The severity of airways obstruction as a determinant of treatment response in COPD

Guidelines recommend that patients with COPD are stratified arbitrarily by baseline severity (FEV₁) to decide when to initiate combination treatment with a long-acting β₂-agonist and an inhaled corticosteroid. Assessment of baseline FEV₁ as a continuous variable may provide a more reliable prediction of treatment effects. Patients from a 1-year, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial comparing 50 μg salmeterol (Sal), 500 μg fluticasone propionate (FP), the combination (Sal/FP) and placebo, (bid), were categorized post hoc into FEV₁ <50% and FEV₁ ≥50% predicted subgroups (n=949/513 respectively). Treatment effects on clinical outcomes – lung function, exacerbations, health status, diary card symptoms, and adverse events – were investigated. Treatment responses based on a pre-specified analysis explored treatment differences by severity as a continuous variable. Lung function improved with active treatment irrespective of FEV₁; Sal/FP had greatest effect. This improvement appeared additive in milder disease; synergistic in severe disease. Active therapy significantly reduced exacerbation rate in patients with FEV₁ <50% predicted, not in milder disease. Health status and breathlessness improved with Sal/FP irrespective of baseline FEV₁; adverse events were similar across subgroups. The spirometric response to Sal/FP varied with baseline FEV₁, and clinical benefits were not restricted to patients with severe disease. These data have implications for COPD management decisions, suggesting that arbitrary stratifications of baseline severity are not necessarily indicative of treatment efficacy and that the benefits of assessing baseline severity as a continuous variable should be assessed in future trials.     

Buoyant density characterization of neoplastic cell populations in patients with chronic B-lymphocytic leukemia

Leukemic cells from a series of patients with chronic B-lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were analyzed for their buoyant density on discontinuous Percoll gradients. The density profile varied markedly between different patients and also between samples from different body compartments within the same patient. A good correlation was observed between buoyant density and maturation stage of the leukemic clones as judged by Ig-expression and their reactivity with a panel of monoclonal antibodies. Phorbol-ester-induced changes in the leukemic cells were found to be accompanied by a general decrease in their buoyant density. No correlation between density and clinical parameters such as cell counts, clinical stage and survival could be noted. Buoyant density characterization of leukemic B-cell populations is seen as a useful, rapid and simple marker of compartmentalization within the B-lymphocyte maturation spectrum but its clinical relevance remains to be established.     

Localized wall thickening of the gallbladder mimicking a neoplasm

Clinical diagnosis of chronic cholecystitis is made based on diffuse hyperechoic thickening of the gallbladder wall as shown by ultrasonographic examination. We herein report three cases of chronic cholecystitis showing localized hypoechoic thickening of the gallbladder wall that mimicked gallbladder cancer by ultrasonography. Histologically, hypertrophy of the muscularis propria was a common characteristic finding in these three patients. A smooth surface of the inner hypoechoic layer of the thickened wall was considered to be a reliable finding in the differential diagnosis between this type of chronic cholecystitis and gallbladder cancer.     

Current practice patterns in pancreatic surgery: Results of a multi-institutional analysis of seven large surgical departments in germany with 1454 pancreatic head resections, 1999 to 2004 (german advanced surgical treatment study group)

Despite decreasing mortality rates, morbidity is still high after pancreatic head resection. Comparative data in the United States and Europe show a relationship between hospital volume and mortality. Treatment strategies vary frequently, partially because of the lack of evidence-based data. We performed a multi-institutional analysis in Germany evaluating current numbers, indications, techniques, and complication rates of pancreatic head resection. Questionnaires were completed by seven high-volume surgical departments regarding quantitative and qualitative aspects of pancreatic head resections in the period from 1999 to 2004 (five prospective and two retrospective institutional databases). A total of 1454 pancreatic head resections (944 for malignancy) were reported. Mean annual hospital volume ranged from 14 to 52 (10 to 43 in malignancy). Mortality was between 1.1% and 4.8%, morbidity was between 24% and 46%, and pancreatic leakage was between 9% and 20%. In malignant disease, all centers perform standard lymphadenectomy and regard arterial infiltration as a contraindication for resection. However, the rate of portal vein resection varied from 0% to 28%. No consensus is seen on the type of surgery for malignancy and chronic pancreatitis. After resection for pancreatic cancer less than one fourth of the patients receive adjuvant therapy. The results of our analysis in Germany confirm that pancreatic head resection can be performed with low mortality in specialized units. Variations in indications, operative technique, and perioperative care may demonstrate the lack of evidence-based data and/or personal and institutional experience. The low number of patients receiving adjuvant therapy after resection of pancreatic cancer suggests that more efforts must be made to establish novel adjuvant therapies under randomized study conditions. Presented at the Forty-Sixth Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Chicago, Illinois, May 14–18, 2005 (oral presentation).     

The Relationship Between Psychogenic Cough and the Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis of Asthma: A Review

The differential diagnoses of persistent nonproductive cough include numerous pulmonary and nonpulmonary organic disorders as well as functional illnesses. Many diseases can cause cough, and several studies have shown asthma among the most common etiologies associated with chronic cough in adult nonsmokers, as well as children. Psychogenic cough and its relationship to asthma and other asthma-like illnesses is complex since distinct maladies with similar features may coexist individually or in combination in any given patient. While chronic cough may occur as a sole presenting manifestation of bronchial asthma in all age groups, recent findings suggest that most children with persistent cough without other respiratory symptoms do not have asthma. Since several organic, as well as functional diseases, may present with persistent cough as their sole manifestation in either adults or children, cough should not be used as a single or major determinant to diagnose and treat asthma, especially when empirically focused therapy trials fail. Given the range of illnesses causing cough, no single management guideline can be expected to be universally effective.     

Neuroprotective effect of estrogen after chronic spinal cord injury in ovariectomized rats

BACKGROUND: At present, there is still lack of effective drugs for chronic spinal cord injury, whereas it is found recently that estrogen has a neuroprotective effect on brain and spinal cord injuries. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of estrogen on the apoptosis of nerve cells after gradual chronic spinal cord injury in ovariectomized rats. DESIGN: A randomized controlled animal trial. SETTING: Institute of Orthopaedics, the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University. MATERIALS: Sixty-five female Wistar rats of common degree, weighing 220–250 g, were provided by the experimental animal center of Lanzhou University. The rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group (n =5), estrogen-treated group (n =30) and saline control group (n =30), and the latter two groups were observed at 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 60 days respectively, and 5 rats for each time point. METHODS: All the rats were treated with bilateral oophorectomy 2 weeks before the experiment. T10 vertebral lamina was revolved into using plastic screw. The spinal canal impingement was not induced initially. After that, the original incision was opened to expose the screw every 7–10 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The apoptosis and Caspase-3 positive cells in the damaged spinal cord were detected using terminal deoxynucleotidal transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and Caspase-3 immunohistochemical staining at 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 60 days after chronic spinal cord injury respectively. RESULTS: Totally 65 rats were used, and the deleted ones during the experiment were supplemented by others. Changes of Caspase-3 expression after spinal cord injury: In the sham-operated group, only a small amount of Caspase-3 proteins were observed in the rat spinal cord, mainly located in motor neurons of spinal cord anterior horn. In the estrogen-treated group and saline control group, positive cells expressed occasionally at 1 day postoperatively, began to increase obviously at 7 days after injury, strongly expressed at 14 and 28 days, but decreased at 60 days, mainly located in the neurons of spinal cord gray matter anterior horn, and they expressed fewer in the motor neurons and white matter of ventral horn, and there were obvious differences between the estrogen-treated group and saline control group at 7, 14, 28 and 60 days (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Estrogen can reduce the apoptosis of nerve cells and promote the recovery of neurological function following gradual chronic spinal cord injury.     

Mycophenolate Mofetil Is Associated with Altered Expression of Chronic Renal Transplant Histology

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) reduces acute rejection in controlled trials of kidney transplantation and is associated with better registry graft survival. Recent experimental studies have demonstrated additional antifibrotic properties of MMF, however, human histological data are lacking. We evaluated sequential prospective protocol kidney biopsies from two historical cohorts treated with cyclosporine (CSA)-based triple therapy including prednisolone and either MMF (n = 25) or azathioprine (AZA, n = 25). Biopsies (n = 360) were taken from euglycemic kidney-pancreas transplant recipients. Histology was independently assessed by the Banff schema and electron microscopic morphometry. MMF reduced acute rejection and OKT3 use (p < 0.05) compared with AZA. MMF therapy was associated with limited chronic interstitial fibrosis, striped fibrosis and periglomerular fibrosis (p < 0.05-0.001), mesangial matrix accumulation (p < 0.01), chronic glomerulopathy scores (p < 0.05) and glomerulosclerosis (p < 0.05). MMF was associated with delayed expression of CSA nephrotoxicity, reduced arteriolar hyalinosis, striped fibrosis and tubular microcalcification (p < 0.05-0.001). The beneficial effects of MMF remained in recipients without acute rejection. Retrospective analysis shows that MMF therapy was associated with substantially reduced fibrosis in the glomerular, microvascular and interstitial compartments, and a delayed expression of CSA nephrotoxicity. These outcomes may be due to a limitation of immune-mediated injury and suggest a direct effect of reduced fibrogenesis.     

无症状性炎性前列腺炎对血清PSA、fPSA的影响

目的　探讨无症状性炎性前列腺炎(NIH分类Ⅳ型)对血清PSA、fPSA的影响。方法　对比分析36例NIH分类Ⅳ型、42 例有症状性慢性前列腺炎(NIH分类ⅢA型)患者以及22例健康对照组的血清PSA、fPSA、fPSA/tPSA之间的差异。结果　血 清PSA、fPSA、fPSA/tPSA在Ⅳ型和ⅢA型前列腺炎患者间差异无显著性(P>0.05),但与正常对照组比较差异有显著性(P< 0.01)。结论　NIH分类Ⅳ型前列腺炎可引起血清PSA、fPSA升高。对无症状、高血清PSA患者行前列腺活检前,应考虑到患 Ⅳ型前列腺炎的可能。     

Chronic fatigue syndrome: traditional and community-based approaches to rehabilitation

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a controversial condition defined by 6 months or more of unexplained fatigue, and at least four out of eight cognitive and physical symptoms. Over the past 2 decades, CFS has been the subject of significant debate regarding its definition, cause and recommended treatment. Because a cure for the syndrome has not yet been located, efforts to improve functioning and overall quality of life through rehabilitation represent the most practised form of treatment to date. However, controversy remains as to which approach to rehabilitation is most effective for individuals with CFS. Interventions which take place within real‐world environments and utilise community‐based organizations such as centres for independent living offer a newly explored means of support and rehabilitation. The present paper reviews a variety of approaches to rehabilitation for individuals with CFS, describing their applications with different types of patients, and providing critical commentary on the research methodologies used to evaluate them. Innovative community‐based rehabilitation programmes and their outcomes are described as an alternative with some promise that may compliment more traditional approaches.     

北京市东城区和平里社区居民慢性病防治探讨

为探索慢性病的防治方法，我们于１９８９￣１９９４年社区居民中开展了以高血压为主的循环系统慢性病防治课题，经过５年的干预，观察组与对照组居民及接受管理的高血压病人在减少吸烟，饮酒，控制食盐摄入，掌握慢性病防治知识等方面有显著性差异，取得了满意的结果，从而为今后全面开展慢性病防治积累了经验。