Serum cytokine concentrations were determined in patients with Graves'disease(GD)before and after treatment of thiamazole.Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor(sIL-2R)level was markedly raised before treatment as compared with normal subjects and returned to normal after 3 month therapy.Serum IL-8 level was lowered in GD patients and showed no change after 3 month therapy.No relationship between IL-8 and other markers was found.Serum IL-1?,IL-6 and TNF-?levels in GD patients showed no difference with those in normal controls.

Objective To investigate the metabolic alterations in the brain of neonates with HIE and correlate those alterations with clinical grading and prognosis of HIE.Methods Fourty-six eases of full-term neonates diagnosed as HIE clinically were performed MRI and 1~H-MRS,9 healthy neonates without the evidence of asphyxia were studied as controls,1~H-MRS techniques included single voxel proton MRS and two dimensional muhi-voxel chemical shift spectroscopy imaging,point resolved spectroscopy sequence was used for 1~H-MRS.Metabolic changes in the spectroscopy were analyzed in neonates with HIE,and study the relationgship between MRS findings and prognosis.Results(1)The typical 1~H-MRS manifestations of full- term neonates suffering from HIE were as follows:the peaks of Lac were elevated,GLx-? were elevated and NAA were decreased.(2)GLx-?/Cr ratio in control,mild,moderate and severe HIE group was 0.16, 0.21,0.64,and 1.31,respectively.Lac/Cr ratio in control,mild,moderate and severe HIE group was 0.12,0.14,0.19,and 0.26,respectively.There was a significant difference in the ratio of GLx-? and Lac/Cr between HIE group and control group(t=5.01,P

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical curative effect and safety of Jiedu Tongluo Lishi decoction on treating active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHOD106 cases of RA in active period were randomly divided into the integrated Chinese and western medicine group (n=54) and western medicine contrast group (n=52). The former group were treated by Jiedu Tongluo Lishi decoction combined with SASP, the latter by MTX combined with SASP. The arthritis morning stiffness time, ache indexes, tumidness indexes, function indexes, hands grip, 20-m walking time and experimental indexes including ESR, RF, CRP, C3, immune globin of both groups were observed and compared.

RESULTThe obviously clinical effective ratio and the total clinical effective ratio in the former group were 77.78% and 90.74% respectively, which are better than those in the latter group (59.62% and 71.15% respectively) (P < 0.01). The arthritis morning stiffness time, ache indexes, tumidness indexes, function indexes, hands grip and 20-m walking time in both groups were obviously released after treatment (P < 0.01). The clinical release in the former group was better than that in the latter group (P < 0.05). ESR, RF and CRP in both groups were markedly improved (P < 0.05). The improvement of ESR, RF, CRP, C3 and IgA in the former group were better than those in the latter group (P < 0.05). The side effect includes gastroenteric tract reaction, decrease of leucocyte, abnormity of liver function, tetter and catamenia maladjustment. The occurent ratio in the former group was 7.41%, which was obviously lower than that in the latter group (15.38%) (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe compositively clinical curative effect of Jiedu Tongluo Lishi decoction combined with MTX on treating RA is obviously better than that of western medicine only such as MTX and SASP, with less side effect and higher safety, which is worth applying in clinics extensively.

Animals ; Antirheumatic Agents ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Experimental ; blood ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Dinoprostone ; blood ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Freund's Adjuvant ; Interleukin-1beta ; blood ; Male ; Materia Medica ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Pain Threshold ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Scorpions ; chemistry ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effects of Qingre Quyu Granule (QQG) on the patients with severe carotid stenosis, and to explore the mechanism of it.

METHODSNinety-six patients with severe carotid stenosis were enrolled in the study and were classified into a QQG group (n=48) and a control group (n=48) randomly using consecutively numbered envelopes. The patients in the QQG group were given QQG and Western medicine, those in the control group were given Western medicine merely, the course of treatment was 16 weeks. All patients went through endarterectomy after treatment. Plaques were subjected to the analysis of CD3, CD68, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9), CD40L, tenascin-C, and collagen content lipid content by immunohistochemistry or polarized light analysis.

RESULTSBy the end of experiment, the expressions of CD3, CD68, ICAM-1, MMP9, CD40L and tenascin-C on the plaques were statistically significant lower in the QQG group compared with the control group(P<0.01). The lipid content of the plaque was also significantly lower in the QQG group compared with the control group (P<0.01). The interstitial collagen in the tissue sections of the plaques was also significantly higher in the QQG group in comparison with the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONQQG could stabilize carotid artery plaques through inhibiting pro-inflammation factors and restraining the tenascin-C and MMP9 pathway.

Aged ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; CD3 Complex ; metabolism ; CD40 Ligand ; metabolism ; Carotid Arteries ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carotid Stenosis ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; complications ; pathology ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy ; Tenascin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo further understand the clinical features of non-gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and investigate its suitable treatment.

METHODSA retrospective survey of 57 non-gastric MATL lymphoma patients pathologically confirmed in our hospital from 1999 to 2011.

RESULTSThe median age was 58 years (range 14-86 years). Common presenting sites of non-gastric MALT lymphoma included lungs and upper respiratory tract (17 patients, 29.8%), intestinal tracts (16 patients,28.1%), orbital and ocular adnexal (7 patients, 12.3%), and salivary glands (8 patients, 14.0%). Stage Ⅰ-Ⅱdisease presented in 35 patients (61.4%), stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ disease in 22 patients (38.6%). A total of 26 patients had nodal involvement and 7 patients multiple organ involvement. Regimens included surgery alone, chemotherapy alone, surgery followed by chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. The complete response (CR) rate was 66.0% and the overall response rate 85.7%. At a median follow-up of 52 months, the 5-year overall survival (OS) and the 5-year progression free survival (PFS) were 91.6% and 77.7%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate of surgery, chemotherapy, surgery+chemotherapy, surgery + chemotherapy + radiotherapy groups were 87.5%, 100.0%, 90.2% and 100.0%, respectively, without significant differences. The 5-year PFS of the four groups were 62.3%, 80.0%, 90.2% and 75.0% respectively.

CONCLUSIONNon-gastric MALT lymphoma is characterized by disseminated onset, favorable response to treatments and good outcomes. There is no statistically significant difference in the overall survival of the various treatments. But the recurrence rate of surgery alone is relatively high (22.3%).

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Only moderate to severe Crohn's Disease (CD) patients without a satisfactory conventional therapy effect are eligible to get reimbursement from the National Health Insurance of Taiwan for using adalimumab. These are more stringent criteria than in many Western countries and Japan and Korea. We aim to explore the efficacy of using adalimumab in CD patients under such stringent criteria. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted in nine medical centers in Taiwan and we collected the results of CD patients receiving adalimumab from Sep 2009 to Mar 2014. The clinical characteristics, response measured by CDAI (Crohn's Disease Activity Index), adverse events and survival status were recorded and analyzed. CR-70, CR-100, and CR-150 were defined as attaining a CDAI decrease of 70, 100 or 150 points compared with baseline. RESULTS: A total of 103 CD patient records were used in this study. Sixty percent of these patients received combination therapy of adalimumab together with immunomodulators. CR-70 was 68.7%, 74.5% and 88.4% after week 4, 8 and 12 of treatment, respectively. The steroid-free rate, complications and survival were 47.6%, 9.7% and 99% of patients, respectively. In considering the mucosal healing, only 25% patients achieve mucosal healing after treatment for 6 to12 months. Surgery was still needed in 16.5% of patients. Combination treatment of adalimumab with immunomodulators further decreased the level of CDAI at week 8 when compared with the monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Even under the stringent criteria for using adalimumab, the response rate was comparable to those without stringent criteria.
Adalimumab ; Crohn Disease* ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* ; Japan ; Korea ; National Health Programs ; Retrospective Studies ; Taiwan*

BACKGROUNDComputed tomography (CT) is better than routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting intracranial calcification. This study aimed to assess the value of MR susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in the detection and differentiation of intracranial calcification and hemorrhage.

METHODSEnrolled in this study were 35 patients including 13 cases of calcification demonstrated by CT and 22 cases of intracerebral hemorrhage. MR sequences used in all the subjects included axial T1WI, T2WI and SWI. The phase shift (PS) of calcification and hemorrhage on SWI was calculated and their signal features on corrected phase images were compared. The sensitivity of T1WI, T2WI and SWI in detecting intracranial calcification and hemorrhage was analyzed statistically.

RESULTSThe detection rate of SWI for cranial calcification was 98.2%, significantly higher than that of T1WI and T2WI. It was not significantly different from that of CT (P > 0.05). There were 49 hemorrhagic lesions at different stages detected on SWI, 30 on T2WI and 18 on T1WI. The average PS of calcification and hemorrhage was +0.734 +/- 0.073 and -0.112 +/- 0.032 respectively (P < 0.05). The PS of calcification was positive and presented as a high signal or the mixed signal dominated by a high signal on the corrected phase images, whereas the PS of hemorrhage was negative and presented as a low signal or the mixed signal dominated by a low signal.

CONCLUSIONSSWI can accurately demonstrate intracranial calcification, not dependant on CT. Being more sensitive than routine MRI in detecting micro-hemorrhage, SWI may play an important role in differentiating cerebral diseases associated with calcification or hemorrhage.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Brain Diseases ; diagnosis ; Calcinosis ; diagnosis ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged

Background/Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. While existing studies have examined cardiac remodeling in NAFLD, there has been less emphasis on the development of carotid atherosclerosis and stroke. We sought to conduct a meta-analysis to quantify the prevalence, risk factors, and degree of risk increment of carotid atherosclerosis and stroke in NAFLD. Methods: Embase and Medline were searched for articles relating to NAFLD, carotid atherosclerosis, and stroke. Proportional data was analysed using a generalized linear mixed model. Pairwise meta-analysis was conducted to obtain odds ratio or weighted mean difference for comparison between patients with and without NAFLD. Results: From pooled analysis of 30 studies involving 7,951 patients with NAFLD, 35.02% (95% confidence interval [CI], 27.36–43.53%) had carotid atherosclerosis with an odds ratio of 3.20 (95% CI, 2.37–4.32; P<0.0001). Pooled analysis of 25,839 patients with NAFLD found the prevalence of stroke to be 5.04% (95% CI, 2.74–9.09%) with an odds ratio of 1.88 (95% CI, 1.23–2.88; P=0.02) compared to non-NAFLD. The degree of steatosis assessed by ultrasonography in NAFLD was closely associated with risk of carotid atherosclerosis and stroke. Older age significantly increased the risk of developing carotid atherosclerosis, but not stroke in NAFLD. Conclusions This meta-analysis shows that a stepwise increment of steatosis of NAFLD can significantly increase the risk of carotid atherosclerosis and stroke development in NAFLD. Patients more than a third sufferred from carotid atherosclerosis and routine assessment of carotid atherosclerosis is quintessential in NAFLD.

Humans ; Obesity/epidemiology*

Humans ; Obesity/epidemiology*