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Objective To compare the efficacy of MRI and multi-slice CT(MSCT) for characterization of liver isolation nodular lesions in cirrhosis patients .Methods A total of 64 patients with 64 lesions ,underwent MSCT and MRI .Chi-square tests were used to compare the performances of MSCT and MRI in characterization of lesions .Results The detection rate ,accuracy ,sensitivity ,spe-cificity ,positive predictive and negative predictie of MSCT and MRI were 76 .56% ,65 .31% ,37 .50% ,78 .79% ,72 .22% ,46 .15%and 87 .50% ,85 .71% ,66 .67% ,97 .14% ,82 .93% ,93 .33% respectively .There were statistical difference in accuracy ,specificity , positie predictie between MSCT and MRI (P< 0 .05) .Conclusion MRI is superior to MSCT in accuracy ,specificity ,and positive predictive for characterization of liver isolation noduler lesions .

This paper summarizes the key points of safety management for 15 patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension treated by aerosolized iloprost. All patients achieved significant improvements and none of them suffered any severe side effect. Complete safety management during the therapeutic procedure improved the patients' treatment confidence and compliance,and thereafter strengthened the efficacy of treatment.

Objective To studying the MR findings and pathology of peripheral small intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and improving the understanding of peripheral small cholangiocarcinoma with no-bile duct dilatation. Methods A retrospective analysis of 12 patients with intrahepatic peripheral cholangiocarcinoma which were confirmed by surgery and pathology, all patients were examined by abdominal MRI without and with contrast. Correlation was made with gross pathology and surgical pathological specimen. Results On T1WI, there were 4 cases of complex low signal intensity and 8 cases of low signal intensity. On T2WI, there were 8 cases of high signal intensity and 4 cases of complex high signal intensity. Enhanced MRI showed: marked nidus enhancement on arterial phase in 1 case, and the pathological diagnosis was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Inhomogeneous enhancement or annular enhancement were seen in 10 cases on arterial phase, 3 of these cases showed thin annular enhancement on arterial phase, low signalintensity on portal venous phase and isointensity on delayed phase. One case showed delayed enhancement. Thick circular enhancement correlated with pathological changes of survival of tumor cells, center areas correlated with fibrous connective tissue, and a small amount of necrotic tissue. Island-like enhancement or inhomogeneous enhancement were seen in 3 cases. Corresponding pathological changes consisted of tumor tissue and a small amount of fibrous connective tissue, as well as somenecrotic tissue. In 1 case, no enhancement was seen on all three phases and pathological changes showed cystic changes, hemorrhage, necrosis, with survival tumor cells seen between cyst and normal liver tissue. Conclusions MRI scanning of peripheral small cholangiocarcinoma lacked characteristic features, but dynamic contrast-enhanced MR had certain specific findings. Due to different pathology, the fibrous tissue, necrotic tissue and survival tumor tissue components were exhibited different imaging findings.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of thrombolytic treatment with reteplase in patients with intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism. Methods: Ten consecutive patients with intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism who received thrombolytic treatment with reteplase at Thrombosis and Vascular Medicine Center, Fuwai Hospital from March to November in 2016 were included.Vital signs, right ventricular diameter, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and biochemical markers were assessed before and after thrombolytic therapy with reteplase, and bleeding complications were also observed during 3 months follow up. Results: (1) For the efficacy outcomes: at 48 hours after thrombolytic treatment with reteplase, echocardiography-derived diameter of right ventricular was significant reduced from (27.9±3.8) mm to (24.8±2.6) mm (P=0.03), systolic pulmonary artery pressure decreased from (63.9±21.6) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) to (34.4±19.8) mmHg (P=0.02). Heart rate and breathing rate were also decreased significantly (both P<0.05), blood pressure remained unchanged post therapy.Hypoxemia was quickly corrected with an significant elevation of PaO₂ and SaO₂ ((65.2±14.3) mmHg vs. (80.0±9.6) mmHg, P=0.006; (90.8±3.5)% vs. (95.2 ±1.6)%, P=0.002 respectively). PaCO₂ was also increased significantly (P<0.05). Serum NT-proBNP and cTnI were decreased significantly (both P<0.05). There was no recurrent pulmonary embolism or deep-vein thrombosis during the 3 months follow-up. (2) For the safety outcomes: a thrombolytic relevant hemoptysis (about 70 ml) occurred in 1 patient, and was controlled by PCC therapy.No other clinically relevant events were observed during thrombolytic treatment. Eight patients were followed more than 3 months, there was no major bleeding complication or death during the follow up period. Conclusion Treatment of intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism with reteplase is effective and safe and there are no obvious side effects.

OBJECTIVETo investigate long-term efficacy and safety of ambrisentan monotherapy in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

METHODSPatients with PAH who received 2.5 mg or 5 mg of ambrisentan once daily between July 10, 2011 and August 30, 2012 for at least 6 months were enrolled. The efficacy endpoints were change in exercise capacity, World Health Organization (WHO) functional class and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level, echocardiographic parameters. The safety endpoint was the safety of long-term ambrisentan administration, as defined by the incidence and severity of adverse events.

RESULTSA total of 18 patients with PAH were enrolled. Mean age was (39 ± 17) years, 8 (55.6%) were female, and 11 (61.1%) patients were in WHO functional class III. The median duration of treatment was 17 months (range: 6-26 months). After treatment, the 6MWD was significantly increased[ (495 ± 97) m vs. (400 ± 91) m, P < 0.001], NT-proBNP was significantly reduced [308 (53-1 645) ng/L vs. 80(22-454) ng/L, P = 0.005], the systolic pulmonary artery was significantly decreased [(62 ± 30) mmHg vs. (82 ± 41) mmHg, P = 0.001] and left ventricular end diastolic diameter was significantly increased [(44 ± 6) mm vs. (40 ± 6) mm, P < 0.004] compared to pre-treatment. WHO functional class was improved compared with baseline in 11(61.1%) patients, stable in 7(38.9%) patients. No patient died during the treatment period. No patient was withdrawn from this study for safety reasons.

CONCLUSIONSLong-term treatment of ambrisentan can effectively improve the exercise capacity, reduce systolic pulmonary artery pressure and NT-proBNP in PAH patients. Ambrisentan is safe and well tolerated in Chinese PAH patients.

Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; metabolism ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; Phenylpropionates ; therapeutic use ; Pyridazines ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the baseline clinical characteristics of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension after operation for congenital heart disease (AO-CHD-PAH) in China.

METHODSA total of 122 consecutive patients diagnosed as AO-CHD-PAH in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2011 were retrospective analyzed.

RESULTSSixty-seven percent patients were female. The median age at procedure and diagnosis were 14.8 and 24.8 years old, respectively. The median duration from procedure of CHD to diagnosis of PAH was 7.3 years. The most frequent initial symptom (109/122, 89.3%) attributed to PAH was dyspnea on exertion. The frequent sign was accentuation of second heart sound on pulmonary valve area (113/122, 92.6%).Incidence of WHO functional PAH classes I/II was 53.3% (65/122) and mean 6 minutes walk distance was limited to (408.4 ± 103.3) m. Borg dyspnea score was 2.0 (1.0, 3.0).Right heart catheterization demonstrated severe elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure [(71.6 ± 24.2) mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa] and pulmonary vascular resistance index [(29.1 ± 16.0) Wood U·m(2)] in this patient cohort. Cardiac index was (2.7 ± 0.9) L·min(-1)·m(-2), 90.2% (110/122) patients received PAH-specific therapy. The majority of PAH-specific therapy was phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, which is somehow different from PAH-specific therapy regimen of American-European developed countries.

CONCLUSIONSPAH-specific therapy rate is satisfactory for pulmonary arterial hypertension after operation for congenital heart disease in China and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are predominant PAH-specific medication in China.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; China ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; surgery ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; etiology ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical characteristics and survival on Chinese patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and familiar pulmonary arterial hypertension (FPAH) during conventional therapy era and targeted therapy era.

METHODSIPAH and FPAH patients who were referred between Jan 1999 and Oct 2004 in Fuwai Hospital were defined as conventional therapy era group (before 2005 no PAH-specific drug was available in China). All patients in this group were followed up till Jun 2005. IPAH and FPAH patients who were referred between Sep 2006 and Aug 2011 were defined as targeted therapy era group (new PAH-specific drugs were available in China since 2006) were analyzed. All patients in this group were followed up till Dec 2013. The primary endpoints were death and therapy medicine.

RESULTSSeventy-two patients were enrolled in conventional therapy era group, 375 were enrolled in targeted therapy era group. The mean age was (35.9 ± 12.2) years and (34.5 ± 17.4) years respectively (P = 0.67), and women was predominant in both groups. There was no difference in WHO functional class and hemodynamic data between the two groups. About 90.3% patients were treated by calcium-channel blockers (CCB) in conventional therapy era group. In targeted therapy era group, almost all patients were treated by at least one PAH-specific drug, only 3.2% patients who had a positive response to acute pulmonary vasodilator testing were treated by CCB. The median survival time was 30.4 months in conventional therapy era group and 66.2 months in targeted therapy era group. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 5- year survival rates of IPAH and FPAH patients were 68.0%, 56.9%, 38.9% and 20.8% in conventional therapy era group, and 89.3%, 78.1%, 68.2% and 53.7% in targeted therapy era group respectively (P < 0.000 1).

CONCLUSIONCompared with conventional therapy era, the survival rate of Chinese IPAH and FPAH patients is significantly improved in targeted therapy era.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult