Effect of metoprolol on death and cardiac events during a 2-year period after coronary artery bypass grafting

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of long-term treatment with metoprololafter coronary bypass grafting on death and cardiac events. METHODS: Patients in western Sweden on whom coronary artery bypass graftingwas performed between June 1988 and June 1991 were evaluatedfor inclusion during the first 3 weeks after surgery. Majorexclusion criteria were age >75 years, concomitant valvesurgery, traditional contraindications to beta-blockers andunwillingness to participate. Patients were randomized in adouble-blind fashion to 100 mg of metoprolollplacebo daily for2 weeks and thereafter 200 mg daily for 2 years. RESULTS: Of 2365 patients who were operated on, 967 were randomized toeither metoprolol (n=480) or placebo (n=487). Primary end points(death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris,need for coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous transluminalangioplasty), were reached by 42 patients in the metoprololgroup (8·8%) as compared with 39 in the placebo group(8·0%) (P=0·73). Of all the patients randomizedto metoprolol, 34% withdrew from blind treatment prematurelycompared with 44% for placebo (P<0·01) CONCLUSION: Prophylactic treatment with metoprolol over a 2-year periodafter coronary artery bypass grafting did not reduce death orthe development of cardiac events. However, the 95% confidencelimits ranged from the possibility of a 30% reduction in eventsto a 68% increase in events if patients were treated with metoprololas compared with placebo.     

肺癌患者FLK-1、LRP和MDR1的表达与临床研究

目的:探讨血管内皮生长因子受体 (Flk 1),肺耐药蛋白 (LRP)基因以及多药耐药基因 (MDR1)蛋白与肺癌患者临床及病理指标的关系。方法:用免疫组化技术(ABC法)对原发性肺癌组织中三种基因的表达进行检测。结果: 70例肺癌中,非小细胞肺癌MDR1阳性率 49. 2% (29 /59),明显高于小细胞肺癌 (SCLC) 18. 2% (2 /11)(P<0. 05);非小细胞肺癌LRP阳性率 69. 5% (41 /59),明显高于小细胞肺癌 27. 3% (3 /11) (P<0. 05)。腺癌中MDR1与LRP的表达明显高于鳞癌(P<0. 05)。LRP与Flk 1在NSCLCs中共同表达 49. 2% (29 /59),LRP的表达与肺癌的组织学分级相关,MDR1和LRP的表达与肺癌的组织学类型有关,Flk 1与TNM分期相关,均有统计学意义(P<0. 05)。Flk 1 LRP均阳性、FLK 1 LRP MDR1均阳性、中药治疗、复发与患者的生存率有关(P<0. 05)。结论:FLK 1、LRP和MDR1基因蛋白产物的检测对肺癌患者的诊治和预后评估有积极意义。     

QT离散度对急危重病人预后的评估

目的　研究QT离散度对急危重病人预后的预测价值。方法　死亡组 4 7例、疾病组 4 0例和正常组 4 3例。记录 12导联心电图 ,人工测量各导联R -R间期和QT间期 ,计算R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd。结果　死亡组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd分别为 0 5 6 2± 0 2 2 0ms、0 35 6± 0 0 6 9ms、0 0 5 6± 0 0 33ms和 0 0 79± 0 0 4 6ms ;疾病组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd分别为0 80± 0 134ms、0 4 16± 0 0 3ms、0 0 34± 0 0 14ms和 0 0 39± 0 0 16ms;正常组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd分别为 0 82 5± 0 0 88ms、0 4 0 2± 0 0 3ms、0 0 2 7± 0 0 15ms和 0 0 31± 0 0 15ms。比较死亡组、疾病组和正常组发现 ,死亡组和疾病组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd存在显著差异 (P分别 <0 0 0 1、<0 0 0 2 5、<0 0 0 1和 <0 0 0 1)。死亡组和正常组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd存在显著差异 (P分别 <0 0 0 1、<0 0 0 2 5、<0 0 0 1和 <0 0 0 1)。结论　QTd对急危重病人的预后有一定的预测价值 ;但其它临床应用价值存在局限性 ,有待进一步探索。     

Predictive value of clinical characteristics for 'benign' multiple sclerosis

We studied a cohort of 496 patients who had multiple sclerosis (MS) for at least 10 years. Ten years after disease onset, 151 had benign MS defined as an Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ≤3. Between benign and non-benign patients we compared gender, age at clinical onset, relapsing–remitting or primary progressive, symptoms at onset, recovery from first relapse, time between first and second relapse, number of relapses in the first 5 years, use of immunomodulatory drugs, and EDSS scores at 2, 5 and 10 years. A multivariate regression analysis showed that a relapsing–remitting course, a low EDSS score at 5 years, and a low number of relapses in the first 5 years were predictive for benign MS at 10 years. Other factors had no additional value. Thirty-five of the 51 patients (69%) with benign MS at 10 years were still benign at 20 years. A low 10-year EDSS score was the only clinical variable associated with a benign course at 20 years. Our results suggest that within the first 5 years from onset it is not possible to predict a benign course. Disease course, EDSS score and relapse rate at 5 years are predictors for benign MS at 10 years.     

Prognostic factors for early clinical failure in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia

For patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), clinical response during the first days of treatment is predictive of clinical outcome. As risk assessments can improve the efficiency of pneumonia management, a prospective cohort study to assess clinical, biochemical and microbiological predictors of early clinical failure was conducted in patients with severe CAP (pneumonia severity index score of >90 or according to the American Thoracic Society definition). Failure was assessed at day 3 and was defined as death, a need for mechanical ventilation, respiratory rate >25/min, PaO2 <55 mm Hg, oxygen saturation <90%, haemodynamic instability, temperature >38 degrees C or confusion. Of 260 patients, 80 (31%) had early clinical failure, associated mainly with a respiratory rate >25/minute (n = 34), oxygen saturation <90% (n = 28) and confusion (n = 20). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, failure was associated independently with altered mental state (OR 3.19, 95% CI 1.75-5.80), arterial PaH <7.35 mm Hg (OR 4.29, 95% CI 1.53-12.05) and PaO2 <60 mm Hg (OR 1.75, 95% CI 0.97-3.15). A history of heart failure was associated inversely with clinical failure (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.10-0.96). Patients who failed to respond had a higher 28-day mortality rate and a longer hospital stay. It was concluded that routine clinical and biochemical information can be used to predict early clinical failure in patients with severe CAP.     

Pathological variables determining the prognosis of non-Hodgkin''s lymphomas

The aim of the study was to assess the role of pathological grade, cell proliferation, ploidy, immunophenotype and site in determining the prognosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Of particular interest was the relative value of grades derived from the Kiel classification as opposed to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) working formulation. The study consisted of 181 cases, treated in a relatively uniform way over an 18-month period spanning 1986. Using life table analysis, both NCI working formulation grade and Kiel grade correlated strongly with survival. However, the differences between grades were entirely due to an excess of early deaths in the high-grade and intermediate-grade categories. In patients surviving greater than 0.1 years (37 days), phenotype, site, ploidy and cell proliferation had no effect on survival. There was no evidence that intermediate-grade tumours, when subdivided into Kiel low- and high-grade types, differed in survival from tumours graded as low- or high-grade by both methods. However, NCI working, formulation high-grade tumours, especially those with a high proliferation rate, formed a group with a very high likelihood of death within 0.1 years.     

高血压脑出血微创外科治疗的预后因素分析

目的探讨影响高血压脑出血（HICH）微创外科治疗预后的相关因素。方法回顾性分析经微创手术治疗的HICH病人106例,总结其临床特点和疗效,并采用单因素和Logistic多因素回归分析,总结影响预后的有关因素。结果单因素分析显示：平均动脉压（MAP）、术前意识状态、血肿形态、出血部位、血肿量、血肿与脑室关系、血肿再发及术后并发症等因素与HICH微创外科治疗临床预后有关（P〈0.05）。多因素回归分析显示：术前意识状态、术后并发症及出血部位与HICH微创外科治疗预后密切相关（P〈0.01）。结论微创外科手术治疗HICH具有简单、安全、疗效好等优点;术前意识状态、术后并发症、出血部位是影响其预后的重要因素。     

Testicular seminoma with human chorionic gonadotropin production

Testicular seminoma with elevated serum human chorionic gonadotropin level (hCG-positive seminoma) is regarded as more malignant than marker-negative seminoma, although Its prognosis is still unclear. To clarify the malignant potential of seminoma with hCG production, the serum levels of the beta subunit of hCG (β-hCG) and lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) were examined in 35 and 40 patients, respectively, and the Immunohistochemical expression of β-hCG examined in 45 tumors. The elevation of the LDH serum level correlated to the Invasive status, metestatic status and poor outcome, while that of the serum β-hCG level correlated only to the metastatic status. Immunohistochemical expression of β-hCG was observed in syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells in 11 tumors and a few mononuclear seminoma cells In 36 tumors. Expression was not associated with the malignancy potential, except where the expression In mononuclear cells Inversely correlated to the invasive status. These results suggest that most seminomas produce a slight amount of hCG; that an elevated hCG serum level Indicates the pressnce of metastatic tumors and mainly reflects an increase in tumor volume but not in cellular malignancy potential; and that the LDH serum level, rather than hCG, is more useful as a prognostic indicator for patients with seminoma.     

Dipyridamole technetium 99m sestamibi myocardial tomography as an independent predictor of cardiac event-free survival after acute ischemic events

Background  

A total of 137 consecutive patients with recent uncomplicated myocardial infarction (n=31) or unstable angina (n=106) were studied to determine the relative prognostic value of predischarge clinical risk stratification and intravenous dipyridamole stress sestamibi (MIBI) myocardial tomography in patients unable to exercise maximally after an acute ischemic coronary event.