OBJECTIVETo observe the intervention of liuwei dihuang pill (LDP) on therapeutic effectiveness and adverse reaction of hormonotherapy in treating nephrotic syndrome.

METHODSPatients allocated in two groups were medicated with initial dose of prednisone 1 mg/kg once a day at 8 am in the morning. After being medicated for 8 to 12 weeks, the dose of prednisone was decreased by 5.0 mg every 2 weeks till 0.5 mg/kg per day. Then the medication was changed to that two days' dosage orally take once a day with the daily dose reduced by 5.0 mg/kg every 2 to 3 weeks, and maintained at 0.4 mg/kg once every two days. At same time, necessary symptomatic treatment was given. To the treated group oral administration of LDP 8 capsules was given additionally, 3 times per day until prednisone decreased to maintenance dose.

RESULTSTherapeutic effect in the treated group was significant better than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Urinary protein, plasma albumin, triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in both groups were obviously improved (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). However, as compared with the control group, the improvement was better, and the recurrent rate was lower (P < 0.05) in the treated group. Scores of Yin-deficiency caused excessive Fire syndrome and incidence rate of adverse reaction in the treated group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONLDP can markedly improve the therapeutic effectiveness and counteract the adverse reaction of hormonotherapy in treating nephrotic syndrome, and reduce the recurrence of the disease.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Obesity ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Phytotherapy ; Prednisone ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Yin Deficiency ; chemically induced ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo investigate the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis incidence rates as well as the retention rate in a cohort with 6-month follow-up study among female sex workers (FSWs).

METHODSFrom December, 2004, to January, 2005, a community-based baseline survey was conducted to recruit 343 FSWs for a prospective cohort study in Xichang county of Sichuan province, China. Follow-up visits were conducted at 6 months to analyze risk factors associated with cohort retention for subjects' baseline sociodemographic and sexual behavioral characteristics. Blood specimens were also collected to test antibodies against HIV and syphilis.

RESULTSDuring the 6-month follow-up period, HIV and syphilis incidence appeared to be 1.00 per 100 person-years and 6.23 per 100 person-years, respectively. The rate of retention in the cohort was 53.6% (184/343). Results from multivariate logistic regression model showed that factors were significantly associated with cohort retention including people with minority ethnic background (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.18-0.74), people having participated in AIDS prevention program (OR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.17-2.86) or being clients in the last 6 months > or = 50 (OR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.11-2.77) and having changed living/working place (OR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.33-0.94).

CONCLUSIONThe results of this study showed that the syphilis incidence and unprotected sex behavior were high among local FSWs. People belonged to Han nationality, having participated in AIDS prevention program and having a steady living/working place were associated with cohort retention at 6-month follow-up study among FSWs, respectively.

China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Risk Factors ; Sex Work ; Sexual Behavior ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Syphilis ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of intracoronary adenovirus vector encoding hepatocyte growth factor gene (Ad(5)-HGF) on hematopoietic stem cells mobilization in patients with extensive coronary heart disease.

METHODSPatients with extensive coronary heart disease were treated with intracoronary infusion of adenovirus vector encoding hepatocyte growth factor (Ad(5)-HGF 5 x 10(9) pfu) gene plus stent implantation (n = 9) or equal physiological saline plus stent implantation (n = 9). Angioplasty and stent implantation was performed according to standard clinical practice by the femoral approach and blood samples were drawn from each patient at baseline before PCI, 6 to 24 hours and 6 days post procedure. The number of CD34(+), CD38(+) and CD117(+) cells in peripheral blood was analyzed by flow cytometer.

RESULTSThe number of circulating CD34(+) cells in Ad(5)-HGF gene treatment group 6 hours after procedure and the number of circulating CD117(+) cells 6 days post procedure were significantly higher in Ad(5)-HGF gene treatment group than those in the control group (0.104 +/- 0.082 vs. 0.022 +/- 0.012, P = 0.021) and (0.058 +/- 0.058 vs. 0.012 +/- 0.009, P = 0.034), respectively.

CONCLUSIONIntracoronary administration of Ad(5)-HGF could mobilize hematopoietic stem cells into peripheral blood and the consequent role of this observation on myocardial regeneration warrants further detailed studies.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Aged ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; Female ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; methods ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; genetics ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Transfection