Hepatitis E: An Underdiagnosed,Emerging Infection in Nonendemic Regions

Although hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the primary cause of enterically transmitted acute hepatitis and jaundice in developing countries, locally acquired HEV infections are increasing in nonendemic countries. As such, HEV is emerging as an underdiagnosed cause of infection. This report describes three clinically variable cases of HEV infection with unusual clinical presentations. These cases highlight the fact that HEV should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with unexplained hepatitis (acute or chronic) with or without extrahepatic manifestations. HEV should also be considered in patients with persistently elevated liver enzymes who have not travelled to known HEV-endemic regions. Lack of knowledge among physicians and an absence of standardized diagnostic tests may result in increased morbidity and mortality from HEV infection.     

Searching for Serum Antibodies to Neuronal Proteins in Patients With Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

PurposeA role for the immune system in causing myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is long suspected, but few studies have looked for specific autoantibodies that might contribute to the symptoms. Our aim was to look for evidence of antibodies to neuronal proteins in patients with ME/CSF.MethodsSera samples from 50 patients and 50 healthy individuals were sent coded to the Neuroimmunology Laboratory in Oxford. Screening for antibody binding to neuronal tissue was performed on brain tissue and neuronal cultures. Specific serum antibodies were assessed by antigen-specific cell-based assays and radioimmunoassays. After antibody testing, the associations between seropositive status and clinical data were investigated.FindingsOverall, 8 patients and 11 participants were found to have some serum immunoreactivity toward neuronal or neuromuscular junction proteins, but only 1 patient and 2 participants had specific serum antibodies. Nevertheless, seropositive status in patients with ME was associated with shorter duration since onset and a more severe disease.ImplicationsThe results indicate no overall increased frequency of antibodies to neuronal proteins in ME/CSF and no evidence of a specific antibody that might be causative or contribute to clinical features in patients. However, the association of seropositive status with shorter duration of disease and more severe symptoms suggests a possible role of antibodies at onset in some patients and should be the focus of future studies.     

Research Priorities in Pelvic Venous Disorders in Women: Recommendations from a Multidisciplinary Research Consensus Panel

Pelvic venous disorders (PeVDs) in women can present with chronic pelvic pain, lower-extremity and vulvar varicosities, lower-extremity swelling and pain, and left-flank pain and hematuria. Multiple evidence gaps exist related to PeVDs with the consequence that nonvascular specialists rarely consider the diagnosis. Recognizing this, the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation funded a Research Consensus Panel to prioritize a research agenda to address these gaps. This paper presents the proceedings and recommendations from that Panel.     

CSTB、A-FABP在膀胱癌诊断与预后的价值

目的 分析CSTB、A-FABP在膀胱癌诊断和预后的意义。方法 选取2014年1月至2016年7月在本院进行手术、病理证实的膀胱癌患者45例、良性膀胱病变患者88例，检测膀胱癌样本癌组织、癌旁组织、良性膀胱病变组织中CSTB、A-FABP表达水平。评价CSTB、A-FABP在鉴别诊断膀胱癌的效用。对比膀胱癌进展对象（2年内转移、复发、肿瘤死亡）以及未进展对象组织中CSTB、A-FABP表达水平。结果 癌组织、癌旁组织、良性病变对象组织中CSTB、A-FABP表达水平差异有统计学意义（P<0．05）。CSTB、A-FABP作为诊断标准（任意一项为阳性），鉴别诊断膀胱癌与良性病变的灵敏度为84．4%、特异度为90．9%、阳性预测值82．6%、阴性预测值92．0%、符合率88．7%。2年内转移、复发、肿瘤死亡的患者共30例，无转移、复发、死亡的患者共15例，膀胱癌进展对象CSTB、A FABP表达量高于未进展对象，差异有统计学意义（P<0．05）。结论 CSTB、A-FABP在膀胱癌诊断、预后预测中均有一定的临床价值。     

自血穴位注射疗法联合马来酸茚达特罗治疗老年稳定期慢性阻塞性肺疾病的临床分析

目的探讨自血穴位注射疗法联合马来酸茚达特罗治疗老年稳定期慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)的临床疗效及其对患者炎性因子、免疫功能及肺功能的影响。 方法将2015年5月至2016年5月我院收治的86例老年缓解期COPD患者分为观察组与对照组。对照组给予马来酸茚达特罗治疗，观察组在对照组治疗基础上另给予自血穴位注射疗法。治疗12周后，评价2组临床疗效。治疗前及治疗12周后，分别检测2组患者肺功能指标(FEV₁、FVC与PEF)，炎性因子(IL-8、α1-AT、IL-6及TNF-α)，免疫功能指标(IgG、IgA、CD3^＋及CD4^＋)水平。治疗期间，对2组患者的不良反应进行密切观察。 结果治疗后二组患者各项检测指标均优于治疗前。治疗12周后，观察组总有效率为90.7%，明显高于对照组的72.1%(P<0.05)。治疗12周后，观察组FEV₁、FVC与PEF等肺功能指标，IgG、IgA、CD3^＋及CD4^＋等免疫功能指标水平均明显高于对照组(P<0.05)，而IL-8、α1-AT、IL-6及TNF-α含量分别为(23.23±3.87)ng/L、(3.43±0.41)g/L、(52.25±5.38)ng/L及(43.12±3.98)ng/L，改善程度均明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。治疗期间，2组患者均未出现严重不良反应。 结论自血穴位注射疗法联合马来酸茚达特罗治疗老年稳定期COPD疗效确切，可有效改善患者炎症水平，值得进行深入研究。     

Absence of FGFR3–TACC3 rearrangement in hematological malignancies with numerical chromosomal alteration

FGFR–TACC, found in different tumor types, is characterized by the fusion of a member of fibroblast grown factor receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase (TK) family to a member of the transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) proteins. Because chromosome numerical alterations, hallmarks of FGFR–TACC fusions are present in many hematological disorders and there are no data on the prevalence, we studied a series of patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome who presented numerical alterations using cytogenetic traditional analysis. None of the analyzed samples showed FGFR3–TACC3 gene fusion, so screening for this mutation at diagnosis is not recommended.     

逐瘀止血汤加减治疗慢性子宫内膜炎气虚血瘀证的疗效观察

目的 评价逐瘀止血汤加减对慢性子宫内膜炎（CE）气虚血瘀证患者妊娠结局的影响及对免疫炎症因子的调节作用。方法 将144例患者随机按数字表法分为观察组和对照组各72例。观察组脱落、失访4例，剔除2例，完成66例；对照组脱落、失访3例，剔除5例，完成65例。两组均给予抗感染治疗14 d。对照组口服妇科千金片，6片/次，3次/d。观察组内服逐瘀止血汤加减，1剂/d。两组疗程均为3个月，并随访6个月。记录治疗前后月经经量、经期和周期变化情况；进行治疗前后宫腔镜和阴道彩色多普勒超声检查，评价子宫内膜形态、子宫内膜容受性（CP）［子宫内膜厚度、阻力指数（RI），搏动指数（PI）和血流指数（FI）］等，并进行子宫内膜病理检查；进行治疗前后气虚血瘀证评分；检测治疗前后月经血白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β），IL-6和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）水平和外周血测T淋巴亚群（CD3⁺，CD4⁺，CD8⁺）水平；随访记录妊娠情况和流产情况。进行安全性评价。结果 治疗后观察组经量、经期、周期和月经完全正常率均高于对照组（P<0.05）；观察组子宫内膜厚度和FI均高于对照组（P<0.01），RI和PI均低于对照组（P<0.01）；观察组月经血IL-1β，IL-6和TNF-α水平均低于对照组（P<0.01）；观察组CD3⁺，CD4⁺水平和CD4⁺/ CD8⁺均高于对照组（P<0.01），CD8⁺水平低于对照组（P<0.01）；在6个月随访期间，观察组妊娠率46.97%（31/66），高于对照组的27.69%（18/65）（χ²=5.197，P<0.05）；观察组子宫内膜形态疗效总有效率为96.97%（64/66），高于对照组的86.15%（56/65）（χ²=4.981，P<0.05）；观察组子宫内膜病理组织疗效总有效率为95.45%（63/66），高于对照组的84.62%（55/65）（χ²=4.304，P<0.05）；观察组综合临床疗效总有效率为93.94%（62/66），高于对照组的81.54%（55/65）（χ²=4.696，P<0.05）；两组治疗期间均未发现与中药相关不良反应。结论 逐瘀止血汤加减治疗CE气虚血瘀证患者，可调经月经、减轻临床症状，改善宫腔镜下内膜形态，调节全身和局部的免疫炎症反应，提高了CP，从而改善了妊娠结局，有着较好的综合疗效，且安全。