Objective To investigate the effects of trimetazidine on renal function in patients with shock.Methods A prospective randomized controlled double-blind study was conducted.128 patients with shock admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital from April 2011 to April 2013 were enrolled and randomly divided into control group and trimetazidine treatment group,each n＝64.All patients received anti-shock treatment,while the patients in trimetazidine group received trimetazidine treatment (20 mg orally,tid) for 7 days,and patients in control group received placebo (10 mL of sterile water for injection,tid) for 7 days.The urinary output,serum creatinine (SCr),blood urea nitrogen (BUN),cystatin C,and creatinine clearance (CCr) reflecting renal function were recorded in both groups,and the values were compared before treatment,48 hours after treatment,and 1 week after the treatment.At the same time,dynamic mean arterial pressure (MAP) was monitored,and 48-hour and 1-week mortality rates were recorded.Results There was no significant difference in results in all the renal function parameters before the treatment between two groups.The levels of SCr,BUN,cystatin C were gradually decreased after treatment in both groups,but CCr and MAP were gradually increased.Compared with the control group,cystatin C at 48 hours after treatment was significantly decreased,while CCr was significantly increased in treatment group [cystatin C (mg/L):0.85 ± 0.81 vs.1.01 ± 0.91,t=2.562,P=0.017; CCr (mL/s):0.93 ± 0.64 vs.0.69 ± 0.40,t=2.155,P=0.033].SCr and BUN at 1 week after treatment were significantly decreased in treatment group [SCr (lμmol/L):94.23 ± 88.31 vs.104.99 ± 98.37,t=2.921,P=0.003 ; BUN (mmol/L):9.46 ± 8.24 vs.11.87 ± 8.65,t=2.611,P=0.010].Urine output per hour and MAP was improved after treatment in both groups,and no significant difference was found between treatment group and control group [urine output (mL):48 hours after treatment 55.67 ± 31.43 vs.45.34 ± 11.79,t =0.934,P=0.323 ; 1 week after treatment 71.67 ± 37.23 vs.75.35 ± 22.88,t=1.280,P=0.210; MAP (mmHg,1 mmHg=0.133 kPa):48 hours after treatment 72.13 ± 33.24 vs.69.28 ± 39.98,t=1.408,P=0.179; 1 week after treatment 71.44 ± 21.98 vs.72.32 ± 31.11,t =1.184,P =0.252].Mortality rate in treatment group was lowered compared with control group,however no statistical significance was found [48 hours after treatment:31.2％ (20/64) vs.32.8％ (21/64),x2=0.084,P=0.785; 1 week after treatment:32.8％ (21/64) vs.35.9％ (23/64),x2=2.084,P=0.173].Conclusions Trimetazidine can improve renal function in patients with shock.

Objective To assess the value of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in left atrial appendage (LAA) closer with Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (ACP).Methods Consecutive 32 atrial fibrillation patients (CHADS2≥1) with high risk bleeding underwent LAA occlusion with ACP LAA occlusion device under the guidance of TEE.Measurements of LAA anchoring area diameter (AAD) and LAA anatomical orifice diameter (AOD) including maximum,minimum values,and LAA depth on 2 dimentional TEE (2D TEE) were conducted before closer device implantation.The outcomes of LAA occlusion were analyzed.Results Among 32 patients,27 cases achieved successful LAA occlusion,including 2 cases with peripheral leakage ≤5 mm,and 5 cases failed occlusion.Among 5 failed closed patients,3 cases with LAA AAD≥ 30 mm,1 case with LAA of short depth,and 1 case with anatomical variation of LAA of low position that access sheath could not be positioned in the LAA.LAA AAD maximum,minimum and LAA depth were (25.9±4.9)mm,(20.0±3.8)mm,(31.0±5.6)mm,respectively,and LAA AOD maximum,minimum diameters were (26.2±6.2)mm,(19.4±4.3)mm,respectively.Among 10 cases with LAA AAD≥30 mm,7 cases achieved successful LAA occlusion,but 3 cases failed.The implanted device diameter was (26.4±3.8)mm,and device compression rate was (7.6±5.5)%.The coefficient of correlation between device diameter and large LAA AAD and AOD is 0.770 and 0.717,respectively.There was no complication but 1 case with pericardial effusion.Conclusions Two dimentional TEE measurements of LAA have clinical guiding significance in the selection of proper size of ACP LAA occluder.The AAD of 2D TEE has the good correlation with ACP occluder′s size,the AADs are important factors which affect the success of LAA occlusion.

Steroid-induced femoral head necrosis is claimed to be an ischemic femoral head disease. But there is no discussion on the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the idiopathic disease. The concentration of NO indirectly in serum with steroid induced avascular necrosis of femoral head (ANFH) and in controls are studied in this article.

Objective To compare seminal carnitine levels between normal males and asthenozoospermic patients,evaluate its correla-tion with progressive motility(PR)of sperm,and observe the effects of exogenous carnitine supplementation on asthenozoospermic pa-tients.Methods Semen samples were collected from 511 normal fertile males and asthenozoospermic patients.Seminal was measured using a fixed-time assay kit and the levels of carnitine were compared between the two groups.The consistency between seminal carni-tine and PR was assessed.Additionally,77 asthenozoospermic patients received L-carnitine(1 g/time,3 times/day,30 days/course).The levels of seminal carnitine and PR alteration pre-and post-treatment were monitored.Results The seminal L-carnitine level in the patients with asthenospermia([194.34±65.41]μmol/L)was significantly lower than that in normal fertile males([405.43±72.12]μmol/L)(P＜0.01).When the seminal L-carnitine level ≥325 μmol/L was set as the threshold,the statistical results showed that Kappa value was 0.81,with a diagnostic coincidence rate of 93.74％.After one course of administration of L-carnitine,the concentra-tion of seminal L-carnitine([356.03±84.87]μmol/L)and PR([32.69±8.35]％)were significantly higher those that before treat-ment([183.61±79.54]μmol/L and[16.56±7.74]％,P＜0.01).Conclusion The seminal carnitine assay kit could be used for ac-curate and high-throughput quantification of clinical samples,facilitating asthenozoospermia diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy evalua-tion.Exogenous carnitine supplementation may elevate seminal carnitine levels and sperm motility in asthenozoospermic patients and po-tentially improve their fertility.