寡克隆区带及IgG指数在多发性硬化中的临床意义

目的研究寡克隆区带（OCB）和IgG指数在多发性硬化（MS）中的临床意义。方法收集MS患者54例和其他神经系统疾病（OND）患者271例,包括中枢神经系统感染性疾病62例及非感染性疾病209例的脑脊液和血清标本,分别进行OCB检测（聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳）和IgG指数的计算（免疫火箭电泳法）。结果MS组OCB阳性率为35.2%;OND组为8.9%,其中感染组为24.2%,非感染组为4.5%。MS与OND组整体比较OCB阳性率有显著性差异（P〈0.05）,但与感染组相比无显著性差异（P〉0.05）。MS组IgG指数阳性率为83.3%,OND组为78.2%（P〉0.05）。结论OCB对MS有一定的辅助诊断价值,但需除外CNS感染性疾病。IgG指数阳性可作为参考。     

不同分级肝硬化患者血清甲状腺素水平的意义

目的探讨肝硬化患者血清中甲状腺素水平的变化与肝硬化病变程度及其临床实验室检查之间的相关性。方法用放免法测定肝硬化患者血清FT3、FT4、PC-Ⅲ、Ⅳ-C、LN及HA，并按Child—Pugh方法将肝功能分为A、B、C三级。结果随着肝硬化病变程度的加重，血清肝纤维化指标逐渐增高，甲状腺素呈下降趋势，同时血清甲状腺素水平与肝硬化的低蛋白血症、腹水及凝血酶原时间密切相关。结论肝硬化患者体内存在不同程度的甲状腺素水平紊乱，紊乱程度与肝功能受损程度有明显相关性，联合检测血清FT3、FT4、PC-Ⅲ、Ⅳ—C、LN及HA对估计肝硬化病变程度及判断预后有十分重要的临床价值。     

脑电双频指数指导老年病人异丙酚麻醉诱导用量

[目的]通过监测老年病人麻醉诱导时脑电双频指数(BIS)的变化,探讨既能维持足够麻醉深度又能避免严重低血压的异丙酚诱导用量。[方法]40例ASA II～I级的老年病人(65～85岁),随机分成两组。A组静脉注射异丙酚1.6 mg/kg;B组静脉注射异丙酚,其用量是使BIS下降到40～50时的用量。两组均复合维库溴铵0.1 mg/kg和瑞芬太尼1ug/kg诱导后行气管插管分别记录基础值、插管前、插管后1 min、5 min和10 min时的收缩压(SBP)、舒张压(DBP)、平均动脉压(MAP)、心率(HR),同时记录诱导异丙酚用药量和BIS的变化。[结果]A组异丙酚诱导用药量(99.7±18.05)mg,平均(1.64±0.7)mg/kg,B组(82.9±12.5)mg,平均(1.35±0.5)mg/kg,差异有统计学意义(P﹤0.05)。A组血压(BP)和BIS比B组明显降低。[结论]老年病人异丙酚麻醉诱导的合适用量为(1.35±0.5)mg/kg;既能维持老年人足够的麻醉深度又能避免严重低血压的发生。     

LOGIQ 400B超机疑难故障维修一例

分析了GELOGIQ 400B超机不能启动的故障，经对电源、主板、硬盘的维修，机器恢复正常。     

Conditional estimation of sensitivity and specificity from a phase 2 biomarker study allowing early termination for futility

Development of a disease screening biomarker involves several phases. In phase 2 its sensitivity and specificity is compared with established thresholds for minimally acceptable performance. Since we anticipate that most candidate markers will not prove to be useful and availability of specimens and funding is limited, early termination of a study is appropriate, if accumulating data indicate that the marker is inadequate. Yet, for markers that complete phase 2, we seek estimates of sensitivity and specificity to proceed with the design of subsequent phase 3 studies. We suggest early stopping criteria and estimation procedures that adjust for bias caused by the early termination option. An important aspect of our approach is to focus on properties of estimates conditional on reaching full study enrollment. We propose the conditional‐UMVUE and contrast it with other estimates, including naïve estimators, the well‐studied unconditional‐UMVUE and the mean and median Whitehead‐adjusted estimators. The conditional‐UMVUE appears to be a very good choice. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hepatitis B virus genetic diversity and its impact on diagnostic assays

Summary.  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) circulates in blood as closely related, but genetically diverse molecules called quasispecies. During replication, HBV production may approach 10¹¹ molecules/day, although during peak activity this rate may increase 100–1000 times. Generally, DNA polymerases have excellent fidelity in reading DNA templates because they are associated with an exonuclease which removes incorrectly added nucleotides. However, the HBV-DNA polymerase lacks fidelity and proofreading function partly because exonuclease activity is either absent or deficient. Thus, the HBV genome and especially the envelope gene, is mutated with unusually high frequency. These mutations can affect more than one open reading frame because of overlapping genes. The S gene contains an exposed major hydrophilic region (residues 110–155), which encompasses the 'a' determinant that is important for inducing immunity. Nucleotide substitutions in this region are common and result in reduced binding or failure to detect hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in diagnostic assays. Adaptive immunity also depends on the recognition of HBsAg by specific antibody and variants pose a threat if they interfere with binding to antibody. Finally, genomic hypervariability allows HBV to escape selection pressures imposed by antiviral therapies, vaccines and the host immune system, and is responsible for creating genotypes, subgenotypes and subtypes.     

Variations in the use of diagnostic procedures after acute stroke in Europe: results from the BIOMED II study of stroke care

Valid classification of stroke is essential to initiate effective acute management and early secondary prevention strategies. To accurately evaluate stroke subtype a number of diagnostic procedures have to be performed. This study sought to investigate variations in use of diagnostic procedures across selected European hospitals. First-ever stroke patients were sampled over a 1-year period through 11 hospital-based registers across 10 European countries. We defined a diagnostic standard for valid aetiological classification of ischemic stroke including brain imaging, vascular imaging and echocardiography. The impact of socio-demographic, clinical and structural characteristics on performance of the diagnostic standard was assessed using multivariate logistic regression analyses. A total of 1721 patients were included in the study. 83.1% received brain imaging, ranging from 32.8% to 100%. The diagnostic standard was performed in 40.4% of stroke patients, ranging from 0% to 77.2%. Patients with increasing age ( P  < 0.001) and with more severe strokes ( P  = 0.001) were less probably to receive the diagnostic standard. Patients treated in stroke units and neurological departments were more frequently investigated with the diagnostic standard ( P  < 0.001). Less than half of hospitalized stroke patients across Europe underwent diagnostic procedures to allow for aetiological classification of stroke, which may hamper the initiation of effective early management and secondary prevention.     

Proposed diagnostic thresholds for gestational diabetes mellitus according to a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Maternal and perinatal outcomes in 3260 Danish women.

AIMS: To study if established diagnostic threshold values for gestational diabetes based on a 75-g, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test can be supported by maternal and perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Historical cohort study of 3260 pregnant women examined for gestational diabetes on the basis of risk indicators. Information on oral glucose tolerance test results and clinical outcomes were collected from medical records. RESULTS: There was an increased risk of delivering a macrosomic infant in women with 2-h capillary blood glucose of 7.8-8.9 mmol/l compared with women with 2-h glucose < 7.8 mmol/l. Despite treatment, 2-h glucose of 9.0-11.0 mmol/l and > or = 11.1 mmol/l were both associated with increased rates of macrosomia, spontaneous preterm delivery, hypertensive complications, and neonatal hypoglycaemia. Adverse outcomes tended to be more frequent in women with 2-h glucose > or = 11.1 mmol/l than in women with 2-h glucose of 9.0-11.0 mmol/l. CONCLUSIONS: The risk for several maternal and perinatal complications increased with the diagnostic threshold for 2-h glucose. Large-scale blinded studies are needed to clarify the question of a clinically meaningful diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus. Until these results are available, a 2-h threshold level of 9.0 mmol/l after a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test seems acceptable.     

Comparative efficacy of Hanifin and Rajka''s criteria and the UK working party''s diagnostic criteria in diagnosis of atopic dermatitis in a hospital setting in North India

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of atopic dermatitis (AD) depends on clinical features because no definitive diagnostic test exists. Criteria proposed by Hanifin and Rajka (Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh) 1980; Suppl 92: 44-47) were acceptable for hospital-based studies but were found not to be suitable for field studies. A UK working party formulated clinical diagnostic criteria that could be used in both hospital and epidemiological settings. Validation studies of the criteria showed widely variable results, probably due to different clinical settings and ethnicity. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to validate Hanifin and Rajka's criteria and to assess the comparative efficacy of their criteria and the UK working party's diagnostic criteria in the diagnosis of AD in a hospital setting in North India. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study serially included 101 patients with AD and 48 controls of paediatric age group. The study period was from July 2003 to December 2004. RESULTS: Hanifin and Rajka's criteria (sensitivity 96%, specificity 93.75%, positive predictive value 97% (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) 91.84%) had a statistical advantage over the UK working party's diagnostic criteria (sensitivity 86%, specificity 95.83%, PPV 97.75% and NPV 76.67%), with a P-value < 0.005.