Animals ; Biomarkers ; Hexanes ; poisoning ; toxicity ; Humans ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo study the polymorphisms of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease genes using Taqman single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping kits.

METHODSA total of 2000 subjects were recruited from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (GBCS), and 15 SNPs were detected using Taqman SNP genotyping kits and an ABI 7900HT real time PCR system. The data were tested for the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and then compared with the data of the Chinese population from the International HapMap Project (HapMap_HCN).

RESULTS(1) All genotype data of the 15 SNPs were consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg rules. (2) The significant differences were observed among two SNPs, rs4220 and rs5368 and the HapMap_HCN (rs4220 28.2% vs 17.8%; chi(2) = 4.891, P = 0.028; rs5368 22.1% vs 32.2%, chi(2) = 5.137, P = 0.024). Comparing other gene bank data, such as AFD-CHN-PANEL, the Allele Frequency Database (ALFRED) and JBIC-allele, it would be most likely that our observations represent differences between the Northern and Southern populations in China.

CONCLUSIONSuch Biobank study provided a useful platform for the study of the role of genetic and environmental determinants on cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Biological Specimen Banks ; statistics & numerical data ; Brain Diseases ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; genetics ; China ; epidemiology ; Cohort Studies ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVETo examine the prevalence and characteristics of aortic arch calcification (AAC) in residents aged 50 or over in Guangzhou, China.

METHODSFace-to-face interview, physical examination and laboratory tests were conducted on 10 413 Chinese adults aged 50 or over. Posterior-anterior plain chest X-ray radiographs were obtained from 10 305 subjects using a Toshiba KSO-15R machine. The radiographs were reviewed together by two radiologists while 300 radiographs were independently gone through by two radiologists to assess the agreement with Kappa coefficient method.

RESULTSThe rate of agreement on Diagnosis for the two radiologists was 85.0% and Kappa coefficient was 0.68, with P < 0.001 which showed a moderate agreement between the two radiologists. Among the 10 305 subjects, there were 3064 men and 7349 women, with their mean age (+/- standard deviation) as 64.0 +/- 6.0 and 66.2 +/- 5.8, respectively. Most of them had educational level of middle school or below, and most of their occupations were factory or agricultural workers. The prevalence of AAC was 40.6%. Women showed significantly higher prevalence rate than men (41.4% versus 38.6%, P < 0.001) and the prevalence of AAC increased significantly with age. Subjects with primary educational level or below had the highest prevalence of AAC. There was no significant association found between occupation and AAC prevalence. 98.7% of the subjects with AAC occurred in aortic arch. Most AAC had a length of 10 mm or longer and a width from 1-4 mm, which indicated the severity of AAC among the subjects.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of AAC among Guangzhou Biobank Cohort was about 40.6%, higher than those reported in foreign studies, while most of the lesions were quite serious.

Aged ; Aorta, Thoracic ; pathology ; Calcinosis ; epidemiology ; Cardiomyopathies ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence

Model informed precision dosing for warfarin is to provide individualized dosing by integrating information related to patient characteristics, disease status and pharmacokinetics /pharmacodynamics of warfarin, through mathematical modeling and simulation techniques based on the quantitative pharmacology. Compared with empirical dosing, it can improve the safety, effectiveness, economy, and adherence of pharmacotherapy of warfarin. This consensus report describes the commonly used modeling and simulation techniques for warfarin, their application in developing and adjusting dosing regimens, medication adherence and economy. Moreover, this consensus also elaborates the detailed procedures for the implementation in the warfarin pharmacy service pathway to facilitate the development and application of model informed precision dosing for warfarin.

INTRODUCTIONMost hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) develop in a background of underlying liver disease including chronic hepatitis B. However, the effect of antiviral therapy on the long-term outcome of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC treated with chemoembolization is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the survival benefits of anti-HBV therapy after chemoembolization for patients with HBV-related HCC.

METHODSA total of 224 HCC patients who successfully underwent chemoembolization were identified, and their survival and other relevant clinical data were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to validate possible effects of antiviral treatment on overall survival (OS).

RESULTSThe median survival time (MST) was 15.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.5-27.7) months in the antiviral group and 9.6 (95% CI, 7.8-13.7) months in the non-antiviral group (log-rank test, P = 0.044). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that antiviral treatment was a prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.008). Additionally, a further analysis was based on the stratification of the TNM tumor stages. In the subgroup of early stages, MST was significantly longer in the antiviral-treatment group than in the non-antiviral group (61.8 months [95% CI, 34.8 months to beyond the follow-up period] versus 26.2 [95% CI, 14.5-37.7] months, P = 0.012). Multivariate analysis identified antiviral treatment as a prognostic factor for OS in the early-stage subgroup (P = 0.006). However, in the subgroup of advanced stages, MST of the antiviral-treated group was comparable to that of the non-antiviral group (8.4 [95% CI, 5.2-13.5] months versus 7.4 [95% CI, 5.9-9.3] months, P = 0.219). Multivariate analysis did not indicate that antiviral treatment was a significant prognostic factor in this subgroup.

CONCLUSIONAntiviral treatment is associated with prolonged OS time after chemoembolization for HCC, especially in patients with early-stage tumors.

Antiviral Agents ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Mortality ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies