Cognitive impairment and nocturnal blood pressure fall in treated elderly hypertensives

Objectives We investigated the association between the fall of nocturnal blood pressure (BP) and cognitive impairment in elderly subjects. Methods The study was a cross-sectional survey of 204 elderly subjects who had no cerebrovasucular episodes. Ambulatory BP monitoring and assessments of cognitive functions using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were performed at the subjects’ homes. We classified, the subjects treated with antihypertensive drugs into three groups: non-dippers (nocturnal fall<10% of the mean day diastolic BP; n=51), normal dippers (10% to less than 20%; n=58), and extreme dippers (20% or more; n=17). The subjects not treated with antihypertensive drugs were also classified as non-dippers (n=40), normal dippers (n=24), and extreme dippers (n=14). Results The mean age of participants was 75.2±7.2 years, and 126 (61.7%) were being treated with antihypertensive drugs. In the group of antihypertensive drug users, the number with MMSE≤23 was 30 and the adjusted odds ratio for cognitive impairment in those with an extreme dip in diastolic BP (DBP) was 4.18 (95% CI, 1.07–16.40) in reference to the normal dippers. In contrast, no association was observed between cognitive function and nocturnal BP fall in the group no using antihypertensive drugs. Conclusions Cognitive impairment was associated with an extreme dip in DBP in the antihypertensive drug users only. It remains to be seen whether careful monitoring of nighttime BP as well as daytime BP may reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in antihypertensive drug users.     

Quantitative study of bite force during sleep associated bruxism

Nocturnal bite force during sleep associated bruxism was measured in 10 subjects. Hard acrylic dental appliances were fabricated for the upper and lower dentitions of each subject. Miniature strain-gauge transducers were mounted to the upper dental appliance at the right and left first molar regions. In addition, thin metal plates that contact the strain-gauge transducers were attached to the lower dental appliance. After a 1-week familiarization with the appliances, nocturnal bite force was measured for three nights at the home of each subject. From the 30 recordings, 499 bruxism events that met the definition criteria were selected. The above described system was also used to measure the maximum voluntary bite forces during the daytime. The mean amplitude of detected bruxism events was 22.5 kgf (s.d. 13.0 kgf) and the mean duration was 7.1 s (s.d. 5.3 s). The highest amplitude of nocturnal bite force in individual subjects was 42.3 kgf (15.6-81.2 kgf). Maximum voluntary bite force during the daytime was 79.0 kgf (51.8-99.7 kgf) and the mean ratio of nocturnal/daytime maximum bite force was 53.1% (17.3-111.6%). These data indicate that nocturnal bite force during bruxism can exceed the amplitude of maximum voluntary bite force during the daytime.     

The assessment of constipation in monosymptomatic primary nocturnal enuresis

Objective: Nocturnal enuresis and constipation are common pediatric problems. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of constipation in children with or without monosymptomatic primary nocturnal enuresis.Methods: The study included 5350 children, ages 5–19 years, who were surveyed to detect the incidence of nocturnal enuresis. Of those surveyed, 679 (12.7%) had primary nocturnal enuresis. All children were questioned by mail with a standard form that addressed their micturition and defecation habits. The children those who had primary nocturnal enuresis were invited to the Pediatric Urology Section of the University Hospital. Of those 679 children, 125 kept that invitation. All 125 of those children underwent an abdominal ultrasound. Also, these children had serum creatinine levels drawn and plain abdominal films taken.Results: Constipation, defined as less than 3 bowel movements per week, was seen in 48 of 679 children with nocturnal enuresis (7.06%). Of those 4671 children without nocturnal enuresis, only 68 (1.45%) had constipation. The difference in constipation between the two groups was statistically significant (z = –9.251; p = 0.000). Of note, 10 of the 125 children (8%), evaluated at the hospital, had constipation. None of the children had an abnormal neurologic examination. Finally, faecal loading was detected on the plain films of 8 of the 125 children evaluated, 7 of who had constipation. The sensitivity of grading plain films for faecal loading to denote constipation in this population was 87.5%.Conclusions: Children with primary nocturnal enuresis should be thoroughly assessed for coexisting constipation.     

New concept parameters of RigiScan in differentiation of vascular erectile dysfunction: Is it a useful test?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate the value of new nocturnal penile tumescence recording parameters, such as tumescence activity unit and rigidity activity unit values, total erection number and erection times, in differentiating between psychogenic erectile dysfunction and organic erectile dysfunction. We also aimed to determine the role of these parameters in differentiating arterial erectile dysfunction from veno-occlusive dysfunction. METHODS: Eighty-seven consecutive patients were allocated into three groups as psychogenic, arterial and venous erectile dysfunction after investigations. Nocturnal penile tumescence recording parameters between psychogenic and vascular erectile dysfunction and arterial and veno-occlusive dysfunction were compared. Mann-Whitney U-test, Pearson's chi2 test and correlation coefficient tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Depending on intracavernous injection, penile Doppler ultrasonography and cavernosometry tests, 37 patients (43%) had psychogenic impotence while 50 (57%) had organic pathologies. Of the 50 patients diagnosed with vascular impotence, 29 (48%) had arterial failure and 21 (42%) had veno-occlusive dysfunction. Nocturnal penile tumescence recording revealed psychogenic erectile dysfunction in 34 patients (39%) and vascular erectile dysfunction in 53 patients (61%). Nocturnal penile tumescence recording has been regarded as the gold standard and, in our series, it showed 90.6% sensitivity and 88.2% specificity in differentiating the cause of erectile dysfunction. Values of rigidity activity unit and tumescence activity unit were significantly higher in patients with psychogenic impotence (P < 0.001), when compared with vascular impotence. In patients with a vascular cause, no difference was found between arterial failure and veno-occlusive dysfunction with regard to tip tumescence activity unit, base tumescence activity unit, tip rigidity activity unit, base rigidity activity unit and erection time (P > 0.001). However, patients with arterial failure had less erection than patients with veno-occlusive dysfunction (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: New recording parameters of nocturnal penile tumescence can differentiate organic and psychogenic erectile dysfunction more precisely. However, these recording parameters cannot distinguish subgroups with a vascular cause of erectile dysfunction.     

陕西省鼠疫疫区夜行鼠寄生蚤调查

目的掌握鼠疫疫区夜行鼠寄生蚤种类及季节消长规律。方法逐月捕获夜行鼠,梳检鼠体蚤,作种属鉴定并计算染蚤率和蚤指数。结果采集夜行鼠鼠体蚤188匹,隶属于4科8属8种,以二齿新蚤和同型客蚤为优势种,二齿新蚤主要选择性寄生于黑线仓鼠,同型客蚤则以子午沙鼠为主要宿主。夜行鼠染蚤率和蚤指数消长曲线均呈现两个高峰,分别在4月和10月。二齿新蚤的季节消长同夜行鼠寄生蚤总体变化趋势一致,同型客蚤仅出现于4-8月份,以5、6、7月为高峰期。结论同一蚤种在不同地区、不同宿主其消长规律不同,研究当地不同宿主媒介蚤的种类和季节消长对于揭示鼠疫流行规律、有效预防鼠疫具有重要意义。     

Clinical Applications and Utility of a Precision Medicine Approach for Patients With Unexplained Cytopenias

ObjectiveTo demonstrate experience and feasibility of a precision medicine approach for patients with unexplained cytopenias, defined as low blood counts in one or more cell lineages, persistent for 6 months or longer, in the absence of known nutritional, autoimmune, infectious, toxic, and neoplastic (secondary) causes.Patients and MethodsPatients were evaluated in our clinic between November 8, 2016, and January 12, 2018. After a thorough evaluation of known causes, family history, and appropriate clinical assays, genomic evaluation was performed in a stepwise manner, through Sanger, targeted, and/or whole-exome sequencing. Variants were analyzed and discussed in a genomics tumor board attended by clinicians, bioinformaticians, and molecular biologists.ResultsSixty-eight patients were evaluated in our clinic. After genomic interrogation, they were classified into inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) (n=24, 35%), cytopenias without a known clinical syndrome which included idiopathic and clonal cytopenias of undetermined significance (CCUS) (n=30, 44%), and patients who did not fit into the above two categories (“others,” n=14, 21%). A significant family history was found in only 17 (25%) patients (9 IBMFS, 2 CCUS, and 6 others), whereas gene variants were found in 43 (63%) patients (34 [79%] pathogenic including 12 IBMFS, 17 CCUS, and 5 others]. Genomic assessment resulted in a change in clinical management in 17 (25%) patients, as evidenced by changes in decisions with regards to therapeutic interventions (n=8, 47%), donor choice (n=6, 35%), and/or choice of conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n=8, 47%).ConclusionWe show clinical utility of a real-world algorithmic precision medicine approach for unexplained cytopenias.     

New Insights into Molecular Pathogenesis of Bone Marrow Failure in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is caused by the clonal expansion of hematopoietic stem cells with mutations of the phosphatidylinositol glycan-class A gene (PIGA). PNH clones then fail to generate glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) or to express a series of GPI-linked membrane proteins including complement-regulatory proteins, resulting in complement-mediated intravascular hemolysis and thrombosis. Bone marrow failure is another characteristic feature of PNH. It is currently considered that immune-mediated injury of hematopoietic cells is implicated in PNH marrow failure as well as in aplastic anemia, a well-known PNH-related disorder. There is increasing evidence that the autoimmune attack allows PNH clones to selectively survive in the injured marrow, leading to clinical manifestations characteristic of PNH. As candidate molecules that trigger the immune attack on marrow cells, stress-inducible membrane proteins and Wilms’ tumor protein WT1 have been proposed. Among the stress-inducible proteins, GPI-linked proteins, such as cytomegalovirus glycoprotein UL16-binding protein, are distinct candidates that not only induce immune attack, but also allow PNH clones to survive the attack. Here, we overview the current understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of bone marrow failure in PNH.     

SAHS和夜间低血压与非动脉炎性前部缺血性视神经病变的相关性

目的：探讨睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(SAHS)及夜间低血压(NHP)与非动脉炎性前部缺血性视神经病变(NAION)发病的相关性。

方法：回顾性分析2016-10/2018-12我院就诊的NAION患者,其中NAION组31例,对照组31例为健康体检者。对NAION患者和对照组行24h动态血压监测明确夜间血压情况,用Berlin调查问卷评估SAHS患病风险,用多导睡眠呼吸记录仪(Polysomnography)行夜间呼吸暂停低通气指数(AHI)、最小氧饱和度(MOS)监测。根据AHI对SAHS进行诊断和分级。

结果：NAION组有23例患者(74%)出现NHP,对照组中NHP患者为14例(45%),NAION组中NHP的患病率显著高于对照组(P=0.020)。NAION组有22例(71%)伴有SAHS,而对照组SAHS患者为13例(42%)。Logistic回归分析显示,NHP(OR=2.762,95% CI：1.275～3.746)、AHI(OR=2.959,95% CI：1.478～6.432)及MOS(OR=3.058,95% CI：1.734～7.743)是NAION发生的危险因素。

结论：SAHS和NHP与NAION的发生密切相关,预防SAHS和NHP的发生与进展可能有助于防治NAION。     

CD55,CD59抗原表达在PNH合并全血细胞减少症诊断中的应用

目的 探讨红细胞和粒细胞膜CD55与CD59抗原表达在阵发性睡眠性血红蛋白尿症(PNH)合并全血细胞减少症(PCP)诊断中的应用.方法采用流式细胞术结合直接免疫荧光法,检测PCP患者病因可疑为PNH的的外周血红细胞和粒细胞膜 CD55与CD59抗原的表达.结果 125例中,PNH32例,非PNH 93例(包括再生障碍性...