The blossoming of evidence-based clinical rheumatology: The Arthritis Research Campaign's Clinical Trials Collaboration in association with the MRC Clinical Trials Unit,BSR and BOA

Competing demands for scarce healthcare resources have accentuatedthe requirement for routine clinical practice to be evidence-based.One of the benchmarks for evidence-based medicine is the appropriatelyconducted randomized controlled trial (RCT). Although epidemiologicalstudies, whether case–control or cohort in design, havecontributed enormously to the generation of hypotheses and permitthe controlled evaluation of therapeutic interventions, theyare susceptible to biases through selection, information ascertainmentand confounding. While RCTs are also susceptible to such biases,the process of randomization and of blinded evaluation of outcomespermits the closest approximation in clinical research to theconduct of a hypothesis-testing laboratory experiment. Historically,there have been several obstacles to the execution of high-qualityRCTs to address important rheumatological questions. One     

自体免疫性甲状腺炎在上海地区的人群患病情况及其诊断标准探讨

代表自体免疫的自家抗体:抗甲状腺微粒体抗体(TMA)及抗甲状腺球蛋白抗体(TGA)在自体免疫性甲状腺炎(AIT)中的阳性率可达95％以上。作者对364例经穿刺证实之AIT患者分析,结合1978年Yoshida等70例尸检资料,认为凡有上述二抗体之一阳性,不论水平高低,在排除少数几种也可有抗体阳性但具有临床典型表现而易于鉴别的其他甲状腺病,本病诊断即可成立。据此诊断标准,对5000余人进行普查,发现上海地区的一般人群AIT患病率为5.2％。     

Managing abnormal blood lipids: a collaborative approach

Current data and guidelines recommend treating abnormal blood lipids (ABL) to goal. This is a complex process and requires involvement from various healthcare professionals with a wide range of expertise. The model of a multidisciplinary case management approach for patients with ABL is well documented and described. This collaborative approach encompasses primary and secondary prevention across the lifespan, incorporates nutritional and exercise management as a significant component, defines the importance and indications for pharmacological therapy, and emphasizes the importance of adherence. Use of this collaborative approach for the treatment of ABL ultimately will improve cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality.     

Increased risk of myocardial infarction with duration of protease inhibitor therapy in HIV-infected men

BACKGROUND: In the current context of dyslipidaema, hyperglycaema and lipodystrophia observed among HIV-seropositive subjects, it is important to study the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in this population. The French Hospital Database on HIV, which includes a large number of seropositive subjects followed for substantial periods, offers the opportunity to analyse the impact of protease inhibitors (PI) on the risk of MI among men. METHODS: Cox model was used to study the risk factors of MI occurrence. Standardized morbidity ratios (SMR) in men exposed to PI were calculated with data from the French general male population (FGMP) of the same age as reference. RESULTS: Between 1996 and 1999, MI was diagnosed in 60 men among 88 029 person-years (PY), including 49 cases among men exposed to PI. In the Cox model, exposure to PI was associated with a higher risk of MI [relative hazard (RH), 2.56; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-6.34]. The expected incidence in the FGMP was 10.8/10,000 PY. The SMR relative to the FGMP was 0.8 (95% CI, 0.5-1.3) for men exposed to PI for < 18 months (G1), 1.5 (95% CI, 0.8-2.5) for men exposed for 18-29 months (G2) and 2.9 (95% CI, 1.5-5.0) for men exposed for >or= 30 months (G3). With G1 as reference, the SMR was 1.9 (95% CI, 1.0-3.1) for G2 and 3.6 (95% CI, 1.8-6.2) for G3. CONCLUSION: Our results point to a duration-related effect relationship between PI and MI, with a higher MI incidence rate among men exposed to PI for 18 months or more.     

Six-month multicentric, open-label, randomized trial of twice-daily injections of biphasic insulin aspart 30 versus multiple daily injections of insulin aspart in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients (JDDM 11)

To evaluate glycemic control using convenience-oriented biphasic insulin analog compared with intensified insulin therapy, we conducted a 6-month multicentric, open-label, randomized trial in Japanese insulin-naive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 160 adult patients at 19 centers were randomized into two groups: those who received twice-daily injections of biphasic insulin aspart 30 and those on three-times-daily injections of insulin aspart with or without NPH insulin (multiple daily injections). At 6 months, mean HbA(1c) decreased by approximately 2.5% in both groups. Reduction of HbA(1c) on both regimens was better in patients whose prior therapy before starting the study was only diet and exercise (-5.0%) than in patients who were previously taking oral antidiabetic agents (-1.0%). No incidence of major hypoglycemia was observed in either regimen. These results suggest that convenience-oriented insulin therapy using biphasic insulin analog is as useful as intensified insulin therapy with insulin analog for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus over 6 months. Furthermore, early induction of insulin therapy in individuals hitherto using only diet and exercise may provide good glycemic control. This study suggests that convenience-oriented biphasic insulin aspart 30 might be a useful option for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially for insulin-naive patients over 6 months, although it should be changed to another regimen when expected efficacy is not obtained.     

同种异体移植肾组织中CD40/CD40L的表达及其意义

目的：探讨移植肾急性排斥（AR）时CD40及其配体（CD40L）表达的作用及临床意义。方法：采用SP免疫组织化学染色法对10例正常肾，12例无急性排斥（N-AR）及24例AR移植肾组织中CD40，CD40L表达进行观察，并结合肾间质中CD3，CD68细胞数进行分析，结果：AR组肾间质CD3，CD68细胞数较N-AR组和正常肾明显增高，与此相一致的是间质CD40^ ,CD40L^ 细胞数也较N-AR组明显增高，AR肾组织中CD40/CD40L表达分布不同，间质淋巴细胞以表达CD40为主，CD40L表达以肾实质细胞表达为主，结论：CD40/CD40L在AR移植肾组织中的原位表达及其分布特点可能与其参与AR的病理损伤机制有关。     

Oral gemifloxacin once daily for 5 days compared with sequential therapy with i.v. ceftriaxone/oral cefuroxime (maximum of 10 days) in the treatment of hospitalized patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis

In a randomized, open-label, controlled, multicentre study, the clinical and bacteriological efficacy, safety and tolerability of oral gemifloxacin (320 mg once daily, 5 days) was compared with sequential intravenous (i.v.) ceftriaxone (1 g once daily, maximum 3 days) followed by oral cefuroxime axetil (500 mg twice daily, maximum 7 days) in adult hospitalized patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) (n = 274). The clinical success rates at follow-up (21-28 days post-therapy) in the clinical per-protocol population (the primary endpoint) were 86.8% (105/121) for gemifloxacin vs. 81.3% (91/112) for ceftriaxone/cefuroxime (treatment difference = 5.5,95% CI -3.9,14.9). The corresponding clinical results in the clinical intention-to-treat (ITT) population were 82.6% (114/138) vs. 72.1% (98/136), respectively (treatment difference = 10.5,95% CI 0.7, 20.4).Thus, gemifloxacin had significantly higher clinical success rates than ceftriaxone/cefuroxime.The median time to discharge was 9 days in the gemifloxacin group vs. 11 days in the ceftriaxone/cefuroxime group (P = 0.04, Wilcoxon test). At follow-up, 120/138 (87.0%) gemifloxacin-treated patients had been discharged from hospital, compared with 111/136 (81.6%) ceftriaxone/cefuroxime-treated patients in the clinical ITT population. Both treatments were generally well tolerated and there was no significant difference between the treatment groups in the incidence or type of adverse events reported. A 5-day course of oral gemifloxacin was shown by this study to be at least equivalent to sequential i.v. ceftriaxone/cefuroxime axetil (for up to 10 days) in patients with AECB who require hospital treatment.     

生脉四物汤对肥厚型心肌病IGF-1的影响

目的观察生脉四物汤对肥厚型心肌病(HCM)病人胰岛素样生长因子-l(IGF1)的影响.方法正常对照组20例,中药治疗组20例.治疗组口服生脉四物汤,每日1剂,连续服20 d.用放射免疫法测定血清IGF-1水平,观察用药前对照组与治疗组血清IGF-1水平,比较治疗组用药10 d、20 d后与用药前血清IGF-1水平的变化.结果用药前治疗组血清IGF-1水平显著高于对照组(P＜0.001);治疗组用药10 d后血清IGF-1水平有下降趋势(P＜0.05),用药20 d后血清IGF-1水平明显低于用药前(P＜0.01).结论生脉四物汤能明显降低HCM病人血清IGF-1水平,提示生脉四物汤对HCM有较好的治疗作用.