AIM: To study the changes of excretive amount of albumin(ALB) , N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG) in patients with high altitude polycythemia(HAPC) at different altitude and its mechanism. METHODS: Urinary ALB, NAG, activity of red blood cell superoxide dismutase(RBC-SOD), malonyldialdehyde(MDA) and erythrocyte filtration index(EFI) of 231 healthy subjects and 86 patients with HAPC at different altitude were detected. RESULTS:Excretive amount of urinary ALB, NAG, and plasma MDA, EFI were higher,and RBC-SOD was lower in patients with HAPC than those in healthy subjects, the changes were significantly obvious, with increasing altitude. Urinary ALB and NAG were negatively correlates to EFI, and no correlated to the content of MDA and RBC-SOD. CONCLUSIONS: EFI exertes an independent influence on urinary ALB and NAG. The decrease in erythrocyte deformability caused by the increase of peroxidation of lipids might participate in the pathogenesis and progress of the increase of excretive amount of ALB and NAG in HAPC.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MS) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).MethodsTotally 101 male patients with MS and 117 male patients without MS were enrolled from September 2008 to January 2010 in the department of geriatrics of Peking University People's Hospital.The MS diagnosis was made according to the criteria by Chinese Diabetes Society (2004).Blood pressure,body weight,body height,body mass index (BMI) were measured and calculated.Biochemical analyses including serum fasting blood glucose (FBG),total cholesterol ( TC),triglycerides (TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were performed.Total prostate volume (PV) were measured by ultrasound.ResultsPV in patients with MS[(39.7±21.1)m1] was significantly larger than in patients without MS[(30.7±9.3)ml] (P＜ 0.05).There was no difference in PSA level between groups (P＞ 0.05).PV were positively correlated with BMI(r=0.27,P=0.019),hypertension duration(r=0.37,P=0.01),PSA(r=0.51,P=0.001),FBG(r=0.24,P=0.013) and systolic blood pressure(SBP)(r=0.20,P=0.047),but negatively correlated with HDL-C ( r = - 0.24,P = 0.013 ).Conclusions BMI,hypertension duration,PSA,FBG,SBP,and lower HDL-C may play roles in the pathogenesis of prostatic hvperplasia.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between insulin resistance and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Methods Totally 150 male patient from the Department of Geriatrics in Peking University Hospital were included in this study.Blood pressure,body weight,body height,body mass index (BMI) were measured and calculated.Biochemical analyses including serum fasting levels of insulin(FINS),glucose,total cholesterol,triglycerides,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,high density lipoprotein cholesterol,and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were performed.Total prostate volume (PV) were measured by ultrasound.Results PV and annual prostate growth rate were more increased in insulin resistance group(40 cases) compared with insulin sensitivity group(110 cases) (t=2.91,3.71 respectively,both P＜0.01).Along with the levels of FINS,HOMA-IR and PSA were increased,the prostate volume was enhanced (t=-3.02,-2.88,-2.84 respectively;all P ＜0.05).PV was positively correlated with insulin resistance,serum fasting insulin and PSA (r=0.16,0.16,0.35;all P＜0.05),while annual prostate growth rate was positively related with insulin resistance,serum fasting insulin,PSA and BMI (r =0.22,0.21,0.24,0.19 ; all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Insulin resistance and fasting insulin plays roles in the pathogenesis of prostatic hyperplasia.

Objective To study the relationships of hemoglobin(Hb)level with the levels of neurohormones,and cytokines,and the effect of them on ventricular remodeling in patients with congestive heart failure(CHF). Methods Hb level,serum angiotensinⅡ(Ang Ⅱ ),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),nitric oxide(NO),soluble intereellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1)and B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP)were measured in 121 CHF patients.The left ventrieular ejection fraction (LVEF)from echocardiography,left ventricular mass index(LVMI),and mean wall stress(MWS)were calculated. Results The levels of Ang Ⅱ,TNF-α,NO,siCAM-1,BNP[(144.5±64.1)ng/L,(92.3±6.4)ng/L,(65.2±4.2)μmol/L,(253.6±26.0)μg/L,(1294.0±223.0)ng/L]and LVMI,MWS in the anemia group of CHF patients were higher than those in the non-anemia group[(76.7±48.5)ng/L,(55.6±10.2)ng/L,(42.1±11.9)μmol/L,(237.18±33.26)μg/L,(437.0±115.0)ng/L,all P＜0.01].With the increase of anemia severity,the levels of AngⅡ,TNF-α,NO,siCAM-1,BNP and LVMI,MWS were significantly increased.There were negative correlations between Hb level and the 1evels of AngⅡ,TNF-α,NO,siCAM-1,BNP,LVMI,MWS(r=-0.8173,-0.8509,-0.6001,-0.6692,-0.6283,-0.8604,-0.8733,all P＜0.01),and negative correlations between LVMI,MWS and Hb levels and LVEF(P＜0.01). Conclusions Neurohormones and cytokines play roles in ventrieular remodeling and anemia in CHF aggravates the severity of ventricular remodeling.

Objective To study the effect of ratanasampil (RNSP) which is Traditional Tibetan Medicine on the levels of serum β-amyloid protein, interleukin and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods One hundred AD patients were divided into two groups in randomized controlled study, including treatment group (RNSP 1 g/d) and control group (piracetam 2.4 g/d). The treatment lasted 12 weeks. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer' s disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) and Activity of Daily Living Scale (ADLs) were taken to evaluate the efficacy. Serum levels of amyloid peptides (Aβ40 and Aβ42 ) were measured by ELISA assay. The radioimmunologic assay was used to determine the serum levels of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α. Results The scores of MMSE, ADAS-cog and ADL significantly improved at 12 weeks after RNSP treatment (P＜0.01, 0.01, 0.05, respectively), while had no significant changes in piracetam group (P＜0.05).The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and Aβ42 were significantly lower in RNSP group than in Piracetam group (P＜0.01). There was a decrease trend of the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio at 12 weeks after RNSP treatment (P＜0. 05, P＜0.01 ). The serum Aβ42 level had strong correlations with TNF-α, IL-1 β and IL-6. There were no significant differences in Aβ40 and IL-8 between RNSP group and piracetam group. No obvious drug side effect happened on the groups. Conclusions The reductions of serum TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels after RNSP treatment may lead to decrease of Aβ42 production in AD patients. RNSP may decrease the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio and slow down the progress of AD. It may improve the learning and memory ability in treating patients with mild to moderate AD and is well tolerated and safe.

BACKGROUND: As a primary clinical predictor of fracture risk, bone mineral density (BMD) is partly genetically determined. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is one important candidate gene in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between T245G polymorphisms in the OPG gene and BMD. METHODS: A total of 281 elderly men and postmenopausal women, 182 males and 99 females, who received routine examinations at Peking University People's Hospital between September 2008 and April 2010 were included in this study. T245G polymorphisms in the OPG gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism together with DNA sequencing. The BMD of the lumbar spine, Ward's triangle, and forearrm was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Clinical variables and biochemical measurements were collected simultaneously. The association between T245G polymorphisms and each detection index was analyzed using analysis of variance. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The distribution of T245G genotype (alleles T, G) had no difference in elderly men or postmenopausal women (P > 0.05). The GG genotype and TG genotype had higher lumbar spine BMD and TT genotype had lower lumbar spine BMD (P < 0.05). There was no difference in BMD of the Ward's triangle or forearm among different genotypes (P > 0.05). Association between T245G polymorphism and BMD was not found in postmenopausal women. These findings indicate that OPG gene is related to lumbar spine BMD in elderly men.

Objective To explore the relationship between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D level and prostatic hyperplasia in elderly men.Methods Totally 95 male patients aged over 60 years were included.Blood pressure,body weight,body height,body mass index (BMI) were measured and calculated.Venous blood samples were obtained to determine fasting serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 and blood glucose (FBG),total cholesterol (TC),triglycerides (TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),calcium and prostate specific antigen (PSA),total prostate volume(PV) and annual prostate growth rate were measured and calculated by ultrasound.Results The serum 25 (OH) D3 levels were varied from 12.1 nmol/L to 83.9 nmol/L,with an average of (35.5±15.2) nmol/L in elderly male patients.PV growth rate were significantly lower in elderly men with 25 (OH) D3 ＞ 50 nmol/L than in elderly men with 25 (OH) D3≤50nmol/L[(31.5± 6.0) mlvs.(39.9 ± 14.5) ml,(0.4± 0.2) ml/yvs.(0.5 ± 0.4) ml/y,P＜0.001 or 0.01].PV was negatively correlated with serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 level (r=-0.207,P＜0.05),and positively correlated with BMI and PSA (r=0.297,0.958,P＜0.05 or and P＜0.001).While annual prostate growth rate was positively correlated with BMI and PSA (r=0.316,0.464,P＜0.01 or ＜0.001),and positively correlated with serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 level,but the difference was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).Conclusions Low serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 level may play a role in the pathogenesis of prostatic hyperplasia.