艾尔巴韦/格拉瑞韦治疗慢性丙型肝炎患者疗效初步观察

目的 初步探讨应用艾尔巴韦/格拉瑞韦治疗慢性丙型肝炎(CHC)患者的疗效。方法 2017年3月~2018年3月仙桃市第一人民医院感染病科收治的CHC患者82例,被随机分为对照组41例和观察组41例,分别给予聚乙二醇干扰素-α联合利巴韦林治疗和艾尔巴韦/格拉瑞韦治疗,两组均连续治疗24周。采用RT- PCR法检测血清 HCV RNA,采用全基因序列测定法行病毒基因分型。比较两组早期病毒学应答(EVR)、治疗结束时病毒学应答(ETVR)和持续病毒学应答(SVR)。结果 在治疗结束时,观察组血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)水平为(47.9±19.7)U/L,显著低于对照组【(63.5±21.2)U/L,P<0.05】,天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)水平为(55.5±22.3)U/L,显著低于对照组【(81.3±25.8)U/L,P<0.05】;观察组EVR、ETVR和SVR分别为48.8%、63.4%和70.7%,与对照组的41.5%、53.7%和65.8%比,无统计学差异(P>0.05);18例观察组非HCV Ⅰ型感染者EVR、ETVR和SVR分别为88.9%、94.4%和88.9%,显著高于同组23例HCV Ⅰ型感染者(分别为52.2%、60.9%和52.2%, P<0.05),而与对照组15例非HCV Ⅰ型感染者比,无统计学差异(分别为86.7%、93.3%和73.3%, P>0.05);观察组SVR₁₂为87.8%(36/41),显著高于对照组的73.2%(30/41,P<0.05)。结论 应用直接抗病毒(DAA)药物艾尔巴韦/格拉瑞韦治疗CHC患者近期疗效达到,但远期疗效似优于标准治疗方案, 值得临床进一步验证。     

Novel β-Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2): Current and future aspects of pharmacological treatments

The novel coronavirus outbreak has reported to be rapidly spreading across the countries and becomes a foremost community health alarm. At present, no vaccine or specific drug is on hand for the treatment of this infectious disease. This review investigates the drugs, which are being evaluated and found to be effective against nCOVID-19 infection. A thorough literature search was performedon the recently published research papers in between January 2020 to May 2020, through various databases like “Science Direct”, “Google Scholar”, “PubMed”,“Medline”, “Web of Science”, and “World Health Organization (WHO)”. We reviewed and documented the information related with the current and future aspects for the management and cure of COVID-19. As of 21st July 2020 a total of 14,562,550 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 607,781 deaths have been reported world-wide. The main clinical feature of COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic disease to mild lower respiratory tract illness to severe pneumonia, acute lung injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multiple organ dysfunction, and death. The drugs at present used in COVID-19 patients and ongoing clinical trials focusing on drug repurposing of various therapeutic classes of drug e.g. antiviral, anti-inflammatory and/or immunomodulatory drugs along with adjuvant/supportive care. Many drugs on clinical trials shows effective results on preliminary scale and now used currently in patients. Adjuvant/supportive care therapy are used in patients to get the best results in order to minimize the short and long-term complications. However, further studies and clinical trials are needed on large scale of population to reach any firm conclusion in terms of its efficacy and safety.     

A Reminder of Methylene Blue's Effectiveness in Treating Vasoplegic Syndrome after On-Pump Cardiac Surgery

The inflammatory response induced by cardiopulmonary bypass decreases vascular tone, which in turn can lead to vasoplegic syndrome. Indeed the hypotension consequent to on-pump cardiac surgery often necessitates vasopressor and intravenous fluid support. Methylene blue counteracts vasoplegic syndrome by inhibiting the formation of nitric oxide.We report the use of methylene blue in a 75-year-old man who developed vasoplegic syndrome after cardiac surgery. After the administration of methylene blue, his hypotension improved to the extent that he could be weaned from vasopressors. The use of methylene blue should be considered in patients who develop hypotension refractory to standard treatment after cardiac surgery.     

Current and emerging osteoporosis pharmacotherapy for women: state of the art therapies for preventing bone loss

Introduction: Pharmacological options to address the imbalance between bone resorption and accrual in osteoporosis include anti-resorptive and osteoanabolic agents. Unique biologic pathways such as the Wnt/β-catenin pathway have been targeted in the quest for new emerging therapeutic strategies.

Areas covered: This review provides an overview of existing pharmacotherapy for osteoporosis in women and explore state-of–the-art and emerging therapies to prevent bone loss, with an emphasis on the mechanism of action, indications and side effects.

Expert opinion: Bisphosphonates appear to be a reliable and cost-effective option, whereas denosumab has introduced a simpler dosing regimen and may achieve a linear increase in bone mineral density (BMD) with no plateau being observed, along with continuous anti-fracture efficacy. Abaloparatide, a parathyroid-hormone-related peptide (PTHrP)-analogue, approved by the FDA in April 2017, constitutes the first new anabolic osteoporosis drug in the US for nearly 15 years and has also proven its anti-fracture efficacy. Romosozumab, a sclerostin inhibitor, which induces bone formation and suppresses bone resorption, has also been developed and shown a significant reduction in fracture incidence; however, concerns have arisen with regard to increased cardiovascular risk.     

The comparative effects of metabolic surgery,SGLT2i,or GLP-1RA in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundNew antidiabetic agents (sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor [SGLT2i] and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist [GLP-1RA]) and metabolic surgery have protective effects on metabolic syndromes.ObjectivesTo compare the changes of metabolic parameters and costs among patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes undergoing metabolic surgery and initiating new antidiabetic agents over 12 months.SettingHong Kong Hospital Authority database from 2006–2017.MethodsThis is a population-wide retrospective cohort study consisting of 2616 patients (1810 SGLT2i, 528 GLP-1RA, 278 metabolic surgery). Inverse probability treatment weighting of propensity score was applied to balance baseline covariates of patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes who underwent metabolic surgery, or initiated SGLT2i or GLP-1RA. Metabolic parameters and direct medical costs were measured and compared from baseline to 12 months in metabolic surgery, SGLT2i, and GLP-1RA groups.ResultsPatients in all 3 groups had improved metabolic parameters over a 12-month period. Patients with metabolic surgery achieved significantly better outcomes in BMI (?5.39, ?.56, ?.40 kg/m², P < .001), % total weight loss (15.16%, 1.34%, 1.63%, P < .001), systolic (?2.21, ?.59, 1.28 mm Hg, P < .001) and diastolic (?1.16, .50, ?.13 mm Hg, P < .001) blood pressure, HbA1c (?1.80%, ?.77%, ?.80%, P < .001), triglycerides (?.64, ?.11, ?.09 mmol/L, P < .001), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (3.08, ?1.37, ?.41 mL/min/1.73m², P < .001) after 12 months compared with patients with SGLT2i and GLP1-RA. Although the metabolic surgery group incurred the greatest direct medical costs (US$33,551, US$10,945, US$10,627, P < .001), largely due to the surgery itself and related hospitalization, the total monthly direct medical expenditure of metabolic surgery group became lower than that of SGLT2i and GLP-1RA groups at 7 months.ConclusionBeneficial weight loss and metabolic outcomes at 12 months were observed in all 3 groups, among which the metabolic surgery group showed the most remarkable effects but incurred the greatest medical costs. However, studies with a longer follow-up period are warranted to show long-term outcomes.     

Coccidioidomycosis After Renal Transplantation in an Endemic Area

Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic fungal infection of the desert southwestern United States of particular concern for immunosuppressed renal transplant recipients. The clinical course of coccidioidomycosis can be severe in immunosuppressed patients, with high rates of dissemination and mortality, and antifungal prophylaxis is routinely administered to high-risk patients. We sought to determine the impact of coccidioidomycosis on patients who received their renal transplant at our hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. A retrospective records review of the first 205 patients who received a renal transplant between June 1999 and December 2003 identified 6 patients (3%) who had contracted coccidioidomycosis after transplantation. All six cases occurred more than 6 months after transplantation. Two of these six patients had disseminated coccidioidomycosis. Two patients, one with pulmonary infection and one with disseminated infection, died. None of the six patients with coccidioidomycosis after transplantation had identified risk factors before transplantation. No high-risk patient who received targeted antifungal prophylaxis had a reactivation of coccidioidomycosis after transplantation. Treatment for acute rejection and induction with antithymocyte globulin did not appear to increase the risk of subsequent coccidioidomycosis.