OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between two polymorphisms immediately upstream of the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) gene and preeclampsia in a South West Han Chinese population.

METHODSBlood samples from 205 patients with preeclampsia and 276 normal pregnant women as controls from Han Chinese in Chengdu area were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms.

RESULTSG and A allele frequencies for -1195G>A site were 48.54% and 51.46% in the patient group, respectively, and 40.40% and 59.60% in the control group, respectively. G and C allele frequencies for -765G>C site were 94.15% and 5.85% in the case group, respectively, and 94.38% and 5.62% in the control group, respectively. The AA genotype and variant A allelic frequencies of the -1195G>A SNP were significantly lower in patients with preeclampsia than in the control group (P<0.05), and the odds ratio for the risk of preeclampsia was 0.665 (95% CI: 0.444-0.982) in women homozygous for the variant COX2 A allele ( x²=4.233, P=0.047). The genotype and allele frequencies of the -765G>C polymorphism in patients with preeclampsia and controls showed no significant differences (P>0.05). Additional subgroup analyses (mild vs severe preeclampsia) of the two polymorphisms failed to reveal significant correlation for either genotypic or allelic frequencies. Furthermore, there was no significant association between the polymorphisms and blood pressure levels in the patient or control groups.

CONCLUSIONCOX2 -1195A homozygosity is associated with a decreased risk for preeclampsia in a South West Han Chinese population. On the other hand, the -765G>C polymorphism has no effect.

Adult ; Alleles ; Blood Pressure ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Pre-Eclampsia ; enzymology ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUNDCommunity-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common infectious disease throughout the world and the incidence continues to grow as the population ages. Aspiration is an important pathogenic mechanism for pneumonia in the elderly and the management of patients with community-acquired pneumonia with aspiration factors is a major medical problem. Our study aimed to assess whether moxifloxacin in comparison to levofloxacin plus metronidazole are effective and safe in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia with aspiration factors.

METHODSIn this prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial, 77 patients with mild-to-moderate community-acquired pneumonia with aspiration factors were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive moxifloxacin or levofloxacin plus metronidazole. The primary efficacy variables were clinical outcomes in evaluable patients at a follow-up visit 7 to 14 days after the end of therapy.

RESULTSSeven days after the end of therapy a clinical cure was achieved for 76.7% (23 of 37) of efficacy-evaluable patients in the moxifloxacin group and 51.7% (15 of 40) of patients in the levofloxacin plus metronidazole group. There was a significant difference between the two groups (χ(2) = 4.002, P < 0.05). Bacteriological success rates were similar in the moxifloxacin group (93.3%) and levofloxacin plus metronidazole group (96.4%), there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The overall adverse event rate was 10.8% (4/37) in the moxifloxacin group versus 17.5% (7/40) in the levofloxacin plus metronidazole group, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). No serious adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSIONSMoxifloxacin is effective and safe for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia with aspiration factors. And the regimen of moxifloxacin monotherapy is more convenient compared with levofloxacin plus metronidazole.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Community-Acquired Infections ; drug therapy ; Female ; Fluoroquinolones ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Levofloxacin ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Metronidazole ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; drug therapy ; Prospective Studies