Cardiology ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Physicians ; Stroke

Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

OBJECTIVETo measure the effect of atorvastatin on COX-2 expression in monocytes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODSForty patients with AMI (AMI group) and 18 patients with stable coronary heart disease (control group) were enrolled, and patients with AMI were randomly given routine therapy (n = 20) and routine therapy plus atorvastatin (20 mg/day, n = 20) for a week. Peripheral blood monocytes for each participant including patients with AMI were isolated and cultured for 24 hours. During the culture, monocytes in patients with pretreatment AMI were incubated with celecoxib in different concentration (0, 0.1, 1 and 10 micromol/L). COX-2 mRNA expression in monocytes was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in supernatant from monocytes and plasma hs-CRP levels were measured by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSCOX-2 expression in monocytes in patients with AMI (0.92 +/- 0.13) was significantly higher than that in the control subjects (0.19 +/- 0.08), and decreased by 66% after atorvastatin (compared with that on routine therapy, P < 0.05); IL-6 secretions of monocytes in the AMI group (204.8 +/- 45.6 ng/L) increased dramatically compared with those in the control group (40.9 +/- 1.2 ng/L, P < 0.05), and reduced dramatically by 58% when incubated with 10 micromol/L celecoxib (P < 0.05) in a concentration-dependent manner; plasma levels of CRP in the AMI group (43.3 +/- 14.9 mg/L) significantly increased compared with those in the control group (1.7 +/- 0.8 mg/L), and reduced by 62% after atorvastatin (compared with those in the routine therapy group, P < 0.05). COX-2 expression in monocytes in the AMI group was positively correlated with both secretions of IL-6 and plasma level of CRP (r = 0.636 and 0.662, respectively, both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere is an inflammatory activation in peripheral blood monocytes in patients with early AMI, and the monocytes-derived COX-2 may play an important role in promoting early inflammatory process. Atorvastatin may decrease COX-2 expression in peripheral blood monocytes in patients with AMI and cyclooxygenase-dependent pathway might be correlated with the anti-inflammation mechanism of statin.

Aged ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Female ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

Animals ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; physiology ; Calcinosis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; physiology ; Vascular Diseases ; chemically induced ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo describe the characteristics of child pedestrian traffic injuries among aged 0-14 years old in Guangzhou city and to provide information on road, vehicle and human injuries in pedestrian.

METHODSA database of all motor vehicle crashes involving child pedestrian traffic injury cases over a five-year period (2000-2004), was from the police department.

RESULTSThe annual pedestrian traffic injury rates on incidence, mortality and case fatality were 17.63/ 1,100,000, 1.78/ 100,000 and 10.07% respectively. Both incidence rate and mortality peaked in the 5-9 age group were 26.80/ 100,000 and 2.57/ 100,000, with case fatality peaked in the 0-4 age group (13.29%). For males, the incidence (20.98/ 100,000) and mortality (2.00/ 100,000) were higher than that in females (13.83/ 100,000, and 1.52/ 100,000). The main injured parts of body would include multi-areas (40.34%), head (26.75%) and lower limbs (21.53%). 10.07% of the cases died and 66.18% and 23.75% of them having had severe and slight injures. The major causes were due to drivers (57.50%) and pedestrians (33.47%) faults with top three responsible vehicles were cars (40.14%), two-wheeled motorcycles (34.38%) and vans (22.15%).

CONCLUSIONData from pediatric pedestrian injury poses a threat to children and adolescents, data suggesting that it is important to change behaviors of both drivers and pedestrians.

Accidents, Traffic ; statistics & numerical data ; Adolescent ; Age Distribution ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Wounds and Injuries ; epidemiology

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; Coronary Vessels ; injuries ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Humans ; Male ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; chemistry ; therapeutic use

Objective To evaluate the outcome of health education program on drowning prevention among primary and secondary school children in rural areas. Methods A township was selected and all the students from grade 3 to 5, grade 7 to 8, and grade 10 to 11 were selected to take part in the program. Twelve intervention measures on natural water safety and drowning prevention were carried out for one year. Information was collected using the same questionnaire before and after the intervention program. Results One year after the intervention was carried out, children's knowledge on drowning prevention improved significantly (13.21, 95% CI: 12.51-13.90) , and a positive effect was also noticed among boys (12.77, 95%CI: 11.77-13.77), girls (13.80, 95%CI: 12.82-14.78),and among primary school children (15.51,95%CI: 14.30-16.72), senior high school children (10.78,95%CI: 9.50-12.05) and junior high school children (12.77,95%CI: 11.84-13.71). Overall rates on risk behaviors dropped from 41.4% to 32.2% (by 22.2%) including 15.6% for boys, 35.2% for girls and 13.8%, 29.3%, 26.3% for primary school children, senior high school children, junior high school children, respectively. The incidence rates for non-fatal drowning decreased by 58.9% (from 5.6% to 2.3%). The person-times for treatment on sight, in emergency settings, in outpatient clinic or in the hospitals had a reduction from 399, 78, 36 to 175, 32, 14, respectively. Conclusion Health education program could improve children's perception on water safety, and reduce their risk behaviors as well as on the incidence of non-fatal drowning in the rural areas.

OBJECTIVETo explore the transmission routes, genotypes/subtypes distribution and genetic character of HCV in HIV/HCV co-infected and HCV mono-infected individuals in Guangdong Province.

METHODSReverse transcription (RT) nested PCR was performed to amplify the HCV NS5B gene region from 95 HIV/HCV co-infected and 99 HCV mono-infected individuals lived in Guangdong province. The PCR products were then sequenced for HCV subtyping. Genetic analysis was done by MEGA4 software.

RESULTS(1) HIV/HCV co-infected individuals infected HCV mostly through injection drug use (IDU, 78.9%), the HCV subtypes were identified as 6a (53.7%), 3a (17.9%), 1b (15.8%), 3b (11.6%) and 1a (1.0%) respectively, the genetic distance within subtype 1b was longer than those within other subtypes, the predominant HCV subtype in HIV/HCV co-infected individuals infected through IDU was 6a (60.0%). (2) HCV mono-infected individuals infected HCV mostly through blood or blood products transfusions (80.8%), the HCV subtypes were identified as 1b (67.7%), 6a (17.2%), 3a (6.1%), 2a (5.0%), 3b (2.0%), 4a (1.0%) and 5a (1.0%) respectively, the genetic distance within subtype 1b was also longer than those within other subtypes, the predominant HCV subtype in HCV mono-infected individuals infected through blood or blood products transfusions was 1b (76.2%).

CONCLUSIONThe diversity of HCV subtypes in HIV/HCV co-infected and HCV mono-infected individuals in Guangdong Province was high, both the major transmission route and HCV subtype between HIV/HCV co-infected individuals and HCV mono-infected individuals were different.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China ; epidemiology ; Coinfection ; virology ; Female ; Genotype ; HIV ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hepacivirus ; classification ; genetics ; Hepatitis C ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phylogeny ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the serum levels of cholesterol, triglyceride and high density lipoprotein cholesterol in children aged 3-14 years and its influencing factors.

METHODSThe cross-sectional survey study population was a representative sample from Guangdong province obtained by multi-stage randomized cluster sampling. Serum lipids in 6188 children aged > or = 3 years were assayed using automatic biochemical instrument. The data of social and demographic status were collected by face-to-face interview, and height and weight were obtained by physical examination.

RESULTSThe age-standardized and region-weighted means of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were 0.80 mmol/L, 3.50 mmol/L and 1.28 mmol/L, respectively. For the mean of TG, there was no difference between metropolitan and middle city, nor between rich county and poor county. For TC, it was the highest in metropolitan, and there was no difference between rich and poor county. For HDL-C, the difference existed between every two regions. The age-standardized and region-weighted prevalence of high TG, high TC and low HDL-C were 2.2%, 2.1% and 8.0%, respectively. Metropolitan, rich county, low weight and age between 7.0-9.9 years are protecting factors for high TG, and the number of family between 3-4, age between 7.0-9.9, metropolitan, middle city and poor county are risk factors for high TC. Male, family income per year between 800-9999 RMB, middle city, rich county are protecting factors for low HDL-C.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of abnormal serum lipid was still low compared with other regions in China. The region, number of family member, age and sex may be the important factors influencing on serum lipid levels.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dyslipidemias ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides ; blood

BACKGROUNDThere remains significant debate as to the relationship between fragmented QRS (fQRS) complexes on electrocardiogram (ECG) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Few studies have reported on this relationship in non-ST elevated AMI (NSTEMI), and thus, we attempt to assess this relationship and its potential short-term prognostic value.

METHODSThis was a single-center, observational, retrospective cohort study. A total of 513 consecutive patients (399 men, 114 women) with NSTEMI within 24 h who underwent coronary angiography at our department, between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of fQRS complex on the admission ECG. fQRS complexes were defined as the existence of an additional R' or crochetage wave, notching in the nadir of the S wave, RS fragmentation, or QS complexes on 2 contiguous leads. All patients were followed up for 6 months, and all major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were recorded.

RESULTSIn this study, there were 285 patients with fQRS ECG in the 513 patients with NSTEMI. The number of patients with 0-2 coronary arteries narrowed by ≥50% in fQRS group were less while patients with 3 narrowed arteries were more than in the non-fQRS group (P = 0.042). There were fewer Killip Class I patients in the fQRS group (P = 0.019), while Killip Class II, III, and IV patients were more in the fQRS group than in the non-fQRS group (P = 0.019). Left ventricular ejection fraction levels were significantly lower in the fQRS group (P = 0.021). Baseline total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, creatinine, creatine kinase, homocysteine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), and red blood cells distribution width levels were significantly higher in the fQRS group. Total MACE (MACE, P = 0.028), revascularization (P = 0.005), and recurrent angina (P = 0.005) were also significantly greater in the fQRS group. On final logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for baseline variables, the following variables were independent predictors of fQRS: Coronary artery narrowing (P = 0.035), Killip classification (P = 0.026), and total cholesterol (P = 0.002). The following variables were found to be independent predictors of preoperative MACE: Hemoglobin (P = 0.000), gender (P = 0.026), fQRS (P = 0.016), and time from myocardial infarction to balloon or coronary artery bypasses grafting (P = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONSThe fQRS complexes are commonly present in NSTEMI and the fQRS complexes are an independent predictor of MACE in NSTEMI patients. The number of narrowed coronary arteries, Killip classification, and total cholesterol are all independent predictors of the fQRS complexes.

Aged ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; blood ; physiopathology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies