Adult ; Ear Protective Devices ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Noise, Occupational ; adverse effects ; Occupational Diseases ; prevention & control

Objective To investigate the effects of using a catheter balloon to treat crieopharyngeal achala-sia in patients with brainstem lesions. Methods Thirty cases of dysphagia caused by brainstem lesions were diag-nosed as crieopharyngeal achalasia through videofluoroscopy of swallowing.The cases were divided into a treatment group and a control group randomly.The treatment group was treated with balloon dilatation and routine dysphagia re-habilitation training once daily,while the control group was treated with routine dysphagia rehabilitation training only.The treatment end point was either the patient resuming an oral diet or after 4 weeks of treatment.All eases were evaluated videofluoroscopically with a drinking test pre-and pest-treatment.Results After 10 to 24 balloon dilata-tions,10 of the 15 patients in the treatment group regained the ability to take solid food and water orally,thoush 2 of them could take pasty food only.Only 2 of the 15 patients in the control group regained the ability to take common food by mouth,though 5 of them could take pasty food.The other patients had no improvement.There wag a signifi-cant difference between the two groups.The cricopharyngeal aehalasia of 12 patients in the ffeatment group improved from incomplete relaxation/opening to complete relaxation/opening.Pooling and residue in the pyriform sinus or val-leculae was reduced and no misaspiration was observed.In the control group only 7 patients had some improvement.The mesn time for the bolus passing the pharynx after treatment was significantly shortened from 0.23 s to 0.15 s in the treatment group,but not significantly in the control group.Conclusions Catheter balloon dilatation is effective for cricopharyngeal achalasia caused by brainstem injury and is helpful for relieving the symptoms in the pharynx phase and the esophagus phase of dysphagia.

Objective To compare 76% meglucamine diatrizoate solution with 60%barium sulphate suspen-sion for use in videofluoroscopic swallowing studies(VFSSs).Methods Forty-nine cases of dysphagia caused by brain injury.brainstem lesion ir nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)were recruited for this study.They were divided into a meglucamine diatrizoate group of 22 patients who were administered 76% meglucamine diatrizoate solution as a contrast agent,and a barium sulphate group of 27 patients with whom 70%barium sulphate suspension was used.All the Datients were treated by balloon dilatation and other routine dysphagia rehabilitation procedures.The treatment end point was either the patient's resuming an oral diet or after 4 weeks of treatment. All cases were evaluated by VFSS pre-and post-treatment.Results The patients in the meglucamine diatrizoate group showed significant pre-and post-treatment differences in terms of the pharynx transit times of brain injury and brainstem lesion victims.NPC patients showed no significant differences.In the barium sulphate group there were significant pre-and post-treatment differences in Dharynx transit time for patients with all three conditions. Conclusions Using 76%meglucamine di-atrizoate solution as a contrast agent decreases the sensitivity of VFSS. Using 60% barium sulphate suspension in VFSS is recommended.

Objective To explore the effect of continued nursing intervention on quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods The study took use of randomized controltest. All the 130 patients who were on admission because of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were randomly divided into the intervention group (62 cases) and the control group (68 cases). The intervention group received telephone and home follow-up for one year, and the control group was provided conventional care. Lung function, SGRQ and dyspnea degree were collected on one-month,three-month, six-month, twelve-month after intervention. Results Lung function and activity scores of SGRQ, dyspnea degree and six minutes walk test between two groups had statistical significance after intervention. Conclusions Continued nursing intervention can postpone the rate of FEV1% declining, reduce dysnea degree, decrease the frequency of acute exacerbation, increase the quality of life of COPD patients.

Objective To determine the serum level of pepsinogenⅠ,Ⅱ(PGⅠ,PGⅡ) and PGⅠ/Ⅱin the residents from Zhuanghe county,a high risk area of gastric cancer in North China,and to explore their distribution as well as related factors.Methods Serum PGⅠand PGⅡlevels were detec- ted with ELISA method in 6990 subjects.Gastric diseases were diagnosed by endoscopy and histopatho- logic examination.Serum H.pylori-IgG antibody was determined by ELISA method.Results The me- dian values for PGⅠ,PGⅡ,PGⅠ/Ⅱwere 86.9/?g/L,10.6/zg/L and 8.1 respectively.Serum PGⅠand PGⅡin male(95.2?g/L,12.1?g/L) were significantly higher than those in female(79.7?g/L, 9.4?g/L;P=0.000),PGⅠ/Ⅱratio(7.9) was significantly lower in male (8.3,P=0.000).There were significantly decrease in PGⅠ/Ⅱratio along with age increase.PGⅠ/Ⅱratio decreased signifi- cantly following with progression of gastric mucosa from normal (10.4) to non-atrophic lesions(8.8) and to atrophic lesions (6.6).Serum PGⅠand PGⅡin H. pylori positive subjects (88.7?g/L,11.4?g/L) were significantly higher than those in H.pylori negative subjects (81.4?g/L,8.4?g/L;P= 0.000),PGⅠ/Ⅱratio(7.7) was significantly lower in H.pylori positive subjects (9.6,P=0.000). For patients with atrophic lesions,the area under the PGⅠ/ⅡROC curve was 0.622.The best cut-off point for PGⅠ/Ⅱwas 6.9,with sensitivity of 53.2%,and specificity of 67.5%.Factors linked to PGⅠ/Ⅱwere identified using multinomial logistic regression:male (OR:1.151,95% CI:1.042—1.272, P=0.006),age=61(OR:1.358,95% CI:1.188—1.553,P=0.000),atrophic lesion(OR:2.075,95% CI:1.870—2.302,P=0.000),and H.pylori infection (OR:1.546,95% CI:1.368—1.748,P= 0.000).Conclusions The serum PG levels are significantly skewed from normal distrubition in the residents of Zhuanghe county,and affected by age and gender,as well as associated with gastric diseases and H.pylori in- fection.Compared with PGⅠand PGⅡalone,PGⅠ/Ⅱis more suitable for screening gastric cancer.

0.98); immature cells would display in the WBC histogram when in higher proportion. Conclusions The analyzer can be used to test blood cell parameters accurately and reliably. Its main performance indices accorded with the experimental requirements; The results were credible. It is necessary to checked with microscopy for DC before reported.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of tinnitus in patients with auditory neuropathy spec- trum disorder (ANSD). METHOD: This study recruited 14 ANSD patients with tinnitus. All the ANSD patients un- derwent detailed history taking, audiological examinations and assessments of tinnitus. This study analyzed the correlation of tinnitus status and hearing loss, and discussed the effects of sex, age, and the course of disease on tinnitus in ANSD patients. RESULT: (1) In the ANSD patients, tinnitus often occurred in 3 years after the onset of hearing loss; (2) Tinnitus was highly prevalent in ANSD patients, and the severity of tinnitus was mostly from mild to moderate; (3) There was no obvious correlation between the subjective grading of tinnitus and hearing loss de- gree, and the impact of curve patterns of hearing loss on the level of tinnitus need much more evidence-based proof; (4) Along with the course extension, the impact of tinnitus on the quality of life was much more obvious; (5) Some risk factors such as noise exposure could be the reasons of aggravating the degree of tinnitus. CONCLUSION Tinnitus in ANSD patients has its unique clinical features. The study of Tinnitus in ANSD patients can provide clinical basis for further research in ANSD.
Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Central ; complications ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Tinnitus ; complications ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of combined medical treatment on auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder and the effect of related factors on the prognosis. METHOD: Eleven cases (22 ears) diagnosed as auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder using multiple criteria including pure tone auditory threshold, impedance audiometry, acoustic reflexes, distortion products otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) were subjected to combined medical treatment . Eleven auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder patients diagnosed during the corresponding period but refused treatment were selected as control group. The change of pure tone auditory threshold and speech discrimination score after treatment or follow-up were evaluated for both 2 groups, and the relationship between the patients' gender, age, accompanying symptoms and curative effect were also analyzed. Data were analyzed by SPSS 19.0 statistical software using pared-sample t-test, independent-sample test and Pearson's chi-square test. RESULT: The effective rate of combined medical therapy was 59.09% (13/22) in the therapy group. PTA levels before and after-treatment were (53.92 +/- 18.86) dB HL and (47.44 +/- 14.98) dB HL respectively in 22 ears with the combined medical therapy, the improvement of which showed statistically significance (t = 5.20, P < 0.05). No obvious hearing change was noted in the 11 patients who refused therapy (P > 0.05). Speech discrimination score before and after-treatment were (29.20 +/- 25.80)% and (41.60 +/- 22.90)% respectively for the treatment group. The average improvement of speech discrimination score was (12.40 +/- 13.80)% with statistically significant difference (t = 4.02, P < 0.05). Patients accompanied with tinnitus had relatively poorer effect compared with individuals without tinnitus (t = -3.85, P < 0.05). Age is negatively correlated with the prognosis (r = -6.72, P < 0.05). Gender had no effect on the prognosis (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The combined medical therapy with glucocorticoids helps improving the pure tone auditory threshold and speech discrimination score of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. In light of our findings we support the combined medical therapy as an option for patients with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Hearing Loss, Central ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pure tone audiometry characteristics and curative effect in sudden hearing loss patients with hypertension. METHOD: One hundred and fifty-seven inpatients (168 ears) with hypertension suffered from sudden hearing loss were included in this study. We retrospectively analyzed the audiological index of these patients by comparing the pure tone audiometry (PTA) among patients in the aspects of gender, age, affected side, duration of hypertension, with or without inducement, concomitant symptoms and other combined diseases. The hearing threshold at different frequency was also compared, as well as the curative effect among patients with diverse audiological characteristics. RESULT: Of the contemporaneous sudden hearing loss patients (874 cases), the prevalence of hypertension was 17.96%, where the male ones accounted for. 28.69% (103/359) and the female ones accounted for 19.42% (54/278) respectively with statistically significant difference between genders (P < 0.01). The prevalence of hypertension in 34-44 years old group, 45-49 years old group, 60-69 years old group and over 70 years old group was 12.69% (25/197), 22.51% (70/311), 47.62% (40/84), 48.89% (22/45) respectively, which were statistically different (P < 0.01). The number of impaired ears with audiogram configuration characterized by rise type, downslope type, flat type and completely deafness type was 18 (10.71%), 61 (36.31%), 41 (24.40%), and 48 (28.57%), respectively. The decrease of hearing threshold in PTA were increasingly severe as the increasing impaired-frequency, and the difference of the degree of hearing impairment among these three types of frequencies was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The hearing threshold means of each frequency had no significant difference among patients with various gender, age and Cardiovascular Risk Stratification (P > 0.05). The hearing threshold means of each frequency of unilateral hearing loss patients was significantly higher than that of bilateral hearing loss patients (P < 0.05). The hearing threshold means at 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz and 1 kHz showed significant difference among patients with different duration of hypertension (P < 0.05). The total effective rate of sudden hearing loss in patients with hypertension was significantly lower than that in the sudden hearing loss patients without hypertension (19.64%, 61.57% respectively, P < 0.01). The total effective rate presented significant difference among patients with different duration of hypertension and different Cardiovascular Risk Stratification (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The prevalence of sudden hearing loss in hypertension patients was higher in male than in female, which rose with age and combined disease. The hearing threshold means at mid-frequency and high-frequency were higher than that at low-frequency. The total effective rate of sudden hearing loss was relatively low in patients with hypertension. The longer the duration of hypertension and the higher the Cardiovascular Risk Stratification, the lower the total effective rate. Comprehensive understanding of audiological characteristics and hypertension condition plays a crucial role in type-specific treatment of sudden hearing loss.
Adult ; Aged ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Deafness ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Bilateral ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; complications ; Hearing Loss, Unilateral ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Toad venom is the Bufo bufo gargarizans or B. melanostictus after the ears of the gland secretion, used in the treatment of various cancers in recent years. Research shows that the main anti-tumor components in bufadienolide. Bufadienolide have free type structure and conjunct type structure. To identify and clarify the difference between bufogenin and bufotoxin contained in Bufonis Venenum, which was from B. bufo gargarizans, an UPLC-TQ-MS method has been established. UPLC-TQ-MS method was used to identify and quantify the major bufadienolides in Bufonis Venenum. UPLC-TQ-MS assay with positive ion mode was performed on a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C, (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.7 µm) with the mobile phase consisting of 0. 1% aqueous formic and acidacetonitrile in gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.4 mL · min⁻¹ and the column temperature was set at 35 °C. By comparing their retention time and high resolution mass data of Bufonis Venenum extracts, 37 effective components were primarily identified by MS/MS analysis in positive ion mode. Twenty-six of them were free-type bufadienolides (bufogenin), 11 of them were conjugated bufadienolides. There were significant differences in the main composition between fresh and processed Bufonis Venenum. The study found that the chemical composition of toad venom through great changes after processing, conjunct type content is much less, free type content as well change.
Amphibian Venoms ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bufonidae ; classification ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Molecular Structure ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods