Objective To systematically review the relationship between mycoplasma infection and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods Articles on case-control studies about the relation between mycoplasma infection and RA were collected by literature searching according to the selection criteria.Meta-analyses were performed for the included studies using RevMan 4.3.2 software.The odds ratio (OR) and its corresponding 95％ confidence interval (95％CI) were calculated by Meta-analysis.Results Seventeen casecontrol studies involving 729 RA patients and 1191non-RA controls,such as osteoarthritis (OA),reactive arthritis (ReA),gouty arthritis (GA),healthy controls were included.The results of Meta-analyses showed that there was a significant difference in the infection ratio of mycoplasma between patients with RA and non-RA (OR=4.40,95％CI 2.26 to 8.56,P＜0.01),and sensitivity analysis according to different published date and detection methods showed no difference.There were also significant differences between RA patients and OA patients (OR=11.29,95％CI 5.55 to 22.97,P＜0.01) and healthy controls (OR=6.80,95％CI 3.96 to 11.67,P＜0.01).Conclusion Mycoplasma infection is associated with RA.More evidence are needed to prove whether mycoplasma has played an equal role in RA and ReA,as well as the significant difference of mycoplasma infection between RA and GA groups.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of HLA-B27 in ankylosing spondylitis(AS).Methods A diagnostic test was employed in the study.The patients with ankylosing spondylitis and the controls in Shandong Provicial Hospital from 2001—2005 were enrolled in the study.HLA-B27 was detected by flow cytometer assay when recruited.SPSS 13.0 was used for statistical analysis.Results Totally 133 patients with AS and 88 controls were available in the study.HLA-B27 was significantly different between AS group and the controls(P=0.000).The areas below ROC curve was 90.5%.Three cut-off points of HLA-B27,11.55%,46.6% and 85.25%,were selected based on clinical practice and ROCcurve,and the sensitivity was 94.7%,90.2% and 63.6%,the specificity was 56.8%,92.0% and 95.45%.Conclusion HLA-B27 which is more than 46.6% is a valuable marker for the diagnosis of AS.

Objective To observe the role of the P-glycoprotein (P-GP)in the pathogenesis of colitis in FVB and multiple drug resistance (mdr) gene, mdr1a, knockout (mdr1a~(-/-)) mice. Methods The clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical characteristics were observed in FVB control mice and mdr1a~(-/-) mice with or without inflammation of intestinal tract. The functions of T cell and B cell in these mice were analyzed. Results Approximately 26 of the 124 mdr1a~(-/-) mice were found to have symptoms of colitis such as diarrhea and weight loss in this study, and pathologic changes in these mice were similar to that in the human active ulcerative colitis. CD4~+ T cell and B cell infiltrated into the (proper) lamina were observed by immunohistochemical staining in mdr1a~(-/-) mice with colitis. There were (significant) increases in serum antibody titers of all types in mdr1a~(-/-) mice with active colitis. The levels of IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3, IgA and IgM were 7568, 1876, 823, 234, 897 and 189 ?g/ml, (res-)(pectively), significantly higher than those in FVB mice, which were 623, 102, 54, 42, 32 and 58 ?g/ml, (respectively) ( P

Objective To investigate the quantity of perforin (PF) expressed on peripheral lymphocytes of active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and its distribution in lymphocytes subsets. The effect of glucocorticosteroid on PF expression is also explored. Methods Phenotype analysis of peripheral lymphocytes was carried out by flow cytometry. SLE patients with SLEDAI≥10 (n=16) and normal controls (n=12) were enrolled into this study. The PF expressed on the iymphocytes of SLE patients with disease flares (n=10) Was studied before and after glucocorticosteroid treatment. Results SLE patients with active disease were characterized by higher proportions of PF-positive lymphocytes and higher perforin density. PF and CD8 double positive T cell proportions was evidently increased. The proportions of PF-positive lymphocytes was correlated to SLEDAI (r=0.673). After a short period of glucocorticosteroid therapy, a reduced expression of PF was observed. Conclusion There is an increased expression of perforin in peripheral lymphocytes from SLE patients with active disease. CD8 positive T cell subsets expand significantly in those patients. In addition, the frequency of PF-positive lymphocytes is correlated with SLEDAI. Finally, glucocorticosteroid inhibits the expression of perforin.

Objective To investigate whether there is any consistent evidence of linkage across multiple studies,and to identify novel AS susceptibility loci by using GSMA method.Methods Genome-search Meta-analysis(GSMA)method was applied to genome scans of AS and spondyloarthropathy(SpA)to assess evidence for linkage across studies.Results Four AS genome scans including 479 families with 1151 affected individuals were used.Suggesting these BINS most likely contain AS-linked loci;BINS 6p22.3-p21.1,6pter-p22.3,17pter-p12,2p12-q22.1 and 5q34-qter.Four AS genome scans and one SpA scan including 544 families with 1,331 affected individuals were used.The GSMA produced genome-wide evidence for linkage on bin 6p22.3-p21 and 16q23.1-qter.Conclusion This GSMA added the evidence of the HLA loci as the greatest susceptibility factor to AS and shows evidences of chromosome 6,17p,2,5q and 16q as non-HLA susceptibility loci.

ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy of wrist-ankle acupuncture plus auricular point sticking in treating pre-exam anxiety syndrome.MethodSixty patients with pre-exam anxiety syndrome were randomized into a treatment group to receive wrist-ankle acupuncture plus auricular point sticking (30 cases, 11 cases dropped out) and a control group to receive auricular point sticking (30 cases, 1 dropped out). In the treatment group, the bilateral Upper 1 zones were punctured regarding the wrist-ankle acupuncture, and for the auricular point sticking, Heart (CO 15), ear Shenmen (TF 4), Endocrine (CO 18), Adrenal Gland (TG 2p), Subcortex (AT 4) were selected. In the controlgroup, the same auricular points were treated. For both groups, the intervention began from 1 week prior to the exam, 3 d as a treatment course, and the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated after 2 successive courses. The Sarason Test Anxiety Scale (TAS) and autonomic function test were used to assess the anxiety severity before and after treatment. ResultThe total effective rate was 84.2% (16/19) in the treatment group versus 82.8% (24/29) in the control group, and the difference was statistically insignificant (P>0.05). The TAS score dropped significantly in the control group after intervention (P<0.01).ConclusionWrist-ankle acupuncture plus auricular point sticking and auricular point sticking alone both can effectively improve the symptoms of pre-exam anxietysyndrome.

【Objective】To investigate the role of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in the prevention of acute rejection in renal transplantation.【Methods】A total of 106 patients were randomized into two groups.One group received MMF (n=56),the other received azathioprine (Aza) (n=50).The time of the following study was within the first 6 months after transplantation.【Results】The rate of acute rejection of group receiving MMF was 20%,it′s lower than that of the group receiving Aza 44% (P<0.01).The recovery rate of acute rejection treated by methylprednisolone (MP),in MMF group 82% was higher than Aza group 55%.(P<0.05).Meanwhile the hepatotoxicity as well as cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection were lower in MMF group than those in Aza group.【Conclusion】MMF as a new anti-rejection drug could more effectively prevent acute rejection than Aza after renal transplantation,and has lower toxicity and side effect.

Objective To explore the association between HLA-Cw alleles with systemic lupuserythematosus. Methods Polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer method was used to analyze thedistribution of HLA-Cw01-08 alleles among 108 patients with SLE and 102 healthy controls. The allelefrequencies was compared between various patient groups and the control population. Results The frequencyof HLA-Cw07 alleles in patients with SLE was significantly increased in patients with SLE. Conclusion Theresults indicate that HLA-Cw07 may be the susceptible alleles or may be closely linked to the susceptiblegenes for SLE.

Objective To study the diagnosis value of giant cell temporal arteritis with high frequency ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging.Methods The total of 29 cases testified as giant cell temporal arteritis clinically were assessed by high frequency ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging.The 29 cases were assessed by high frequency ultrasonography,the 11 cases were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging,mural thickness and lumen diameter of temporal arteries were examined,and were compared with the biopsy specimens.Meanwhile 30 healthy volunteers were randomly selected as control group,the ultrasonography of normal temporal arteries were analyzed.Results All temporal arteries were diaplayed clearly.27 cases were diagnosed for giant cell temopral arteritis by high frequency ultrasonography in 29 cases,the diagnostic accuracy was 93.1％.The 11 cases were diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging,the diagnostic accuracy was 100％.The imaging features were mural thickness,the lumen stenosis,and partial temporal arteries occluded,the mural was contrasted by Gd-DTPA.Conclusions High frequency ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging are noninvasive methods for giant cell temporal arteritis diagnosis,it is important clinical value for therapy.

Objective To determinate the serum level of adiponectin,visfatin and resistin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to explore its role in the development of RA and its clinical significance.Methods Blood samples were collected from 67 cases of RA patients and 65 healthy controls,the serum levels of adiponectin,visfatin and resistin were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Adipokine levels in different groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test.Spearman test and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate the correlation with clinical and laboratory parameters [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),C reactive protein (CRP),blood platelet (PLT),rheumatoid factor (RF),anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP),disease activity score (DAS)28].Results The serum level of adiponectin,visfatin and resistin in RA patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls[8.17(4.51,28.53) μg/ml vs 6.83(4.48,25.32) μg/ml,U=1 663,P=0.019];[6.56(5.34,8.40) ng/L vs 4.24 (3.01,6.65) ng/L,U=762,P=0.001];[10.65 (5.99,20.70) ng/ml vs 6.12 (4.49,9.98) ng/ml,U=1 406.5,P=0.000].The serum level of visfatin was positively correlated with RF in patients with RA (r=0.186,P=0.013),and serum levels of adiponectin,visfatin and resistin were positively correlated with DAS28 (r=0.370,0.263,0.285;P＜0.05).The level of visfatin in RA patients with high activity group was higher than that in the low and moderate activity group [4.37(2.72,7.53)ng/L vs 4.11 (3.11,6.44) ng/L,U=133.5,P=0.019].Conclusion Multivariate analysis has showm that ESR,PLT and DAS28 can significantly affect adiponectin,and CRP can significantly influence resistin.Serum level of adiponectin,visfatin and resistin are elevated and correlate with DAS28,suggesting that they may be involved in the chronic inflammation of RA.