Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of leflunomide (LEF) combined with medium/low dose corticosteroids and full dose of corticosteroids in the treatment of IgA nephropathy. Method Primary IgAN patients diagnosed by renal biopsy with 18?65 years old and eGFR≥30 ml·min?1·(1.73 m2)?1 and proteinuria>0.5 g/24 h were enrolled in a prospective controlled clinical study. They were randomly divided into leflunomide combined with medium/low dose corticosteroids (LEF group) and corticosteroids alone (steroid group). The primary outcomes were (1) end stage renal disease or dialysis (2) 50% increase in serum creatinine above the baseline. Secondary outcome was the remission of proteinuria. Results Ninety patients completed the follow?up. The 24?hour proteinuria at baseline were 2.00(1.10, 2.88) g and 1.87(1.13 ,3.08) g in LEF group and steroid group respectively. Compared with baseline, it was significantly decreased in both groups at 6 months [0.30(0.11, 0.93) g, 0.30(0.14, 1.33) g] and 12 months [0.30(0.09, 0.82) g, 0.32(0.14, 0.66) g], (P<0.05). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at baseline, 6 months and 12 months were (80.39 ± 28.56), (87.12±28.70) and (88.20±30.26) ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1. It was decreased in steroid group (P<0.05), while no significant difference was detected in LEF group[baseline (87.63 ± 27.35), 6 months (86.91 ± 32.45), 12 months (90.06 ± 30.00) ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1, P>0.05]. At 6 and 12 months, there was no significant difference in terms of 24?hour proteinuria, serum creatinine and eGFR (CKD?EPI) between groups (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in adverse events between groups during the treatment (9/40 cases in LEF group and 11/50 cases in steroid group, P>0.05). The average follow?up was 79 months, and there was no difference in the renal prognosis between the two groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that serum creatinine at baseline and renal interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration predicted the risk of the progress of IgA nephropathy. Conclusion Leflunomide plus medium/low dose corticosteroids has a similar effect as full dose of corticosteroids in IgA nephropathy and does not increase the risk for adverse events during the treatment.

Objective To study the effect of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC) in reduction in re-intubation rate, length of ICU stay and improvement of respiratory function in patients with high cervical spinal cord injury.Methods Single center retrospective study was carried out in our intensive care unit from September 2016 to March 2018. Post-operative patients ready for planned extubation with high cervical spinal cord injury were included. The length of ICU stay, re-intubation rate in case of respiratory failure, respiratory rate, pulse rate, MAP, SaO2, PaO2/FiO2, and PaCO2 of patients at 6, 24 and 72 h after extubation were compared between the HFNC and conventional oxygen therapy (COT) groups. Results During the study period, 38 patients were enrolled in the study. Of them, 16 patients were assigned in the HFNC group and 22patients in the COT group. Re-intubation rate was significantly different between the two groups (18.8％ vs 27.3％, P<0.05), but the length of ICU stay had no significant difference [(15.5±3.4) days vs (16.6±5.2) days]. The respiratory rate, pulse rate, SaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 at 6 h after extubation in the HFNC group were improved markedly than those in the COT group (P<0.05); and the PaCO2 and PaO2/FiO2 at 24 and 72 h after extubation in the HFNC group had much more improvement than those in the COT group (P<0.05). Conclusions Among individuals with post-operative high cervical spinal cord injury, high-flow oxygen therapy could reduce re-intubation rate, and PaCO2 level, and improve the respiratory function, but cannot reduce the length of ICU stay. High-flow oxygen therapy may offer advantages for patients with high cervical spinal cord injury.

Objective To investigate the factors affecting the efficacy of leflunomide combined with medium/low dose corticosteroids in the treatment of progressive IgA nephropathy (IgAN).Methods Clinical and pathological parameters were collected retrospectively in patients of primary IgAN with proteinuria＞ 1.0 g/24 h and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1-3 treated with leflunomide combined with medium/low dose corticosteroids in Ren Ji Hospital,School of Medicine,Shanghai Jiao Tong University from Jan 2005 to Dec 2010.According to the treatment effects,patients were divided into complete remission group and non-complete remission group.The biochemical and pathological indexes of the two groups were compared.Results A total of 42 patients were included.The remission rates at 3,6,9 and 12 months were 62％,64％,67％ and 74％,respectively.Seventeen (40.5％) and fourteen (33.3％) patients achieved complete and partial remission after one-year treatment,and the remission rate remained stable within one year after withdrawal of drugs.The 24hour proteinuria was 1.50 (0.67,2.66) g,which was significantly reduced compared with the baseline 2.44 (1.36,3.74) g (P ＜ 0.01).The decrease rate was 31.3％.There was a slight decrease in proteinuriawithin one year after withdrawal of drugs.Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) remained stable during the treatment and a year of follow-up.No serious adverse event was observed during the followup period.Among 31 responder patients,6(19.4％) patients relapsed.Logistic multivariate regression analysis suggested that the degree of renal interstitial inflammatory infiltration was an independent predictor of complete remission with one-year treatment of leflunomide combined with medium / low dose corticosteroids (HR=0.067,95％ CI 0.008-0.535,P=0.011).Conclusions IgAN treated with leflunomide and medium/low dose corticosteroids can achieve remission in early stage,and the remission rate remains stable after withdrawal of drugs.It is a safe option for the treatment of IgAN.Renal interstitial inflammatory infiltration is an independent predictor of complete remission.