Objective To study the serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the correlation with the heart function in children with Kawasaki disease(KD), and to explore its clinical value for diagnosis of KD. Method A total of 43 children aged from 5 months to 8 years with mean age of (2.3 + 0.6) years with KD admitted from February 2007 to April 2009 were enrolled into this study as KD group, and patients with myocarditis, myocardiopathy, congenital heart disease and other primary heart disease were ruled out. Another 30 healthy children were taken as control health group. There were no significant differences in age and gender between two groups (P >0.05) .The serum levels of BNP were measured both in acute and recovery stages of KD by using ELISA. The serum levels of BNP in healthy children were measured randomly once. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular shorten fraction ( LVSF), cardiac index (CI) and left ventricular inflow velocity through the mitral annulus (including E-velocity and A-velocity) were measured by using two-dimensional echocardiography in acute and recovery stages of KD. Data were analyzed with t -test and the linear regression analysis test. Results The serum level of BNP in acute stage was (517.26 + 213.40) ng/mL and was significantly higher than that in recovery stage (91.56 + 47.97) ng/mL, and higher than that in control group (91.56 + 47.97) ng/mL (P < 0.01). The levels of LVEF, LVSF and CI in the acute stage were significantly lower than those in the recoverystage ( P < 0.0%), but there was no significant difference in E/A between acute stage and recovery stage (P > 0.05). The BNP level had negative correlation with the levels of LVEF, LVSF and CI(r = -0.63, -0.52, and - 0.53, respectively, P < 0.05), but had no significant correlation with E/A (r = - 0.18, P > 0.05). Conclusions The serum levels of BNP increase significantly in the KD patients, and have negative correlation with the levels of LVEF, LVSF and CI. The detection of serum levels of BNP has an important significance for diagnosis of KD.

ObjectiveTo study the epidemiological characteristics of deaths due to pneumoconiosis and its complications in order to improve the prevention and management of pneumoconiosis. MethodsThe pneumoconiosis deaths who died during 1959‒2019 in Chongming District of Shanghai were investigated and analyzed retrospectively by the descriptive epidemiological methods. The correlation of the age of onset and the course of disease was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation，as well as the duration of dust exposure and the course of disease in pneumoconiosis patients. ResultsFrom 1959 to 2019， there were 226 pneumoconiosis deaths， 223 males （98.67%）. The mortality of silicosis was the highest （82.07%）. The age of onset of pneumoconiosis was negatively correlated with the course of disease （r_s=-0.596，P<0.001）.There was no correlation between the duration of dust exposure and the course of disease in pneumoconiosis patients （r_s=-0.107，P=0.109）.There were statistically significant differences in mortality among groups in different types and stages of pneumoconiosis（χ²=59.250，27.666，both P<0.05）. The mortality increased with the increase of stage of pneumoconiosis. The mortality of pneumoconiosis was significantly different in 1959‒1979， 1980‒1989， 1990‒1999， 2000‒2009 and 2010‒2019 （χ²=29.750， P<0.05）. The top three causes of death in pneumoconiosis cases were respiratory diseases， malignant tumor and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.ConclusionIt is suggested to further strengthen the health monitoring and management of pneumoconiosis patients，control lung and chronic respiratory diseases to delay the life expectancy and improve quality of life of pneumoconiosis patients.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics, risk factors for critical illness and death of severe adenovirus pneumonia in children, so as to provide clinical evidences for early diagnosis and reliable treatment.Methods:A total of 75 pediatric cases with severe adenovirus pneumonia admitted to Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January to October 2019 were studied. The clinical features, laboratory and imaging data, therapeutic approaches, efficacy of the treatments and prognosis were investigated retrospectively. Patients were divided into severe group and critical group. Chi square test and Mann-Whitney U rank sum test were used to analyze the data of the two groups. The risk factors for critical illness and death were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Logistic regression. Results:Among the 75 children, there were 52 males and 23 females, aged from 3 months to 8 years, including 30 of severe cases and 45 of critical case. The positive rate of adenovirus antigen in nasopharyngeal swab was 21% (15/72), and the positive rate of serum adenovirus IgM antibody was only 13% (10/75). However, the positive rate of adenovirus nucleic acid in nasopharyngeal swab was 75% (21/28). What is more, the positive rates of metagenomics next generation sequencing (mNGS) in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were 92% (33/36) and 96% (54/56), respectively, of which 95% (63/66) were confirmed as adenovirus type 7. Relatively high dose of ribavirin and integrated therapeutic approaches (respiratory support, glucocorticoids, immunoglobulin and organ supportive therapies) were used. The recovery rate was 77% (58/75), the improvement rate was 8% (6/75) and the mortality rate was 15% (11/75). The proportion of children with the duration of fever longer than 3 days after ribavirin treatment in the critical group was significantly higher than that in the severe group(51% (18/35) vs. 8% (2/26), χ 2=12.949, P<0.05). The risk factors for critical illness were younger than 4 years, longer duration of fever before and after admission to PICU, oxygenation index<300 mmHg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa), ferritin>1 000 μg/L, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)>1 500 U/L, 5 lung lobes involvement, pleural effusion and (or) air leakage (all P<0.05). Among them, 5 lung lobes involvement was the independent risk factor for critical illness (adjusted OR=49.641, 95% CI 4.186-588.618, P=0.002). Risk factors for death included longer duration of fever after being admitted to PICU, oxygenation index<100 mmHg, ferritin>2 000 μg/L, interleukin (IL)-6>100 ng/L, LDH>1 500 U/L, pleural effusion and (or) air leakage (all P<0.05). Among them, IL-6>100 ng/L was the independent risk factor for the mortalities of critically ill children (adjusted OR=16.094, 95% CI2.059-25.787, P=0.008). Conclusions:The mortality rate of severe pediatric adenovirus pneumonia caused by adenovirus type 7 is high. High positive rates of adenovirus nucleic acid in nasopharyngeal swabs and mNGS in plasma or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid contribute to early diagnosis, and mNGS can also be used for serotyping. Younger children under 4 years of age, persistent fever, extensive pulmonary lesions and significantly increased inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 are warning indicators for critical illness and poor prognosis. Relatively high dose of ribavirin combined with integrated therapeutic approaches are beneficial for prognosis.