Objective To evaluate the influence of right ventricular outflow tract septal ( RVS) pacing with right ventricular apical ( RVA) pacing on left ventricular remodeling and brain natriuretic peptide ( BNP). Methods Sixty patients with indication of pacemaker implantation were randomized into two groups, RVA group and RVS group. BNP was measured with ELISA, and echocardiography was performed to measure the left ventricular end diastolic volume ( LVEDD), left ventricular end systolic volume ( LVEDV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at pre-operation,and after 6,12,24 months pacing. The difference of cardiac remodeling and BNP in the two groups was observed. Results Compared to BNP at pre-operation (( 60. 2 ± 15. 7 ) ng/L) , BNP increased significantly in the RVA group at the 6th,12th and 24th month after operation( ( 108. 2 ±29. 8) , ( 190. 3 ±46. 7) ,(308. 2 ±56. 5)ng/L,respectively) (P <0. 05). In the RVS group,BNP increased only at 24 months after pacing ( (75. 2 ± 15. 8) ng/L vs. (63. 9 ± 15. 1 ) ng/L) (P < 0. 05). There was significant difference on BNP between the two groups. LVEDD,LVEDV increased,LVEF declined at 12 months after pacing in the RVA group,which were not observed in the RVS group. There was significant difference on LVEDD,LVEDV and LVEF in the RVA group (P< 0. 05) between the 12th month and pre-operation,and there were no significant difference in the RVS group (P > 0. 05). Conclusions Compared to RVA pacing,RVS pacing was more beneficial to improve heart function,prevent cardiac remodeling and decline the activation of nerve-endocrine.

· AIM: To summarize the clinical features of Chinese primary congenital glaucoma and to investigate the discrepancies of the clinical features between the Chinese and Indian patients.congenital glaucoma patients were reviewed. The clinical features were summarized as several quantifiable clinical parameters and the severity of the disease was evaluated. Both the quantified clinical features and severity were statistically compared with those of the Indian patients, which were cited from the previous published articles.included in the study. In Chinese patients, sex ratio (male to female )was about 2:1, family history was presented in 3 patients (7.5%) and consanguinity was found in one patient (2.5%). The main symptoms and signs observed in Chinese patients spanned a wide spectrum of manifestations. The most frequent signs noted on the initial examination were enlarged eyeball (42.5%) and decreased visual acuity (35.0%). Compared with Indian patients, Chinese patients had a later onset, a delayed diagnosis, more severe corneal changes and more severe optic nerve damages (P＜0.01). The combined tabeculectomy and trabeculotomy operation was preferred by both Chinese and Indian doctors whereas a higher proportion of Indian patients received the combined operation (P＜0.01). The proportions of the severity grade were different between Chinese and Indian patients. Most Chinese patients were in the severe grade while most Indian patients were in the very severe grade (P＜0.01).patients were sporadic and non-consanguineous.Compared with Indian patients, Chinese patients had a relative later onset, a delayed diagnosis and treatment.More attempts are needed in Chinese PCG prevention and treatment.

OBJECTIVETo establish and evaluate chronic heart failure (CHF) rat model of Xin-qi deficiency complicated blood stasis and edema syndrome (XQD-BSES).

METHODSTotally 40 SD rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (Control), the propylthiouracil (PTU) group, the adriamycin (ADR), and the ADR + PTU group. Normal saline was used as equivalent solvent of each group. Rats in the Control group were intragastrically and intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. Rats in the PTU group were intragastrically injected with PTU suspension and intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. Rats in the ADR group were intragastrically injected with ADR solution and intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. And rats in the ADR + PTU group were intragastrically injected with PTU suspension and intraperitoneally injected with ADR solution. The dose of PTU was 0.2% of daily forage weight, once daily. The dose of ADR was 3.5 mg/kg, once per week. The modeling lasted for 6 weeks. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), urine output, ear temperature, exhaustive swimming test (EST), Tri-iodothyronine (T3), tetra-iodothyronine(T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) as well as heart, lung, liver weight indices and their pathological sections were integrated and compared.

RESULTSCompared with the Control group, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, HR, RR, heart, lung, liver weight indices, urine output, ear temperature, EST, and T3, T4, and TSH changed significantly in the ADR group, the PTU group, and the ADR + PTU group with statistical significance (P < 0.05), and pathological changes of heart failure occurred in pathological sections of heart, lung, and liver. Compared with the ADR group, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, and lung, liver weight indices, urine output, ear temperature, T3, T4, and TSH changed significantly in the ADR + PTU group with statistical significance (P < 0.05), and pathological changes of heart failure were more serious in pathological sections of heart, lung, and liver. Compared with the PTU group, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, HR, RR, urine output, EST, T4, heart and lung weight indices changed significantly in the ADR + PTU group with statistical significance (P < 0.05), and pathological changes of heart failure were quite serious in pathological sections of heart, lung, and liver.

CONCLUSIONADR + PTU was an appropriate method to establish CHF rat model of XQD-BSES.

Animals ; Edema ; Heart Failure ; diagnosis ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Judgment ; Models, Animal ; Qi ; Rats ; Ventricular Function, Left

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Fractures, Bone ; complications ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Bones ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; Radiography ; Venous Thrombosis ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study and evaluate the curative effect and mechanism of Qiangxin Granule (QXG) in intervening chronic heart failure (CHF) rats with Xin-qi deficiency complicated blood stasis and edema syndrome (XQD-BS-ES).

METHODSTotally 72 SD rats of clean grade were randomly divided to the normal control group (n =10) and the model group (n = 62). The XQD-BS-ES rat model was established by adriamycin plus propylthiouracil method. Survived modeled rats were then randomly divided to 5 groups i.e., the model group (n = 11, administered with normal saline by gastrogavage), the Western medicine (WM) group (n =11 , administered with perindopril and hydrochlorothiazide by gastrogavage), the low dose QXG (QXG(L)) group (n = 11, administered with 9.26 g/kg QXG by gastrogavage), the middle dose QXG (QXG(M)) group (n = 11, administered with 18.52 g/kg QXG by gastrogavage), the high dose QXG (QXG(H)) group (n = 11, administered with 37.04 g/kg QXG by gastrogavage). After 4 weeks of treatment, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), urine output, ear temperature, exhaustive swimming test (EST), tri-iodothyronine (T3), tetra-iodothyronine (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), as well as heart, lung, liver weight index and their pathological sections, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (HS-CRP), angiotensin II (Ang II), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) were detected and compared.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, HR, RR, urine output, ear temperature, EST, T3, T4, TSH, HS-CRP, Ang II, and CA125 changed significantly in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group after treatment, LVEF, LVFS, BNP, urine output, EST, T4, heart and liver weight index, HS-CRP, Ang II, CA125 were significantly improved in each QXG group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Moreover, TSH was improved in the QXGL and QXG(M) groups (P < 0.05); ear temperature and T3 in the QXG(M) were also improved (P < 0.05); the lung weight index decreased in the QXG(M) and QXG(H) groups (P < 0.01). Compared with the WM group, T4 and CA125 were obviously improved in all QXG groups (P < 0.01); BNP and ear temperature were obviously improved in QXG(L) and QXG(M) groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); LVEF, LVFS and TSH were obviously improved in the QXG(M) group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). And as far as each treatment group, LVEF, LVFS, urine output increased significantly after treatment (P < 0.01); EST obviously increased in QXG(M) and QXG(H) groups (P < 0.01); ear temperature increased in all QXG groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Moreover, compared with the model group, pathological changes of heart, lung, and liver were improved to some degree in each treatment group, especially in the QXG(M) group.

CONCLUSIONSGood curative effect was shown in each QXG group. QXG could improve LVEF, LVFS and BNP of CHF rats of XQD-BS-ES, as well as T3, T4, TSH, EST, urine output, and ear temperature. Moreover, QXG showed superiority than WM group in this respect.

Angiotensin II ; Animals ; C-Reactive Protein ; Chronic Disease ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Edema ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Heart Ventricles ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Qi ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Syndrome ; Thyrotropin ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVETo establish the diagnosis evidence of objective tongue inspection for liver cancer (LC) patients with damp-heat syndrome (DHS) by dynamically observing their tongue figures using modern tongue image analytic apparatus, and to explore the effect of intervention on the tongue figures.

METHODSTongue figures were collected from 142 LC patients with DHS by tongue image analytic apparatus. Red (R), green (G) and blue (B) values were analyzed. The r and g values were calculated requesting r=R/(R+G+B), g=G/(R+G+B), and b=1-r-g, and scored in combination with Chinese medical symptoms scale. The tongue figure and correlated scores were collected from 59 of them 3 days after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization intervention.

RESULTSThe range of objective tongue inspection of LC patients with DHS was as follows: as for tongue fur, 0.360

CONCLUSIONThe range of objective tongue inspection of LC patients with DHS could be known by collecting and analyzing objective indicator of tongue figures, thus laying foundation for further studies with analysis of correlation between intervention and Chinese medicine based on tongue figures.

Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Middle Aged ; Observation ; Syndrome ; Tongue ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) with birth weight and gestational age in newborn infants.

METHODSThe screening of CH was conducted in all the live births in 2005 of Zhejiang Province, the blood samples were collected from heel stick. The thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was measured by time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA). If TSH was>9.0 mU/L, the infant was recalled for further examination.

RESULTSA total of 387,926 infants were screened in 2005, of whom 289 cases were identified with CH. The prevalence rate was 1/1,342. Among the 289 CH cases, the prevalence of premature infants, term infants and post term infants were 1/1,454, 1/1,469 and 1/246, respectively. The CH prevalence of post term infants was significantly higher than that in other two groups (P<0.01). The prevalence of low birth weight infants, normal weight infants and macrosomia was 1/575, 1/1,505 and 1/473, respectively. The prevalence of low birth weight infants and macrosomia was significantly higher than that of normal weight group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of CH is associated with the birth weight and gestational age. To reduce the prevalence of CH in children, it is crucial to prevent post term, low birth weight, and macrosomia cases.

Birth Weight ; China ; epidemiology ; Congenital Hypothyroidism ; blood ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Neonatal Screening ; Prevalence ; Thyrotropin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the behavior problems of children aged 3 to 5 years in Changsha and to compare the differences of the results detected by the norm of Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ) in Chinese and American urban children.

METHODSA total of 854 children aged 3 to 5 years were randomly sampled from 5 districts in Changsha City and their parents completed the Conners PSQ.

RESULTSThe assessment by the norm of PSQ in American urban children demonstrated that the average prevalence of behavior problems was 20.4%, with 28.1% for boys and 12.4% for girls. There were significant differences between boys and girls (P<0.01). The factor score of anxiety in girls was markedly higher than that in boys (P<0.01). Learning and psychosomatic problems were the main problems in the children. The prevalences of conduct problems and impulse-restlessness, and abnormal restlessness index detected by the norm of PSQ in Chinese urban children were higher than those detected by the American norm. The prevalences of conduct problems and psychosomatic problems in boys by the norm of PSQ in Chinese urban children were significantly lower than those detected by the American norm, while the total prevalence of behavior problems was higher than that detected by American norm. There was a poor consistency in the assessment results of most factors of the PSQ and the total prevalence of behavior problems detected by the Chinese and American norms (KappP<0.4).

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of behavior problems especially learning problems and psychosomatic problems in children aged 3 to 5 years is higher in Changsha. The consistency of assessment results is poor between the norms of China and America. It is recommended to use the China norm of PSQ in Chinese children aged 3 to 5 years because the Chinese norm is in line with China's national conditions and cultural background.

Child Behavior Disorders ; diagnosis ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; United States ; Urban Health

BACKGROUNDLipoprotein glomerulopathy (LPG), once recognized as a rare glomerular disease, has been reported around the world in recent years. In this study, we reported 8 patients of LPG and aimed to explore the clinical features and pathological characteristics of LPG under light microscope, immunofluorescence staining, and electron microscope.

METHODSClinical manifestations were recorded on the day of renal biopsy. Biochemical patterns of lipids and lipoproteins were detected by routine examination. Plasma concentrations of apo B and apo E were determined by radial immunodiffusion assays. Biopsy specimens were then processed for light microscopy, immunohistochemical staining for immunoglobulins and complement components, and electron microscopy. Glomerular deposition of apo A, B, and E were detected using monoclonal antibodies on cryostatic sections.

RESULTSAll of the eight patients presented with edema, microscopic hematuria, severe proteinuria, anemia, and enlarged kidney size. Biochemical profiles revealed high levels of triglycerides, apo B, and apo E. We noted increments of glomerular size and lipoprotein thrombi occupying capillary lumina in the glomeruli of all patients. Immunofluorescence staining showed that the thrombi were strongly positive for apo A, B, and E. Granules and various sizes of vacuoles were observed in the thrombi under electron microscope.

CONCLUSIONCompared with previous reports on LPG in other countries, unique clinical and pathological features were found in this group of Chinese LPG patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; pathology ; Kidney Glomerulus ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Lipoproteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDRapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, little is known regarding the relation between the severity of RBD and the different domains of cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was: (1) to investigate the domains of cognitive impairment in patients with PD and RBD, and (2) to explore risk factors for PD-mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and the relationship between RBD severity and impairment in different cognitive domains in PD.

METHODSThe participants were grouped as follows: PD without RBD (PD-RBD; n = 42), PD with RBD (PD + RBD; n = 32), idiopathic RBD (iRBD; n = 15), and healthy controls (HCs; n = 36). All participants completed a battery of neuropsychological assessment of attention and working memory, executive function, language, memory, and visuospatial function. The information of basic demographics, diseases and medication history, and motor and nonmotor manifestations was obtained and compared between PD-RBD and PD + RBD groups. Particular attention was paid to the severity of RBD assessed by the RBD Questionnaire-Hong Kong (RBDQ-HK) and the RBD Screening Questionnaire (RBDSQ), then we further examined associations between the severity of RBD symptoms and cognitive levels via correlation analysis.

RESULTSCompared to PD-RBD subjects, PD + RBD patients were more likely to have olfactory dysfunction and their Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores were higher (P < 0.05). During neuropsychological testing, PD + RBD patients performed worse than PD-RBD patients, including delayed memory function, especially. The MCI rates were 33%, 63%, 33%, and 8% for PD-RBD, PD + RBD, iRBD, and HC groups, respectively. RBD was an important factor for the PD-MCI variance (odds ratio = 5.204, P = 0.018). During correlation analysis, higher RBDSQ and RBDQ-HK scores were significantly associated with poorer performance on the Trail Making Test-B (errors) and Auditory Verbal Learning Test (delayed recall) and higher RBD-HK scores were also associated with Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (copy) results.

CONCLUSIONSWhen PD-RBD and PD + RBD patients have equivalent motor symptoms, PD + RBD patients still have more olfactory dysfunction and worse daytime somnolence. RBD is an important risk factor for MCI, including delayed memory. Deficits in executive function, verbal delayed memory, and visuospatial function were consistently associated with more severe RBD symptoms.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; etiology ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged ; Parkinson Disease ; complications ; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder ; complications