BACKGROUND:Cytokines secreted from neurons and glial cel s in early stage of spinal cord injury probably are essential factors for inducing secondary immunologic injury.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and interleukin-17 on inflammatory reaction after acute spinal cord injury.
METHODS:A total of 75 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group and the spinal cord injury groups:1, 6, 24 and 72 hours. A rat model of incomplete spinal cord injury was established by the modified Al en weight drop method. The control group just underwent laminectomy. Injured spinal cord and spleen tissues were col ected at corresponding time points after model induction. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the distribution and expressions of interleukin-6 and interleukin-17 in spinal cord tissue. Western blot assay was utilized to detect the changes in p-STAT3 expression in injured spinal cord. RT-PCR was applied to measure the mRNA expression of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and interleukin-17 in the spleen.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The expression levels of p-STAT3, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and interleukin-17 were significantly higher in the spinal cord injury groups than those in the control group (P<0.05). The expression of inflammatory cytokines increased immediately after injury. Interleukin-1βand interleukin-6 levels peaked at 6 hours, and then decreased. p-STAT3 and interleukin-17 levels peaked at 24 hours, and then decreased. The expression was stil higher at 72 hours than that in the control group. Results suggested that the expression of p-STAT3-mediated pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1βand interleukin-6 in early stage increased. Inflammatory cascade would enlarge in the injured area, which probably induced secondary spinal cord injury and increased interleukin-17 levels. These possibly played a key role in secondary inflammatory reaction.

Objective:To study the influencing factors of liver regeneration and their prognostic impact after split liver transplantation.Methods:The clinical data of 44 patients who underwent split liver transplantation at the Organ Transplant Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2015 to July 2021 were analysed. There were 19 males and 25 females, aged (49±12) years old. Based on whether the liver regeneration rate (LRR) was greater than 100%, these patients were divided into the good regeneration group (LRR≥100%, n=24) and the poor regeneration group (LRR<100%, n=20). The differences in the perioperative data and postoperative survival rates between the two groups were compared. The patients were followed up by outpatient reexamination or telephone. Results:On days 15, 30, 90, and 180 after operation, the volume change rates in the transplanted liver were (117.04±7.00)%, (164.03±16.72)%, (180.98±26.30)%, (159.40±26.28)%, respectively. The body mass index, anhepatic period, intraoperative bleeding, intraoperative blood transfusion, hospitalization time, recovery time of liver function, fatty degeneration of donor liver and type of donor liver were the influencing factors of liver regenera-tion after split liver transplantation. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase on the days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 after operation in the group of patient with good regeneration were significantly lower than those in the group of patient with poor regeneration ( P<0.05). The levels of total bilirubin in the group of patient with good regeneration was significantly lower than those in the group of patient with poor regeneration on days 5, 6 and 7 after operation ( P<0.05). The portal vein flow per 100 g of liver mass in the good regeneration group was significantly better than the poor regeneration group on day 1 and 30 after operation. The 6-month cumulative survival rates of the good regeneration group and the poor regeneration group were 95.8% and 70.0% respectively, and the difference was significant ( P=0.017). Conclusions:Body mass index, anhepatic period, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusion, hospitalization time, recovery time of liver function, fatty degeneration of donor liver and type of donor liver were the influencing factors of liver regeneration after split liver transplantation. The prognosis of recipients with poor liver regeneration was significantly worse than recipients with good liver regeneration.

Objective:To explore the impact of donor cold ischemia time(CIT)on early recovery after liver transplantation(LT).Methods:From January 2016 to December 2020, the relevant clinical data were retrospectively reviewed for 456 LT recipients.According to the value of CIT of donor liver, they were assigned into two groups of CIT >5 h and CIT≤5 h. T, Mann-Whitney U or Chi square test was employed for statistical processing.Intraoperative findings and liver function(LF)parameters of two groups were compared, including operative duration, intraoperative volume of hemorrhage, erythrocyte transfusion and anhepatic phase.LF parameters included alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and total bilirubin(TB)within Day 1-7 post-LT.Postoperative recovery was evaluated by postoperative stay of intensive care unit(ICU), normalization time of liver function recovery, length of postoperative hospitalization and incidence of postoperative complications.Results:Among them, 407(89.3%)patients underwent classic orthotopic LT.Median CIT of donor liver was 309 min.In CIT≤5 h and CIT >5 h groups, operative duration was[(446.3+ 76.8)vs.(526.0+ 98.1)min], anhepatic phase time[(51.9+ 13.3)vs.(62.6+ 18.9)min]and intraoperative volume of erythrocyte transfusion[(7.3+ 5.8)vs.(10.0+ 6.87)U]. And the differences were statistically significant( P<0.001, 0.001 & 0.001). Postoperative hospitalization stay was longer[(29.1±15.9)vs.(27.1±13.0)]day.And the incidence of postoperative complications was higher in CIT >5 h group[22.7%(54/238)vs.12.4%(27/218)]. And the difference was statistically significant( P=0.045 & 0.004). As compared with CIT≤5 h group, ALT, AST & TB spiked in CIT >5 h group at Day 1 post-operation and the differences were statistically significant( P=0.002, P<0.001, P=0.001). In CIT >5 h group, ALT rose at Day 2/5/6/7 post-LT( P=0.026, 0.026, 0.015 & 0.011), AST jumped from Days 2-6( P=0.002, 0.004, 0.035, 0.029 and 0.019)and TB increased from Days 2-7 post-LT and the differences were statistically significant( P=0.003, 0.014, 0.030, 0.039, 0.027 & 0.009). LF recovered at CIT≤5 h and CIT>5 h group[(10.0±3.2)vs.(10.7±3.3)day]. There were significantly statistical differences( P=0.044). Conclusions:Non-conducive to patient recovery, prolonged cold ischemic time aggravates early LF injury post-LT.

Objective:To investigate the prognosis of liver transplantation (LT) elderly recipients and analyze the influencing factors for prognosis.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 400 LT recipients who were admitted to three medical centers from January 2015 to June 2020 were collected, including 368 cases in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 17 cases in the Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and 15 cases in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. There were 297 males and 103 females, aged from 22 to 75 years, with a median age of 60 years. Of the 400 LT recipients,200 cases aged ≥60 years were divided into elderly recipients (ER) group and 200 cases aged <60 years were divided into non-elderly recipients (NER) group. Reci-pients underwent orthotopic LT or modified piggyback LT. Observation indicators: (1) survival of recipients and grafts for two groups; (2) influencing factors for death of LT recipients; (3) stratification analysis of ER group. Follow-up using the outpatient examination and telephone interview was conducted to detect survival and prognosis of patients up to May 2021. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates and draw survival curves. Log-Rank test was used for survival analysis. COX regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Results:(1) Survival of recipients and grafts for two groups: 400 recipients were followed up for 1 day to 71.7 months, with a median follow-up time of 16.3 months. Survival analysis showed that the 1-, 3-year overall survival rates and 1-, 3-year graft survival rates for ER group were 72.70%, 60.66% and 72.70%, 59.64%, respectively, versus 78.84%, 75.48% and 78.84%, 74.22% for NER group, showing significant differences in the overall survival and graft survival between the two groups ( χ2=5.712, 5.681, P<0.05). (2) Influencing factors for death of LT recipients: results of univariate analysis showed that age, score of model for end stage liver disease, Child-Pugh score, cold ischemia time(CIT) of liver donor, hypertension, blood type of recipients and donors, volume of intraoperative blood loss, volume of intraoperative red blood cell transfusion, volume of intraoperative plasma transfusion, volume of intraoperative crystalloid fluid transfusion, the maximum alanine aminotransferase within postoperative 7 days, the maximum aspartate aminotransferase within postoperative 7 days, total bilirubin were related factors for death of LT recipients ( odds ratio=1.026, 1.022, 1.084, 1.070, 1.701, 2.728, 1.000, 1.056, 1.089, 1.000, 1.000, 1.000, 1.003, 95% confidence interval as 1.006-1.045, 1.005-1.040, 1.060-1.170, 1.011-1.132, 1.133-2.554, 1.701-4.374, 1.000-1.001, 1.031-1.082, 1.039-1.142, 1.000-1.003, 1.001-1.004, 1.000-1.002, 1.001-1.004, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that age, blood type of recipients and donors, the maximum aspartate aminotransferase within postoperative 7 days, total bilirubin were independent influencing factors for death of LT recipients ( odds ratio=1.022, 2.761, 1.000, 1.007, 95% confidence interval as 1.001-1.044, 1.612-4.727, 1.000-1.001, 1.002-1.012, P<0.05). (3) Stratification analysis of ER group: ① of 200 recipients in ER group, cases with 0 hour≤CIT≤8 hours, 8 hours12 hours were 96, 73, 31 ,respectively. The 1-year overall survival rates for above recipients were 77.46%, 73.33%, 54.07%, and the 3-year overall survival rates were 62.67%, 65.05%, 41.30%. There was a significant difference in the overall survival between the three groups ( χ2=6.708, P<0.05). ② Of 200 recipients in ER group,182 cases were ABO compatible and 18 were ABO incompatible. The 1-year overall survival rates for above recipients were 77.32%, 27.78%, and the 3-year overall survival rates were 64.63%, 22.22%. There was a significant difference in the overall survival between the two groups ( χ2=23.165, P<0.05). Conclusions:The overall survival of ER is inferior to NER. Age, blood type of recipients and donors, the maximum aspartate aminotransferase within postoperative 7 days, total bilirubin are indepen-dent influencing factors for death of LT recipients. Controlling CIT within 12 hours and avoiding ABO incompatible-liver transplantation can significantly improve the prognosis of ER.