OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of Jingling oral liquid (JLOL) in treating infertile patients with varicocele after varicocelectomy.

METHODSSixty patients were randomly divided into two groups, the 30 patients in the treated group treated by JLOL, and the 30 in the control group treated with intramuscular injection of human chorionic gonadotropine (hCG).

RESULTSThe pregnant rate of patient's wife in the treated group was 76.6%, while that in the control group was 40.0%, showing significant difference between them (P < 0.05). The quality of semen was improved in both groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the improvement was better in the treated group than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The reproductive hormones were also improved in both groups (P < 0.01). In the treated group, levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and zinc in semen increased, and that of cadmium decreased after treatment, as compared with those before treatment, the difference was significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONJLOL could improve and regulate the reproductive hormone disturbance in infertile patients with varicocele after varicocelectomy, enhance their quality of semen and sperm to increase the pregnancy rate of their spouses.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Postoperative Care ; Semen ; chemistry ; Sperm Motility ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Varicocele ; complications ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Zinc ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo compare clinical therapeutic effects of double moxibustion at Yifeng (TE 17) combined with electroacupuncture. and simple electroacupuncture on facial paralysis.

METHODSEighty-seven cases of facial paralysis were randomly divided into a treatment group (n = 47) treated by double moxibustion at Yifeng (TE 17) combined with electroacupuncture, and a control group (n = 40) treated by simple electroacupuncture. Their therapeutic effects were investigated after 30 days.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 100.0% in treatment group and 87.5% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDouble moxibustion at Yifeng (TE 17) combined with electroacupuncture in clinical therapeutic effect on peripheral facial paralysis is superior to simple electroacupuncture.

Acupuncture Points ; Electroacupuncture ; Facial Paralysis ; therapy ; Humans ; Moxibustion

Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Coronary Sinus ; surgery ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry ; pathology ; surgery

Objective: To observe the lumen structural changes of radial artery (RA) in patients with transradial coronary intervention and the impact of nitroglycerin on the structure by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: A total of 20 patients with transradial coronary intervention were enrolled for OCT imaging to observe and compare the lumen structures of RA between the basic condition and nitroglycerin treated condition. Results: OCT imaging found that 15/20 patients had radial spasm and 1 had intimal tear. Compared to basic condition, with nitroglycerin treatment, the mean lumen diameter, lumen area and total vascular area were increased in the distal, middle and proximal portion of RA, all P<0.001; the intima-media thickness was decreased in the distal, middle and proximal portion of RA, all P<0.001; while the cross section area of tunica media, intimal thickness and extravascular membrane thickness were similar between the basic condition and nitroglycerin treated condition, all P>0.005. Conclusion: Vasodilatation drug may obviously enlarge RA lumen area and total vascular area in patients after transradial coronary intervention.

BACKGROUNDThere is no research, either at home or abroad, focusing on assessing the cardiopulmonary functional reserve and exercise tolerance in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), but the benefits of early exercise are well recognized. The goals of this study were to assess cardiopulmonary functional reserve in treated PE patients using the inert gas rebreathing method of the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), and to compare it with traditional methods.

METHODSCPET on the bicycle ergometer were performed in 40 patients with age, gender, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and pulmonary function matched. The first group was the PE group composed of 16 PE patients (5 male, 11 female) who were given the standard antithrombotic therapy for two weeks. The second group was composed of 24 normal individuals (10 male, 14 female). Both groups were evaluated by cardiac ultrasound examination, 6-minute walking test (6MWT), and CPET.

RESULTS(1) Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) in the PE group increased significantly compared to the control group, (34.81 ± 8.15) mmHg to (19.75 ± 3.47) mmHg (P < 0.01). But neither right atrial end-systolic diameter (RASD) nor right ventricular end-diastolic diameter (RVDD) in the PE patients had changed when compared with the controls. The 6-minute walk distance was significantly reduced in the PE patients compared with normal subjects, (447.81 ± 79.20) m vs. (513.75 ± 31.45) m (P < 0.01). Both anaerobic threshold oxygen consumption (VO(2)AT) and peak oxygen consumption (VO(2)peak) were significantly lower in patients with PE, while CO(2) equivalent ventilation (VE/VCO(2) slope) was higher; VO(2)AT (9.44 ± 3.82) ml×kg(-1)×min(-1) vs. (14.62 ± 2.93) ml×kg(-1)×min(-1) (P < 0.01) and VO2peak (12.26 ± 4.06) ml×kg(-1)×min(-1) vs. (23.46 ± 6.15) ml×kg(-1)×min(-1) (P < 0.01) and VE/VCO(2) slope 35.47 ± 6.66 vs. 26.94 ± 3.16 (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in resting cardiac output (CO) between the PE and normal groups, whereas peak cardiac output (peak CO) and the difference between exercise and resting cardiac output (ΔCO) were both significantly reduced in the PE group; peak CO (5.97 ± 2.25) L/min to (8.50 ± 3.13) L/min (P < 0.01), ΔCO (1.29 ± 1.59) L/min to (3.97 ± 2.02) L/min (P < 0.01). (2) The 6-minute walk distance did not correlated with CPET except for the VO2 peak in patients with PE, r = 0.675 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe cardiopulmonary functional reserve was reduced in patients with PE. CPET is an accurate, quantitative evaluation of cardiopulmonary functional reserve for PE patients.

Aged ; Exercise Test ; methods ; Exercise Tolerance ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen Consumption ; physiology ; Pulmonary Embolism ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo identify the mutation of a Chinese family with inherited long QT syndrome(LQTS).

METHODSThe disease-causing gene was tentatively determined in light of the clinical manifestations and electrophysiological properties, and then polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing were used for screening and identifying mutation.

RESULTSA missense mutation G940A(G314S) in the KCNQ1 gene was identified, which was the 'hot spot' of long QT syndrome mutation.

CONCLUSIONThe mutation that is involved with long QT syndrome in Chinese patients is the same as that in the European, American and Japanese patients.

China ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Family Health ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; KCNQ1 Potassium Channel ; genetics ; Long QT Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Male ; Mutation, Missense ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular pathology in families with long QT syndrome (LQTS) including Jervell-Longe-Nielsen syndrome (JLNS) and Romano-ward syndrome (RWS) and Brugada syndrome (BS) in Chinese population.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing were used to screen for KCNQ1, KCNH2, KCNE1, and SCN5A mutation.

RESULTSWe identified a novel mutation N1774S in the SCN5A gene of the BS family, a novel mutation G314S in a RWS family which had also been found in Europe, North America, and Japan, and a single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) G643S in the KCNQ1 of the JLNS family. In this JLNS family, another heterozygous novel mutation in exon 2a was found in KCNQ1 of the patients.

CONCLUSIONNew mutations were found in our experiment, which expand the spectrum of KCNQ1 and SCN5A mutations that cause LQTS and BS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Base Sequence ; ERG1 Potassium Channel ; Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Jervell-Lange Nielsen Syndrome ; genetics ; KCNQ1 Potassium Channel ; genetics ; Long QT Syndrome ; congenital ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Muscle Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel ; Pedigree ; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated ; genetics ; Romano-Ward Syndrome ; genetics ; Sodium Channels ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of aerobic exercise on cardiac output during exercise in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

METHODSA total of 50 CHF patients (echocardiography measured left ventricular ejection fraction < 0.49) were enrolled in the study and randomly divided into aerobic exercise group (n = 25) and control group (n = 25). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was performed. Patients of aerobic exercise group underwent aerobic exercise according to aerobic exercise prescription and exercise intensity is decided by anaerobic threshold before 10 J/s (1 minute before) of the oxygen consumption. After 6 supervised aerobic exercise training sessions in the hospital, patients were asked to perform the home-based aerobic exercise training. Patients in control group were required to maintain daily physical activities. CPET were reviewed 3 months later.

RESULTSCardiac output (CO), peak CO, peak cardiac power output (peak CPO), resting heart rate (HR), heart rate at AT (HRAT), HR peak, resting mean arterial pressure (MAP), peak MAP at baseline were similar between aerobic exercise group and control [(4.2 ± 2.0) L/min vs. (3.3 ± 1.0) L/min, (6.2 ± 2.7) L/min vs. (5.2 ± 1.8) L/min, (1.8 ± 2.9) L/min vs. (2.0 ± 1.8) L/min, (1.3 ± 0.5) J/s vs. (1.2 ± 0.5) J/s, (76.8 ± 13.5) beats/min vs. (73.4 ± 11.9) beats/min, (91.5 ± 11.3) beats/min vs. (92.6 ± 12.4) beats/min, (106.0 ± 12.9) beats/min vs. (108.3 ± 17.4) beats/min, (80.8 ± 9.9) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) vs. (87.6 ± 13.3) mm Hg, (98.8 ± 12.4) mm Hg vs. (102.7 ± 13.9) mm Hg, all P > 0.05]. Compared to baseline, CO, peak CO, peak CPO, HR, HRAT, HR peak, MAP, peak MAP after 3 months were similar between aerobic exercise group and control (all P > 0.05). The differences between baseline and 3 months later expressed as ΔCO, Δpeak CO, Δpeak CPO, ΔHR, ΔHRAT, ΔHR peak, ΔMAP, Δpeak MAP were also similar between aerobic exercise group and control group [(-0.7 ± 2.4) L/min vs. (0.7 ± 2.0) L/min, (1.1 ± 2.6) L/min vs. (1.4 ± 2.1) L/min, (0.1 ± 3.7) L/min vs. (-0.2 ± 2.5) L/min, (0.2 ± 1.0) J/s vs. (0.2 ± 0.5) J/s, (-0.4 ± 7.6) beats/min vs. (1.9 ± 9.9) beats/min, (3.4 ± 11.3) beats/min vs. (-2.8 ± 7.6) beats/min, (8.9 ± 14.5) beats/min vs. (3.7 ± 14.4) beats/min, (1.5 ± 12.8) mm Hg vs. (-1.3 ± 11.1) mm Hg, (6.4 ± 18.9) mm Hg vs. (1.3 ± 12.3) mm Hg, all P > 0.05].

CONCLUSIONThree months aerobic exercise training did not improve cardiac output and related parameters during exercise in this cohort patients with CHF.

Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Exercise ; Exercise Therapy ; Female ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen Consumption

To investigate the cause of death of a pregnant woman with undefined pneumonia reported from the People's Hospital of Tongling City in Anhui Province on November 8, 2005, the patient's tracheal aspirates and serum samples were collected and tested by RT-PCR and Real-time PCR to detect viral nucleic acids of HA of A/H5N1, A/H7N7, A/H9N1 and A/M. Tracheal aspirates were inoculated into special pathogen free (SPF) embryonated eggs for cultivation and identification of virus. The HA gene of the virus was sequenced and analyzed. Serum samples were tested by HI assay to detect antibody of H5N1. The results showed that HA gene of A/H5N1 virus and A/M were positive in tracheal aspirates by both PCR tests. The serum sample collected on Nov. 9 was A/M gene positive by Real-time PCR. The analysis of HA gene of A/AnHui/1/2005 sequence showed that the receptor specificity and the connecting peptide between HA1 and HA2 were still avian influenza origin. The HI antibody of H5N1 was negative at 7th, 8th, 9th d of disease onset. This undefined pneumonia case was confirmed as the first pregnant woman case of avian influenza (H5N1) virus infection by etiology in the mainland of China.
Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; etiology ; virology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; etiology ; virology ; Trachea ; virology