Echocardiographic Assessment of Melody Versus Sapien Valves Following Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to compare the immediate and midterm echocardiographic performance of the Melody (Medtronic Inc) and Sapien (Edwards Lifesciences Inc) valves after transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement (TPVR) in native and conduit right ventricular outflow tracts (RVOTs).BackgroundTPVR is now a common procedure, but limited data exist comparing postimplantation echocardiographic findings between Melody and Sapien valves.MethodsThis was a single-institution retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent successful TPVR from 2011 to 2020. Patient demographics, procedural details, and immediate and midterm echocardiographic findings were collected and compared between valve types using the Wilcoxon rank sum, chi-square, or Fisher exact test as appropriate. Subgroups were analyzed individually and were adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni method.ResultsA total of 328 patients underwent successful TPVR (Melody: n = 202, Sapien: n = 126). The groups had a similar baseline age, weight, and diagnosis. The most common indications for TPVR were pulmonary stenosis (32.2%) or mixed disease (46%) in the Melody group and pulmonary insufficiency in the Sapien group (52.4%) (P < 0.001). Sapien valves were more often placed in native RVOTs (43.7% vs 18.8%; P < 0.001). The discharge and follow-up mean and peak Doppler gradients were similar between the Melody and Sapien groups. Valves implanted in native RVOTs had significantly lower postimplantation gradients at each follow-up period.ConclusionsEchocardiographic performance after TPVR was generally acceptable and similar when comparing Melody and Sapien valves despite differences in the indication and anatomy in each group. The peak and mean gradients were lower in transcatheter valves implanted in native RVOTs compared with those implanted in conduits or bioprosthetic valves.     

Characterization of von Willebrand factor in primary pulmonary hypertension

Summary The aim of this study was to determine the value of von Willebrand factor (vWF), a well-characterized endothelial cell protein secretion, as a marker for prognosis in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). Venous and arterial blood samples were obtained from 18 clinically diagnosed PPH patients and 12 case controls matched for age and sex. Plasma vWF antigen was determined by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients' multimeric vWF pattern was analyzed by sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)-agarose-acrylamide electrophoresis, Western blot, and densitometric analysis. vWF sialic acid content was determined by a lectin-based ELISA. The PPH patients showed a higher content of vWF antigen in venous (P = 0.0026) and arterial (P = 0.0094) blood samples than controls. The mean vWF sialic acid content of the PPH patients corresponded to 37.7% of the mean value for the control group. On the basis of the hemodynamic response to vasodilator trial, the PPH patients were grouped as responders or nonresponders. The latter group showed a significantly higher plasma vWF antigen antecubital vein/radial artery ratio, an increased number of unusually large vWF multimers, and a diminished content of vWF sialic acid in comparison with the first group. We believe that our results establish the nature of vWF alterations that are related to endothelial cell damage in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension and that this could be of value when establishing the prognosis in this group of patients.     

滋养层细胞与原代白血病细胞共培养体系的建立及其意义

目的:建立一套体外培养前B急性淋巴细胞白血病(ALL)原代细胞的方法,并尝试进行难治性白血病克隆的鉴定。方法:采用来源于骨髓的基质细胞HS-5作为滋养层细胞与原代白血病细胞进行双相培养,并通过药敏和凋亡检测进行双相培养体系生物动力学评估。结果:双相滋养层培养体系能够耐受细胞毒药物的毒性;8例前B急淋白血病原代细胞标本在基质滋养层支持下离体72 h存活率20.4%~68.3%不等,与无滋养层支持或基质细胞上清液支持的标本相比存活率有显著性提高;其中1例标本的体外生长与有否滋养层支持无关,怀疑为难治性白血病克隆。结论:骨髓基质细胞来源的滋养层具有一定的体外支持白血病细胞存活的能力,但存在个体差异,与肿瘤细胞本身生物学特征有关;利用双相培养体系可以在体外早期初步鉴别出难治性白血病克隆并早期制定干预措施。     

高敏C反应蛋白对老年女性急性心肌梗死患者肾功能不全的独立预测作用

目的探讨高敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)对于老年女性急性心肌梗死(AMI)患者肾功能不全的预测作用。方法选择天津医科大学第二医院就诊的老年女性AMI患者317例,根据估算的肾小球滤过率(eGFR)水平分为肾功能正常组209例[eGFR≥60 ml/(min·1.73 m^2)],肾功能不全组108例[eGFR<60ml/(min·1.73 m^2)]。采用Spearman相关性分析eGFR与临床生化指标的关系,二元logistic回归分析老年女性AMI患者肾功能不全的危险因素。结果与肾功能正常组比较,肾功能不全组年龄、饮酒、KillipsⅡ级、尿酸、尿素、肌酐、hs-CRP、N末端钠尿肽前体、肌酸激酶水平明显升高,TC、LDL-C和白蛋白/球蛋白比值明显降低(P<0.05,P<0.01)。Spearman相关性分析显示,hs-CRP与eGFR呈负相关(r=-0.317,P=0.000)。单因素logistic回归分析显示,hs-CRP是老年女性AMI患者肾功能不全的重要预测指标(OR=1.010,95%CI:1.005~1.015,P=0.000)。多因素logistic回归分析显示,年龄、hs-CRP和N末端钠尿肽前体是老年女性AMI患者肾功能不全的危险因素(P=0.011,P=0.024,P=0.000)。结论 hs-CRP与老年女性AMI患者肾功能密切相关。     

Long-term remission by cyclosporine in a patient with eosinophilic fasciitis associated with primary biliary cirrhosis

A 70-year-old man was admitted to the hospital in June 1994 because of cutaneous induration of the extremities. Eosinophilic fasciitis was diagnosed on the basis of the course and distribution of the cutaneous lesions. Cyclosporine (100 mg/day) was given. After 4 weeks of treatment, cutaneous induration and limited joint mobility improved. Liver dysfunction had been diagnosed 5 years before the onset of eosinophilic fasciitis. Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) was diagnosed on the basis of the elevated serum biliary-enzyme levels, strongly positive antimitochondrial antibody titer, and histologic features of the liver-biopsy specimens showed stage-3 PBC. These findings suggested that eosinophilic fasciitis developed in association with PBC. PBC is often accompanied by autoimmune diseases, such as Sjögren’s syndrome and Hashimoto’s disease. To our knowledge, eosinophilic fasciitis associated with PBC has not been reported previously. We believe this is the first time a case of eosinophilic fasciitis occurring in a patient with PBC is documented.     

原发性高血压及其继发肾脏损害机理的研究进展

以氧化应激(oxidative stress,OS)为核心的氧化自由基理论是目前生物医学界研究的热点。临床和动物实验均证明OS与原发性高血压呈密切的正相关。肾脏对慢性血压的调控及原发性高血压的发生起主导作用。盐敏感高血压具有显著的肾损害易感性,以盐敏感高血压动物模型对肾脏OS、肾脏损害及高血压之间关系的研究提示:肾脏OS参与了高血压继发性肾损害的发生及高血压的恶化过程。该发现突破了长期以来对此类疾病机理的传统认识,为将来可能的新的治疗措施提供了依据。     

术前、术中肺通气功能与术后呼吸衰竭的关系

目的探讨机械通气时呼吸力学与术前肺功能的关系．确定术前通气功能参数能否预测术后呼吸衰竭。方法择期行肺切除术的原发性肺癌病人100例．ASAⅠ级或Ⅱ级，术前测定肺功能：一秒用力呼气容量（FEV1）、用力肺活量（FVC）、一秒用力呼气量与用力肺活量之比（FEV1／FVC％）、最大肺活量（VC）、最大通气量（MVV）、75％肺活量位用力呼气流速（FEh）、最大中期呼气流速（MMEFm）、功能残气量（FRC）、残气量与肺总量之比（RV/TLC％）；测定脉冲震荡肺功能：共振频率（Fres）、呼吸总阻抗（Zres）、中心阻力（Rc）、5Hz和20Hz时粘性阻力（R5、R30）。分别记录插管后机械通气初始和开胸单肺通气后双肺气道峰压（Tpeak）、双肺胸肺顺应性（TCT）和单肺气道峰压（Opeak）、单肺胸肺顺应性（OCT），取其平均值。Opeak和OCT与身高、体重及肺功能的关系采用多元逐步回归。一般情况和肺功能与术后呼吸衰竭的关系采用非条件Logistic回归分析。根据术后是否发生呼吸衰竭分为2组：呼吸衰竭组（RF）和非呼吸衰竭组（NRF）。结果Opeak与Zres、身高、体重和FEF。呈线性关系（R2=0．504），OCT与Zres、身高、VC和RVfrLC％呈线性关系（R^2=0.602）。与NRF组比较，RF组FEV1、FVC、FEV1／FVC％、MVV、MMEFw均降低（P〈0．01）。年龄≥60岁的老年患者FEV1≤60％、FEV1／FVC≤60％、MVV≤50％、MMEn％≤35％时，RF组术后呼吸衰竭发生率高于NRF组（P〈0．05）。Logistic回归表明．年龄和MVV是术后呼吸衰竭的两个主要影响因素。结论术中单肺通气时的气道峰压和胸肺顺应性分别与身高、体重和术前肺功能呈线性相关。中度肺功能减退的老年患者行胸科手术后发生呼吸衰竭的风险性大：年龄和MVV是术后呼吸衰竭的两个主要影响因素。     

Clinical analysis of liver transplantation in autoimmune liver diseases

Background: Autoimmune liver diseases(ALDs) consist of autoimmune hepatitis(AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC), Ig G4-associated cholangitis and overlap syndromes.Patients with these diseases may gradually progress to end-stage liver diseases and need liver transplantation. The present study aimed to explore the prognosis of patients with ALDs after liver transplantation.Methods: The clinical data of 80 patients with ALD(24 cases of AIH, 35 of PBC, 15 of PSC and 6 of AIHPBC overlap syndromes) who underwent liver transplantation in Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from June 2004 to September 2016 were collected retrospectively. The causes of death were analyzed and the postoperative cumulative survival rate was estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method. Recurrence and other complications were also analyzed.Results: Of the 80 patients, 18 were males and 62 were females. The average age was 50.5 years and the average Model for End-stage Liver Disease(MELD) score was 14.1. After a median follow-up of 19.8 months, 8 patients died. The 1-, 3-and 5-year cumulative survival rates were all 89.0%. Three cases of recurrent ALDs were diagnosed(3.8%) but they were not totally consistent with primary diseases. Biliary tract complication occurred in 10 patients(12.5%). The new onset of tumor was observed in 1 patient(1.3%). De novo HBV/CMV/EBV infection was found in 3, 8 and 3 patients, respectively.Conclusion: Liver transplantation is an effective and safe treatment for end-stage ALD.     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluations of Electrophilic Steroids Inspired by the Taccalonolides

Natural products have served as inspirational scaffolds for the design and synthesis of novel antineoplastic agents. Here we present our preliminary efforts on the synthesis and biological evaluation of a new class of electrophilic steroids inspired by the naturally occurring taccalonolides. We demonstrate that these simplified analogs exhibit highly persistent antiproliferative properties similar to the taccalonolides and retain activity against resistant cancer cell lines that warrants further preclinical development.