Objective: To observe the effect of cooling on systemic and regional oxygen metabolism in febrile critically ill patients. Method: Twenty-five critically ill patients with fever were cooled by ice blankets or by ibuprofen/indomethacin. Oxygen metabolism in whole body and regional organ and hemodynamics were measured. Result: As the temperature was reduced form 38.9?1.1℃ to 37.8?1.5℃,HR,cardiac index (CI),oxygen delivery (DO_2I),and oxygen consumption (VO_2I) decreased significantly,but gastric intramucosal pH increased from 7.26 to 7.37 and the PCO_2 difference between gastric rnucosa and arterial blood decreased markedly. PO_2 and oxygen content in cardiac coronary venous blood and oxygen exrtaction remained unchanged. Conclusion: After cooling the febrile pateints,CI, DO_2I and VO_2I decrease but tissue hypoxia can be improved.

Objective To determine the changes of blood cytokines values and inductions of cytokines expressions after CPB and cardiac valve replacement. Methods Thirty patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement were randomly selected, The plasma cytokines levels or activities and inductions of cytokine expressions were measured before CPB, 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th d after operation.Results Compared with the baselines, IL 1 activity and souluble interleukin 2 receptor(SIL 2R) level increased on the 1st, 3rd d , then decreased significantly on the 7th d, plasma IL 8 level increased in 14 d after CPB, but IL 2 activity decreased during 7 d postoperatively(P0.05); induction of IL 1 expression increased significantly on the 1st d and decreased on the 3rd d (P

In order to evaluate the expression of HLA-DR antigen in glandular cells in eutopic and ectopic endometrium in patients with endometriosis, 19 infertile patients with endometriosis were analyzed immunohistochemically by labelled streptavidin biotin (LSAB) method. Nineteen infertile patients without endometriosis were studied as controls. The results showed that the expression of HLA-DR antigen in the glandular cells in both eutopic and ectopic endometrium was increased significantly as compared with that in the controls (P < 0.01). It is likely that aberrant expression of HLA-DR antigen in endometriotic tissue is involved in abnormal immunogenesis of endometriosis.
Endometriosis/complications ; Endometriosis/*immunology ; Endometrium/*immunology ; HLA-DR Antigens/*immunology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infertility/complications ; Infertility/*immunology ; Pelvis

Objective To investigate the changes in circulatory and pulmonary monary angiotensinⅡin rats with acite lung injury(ALI)and explore the role of angiotensinⅡin ALI.Method Thirty S-D rats were randomly divided into control group(n=6)and ALI group(n=24).The ALI group was further divided into four subgroups of observation at various intervals,3,6,9 and 12 hours after administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)into the femoral vein(each n=6).The indices rate,blood gas analysis,wet weight/dry weight(W/D)ratio of lung lobes,and pathological changes were successively observed at 3,6,9,and 12 hours after injury.The content of angiotensinⅡin lung tissue and blood plasma were detected at above set intervals by radioimmunoassay.Data of these assays were analyzed by one-factor analysis of variance.Results Compare with the control group,pH and PaO2 of arterial blood in ALI group decreased significantly(P＜0.05)at all intervals and PaCO2 of arterial blood in ALI group decreased significanfly(P＜0.05).at all intervals and PaCO2 of arterial blood and lung W/D weight ratio increased significantly(P＜0.05),and scores of lung histopathology denoted the lung injuried(P＜0.01).After injury of lung,angiotensin Ⅱ content increased markedly in lung homogenate and blood plasma (P＜0.05).Angiotensin Ⅱ content in blood plasma reached peak value at 9 hours,and content of angiotensin Ⅱ in lung homogenates kept on increasing at allintervals of observation.Conclusions A large amount of angiotensin Ⅱ releases into lung tissue and blood plasma during ALI,suggesting systemic and pulmonary rennin-angiotensin systems are activated.

Objective To investigate the situation of visual memory impairment in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG).Methods Thirty MG patients and 28 normal control subjects were tested with a battery of computerized tests (modified Smith working memory software), which was designed to assess visual-spatial and visual-object working memory.Results There was no significant difference in the accuracy rate of visual-object working memory test between the MG group and normal controls (MG group 73.4% ±9.7%, normal controls 72.7% ±8.5%).The accuracy rate of the visual-spatial working memory test in the MG group (76.6% ± 16.5%) was significantly lower than that in the normal controls (86.6% ±7.5%, Z = -2.204, P = 0.028).Conclusion The visual-spatial working memory is probably impaired while the visual-object working memory is relatively spared in MG patients.

Objective To systematically review the efficacy of dexmedetomidine or midazolam for sedation in critically ill patients. Methods We searched the PubMed, EMBaes, Cochrane Library, Wanfang Database,CNKI and VIP for all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the efficacy of dexmedetomidine versus midazolam for sedation in severe cases. The quality of the studies was evaluated by the method recommended by Cochrane Collaboration. Meta-analysis was conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.0 software. Results Six RCTs involving 613 patients were included in our Meta-analysis. The results of Meta-analysis showed that the length of ICU stay was significantly shorter in group dexmedetomidine than in group midazolam. There were no significant differences in the duration of mechanical ventilation, incidences of bradycardia, hypotension and delirium and mortality rate between the two groups. Conclusion Dexmedetomidin can shorten the length of ICU stay and is beneficial for the outcome in critically ill patients.

Objective To evaluate the effects of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) targeting optimal oxygenation on local gas distribution and inflammation in dogs with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods ARDS was induced by saline alveoli-lavage and oleic acid intravenous. The animals were mechanical ventilated 4 h at optimal PEEP titrated by oxygenation. Computed tomography (CT) scans were performed before and after induction of ARDS and at the end the study. NF-κB was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), IL-6 and IL-10 were assessed by ELISA.Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. Pathological changes were examined under optical microscope. Results (1) Compared to baseline, total lung volumes decreased and nonaerated areas increased significantly after the induction of ARDS in both groups (P ＜ 0.05 ). Compared with ARDS models, PEEP titrated to achieve optimal oxygenation resulted in greater lung recruitment but was accompanied with hyperinflation, hyperinflation occurred in non-dependent lung. Compared with oleic acidinjured ARDS, the changing of hyperinflated lung areas was increased markedly in saline lavage-injured ARDS (P＜0.05). (2) Compared with right lung ventral lower lobe, lung injury score was lower in right lung upper lobe. Histological injury in right lung dorsal lower lobe was severer than that in right lung upper lobe and right lung ventral lower lobe. NF-κB activation of right lung dorsal lower lobe was markedly higher than right lung upper lobe (P ＜ 0.05 ). MPO and MDA were much higher with right lung dorsal lower lobe than right lung upper lobe and right lung ventral lower lobe ( P ＜ 0.05 ). Compared with right lung upper lobe and right lung ventral lower lobe, IL-6 and IL-10 increased markedly in right lung dorsal lower lobe ( P ＜ 0.05 ). Conclusions Alveolar hyperinflation and aggravated lung injury in non-dependent region were occurred at PEEP targeting optimal oxygenation. Hyperinflation was more common in saline lavage-injured ARDS.

Objective To determine whether urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipecalin (uNGAL) and urinary intedeukin-18 (uIL-18) are early markers of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients. Methods Ninety-two critically ill patients were studied for one week after their enrollment into our hospital. During the study, 46 patients who met the RIFLE criteria were selected as AKI group and the remaining 46 patients without AKI taken as a control group. The two groups were matched for age, gender and illness severity. Urine samples were collected daily for one week. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the early diagnostic value of uNGAL, uIL-18 and serum creatininc (SCr). Results As compared with the levels obtained 3 days before the diagnosis of AKI, the uNGAL levels in the AKI group increased significantly (P <0. 05), while uIL-18 and SCr levels did not change 2 days prior to the diagnosis of A KI (all P > 0. 05). uNGAL and uIL-18 levels increased significantly (all P < 0. 05), while SCr levels did not change 1 day prior to the diagnosis of AKI in the AKI group (P > 0. 05). The levels of uNGAL, uIL-18 and SCr did not change significantly in the control group during the study period (all P > 0. 05). Three days before the diagnosis of AKI, concentrations of uNGAL, uIL-18 and SCr were not the predictive of AKI. Two days before the diagnosis of AKI, the area under the curve (AUC) of uNGAL was 0. 840 (95% CI 0. 672-1. 009, P < 0. 05), which indicated that uNGAL was the predictive of AKI while uIL-18 and SCr were not. One day before the diagnosis of AKI, the AUC of uNGAL and ulL-18 were 0. 830 (95 % CI 0. 711-0. 950, P < 0. 05) and 0. 818 (95 % CI 0. 697-0. 938, P < 0. 05), indicating that uNGAL and uIL-18 were the predictive of AKI while SCr was not. Conclusion uNGAL and uIL-18 may be the early predictive markers of AKI in critically ill patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of direct hemoperfusion with polymixin B-immobilized fiber (DHP-PMX) in patients with sepsis. Methods We searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science databases and identified relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT) from January 1995 to May 2010. Meta-analysis of DHP-PMX on mortality and levels of endotoxin in patients with sepsis were conducted using the methods recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. Results Eleven RCTs were included.Eight of them included the mortality of patients (sample size: 211 DHP-PMX and 178 conventional medical therapy). In total, the mortalities of patients with sepsis in DHP-PMX group and conventional group were 37.4% (79/211) and 68.5% (122/178) respectively. Compared with the conventional medical therapy,DHP-PMX appeared to significantly reduce mortality ( OR =0.24,95% CI 0.16-0.38 ,P ＜0.000 01 ). The results were similar when two RCTs enrolling patients with methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections were excluded( OR =0. 27,95% CI 0. 17-0. 45, P ＜0. 000 01 ). When the analysis was limited to the nine studies that reported 28- to 30-day mortality, results were unchanged( OR =0. 29,95% CI 0.17-0.48 ,P ＜0.000 01 ). Six RCTs had the available data of endotoxin. The level of endotoxin decreased 31 ng/L(95% CI 22.46-39.55 ) after DHP-PMX therapy, and the decreasing was statistically significant (P＜0. 000 01 ) ,while the level of endotoxin in patients of conventional group did not change (P =0.94).Conclusions This study suggests a favorable effects of DHP-PMX on mortality and endotoxin decreasing in patients with sepsis. However, lack of enough cases and blinding need to be considered. Further investigation with large sample of high quality RCTs is needed.

ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of subglottic secretion drainage for preventing ventilatorassociated pneumonia.MethodsData of relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT) from January 1991 to June 2010 were collected,and data were split into two groups,namely draining group and non-draining group.Meta analysis of ventilator-associated pneumonia was carried out for finding the incidence and mortality in patients with mechanical ventilation using the methods recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration.ResultsSeven RCTs met the inclusion criteria and 1647 patients were enrolled.Subglottic secretion drainage reduced the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia ( OR =0.45,95％ confidence interval [CI]:0.32 - 0.63 ),primarily by reducing early-onset pneumonia.But the mortalities of ventilator associated pneumonia were not significantly different between the two groups ( OR =1.03,95％ confi dence interval [CI]:0.75 - 1.41 ).ConclusionsSubglottic secretion drainage appeared effective in preventing ventilator associated pneumonia among patients expected to require ＞48 hours of mechanical ventilation,but the mortality was unchanged.