Objective To explore the relationship between levels of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and adrenomedullin (ADM) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) in elderly patients. Methods The 80 patients with SSHL but without any treatment were selected as SSHL group, while 80 age-and sex-matched subjects without SSHL were collected as the control group. The levels of plasma Hcy and ADM were measured by fluorescence method and radioimmunoassay, respectively. And the levels of plasma Hey, ADM, total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) were compared between the two groups. Results The levels of plasma Hcy, ADM, TC and TG were significantly higher in SSHL group than in control group [(13. 81±2.88) μmol/L vs. (11. 58±2. 80)/xmol/L, (26. 40±3. 20)ng/L vs. (22. 45±2. 80)ng/L, (5.22±0. 87)mmol/L vs. (4. 52±0. 81)mmol/L, (1.80 ±0. 12)mmol/L vs. (1.52±0. 13)mmol/L;t=5. 03, 8. 22, 7.48, 3. 85, all P<0. 01). When the two groups with hypertension were compared, the levels of plasma Hey, ADM, TC and TG were (15.30±2. 77)μmol/L, (29.40±2. 80) ng/L, (5. 48±0. 98) mmol/L and (1.92±0. 18) mmol/L in SSHL group, which were higher than those in control group[(12. 80±2. 62) μmol/L, (25.20± 2. 60) ng/L, (5.01±1.03) retool/L, (1.62±0. 15) mmol/L3 (t=4.03, 7.01, 3.25, 7. 80, all P< 0. 01). There were no differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the two groups(t= 0. 87, 0. 64;P=0. 38, 0. 55).Conclusions The changes of plasma levels of Hey and ADM in the elderly suggest that they could involve in the pathogenic process of SSHL, which may provide referential value for understanding the state of the disease and judging the prognosis

Objective To evaluate the values of DWI normalized ADC value in breast MRI in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast lesions.Methods The absolute value of ADC,normalized ADC value and T1 WI dynamic contrast-enhanced TIC were analyzed in 49 patients with benign and malignant breast lesions;the efficiencies of single method diagnosis and combined diagnosis were assessed.Results When b=1 000 s/mm2 ,the absolute value of ADC <1.25×10 -3 mm2/s was taken as the thresh-old value for the diagnosis of malignant breast lesions,the area under the ROC curve was 0.818,the sensitivity was 73.9% and the specificity was 84.6%;the normalized ADC value <0.55 × 10 -3 mm2/s was taken as the diagnostic threshold,the area under the ROC curve was 0.901,the sensitivity was 87.0% and the specificity was 88.5%,there was a significant difference between both values.The lesions with a wash-out type of T1 WI dynamic contrast-enhanced TIC were diagnosed as malignant lesions,the sensitivi-ty was 89.5% and the specificity was 70.0%.The absolute value of ADC and T1 WI dynamic contrast-enhanced TIC were applied combinedly,the predicted percentage correct was 81.6% for the diagnosis of breast lesions,while the normalized ADC value and T1 WI dynamic contrast-enhanced TIC were applied combinedly,the predicted percentage correct was increased,which was 89.8%. Conclusion Normalized ADC value has a higher sensitivity and specificity in differentiating benign and malignant breast lesions,its combined application with T1 WI dynamic contrast-enhanced TIC can improve the diagnostic performance of breast lesions.

ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between gross motor function and intelligence in school-age children with cerebral palsy. Methods93 school-age children with cerebral palsy were assessed with Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) and Children Adaptive Behavior Scale (CABS). ResultsThe classification of GMFCS did not correlated with intelligence quotient （r=0.184,P>0.05), nor the adaptive behavior （r=0.056,P>0.05）. ConclusionThere is no correlation between gross motor function and intelligence in school-age children with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy on moderate and severe allergic rhinitis via the comparison evaluation of western medicine.

METHODSSixty cases of moderate and severe allergic rhinitis were divided into an acupuncture group (30 cases) and a western medicine group (30 cases). In the acupuncture group, the main acupoints included Yingxiang (LI 20), Shangxing (GV 23), Fengchi (GB 20), Quchi (LI 11), Xuehai (SP 10), Feishu (BL 13), Geshu (BL 17), Pishu (BL 20), etc. The supplementary points were selected according to syndrome differentiation. In the western medicine group, budesonide nasal spray and cetirizine tablets were prescribed. All the cases were treated for 8 weeks in the two groups. Separately, before treatment, in 4 weeks and 8 weeks of treatment, the scores of clinical symptoms and physical signs were observed and the clinical efficacy and safety were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSIn 4 weeks and 8 weeks of treatment, the scores of symptoms such as sneezing, nasal discharge, nasal obstruction, nasal itching, eye itching and turbinate hypertrophy, the score of physical signs and total score were all reduced apparently as compared with those before treatment (all P<0. 05). The differences were not significant between the acupuncture group and the western medicine group (all P>0. 05). The total effective rates were 90. 0% (27/30) and 93. 4% (28/30) in the acupuncture group after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment, and were 76. 6% (23/30) and 80. 0% (24/30) in the western medicine group separately, without significant difference in comparison (all P>0. 05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture achieves the similar efficacy on moderate and severe allergic rhinitis as western medicine. It is the safe therapy and has no apparent adverse reactions.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Sneezing ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Craniopharyngioma ; Humans ; Parapharyngeal Space ; Pharyngeal Neoplasms ; Pituitary Neoplasms