Performance and comparison of the Cockcroft-Gault and simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formulae in estimating glomerular filtration rate in a Chinese Type 2 diabetic population.

AIMS: Our aim was to assess performances of the Cockcroft-Gault and simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formulae in estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in Chinese diabetic populations and their association with vascular risks. METHODS: A total of 1009 patients with Type 2 diabetes were categorized into low estimated GFR groups (GFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) and control groups by the two equations. The performances of these formulae were assessed at different stages of kidney function. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy or albuminuria were compared among the groups. The ability of these formulae to identify established vascular risk markers using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were also compared. RESULTS: The prevalence of low estimated GFR was 32.7% with the Cockcroft-Gault formula and 5.2% with the MDRD formula, respectively. In low estimated GFR subjects by the MDRD formula, IMT was significantly thicker than those by the Cockcroft-Gault formula (1.2 mm vs. 1.0 mm; P < 0.05), with a higher prevalence of albuminuria (78.4 vs. 52.8%, P < 0.05) and diabetic retinopathy (46.5 vs. 30.5%; P < 0.05). The Cockcroft-Gault formula gave a specificity of 71.7% and a sensitivity of 37.0%, and the MDRD formula gave a specificity of 96.6% and a sensitivity of 7.9% in estimating low GFR relevant for established vascular risks. CONCLUSIONS: These formulae performed differently in Chinese diabetic populations. The simplified MDRD formula is minimally superior to the Cockcroft-Gault formula for its high specificity and positive predictive values in estimating low GFR relevant for vascular risks.     

Inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome system: a new avenue for atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is thought to be functionally active in atherosclerosis (AS) lesions. Aspirin was found to be a potent inhibitor of the UPS in some tumour studies; however, its effect on AS remains to be demonstrated in vivo. METHODS: New Zealand rabbits were placed on a normal diet (N) or on a normal diet with aspirin (NI) or on an atherogenic diet without (H) or with aspirin (HI) for 12 weeks. Proteasome activity, concentrations of plasma lipids and levels of peroxidation were determined. Ubiquitin/ubiquitin-conjugates (Ub), IkappaBalpha, phosphorylated IkappaB (pIkappaBalpha) and p65 were investigated by Western blotting or immunochemistry. RESULTS: Concentrations of plasma lipids and peroxidation levels were higher in H or HI vs. N or NI. Histological analysis showed that atheroma was increased in H. Ub and IkappaBalpha were mainly localised in subendothelium and media vascular smooth muscle cells. Western blots revealed that Ub, IkappaBalpha, and pIkappaBalpha were increased, whereas p65 was lower in HI vs. H. The activity of the 20S proteasome was functionally active in H vs. N, NI or HI, while the 26S proteasome was not affected in any of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Aspirin can attenuate the pathogenesis of atheroma formation, the degradation of IkappaBalpha and pIkappaBalpha, and lower the expression of p65, indicating that its therapeutic effects on AS may be via inhibition of the UPS.     

Histamine and tryptase modulate asthmatic airway smooth muscle GM-CSF and RANTES release.

Degranulating mast cells are increased in the airway smooth muscle (ASM) of asthmatics, where they may influence ASM function. The aim of the present study was to determine whether histamine and tryptase modulate ASM cell granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) release and also to examine which receptors are involved in this release. Confluent, quiescent ASM cells from asthmatic and nonasthmatic donors were treated with histamine (1 microM-100 microM) with and without histamine receptor antagonist pre-treatment, or the protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 agonists tryptase (0.5-5 nM) and SLIGKV (100 and 400 microM). The cells were then stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1beta and/or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (10 ng.mL(-1)) or left unstimulated for 24 h. Release of GM-CSF and RANTES was determined by ELISA and prostaglandin (PG)E(2) measured by enzyme immunoassay. Neither histamine nor tryptase induced ASM GM-CSF or RANTES secretion. However, histamine increased IL-1beta-induced GM-CSF release and markedly reduced TNF-alpha-induced RANTES release by both asthmatic and nonasthmatic cells to a similar extent, but did not modulate PGE(2) release. All changes involved activation of the histamine H1 receptor as they were partially or fully blocked by chlorpheniramine, but not ranitidine. Tryptase, via its proteolytic activity, also potentiated GM-CSF, but not RANTES, release from asthmatic and nonasthmatic ASM cells induced by both cytokines. PAR-2 involvement in the tryptase potentiation was unlikely because SLIGKV had no effect. In conclusion, mast cells, through histamine and tryptase, may locally modulate airway smooth muscle-induced inflammation in asthma.     

乳房聚丙烯酰胺水凝胶取出术的手术配合

对81例患者行乳房内聚丙烯酰胺水凝胶（PAHG）取出术。结果手术均获成功，手术时间1．5～5．5h，平均2．6h。术中出血量90～1080ml，平均645．0ml。住院时间7～15d，平均8．9d。无血肿、感染等并发症，MRI复查PAHG清除率均达95．0％。提出术前加强心理护理并完善术前准备，术中密切监测生命体征和出入量，及时补充血容量，保证手术野照明，充分灌洗手术腔隙，减少PAHG在体内残留等措施是保证手术成功的重要环节。     

刺鼠信号蛋白对自体移植皮片中酪氨酸酶的活性影响

目的 检测刺鼠信号蛋白对自体移植皮片中酪氨酸酶的活性影响,进一步认识自体移植皮片过度色素沉着的原因。方法 建立过度色素沉着的自体移植皮片的动物模型；利用免疫组织化学方法分别检测刺鼠信号蛋白作用前后自体移植皮片中酪氨酸酶的表达,并与对照治疗组及正常皮肤相比较。结果 酪氨酸酶的表达定位于表皮基底部黑色素细胞的胞浆,在大部分组织中呈阳性表达,经刺鼠信号蛋白作用后酪氨酸酶在自体移植皮片中的表达明显减少,与在其他各对照组中的表达差异有极显著意义（P＜0.01）。结论 刺鼠信号蛋白在自体移植皮片中能竞争性拮抗α-MSH的黑色素合成,使皮片着色能力降低,从而证明皮片移植后表皮细胞中α-MSH的表达上调是皮片呈过度色素沉着的重要原因。     

中西医结合治疗小儿急性肾小球肾炎临床观察

急性肾小球肾炎为临床常见病，多发于少年儿童，男性多见。西医除对症处理外，无特效药物，中药治疗本病可明显缩短病程。笔者自2003年1月至2006年1月用清热利湿解毒汤治疗急性肾小球肾炎60例取得确切疗效，现报道如下。     

老年人急性阑尾炎的腹腔镜手术治疗

目的 探讨老年人急性阑尾炎的临床特点，更好地把握腹腔镜阑尾切除（LA）术的方法和特点。方法 回顾分析50例老年人急性阑尾炎LA的临床资料。结果 LA均获成功，患者全部治愈，无严重的并发症发生，肠功能恢复时间及住院时间均缩短。结论 老年人反应迟钝，阑尾炎进展快，易发生坏疽及穿孔，合并症多，手术风险较高，LA是安全、可行的，除个别腹膜后阑尾炎外，其余均可施行LA。