Objective To investigate the significance of interleukin-13 (IL-13) in patients with active lupus nephritis (LN). Methods Ten healthy volunteers and 16 patients with active LN were included in this study. The protein level of IL-13 in plasma was examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and gene expression of IL-13 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Expression of IL-13 mRNA in renal tissue was studied by in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques. Results The level of IL-13 in plasma and the expression of IL-13 mRNA in PBMCs were significantly higher in LN patients than those in the controls ( P ＜ 0.001 ). Increased expression of IL-13 mRNA was detected in renal tissue of active LN patients compared to those in the controls ( P ＜ 0.001 ). Analysis of the linear correlation indicated that the level of IL-13 mRNA in the tubulointerstitial area in patients with active LN correlated with the concentration of serum creatinine (Scr), the glomerular activity index (GAl), the activity index of tubulointerstitium, and the level of serum C3 ( P ＜ 0.05 for each). Conclusion The elevation of IL-13 may play an important role inthe molecular pathogenesis of active LN.

Objective To study clinical monitoring record list for comprehensive ICU patient in new age and to ensure convenience and safety when used by nurses and patients.Methods We have revised the "Icon ICU Monitoring Record List" used for ICU in our hospital since 2002,basing on the original form and according to the characteristics of comprehensive ICU patient that need multi-system monitoring,mainly in numbers and symbols to produce new kind of nursing record form,and used contrastive method to research into the utility of new and old forms.Results After comparison of all indexes of two forms,the result is as follows:the time used by same numbers of nurse to fill in two kinds of form is (66 ± 11 ) minutes for the new form and (97 ± 10) minutes for the old.The score set for each form is 100.The examination by the nursing quality inspection team shows that the new form got an average score of (97 ± 2) and the old form got (94 ± 2).The comparison and difference of the two groups in time and score is statistically significant ( t =10.626 3,4.030 7 ;P ＜0.01 ).Pass rate of new form was 90.12％,and 82.62％ for old one,and difference was significant ( x2 =67.49,P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions The new monitoring record list is more scientific,more comprehensive and simple and is more suitable for recording all kinds of patient in comprehensive ICU.It will lighten the work on the nurse,reduce time of record and improve work efficiency.