Objective To evaluate and compare the presence of the nerve root sedimentation sign in patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis (LS) and lumbar disc herniation(LDH). Methods One hundred and fifty-one patients with degen?erative lumbar spinal disease treated by surgery from July 2012 to March 2014 were reviewed retrospectively in Tianjin Hos?pital. All the patients were divided into two groups:LS group (48 cases) and LDH group (103 cases). The clinical outcomes were evaluated by Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA). The probability of positive sedimentation sign was compared be?tween LS group and LDH group. Correlation between the JOA score and nerve root sedimentation sign were analysed in two groups. Results There was no statistical difference in JOA score between LS group and LDH group (15.83±3.57 vs 16.76± 3.10, t=1.624, P=0.107). A positive sedimentation sign was identified in 39 patients in the LS group (81.25%) but in 65 pa?tients in the LDH group (63.11%). The difference between LS group and LDH group was statistically significant(χ2=5.028, P=0.031). In LS group, JOA scores of patients with positive nerve root sedimentation sign were lower than those of patients with negative nerve root sedimentation sign(15.33±3.50 vs 18.00±3.20, t=2.092,P=0.042);but in LDH group, there was no statistical difference in JOA scores of patients between positive nerve root sedimentation sign and negative nerve root sedi?mentation sign (16.40±3.13 vs 17.37±2.99, t=1.539, P=0.127). Conclusion A positive sedimentation sign also occurs in pa?tients with LDH, but positive nerve root sedimentation sign are more likely to appear in patients with lumbar spondylolisthe?sis who have worse clinical symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of personal sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with dermatophagoides to study the efficacy of dermatophagoides farinae drops for allergic rhinitis (AR) of different age groups. METHOD: The current study had analyzed the efficacy of SLIT in 150 patients with AR who were sensitized to house dust mites. All patients were treated with dermatophagoides farinae drops and combined with symptomatic treatment. The patients were divided into groups 1-5, group 1:17 patients (4-7 years old), group 2: 38 patients (> 7-12 years old), group 3:31 patients (> 12-18 years old), group 4: 38 patients (> 18 - 40 years old), group 5: 26 patients (> 40-63 years old). The total nasal symptom scores (TNSS) and total medicine scores (TMS) were recorded at each visit. Before and after SLIT for 0.5 year, 1 year and 1.5 to 2.0 years, the TNSS and TMS of each patient were evaluated. The dosage adjustment of immunotherapy according to the patient's symptoms were performed. RESULT: The TNSS and TMS had continuously improved significantly after SLIT for half year, 1 year and 1.5 to 2.0 years in all groups as compared with baseline (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the different age groups for TNSS and TMS during all time points. CONCLUSION Individualized SLIT with dermatophagoides farinae drops for 1.5-2.0 years is the most effective in the patients with allergic rhinitis of different age groups. And equivalent efficacy could be achieved for different age groups.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Animals ; Antigens, Dermatophagoides ; administration & dosage ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; therapy ; Sublingual Immunotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with Dermatophagoides farinae drops for allergic rhinitis (AR) of different symptom severity. METHOD: This retrospective analysis to receive SLIT treatment of 143 cases of patients with allergic rhinitis, according to the severity of disease symptoms divid- ed into two groups, moderate group (62 patients) and severe group (81 patients). Before SLIT and after SLIT for half year, 1 year and 1. 5-2.0 years, the TNSS, TMS and sign scores of patients with allergic rhinitis were evaluated. RESULT: The TNSS, TMS and sign scores had continuously improved significantly after SLIT for half year, 1 year and 1.5-2.0 years in two groups as compared with baseline (P < 0.05). Before SLIT, TNSS and sign scores of severe group had a significantly higher level than moderate group (Z = 10.40, 2.40, P < 0.05), while TMS of two groups had no significant differences (Z = 0.00, P > 0.05). Half year after SLIT treatment, in two groups for sign scores, there were significant differences (Z = 3.32, P < 0.05), and there were no significant differences for TNSS (Z = 1.58, P > 0.05) and TMS (Z = 0.37, P > 0.05). 1 and 1.5-2.0 years after SLIT, there were no significant differences in two groups for TNSS, TMS and sign scores (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION SLIT with Dermatophagoides farinae drops for 1.5-2.0 years is effective in the patients with allergic rhinitis of different symptom severity. And equivalent efficacy could be achieved for different symptom severity.
Administration, Sublingual ; Animals ; Antigens, Dermatophagoides ; administration & dosage ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; drug therapy ; Sublingual Immunotherapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To observe changes in bone mass and symptom duration in patients with lumbar disc herniation(LDH) and explore the relationship between osteoporosis and clinical features of LDH. Methods 83 LDH patients undergoing surgery were enrolled in the study from November 2008 to September 2009. Before surgery, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to detect bone mineral density of lumbar spine and hip, and calculate T score. The patients were divided into three groups according to the T score: group A (normal bone mass group, n=27), group B (osteopenia group, n=31) and group C (osteoporosis group, n=25). The differences in the duration of symptoms and pathological types were compared between the groups. The relationship between BMI and lumbar spine T-score was explored. Results There were no significant differences in the pathological types among the three groups. The symptom duration in group C was significantly shorter than in group A (P < 0.05). There was no correlation between BMI and lumbar spine T-score (r=0.20, P=0.070). There was positive correlation between BMI and Hip T-score (r=0.263, P=0.016). Conclusion Osteoporosis may affect the symptom duration of LDH patients. We should attach great importance to patients with osteoporosis and LDH.