OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of Pifubing Xuedu Pill (PXDP) combined with Diyin Tablet (DYT) in treating patients with psoriasis.

METHODSSixty patients were divided into 2 groups by randomized controlled method. DYT was orally taken by all patients, while XDP was given additionally to patients in the treated group, the medication was continued for 1 month. The therapeutic effect, toxic and adverse reaction were observed.

RESULTSIn the treated group, 7 patients were cured, 11 basically cured, 4 markedly effective, 7 improved, and 1 ineffective, with the clinical cured rate of 60.0% and the total effective rate 73.3%. In the control group, 3 were cured, 4 basically cured, 9 markedly effective, 10 improved, and 4 ineffective, with the clinical cured rate of 23.3% and the total effective rate 53.3%. No significant difference was shown in comparison of the total effective rate between the two groups (chi2 = 0.27, P > 0.05), however, significant difference was shown in comparison of the clinical cured rate (chi2 = 6.48, P < 0.05) between them. The toxic and adverse reaction in the treated group was obviously lower than those in the control group (t = 5.27, P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONDYT combined with PXDP in treating psoriasis shows better therapeutic effect, with quicker initiation, lesser toxic and adverse reaction, and higher efficacy than using DYT alone.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Psoriasis ; drug therapy ; Tablets

Global longitudinal strain (GLS) at rest on two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE) was demonstrated to help detect coronary artery disease (CAD).However,the optimal cut-off point of GLS and its diagnostic power for detecting critical CAD in non-diabetes mellitus (DM) patients are unknown.In the present study,211 patients with suspected CAD were prospectively included,with DM patients excluded.All patients underwent echocardiography and subsequently coronary angiography within 3 days.Left ventricular (LV) GLSs were quantified by 2D STE.Territorial peak systolic longitudinal strains (TLSs) were calculated based on the perfusion territories of the 3-epicardial coronary arteries in a 17-segment LV model.Critical CAD was defined as an area stenosis ≥70％ in ≥1 epicardial coronary artery (≥50％ in left main coronary artery).Totally 145 patients were diagnosed as having critical CAD by coronary angiography.Significant differences were observed in all strain parameters between patients with and without critical CAD.The area under the receiver operating charcteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for GLS in the detection of left main (LM) or threevessel CAD was 0.875 at a cut-off value of-19.05％ with sensitivity of 78.1％ and specificity of 72.7％,which increased to 0.926 after exclusion of apical segments (cut-off value-18.66％;sensitivity 84.4％ and specificity 81.8％).The values of TLSs were significantly lower in regions supplied by stenotic arteries than in those by non-stenotic arteries.The AUC for the TLSs to identify critical stenosis of left circumflex (LCX) artery,left anterior descending (LAD) artery and right coronary artery (RCA),in order of diagnostic accuracy,was 0.818 for LCX,0.764 for LAD and 0.723 for RCA,respectively.In conclusion,in non-DM patients with suspected CAD,GLS assessed by 2D STE is an excellent predictor for LM or three-vessel CAD with high diagnostic accuracy,and a higher cut-off point than reported before should be used.Excluding apical segments in the calculation of GLS can further improve the predictive accuracy of GLS.It is unsatisfactory for TLSs to be used to identify stenotic coronary arteries.

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of imatinib mesylate (imatinib) for patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+ ) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in accelerated and blastic phase.

METHODSSeventy-five Ph+ CML patients in accelerated phase and 49 in blastic phase were treated with 400 mg or 600 mg of imatinib once daily.

RESULTSFor patients in accelerated phase, the cumulative hematological response (HR) rate was 93.3%, including complete HR (CHR) rate 85.3%, and returning to chronic phase (RCP) rate 8% in a median follow-up of 23.0 (1.0 -64.0 ) months. Cumulative major cytogenetic response (MCyR) rate was 33.0%, and complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) rate 28.0%. For patients with CCyR, the major molecular response (MMoR) rate was 47.6%. The estimated 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate were 48.2% and 52.2% in patients with HR, respectively. Severe leukocytopenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 37.3%, 34.6% and 45.3% of all patients, respectively. For patients in blastic phase, the cumulative HR rate was 63.3%, including CHR rate 44.9%, and RCP rate 18.4% in a median follow-up of 4.5 (0.3 -63.0) months. Cumulative MCyR rate and CCyR rate were both 12.2%. For patients with CCyR, the MMoR rate was 33.3%. For patients with HR, the estimated 1-year/2-year PFS and OS rates were 32.8%/15.8% and 46.0%/ 21.0% respectively. Severe leukocytopenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 75.5%, 71.4% and 73.5% of all patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe efficiency of imatinib was decreasing, and severer hematological toxicities increasing with the disease progressing in patients with Ph+ CML. Imatinib improves progression-free survival significantly in most patients in accelerated phase, particularly in those with continuous CCyR or MMoR. The response duration in majority of blastic phase patients is short, and the relapse rate is high.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Benzamides ; Blast Crisis ; drug therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Accelerated Phase ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Piperazines ; therapeutic use ; Prognosis ; Pyrimidines ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the alterations in coagulation in patients during conditioning with modified busulfan plus cyclophosphamide (BU/CY) +/- antithymocyte globulin (ATG) regimen before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), and to assess the effect of ATG on coagulation system.

METHODSThirty-five patients with various hematological malignancies undergoing allo-HSCT were assessed. Of them, 19 patients with HLA-matched sibling donors (group A) were conditioned with modified BU/CY regimen, 16 with HLA-mismatched family members or HLA-matched unrelated donors (group B) were conditioned with modified BU/CY + ATG regimen. Blood samples were collected before the beginning of conditioning till d + 1 after allo-HSCT. The following parameters were measured: prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fg), antithrombin (AT), D-Dimer, fibrin degradation product (FDP), platelet (BPC), liver enzymes and bilirubin. FVIII: C, FIX: C, FXI: C and FXII: C in prolonged APTT blood samples were also determined. Clinical hemorrhagic symptoms were monitored.

RESULTSDuring conditioning, temporary lengthening of APTT, persistent rising in Fg and declining of BPC were observed in the two groups. Alterations of Fg and BPC were more significant in group B than in group A. Transient D-Dimer increase occurred only in group B on administration of ATG. Among intrinsic pathway coagulation factors, FXII: C and FXI: C were commonly decreased while APTT prolonged. No difference between the two groups was found with regard to PT, FDP, AT and liver parameters which remained in normal ranges. Most of patients in the two groups did not have overt bleeding manifestations.

CONCLUSIONSModified BU/CY +/- ATG conditioning regimen can induce subclinical alterations in coagulation. The regimen containing ATG has more significant effect on coagulation parameters.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antilymphocyte Serum ; therapeutic use ; Blood Coagulation ; drug effects ; Child ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Prothrombin Time ; Transplantation Conditioning ; Young Adult

In order to explored the change of PML/PML-RARalpha protein during tetraarsenic tetrasulfide (As4S4) treatment, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells from a group of newly diagnosed APL patients were examined by indirect immunofluorescence staining with anit-PML monoclonal antibody. The results showed that all samples typically presented many microspeckle signals throughout the nucleus before treatment. The redistribution occurred as early as on the second day after As4S4 treatment, which revealed loss of microspeckles with the presentation of a few large speckles. Anti-PML staining also emerged in the perinuclear cytoplasm. At last, microspeckles and large speckles all disappeared. When the therapy was combining all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) with As4S4, similar results were obtained. However, APL cells from patients treated with ATRA alone performed totally different appearance, presenting microspeckles and large speckles at the same time, followed with entirely large speckles. The conclusion is that As4S4 makes redistribution of PML/PML-RARalpha protein in leukemic cells from APL patients during the treatment, which is quite different from that during the treatment of ATRA.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arsenicals ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; analysis ; Nuclear Proteins ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; analysis ; Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein ; Transcription Factors ; analysis ; Tretinoin ; therapeutic use ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects on function rehabilitation of vocal cord after vocal cord polyps surgery treated with acupuncture at Sheng's Four Points of Throat.

METHODSSixty cases were randomly divided into a combined therapy group of Four Points of Throat and medication (group 1, 30 cases) and a medication group (group 2, 30 cases). In group 1 Four Points of Throat were punctured and routine medication was applied; in group 2, only routine medication was applied. The scores of symptom-sign and status of voice were observed and analyzed before and after treatment in two groups.

RESULTSAt 4th day after the surgery, the improvement of the symptom-sign scores in group 1 was more significant than that in group 2 (P < 0.05); and the voice analysis status in group 1 was superior to that in group 2 (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 83.3% (25/30) in group 1, which was superior to that of 60.0% (18/30) in group 2 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe effect on function rehabilitation of vocal cord after vocal cord polyps surgery treated with the combined therapy group of Four Points of Throat and routine medication is favorable, superior to that with routine medication therapy.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Diseases ; physiopathology ; rehabilitation ; surgery ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures ; Pharynx ; physiopathology ; Vocal Cords ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene expression and radiosensitivity of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.

METHODSEGFR sequence-specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA-EGFR) was chemically synthesized. NSCLC cell line SPC-A1 was transfected with dsRNA-EGFR formulated with Lipofectamine 2000. Western blot and real-time PCR were used to determine the EGFR mRNA and protein expression, respectively. Colony inhibition test was adopted to observe the radiosensitizing effect. To establish the nude mouse tumor models, calculate the tumor growth inhibition rate and make the tumor growth curve by measuring its size and weight.

RESULTSEGFR mRNA levels were 1.51 ± 0.22, 1.38 ± 0.15 and 0.45 ± 0.11 in the control group, dsRNA-unrelated group and dsRNA-EGFR group, respectively (F = 482.7, P < 0.01). The contents of EGFR protein were 2340.87 ± 10.99, 2231.85 ± 35.66 and 832.03 ± 39.13 in the control group, dsRNA-unrelated group and dsRNA-EGFR group, respectively (F = 263.3, P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, dsRNA-EGFR sequence specifically decreased the expressions of EGFR mRNA by 70.2% and EGFR protein by 64.5%. The colony inhibition rates of the control group, dsRNA-unrelated combined with radiotherapy group and dsRNA-EGFR combined with radiotherapy group were 9.3%, 12.5% and 65.5%, and the tumor growth inhibition rates were 21.3%, 24.4% and 64.2%, respectively. The combination of dsRNA-EGFR and radiotherapy significantly inhibited the tumor growth in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSIONSDsRNA-EGFR shows an apparent inhibitory effect on the expression of EGFR mRNA and protein of NSCLC cells, effectively inhibit the tumor growth in vivo, and enhance the radiosensitivity of NSCLC.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; radiation effects ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; RNA, Double-Stranded ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Radiation Tolerance ; Random Allocation ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Burden ; radiation effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of tetra-arsenic tetra-sulfide (As4S4) therapy on the corrected QT interval (QTc) in the acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients.

METHODSNinety cases of APL treated with As4S4 were divided into two groups--the remission induction group and maintenance therapy group. Blood arsenic concentration was measured and a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was simultaneously performed before treatment and after remission in the induction group, and before and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 courses after the treatment in the maintenance therapy group. QT interval on each ECG was measured and corrected by the Bazett formula.

RESULTSOral administration of As4S4 could lead to the prolongation of QTc both in remission induction and maintenance therapy groups. QTc prolongation was related to the doses of As4S4 and blood arsenic levels. QTc prolongation and its variation range were increased with accumulative doses of As4S4 and the blood arsenic levels. In ten courses maintenance therapy patients, the average abnormal rate of QTc was 37.7%. Blood arsenic concentration was increased slowly with courses, but the variation had no statistical difference (P > 0.05). All the patients whose QTc was abnormal (> or = 440 ms) had neither symptoms nor serious cardiac events, such as ventricular tachycardia and Torsade de pointes and could complete the As4S4 therapy.

CONCLUSIONAlthough As4S4 therapy can lead to QTc prolongation in the treatment of APL patients, it does not preclude the completion of the therapy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Arsenicals ; pharmacology ; Electrocardiography ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sulfides ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between microalbuminuria (MA) and plasma high sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP).

METHODThe plasma hsCRP level and urine albumin level of 746 Chinese people were detected with ELISA and analyzed, respectively.

RESULTThe hsCRP level of MA group increased significantly compared with the control group (2.23 +/- 3.35 mg/L vs 1.68 +/- 2.58 mg/L, P < 0.05), the incidence of MA increased significantly when the plasma hsCRP level was beyond 0.77 mg/L (P < 0.05); logistic analysis showed that the occurrence of MA was associated with the plasma hsCRP level (OR = 1.153, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIncreased plasma hsCRP was probably involved in the occurrence of MA, suggesting that inflammation may deteriorate endothelial dysfunction.

Aged ; Albuminuria ; urine ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Middle Aged