BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) and NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) are peptide hormones secreted by the heart.Recently, many researches have described that BNP and NT-proBNP were useful markers for the diagnosis of heart failure.We should develop these assays correctly on the basis of full understanding of biological characteristics and guide clinical use for them in medical laboratories.

OBJECTIVE:To observe thc usefulness of Utilin S in treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COP- D). METHODS: In a random control design, trial group was given Utilin S 1. 72ug im, qw. on the basis of conventional treat- ment. Control group was given conventional treatment alone. RESLLTS: The clinical effect. symptom and immune indices of trial group were all better then those of control group. CONCLUSION: Utilin S, as a immunostimulant. has a good accessory therapcutic effect on COPD.

Objective This study was designed to investigate positive rate of serum antibody and the distribution of serotypes of Legionella pneumophila in the patients of author's hospital for recent 5 years.Methods All the inspecting results of antibodies in the 1212 serums by indirect immunofluorescence from Jan 1, 2003 to Oct 31, 2007 were reviewed. The clinical information of patients was collected.Results 163 serums were positive (13.5%). Serotype 4 had the highest positive rate of 12.0% followed by serotype 12 (8.5%), 5 (7.8%), 14 (6.1%), 10 (5.9%). Three simultaneously positive serotypes were dominant (21.0%), and 4 or 5 simultaneously positive serotypes were common. In all departments, the highest positive rate (23.3%) was in respiratory ward, in which serotype 4 and 12 were the most (19.0% and 17.2%, respectively).Conclusions Serotype 4 was the most common type of Legionella pneumophila in serotype 1-14. Cross reaction could exist between Legionella pneumophila and other pathogenic microorganism or in different serotypes.

74 years were associated with increased cardiac events too(HR = 5.40,95%CI:2.16~11.52,P=0.0002).NYHA classification, LVEF, cTnT?cTnI and CK-MB were not independently predictive of cardiac events.Conclusions Measurement of NT-proBNP in patients with CHF can help to identify patients at higher risk for cardiac events .

Objective To investigate the influence of renal function on serum NT-proBNP in the diagnosis of chronic heart failure by observing the relationship between eGFR and NT-proBNP in serum and comparing cutoff values of NT-proBNP in different eGFR levels.Methods 297 elderly participants were enrolled in the study, including 106 inpatients with heart failure and 191 healthy controls in the corresponding period.The concentration of NT-proBNP was determined by an automated electrochemiluminescence immunoassay on Roche Elecsys 2010.Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Levey-modified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. The diagnosis of clinical physician was considered to be the golden standard for heart failure.Results Serum NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in subjects with renal dysfunction compared with those with normal renal function for heart failure patients [829.1 (202.4 ~ 3725.5) ng/L vs. 227.2 (111.1 ~ 964.2) ng/L, P

Objective To evaluate the effects of antiviral therapy in prevention of tumor recurrence after curative treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Between Apr. 2006 and Jun. 2009,60 patients undergone curative treatment for HCC were enrolled in the retrospective analysis. Patients were assigned into four groups (15 each):patients in groupⅠ(serum HBV-DNA≥1.0?105copies/ml) and groupⅡ(serum HBV-DNA

Objective Tofollowupandanalyzetheoccurrenceofcerebrovascularischemiceventsin patientswithinternalcarotidarteryocclusion(ICAO).Methods Atotalof144consecutivepatients with ICAO admitted to the Department of Neurology,the Air Force General Hospital from January 2007 to January 2012 were enrolled retrospectively. All patients were confirmed as unilateral ICAO with DSA and they were divided into either a symptomatic group (n=74)or an asymptomatic group (n=70)according to whether they had the symptoms of ischemic cerebrovascular disease or not. Both patients of the 2 groups were followed up for at least 2 years. Their transient ischemic attack (TIA)and endpoint events were observed,including new symptomatic cerebral infarction,death from any cause,as well as patency of collateral circulation,andthefollow-upresultsbetweenthetwogroupswerecompared.Results Twenty-one patients (28. 4%)of the symptomatic group had new attack of cerebral infarction,10 cases (13. 5%)had TIA,and 4 cases (5. 4%)died;9 patients (12.9%)of the asymptomatic group had new attack of cerebral infarction,4 cases (5 . 7%)had TIA,and no patients died. Risk of recurrent stroke in patients of the symptomatic group was higher than that of the asymptomatic group (P=0. 025). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the incidence of endpoint event of the symptomatic group was higher than that of the asymptomatic group (χ2 =8. 428,P =0. 004). There was significant difference in the patent ratio of the primary collateral circulation between the symptomatic group and the asymptomatic group (64. 9%[48/74] vs. 91. 4%[64/70];P=0. 000);the patent ratio of the primary collateral circulation in patients with new cerebral infarction was significantly lower than that in patients without new cerebral infarction (60. 0%[18/30]vs.82.5%[94/114];P=0.013).Conclusion ThepatientswithsymptomaticICAOaremore likely to have cerebral infarction,and they are likely to die. After ICAO,the primary collateral circulation patent has a significant effect on the prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the results of surgical treatment for multi-level spinal tuberculosis with focal debridement ,bone grafting and primary internal fixation.Method:27 cases of multi-level spinal tuberculosis treated by operation from January 1999 to January 2007 were reviewed retrospectively.3 vertebral bodies involved in 15 cases,4 vertebral bodies involved in 7 cases,5 vertebral bodies involved at least in 5 cases.Of these,there were 5 cases in thoracic vertebra,7 cases in lumbar vertebra,11 cases in thoracolumbar vertebra,4 cases in lumbosacral vertebra.11 cases showed neurological deficit before surgery,According to the Frankel classification,Frankel B in 1 case,Frankel C in 2,Frankel D in 8.The preoperative average Cobb angle of kyphosis was 35°±7° (range,26°-43°).The focal debridement,bone grafting and primary internal fixation were performed for all patients.Among these protocols, 16 cases underwent one staged posterior spinal internal fixation and anterior focal debridement,bone grafting.11 cases had anterior spinal internal fixation with focal debridement and bone grafting.All patients received anti-TB chemotherapy before and after operation.Anti-TB chemotherapy protocols consisting of combinations of rifampin,isoniazid,ethambutol and streptomycin were administered for 3 months which including 3 weeks before the operation and 3 months after the operation,followed by rifampin,isoniazid and ethambutol for a total of 9 months.The clinical outcomes were evaluated according to the criteria designed by WU Qiqiu et al.Result:The average surgical time was 240 minutes (range,150-300min),with the average intraoperative blood loss of 1000ml (range,600-1400ml),There was no complication such as nerve injury and cerebrospinal fluid leakage.The incision in 1 case presented sinus which had a secondary healing later on,others obtained primary healing.The average postoperative Cobb angle of kyphosis was 15°±5°(range,12°-20°).All cases were followed up for an average of 18 months(range, 14-48 months).The patients with paraplegia recovered to the normal in 8 months.Bony fusion was achieved in all cases with mean fusion period of 7 months(range,5-14 months) with no incidence of hardware failure.At the final follow-up,all patients had evidence of clinical heal and the solid bony fusion.Conclusion:Focal debridement,bone grafting and primary internal fixation is reliable in dealing with multi -level spinal tuberculosis.

Objective To study the preventive effects of vitamin K2 on tumor recurrence in patients with hepatocellalar carcinoma (HCC) after radical resection. Methods The clinical data of 50 patients with HCC who received radical resection from March 2006 to March 2007 in No. 181 Hospital of PLA were analyzed retrospec-tively. All the patients were divided into 2 groups according to the random number table. Twenty-six patients in vitamin K2 group were administered with menatetrenone (45 mg per day), and the rest 24 pateints were in the control group. The accumulative and tumor-free survival rates, differences between the 2 groups, multivariate factors for prognosis were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curve, Log-rank test and Cox regression model, respectively. Results During a period of 36 month follow-up, 10 patients died and 28 had tunor recurrence. The 1-, 2-, 3-year accumulative survival rates were 96%, 92% and 83% in vitamin K2 group, and 96%, 82% and 63% in control group (χ2 = 3.61, P > 0.05). The 1-, 2-, 3-year tumor-free survival rates were 92%, 60% and 38% in vitamin K2 group, and 75%, 42% and 12% in control group, with significant difference between the 2 groups (χ2 =5.61, P <0.05). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that without taking menate-trenone, the preoperative level of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) ≥800 μg/L and vascular invasion were the indepen-dent risk factors for tumor recurrence. Conclusions Vitamin K2 has a suppressive effect on tumor recurrence of HCC, while patients with AFP≥800 μg/L before operation or with vascular invasion have poor prognosis.

Objective To investigate the plasma levels of regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), eotaxin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in patients with chronic urticaria and their roles in the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria. Methods Forty-one patients with chronic urticaria were included into this study along with 20 normal human controls. Patients were graded into three groups, I.e. Mild group (n = 11), moderate group (n = 21) and severe group (n = 9), according to their symptom score. All patients were treated with mizolastine 10 mg per day for 4 weeks. ELISA was used to study the plasma levels of RANTES, eotaxin, TNF-α and LTB4 in normal controls and patients before and after treatment. Results The plasma levels of RANTES, eotaxin, TNF-α and LTB4 were (52.5 ± 10.2) g/L, (58.4 ± 16.1) g/L, (35.1 ± 9.6) ng/L and (109.4 ± 21.7) ng/L, respectively, in untreatedpatients with chronic urticaria, compared to (33.7 ± 9.4) g/L, (48.3 ± 13.6) g/L, (21.3 ± 8.9) ng/L and(77.8 ± 11.6) ng/L, respectively, in normal controls(P < 0.01, 0.05, 0.01, 0.01, respectively). Increased plasmalevels of RANTES, eotaxin, TNF-α and LTB4 were observed in patients with moderate or severe chronic urticaria compared with those with mild chronic urticaria (both P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference between patients with severe and mild chronic urticaria (P < 0.05). After treatment with mizolas-fine the plasma levels ofRANTES, eotaxin, TNF-α and LTB4 were (36.3 ± 8.9) g/L, (46.3 ± 10.2) g/L, (23.2 ± 7.5) ng/L and (83.1 ± 14.2) ng/L respectively, significantly lower than those in patients before treatment (all P < 0.01), but showed no difference from those in normal controls (all P > 0.05). Conclu-sions The plasma levels of RANTES, eotaxin, TNF-α and LTB4 are elevated in patients with chronic urticaria, and they exhibits a positive correlation tendency with disease activity. After treatment with mizolastine, a significant decrease is observed in the plasma levels of RANTES, eotaxin, TNF-α and LTB4, which hints that RANTES, eotaxin, TNF-α and LTB4 may play a certain role in the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria.