OBJECTIVETo introduce the Item Function Analysis(IFA) of Quality of Life- Alzheimer's disease(QOL-AD)Chinese version and to explore the feasibility of its application on Chinese patients with AD.

METHODSTwo hundred AD patients were interviewed and assessed by QOL-AD, through the stratified cluster sampling method. Multilog 7.03. was used for Item Function Analysis. Difference scale(a), difficulty scale(b)and Item Characteristic Curve(ICC) of each item of QOL-AD were provided.

RESULTSDifferent scales of the item 1, 7 were below 0.6, while all the others were above 0.6. As for ICC. The first and last lines for the other items were monotonic in which the two in between were in inverted V-shape, with very steep slopes, except for the item 1 and 7.

CONCLUSIONResults form the IFA showed that QOL-AD was applicable to be used in the Chinese patients with AD.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; psychology ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Humans ; Psychometrics ; methods ; Quality of Life

Objective To investigate the current status and influencing factors regarding quality of life among patients with Alzheimer' s disease (AD).Methods Through stratified cluster sampling method,two hundred patients with AD and their caregivers were chosen and interviewed.AD patients were assessed by questionnaires,Montreal Cognitive Assessment,and Quality of LifeAlzheimer' s Disease (QOL-AD),in order to compare the reports from patients and caregivers on QOL-AD and to analyze related influencing factors.Descriptive analysis,paired t-test,analysis of variance (ANOVA),Pearson' s correlation and multiple linear regression were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS).Results The scores of reports from patients (28.78 ±4.30) were lower than that from the caregivers' (30.05 ± 6.05).The difference was statistically significant (t=2.122,P＜0.05) and was positively correlated (r=0.312,P＜0.001).Data from multivariate analysis showed that cognitive level (t=3.465,P=0.001),marriage relationship (t=3.062,P=0.003 ),having public activities (t =2.581,P=0.011 ),personal characters (t =2.254,P =0.026),restricted diet pattern (t=3.614,P＜0.001),regularly drinking tea (t=2.652,P=0.009) and doing housework (t=3.180,P=0.002) were predictive factors.Conclusion Scores from the caregiver' s report on QOL-AD were higher than that from the patients'.Many factors influenced the quality of life on AD patients.Strategies on improving the quality of life among AD patients can be developed based on the findings of this study.

BACKGROUNDIron is a biocorrodible metal that might be used in bioabsorbable stents. This study investigated the effects at the cellular and protein levels of soluble divalent iron (ferrous gluconate) and soluble trivalent iron (ferric chloride) on the proliferation of human aortic smooth muscle cell (HASMC) in vitro.

METHODSThe water-soluble tetrazolium (WST-1) test was used to evaluate the effect of iron on proliferation of HASMC and Western blotting was used to measure the levels of signaling proteins involved in proliferative and apoptosis pathways.

RESULTSHASMC proliferation was inhibited in a concentration dependent manner after treatment with soluble divalent and trivalent iron at concentrations of 100-500 µmol/L. Western blotting analysis showed that the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression following treatment with soluble divalent iron and trivalent iron at 100, 300 and 500 µmol/L was reduced compared to the control. The PCNA expression decreased with increasing iron concentration and to a greater extent with the trivalent iron than with the divalent iron treatment group. The p53 expression was markedly increased in a concentration dependent manner in both iron treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONThe soluble divalent iron and, to a greater degree trivalent iron, inhibited HASMC proliferation in a dosedependent manner, which may be attributed to reduction of PCNA expression and increase of p53 expression.

Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; Iron ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; chemistry ; drug effects ; physiology ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; analysis ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis