Objective To investigate the effect of tunor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) antagonist treatment and traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs treatment on the quality of life of male patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).Methods In 42 patients with AS open-label study,patients were grouped after consent,and divided into the TNF-α antagonist treatment group and the non-TNF-α antagonist treatment group.All patients were treated for 4 months.The clinical and laboratory indexes and quality of life changes were analyzed before and after the treatment.T test,Pearson's correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis with software version 13.0.Results There were no significant differences in age,disease course,disease activity and the quality of life between the two groups before treatment.Disease activity and the quality of life of the two groups after treatment were improved compared with that of before treatment.After treatment,the Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) score [(1.9±1.6) scores,(3.0±1.3) scores,t=-2.429,P=0.020],erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) [(9±6) mm/1 h,(18±17) mm/1 h,t=-2.286,P=0.031] and C reactive protein(CRP) levels [(18±21) mg/L,(62±85) mg/L,t=-2.258,P=0.035] of the TNF-α antagonists treatment group decreased significantly than those non-TNF-α antagonist treatment group,while the hemoglobin (Hb) levels [(143±15) g/L,(138±18) g/L,t=2.545,P=0.015] were significantly increased in TNF-α antagonist treatment group.The improvement extent of quality of life was more evident in TNF-α antagonists treatment group,such as,the average score [(72± 15) scores,(55±19) scores,t =3.254,P=0.002].The average degree of improvement in quality of life and BASDAI score,Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI) score were negatively related to the improvement in the TNF-α treatment group (r=-0.497,P=0.018; r=-0.558,P=0.007).Conclusion TNF-α antagonist treatment can not only improve the AS disease activity,but can also improve the quality of sexual life of male patients,which may direct affect on male reproductive system.

Objective To explore the relationship between osteopontin (OPN),its downstream product thrombin-cleaved osteopontin (NTOPN) and radiographic changes in osteoarthritis (OA).Methods The levels of OPN and NTOPN in serum and synovial fluid were tested by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) kit in 22 OA patients and 21 health controls.The correlation between the above parameters and clinical data such as radiology changes of OA patients was analyzed.Results The serum level of OPN in the OA group was positively correlated with C reactive protein (CRP) (r =0.574,P =0.005).The serum level of OPN in the OA group was slightly lower than that in the healthy control group [(1.8 ± 0.5) μg/L vs (1.7 ± 1.1) μg/L,P ＞ 0.05].Similarly,the serum level of NTOPN in the OA group was significantly higher than that in control group [(21.1 ± 11.7) μg/L vs (14.7 ± 3.6) μg/L,P ＜ 0.05].Meanwhile,serum NTOPN level in female patients was significantly higher than that in male patients [(23.2 ± 11.80) μg/L vs (11.1 ± 4.9) μg/L,P ＜ 0.05].In synovial fluid of OA group,the level of OPN was (7.75 ± 2.33) μg/L,NTOPN was (0.91 ± 0.49) μg/L and the ratio of NTOPN/OPN was 0.12 ± 0.08.The level of OPN of synovial fluid in the OA group was positively correlated with CRP (r =0.574,P =0.005).NTOPN-to-OPN ratio of synovial fluid in the OA group was positively correlated with Kellgren-Lawrence grade (r =0.535,P =0.022).Conclusions The serum level of OPN is correlated with severity of inflammation in the OA patients.Meanwhile,NTOPN-to-OPN ratio of synovial fluid is correlated with OA severity.As a downstream bioactive product of OPN,NTOPN may play an important role in OA pathogenesis.Whether these parameters can be used as predictors of joint lesion severity and inflammatory status is worth further study.

Objective To identify the clinical features and risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).Methods The clinical and laboratory data of 595 patients with RA hospitalized in Chaoyang Hospital.550 cases of patients were performed pulmonary high-resolution CT examination.Risk factors were analyzed with logystic regression analysis.Results ① There were 237 (39.8％)patients with RA-ILD.13.5％ of RA-ILD occurred before the dia-gnosis of RA,69.7％ of RA-ILD occurred within ten years after the diagnosis of RA,16.8％ of RA-ILD occurred more than ten years after the diagnosis of RA.② The most common manifestations of HRCT were reticular opacity (57.8％),pleural thickening (57％),ground-glass opacity (53.2％),followed by septal thicke-ning,nodules,bullae,cellular-like changes and bronchiectasis.③ Pleural disease,bronchiectasis,pulmonary hypertension in RA patients were associated with RA-ILD.④ Compared with the RA-N-ILD patients,RA-ILD patients had a higher proportion of male patients,higher rate of smoking,older mean age at onset,shorter duration,more swollen joints higher levels of lactate dehydrogenase,globulin,erythrocyte sedimentation,C-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).The forced vital capacity,forced expiratory volume in one second,carbon monoxide diffusion rate was lower,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that age,smoking,elevated lactate dehydrogenase,RF-positive rate were relevant factors of RA-ILD.Conclusion ILD is common in RA,and most of it occurrs within ten years after the diagnosis of RA,and often coexists with other lung disease.Age,smoking,elevated lactate dehydrogenase,RF-positive rate

Objective:To study the impact of rotary cell culture system(RCCS) on the quality and activity of fetal islets of pancreas after cryopreservation and resuscitation.Methods:The fetal islets of pancreas were assigned into three groups averagely,experiment group 1,2 and control group.In experiment group1 and 2,fetal islets of pancreas were cultivated in RCCS and common culture respectively.While in control group,fresh fetal islets of pancreas were cultivated in RCCS all the time.We resected the fetal pancreas and digested with Collagenase V and purified with ficoll solution.Then standard cryopreservation step was adopted,and after resuscitation,the islets of pancreas were cultivated continuously.And the quantity,quality and activity of the islets of pancreas,and insulin stimulation test results in all groups were detected.Results:After purification,islets got from one fetal pancreas reached 2,331.98-5,115.43 IEQ(average 3,551.27? 253.76 IEQ) .The survival rate,the insulin release and stimulation index in islets of pancreas of group 1 incubated in RCCS were higher than those in common culture.Conclusion:RCCS are good for the growth and proliferation of islets of pancreas,and the islets of pancreas cultivated in RCCS have better insulin secreting capacity.RCCS combined standard cryopreservation method may further improve the cryopreservation effect.

Objective To investigate the clinical features of connective tissue diseases (CTD) related organizing pneumonia (OP). Methods The clinical and radiological features, therapy and outcome of 57 CTD-OP patients diagnosed by biopsy were retrospectively analyzed. T test, x2 test, Pearson/Spearmanˊs correla-tion analysis were used for statistical analysis with software version 15.0. Results CTD-OP accounted for 44% of all the OP. There were 36 cases (63%) with the initial clinical manifestation of OP in CTD-OP patients. The underling primary disease of CTDs included Sj?grenˊs syndrome (22, 38%), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (13, 23%), RA (13, 23%) and undifferentiated connective tissue diseases (9, 16%). At baseline, the clinical symptoms of cough and malaise [54% vs 83%, x2=7.749, P=0.005; 49% vs 71%, x2=4.007, P=0.045] were significantly lower in the CTD-OP patients than in the COP patients. The signs of moist rales and crackles (54% vs 32%, x2=4.160, P=0.041; 49% vs 27%, x2=4.529, P=0.033) were more common in the CTD-OP patients than in the COP patients. The TLC%, FVC% of the lung function reduced significantly in CTD-OP patients than in COP patients [(72 ±18)% vs (97 ±29)%, t=-2.475, P=0.027;(75 ±26)% vs (96 ±23)%, t=-2.174, P=0.039). The dosage of corticosteroids [(44 ±14) mg/d vs (37 ±10) mg/d, t=2.541, P=0.013] were significantly higher in the CTD-OP patients than in the COP patients. The complete recovery rate was slightly lower in CTD-OP than in COP (22% vs 29%, x2=0.384, P=0.483) with a tendency towards higher recurrence rate in CTD-OP (33% vs 14%, x2=4.007, P=3.958). Conclusion CTD-OP is probably the common cause of OP. OP can be the initial manifestation of CTD. The primary disease of the CTD-OP includes Sjogrenˊs syndrome, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, rheumatoid arthritis and undifferentiated connective tissue diseases. Compared with COP, CTD-OP patients may have milder clinical symptoms, but the more severe damage of the lung, the higher the recurrence rate, therefore, CTD-OP is worthy of more attention from rheumatologists.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Hematologic Diseases ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Terminology as Topic

Child ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Hearing Loss, Central ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Vestibulocochlear Nerve Diseases ; physiopathology

Animals ; Cochlea ; pathology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Hyperlipidemias ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous

Objective To explore biomechanical properties and clinical results of a new type of dynamic Hoffmann external fixator(NDHEF)for tibial shaft fractures.Methods Fifteen specimens of adult tibia were randomly divided into three groups and osteotomized obliquely in the mid part of the tibia.These specimens were fixed with NDHEF,improved Hoffmann external fixator(IHEF)and maltifunctional external fixator(MEF)re- spectively.The axial compression,bending,torsion and stress shielding tests were performed on the specimens in each group for biomechanical comparison.From 1995 to 2004,40 cases of open tibiofihular fractures were treated with NDHEF and 88 cases with IHEF and their clinical results were analyzed and compared.Results The biomechanical tests showed that the compressive rigidity,bending rigidity and torsion rigidity of NDHEF were similar to those of IHEF(P＞0.05)but significantly stronger than those of MEF(P＜0.05).The stress shielding of NDHEF was obviously weaker than that of other external fixators(P＜0.05).All the 128 cases were followed up for 12 to 36 months(average,16.8 months).The mean substantial bone healing time for NDHEF treatment was 22.3 weeks and that for IHEF was 26.8 weeks.The difference was significant(P＜0.05).The rates of delayed union and malunion were all 7.5% for NDHEF,but 15.9% and 4.5% respectively for IHEF.The difference was insignificant (P＞0.05).Conclusions The biomechanical performance of NDHEF is superior to that of IHEF,for it can diminish the stress shielding and accelerate bone healing.It is a good external fixator for tibial fractures.