Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis: a cross-sectional study in Singapore

INTRODUCTIONPsoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the skin and joints, and is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, including metabolic syndrome (MetS). We aimed to assess the prevalence of MetS in patients with psoriasis and determine whether there was a correlation between psoriasis severity and MetS in a Singapore population.METHODSThis was a cross-sectional study of patients with psoriasis, aged 18–69 years, who attended a tertiary dermatology referral centre in Singapore from October 2007 to February 2009. Fasting glucose, lipids, blood pressure, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, and body mass index were measured. MetS was diagnosed in the presence of three or more criteria of the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III.RESULTSAmong 338 patients with psoriasis, there were 238 (70.4%) men and 100 (29.6%) women, who were Chinese (n = 228; 67.5%), Malay (n = 52; 15.4%) and Indian (n = 58; 17.2%). The prevalence of MetS was 45.1%. MetS was 44% more prevalent in patients older than 50 years (p = 0.02). Malay patients with psoriasis were significantly more likely to have hypertriglyceridaemia, elevated fasting plasma glucose and abdominal obesity. There was no significant correlation between psoriasis severity and risk of MetS.CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of MetS in patients with psoriasis in Singapore was 45.1%, or nearly threefold higher than the Singapore general population. Patients with psoriasis should be screened yearly for MetS and any modifiable cardiovascular risk factors should be actively controlled.     

基于医院信息系统的乳腺癌临床特征及中西医用药特征分析

目的 解析真实世界中乳腺恶性肿瘤患者的人群特征、诊断特征、中西医用药特征，为乳腺癌的临床防治提供参考。方法 采集2002年2月至2015年5月全国60家三级甲等医 院信息系统（Hospital Information System，HIS）中，出院诊断为“乳腺癌”的患者用药信息，采用SAS9.3统计软件，对人口学信息、诊断信息、医嘱用药信息等进行描述性分析。结果 39798例乳腺癌患者，平均年龄（50.93者，平均年龄）岁；多以门诊入院，入院病情以“一般”为主;合并疾病主要为高血压，骨肿瘤，联用西药以抑制肿瘤细胞增殖、治疗并发症、缓解放化疗不良反应为主；中医辨证以痰瘀互结证，气阴两虚证，肝气淤滞证，脾气亏虚证型最为常见，临床清热解毒剂、益气扶正剂，活血化瘀剂应用较多。结论 乳腺癌中西医结合治疗，联用药物广泛，临床治疗基本符合临床指南。     

A Decade of Change in Obesity Surgery

Background: The International (formerly National) Bariatric Surgery Registry began collecting data in January 1986. The aim of this study was to examine changes in the practice of surgical treatment of severe obesity that occurred during the decade of 1986 through 1995, as observed in the IBSR data. Methods: All data submitted to the IBSR during the decade were transferred to the IBM mainframe computer for analysis. Characteristics of operative type populations were compared over time using analysis of variance (ANOVA) for age, body mass index (BMI), operative weight and Chi-square (χ²) test for gender. Results: There has been a steady increase over the decade in mean patient weight. The operations used have changed from predominantly ‘simple’ operations to more frequent use of ‘complex’ operations. Within the categories of ‘simple’ and ‘complex’, an increase in the variety of operations occurred. As a group, patients with ‘simple’ operations have been heavier, more often male and public pay patients than those who have undergone ‘complex’ operations. One year weight loss was greater for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RGB) than vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), but follow-up rates were too low to study the relative merits of the operations used. The reported incidence of operative mortality and serious complications (leak with peritonitis, abscess and pulmonary embolism) remained low. Conclusions: These observations and their implications can be summarized in three statements which relate to action for improved patient care in the beginning of the new century: (1) increasing weight of candidates for surgical treatment during this decade indicates the need for earlier use of operative treatment before irreversible complications of obesity can develop; (2) low risk of obesity surgery, decreasing postoperative hospital stay, and early weight control support the continued and increased use of surgical treatment; (3) continued widespread use of both ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ operations with increased modifications of standard RGB and VBG procedures emphasizes the need for standardized long-term data and analyses regarding both weight control and postoperative side-effects.     

胃粘膜相关淋巴组织型淋巴瘤MAPK和Stat3磷酸化及cyclinD1蛋白表达的意义

目的:研究胃粘膜相关淋巴组织型(MALT)淋巴瘤MAPK和Stat3磷酸化与cyclinD1蛋白表达及其意义。方法:利用免疫组织化学方法检测了45例胃MALT淋巴瘤MAPK和Stat3磷酸化及cyclinD1蛋白的表达。结果:在胃MALT淋巴瘤中p-MAPK、p-Stat3及cyclinD1蛋白的阳性率分别为73.3%(33/45)、64.4%(29/45)和68.9%(31/45);低度恶性组p-MAPK和cyclinD1蛋白的阳性表达强度明显高于高度恶性组(P<0.01),而p-Stat3表达强度无明显差异(P>0.05);在低度和高度恶性胃MALT淋巴瘤中p-MAPK和cyclinD1蛋白的阳性信号强度均呈明显的正相关(r=0.6572和0.6823,P<0.01),而p-Stat3与cyclinD1蛋白表达未见明显相关性(r=0.1927,P>0.05)。结论:提示MAPK磷酸化在胃MALT淋巴瘤中发生及演进过程中起重要作用,但Stat3的磷酸化可能与该肿瘤的恶性演进关系不明显;在胃MALT淋巴瘤的发生与发展中,p-MAPK可诱导cyclinD1过度表达,从而促使该肿瘤细胞维持高增殖状态。     

腰椎节段形态对峡部、小关节应力及小关节接触力影响的有限元分析

目的:探讨腰椎形态结构变化对峡部裂性滑脱及小关节退变的作用和意义。方法:采用改良的“非种子区域分割方法”及非平行“最佳切割平面”等一系列新型计算机辅助设计(CAD)方法精确建立包括椎间盘高度、腰椎小关节角、椎间盘前凸角改变的L4~L5活动节段有限元模型;在2700N轴向压缩载荷条件下,分别对各有限元模型的峡部、小关节应力、小关节接触力以及椎间盘负载进行测试。结果:压缩载荷下,腰椎活动节段峡部、小关节等效应力及小关节接触力随椎间盘高度的减小而减小,随小关节角的增大而增加,随椎间盘前凸角的增加而减小。结论:椎间盘高度、腰椎小关节角、椎间盘前凸角等形态结构变化对腰椎节段有限元模型的峡部、小关节应力及小关节接触力有明显的影响。提示腰椎峡部应力性骨折及小关节退变的发生与椎间盘高度、腰椎小关节角、椎间盘前凸角等解剖形态因素有关。     

"分段切开,多重挂线术"治疗高位复杂性肛瘘临床研究

目的:观察"分段切开,多重挂线术"治疗高位复杂性肛瘘的临床疗效。方法:将60例高位复杂性肛瘘随机分为治疗组40例,采用"分段切开,多重挂线术";对照组20例,采用传统切开挂线术进行对比观察。结果:显示治疗组与对照组显愈率分别为95%和90%,无明显差异(P>0.05),但两组间的术后疼痛程度、创口愈合时间、肛门功能情况存在显著差异(P<0.05)。结论:在治疗高位复杂性肛瘘时,"分段切开,多重挂线术"与传统切开挂线术相比,具有手术操作简单,对组织损伤小,痛苦小、疗程短、肛门功能保护好等优点,该术式的应用,使得高位复杂性肛瘘治疗更加安全、有效。     

Renal Transplantation in Patients With Pre-Transplant Donor-Specific Antibodies and Negative Flow Cytometry Crossmatches

The clinical significance of pre-transplant donor-specific antibodies (DSA), despite negative cytotoxicity and flow cytometry crossmatches (FCXMs), is unknown. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 60 living donor renal transplant recipients, all with pre-transplant cytotoxicity and T-cell and B-cell FCXMs that were negative. Twenty recipients had pre-transplant DSA detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and/or microbead methods. Forty contemporaneous DSA-negative controls were selected. In the DSA-positive group, after a median follow-up of 8.2 months (25-75% range, 5.4-22.8 months), patient survival was 100% and allograft survival was 95.0%. Acute humoral rejection (AHR) developed in four patients (20.0%). Three of the AHR episodes occurred within the first month post-transplant. Median serum creatinine at last follow-up was 1.3 mg/dL (25-75% range, 1.0-1.6 mg/dL), versus 1.1 mg/dL (25-75% range, 0.9-1.4 mg/dL) in the DSA-negative controls (p = 0.29). Only one of the 40 controls developed AHR (2.5%). Pre-transplant DSA was associated with a significantly increased incidence of AHR (p = 0.02 by log-rank test). In conclusion, despite negative pre-transplant cytotoxicity and FCXMs, renal transplant recipients with pre-transplant DSA detected by solid-phase methods may have an increased incidence of AHR and require close monitoring post-transplant.     

The changes of the interspace angle after anterior correction and instrumentation in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients

Background  

In idiopathic scoliosis patients, after anterior spinal fusion and instrumentation, the discs (interspace angle) between the lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) and the next caudal vertebra became more wedged. We reviewed these patients and analyzed the changes of the angle.     

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE WITH LEVONORGESTREL AND ETHINYL ESTRADIOL IN BEIJING

A combination of levonorgestrel 0.15mg and ethinyl estradiol 0.03mg, an ultra-low dose oral con traceptive in pellet form, was tried out in 9 Beijing clinics. A total of l,035 healthy women of reproduc tive age participated in 9,413 cycles of treatment. Only one pregnancy was attributed to medication failure which resulted in a corrected Pearl index of 0.13/100 women-year. The incidence of breakthrough bleeding and amenorrhea was 0.12% and 0.05% res pectively. Using the life-table method, the net cumulative rate of termination due to medical-related reasons at one year was only 5.93/100 women. The incidence of side effects was low. The most frequent complaints were nausea and drowsiness, which re duced with the increase of treatment cycles. Some metabolic changes were studied. In comparison with other OCs used in China, this formula has the advantages of ultra-low-dose steroids with higher contraceptive efficacy, better cycle control and fewer side effects.