Objective To analyze the cause of missing diagnosis for vertebral fracture on lateral chest radiography. Methods Lateral chest radiographies of 1638 hospitalized patients (871 males and 767 females) were retrospectively reviewed for identifying vertebral fractures. Their ages ranged from 50 to 91 years with the mean of 63.5 years. Complains and application for chest radiography in all patients were not related to osteoporosis and vertebral fracture. Vertebral fracture and fracture severity were evaluated using Genant's semiquantitative visual method, taking approximately a 20%-25% vertebral height reduction as mild grade,26%-40% as moderate grade and 41% or greater as severe grade. Evaluation results of the vertebral fracture, original X-ray reports, as well as medical records were compared for further analysis. Results Eighty-four in 1638 patients showed vertebral fractures on the lateral chest radiographies. Of them,vertebral fractures were reported in 30 cases and 54 patients were not reported on their original X-ray reports. There were 63 vertebral fractures in 54 un-reported patients, most of which were single fracture (75% or 47/63). Grade Ⅰ fracture accounted for 54% (34/63), Grade Ⅱ fracture 33% (21/63), while 13% presented grade Ⅲ fracture (8/63). In all 84 patients with vertebral fractures, only 5 cases (6%)underwent dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurement, 5 cases ( 6% ) were recorded to have vertebral fractures on the medical papers, as well as 15 cases ( 18% ) were prescribed drugs related to the osteoporosis when discharged from hospital All drugs prescribed for the 15 patients were limited only to calcium. Conclusions More attention should be paid to osteoporosis by doctors including radiologists.Vertebral fracture on lateral chest radiography should be completely diagnosed, which is helpful for both prevention and treatment.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of dual-source computed tomography(DSCT)coronary angiography in a population with premature heart-beats.Methods Seventy patients with suspected coronary artery disease and premature heart-beats were routinely imaged on a DSCT scanner(Somatom Definition,Siemens AG,Germany).The images were reconstructed before and after ECG editing.Two readers independently assessed image quality of all coronary segments using a four-point grading scale from excellent(1)to non-assessable(4).The results ofthe two groups were compared with a paired t-test,and a P value of less than 0.05 Was considered significant.Results The mean heart rate during examination ranged from 49 to 111 bpm[mean(70.7±12.4)bpm].Twenty-eight of 70 patients with relatively small variability of the heart rate[(41.0±18.4)bpm]got diagnostic image quality without ECG editing.In other 42 patients with larger variability of the heart rate[(71.4±28.7)bpm],the meal image quality scores were 2.09±1.27 and 1.50±0.79 before and after ECG editing,there Was a significant difference(t=13.764,P＜0.01).The proportion of non-assessable segments Was reduced from 24.8%(154/620)to 3.4%(21/620)through ECG editing(X2=121.846,P＜0.01).Finally,the diagnostic image accounted 98.0%(1014/1035)in all segments of 70 patients.Conclusion DSCT can provide diagnostic images for patients with premature heart-beats.The image quality in patients with larger variability of the heart rate can be significantly improved through ECG editing.

Objective To explore the clinical application and value of percutaneous treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts guided by CT.Methods The percutaneous external draining of pancreatic pseudocyst caused by various causes was performed under CT guidance in 29 cases, including 21 males and 8 females, age from 22 to 71 years, average (48.2?13.6) years. After the point, the angle,and the depth of puncture were measured on CT images, pseudocyst puncture and catheterization of external draining were made and followed up. Results 30 procedures of puncture in 29 lesions were done, the successful rate was 100%. Puncture path included frontal in 17 cases(18 times of puncture), lateral in 8 cases ; back in 4 cases, and 30 drainage catheters were placed. All cases were followed up except one case, follow up time ranged from 1 to 20 months [average (8 07?4 04) months]. Following disappearance of pseudocyst, catheters were extracted in 19 cases except 2 cases with pseudocyst recurrance. Follow up time from 4 to 14 months[average (8.29?4.03) months]. 5 cases had surgerical operations again after draining 1-4 months, 4 cases were still being followed up. The effective rate of therapy was 65.52%(19/29). Conclusion The technique of percutaneous catheter external draining of pancreatic pseudocyst guided by CT is mildly invasive and simple, and has high successful rate.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect and indications of radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. METHOD: Multilevel temperature-controlled radiofrequency therapy of soft palate, uvula, inferior turbinate, and tonsils were applied to 74 adults with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). There were 16 mild, 23 moderate, and 35 severe cases respectively in this study. Evaluation of mucosal injury and effect of radiofrequency therapy on pain, speech and swallowing were performed early after operation. The volume of targets and length of soft palate and uvula were measured three months after operation. Polysomnography, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Snoring Scale Score questionnaires were reevaluated six months after operation and compared with the results of pre-operation. Treatment outcome measurements were mainly based on polysomnography. RESULT: By our definition, 5 of 74 patients (6.76%) have been cured and 42 of 74 (56.76%) had improved totally. Mean Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) decreased significantly and mean lowest oxygen saturation value increased significantly postoperatively (P < 0.01). The total effective rate of the patients, whose obstructive sites were all treated by radiofrequency, was remarkably higher than that of the ones, whose obstructive sites were only partly treated by radiofrequency (P < 0.01). The total effective rate of the former was 72.92%. Patients showed a significant decrease in mean score on ESS and SSS postoperatively (P < 0.01). No significant complications were observed in most patients. There were little influence on pain, speech and swallowing. The volume or length of targets decreased obviously three months after operation. CONCLUSION Radiofrequency can reduce the volume of tissue. The short-term outcomes of radiofrequency were satisfying if obstructive sites had been all treated. This study demonstrates that the characters of radiofrequency are as follows: minimally invasive, safe, efficient, repeatable and multilevel applicable. Temperature-controlled radiofrequency therapy is a safe and effective procedure for hypertrophic infraturbinal when used separately, or as a part of a the combined approach for complex syndromes.
Adult ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Contraindications ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: Hypoxia can alter the oral bioavailability of drugs, including various substrates (drugs) of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), suggesting that hypoxia may affect the function of P-gp in intestinal epithelial cells. Currently, Caco-2 monolayer model is the classic model for studying the function of intestinal epithelial P-gp. This study combines the Caco-2 monolayer model with hypoxia to investigate the effects of hypoxia on the expression and function of P-gp in Caco-2 cells, which helps to elucidate the mechanism of changes in drug transport on intestinal epithelial cells in high-altitude hypoxia environment. METHODS: Normally cultured Caco-2 cells were cultured in 1% oxygen concentration for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. After the extraction of the membrane proteins, the levels of P-gp were measured by Western blotting. The hypoxia time, with the most significant change of P-gp expression, was selected as the subsequent study condition. After culturing Caco-2 cells in transwell cells for 21 days and establishing a Caco-2 monolayer model, they were divided into a normoxic control group and a hypoxic group. The normoxic control group was continuously cultured in normal condition for 72 h, while the hypoxic group was incubated for 72 h in 1% oxygen concentration. The integrity and polarability of Caco-2 cells monolayer were evaluated by transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), apparent permeability (Papp) of lucifer yellow, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and microvilli morphology and tight junction structure under transmission electron microscope. Then, the Papp of rhodamine 123 (Rh123), a kind of P-gp specific substrate, was detected and the efflux rate was calculated. The Caco-2 cell monolayer, culturing at plastic flasks, was incubated for 72 h in 1% oxygen concentration, the expression level of P-gp was detected. RESULTS: P-gp was decreased in Caco-2 cells with 1% oxygen concentration, especially the duration of 72 h (P<0.01). In hypoxic group, the TEER of monolayer was more than 400 Ω·cm², the Papp of lucifer yellow was less than 5×10^-7 cm/s, and the ratio of AKP activity between apical side and basal side was greater than 3. The establishment of Caco-2 monolayer model was successful, and hypoxia treatment did not affect the integrity and polarization state of the model. Compared with the normoxic control group, the efflux rate of Rh123 was significantly reduced in Caco-2 cell monolayer of the hypoxic group (P<0.01). Hypoxia reduced the expression of P-gp in Caco-2 cell monolayer (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Hypoxia inhibits P-gp function in Caco-2 cells, which may be related to the decreased P-gp level.
Humans ; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 ; Caco-2 Cells ; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B ; Hypoxia ; Oxygen

Objective To evaluate the safety and mid- to long-term efficacy of surgical correction of isolated partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (IPAPVC). Methods We retrospectively collected consecutive patients who were diagnosed with IPAPVC and underwent surgical correction at Fuwai Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital from June 2009 to May 2019, summarized the basic preoperative and intraoperative data of patients, analyzed the postoperative and mid- to long-term follow-up results. Results A total of 54 patients were enrolled, including 29 males and 25 females, with an average age of 16.20±2.40 years, ranging from 1 month to 62 years. There were 28 (51.9%) patients with varying degrees of arrhythmia, 22 (40.7%) patients with cardiac insufficiency, and 39 (72.2%) patients with pulmonary hypertension. According to Bordy's typing, 14 (25.9%) patients were classified as type A, 23 (42.6%) type B, 4 (7.4%) type C, 5 (9.3%) type D and 8 (14.8%) mixed type. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in the whole group of patients and the accuracy of staging diagnosis was 66.7% (36/54), and cardiac CT angiography (CTA) was performed in 37 patients and the accuracy of staging diagnosis was 94.6% (35/37). All surgical procedures were assisted with cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic cross-clamping time was 0-219 (67.02±5.23) min, cardiopulmonary bypass time was 40-261 (105.09±5.23) min, and there was no serious intraoperative complication. Postoperative tracheal intubation time was 0-230 (13.33±4.20) h, intensive care unit stay was 0-13 (1.89±0.28) days, postoperative hospital stay was 5-18 (7.20±0.38) days, and follow-up time was 16-140 (62.58±5.12) months. There were 2 (3.7%) all-cause postoperative deaths, including 1 in-hospital death and 1 death during the follow-up, and there was no intraoperative death. Among the survivors, there were 3 patients with surgery-related complications: 1 patient had atrial septal defect with the second surgical treatment, 1 early obstruction of the superior vena cava and 1 arrhythmia. Two patients had complications of IPAPVC (atrial fibrillation, collateral circulation) prior to surgery and underwent the second surgery with a poor prognosis, and 1 patient had preoperative cardiac insufficiency and atrial fibrillation, whose symptoms persisted for a long time during the follow-up. Conclusion IPAPVC accounts for a lower percentage of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection, transthoracic echocardiography combined with CTA improves diagnostic accuracy, and IPAPVC should be treated with elective surgery after diagnosis. The surgical approach should be individualized with imaging features such as disease staging, number of drains and drainage location. Surgical treatment of IPAPVC is safe and effective, and regular follow-up is warranted.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression level of SET gene in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and evaluate its significance.

METHODSThe expression level of SET gene in 141 de novo AML patients was determined by real time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR), and its relationship with the clinical features and outcomes of these patients were analyzed.

RESULTSSET gene transcript level was detected in 141 AML patients with the median expression level of 0.86(range 0.02-15.69). AML patients with higher SET gene expression had a higher level of white blood cell (WBC ≥ 100 × 10⁹/L) count than of lower SET gene expression ones (31.0% vs 11.4%, P=0.005). In the 136 patients who received treatment after diagnosis, higher SET gene expression group had lower complete remission rate (50.0%) than of lower expression cohort (73.5%) after two cycles of chemotherapy (P=0.005). Survival analysis showed that patients with higher SET gene expression had significantly shorter overall survival(OS) (10 months vs 22 months, P=0.001) and event-free survival (EFS) (2 months vs 14 months, P=0.005) than of lower SET gene expression ones. Multivariate COX regression analysis showed SET overexpression was an independent prognostic factor for OS. In the patients with the normal karyotype, higher SET expression group also had significantly shorter OS (12 months vs 35 months, P=0.010) and EFS (4 months vs 14 months, P=0.026) than of lower SET expression ones.

CONCLUSIONHigh expression of SET gene was associated with poor prognosis and might be a prognostic molecular marker of AML.

Disease-Free Survival ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Histone Chaperones ; genetics ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; Prognosis ; Remission Induction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical efficacy of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) plus arsenic trioxide (ATO) in induction and maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).

METHODSA retrospective analysis of 298 newly diagnosed APL patients from the department of hematology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University since September 2004 to December 2013, including 177 cases with ATRA plus ATO and 116 ATRA plus chemotherapy (CT), was performed to investigate the clinical efficacy between the low-intermediate (WBC≤10×10⁹/L) and high (WBC>10×10⁹/L) risk APL patients, respectively.

RESULTSFor the low-intermediate risk patients, the relapse rate in ATRA plus CT and ATRA plus ATO are 22.0% and 6.1% (P=0.004), respectively; the 3 years estimated relapse-free survival (RFS) are 78.0% and 92.9% (P=0.021), respectively. For the high risk patients, the relapse rate in ATRA plus CT and ATRA plus ATO are 25.0% and 5.2% (P=0.035), respectively; the 3 years estimated RFS rate were 80.8% and 93.0% (P=0.021), respectively. But the rate of early death (ED), complete remission (CR) and overall survival (OS) between the two therapy protocols had no statistical difference (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONATRA plus ATO in induction and maintenance therapy might prolong the RFS time of the low-intermediate risk APL patients and decrease the relapse rate of the low, intermediate and high risk APL patients.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Arsenicals ; Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; Oxides ; Recurrence ; Remission Induction ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tretinoin

BACKGROUND: Intensive phototherapy (IPT) and exchange transfusion (ET) are the main treatments for extreme hyperbilirubinemia. However, there is no reliable evidence on determining the thresholds for these treatments. This multicenter study compared the effectiveness and complications of IPT and ET in the treatment of extreme hyperbilirubinemia. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in seven centers from January 2015 to January 2018. Patients with extreme hyperbilirubinemia that met the criteria of ET were included. Patients were divided into three subgroups (low-, medium-, and high- risk) according to gestational week and risk factors. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the data before treatment. Study outcomes included the development of bilirubin encephalopathy, duration of hospitalization, expenses, and complications. Mortality, auditory complications, seizures, enamel dysplasia, ocular motility disorders, athetosis, motor, and language development were evaluated during follow-up at age of 3 years. RESULTS: A total of 1164 patients were included in this study. After PSM, 296 patients in the IPT only group and 296 patients in the IPT plus ET group were further divided into the low-, medium-, and high-risk subgroups with 188, 364, and 40 matched patients, respectively. No significant differences were found between the IPT only and IPT plus ET groups in terms of morbidity, complications, and sequelae. Hospitalization duration and expenses were lower in the low- and medium-risk subgroups in the IPT only group. CONCLUSIONS In this study, our results suggest that IPT is a safe and effective treatment for extreme hyperbilirubinemia. The indication of ET for patients with hyperbilirubinemia could be stricter. However, it is necessary to have a contingency plan for emergency ET as soon as IPT is commenced especially for infants with risk factors. If IPT can be guaranteed and proved to be therapeutic, ET should be avoided as much as possible.
Child, Preschool ; Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal/therapy* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Kernicterus/therapy* ; Phototherapy/methods* ; Retrospective Studies

Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; Middle Aged