AIM: To investigate the quality of life in adults with strabismus and evaluate the improvement in quality of life after treatment.
METHODS: In this prospective study, forty-five adults with a diagnosis of strabismus conform to the inclusion and exclusion standard were selected in our hospital from October 2013 to May 2014, as experimental group and 45 normal adults were enrolled as control group. A Chinese Adult Strabismus-20 questionnaire was used to evaluate the differences of quality of life between patients with strabismus and normal adults, and to evaluate the differences of quality of life in patients with strabismus preoperative and 6mo postoperative.
RESULTS:The scores of quality of life in adult patients with strabismus preoperative and 6mo postoperative were statistically significant lower than those of normal adults (P< 0. 01). In 6mo postoperative, the scores of quality of life statistically significant increased than preoperative ( P<0. 01).
CONCLUSION: Strabismus can decrease the quality of life in psychosocial and visual functional for adults and the surgical treatment can improve quality of life in patients with strabismus.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of nasal mometasone furoate on moderate to severe allergic rhinitis.

METHODSPatients with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis were enrolled and received mometasone furoate nasal spray 200 microg once daily for four weeks. Four hundreds and sixty-three patients completed the study. We weekly interviewed the patients to evaluate the symptoms, and the affection of disease on night sleep and daily life. Mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (Mini-RQLQ) and Nocturnal Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (NRQLQ) were used to evaluate the quality of life.

RESULTSThe individual and total symptomatic scores of week 1, week 2 and week 4 decreased compared with baseline. The scores of Mini-RQLQ and NRQLQ of week 1, week 2 and week 4 decreased compared with baseline too. The scores of the next visit were significantly lower than those of the previous visit (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSA four-week administration of mometasone furoate nasal spray can effectively treat allergic rhinitis.

Administration, Intranasal ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Allergic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mometasone Furoate ; Pregnadienediols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Quality of Life ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; drug therapy ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between serum iron(SI) and essential hypertension (EHT) based on population-based samples.

METHODSUsing clustering multistage sampling method, all the people above 18 years old in the target population were investigated. Blood pressure was measured and the questionnaire was used to find out related factors. Five milliliters fast vein blood were drawn and the serum were used for testing on serum iron (SI) and other elements such as blood sugar, cholesterol (CHOL), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein(HDL-C), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), serum sodium, serum potassium, serum calcium etc. A case control study was carried out with EHT patients from the selected population as case group, and the other healthy peoples as controls. Database was created by Fox Pro and SPSS 10.0 was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTSThe concentrations of SI, with (17.75 +/- 7.66) micromol/ L in EHT group and (17.23 +/- 7.83) micromol/L in control group, showed statistical difference (P < 0.05) between the two groups. The concentrations of SI also showed statistical difference (P < 0.05) between the high DBP and normal group with the average level as (17.84 +/- 7.58) micromol/L in high DBP group and (17.26 +/- 7.85) micromol/L in normal group. Data from monovariate analysis showed that the increase of SI was a risk factor for EHT, DBP and SBP. By multivariate analysis for EHT, while SI still existed in the model (OR = 1.296, 95% CI: 1.057-1.590), but for SBP the results almost remained the same (OR = 1.285, 95% CI:1.102-1.498).

CONCLUSIONData from the results showed that SI was probably a risk factor for EHT.

Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; epidemiology ; Iron ; blood ; Risk Factors

Objective:To investigate mentor-mentee dual evaluation of the current status of mentor competency of clinical and translational research mentors, and provide the basis for mentor training focused on the mentor competences.Methods:A total of 121 clinical and translational research mentors and 170 mentees from Peking Union Medical College Hospital were enrolled. The Chinese version of the Mentor Competency Assessment (MCA) questionnaire was used to evaluate the mentor competency, including maintaining effective communication, aligning expectations, assessing understanding, fostering independence, addressing diversity, promoting professional development total 6 parts with 26 sub-items. The Likert scale was used to quantitatively evaluate the clinical and translational research mentor competency by mentor-mentee dual evaluations. And the composition and training needs of clinical and translational research mentors were investigated. SPSS 25.0 was used for t-test. Results:Seventy percent (119/170) of mentees considered the mentor guidance was very helpful, and 78.5% (95/121) of the mentors considered it necessary to carry out the mentor training. The mentee evaluation of mentor competency was significantly higher than that of mentor self-evaluation [total score (162.35±23.59) vs. (154.80±19.81), P < 0.01]. And the excellent rate of 26 sub-items by mentees and mentors were 100.0%(170/170) and 46.3%(56/121) respectively. The mentors and mentees shared the agreement of the strengths on trust-based relationship and encouraging mentees, and weaknesses on taking into account the possible prejudices in mentor-mentee relationship. Conclusion:The clinical and translational research mentors have already had good competences, but mentor training is still highly warranted. It's expected that to carry out targeted mentor training and assessment according to the mentor's competences will help to improve the construction of the medical talents training system.

BACKGROUNDEpidemiologic studies have shown an independent and definite association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypertension. This study aimed to define the association between daytime blood pressure and severity of OSA in Chinese population in mainland of China.

METHODSTwenty university hospital sleep centers in mainland of China were invited by the Chinese Medical Association (CMA) to participate in this epidemiologic study and 2297 consecutive patients (aged 18 - 85 years; 1981 males and 316 females) referred to these twenty sleep centers for evaluation of OSA between January 2004 and April 2006 were prospectively enrolled. Nocturnal polysomnography was performed in each patient, and disease severity was assessed based on the apneahypopnea index (AHI). These patients were classfied into four groups: nonapneic control (control, n = 257) with AHI < or = 5 episodes/hour; mild sleep apnea (mild, n = 402) with AHI > 5 and < or = 15 episodes/hour; moderate sleep apnea (moderate, n = 460) with AHI > 15 and < or = 30 episodes/hour and severe sleep apnea (severe, n = 1178) with AHI > 30 episodes/hour. Daytime blood pressure measurements were performed under standardized conditions in each patient at 10 a.m. in office on the day of referring to sleep centers for getting average value. All the patients were requested to quit medications related to blood pressure for three days before the day of assessing.

RESULTSBoth daytime systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure values were significantly related to AHI positively (r = 0.201 and 0.276, respectively; both P values < 0.001) and to nadir nocturnal oxygen saturation negatively (r = -0.215 and -0.277, respectively; both P values < 0.001), which were the parameters of OSA severity. In two special designed mean plots, means of daytime systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased gradually with increasing AHI. Beyond AHI of 61 - 65, this increasing trend reached a plateau.

CONCLUSIONSThe results showed that OSA severity was associated with daytime blood pressure until AHI of 61 - 65, providing evidence for early OSA management, especially in OSA patients with concomitant hypertension.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; pathology ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDThe nocturnal nondipping and elevated morning blood pressure (BP) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) have not yet been well investigated in Chinese patients. This study aimed to describe the BP profile, and to elucidate the relationships between daytime BP and nighttime BP, and between evening BP and morning BP in patients with OSAS.

METHODSTwenty teaching hospital sleep centers in China were organized by the Chinese Medical Association to participate in this study and 2297 patients were recruited between January 2004 and April 2006. BP assessments were made at four time points (daytime, evening, nighttime and morning) and polysomnography (PSG) was performed and subjects were classified into four groups by their apnea-hypopnea index (AHI): control, n = 213 with AHI < 5; mild, n = 420 with AHI ≥ 5 and < 15; moderate, n = 460 with AHI ≥ 15 and < 30; and severe, n = 1204 with AHI ≥ 30. SPSS 11.5 software package was used for statistical analysis and figure drawing.

RESULTSAll the average daytime, nighttime, evening and morning BPs were positively correlated with AHI and negatively correlated with nadir nocturnal oxygen saturation. The ratios of nighttime/daytime and morning/evening average BP were positively correlated with AHI. The ratio of nighttime/daytime systolic BP became a "reversed BP dipping" pattern until the classification reached severe, while the ratio of nighttime/daytime diastolic BP became reversed at moderate. Similarly, the ratio of morning/evening diastolic BP becomes reversed even at mild.

CONCLUSIONSOSAS may result in higher BP levels at all four time points. The ratios of nighttime/daytime and morning/evening BP increase with increased AHI. The increasing of diastolic BP, which is inclined to rise more quickly, is not parallel with increasing systolic BP.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anthropometry ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the influence of temperature on the outpatient visits for urticaria in Lanzhou City and its hysteresis and to find out the sensitive populations by sex and age stratification.Methods We collected the urticaria outpatient data in three grade A class three hospitals as well as the meteorological data and air pollutant data in Lanzhou from January 2011 to December 2017.The distributed lag non-linear model(DLNM)was employed to analyze the influence of daily mean temperature on the outpatient visits for urticaria.Stratification analysis was performed for different age groups(0-14,15-59,≥60 years)and different sex populations.Results Temperature had a non-linear relationship with the outpatient visits for urticaria,and there existed hysteresis.During the research period,the average daily outpatient visits for urticaria at the three hospitals in Lanzhou was 25,ranging from 1 to 76.With the rise in the daily mean temperature within 0-10 ℃,the risk of outpatient visits for urticaria first increased and then decreased.When the daily mean temperature was 2 ℃,hysteresis occurred on the 18th day,and the relative risk(
Adolescent ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Middle Aged ; Nonlinear Dynamics ; Outpatients ; Temperature ; Urticaria/epidemiology*

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors affecting hemorrhagic cystitis(HC) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT). METHODS: The clinical data of 153 patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2010 to December 2018 were selected and retrospectively analyzed. The incidence, median time and treatment outcome of HC should be observed. Multivariate analysis was used to observe the risk factors of HC in patients, including sex, age, diagnosis, disease status before transplantation, transplantation type, ATG and CTX in the pretreatment scheme, stem cell source, neutrophil and platelet implantation time; CMV, EBV and BKV infection, and acute graft-versus-host disease(aGVHD). RESULTS: Among 153 patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, 25 (16.34%) patients had HC, the median occurance time was 31 days, all patients achieved complete remission after treatment, no bladder irritation and bladder contracture were left. The results of univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the type of transplantation, ATG, CMV viremia before treatment, aGVHD (r=1.036, 3.234, 3.298 and 2.817, respectively) were the independent risk factors of HC. CONCLUSION The urinary BKV detections in the patients with HC are positive, mainly occured during the period from day +13 to days +56. HLA haplotype, pretreatment including ATG, and CMV viremia, and aGVHD are the independent risk factors for HC after allo-HSCT.
Cystitis/etiology* ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of hand-transmitted vibration exposure on the finger vibratory and pain perception thresholds among drill workers in a gold mine. METHODS: By the judgement sampling method,134 male drill workers from a gold mine in the northern area of China were selected as the hand-transmitted vibration exposure group and102 fit-up workers without vibration exposure in the same mine were chosen as the control group. The finger vibratory perception thresholds,the pain perception thresholds and the occupational health examination were conducted and analyzed in these two groups. Based on the self-report with vibration-induced white finger( VWF),the workers of hand-transmitted vibration exposure group were divided into non-VWF subgroup( 105 workers) and VWF subgroup( 29 workers). RESULTS: The incidence of finger numbness,pain and self-reported white finger in the exposure group were significantly higher than those in the control group( P < 0. 05). Compared with the control group,the vibratory perception thresholds of the index finger,middle finger and ring finger of the right hand among the vibration exposure group workers were significantly higher( P < 0. 05),but there was no significant difference in the vibratory perception thresholds of the left ring finger between the two groups( P > 0. 05). The vibratory perception thresholds of both ring fingers,right index finger and right middle-finger in VWF subgroup were higher than those in control group( P < 0. 05). But no significant differences was found in the above 4 indexes in these two groups after compared to those of control group,respectively( P > 0. 05). The vibratory perception thresholds of left ring finger,right ring finger and right index finger in VWF subgroup were all higher than those in non-VWF subgroup( P < 0. 05),but the vibratory perception thresholds of right middle finger in these two groups showed no significant difference( P > 0. 05). The pain perception thresholds of index finger,middle finger and ring finger in both hands of the vibration exposure group workers were all higher than those in control group( P < 0. 05). The pain perception thresholds of middle finger and ring finger in both hands of the VWF subgroup and non-VWF subgroup were higher than those of control group( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The hand-transmitted vibration can increase the thresholds of finger vibratory and pain perception in drill workers. The finger sensory perception examination could be used to assist the early detection of peripheral nerve damage induced by hand-transmitted vibration.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome, hypercoagulability, hypertension, and multiorgan dysfunction. Effective antivirals with safe clinical profile are urgently needed to improve the overall prognosis. In an analysis of a randomly collected cohort of 124 patients with COVID-19, we found that hypercoagulability as indicated by elevated concentrations of D-dimers was associated with disease severity. By virtual screening of a U.S. FDA approved drug library, we identified an anticoagulation agent dipyridamole (DIP) , which suppressed SARS-CoV-2 replication . In a proof-of-concept trial involving 31 patients with COVID-19, DIP supplementation was associated with significantly decreased concentrations of D-dimers ( < 0.05), increased lymphocyte and platelet recovery in the circulation, and markedly improved clinical outcomes in comparison to the control patients. In particular, all 8 of the DIP-treated severely ill patients showed remarkable improvement: 7 patients (87.5%) achieved clinical cure and were discharged from the hospitals while the remaining 1 patient (12.5%) was in clinical remission.