Hypoproteinemia is a common clinical complication in many diseases, which could affect the disease prognosis, particularly in critical illness. Low serum albumin level often precludes dangerous conditions and poor prognosis. In the pediatric clinical practice, hypoalbuminemia is commonly seen in acute infection. Therefore, the mechanism of infection-induced hypoalbuminemia should be emphasized, which plays a crucial role in modifying clinical interventions and reducing the mortality rate. But the mechanism of hypoalbuminemia has not yet been fully clarified at present. In this article,the possible mechanism of infectioninduced hypoproteinemia is investigated from the albumin catabolism, synthesis, distribution of abnormalities,half-life, protein-losing enteropathy and so on.

Objective To discuss the clinical value of procalcitonin (PCT) in guiding antibiotics use in children with severe diseases. Methods The clinical data of patients admitted to intensive care unit from January 2012 to July 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients without antibiotics use before admission and with procalcitonin level less than 0.5 ng/ml on admission were selected. The body temperature, infection indicators and prognosis were compared between patients with and without antibiotics use during hospitalization. Results There was no difference in body temperature, PCT, C-reactive pro-tein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and white blood cell count (WBC) on admission between patients with and without antibiotics use during hospitalization. The PCT level was increased signiifcantly (P<0.05) on the day of starting the an-tibiotics when compared with that on admission in 60 patients while there was no change in the levels of WBC and CRP. Com-pared with the day of starting the antibiotics, body temperature declined (P<0.05) and PCT level in 56 patients reexamined was decreased (P<0.05) at 3 days after antibiotics use. Two hundred and eleven patients (98.14%) had favorable prognosis. Conclu-sions Monitoring PCT can guiding the clinical use of antibiotics.

ObjectiveTo determine optimal positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) in mechanical ventilation in children with severe asthmatoid disease based on the quasistatic pressure-volume (P-V) curve.MethodsA serf-control study was done on 23 children with severe asthmatoid disease in the pediatric intensive care unit( PICU ).Quasistatic lung P-V curve of these patients was analyzed and the lower inflection point (LIP) from P-V curve was determined.Three different PEEP (0 cm H2O,LIP,LIP+2 cm H2O,1 mm H2O =0.098 kPa) were given to the patients.The effects of PEEP at different levels on gas exchange,hemodynamic and airway pressure were observed.ResultsThe quasistatic LIP were (2.70 ±2.00)cm H2O.When PEEP was increased to the level of LIP + 2 cm H2O,PaO2 / FiO2 and lung compliance improved significantly (P ＜ 0.01 ) and dynamic lung compliance was the highest,peak inspiratory pressure was (22.30 ± 3.00) cm H2O and mean airway pressure was( 14.11 ± 1.01 ) cm H2O,without obvious adverse effects on mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate.There was no difference in PaCO2,when compared PEEP =0 cmH2O to PEEP =LIP + 2 cmH2O.ConclusionThe application of PEEP is safe.LIP + 2 cm H2O from quasistatic P-V curve could be set as the optimal PEEP under which mechanical ventilation has the best efficacy and do not aggravate CO2 retention and abnormality of hemodynamics in children with severe asthmatoid disease.

Objective To investigate the serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in sepsis caused by the bacteria,virus and mycoplasma and explore the role of PCT in etiology diagnosis of sepsis in children.Methods Three hundreds and thirty critically ill children with sepsis caused by bacteria,virus and mycoplasma admitted in PICU of Hunan Children' s Hospital from Feb 1,2011 to Sep 1,2012 were reviewed and analyzed.The PCT levels were measured at admission and day 3.The differences in accidence of sepsis caused by bacteria,viruses and mycoplasma according to different serum PCT levels were analyzed.The differences of PCT levels at admission and day 3 in sepsic children caused by bacteria,viruses and mycoplasma were analyzed.Results The level of serum PCT in sepsis caused by bacterial infection were distinctly increased,caused by virus and mycoplasma infections was not obvious but the increases of serum PCT [0.71 (8.14)ng/ml,0.15 (1.68) ng/ml,0.28 (1.89) ng/ml].According to various PCT levels(0.05 ～ ng/ml,0.5 ～ng/ml,2 ～ ng/ml,10 ～ 300 ng/ml),the differences of accidence of sepsis caused by bacteria,virus and mycoplasma were also statistically significant(x2 =84.50,P ＜ 0.01).The PCT level of septic children caused by bacterial infection in day 3 was significantly decreased compared with that at admission [0.32 (5.68) ng/ml vs 0.71 (8.14) ng/ml] (U =19.34,P ＜0.05).Conclusion PCT plays a certain role in etiology diagnosis of sepsis in children.The increased PCT levels which can be reduced by anti-inflammatory treatment indicate the likelihood of bacterial infection and sepsis.The increase of PCT induced by viral and mycoplasma infections is not obvious,but bacterial infection can not be completely ruled out.

With the development of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics,pharmacoepigenetics potentially offers another level of explanation for interindividual variations in drug response that cannot be accounted for on the basis of genetic polymorphisms.Many genes encoding enzymes,drug transporters,transcription factors,drug targets,and nuclear receptors are under epigenetic control,which has implications in the context of interindividual variations in drug response as well as drug resistance during cancer treatment.In this overview,we summarize the newest advancement in this field.

Objective To discuss the signiifcance of serum albumin level in assessing severity, progress and prognosis of sepsis in children. Methods The clinical data of 212 patients diagnosed with sepsis admitted to PICU from February 2010 to July 2010 were retrospectively analyzed, and 52 patients had severe sepsis and 31 patients had septic shock. Meanwhile, 110 non-sepsis patients were selected as controls. The relationships of hypoalbuminemia with pediatric critical illness score (PCIS), pediatric risk of mortality III (PRISM III) and prognosis were evaluated, and the change of albumin level in patients with dif-ferent severity of sepsis was observed. Relative factors analysis of albumin level ≤25 g/L was performed. Results As the serum albumin level was decreased, the PCIS was signiifcantly decreased while the PRISM III was increased (P<0.01). The se-rum albumin level was signiifcantly different among children with septic shock, severe sepsis and sepsis and controls (F=13.938, P=0.000). The results of relative factors analysis showed that sepsis children with an albumin level≤25 g/L had more organ failures, higher mortality, longer hospital and PICU stay and more likelihood for ventilator support (P<0.01). Lower albumin levels were accompanied with lower rates of recovery and improvement but higher mortality (rs=-0.161, P=0.000). Conclusions Hypoalbuminemia can be used as indirect indicator for severity of infection. The albumin level≤25 g/L indicated the severity of illness and prognosis in children with sepsis.

Objective To id scuss the role and safety of fiberoptic bronchoscopy for diagnosing and treating respiratory dsi ease in PICU.Methods A total of 95 eil gible children with respri atory diseases admi-tted ni PICU of Hu′nan Prvo inec Children′s Hospital were enroll ed in this retrospectvi e study from January 2013t o December 2013, and the efficacy and complications of fiberoptic bronchoscopy were assessed.Results A total of 95 children underwented bronchoscopy 112 timest, he most common of microscopic examination resutl s was tracheal bronchitis ( 62.1%) , followed by congenital airway abnormality ( 21.1%); 58 times (56.9%) showed becteria positive in 102 times lavage and sputum culture results, including 16 times (27.6%) of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria,12 times(20.7%) of Acinetobacter baumannii.After under-wenting bronchoscopy and lavage wash,blood gas analysis of pH value,PaO2 ,PaCO2 ,SaO2 had significant improvement than before( P<0.05 ) , respiratory rate had improved than before ( P<0.05 ) , little effect in heart rate(P>0.05).The inrt aopear tive and postoperative transient comlp ications were obserev d in 38 times (33.9%).Conclusion The appil cation of fiberoptic bronchoscopy for diagnosing and ter ating disease in PICU has a cetr ia n value, its vo erall safety is reliable.

Objective To observe the effect of the nutrition management according to the JCI(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)management standard for critically ill pediatric patients with mechanical ventilation.Methods A total of 330 cases with mechanical ventilation were en-rolled in the control group from Hunan Province Children's Hospital PICU between Jan.2012 and Dec.2012, and these pediatric patients were managed with the conventional nutrient management.A total of 359 pediatric patients with mechanical ventilation were admitted to the experimental group from Jan.2013 to Dec.2013 and these patients were managed with nutrient management based on JCI standards.The length of mechanical venti-lation,stay in ICU,stay in hospital were compared between two groups,and the incidence of ventilator-associ-ated pneumonia,abandonment rate and mortality were also compared between experimental group and control group.Results The length of mechanical ventilation in control group[(8.39 ±1.34)days]was longer than that of experimental group[(5.69 ±1.12)days].The length of stay in PICU for control group[(12.32 ± 1.37)days]was more than that in experimental group[(9.42 ±1.53)days].The length of stay in hospital for control group [(15.37 ±2.16 )days]was higher than that of experimental group [(12.63 ±2.29 ) days].The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia(9.7%)in control group was higher than that of ex-perimental group,and the giving up or mortality rate in control group(8.48%)was higher than that of exper-imental group(4.35%).And there were significant differences by statistical analysis(P ﹤0.01 ,respective-ly).Conclusion According to the nutritional management in JCI standard,the length of mechanical ventila-tion,stay in PICU and stay in hospital time,the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia,and the aban-doned or mortality rate were reduced for critically ill pediatric patients with mechanical ventilation.

Objective To investigate the chemokine 12 (CXCL12) and chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) expressions in hypopharyngeal carcinoma and its place in the disease development,invasion and metastasis of significance.Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in 35 cases of hypopharyngeal cancer tissues and in 28 cases of tumor-adjacent non-tumor tissues.Results The expressions of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in the hypopharynx carcinomas were significantly higher (P ＜ 0.05).Both expressed in hypopharyngeal carcinomas was significantly positively correlated (P ＜ 0.01).Both hypopharynx cancer in lymph node metastasis group were significantly higher than the expression of cervical lymph node metastasis group,the difference was significant (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions CXCL12 and CXCR4 are involved in hypopharynx cancer development,invasion and metastasis,and there is a positive feedback regulation mechanism between two factors.Moreover,CXCL12 and CXCR4 have synergistic effect in development,invasion and metastasis of hypopharynx cancers.

Objective To explore the predicted performance of cTnI for outcome or severity in children with sepsis.Methods 374cases of children with sepsis were collected in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in our hospital from August 2012to June 2015.The patients were dividided into the common sepsis group, severe sepsis group and sepsis shock group according to the sepsis severity, and improved group, uncured group and death group according to outcome, and the cTnI>0.01μg/mL group and the cTnI≤0.01μg/mL group according to the levels of cTnI.Data on cTnI, PCT, CRP, Cr, Lac, PaO2/FiO2, BUN, PT, INR, WBC and PLT were collected in this study.Results The level of cTnI was significantly higher in children with septic shock (P<0.05) .The level of cTnI in improved group was significantly lower than those of uncured group and death group (P<0.05) .The incidence of severe sepsis and septic shock in the cTnI>0.01μg/mL group was significantly significantly higher than that of the cTnI≤0.01μg/mL group.The levels of Lac, PT and INR in the cTnI>0.01μg/mL group were significantly higher than that of the cTnI≤0.01μg/mL group (P<0.05) .A positive correlation between the level of cTnI and Lac (r=0.324) , or PT (r=0.291) , or INR (r=0.340) were found in the study (P<0.05) .Conclusion Sepsis is prone to be associated with myocardial injury, which is related to the severity and prognosis of sepsis.Insufficient circulatory perfusion, metabolic imbalance and abnormal coagulation function may be the reasons for the rise of cTnI and myocardial injury in children with sepsis.