Lipase elevation on admission predicts worse clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19

Background and objectivesHyperlipasemia is highly prevalent among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of lipase activity, measured at the time of admission, on the clinical course and mortality in COVID-19 patients.MethodsThe population of this study comprised 12,139 patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 between June 2020 and June 2021 in a pandemic hospital. Of these, 8819 patients were excluded from the study due to missing data, four patients were excluded due to a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis (according to the revised Atlanta criteria), and 72 patients were excluded due to alcohol use or having a history of chronic pancreatitis. The final study sample consisted of the remaining 3244 COVID-19 patients. Laboratory results, intensive care unit (ICU) follow-up periods, the need for mechanical ventilation, and mortality rates were compared between the normal lipase activity and high lipase activity groups.ResultsThere were 968 (29.8%) patients with high lipase activity at the time of admission. The rate of ICU admission was 36.1% vs. 9.9% (p < 0.001), mechanical ventilation requirement rates were 33.7% vs. 8.3% (p < 0.001), and mortality rates were as 24.6% vs. 6.4% (p < 0.001) in the high lipase activity group compared to the normal lipase activity group. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that high lipase activity was an independent factor in predicting mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients (odds ratio [OR]: 3.191, p < 0.001).ConclusionElevated lipase activity without acute pancreatitis at the time of admission in COVID-19 patients was determined as an independent predictor of poor prognosis.     

接受机械取栓治疗的急性脑梗死患者血栓特征研究进展

急性脑梗死是威胁我国人民健康的重大疾病,其致死率及致残率均较高,造成了沉重的社会负担。及时开通导致梗死的责任血管以恢复脑灌注是治疗该病的关键。机械取栓技术的应用使得患者的血栓组织能够被获取并得到研究。本文介绍了近年来通过机械取栓术获取的血栓的相关研究发现,以纤维蛋白为主的血栓是造成取栓困难的重要组织学原因,影像学方法可以在术前评估血栓特征。这些发现提示临床工作者可以积极开发新型血栓取出装置用于处理难治性血栓,并有必要探索精确便捷的血栓特征影像学评价方法,从而提高机械取栓疗效。     

The impact of foot shock-induced stress on pain-related behavior associated with burn injury

Acute pain is prevalent following burn injury and can often transition to chronic pain. Prolonged acute pain is an important risk factor for chronic pain and there is little preclinical research to address this problem. Using a mouse model of second-degree burn, we investigated whether pre-existing stress influences pain(sensitivity) after a burn injury. We introduced a contribution of stress in two different ways: (1) the use of foot-shock as a pre-injury stressor or (2) the use of A/J mice to represent higher pre-existing stress compared to C57Bl/6 mice. C57Bl/6 and A/J mice were exposed to repeated mild foot shock to induce stress for 10 continuous days and mice underwent either burn injury or sham burn injury of the plantar surface of the right hind paw. Assessments of mechanical and thermal sensitivities of the injured and uninjured paw were conducted during the shock protocol and at intervals up to 82-day post-burn injury. In both strains of mice that underwent burn injury, thermal hypersensitivity and mechanical allodynia appeared rapidly in the ipsilateral paw. Mice that were stressed took much longer to recover their hind paw mechanical thresholds to baseline compared to non-stressed mice in both burn and non-burn groups. Analysis of the two mouse strains revealed that the recovery of mechanical thresholds in A/J mice which display higher levels of baseline anxiety was shorter than C57Bl/6 mice. No differences were observed regarding thermal sensitivities between strains. Our results support the view that stress exposure prior to burn injury affects mechanical and thermal thresholds and may be relevant to as a risk factor for the transition from acute to chronic pain. Finally, genetic differences may play a key role in modality-specific recovery following burn injury.     

SWIM技术治疗后循环大血管闭塞所致急性缺血性卒中的有效性和安全性观察

目的 观察SWIM技术治疗后循环大血管闭塞所致急性缺血性卒中的有效性及安全性。 方法 回顾性分析2017年2月-2018年11月于大连市中心医院采用SWIM技术治疗的后循环大血管闭 塞所致急性缺血性卒中患者的临床资料，评价该技术的疗效和安全性，并分析影响患者预后的因素。 观察指标为术后即刻成功再通（mTICI≥2b）、90 d良好预后（mRS评分≤2分），以及术后24 h任何颅内 出血、90 d全因死亡。 结果 共纳入35例患者，平均年龄66.1±12.1岁，男性26例（74.3%），基线NIHSS评分22（15～34）分。 术后即刻成功再通率为94.3%（33/35），90 d良好预后率为45.7%（16/35），24 h颅内出血率为17.1% （6/35），90 d全因死亡率为37.1%（13/35）。单因素分析显示，基线NIHSS评分较低（P =0.001）、基 线后循环ASPECTS评分较高（P =0.016）、发病至到院时间较短（P =0.039）、发病至再通时间较短 （P =0.047）、血管成功再通率较高（P =0.036）以及饮酒比例较低（P =0.042）与良好预后相关。 结论 使用SWIM技术治疗后循环急性缺血性卒中相对安全、有效。     

一次性湿热交换器在新生儿机械通气长途转运中应用的效果分析

目的探讨研究一次性湿热交换器在新生儿机械通气长途转运中应用的临床意义。方法 2017年1月-2017年12月,我院120转运中心长途转运接收786例机械通气新生儿,786例患儿随机分为常规气道护理(对照组)和转运途中应用一次性湿热交换器组(治疗组),对比转运过程中的吸痰次数、肉眼可见痰痂形成率、堵管发生率、脱管发生率、人机对抗发生率。结果研究数据显示治疗组吸痰次数、肉眼可见痰痂形成率、堵管发生率、脱管发生率、人机对抗发生率有显著性差异(P<0.05)明显低于对照组。结论在机械通气新生儿长途转运中,一次性湿热交换器的可减少转运患儿吸痰次数发生率、降低肉眼可见痰痂形成率、堵管发生率、脱管发生率、人机对抗发生率具有明显优越性,值得推广。     

重症心源性肺水肿伴休克患者的机械通气治疗

目的研究重症心源性肺水肿伴休克患者机械通气(MV)治疗时通气压力的选择对预后的影响。方法将符合标准的22例患者分为两组对照组9例,常规给予较低通气压力和加强药物治疗;治疗组13例,适当增加通气压力。观察血压、临床症状和动脉血气的变化。结果调整MV后30分钟时,治疗组收缩压迅速由(95±12)mmHg升至(130±15)mmHg(P<0.001),呼吸频率(RR)由(38±11)次/min降至(27±6)次/min(P<0.005),心率(HR)由(126±15)次/min降至(105±12)次/min(P<0.001);对照组上述指标变化不明显。2小时后治疗组的升压药用量减少(70±15)%,对照组则增加(20±5)%;同时在吸氧浓度不变的情况下,治疗组的PaO2由(81±12)mmHg升至(140±15)mmHg(P<0.001),明显高于对照组PaO2的改善。24~48小时内治疗组11例患者(85%)停用升压药,对照组2例(22%)停用。最终治疗组100%的患者好转出院,对照组为45%(P<0.05)。结论与低压力通气相比,适当增加MV通气压力不仅可迅速改善重症心源性水肺肿伴休克患者的低氧血症,也可迅速升高血压,改善心功能,降低病死率。     

Load-induced proteoglycan orientation in bone tissuein vivo andin vitro

Summary Previous studies of Alcian blue-induced birefringence in adult avian cortical bone showed that a short period of intermittent loading rapidly produces an increased level of orientation of proteoglycans within the bone tissue. In the absence of further loading, this persists for over 24 hours. We have proposed that this phenomenon could provide a means for “capturing” the effects of transient strains, and so provide a persistent, constantly updated strain-related influence on osteocyte populations related to the bones' averaged recent strain history, in effect, a “strain memory” in bone tissue. In our present study, we use the Alcian blue-induced birefringence technique to demonstrate that proteoglycan orientation also occurs after intermittent loading of both cortical and cancellous mammalian bonein vivo andin vitro. We also show that the change in birefringence is proportional to the magnitude of the applied strain, and that the reorientation occurs rapidly, reaching a maximal value after only 50 loading cycles. Examination of electron micrographs of bone tissue after staining with cupromeronic blue allows direct visualization and quantification of the change in proteoglycan orientation produced by loading. This shows that intermittent loading is associated with a realignment of the proteoglycan protein cores, bringing them some 5 degrees closer to the direction of collagen fibrils in the bone matrix.     

Effects of bile acids on ventricular muscle contraction and electrophysiological properties: studies in rat papillary muscle and isolated ventricular myocytes

Summary The effects of sodium salts of various bile acids on the contractile force and the electrophysiological properties of rat ventricular muscle were studied in vitro. Primary, conjugated, and secondary bile acids were studied in a concentration range of 10^–9–10^–6 mol/l, which corresponds to concentrations found in the plasm of patients with cholestatic jaundice. In general, the bile acid induced a negative inotropic effect which was manifested as a reduction in active tension, maximum rate of tension activation, and maximum rate of tension relaxation. Twitch duration and time to peak tension were unaffected by the bile acids. The negative inotropism was associated with a reduction in ventricular action potential duration. Resting potential, action potential amplitude, and maximum upstroke velocity of phase 0 depolarization were unaffected. Voltage clamp experiments in rat ventricular myocytes demonstrated that sodium taurocholate decreased the slow inward current and slightly increased the outward potassium current. Hence, these effects on the membrane currents are probably responsible for the negative inotropic effect. Send offprint requests to O. Binah at the above address