Atherosclerosis ; complications ; Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; Humans ; Male

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; etiology ; Anaphylaxis ; complications ; Humans

Disease Progression ; Humans ; Vascular Calcification ; metabolism

Objective To develop a rapid quantitative detecting assay for point-of-care testing ( POCT ) of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide ( NT-proBNP ) in serum by the fluorescence immunochromatographic technology.Methods Applying double-antibody sandwich assay to establish the quantitative NT-proBNP kit.The performance of quantitative NT-proBNP kit was evaluated by the sensitivity , specificity, accuracy, precision, stability and clinical effectiveness.It compared the research kit and conference kit by the parallel experience in the 1 056(605 males, 451 females)serum specimen collected from Guangdong Provincial People′s Hospital, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital and Children′s Hospital of Zhengzhou between February 2013 to April 2014.Statistical significance of the results was assessed by correlation analysis , linear regression , receive operating characteristic ( ROC) curve analysis , negative and positive consistent.Results The report range of the NT-proBNP kit was 18-35 000 ng/L.The coefficient of variation ( CV) values for low , median and high concentration calibrators respectively were all less than 15%.Common interfering substances in human serum specimens such as bilirubin , triglyceride and cholesterol were found no significant affect on NT-proBNP antigen detection and the CV were no more than 15%.According to the results of detection for calibrators , the shelf time of the NT-proBNP diagnostic kit should be longer than 12 months.The NT-proBNP kit and reference kit had good correlation ( Y=1.048 9X developed reference +121.54, R2 =0.956 6, n=1 056) to detect the target protein through the parallel experiments and the deviation of the quantitative results of clinical serum samples showed no statistical significance (Z=0.88, P=0.379>0.05).The clinical assays of two different diagnostic kits showed good consistency based on the ROC curve evaluation which is compared by two cut-off values (300 and 450 ng/L).The areas under ROC curve were 0.981 and 0.978 respectively.Conclusions A novel NT-proBNP chromatographic quantitative immunofluorescence detection method was developed in this study .The performance evaluation data indicated that the kit is suitable for rapid detection of serum NT -proBNP.

OBJECTIVETo assess the in-hospital clinical course and the long-term evolution of acute massive pulmonary embolism after thrombolytic therapy and to identify predictors of adverse clinical outcome.

METHODSA total of 260 patients hospitalized from January 1989 to October 1998 were retrospectively reviewed and followed up for 3.9 to 8.4 years. Baseline characteristics and variables pre- and post-thrombolysis were identified. Particular attention was paid to the clinical events, including death, recurrent thromboembolism, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, and major bleeding attributable to the use of anticoagulants. Kaplan-Meier event-free survival curves were generated. Univariate analysis by means of the log-rank test was used to test each candidate variable for association with clinical outcome. Multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine independent predictors of the long-term outcome.

RESULTSThe in-hospital mortality rate was 8.5%, with 68.2% due to pulmonary embolism itself, and the follow-up mortality rate was 31.7%, with 29.2% due to recurrent embolism. Factors associated with an adverse outcome in univariate analysis were: (1) prior thromboembolic diseases; (2) duration of anticoagulant therapy < 6 months; (3) inferior vena caval filter placement; (4) acute right ventricular dysfunction/dilation detected echocardiographically after thrombolysis; (5) Doppler recording of pulmonary artery systolic pressure > 50 mmHg after thrombolysis; and (6) greater than 30% obstruction of pulmonary vasculature identified by pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy before hospital discharge. Multivariate analysis identified three independent predictors of poor long-term outcome for patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism after thrombolysis; which were: (1) Doppler recording of pulmonary artery systolic pressure > 50 mmHg, with relative risk of 3.78 and a 95% confidence interval of 2.70 to 4.86; (2) echocardiographic evidence of right ventricular dysfunction/dilatation (relative risk: 2.18; 95% confidence interval: 1.48 to 2.88); and (3) greater than 30% obstruction of pulmonary vasculature documented by lung scan (relative risk: 1.99; 95% confidence interval: 1.25 to 2.70).

CONCLUSIONThe study showed that Doppler echocardiographic assessments after thrombolytic therapy and ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy prior to hospital discharge are valuable to establishment of new baseline characteristics, which is informative for risk stratification and prognostication of the long-term outcome for patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism.

Acute Disease ; Aged ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Embolism ; drug therapy ; mortality ; physiopathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombolytic Therapy

OBJECTIVETo assess the immediate and late clinical outcome of left anterior descending artery ostial lesions treated with percutaneous coronary intervention.

METHODSSeventeen patients (6 females and 11 males) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention for ostial left anterior descending artery stenoses have had clinical follow-ups over 12 months. Clinical events were defined as an occurrence of death, myocardial infarction, recurrent angina, and requiring repeat revascularization (either by angioplasty or by surgery). A matched population treated with coronary bypass surgery was selected based on the similarities in age, left ventricular ejection fraction and the number of diseased vessels. Kaplan-Meier event-free survival curves were generated and the matched comparison was done using the Chi-square test (Mc Neimar method).

RESULTSIn the catheter-based angioplasty group, the patients' mean age was 63 +/- 8 years. One patient was treated with directional atherectomy plus balloon, 6 with rotational atherectomy plus balloon, 7 with stent and 3 with rotational atherectomy plus stent. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonist was used in 4 cases. Initial procedural success without major complications was achieved in all cases. The mean reference diameter was 2.90 +/- 0.48 mm. The minimum lumen diameter increased from 1.05 +/- 0.30 mm to 2.40 +/- 0.45 mm, and the diameter stenosis decreased from 64% +/- 7% to 8% +/- 13%. During the follow-up period, adverse events requiring repeat revascularization occurred in 8 patients. The event-free probability was 0.42 +/- 0.14 in a two-year period. In a matched population treated with bypass surgery (single mammary graft), only one event occurred, and the difference in event-free survival in two-year period between the two patient groups was significant.

CONCLUSIONSPercutaneous coronary intervention for left coronary descending artery ostial lesion is technically feasible and safe, leading to an optimal early success rate, but has a higher risk of late restenosis and greater need for repeat revascularization than coronary bypass surgery.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Disease ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETransesophageal echocardiography was performed during closed-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in in-hospital cardiac arrest to further explore the hemodynamic mechanism of CPR.

METHODSCPR attempts were performed according to advanced cardiovascular life support guidelines in 6 cases of in-hospital cardiac arrest. Multi-plane transesophageal echocardiography was carried out within 15 min of initiation of CPR. Throughout CPR, the motion of the mitral, tricuspid and aortic valves, the changes in the left ventricular cavity size and the thoracic aortic diameter were observed. Trans-mitral and trans-aortic Doppler files of blood flow were also documented.

RESULTSA closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves with simultaneous opening of the aortic valve occurred exclusively during chest compression, resulting in forward blood flow in the pulmonary and systemic circulation. Peak forward aortic flow at a velocity of 58.8 +/- 11.6 cm/s was recorded during the compression phase. Whereas, a closure of the aortic valve and rapid opening of the atrioventricular valves associated with ventricular filling during relaxation of chest compression was noted in all 6 patients. Peak forward mitral flow at a velocity of 60.6 +/- 20.0 cm/s was recorded during the release phase. Mitral regurgitation during the chest compression period was detected in 5 patients, reflecting a positive ventricular-to-atrial pressure gradient. A reduction in the left ventricular chamber and an increase in the thoracic aortic diameter during the compression phase was found in all patients, indicating that direct cardiac compression contributed to forward blood flow.

CONCLUSIONThese observations favor the cardiac pump theory as the predominant hemodynamic mechanism of forward blood flow during CPR in human beings.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Female ; Heart Arrest ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo describe a hospital outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and summarize its clinical features and therapeutic approaches.

METHODSThe outbreak started with a SARS patient from the community, and a total of 96 people (76 women and 20 men, mean age (29.5 +/- 10.3) years, 93.8% of whom were health care workers) who had exposure to this source patient became infected in a short time. Clinical data in this cohort were collected prospectively as they were identified.

RESULTS(1) The incubation period ranged from 1 to 20 (mean: 5.9 +/- 3.5) days. The duration of hospitalization was (17.2 +/- 8.0) days. (2) The initial temperature was (38.3 +/- 0.6) degrees C, while the highest was (39.2 +/- 0.6) degrees C (P < 0.001), with fever duration of (9.0 +/- 4.2) days. (3) Other most common symptoms included fatigue (93.8%), cough (85.4%), mild sputum production (66.7%), chills (55.2%), headache (39.6%), general malaise (35.4%) and myalgia (21.9%). (4) The radiographic changes were predominantly bilateral in the middle or lower lung zones. The number of affected lung fields was 1.2 +/- 0.8 on presentation, which increased to 2.9 +/- 1.4 after admission (P < 0.001). The interval from the beginning of fever to the onset of abnormal chest radiographs was (3.5 +/- 2.3) days, which increased in size, extent, and severity to the maximum (6.7 +/- 3.5) days later. The time before the lung opacities were basically absorbed was (14.9 +/- 7.8) days. (5) Leukopenia was observed in 67.7% of this cohort. The time between the onset of fever and leukopenia was (4.4 +/- 2.3) days, with the lowest white blood cell count of (2.80 +/- 0.72) x 10(9)/L. (6) The lowest arterial oxygen saturation was (94.8 +/- 3.1)% with supplementary oxygen. (7) Antibiotical therapies included tetracyclines (91.0%), aminoglycosides (83.3%), quinolones (79.2%); 18.8% of the patients received a combination of tetracyclines and aminoglycosides, while 11.5% received a combination of tetracyclines and quinolones, and 63.5% received a combination of tetracyclines, aminoglycosides and quinolones. Vancomycin was used in 13.5% of the patients. (8) 68.8% of the patients were treated with methylprednisolones for a mean interval of (4.9 +/- 2.4) days. The initial dose was (67.3 +/- 28.2) mg/d and the maximal dose was (82.4 +/- 30.5) mg/d. (9) Human gamma-globulin, interferon-alpha, antiviral drugs (oral ribavirin or oseltamivir) were used respectively in 68.6%, 46.9% and 92.7% of the patients. (10) Ninety-five patients (99.0%) had a complete clinical recovery, and only 1 patient (1.0%) died.

CONCLUSIONSSARS appears to be quickly infectious and potentially lethal among health care workers, characterized by acute onset and rapid progression, and mostly bilateral lung involvement on chest radiographs. Proper administration of glucocorticosteroids seems to be of some benefits. Antibiotics, human gamma-globulin, interferon-alpha, and antiviral drugs, although empirically, might be useful to shorten the clinical course.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross Infection ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy

Objective: Diagnostic efficacy of serum markers is low for heart failure patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HF-pEF) as compared to heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.We sought to explore the diagnostic value of serum levels of soluble ST2 (sST2) combined with interleukin-33 (IL-33) for the diagnosis of HF-pEF in this study. Methods: A total of 376 patients with HF-pEF (HF group), 376 matched-control patients without heart failure who shared similar clinical characteristics (non-HF group) were included in the study.Another 500 healthy individuals were recruited for assessing the normal ranges of IL-33 and sST2.Serum levels of NT-proBNP were measured by chemi-luminescence assay, while IL-33 and sST2 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum levels of IL-33 and sST2 were not normally distributed in healthy population.Serum concentrations of IL-33 and sST2 were significantly higher in HF-pEF patients than in patients in non-HF group (median, IL-33: 0.437 μg/L vs. 0.127 μg/L, P<0.01; sST: 0.118 μg/L vs. 0.067 μg/L, P<0.01). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of sST2 for detecting HF-pEF was 0.763 (95%CI 0.729-0.795, P<0.01), with 71.01% sensitivity and 66.75% specificity, the AUC was 0.884 (95%CI 0.859-0.908, P<0.01), with 80.05% sensitivity and 81.91% specificity in patients with serum IL-33 higher than 0.117 μg/L (median level of serum IL-33 in healthy individuals, n=306). The AUC of NT-proBNP for detecting HF-pEF was 0.83, with 74.73% sensitivity and 84.57% specificity.The AUC of sST2 for detecting HF-pEF was significantly higher than NT-proBNP in population with high serum IL-33 (AUC: 0.88 vs. 0.83, P<0.01). Conclusion Serum sST2 could serve as a satisfactory biomarker for HF-pEF diagnosis, especially for patients with high serum IL-33 concentrations.