1.The role of aquaporin 4 antibody in the injury of retinal microstructure in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders
Zhiwei WANG ; Qingqing WANG ; Dongwei DIAO ; Qifeng GUO ; Xiaokun QI
Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine 2018;57(6):435-439
Objective To evaluate the injury of retinal microstructure using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and investigate the role of aquaporin 4 antibody (AQP4 Ab) in this injury process.Methods Forty patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) were retrospectively studied,each of whom reported at least one episode of optic neuritis (ON),namely 59 ON eyes involved in all.All patients were divided into two subgroups based on AQP4 Ab tests including 25 patients (37 ON eyes) with AQP4 positive (Ab+/NMOSD group) and 15 patients (22 ON eyes) negative (Ab-/NMOSD group).In addition,10 healthy controls (20 eyes) matched for age and sex (HC group) were analyzed.Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was used to quantify peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL).Nonparametric test was used to compare differences between groups.Results Age distribution and gender ratio were comparable in three groups (P>0.05).Visual acuity in ON eyes of Ab+/NMOSD group was worse than that of Ab-/NMOSD group (P=0.02).There were no significant differences between Ab+/NMOSD and Ab-/NMOSD in aspects of disease duration (2.6 vs.1.9 year),ON episodes (2 vs.1),longitudinal extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) ratio (48.0% vs.66.7%),NMOSD specific intracranial lesions ratio (32.0% vs.53.3%),positive autoimmune antibody ratio (52.0% vs.20.0%) (P=0.13,0.08,0.25,0.18,0.06,respectively).The thickness of temporal,superior,nasal,inferior and average RNFL in ON eyes of both Ab+/ NMOSD and Ab-/NMOSD group were thinner than those in eyes of HC group (all P<0.05).The thickness of superior and inferior RNFL in ON eyes of Ab+/NMOSD were 61.0 μm and 62.0 μm,which was thinner than those of Ab-/NMOSD 94.5 μm and 97.0 μm (P=0.03 and 0.01,respectively).Conclusions RNFL reflects the injury of retinal microstructure in NMOSD patients.AQP4 Ab seropositivity is correlated to the severity of RNFL damage,implying the potential role of AQP4 Ab in this pathological process.
2.Effects of lifestyle changes on body weight and metabolic parameters during the early stage of COVID-19 epidemic and regular epidemic prevention period in physical examination population
Xin ZHAO ; Wen GUO ; Pei QIN ; Xiuru LIANG ; Wenfang ZHU ; Xiaona LI ; Qingqing DIAO ; Nianzhen XU ; Qun ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Health Management 2022;16(11):751-757
Objective:To analyze the influence of lifestyle changes on body weight and metabolic parameters during the early stage of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic and regular epidemic prevention period in physical examination population.Methods:A total of 801 subjects from Nanjing enterprises and institutions who underwent physical examination in the Department of Health Promotion Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University in May of 2019 to 2021 were included in this study. The basic information and data of body mass index, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride and uric acid were collected. Information about dietary and exercise habits was obtained through pre-examination questionnaires. The data of 2019 was set as baseline data, data of 2020 represented information during the early stage of COVID-19 epidemic and data of 2021 represented information in regular epidemic prevention period. The subjects were divided into underweight group, normal weight group, overweight group, and obese group according to the body mass index at baseline. The Friedman test was applied to compare changes in body mass index and metabolic parameters across the population. Chi-square test was used to compare changes in dietary and exercise habits. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was adopted to explore the influencing factors of body mass index changes.Results:During the early stage of COVID-19 epidemic, the proportion of weight gain was the highest in the underweight group (42.9%), the proportion of weight loss was the highest in the overweight group (24.2%), and the obese group has the most stable body weight (70.6%) ( P=0.004). Men ( OR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.36-0.87) were less likely to gain weight than women ( P=0.010). There was no significant differences in weight change among all groups in the regular epidemic prevention period ( P=0.380). During the early stage of COVID-19 epidemic, the levels of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol and LDL-C were significantly lower than those of baseline [4.98 (4.66, 5.42) vs 5.23 (4.91, 5.66) mmol/L, 4.98 (4.36, 5.67) vs 5.11 (4.54, 5.77) mmol/L, 2.90 (2.45, 3.33) vs 3.23 (2.77, 3.74) mmol/L], and the uric acid level was higher [333.0 (275.5, 397.0) vs 311.0 (257.5, 368.0) μmol/L] (all P<0.001). In regular epidemic prevention period, the levels of body mass index, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol and LDL-C were significantly higher than those in the early stage of the epidemic [24.0 (21.9, 26.3) vs 23.8 (21.7, 26.1) kg/m 2, 5.18 (4.85, 5.62) vs 4.98 (4.66, 5.42) mmol/L, 5.12 (4.42, 5.76) vs 4.98 (4.36, 5.67) mmol/L, 3.06 (2.59, 3.57) vs 2.90 (2.45, 3.33) mmol/L], while the uric acid was significantly lower [319.0 (265.0, 377.0) vs 333.0 (275.5, 397.0) μmol/L] (all P<0.001). During the early stage of the epidemic, the reduction proportion of unhealthy diet in the home group was significantly higher than that in the outing group (19.5% vs 11.4%), and the increment proportion of exercise in the outing group was significantly higher than that in the home group (5.1% vs 1.6%) (both P<0.05). In regular epidemic prevention period, the increase rate of unhealthy diet in the home group was significantly higher than that in the outing group (26.8% vs 13.0%) ( P<0.001), and there was no significant difference in exercise between the two groups ( P=0.325). During the early stage of COVID-19 epidemic and in the regular epidemic prevention period, unhealthy diet>3 times per week ( OR=3.85, 3.01, 95% CI: 1.74-8.51, 1.41-6.39) was positively correlated with weight gain, and regular exercise ( OR=4.35, 2.61, 95% CI: 2.05-9.23, 1.15-5.91) was positively correlated with weight loss (all P<0.05). Conclusions:During the early stage of COVID-19 epidemic and in the regular epidemic prevention period, the lifestyle in the physical examination population has an impact on body weight and metabolic indicators. In the early stage of the epidemic, unhealthy diet and exercise decreased, and metabolic indicators such as blood glucose and lipids decreased. People with low body weight tend to gain weight. In the regular epidemic prevention period, the subjects′ exercise increased but unhealthy diet also increased, and blood glucose, lipid and body weight elevated significantly.