Objective: To compare the efficacy, response and survival between high-dose melphalan (HDM) and cyclophosphamide+ etoposide+ busulfan (CVB) as the conditioning regimen in autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) . Methods: Retrospectively enrolled 123 consecutive NDMM patients who had received PAD induction with subsequent ASCT from Jan 2011 to Aug 2017. The CVB group and HDM group had 82 and 41 patients respectively. Results: ①No differences existed between these 2 groups in non-hematological side effects. ②Patients of CVB group had faster neutrophil and platelet engraftment time, with the median neutrophil engraftment time of 10 (9-35) day vs 11 (9-12) day for patients of HDM group (z=-3.433, P=0.001) , and with median platelet engraftment time of 11 (7-55) day vs 13 (10-35) day for patients of HDM group (z=-3.506, P<0.001) . CVB group entered neutropenia and severe thrombocytopenia more earlier than the HDM group, resulting similar neutropenia duration and severe thrombocytopenia duration between the CVB group and HDM group. However, patients of CVB group had significantly longer fever persistent time and antibiotic administration time. ③The response rate was significantly lower in patients of CVB group vs. patients of HDM group (9/46 vs 14/28, P=0.021) . Further, the minimal residual disease (MRD) negative rate at 3^rd month post-transplantation seemed to be lower in CVB group than that in HDM group (31.7%vs 48.8%, P=0.065) . ④Both the univariate and multivariate analysis showed that HDM and CVB groups had similar duration to progression (TTP) (P=0.619) and overall survival (OS) (P=0.295) . Conclusion HDM conditioning regimen is superior to CVB regimen in hematological side effects, tumor burden reduction and administration convenience. However, these two regimen had similar TTP and OS in MM patients receiving ASCT.

Objective To study the expression of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients and the short-term efficacy of low doses of interleukin-2 (IL-2). Methods Ninety-five patients with PsA were enrolled as study subjects and 106 healthy people as control group. On the basis of conventional treatment, a total of 22 PsA patients were randomly selected and treated with low dose IL-2 (5 ×105 U/d, continuously used for 5 days, IH), and the disease condition and lymphocyte changes were observed. Flow cytometry was used to detect the absolute count of T subsets dominated by regulatory T cell(Treg) and T helper cell 17(Th17). Wilcoxon rank sum test, χ2 test and Spearman correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results The absolute number of Th17 cells of PsA patients [7.2 (4.0, 12.8) cells/μl] was higher than that of the control group [5.9(4.0, 8.6) cells/μl] (Z=-1.997, P=0.046), the number of Treg cells [25 (17, 36) cells/μl] decreased compared with the control group [30 (23, 40) cells/μl] (Z=-2.957, Z=0.003), T/Treg [50 (36), 76)], B/Treg [7.6 (5.4, 11.5)], CD4+T/Treg [27 (21, 42)], CD8+T/Treg [20 (12, 30)], Th17/Treg [0.34(0.13, 0.51)], Th1/Treg [4.4(2.3, 7.2)], Th2/Treg [0.34(0.20, 0.53)], compared with control group T/Treg [40 (32, 54)], B/Treg [6.5 (4.2, 8.1)], CD4+T/Treg [20 (17, 25)], CD8+T/Treg [16 (11, 24)], Th17/Treg [0.19 (0.13, 0.31)], Th1/Treg [3.5 (1.8, 5.8)], Th2/Treg [0.24 (0.15, 0.39)] were significantly increased (Z=-3.365, -3.217,-5.285, -2.097, -1.69, -1.482, -2.304, P<0.05). Treg cells were negatively correlated with disease activity indexes TJC (r=-0.213, P=0.038), VAS (r=-0.299, P=0.003), PHGA (r=-0.287, P=0.005), DLQI (r=-0.208, P=0.043). Th17 cells increased from [6.3 (2.3, 11.5) cells/μl] to [11 (7, 20) cells/μl, Z=-2.808, P=0.005] after low-dose IL-2 treatment, Treg cells increased from [27 (15, 30) cells/μl] to [71 (37, 98) cells/μl, Z=-3.945, P<0.01]. Because the growth rate of Treg was much higher than Th17, Th17/Treg [before IL-2 treatment: 0.26 (0.11, 0.44), after IL-2 treatment: 0.14 (0.1, 0.35)] returned back to the normal range. After the treatment with IL-2, the patient's activity indicators were significantly improved, and there were no reversible adverse reactions. Conclusion The reduction of Treg cells may be involved in the occurrence and devel-opment of PsA. Low-dose IL-2 treatment can effectively promote the proliferation of Treg cells and the recovery of Th17/Treg balance, which is conducive to the improvement of the condition and good safety.

Objective: To study the efficacy, safety and long-term outcomes of integrated strategy of bortezomib-based induction regimens followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell (ASCT) and maintenance therapy in Chinese multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Methods: 200 MM patients receiving integrated strategy of bortezomib--based induction regimens followed by ASCT and maintenance therapy were retrospectively and prospectively analyzed from December 1. 2006 to April 30. 2018. Results: The complete remission rates (CR) and better than very good partial remission rates (VGPR) after induction therapy, transplantation and maintenance therapy were respectively 31% and 75.5%, 51.8% and 87.7%,73.6% and 93.4%. There was no difference between 4 cycles and more than 5 cycles induction chemotherapy. The negative rate of MRD detection by flow cytometry was 17.6% and 38.2% respectively after induction and 3 months after transplantation. The negative rate of MRD gradually increased during the maintenance therapy. The success rate of high dose CTX combined with G-CSF mobilization was 95.5% and transplantation related mortality (TRM) was zero. The median time to progress (TTP) was 75.3 months and the median overall survival (OS) was 99.5 months. TTP of patients obtaining CR and negative MRD after induction were longer that those of no CR and positive MRD. TTP and OS of patients receiving triple-drug induction and ASCT in early stage were longer than those of double-drug induction and ASCT in late stage. LDH≥240 U/L, high risk cytogenetics, ISS II+III stage and HBsAg positive were prognostic factors at diagnosis. However, only MRD and high risk cytogenetics were independent prognostic factors after transplantation and maintenance therapy. The clinical characteristics of patients of TTP ≥6 years were listed below: light-chain type M protein, ISS I stage, normal level of hemoglobin and platelet, normal LDH, HBsAg negative, chromosome 17p-negative, good response and sustained good response. Conclusions Integrated strategy of bortezomib-based induction regimens followed by ASCT and maintenance therapy can significantly improve the short-term and long-term efficacy. The prognostic factors of TTP in different disease stages were different. Response to treatment, especially MRD, played a more important role in prognostic factors.

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects between acupuncture with regulating mind and spleen and wes-tern medication for diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D).

METHODSEighty-one patients were randomly at the ratio of 2 to 1 assigned into an acupuncture group (54 cases) and a western medication group (27 cases). Acupuncture with regulating mind and spleen was applied in the acupuncture group for 6 weeks at Baihui (GV 20), Yintang (GV 29), Tianshu (ST 25), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and Taichong (LR 3), once every other day, 3 times a week. Pinaverium bromide tablet was used orally in the western medication group for 6 weeks, 50 mg a time, 3 times a day. IBS symptom severity score (IBS-SSS) were observed before and after 1-week, 6-week treatment. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was applied before and after 6-week treatment. Also, clinical efficacy was evaluated in the two groups.

RESULTSThree patients dropped out in the acupuncture group, and 1 in the western medication group. Except abdominal distension score after 1-week treatment in the western medication group, single scores and total scores of IBS-SSS apparently reduced in the two groups after 1-week and 6-week treatment (<0.01,<0.05). After 1-week treatment, the abdominal pain score of the acupuncture group was obviously lower than that of the western medication group (<0.05). After 6-week treatment, with abdominal pain relief advantage, other results including the number of pain days, defecation satisfaction,life disturbance degree and total score of the acupuncture group were obviously lower than those of the wes-tern medication group (<0.01,<0.05). After 6-week treatment, the PSQI score and its change before and after treatment in the acupuncture group were superior to those in the western medication group (both<0.05). The relief rate and relief plus obvious effective rate in the acupuncture group were higher than those in the western medication group[51.0% (26/51) vs 19.2% (5/26),<0.01; 64.7% (33/51) vs 34.6% (9/26),<0.05].

CONCLUSIONSAcupuncture with regulating mind and spleen for diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome can more effectively relieve abdominal pain than pinaverium bromide tablet at the early stage. Its total effect and single effects are better at the later stage on abdominal pain, seizure frequency, defecation satisfaction, life disturbance, and sleep quality.