Feasibility of treating hyperfibrinogenemia with intermittently administered batroxobin in patients with ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack for secondary prevention.

This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of batroxobin in treating hyperfibrinogenemia for secondary stroke prevention. Patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were measured for plasma fibrinogen levels. Selected participants had concomitant hyperfibrinogenemia (plasma fibrinogen > or = 3.0 g/l). Patients enrolled between 1 July 2003 and 31 December 2004 were treated with batroxobin; patients enrolled between 1 January 2002 and 30 June 2003 were treated without batroxobin. Batroxobin was administered intermittently via intravenous injection at 3-monthly intervals. Patients in both groups were followed for 1 year. Any cerebrovascular events and suspected adverse events were recorded. In total, 112 ischemic stroke/TIA patients with concomitant hyperfibrinogenemia were enrolled, 52 being treated with batroxobin and 60 without batroxobin. Six patients (11.5%) with batroxobin and 16 patients (26.7%) without batroxobin had recurrent cerebral ischemic events during follow-up. Stroke/TIA recurrence in patients without batroxobin was higher than that in patients with batroxobin (P < 0.05). Two patients with batroxobin and two patients without batroxobin developed hemorrhagic stroke during follow-up. There were five deaths (9.6%) in the batroxobin group, and seven deaths (11.7%) in the nonbatroxobin group during follow-up (P > 0.05). Intermittent intravenous injection of batroxobin can efficiently reduce the risk for stroke/TIA recurrence in patients with concomitant hyperfibrinogenemia.     

The effects of Na movement on surgical myocardial protection: the role of the Na+-H+ exchange system and Na-channel in the development of ischemia and reperfusion injury.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether the Na+-H+ exchange inhibitor, HOE642 (Hoe), and/or the Na channel blocker, mexiletine (Mex), enhance a cardioprotective effect on St. Thomas' Hospital cardioplegic solution (STS) to clarify the mechanism by which intracellular Na+ is accumulated after cardioplegic arrest. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Isolated working rat hearts were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (KHBB). The hearts were then arrested with STS and subjected to normothermic global ischemia (30 min). This was followed by Langendorff reperfusion (15 min) and then a working reperfusion (20 min). In study A, we added Hoe (5, 10, and 20 microM), Mex (70 microM), or a combination of Hoe (20 microM) and Mex (70 microM), to STS. In study B, we added Hoe (20 microM), Mex (70 microM), or a combination of Hoe (20 microM) and Mex (70 microM) to KHBB during the first 3 min of Langendorff reperfusion. RESULTS: In study A, the addition of Hoe (10 and 20 microM) to STS showed a significantly greater postischemic recovery of cardiac output compared to the control group [63.1+/-5.7% (10 microM), 62.7+/-4.7% (20 microM), and 55.5+/-4.6% (control), respectively]. The postischemic recovery of cardiac output was significantly greater in the group of the combined addition (Hoe and Mex) to STS than that in the control, 20 microM Hoe, 70 microM Mex groups [70.3+/-3.7 (Hoe and Mex), 55.5+/-4.6% (control), 62.7+/-4.7% (Hoe 20 microM), and 60.2+/-4.7% (Mex 70 microM), respectively]. The myocardial water content in the postischemic period was 565.1+/-29.1, 525.8+/-2.9, 509.4+/-19.6, and 532.2+/-20.1; it was 497.3+/-9.1 mL/100 g dry weight in the control; and 10 microM Hoe, 20 microM Hoe, and 70 microM Mex in the combined use groups. In study B, there was no significant difference in the postischemic recovery of cardiac output in all experimental groups. CONCLUSION: The combined use of the Na+-H+ exchange inhibitor and Na+ channel blocker during cardioplegia may achieve a superior cardioprotective effect on myocardial damage because of ischemia and reperfusion.     

Isoflurane Preconditioning Improves Long-term Neurologic Outcome after Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury in Neonatal Rats

Background: Preconditioning the brain with relatively safe drugs seems to be a viable option to reduce ischemic brain injury. The authors and others have shown that the volatile anesthetic isoflurane can precondition the brain against ischemia. Here, the authors determine whether isoflurane preconditioning improves long-term neurologic outcome after brain ischemia.

Methods: Six-day-old rats were exposed to 1.5% isoflurane for 30 min at 24 h before the brain hypoxia-ischemia that was induced by left common carotid arterial ligation and then exposure to 8% oxygen for 2 h. The neuropathology, motor coordination, and learning and memory functions were assayed 1 month after the brain ischemia. Western analysis was performed to quantify the expression of the heat shock protein 70, Bcl-2, and survivin 24 h after isoflurane exposure.

Results: The mortality was 45% after brain hypoxia-ischemia. Isoflurane preconditioning did not affect this mortality. However, isoflurane preconditioning attenuated ischemia-induced loss of neurons and brain tissues, such as cerebral cortex and hippocampus in the survivors. Isoflurane also improved the motor coordination of rats at 1 month after ischemia. The learning and memory functions as measured by performance of Y-maze and social recognition tasks in the survivors were not affected by the brain hypoxia-ischemia or isoflurane preconditioning. The expression of Bcl-2, a well-known antiapoptotic protein, in the hippocampus is increased after isoflurane exposure. This increase was reduced by the inhibitors of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibition also abolished isoflurane preconditioning-induced neuroprotection.     

A quantitative evaluation of sealing ability of 4 obturation techniques by using a glucose leakage test.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sealing ability of 4 different obturation techniques by using a glucose leakage test. STUDY DESIGN: Eighty extracted single-rooted maxillary incisors were selected for the study. The teeth were decoronated and the root canals prepared using ProFile rotary instruments to an apical dimension of size 40 (0.06 taper). The specimens were then randomly divided into 4 experimental groups (n = 15) and filled with gutta-percha and sealer by using either cold lateral compaction, warm vertical compaction, Thermafil, or the E & Q Plus system. Another 10 teeth each served as the positive and negative controls. A glucose leakage model was used for quantitative evaluation of the coronal-to-apical microleakage at 24 hours, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 12 weeks. RESULTS: No significant difference in the cumulative amount of leakage was found among the 4 groups at 24 hours and 1 week (Kruskal-Wallis test, P > .05). Lateral compaction showed significantly more leakage than the other 3 techniques at longer intervals (Mann-Whitney U test, P < .008). No significant difference was found between vertical compaction, Thermafil, and E & Q Plus at all observation times. CONCLUSIONS: Warm vertical compaction, Thermafil, and the E & Q Plus system showed a better sealing result than cold lateral compaction of gutta-percha at extended observation periods. The glucose leakage method used in this study was able to provide a nondestructive, quantitative, and long-term evaluation of the sealing ability of root canal fillings.     

外刊速览

中国研制出抗禽流感药物——路透社目前,中国已研制出一种与“达菲”相应的抗禽流感病毒药物,但并没有说明该药物何时会投入使用,以及它与“达菲”的可比性。鉴于缺乏禽流感疫苗,世界卫生组织已经建议各国政府储备“达菲”。该药虽然不能治愈禽流感,但可以抑制病毒发展,减缓病毒扩散。全球唯一能够生产“达菲”的瑞士罗氏公司上星期宣布,他们已经停止在中国市场     

抗非典精神刍议

全同非典进行特死斗争过程中，医护人员表现出一种临危不惧、挺身而出、全力救治、不怕牺牲、恪尽职守、患者至上、竭诚服务、科学防治的“抗非典精神”值得宣传，学习和效法。     

应用腔镜技术治疗肝内外胆管结石的临床研究

目的探讨腔镜技术在治疗肝内外胆管结石中的合理应用. 方法应用腹腔镜结合十二指肠镜和纤维胆道镜治疗96例肝内外胆管结石,其中胆囊结石合并胆总管结石72例,单纯胆总管结石16例,左肝管结石合并胆总管结石8例.主要术式包括腹腔镜胆囊切除联合EST(37例)、腹腔镜胆囊切除术结合胆道镜胆道探查术(54例)、腹腔镜下左肝叶切除联合胆道镜胆管探查术(5例). 结果 96例中,93例术后复查无残留结石.4例出现少量胆漏,平均10天内自愈,无其它严重并发症发生.3例中转开腹手术,其中2例由于存在高位胆管狭窄,1例由于肝门部严重粘连水肿. 结论腔镜治疗肝内外胆管结石可行,合理应用多种腔镜技术治疗肝胆管结石,可以达到安全、有效和微创的目的.     

纯氧和空气复苏患儿24个月随访观察

目的 探讨纯氧和空气复苏对新生儿发育的影响,为新生儿复苏用氧选择提供依据.方法 对2005年1月-2007年1月在保定市妇幼保健院进行窒息复苏的30例患儿在24个月时进行随访,依据复苏用氧浓度分为纯氧复苏组(20例)和空气复苏组(10例),内容包括出生时胎龄、出生体重、身长、头围、阿氏评分(1 min,5 min)、心率(1 min,5 min)、随访时体重、身长、头围及运动发育标志(坐、爬、站、走时间).结果 出生时患儿身体数据差异无统计学意义,24个月随访,患儿身高、体重、头围及运动发育标志差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05).结论 空气复苏对新生儿窒息患者是安全有效的.     

近十年高血压病中医研究概况

为了促进中医药治疗高血压病的进一步发展,深入进行高血压病中医的病因病机、治法方药、作用机制的相关研究,本文对近十年有代表性的文献进行归纳分析。     

绝经后骨质疏松症中药治疗研究文献的质量评价

目的 了解目前国内中药治疗绝经后骨质疏松症的临床治疗研究的现状。方法 对检索到的50篇有关中药治疗绝经后骨质疏松症的临床研究论文，按照牛津循证医学中心证据水平标准和临床试验的没计原则，从诊断标准、纳入和排除标准、组间基线可比性、随机、对照、双盲、统计学方法、疗效判断、疗程及药物的不良反应、随访等多个方面进行分析评价。结果 50篇相关文献中，按照牛津循证医学中心证据水平标准评价，推荐级别为B级的占44.0％，C级的占56.0％；证据水平为2b级的占40.0％，3b级的占4.0％，4级的占56.0％；随机对照试验文献占44.0％；临床对照试验文献占4.0％；采用随机双盲者占9.1％，随机单盲者占18.2％，说明组间基线可比的占31.8％，有诊断标准的占90.9％，有纳入和排除标准的占86.4％，说明统计方法的占52.4％，有客观疗效评价指标的占90.9％，说明药物不良反应的占9.1％。结论 有关中医药治疗绝经后骨质疏松症的临床研究论文日益增多，但随机对照试验比例偏低，研究设计及论文撰写水平有待进一步提高。