OBJECTIVETo study the prevalence of iron deficiency in children between 6 months and 7 years and to study the diagnostic value of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) for iron deficiency in the children.

METHODSA total of 502 healthy children between 6 months and 7 years from Hangzhou City of Zhejiang Province were enrolled. Serum sTfR, serum ferritin (SF), serum iron (SI), total iron blinding capacity (TIBC), zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), Hb, MCV and CRP levels were measured.

RESULTSThe prevalence rate of iron deficiency was 19.5% in children at ages of 6 months to 7 years. The prevalence rate of iron deficiency was the highest in infants (≤1 year old; 34.7%), followed by in toddlers (1-3 years old; 19.4%) and preschoolers (3-7 years old; 14.0%). The mean serum sTfR level in infants (2.02±0.73 mg/L) was significantly higher than that in toddlers (1.68±0.40 mg/L) and preschoolers (1.67±0.29 mg/L) (P<0.05).The best cut-off value of serum sTfR for the diagnosis of iron deficiency was 2.02 mg/L in infants (sensitivity: 70.3%, specificity: 82.2%). The best cut-off value was 1.85 mg/L in toddlers (sensitivity: 71.7%; specificity: 86.4%), and that was 1.85 mg/L in preschoolers (sensitivity: 77.8%; specificity: 88.6%). Serum sTfR was correlated with SF (r=0.107, P<0.05), TIBC (r=0.276, P<0.01), TS (r=-0.139, P<0.05), ZPP (r=0.175, P<0.01) and MCV (r=-0.140, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSIron deficiency is more prevalent in infants ≤1 year old. The mean serum level and the cut-off value of sTfR in infants are higher than in toddlers and preschoolers. Serum sTfR is an effective index for the diagnosis of iron deficiency in children, especially in infants≤ 1 year old.

Age Factors ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Iron ; deficiency ; Male ; Prevalence ; Receptors, Transferrin ; blood

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; immunology ; physiopathology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo determine the relationship between maternal and neonatal vitamin D status and related factors.

METHODSerum 25-(OH)D levels were measured by ELISA in 499 pregnant women at 30 - 37 weeks gestation and in cord blood of their infants born at term (37 - 42 wk gestation) in Southeastern China at 28.9°N latitude. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to explore maternal and neonatal vitamin D levels by season. Pearson linear and linear regression of partial correlation was used to analyze the relationship between maternal and neonatal 25-(OH) D levels. The multiple factors related to maternal vitamin D status was assessed by binary logistic regression.

RESULTThe levels of serum 25-(OH)D were (33.0 ± 13.4) nmol/L in mothers and (31.0 ± 12.5) nmol/L in their newborns. Serum 25-(OH)D < 50 nmol/L was shown in 88.8% of mothers and 91.2% of their neonates. Both maternal and neonatal 25-(OH)D levels varied with season (Ps = 0.000). Vitamin D level was the lowest in spring, with the 25-(OH)D concentration < 50 nmol/L in 98.6% of mothers and 99.3% of their neonates. The highest vitamin D level was presented in fall, but there were still 64.0% of mothers and 75.0% of neonates with 25-(OH)D < 50 nmol/L. Except for season, calcium-vitamin D supplement and intake of egg ≥ 600 g per week during pregnancy benefited to improve maternal vitamin D level [25-(OH)D ≥ 50 nmol/L] [OR = 2.3 (95%CI:1.0, 5.3), 3.4 (95%CI:1.2, 9.9) respectively]. There was a positive correlation between maternal and neonatal 25-(OH)D measures in the sample as a whole (r = 0.45, P = 0.000, N = 499), the correlation was of no statistical significance when maternal serum 25-(OH)D was ≤ 25 nmol/L.

CONCLUSIONHypovitaminosis D was common in late pregnant mothers and their newborns in southeastern China, especially in spring. Vitamin D supplement and intake of vitamin D-rich food were beneficial to improvement of maternal vitamin D level. There was a moderate and positive correlation between maternal and neonatal 25-(OH)D concentrations in this population. The correlation was lost when maternal serum 25-(OH)D ≤ 25 nmol/L.

Adult ; Calcium ; blood ; Dietary Supplements ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; blood ; Male ; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Nutritional Status ; Pregnancy ; blood ; Pregnancy Complications ; blood ; prevention & control ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Seasons ; Sunlight ; Vitamin D ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; blood ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo discuss the clinical epidemiology features and change trend of aortic dissection (AD).

METHODSRetrospective analysis of consecutive 339 patients with AD over 10 years in Guangdong Cardiovascular Institution. Hospital records and prognosis were compared between two five-year periods.

RESULTS339 cases with AD were hospitalized during the past 10 years. The mean age was 55.7 +/- 11.2. The male/female ratio was 4.75 to 1. Hypertension was present in 71.7% of all patients. Heavy smoking history was elicited in 52.2% of all the patients. Type I dissection were identified in 32.3% of all the cases, type II in 5.1%, and type III in 62.6%. In-hospital mortality of acute type A dissection was 35.3%, acute type B dissection 8.0%. In two five-year periods, the total number of cases increased by 165%, among which type I was the fastest, increased by 270%. Changes of mean age and male/female ratio were not significant. For acute AD, changes of prognosis in one year improved, but did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONSThis study provides insight into current regional profiles of AD. The number of hospitalized patients with AD is increasing dramatically. The mean age of the first-attack is much younger and the male ration is much higher than that reported by other regional researchers. Limited by sample size, one year prognosis of acute AD dissection improved, but did not reach statistical significance. These data support the urgent need for further improvement in prevention and treatment of AD.

Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Aortic Diseases ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis

Objective To investigate gender-related differences in risk factors,clinical manifestation and outcomes in patients with aortic dissection(AD)from Guangzhou.Methods Consecutive patients with AD admitted to our institute over the past 10 years were included in this retrospective analysis.Prevalence of hypertension, smoking, thickness of intraventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall measured by echocardiography,and outcomes were compared between male and female AD patients.Results There were more male AD patients than female AD patients(5.33:1) from the 418 patients.Prevalence of hypertension, thickness of intraventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall were similar in male and female AD patients.Heavy smoking history was 56.5%in males and 13.6%in females(P=0.000).Acute survival rate in female patients tended to be better than that in male patients.Conclusions There were significantly more male AD patients than female AD patients in this cohort.Prevalence of heave smoking in male patients is 3 times hisher than that in female population.

To study on the molecular evolution of Coxsackie virus A16 (CVA16)isolated from clinical speci-mens of Hand, foot and mouth Disease( HFMD) patients in Inner Mongolia in 2010. A total of 921 clinical specimens including stools, throat swabs and vesicle fluids were collected from 888 HFMD patients in out-patient service in Inner Mongolia and viral isolation was then performed, the positive viral isolates were identified by using the real-time PCR method detecting CVA16. A total of 50 CVA16 isolates were selected from the patients presenting mild symptoms, severe symptoms and the death patients randomly, and the VP1 coding regions of representative CVA16 isolates were amplified and sequenced. Finally the phylogenetic tree was constructed among the VP1 coding regions of the different genotypes and subgenotypes of CVA16 strains. Eighty two viruses were isolated form 921 clinical specimens, the positive rate was 8. 90%, of which 3 viruses were isolated from severe cases and 1 viruses was from death cases. The nucleotide acid of 50 representative CVA16 strains in Inner Mongolia were closed to CVA16 strains isolated from mainland China since 1998, especially from Beijing in 2009 and from Henan in 2010, the identity were 96. 18% approximately 98. 88% and 94. 94a approximately 98. 76%, respectively. There was a little difference in the nucleotide acid between the CVA16 strains from Inner Mongolia in 2010 and in 2007, the identity were 91. 68% approximately 96. 52% The phylogenetic tree showed that all CVA16 strains clustered within Bla and B1b evolution branch of B1 genotype. There was slight difference in the nucleotide and the amino acid in VP1 region among the 50 Inner Mongolia CVA16 strains, the identity were 89. 99% approximately 100% and 98. 31% approximately 100%, respectively, indicating that these strains belonged to many different viral transmission chains. The CVA16 strains circulated in Inner Mongolia in 2010 were all belong to B1a and B1b evolution branch of B1 genotype, and the two evolutionary branchs of Coxsackie virus A16 were co-evolved and co-prevailed in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Capsid Proteins ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Coxsackievirus Infections ; epidemiology ; mortality ; virology ; Enterovirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Evolution, Molecular ; Feces ; virology ; Female ; Genotype ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; epidemiology ; mortality ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Vero Cells ; Young Adult

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood ; complications ; virology ; Glycomics ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; complications ; virology ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; complications ; virology ; Neoplasm Staging

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between HBV core promoter mutations and liver damage or HBeAg status.

METHODSNested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used for amplification of HBV DNA core promoter in 59 sera from patients with chronic hepatitis B in Guangxi, then the HBV DNA positive products were sequenced by direct sequencing.

RESULTSThe HBV DNA positive rate of was 59.3%(35/59). All the patients were infected by mutants. The commonest mutation was the double mutation (A --> T at nt1762 and G --> A at nt1764), counting for 57.1% (20/35). The next was C --> G at nt1799, counting for 54.4% (19/35), but this was no function. A --> G at nt1752 (resulting in isoleucine to valine) was seen in 37.1% (13/35) of the HBV DNA positive patients, and T --> C at nt1753 was seen in 20% (7/35). The significant difference in the frequency of T1762A1764 mutant was found between HBeAg positive patients (31.3%) and negative patients (79.0%).

CONCLUSIONSHBV core promoter mutations are common among patients with chronic hepatitis B in Guangxi. T1762A1764 mutant is associated with HBeAg status and chronic hepatitis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; genetics ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics

AIM:To observe the clinical effect of ranibizumab combined with 577nm micropulse laser in the treatment of severe diabetic macular edema(DME). METHODS:There were 52 eyes of 52 patients diagnosed with severe DME who admitted to the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from June 2016 to September 2019. The patients were randomly divided into the observation group(26 patients with 26 eyes, treated with ranibizumab combined with 577nm micropulse laser)and the control group(26 patients with 26 eyes, treated with ranibizumab alone). Patients in both groups received intravitreal injection of ranibizumab with “3+PRN” regimen. Followed up at 9mo after treatment to observe the central macular thickness(CMT), the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)and the times of intravitreal injection of ranibizumab in the two groups.RESULTS:Compared with before treatment, the CMT and BCVA of the two groups were significantly improved at each time point after treatment(all P<0.001), but there was no difference between the two groups(P>0.05). During the follow-up period, the times of vitreous injection of ranibizumabin the observation group was significantly less than that in the control group(5.88±1.24 times vs 7.12±1.24 times, P=0.001). CONCLUSION:Both ranibizumab combined with 577nm micropulse laser and ranibizumab alone are effective in reducing edema and improving vision in patients with severe DME, but the combination therapy reduces the times of injection.

Objective: To observe effect of modified Maimendong Tang combined with cisplatin on the cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis and the protein expressions of Caspase-3, epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells in vitro, so as to investigate their relevant mechanisms in inhibiting cells proliferation, invasion and metastasis and inducing apoptosis of A549 cells. Method: The lung cancer cells A549 were respectively treated with modified Maimendong Tang(15 g·L^-1), cisplatin(9 mg·L^-1), and combined drugs. Afterwards, they were divided into control group, modified Maimendong Tang group, cisplatin group and modified Maimendong Tang combined with cisplatin group. Thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to evaluate the proliferation of A549 cells treated with different concentrations of modified Maimendong Tang(0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 g·L^-1) and cisplatin(0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 mg·L^-1) for 24, 48, 72 h. The proliferation of A549 cells in each group was detected by MTT assay; flow cytometry was used to detect the degree of apoptosis and cycle in the above four groups of cells; scratch test and transwell migration test were performed to observe the abilities of invasion and metastasis of each group; Western blot was used to detect Caspase-3 and EGFR protein expression. Result: The concentration of modified Maimendong Tang and cisplatin and the time of intervention were negatively correlated with the proliferative capacity of A549 cells (P<0.05); compared with control group, modified Maimendong Tang could reduce the expressions of Caspase-3 and EGFR obviously (P<0.05); compared with cisplatin group and modified Maimendong Tang group, the modified Maimendong Tang combined with cisplatin group significantly inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cell and induced its apoptosis, the number of cells in G₀/G₁ phase increased apparently, and the cells in S phase decreased significantly (P<0.05); compared with other groups, A549 cells treated with the combined drug showed the poorest ability of scar healing, the number of them passing through the transwell chamber significantly reduced, and the protein expressions of Caspase-3 and EGFR down-regulated (P<0.05). Conclusion: Modified Maimendong Tang combined with cisplatin can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and metastasis and induce the apoptosis of lung cancer cells. Modified Maimendong Tang can synergistically enhance the action of cisplatin. The mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of Caspase-3 and EGFR protein expressions.