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.