Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of 16 ku-38 ku-ESAT-6 protein in tuberculosis (TB). Methods ELISA was used for measuring the level of recombinant 16 ku-38 ku-ESAT-6 protein in 105 TB patients (TB group,26 patients with smear-positive, 79 patients with smear-negative) and 45 controls (control group, 20 healthy volunteers and 25 subjects with pulmonary diseases other than TB). The value of the antigen for diagnosis of TB in serodiagnosis was assessed, and ROC curve evaluation system was established. Results In control group, the positive rate of anti-recombinant 16 ku-38 ku-ESAT-6 protein and commercialization of TB antibody test kit had significant difference [6.67% (3/45) vs. 51.11% (23/45)](P＜0.01);but in TB group, there was no significant difference [59.05%(62/105) vs. 64.76% (68/105)](P＞0.05). The optical density value in TB group and control group was 2.22 ± 0.58 and 1.35 ± 0.24,and there was significant difference(t = 6.06,P＜ 0.01). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the test was 59.05%,93.33%,95.38%,49.41% respectively. Analyzed by ROC curve, the area under the curve was 0.751, the- value of cutoff was 2.52, and sensitivity and specificity was 65.4% and 84.8%. Conclusions Recombinant 16 ku -38 ku -ESAT-6 protein of mycobacterium tuberculosis has higher specificity, and it can significantly distinguish TB and non-TB. So it might be selected as one of diagnosis antigens of TB.

ObjectiveTo examine the clinical features of fractures and related risk factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA) in China.MethodsSix hundred and eighty-one RA patients were randomly selected from department of rheumatology of 18 hospitals of China.Data were obtained from the questionnaire,including age,sex,disease duration,the involvement of joints,treatment regimen,features of fractures etc.The possible risk factors of fracture in patients with RA were analyzed with a multi-variate Logistic regression analysis.Results① In 681 RA patients of the survey,48 patients had 54 fractures,and the incidence of fractures was about 8％.② Fractures occurred at various sites.Foot/ankle,femur,spine and wrist were the mostfrequent sites.③ The Logistic regression analysis showed that several factors increased the risk of fracture in RA patients,including long disease duration (OR:1.245,95％CI:0.987-1.570,P=0.065),male gender(OR:0.433,95％CI:0.199-0.942,P=0.035),more deformed joints(OR:1.042,95％CI:1.006-1.079,P=0.023),family history of RA (OR:2.201,95％CI:0.984-4.923,P=0.055),and high scores of SF-36(OR:1.017,95％CI:1.002-1.033,P=0.028).④ According to the degree of correlation from strong to weak,the risk factors of fracture were disease duration,SF-36,sex,number of deformed joints and family history of rheumatoid arthritis.ConclusionThe incidence of fracture is high in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Several factors could increase the risk of fractures in RA patients,including long disease duration,male gender,more deformed joints,and family history of RA.In order to prevent the occurrence of fractures,cautions should be taken to prevent the development of fractures and treat the disease aggressively to suppress the disease activity of RA.

Objective To describe the distribution of medication costs of rheumatoid arthritis patients, and to analyze the factors that may affect the costs. Methods Data were obtained from a 12-month retrospective investigation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) across China. Department of Rheuma-tology of 18 hospitals were randomly selected. The data about their social conditions, clinical conditions, medications associated with RA such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), non -steroidal anti -inflammtory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, biologic agents were collected, and the costs of drugs were calculated. A non-parameter test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed. Results Six hundred and forty six patients were enrolled into the study, 435 completed data were chosen for analysis. The results demonstrated that the average costs per patient for medications in the past year was 8018 . The total medication costs were further subdivided into the following parts: DMARDs, (represented 20% of the total costs), biologic drugs (49%), NSAIDs (4%), herbal drugs (22%), steroids (1%). Data analysis showed that patients with higher education and higher incomes, with medical insurance,better health function status and outpatients paid more on DMARDs. Extra-articular manifestations increased the odds of the high-cost group (OR: 2.180, 95%CI: 1.335～3.558, P=0.002), while poor health function status increased the probability of paying high costs (OR: 1.373, 95%CI: 1.012～1.863, P=0.041). Conclusion High medication costs in RA do exist in RA patients. The costs of medication is associated with health function status and the presence of extra-articular manifestations.