Early prophylactic inhaled beclomethasone in infants less than 1250 g for the prevention of chronic lung disease

OBJECTIVE:

Inflammation plays an important role in the development of chronic lung disease (CLD), which has become a major cause of morbidity in surviving infants less than 1250 g at birth. The authors hypothesized that the progression of this inflammation and, therefore, the establishment of CLD would be decreased with the use of early prophylactic inhaled corticosteroids. Short, and long term respiratory and neurodevelopmental outcomes were also examined.

DESIGN:

A double-blind, randomized placebo controlled trial.

SETTING:

Level-III neonatal intensive care unit.

POPULATION STUDIED:

Sixty infants less than 1250 g at birth, diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome and requiring ventilatory support at 72 h of age were enrolled in the study.

INTERVENTION:

Infants enrolled received either placebo or beclomethasone diproprionate by a metered dose inhaler, which was used in-line with the ventilator circuit while the infant was ventilated and then via a spacer until 28 days of age.

RESULTS:

Thirty infants were given beclomethasone and 30 were given placebo. There were two deaths in each group. Among the surviving infants, the frequency of moderate-to-severe CLD was 17% in each study group. Mean time to extubation was not different for beclomethasone compared with placebo at 16.4 and 12.5 days (P=0.12), respectively. The requirement for intravenous corticosteroids was lower in the beclomethasone-treated group (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.04), although this difference was not statistically significant. The incidence of growth failure, infection and intraventricular hemmorhage did not differ between the two groups. Long term outcomes were not different with respect to the incidence of respiratory re-admissions, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, blindness or deafness.

CONCLUSIONS:

Early treatment with inhaled beclomethasone diproprionate did not reduce the incidence of CLD or decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation. The decrease in intravenous corticosteroid use was not statistically significant. Long term outcome was not affected.     

Effect of tumour and chemoradiotherapy on oesophageal motility

Background The contribution of dysmotility to dysphagia in oesophageal cancer is unclear. Aim To examine oesophageal motility in patients with oesophageal carcinoma and to assess the effect of chemoradiotherapy on motility. Methods Stationary manometry and 24-hour pH-metry were performed in 12 patients with oesophageal carcinoma and one week following completion of chemoradiotherapy using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin and 40Gy radiotherapy. Results All patients had abnormal motility prior to treatment. Peristalsis was impaired in 11 patients with a mean (SD) of 25% (9) of waves normally propagated. Eight patients had 20% or more simultaneous waves. Following chemoradiotherapy, the percentage of waves normally propagated increased from 25% (9) to 52% (10) (p < 0.03) and normal peristalsis was restored in four patients. The percentage of simultaneous waves decreased from 38% (11) to 21.6% (10) (p=0.129) while the percentage of dropped or increased waves decreased from 20% (11) to 8.3% (4) (p=0.264). Conclusions Oesophageal motility is disturbed in oesophageal cancer. Dysphagia in oesophageal cancer may be partly explained by oesophageal dysmotility. This is improved by chemotherapy.     

Pulmonary cystic hydatid disease in Ireland

Background Hydatid disease is rare in Ireland and its incidence and prevalence are unknown. Most cases are diagnosed by a combination of clinical findings, morphological features on imaging and by serological testing. Aims We describe an Irish case of pulmonary hydatid disease detected at bronchoscopy by bronchoalveolar lavage, and discuss the diagnosis and treatment of the disorder.     

消化性溃疡和慢性胃炎新中药的临床定位暨试验设计

近年来,国内有大量中药新药申请,大多集中在消化系统领域,如消化性溃疡或慢性胃炎;但是几乎所有的新药试验均设计相同、结果类似。实际上,物质基础的不同,必然会带来治疗效应上的差异。因此,新药审评机构专门召集国内部分知名专家就此问题进行讨论,希望能给业界一点建议,同时也鼓励研究者应根据研究目的的不同,选择采用不同的试验设计。     

健脾补肾方增加β-catenin、Runx2表达而促进骨质疏松性骨折愈合的疗效观察

目的研究健脾补肾方促进骨质疏松性骨折愈合的疗效机制,探讨"脾肾相关"、"先后天之本"中医理论在骨质疏松性骨折防治中的运用。方法建立去卵巢骨质疏松性骨折小鼠模型,随机分为7、14、28d 3个时间点,每个时间点分生理盐水、健脾补肾方2组。于骨折术后第2天给予相应药物灌胃治疗,分别于治疗3个时间点后处死小鼠,取材,进行影像学观察和病理组织学染色。结果 X-ray、Micro-CT结果显示,健脾补肾组7、14、28d均可促进骨痂形成及骨折愈合;Micro-CT定量分析显示,健脾补肾组7、14d骨痂BV/TV、Conn.D、mean/density of TV、mean/density of BV均明显高于生理盐水组(P0.05);有限元分析结果提示,健脾补肾组28d骨折部位刚度、弹性模量结果均高于生理盐水组(P0.05);HE染色、ABH/OG染色结果显示,健脾补肾方可以促进骨折部位早、中期膜内成骨和软骨内成骨,加速骨折愈合;免疫组化染色结果显示,健脾补肾方能增加骨痂部位β-catenin、Runx2的表达,促进骨折愈合。结论健脾补肾方可以促进骨质疏松性骨折的愈合,其机制可能与增加β-catenin、Runx2的表达相关。     

金石穿胶囊对致石豚鼠胆汁主要成分的影响

目的 :研究金石穿对致石豚鼠胆汁中几种主要化学成分的影响 ,以确定其防治胆石症的疗效。方法 :随机将 6 0只实验豚鼠分为正常组、模型对照组、胆石通组、金石穿组 ,用致石饲料诱发豚鼠胆囊结石模型 ,喂养一段时间后处死豚鼠 ,取胆汁 ,测定其胆汁中胆红素 (Bi L)、胆固醇 (Cho)、钙离子 (Ca2 )的含量。结果 :金石穿组胆汁中Cho、Bi L、Ca2 浓度均降低。结论 :金石穿能有效降低致石豚鼠成石率 ,具有明显的防治胆石症的作用     

急性非淋巴细胞性白血病细胞共刺激分子的表达

目的：检测急性非淋巴细胞白血病患者白血病细胞表面MHC—Ⅱ类分子和共刺激分子的表达情况。方法：采集骨髓中白血病细胞大于70％的27例初诊或复发息者骨髓细胞。荧光抗体标记。应用流式细胞仪进行HLA—DR、CD80(B7-1)和CI)和(B7—2)免疫标记检测。结果：27例病人除M3型表达明显低于其他各型外。HLA—DR抗原的表达均较高。其中M2型最高为90％；CD80阳性率很低，最高为M1型只有5％。其余均在l％～3％之间。CD86的表达高于CD80，最高为M5型为48％，最低为M6型为11％。结论：白血病细胞表面共刺激分子表达以CD80缺乏为主。     

应激性胃溃疡实验研究及中药防治作用研究进展

应激性胃溃疡一种以炎性糜烂、浅表溃疡及胃肠道出血为特征的急性胃黏膜病变；临床多发生于创伤、危重病等应激状态下，病情危重。因此，本文对应激性胃溃疡的病理机制及中药对其的防治作用等进行了综述。