their roles in diseases such as cancer, obesity and osteoarthritis, they play vital roles in tissue repair and disease rehabilitation. Macrophages and other inflammatory cells are recruited to tissue injury sites where they promote changes in the microenvironment. Among the inflammatory cell types, only macrophages have both pro-inflammatory(M1) and anti-inflammatory(M2) actions, and M2 macrophages have four subtypes. The co-action of M1 and M2 subtypes can create a favorable microenvironment, releasing cytokines for damaged tissue repair. In this review, we discuss the activation of macrophages and their roles in severe peripheral nerve injury. We also describe the therapeutic potential of macrophages in nerve tissue engineering treatment and highlight approaches for enhancing M2 cell-mediated nerve repair and regeneration.