Objective: To study the causes of misdiagnosis of patients with POEMS syndrome and to discuss the clues for its early diagnosis. Methods: The clinical and laboratory data of 26 inpatients with POEMS syndrome, who were treated in Changhai hospital over the last decade, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The misdiagnosis rate of our group was 100%. The misdiagnosis was made in (3.31±0.97) hospitals and in (3.31±0.93) clinical departments; the misdiagnosis period was (19.42±10.86) months and it had been misdiagnosed as 18 other diseases. The initial symptoms included polyneuropathy in 21 (80.8%) cases, edema of lower extremity in 22 (84.6%) cases, and body weight loss in 8 (30.8%) cases. The typical clinical symptoms included polyneuropathy in 26 (100%) cases and organomegaly in 24 (92.3%). Two cases had newly identified uterine hypertrophy, one had adrenal gland hypertrophy, and one had gastric wall thickening mimicking advanced gastric cancer. Hypothyroidism, impotence, skin pigmentation and sclerosis occurred in 76.9% (20/26), 60% (6/10), 92.3% (24/26) and 65.4% (17/26) cases, respectively. Monoclonal plasma cell proliferation was documented in 18 (81.8%); M proteins were positive in 14 (63.6%) cases by serum immunofixation, and only 2 (9.1%) cases also positive by serum protein electrophoresis. One patient was positive of M protein by urine immunofixation and one had abnormal infiltration of plasma cells in the gastric wall. Lymph node biopsy were performed in 8 patients and 3 were found to have Castleman disease; the other 5 cases had lymphocyte infiltration, with 3 complicated with plasma cell proliferation. Nerve biopsy in 4 cases all revealed axonal degeneration and one patient complicated with demyelination. Bone marrow biopsy in 5 cases revealed plasmacytosis in 2 cases and myeloma in one. Excessive radioactivity resorption was found in 10 of the 16 cases (62.5%) and abnormal plasma cells were detected in 2 cases by bone aspiration guided by radioisotope hone scan. Conclusion: Misdiagnosis of POEMS syndrome is very common. Polyneuropathy, edema of lower extremity and body weight loss are the common early symptoms of POEMS syndrome. Early diagnosis can be made by having an intimate knowledge of the progression of the disease and by detecting M protein through various approaches.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of methotrexate(MTX)on the hip involve ment in patients with ankylosing spondylitis(AS).Methods Among the AS patients with hip joint involvement admitted to the department from 1999—2002,50 patients were treated with sulfasalazine(SSZ)(control group, CG)and 48 MTX(observation group,OG).One kind of NSAIDs was taken by the patients in both groups as the basic therapy.The treatment was maintained in both groups after being discharged.Patients were followed-up for three years.The observation parameters included symptoms,signs,Bath AS disease activity index(BASDAI), Bath AS functional index(BASFI),hip joint function score,the CT staging of hip joint involvement,serum in- flammation markers,laboratory tests and side effects.The data were analyzed with SPSS10.0 statistics software. Results At the 1st,2nd and 3rd year,44,38 and 32 cases in the OG and 45,38 and 31 cases in the CG were followed up respectively.During the three-year follow-up period,the hip joint function score of the OG was significantly higher than that of the CG(P

Objective:To study the causes of misdiagnosis of patients with POEMS syndrome and to discuss the clues for its early diagnosis.Methods:The clinical and laboratory data of 26 inpatients with POEMS syndrome,who were treated in Changhai hospital over the last decade,were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The misdiagnosis rate of our group was 100%. The misdiagnosis was made in(3.31?0.97)hospitals and in(3.31?0.93)clinical departments;the misdiagnosis period was (19.42?10.86)months and it had been misdiagnosed as 18 other diseases.The initial symptoms included polyneuropathy in 21 (80.8%)cases,edema of lower extremity in 22(84.6%)cases,and body weight loss in 8(30.8%)cases.The typical clinical symptoms included polyneuropathy in 26(100%)cases and organomegaly in 24(92.3%).Two cases had newly-identified uterine hypertrophy,one had adrenal gland hypertrophy,and one had gastric wall thickening mimicking advanced gastric cancer.Hypothyroidism,impotence,skin pigmentation and sclerosis occurred in 76.9%(20/26),60%(6/10),92.3%(24/ 26)and 65.4%(17/26)cases,respectively.Monoclonal plasma cell proliferation was documented in 18(81.8%);M proteins were positive in 14(63.6%)cases by serum immunofixation,and only 2(9.1%)cases also positive by serum protein electrophoresis.One patient was positive of M protein by urine immunofixation and one had abnormal infiltration of plasma cells in the gastric wall.Lymph node biopsy were performed in 8 patients and 3 were found to have Castleman disease;the other 5 cases had lymphocyte infiltration,with 3 complicated with plasma cell proliferation.Nerve biopsy in 4 cases all revealed axonal degeneration and one patient complicated with demyelination.Bone marrow biopsy in 5 cases revealed plasmacytosis in 2 cases and myeloma in one.Excessive radioactivity resorption was found in 10 of the 16 cases(62.5%)and abnormal plasma cells were detected in 2 cases by bone aspiration guided by radioisotope bone scan.Conclusion:Misdiagnosis of POEMS syndrome is very common.Polyneuropathy,edema of lower extremity and body weight loss are the common early symptoms of POEMS syndrome. Early diagnosis can be made by having an intimate knowledge of the progression of the disease and by detecting M protein through various approaches.

Objective To explore the clinical outcome of improved technique of Gamma nail in the treatment of intertrochanteric hip fracture of the elderly patients. Methods From March 2002 to October 2006.39 patients with intertrochanteric hip fracture were operated by improved technique of Gam-ma nail.There were 18 males and 21 females at average age of75.7 years(67_98 years).There were 6 patients with type A1 fracture,24 with type A2 fracture and 9 with type A3 fracture according to AO/ASIF classification.Of all.36 patients(92.3%)had osteoporosis.The operation improvements included the following points:(1)The patients were placed at the lateral decubitus position with the fractured limb on the uppermost,with flexion of knee and hip of 60°.The normal hip and knee were flexed as possible.(2)One-off indirect traction reduction was used after general anesthesia. no requirement of continuous mechanical traction.(3)C-arm image intensifier was employed to obtain normal and lateral projections.Results Of all,35 patients were followed up for a mean period of3 years and 2 months, ranging from 6 months to 5 years and 2 months.Operation data showed incision length of(4.3±1.2)cm,mean opera-tion time of(46±10)minutes,intraoperative bleeding volume of(65±26)ml and intraoperative X-ray exposure of(3.0±2.1)times.Postoperative recovery data showed survival in one-year follow up,with ambulation time of(10.5±3.6)days and fracture union time of(10.9±2.1)weeks.Mean Parker's score wag(6.9±3.2)points 6 months after operation. Conclusions Improved technique of Gamma nail can shorten operation duration,reduce operative trauma and bleeding,reduce X-ray exposure and im-prove success rate of surgery.as facilitates early pest-operative recovery and reduces the perioperative mortality rate of the elderly.

Objective To explore the importance and methods of retaining articularis during pri- mary total hip arthroplasty(THA)and reconstruct soft tissue balance of hip joint after THA.Methods From February 2003 to August 2005,41 eases(43 hips)including 19 males and 22 females at age of 46- 80 years(mean 66.5 years)were treated with THA with retained capsule(Group R)and other 42 cases (44 hips)including 20 males and 22 females at age of 43-80 years(mean 64.3 years)with standard THA (Group S).Preoperative diagnosis found femoral neck fractures(GardenⅢⅣ)in 13 cases(13 hips)in Group R and 14(14 hips)in Group S;acetabular dysplasia(CroweⅢ)in 9(9 hips)in Group R and 8 (hips)in Group S;Osteoarthritis in 6(8 hips)in Group R and 7(8 hips)in Group S;and femoral head osteonecrosis(FicatⅢⅣ)in 13(13 hips)in Group R and 13(14 hips)in Group S.There were 13 hips of cement prostheses in Group R and 11 in Group S,8 cementless prostheses in Group R and 8 in Group S, 22 cement and cementless prostheses in Group R and 23 in Group S.Gibson's approach was used in both groups.Group R used the method of retaining capsule and little supination muscles during the operation to reconstruct responsibly soft tissue balancing of postoperation for THA.For comparison,Group S used the method of standard which resected a lots of capsule and didn't reconstruct it.The comparative items between Group R and Group S included incisional length,operative time,operative bleeding,drainage transfusion, infection,dislocation,postoperation standing,postoperation walking and Harris's score.Results All cases in Group R and Group S were followed for 6-22 months(mean 16.5 months in Group R and 16.7 months in Group S).There was significantly statistical difference upon interoperative and postoperative data between Group R and Group S.The result of Group R was significantly better than that of GS.Conclu- sion Retaining articularis during primary THA can minimize operative trauma,reconstruct soft tissue bal- ance and augment hip stability to get postoperative functional recovery.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the endourethral surgery for the complicated urethra stenosis and urethratresia.

METHODSThe endourethral surgery, such as internal urethrotomy transurethral scar electrosectomy or transurethral scar plasmakinetic bipolar electrocautery (PKR) or transurethral laser cicatrectomy, were carried out in 46 cases suffering from the complicated urethra stenosis and urethratresia.

RESULTSThe curative rate in this series being achieved by once and twice or three times'operation were 80.43% (39/46) and 13.04% (6/46) respectively. Three cases of treatment failure were caused by long-segment stricture and urethratresia or severe malposition of the urethral proximal and distal to a narrow-caliber area or post-operation infection. Thirty-nine cases have been followed up for 6 to 84 months. Satisfactory voiding has been achieved in all patients.

CONCLUSIONEndoscopic surgery was believed to be a safe and efficient therapeutic choice for the complicated urethra stenosis and urethratresia. The success of the treatment depends on understanding the length of the stricture before operation, resecting completely the scar tissue with electric or PKR or laser technique during the process, preventing infection and managing appropriately the urethral catheterization after operation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Endoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Urethra ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Urethral Obstruction ; surgery ; Urethral Stricture ; surgery ; Urogenital Surgical Procedures ; methods

Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Methylprednisolone ; therapeutic use ; POEMS Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Plasma Cells ; pathology ; gamma-Globulins ; therapeutic use

Behcet's disease is a condition characterized by systemic vasculitis liable to thrombosis, and may involve the parenchyma and blood vessels in the brain. We report a case of Behcet's disease that progressed into central neural system involvement rapidly due to failure of tertiary prevention. This case demonstrates the importance of management of the high risk factors of thrombosis and timely prevention of disease progression.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of lung fibroblast activation in radiation-induced lung injury.

METHODSThirty-five male Wistar rats were exposed to a single-dose 30 Gy irradiation of the right hemithorax or sham right lung irradiation. At 1, 7, 14, 28, 56 or 84 days after the irradiation, the rats were sacrificed for examination of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) expression in the bilateral lung tissues using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSalpha-SMA expression in fibroblast increased significantly in the out-field and in-field lung tissues within 24 h after irradiation after the irradiation (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONActivation of the lung fibroblasts occurred within 24 h after irradiation and found in ont-field and in-field lung tissues, suggesting that radiation-induced lung injury may not have an obvious latency.

Actins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Fibroblasts ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lung ; cytology ; pathology ; Male ; Radiation Injuries ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar