Objective: To investigate the expression of co-stimulatory molecule CD86 and inducible costimulator(ICOS) in the intestinal mucosa of Crohn disease (CD) and to exlpore its pathologic significance. Methods: Expression of co-stimulator CD86 and ICOS was examined by immunohistoehemistry on paraffin embedded tissue from patients with CD (30 cases) and normal controls (20 cases). The subsets of lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC) were also analysed via immunostaining for CD4, CD8 and CD20. Results: Increased amount of CD86 or ICOS positive LPMC was observed in the lesional area of CD when compared with the essentially normal area of CD and normal controls (q = 9. 23 ,P ＜0. 01 and q =5. 46 ,P＜0. 01). In addition, the expression of CD86 or ICOS was higher in intestinal epithelium of CD than that in normal controls (H = 24. 93, P＜0. 01 and H = 4. 66, P＜0. 01 ) , whereas no significant difference was seen between the diseased and the essentially normal area of CD. The amount of CD4 or CD8 positive lymphocytes in lamina propria, epithelium and small vascular walls was also significantly increased in CD than that in normal controls (P＜0. 05 or P＜0. 01). Conclusion: Increased amount of CD86 or ICOS positive LPMC and enterocytes in CD suggests that co-stimulatory molecules may play a role in the pathogenesis of CD. The enterocytes may act as non-specific antigen presenting cells in the process of cellular immunity activation in CD.

Objective To explore the effect of human leukocyte antigen B* genotype and age on serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels in children with seizures or epilepsy. Methods Fifteen children with seizures or epilepsy in whom HLA-B*15:02 genotype was detected during October 2015 to June 2016 were included. The plasma Hcy concentration in children with different genotypes was compared. The association of Hcy concentration and age was performed by linear-regression analysis. Results The mean concentration of Hcy was 8.38±4.23 μmol/L in children not carrying HLA-B*15:02 gene, which was obviously higher than that in children carrying HLA-B*15:02 gene 13.03±0.97 μmol/L (P<0.05). The Hcy concentration increased with the age (r2 =0.29, P<0.05). Conclusions Elder children with seizures or epilepsy carrying HLA-B*15:02 gene tend to have higher Hcy concentration and increased potential risk of disease. HLA-B*15:02 gene type and age can predict the changes of Hcy concentration in children with convulsions.

Objective:To compare the clinical characteristics of patients with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (NERD), reflux hypersensitivity (RH) and functional heartburn (FH), in order to help the differential diagnosis and treatment of the three diseases.Methods:From October 2016 to February 2019, 64 patients with persistent heartburn who had negative endoscopy in the Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University and with negative results of endoscopy examination were consecutively selected, which included 26 NERD patients (NERD group), 12 RH patients (RH group) and 26 FH patients (FH group). The gender, age, body mass index (BMI), presence of hiatus hernia, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment effect, the score and incidence of gastroesophageal symptoms within one month before visit, and the incidence of overlapping functional dyspepsia (FD), postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) and epigastric pain syndrome (EPS) of the three groups were compared. One-way analysis of variance, least-significant difference, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results:There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age or incidence of esophageal hiatal hernia between NERD group, RH group and FH group (all P>0.05). BMI of NERD group was higher than that of FH group ((23.74±3.10) kg/m 2 vs. (21.26±2.75) kg/m 2), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=3.066, P=0.003). The effective rate of PPI treatment in NERD group was higher than those of RH group and FH group (19, 4, and 11 cases, respectively), the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=5.428 and 5.042, P=0.020 and 0.025). The score and incidence of burning sensation in upper abdomen of NERD group were both lower than those of FH group (0, 0 to 0 vs. 0, 0 to 5; 7.7%, 2/26 vs. 38.5%, 10/26), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-2.756, P=0.006; χ2=6.933, P=0.008). There were no statistically significant differences in the score of heartburn symptoms, or the scores and incidence of chest pain, reflux, globular sensation of hysteria, burning sensation of throat, cough, epigastric pain, early satiety or post meal fullness, belching, nausea or vomiting between NERD group, RH group and FH group (all P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of overlapping FD or overlapping PDS between the NERD group, RH group and FH group (both P>0.05), but the incidence of overlapping EPS of FH group was higher than that of NERD group (46.2%, 12/26 vs. 11.5%, 3/26), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=7.589, P=0.013). Conclusions:There are certain differences in the clinical characteristics of patients with NERD, RH or FH, mainly reffected in the PPI treatment effects and whether overlapping EPS. The higher incidence of FH overlapping EPS further strengthens the hypothesis that functional gastrointestinal disorders have a common pathophysiological mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the differences in reflux patterns in 24-hour esophageal pH-impedance monitoring in patients with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), reflux hypersensitivity (RH) and functional heartburn (FH) and explore the possible mechanism of symptoms in patients with heartburn and negative endoscopic findings. METHODS: Seventy-nine patients with heartburn as the main symptoms but negative endoscopic findings, including 35 with NERD, 16 with RH and 28 with FH, were enrolled in this study.All the patients underwent 24-h esophageal pH-impedance monitoring and esophagogastroscopy, and the results were compared among the 3 groups. RESULTS: Acid reflux episode was significantly increased and weakly alkaline reflux episode was significantly decreased in NERD group in comparison with RH group and FH group ( CONCLUSIONS Patients with NERD, RH and FH had different reflux patterns.Acid reflux is predominant in the NERD, while weakly alkaline reflux is significantly increased RH and FH.In patients with normal esophageal acid exposure but without symptoms or without recorded symptoms during esophageal pH-impedance monitoring, analysis of the total reflux episode, mixed reflux episode, proximal acid reflux episode and percentage can help in the differential diagnosis between RH and FH.
Electric Impedance ; Esophageal pH Monitoring ; Gastroesophageal Reflux/diagnosis* ; Heartburn/etiology* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration