Objective To assess the accuracy and repeatability of real-time three-dimensional eehoeardiography (RT-3DE) for the measurements of left ventricular (LV) mass in elderly patients compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Methods A total of 31 patients (26 men) aged ≥60 years (72.1±6.6) years with various cardiovascular diseases were evaluated by MRI and RT- 3DE on the same day.RT-3DE was performed with a Philips iE-33 echocardiographic system, and LV mass was analyzed with the assistance of TomTec software.The results of LV mass obtained by manual tracing were compared with Signa 1.5-T MRI data.The acquisition of RT-3DE datasets was feasible in all 31 patients.Results A good correlation was observed between RT-3DE data with manual border detection and MRI for LV mass (r=0.869, y=0.943 x+11.69, SE= 19.09 g, P< 0.01), with a mean difference of (4.7±37.7)g.The average LV mass was (123.9±35.0)g (74.4-208.1 g) evaluated by MRI, and was (128.6±37.9)g (67.0-222.9 g) evaluated by RT-3DE.There was good inter- or intra-observer correlation between RT-3DE by two sonographers for LV mass.Conclusions The assessment of LV mass from RT-3DE data is feasible in elderly patients.The mass can be determined with high accuracy and low interobserver variability in elderly patients with adequate eehocardiographic image quality.

Objective To assess the left ventricular(LV) volumes and function acquired by realtime (RT) three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) versus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in elderly patients.Methods A total of 31 patients aged≥60 years [mean (72.1±6.6) years] with various cardiovascular diseases were evaluated by MRI versus RT-3DE on the same day.RT-3DE was performed with a Philips iE-33 echocardiographic system,and LV volumes and function were analyzed with the assistance of TomTec software.The results of LV volumes and function obtained by manual tracing were compared with Signa 1.5-T MRI data.The acquisition of RT-3DE datasets was feasible in all 31 patients.Results The average MRI-detected LV end diastolic volume (LVEDV) was (139.1 ±40.8) ml,LV end systolic volume (LVESV) was (77.8±41.7)ml,LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was (47.9±14.3)％.The average RT-3DE-detected LVEDV was (119.5±37.7) ml,LVESV was (65.5±36.1) ml,LVEF was (47.9± 14.3)％.Compared with MRI values,LVEDV was underestimated by RT-3DE (P＜0.01,r=0.79,y=0.73 x+17.8,SEE=23.5 ml),with a mean difference of (-19.6±25.6)ml; LVESV was also underestimated by RT-3DE (P＜0.01,r=0.89,y =0.77 x+ 5.6,SEE=16.8 ml),with a mean difference of(-12.3± 19.1)ml.Ejection fraction determined by MRI was the same as that by RT-3DE (P＞0.05,r=0.91,y=0.75 x+ 13,SEE=5.61％),with a mean difference of (1.1±7.4) ％.There was good interobserver reproducibility in LV volume detected by RT-3D.Conclusions Compared with MRI,RT-3DE has more accuracy and repeatability in assessment of LV volume and ejection fraction in elderly patients.

Objective To quantitatively analysis the aortic valve leaf anatomical characteristics in aortic regurgitation(AR) patients by real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT-3D-TEE),and screening the parameters which significantly affect AR to further reveal the mechanism of AR.Methods 32 patients with AR were enrolled as AR group and 20 cases of non-AR people were involved as control group.RT-3D-TEE was using to collect images in two groups and offline analysis was performed.4 sets of parameters of the aortic valves(left coronary valve,right coronary valve,and non-coronary valve):leaflet edge length(LL,RL,NL),leaflet height (LH,RH,N H),leaflet length/height ratio (LRa,RRa,NRa),leaflet tip plane distance(LTH,RTH,NTH) were acquired.Parameters of two groups were compared,and the parameters were incorporated into the logistic regression model,then the ROC curves were obtained.Results ①Compared with the control group,LL,RL,NL,RH,LRa,NRa,RRa in AR group increased (P ＜ 0.05),while the rest parameters had no statistical differences (P ＞0.05).②Multivariable logistic regression model gradually screening of the significant factors influencing the reflux,and as a result RL and RTH had significant influence on AR,P values were 0.001,0.011.③The ROC curve analysis showed that the area of RL or RTH curve were both greater than 0.5,which were 0.811 and 0.605 respectively.Conclusions The free edge length and free edge length/height ratio have changed unbalanced.Furthermore,right coronary valve parameters changed significantly,and this might be one of the possible mechanism of AR.

Objective To compare the blood lipid levels of different brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in young and middle-aged people with normal blood pressure and to explore the related factors affecting baPWV.Methods From January 2014 to December 2017,the clinical data of one thousand two hundred and sixty-eight middle-aged and young people with normal blood pressure who underwent physical examination in Dongying People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed.Using baPWV＜ 1 400 cm/s as the standard of normal arterial stiffness,the patients were divided into normal arterial stiffness group (normal group,1 128 cases),abnormal arterial stiffness group (abnormal group,baPWV ≥ 1 400 cm/s,140 cases).The blood lipid indexes of the two groups were analyzed and compared.Logistic regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis and linear correlation analysis was used for linear correlation analysis.Pearson correlation analysis was used.Results Compared with the normal group,TC ((4.99 ± 1.10) mmol/L vs.(4.48 ± 1.03) mmoL/L,t =5.830),TG ((1.62 ± 0.27) mmol/L vs.(1.49 ± 0.23) mmol/L,t=5.102),LDL-C[(3.25±0.23) mmol/L vs.(3.11±0.16) mmol/L,t =4.712),Apo B((0.96 ±0.07) g/L vs.(0.87±0.08) g/L,t =4.297)in abnormal group all increased,and HDL-C((1.15±0.09) mmol/L vs.(1.27±0.07) mmol/L,t =4.712) decreased,and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Smoking,high FPG,high LDL-C,high Apo B,low HDL-C were the independent factors affecting baPWV abnormality (P＜ 0.05).TC,TG,LDL-C,Apo B and baPWV in abnormal group were positively correlated(P＜0.05),and HDL-C and baPWV were negatively correlated(P＜0.05).There was a linear regression relationship between LDL-C,Apo B and baPWV (P＜0.05).Conclusion The increase of LDL-C and Apo B are closely related to early arterial disease in the low-risk populations of normotensive young and middle-aged people,even the risk of blood lipid may already exist within the normal range.

OBJECTIVETo identify valid measures for preventing outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) among protected healthcare workers in isolation units.

METHODSArchitectural factors, admitted SARS cases and infection of healthcare workers in different isolation wards between January 30 and March 30, 2003 were analyzed.

RESULTSFour types of isolation wards were analyzed, including the ward where the thirty-first bed was located on the twelfth floor, the laminar flow ward in the Intensive Care Unit where the tenth bed was located on the fifteenth floor, the ward where the twenty-seventh bed was located on the thirteenth floor of the Lingnan Building, and thirty wards on the fourteenth to eighteenth floors of the Zhongshan Building. The ratios (m(2)/m(3)) of the area of the ventilation windows to the volume of the rooms were 0, 0, 1:95 and 1:40, respectively. Numbers of SARS cases in the wards mentioned above were 1, 1, 1 and 96, respectively. Total times of hospitalization were 43, 168, 110 and 1272 hours, respectively. The infection rates of the healthcare workers in the areas mentioned above were 73.2%, 32.1%, 27.5% and 1.7%, respectively. The difference in the infection rates was of statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONSIsolating SARS cases in wards with good ventilation could reduce the viral load of the ward and might be the key to preventing outbreaks of SARS among healthcare workers along with strict personal protection measures in isolation units.

Adult ; Disease Outbreaks ; prevention & control ; Facility Design and Construction ; Female ; Hospital Units ; Humans ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional ; prevention & control ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Isolation ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; prevention & control ; Ventilation

OBJECTIVETo describe a hospital outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and summarize its clinical features and therapeutic approaches.

METHODSThe outbreak started with a SARS patient from the community, and a total of 96 people (76 women and 20 men, mean age (29.5 +/- 10.3) years, 93.8% of whom were health care workers) who had exposure to this source patient became infected in a short time. Clinical data in this cohort were collected prospectively as they were identified.

RESULTS(1) The incubation period ranged from 1 to 20 (mean: 5.9 +/- 3.5) days. The duration of hospitalization was (17.2 +/- 8.0) days. (2) The initial temperature was (38.3 +/- 0.6) degrees C, while the highest was (39.2 +/- 0.6) degrees C (P < 0.001), with fever duration of (9.0 +/- 4.2) days. (3) Other most common symptoms included fatigue (93.8%), cough (85.4%), mild sputum production (66.7%), chills (55.2%), headache (39.6%), general malaise (35.4%) and myalgia (21.9%). (4) The radiographic changes were predominantly bilateral in the middle or lower lung zones. The number of affected lung fields was 1.2 +/- 0.8 on presentation, which increased to 2.9 +/- 1.4 after admission (P < 0.001). The interval from the beginning of fever to the onset of abnormal chest radiographs was (3.5 +/- 2.3) days, which increased in size, extent, and severity to the maximum (6.7 +/- 3.5) days later. The time before the lung opacities were basically absorbed was (14.9 +/- 7.8) days. (5) Leukopenia was observed in 67.7% of this cohort. The time between the onset of fever and leukopenia was (4.4 +/- 2.3) days, with the lowest white blood cell count of (2.80 +/- 0.72) x 10(9)/L. (6) The lowest arterial oxygen saturation was (94.8 +/- 3.1)% with supplementary oxygen. (7) Antibiotical therapies included tetracyclines (91.0%), aminoglycosides (83.3%), quinolones (79.2%); 18.8% of the patients received a combination of tetracyclines and aminoglycosides, while 11.5% received a combination of tetracyclines and quinolones, and 63.5% received a combination of tetracyclines, aminoglycosides and quinolones. Vancomycin was used in 13.5% of the patients. (8) 68.8% of the patients were treated with methylprednisolones for a mean interval of (4.9 +/- 2.4) days. The initial dose was (67.3 +/- 28.2) mg/d and the maximal dose was (82.4 +/- 30.5) mg/d. (9) Human gamma-globulin, interferon-alpha, antiviral drugs (oral ribavirin or oseltamivir) were used respectively in 68.6%, 46.9% and 92.7% of the patients. (10) Ninety-five patients (99.0%) had a complete clinical recovery, and only 1 patient (1.0%) died.

CONCLUSIONSSARS appears to be quickly infectious and potentially lethal among health care workers, characterized by acute onset and rapid progression, and mostly bilateral lung involvement on chest radiographs. Proper administration of glucocorticosteroids seems to be of some benefits. Antibiotics, human gamma-globulin, interferon-alpha, and antiviral drugs, although empirically, might be useful to shorten the clinical course.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross Infection ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy