Objective: To compare the efficacy and adverse reaction of rituximab injection(Rituximab) and splenectomy in the treatment of adult chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP). Methods: From March 2013 to June 2015, 105 chronic ITP patients who were treated in the Fifth People's Hospital of Datong were divided into rituximab group(n=43) and splenectomy group(n=62). The clinical efficacy, adverse reaction and survival time of the two groups were compared. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups.After treatment for 3 months, the response rates of the splenectomy group and the rituximab group were 91.9%(57/62), 69.8%(30/43), respectively, the difference was statistically significant between the two groups(χ²=5.04, P=0.005). After treatment for 12 months, the response rates of the splenectomy group and the rituximab group were 88.7%(55/62), 58.1%(25/43), respectively, the difference was statistically significant between the two groups (χ²=6.83, P=0.001), respectively.After treatment for 3, 12 months, the complete response rates of the splenectomy group were 82.2%(51/62), 80.6%(50/62), respectively, which were higher than those of the rituximab group [39.5%(17/43), 34.9%(15/43)] (χ²=7.25, P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in adverse reactions after treatment for 1 year between the two groups(P>0.05). The survival time of the splenectomy group was longer, but there was no statistically significant difference(t=4.85, P=0.18). Conclusion The curative effect of splenectomy in the treatment of adult ITP is better than rituximab, and the adverse reaction is not obvious between two methods.

Objective: To investigate the clinical features of anti-signal recognition particle (SRP) antibody-positive patients with dermatomyositis/clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (DM/CADM) . Methods: Clinical data were collected from 90 patients with DM/CADM, who were hospitalized at the Department of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from June 2015 to July 2017. Immunoblotting assay was performed to determine the serum level of anti-SRP antibody in these patients. Statistical analysis was carried out using t test and Chi-square test. Results: Of the 90 patients with DM/CADM, 11 (12.2%) were positive for serum anti-SRP antibody, including 6 with DM and 5 with CADM. Among 82 adult patients with DM/CADM, the prevalence of malignant tumors was significantly higher in the patients with anti-SRP antibody than in those without (7/9 vs. 31.5%[23/73], χ² = 7.394, P = 0.006) . The 11 patients with anti-SRP antibody had typical DM skin lesions, and their cutaneous dermatomyositis disease area and severity index (CDASI) was 18.1 ± 2.9. The prevalence of "angel wings sign" (aliform erythema on the trunk) was significantly higher in the patients with anti-SRP antibody than in those without (7/11 vs. 29.9%[20/67], Fisher′s exact test, P = 0.028) . The positive rate of antinuclear antibody was significantly higher in the patients with anti-SRP antibody than in those without (4/8 vs. 16.7%[13/78], χ² = 6.053, P = 0.014) . Magnetic resonance imaging of muscles of both thighs of the 10 patients with anti-SRP antibody (6 with DM and 4 with CADM) showed the presence of abnormal signals in the thigh muscle group in 8, swelling of the muscle group in 2, subcutaneous edema in 2, myofascial swelling in 1, and no abnormities in 2. No interstitial lung disease or myocardial involvement was observed in the patients with anti-SRP antibody. Conclusions The anti-SRP antibody-positive patients with DM/CADM showed a high prevalence of "angel wings sign" , and a high risk of malignant tumors. Early detection of the anti-SRP antibody in patients with DM/CADM is helpful to predict the occurrence of malignant tumors.

Objective: To explore the effect of high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) on the balance of Th17/Treg in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Methods: A total of 30 patients who were first diagnosed as ITP in the Fifth People's Hospital of Datong from July 2017 to April 2018 were selected as the case group, and another 30 healthy volunteers in the corresponding period were taken as the control group. The proportion of Th17 and Treg cells was detected by using flow cytometry, and the concentration of HMGB1, interleukin (IL)-17 and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in plasma was tested by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were cultured in vitro. After the treatment with recombinant human HMGB1 (rhHMGB1), real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to detect the mRNA expression changes in Treg cell transcription factor intracellular forkhead helix transcription factor 3 (Foxp3) and Th17 cell transcription factor retinoid related orphan receptor γt (RORγt). The differences of indicators in Treg cell transcription factor peripheral blood between the case group and the control group were compared, and the balance correlation between HMGB1 and Th17/Treg was analyzed. Results: Compared with the healthy control group, the proportion of Th17 cells and the expression level of HMGB1 and IL-17 in peripheral blood of ITP patients were increased (all P < 0.01), while the proportion of Treg cells and the level of TGF-β were decreased (all P < 0.01). The proportion of Th17 cells and the expression level of IL-17 and HMGB1 in peripheral blood of ITP patients were positively correlated with the concentration of HMGB1 (all P < 0.01); the proportion of Treg cells and the level of TGF-β were negatively correlated with the expression level of HMGB1 (all P < 0.01). In vitro experiments, the expression of intracellular RORγt mRNA was increased compared with the negative control group (1.50±0.24 vs. 0.93±0.22, t = 9.612, P < 0.01), and the expression of Foxp3 mRNA was decreased compared with the negative control group after the stimulation of PBMC by rhHMGB1 (0.72±0.19 vs. 1.08±0.18, t = 7.387, P < 0.01). Conclusion The high level of HMGB1 in the peripheral blood of ITP patients induces Th17/Treg imbalance and aggravates inflammatory reactions, which may be an important cause of ITP.