Soluble CD14 but not interleukin-6 is a new marker for clinical activity in atopic dermatitis

Summary Levels of soluble IL-2 receptors, IL-6, soluble CD23, soluble CD14 and ECP (eosinophilic cationic protein) were measured as markers of T-cell, B-cell, monocyte and eosinophilic leucocyte activation in 26 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) on admission to (A) and at discharge from (D) the Department of Dermatology in Zurich. The serum levels of sIL-2R, IL-6, sCD23, sCD14 and ECP were significantly elevated in AD patients in comparison with the normal values of healthy donors. A significant decrease in sIL-2R (p=0.0093) and in sCD14 (p=0.0134) levels was demonstrated between A and D, correlating with the improvement in the skin intensity score (SIS). In addition, a significant correlation of the sCD14 levels and the SIS at A was demonstrated (p=0.0415). These results also incriminate monocytes in the pathogenesis of AD, indicating that, besides sIL-2R and ECP, SCD14 could also be a possible marker for the disease activity.     

母亲苯丙酮尿症后代的脑MRI表现

目的 提高对母亲苯丙酮尿症(MPKU)后代脑MRI表现的认识。资料与方法 报告2例生化及临床检查证实为MPKU双胞胎的．MRI改变，并复习文献。结果 文中2例表现与文献报道不一致．与苯丙酮尿症患儿的表现相似。常规T2WI及FLAIR均显示室周白质、侧脑室三角区、半卵圆中心条片状高信号。弥散加权成像(DWI)除更清楚地显示上述改变外，尚显示双侧内囊后肢及胼胝体压部信号增高。结论 常规T2WI及FIJAIR上可显示MPKU后代脑白质异常，DWI可提供更多诊断依据。     

The value of SCORAD and beyond. Towards a standardized evaluation of severity?

The clinical scoring systems of atopic dermatitis were analysed and compared. Some biological parameters that can correlate with the clinical score were also reviewed. After the definition of the disease based on validated clinical criteria, the second necessity was the availability of reliable severity scores to allow clinicians to verify the course of the disease and the efficacy of treatments. After many proposals, the SCORAD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis), that required more than three years of work, was the first one that was validated. SCORAD is freely available from an internet site and can be easily calculated using dedicated software. EASI (Eczema Area and Severity Index) score has also been validated but it has been modified twice. Simpler systems include SASSAD (Six Area, Six Sign Atopic Dermatitis) and TIS score (Three-Item Severity score). In parallel, biological parameters were investigated. Eosinophil cationic protein, circulating basophils, major basic protein, soluble E-selectin, antistaphylococcal enterotoxin B, immunoglobulin E titres and macrophage-derived chemokine, can correlate significantly with the clinical score. The clinicians will not benefit directly from laboratory techniques and will employ clinical scores.     

Chronic Fatigue: A Survey, Outcome Study and Proposals

Background:  Sample sizes in studies of childhood chronic fatigue remain small and there is a need to integrate research findings and establish common criteria.
Method:  This is a detailed report of 20 children with medically unexplained fatigue, referred to as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). It includes an uncontrolled outcome study of treatment based on a pragmatic cognitive-behavioural model adapted for children at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.
Results:  The data revealed psychological distress at 30 times the prevalence found in the normal child population, with specific high-ranking symptoms, including headache, social withdrawal and decreased appetite. Onset tended to occur at 11 years of age with some earlier problems at school age, suggesting it might be possible to identify those most at risk. Follow-up demonstrated improvement in 87% of the sample (parental report), a significant increase in school attendance and a significant decrease in symptom severity. Factors associated with good outcome were short duration of fatigue (less than a year) and behaviours that tended to combat the cycle of avoidance, such as carefully planned home-tuition.
Conclusions:  Recording a comprehensive range of symptoms and factors facilitates comparisons within and between child studies. It is proposed that symptom severity is a particularly relevant measure for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which is characterised by persisting symptoms.     

Outcome of a conservative approach in severe ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Severe ulcerative colitis is potentially life threatening even though a policy of intensive medical management and early colectomy in recent years reduced mortality to almost zero. However, colectomy, with or without ileal-anal anastomosis, has its own problems (morbidity, pouchitis, cuffitis) and no reliable prognostic index of surgical outcome has been developed. Intravenous steroids are still the mainstay of medical therapy but their maximal duration before stating a 'treatment failure' has not been defined. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the effectiveness, safety and outcome of an intensive medical approach in a series of patients with severe ulcerative colitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-nine episodes of severe ulcerative colitis in 115 patients admitted to a Gastroenterology Unit in a 7-year period were retrospectively evaluated. Intravenous glucocorticosteroids--methylprednisolone 1 mg/kg/day--and topical steroids were administered, and supportive treatments with intensive monitoring were extended to all the patients. Second-line strategies for steroid-refractoriness were prolonged glucocorticosteroids treatment, oral ciclosporin, infliximab or surgery. RESULTS: The median number of Truelove criteria at admission was 3 (range 2-5), median CRP 34 mg/l (range 10-196). Median follow-up after discharge was 49 months. In 84 (57%) episodes an early response was noted, while 65 (43%) did not respond within 10 days to the standard steroid treatment. In the non-responders group, 28 patients went into remission with a prolonged steroid treatment (slow responders); 15 patients were treated with ciclosporin (eight responders) and 6 with infliximab (four responders). A total of 24 colectomies was performed in this group of patients (in 21 cases within 30 days from admission). Slow responders showed lower albumin levels (P = 0.02), higher cumulative dose of glucocorticosteroids in the year prior to admission (P = 0.02) and higher age (P = 0.03), in comparison with early responders. Major complications were noted in four episodes which responded to medical treatment. Disease-related mortality was zero. CONCLUSIONS: Medical treatment and use of second-line therapies were effective in the present series of patients. A group of slow responders has been identified and, if an intensive medical monitoring is guaranteed, steroids can be safely prolonged after the first 10 days of treatment. Cumulatively, about 80% of the patients responded to short-term medical treatment, only 5% of the patients underwent colectomy in the follow-up period. Major adverse events were recorded in four patients, who had recovered completely after adequate medical treatment.     

络合碘在预防阑尾炎术后切口感染中的作用

目的络合碘预防阑尾切除术后切口感染。方法0．05％络合碘冲洗切口65例。结果络合碘冲洗的化脓、坏疽或穿孔性阑尾炎切口无感染，与传统组感染率9．1％（6／66）比较p〈0.05（x^2=4．266）。结论0．05％络合碘冲洗切口是预防阑尾切除术后切口感染的有效方法。     

影响胸部钝伤患者治疗方式临床因素分析

目的 探讨影响胸部钝伤住院患者治疗方式的因素，对胸部X线片判读的差异进行分析，作为改进处置胸部钝伤患者的依据及参考。方法 采用回顾性研究方法，收集2004—2006年因胸部钝伤或其外伤合并胸部钝伤，经急诊评估损伤严重指数（ISS）≤15，且对胸部钝伤暂采保守疗法的住院患者共96例（男76例，女20例）。对患者年龄、既往史、ISS、胸部X线片判渎等对治疗方式的影响与关系分为因病情需要改采用手术治疗组和继续采用保守治疗组来比较分析。结果两组在平均年龄、性别、ISS的统计上无差别。影响患者住院期间采用手术治疗的因素有年龄〉65岁（OR，3．14；95％CI，1．21～8．12；P〈0．05）；过去有心肺疾病病史（OR，2．85，95％CI，1．24～6．52，P〈0．05）；第一次的胸部X线片判读有血胸（OR，3．97；95％CI，1．43～10．98；P=0．015）。结论 年龄〉65岁，有心肺病史、第一次的胸部X线片判读有血胸是胸部钝伤患者在住院后改采用手术治疗的危险因子。有必要住院后追踪胸部X线片。     

International multicenter pilot study of the first comprehensive self-completed nonmotor symptoms questionnaire for Parkinson's disease: the NMSQuest study.

Nonmotor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinson's disease (PD) are not well recognized in clinical practice, either in primary or in secondary care, and are frequently missed during routine consultations. There is no single instrument (questionnaire or scale) that enables a comprehensive assessment of the range of NMS in PD both for the identification of problems and for the measurement of outcome. Against this background, a multidisciplinary group of experts, including patient group representatives, has developed an NMS screening questionnaire comprising 30 items. This instrument does not provide an overall score of disability and is not a graded or rating instrument. Instead, it is a screening tool designed to draw attention to the presence of NMS and initiate further investigation. In this article, we present the results from an international pilot study assessing feasibility, validity, and acceptability of a nonmotor questionnaire (NMSQuest). Data from 123 PD patients and 96 controls were analyzed. NMS were highly significantly more prevalent in PD compared to controls (PD NMS, median = 9.0, mean = 9.5 vs. control NMS, median = 5.5, mean = 4.0; Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and t test, P < 0.0001), with PD patients reporting at least 10 different NMS on average per patient. In PD, NMS were highly significantly more prevalent across all disease stages and the number of symptoms correlated significantly with advancing disease and duration of disease. Furthermore, frequently, problems such as diplopia, dribbling, apathy, blues, taste and smell problems were never previously disclosed to the health professionals.     

Integrated plasma cortisol concentration in children with asthma receiving long-term inhaled corticosteroids.

We assessed the effect of long-term therapy with inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) on the pituitary-adrenal axis, by measuring the integrated concentration (IC) of plasma cortisol in eight children with asthma (age, 6-16 years) who regularly used inhaled BDP in doses ranging from 8 to 26.5 micrograms/kg (200-450 micrograms/day) for 6 months to 4 years. The control group included six children (age, 6-16 years) who had the IC of plasma cortisol measured as part of an endocrinological evaluation and were found to be healthy. Cortisol concentration was measured in blood samples collected continuously over a 24-hr period. Mean IC of plasma cortisol in the study group was significantly lower than in the healthy controls (mean +/- SD, 4.9 +/- 3.3 vs 9.1 +/- 1.9 micrograms/mL; P less than 0.02). Cortisol response to 0.25 mg ACTH (iv) was abnormal in one of the eight BDP-treated patients. No correlation was found between IC of plasma cortisol and the BDP dose, severity of asthma, height percentile, or the Tanner stage. We conclude that long-term therapy, even with relatively conventional doses of inhaled BDP may cause reduction in the normal physiological secretion of cortisol. The clinical relevance of low IC of plasma cortisol is not clear, but it may reflect partial suppression of the pituitary-adrenal axis.     

糖尿病肾病临床研究述评

本文从中医病名、病因病机、诊断标准、临床分期、疗效评定、辨证论治、临床科研七个方面对糖尿病肾病的研究进行了述评。指出：糖尿病肾病的中医病名、诊断、分期及疗效评定标准亟待统一；立足于临床实际，参考现代医学有关认识，应用ＤＭＥ方法，开展糖尿病肾病临床和实验研究，深入探讨其病因病机和证治规律，在中医基本理论指导下，大胆创新，是提高临床疗效的关键；分期辨证论治较为符合疾病的发展规律，便于寻找防治糖尿病肾病的有效方法。