ObjectiveTo investigate the short-term efficacy, long-term efficacy, and adverse effects of elemene combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of primary liver cancer (PLC). MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Chinese Scientific Journal Full-Text Database, Wanfang Data, CBM, and VIP were searched by two reviewers using the same search strategy for clinical studies on elemene combined with TACE in the treatment of PLC. The Jadad quality scoring system was used to assess the quality of the studies included, and Review Manager 5.2 software was used for the meta-analysis. ResultsA total of 9 articles involving 487 patients were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that compared with the TACE group, the elemene-TACE group showed significant increases in the response rate, disease control rate, and 12- and 24-month survival rates (response rate: RR=1.43, 95%CI： 1.23-1.67, P＜0.001; disease control rate: RR=1.22, 95%CI: 1.11-1.32, P＜0.001; 12-month survival rate: RR=1.68, 95%CI: 1.22-2.31, P=0.001; 24-month survival rate: RR=2.91, 95%CI: 1.44-5.87, P=0.003). As for the incidence of adverse events, the elemene-TACE group showed a significant reduction in the incidence rate of abdominal pain (RR=0.59, 95%CI: 0.36-0.98, P=0.04). ConclusionCompared with TACE alone, elemene combined with TACE might improve response rate, disease control rate, and survival rates and reduce adverse events in patients with liver cancer.

Objective:To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with intestinal Talaromycosis marneffei (TM) infection. Methods:A total of 64 AIDS patients who underwent colonoscopy in Guangzhou Eighth People′s Hospital from January, 2010 to December, 2018 were retrospectively collected. Among them, 32 patients were co-infected with TM (AIDS with intestinal TM infection group) and 32 patients were not (AIDS without intestinal TM infection group) according to the colonic mucosa pathology. The clinical manifestations and pathological differences were compared between the two groups. Nonparametric rank sum test and Fisher exact probability method were used for statistical analysis.Results:The proportions of patients presented with fever, cough, retroperitoneal lymph nodes tume faction, nausea and vomiting, abdominal muscle tension, abdominal tenderness and rebound pain in AIDS with intestinal TM infection group were 28 (87.5%), 16 (50.0%), 13 (40.6%), 9 (28.1%), 8 (25.0%), 20 (62.5%) and 12 (37.5%), respectively, which were all significantly higher than those in AIDS without intestinal TM infection group 11 (34.4%), 6 (18.8%), 3 (9.4%), 2 (6.2%), 1 (3.1%), 8 (25.0%) and 1 (3.1%), respectively, the differences were statistically significant (Fisher exact test, all P<0.05). The median counts of peripheral blood CD4 + T lymphocyte, lymphocytes, monocytes, hemoglobin, platelet and albumin in AIDS with intestinal TM infection group were 13.5/μL, 0.30×10 9/L, 0.16×10 9/L, 88 g/L, 122×10 9/L and 23.5 g/L, respectively, which were all significantly lower than those in AIDS without intestinal TM infection group 207.0/ μL, 1.35×10 9/L, 0.35×10 9/L, 128 g/L, 201×10 9/L and 37.5 g/L, respectively, the differences were all statistically significant ( Z=-6.111, -6.191, -4.273, -5.353, -2.974 and-6.666, respectively, all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that CD4 + T lymphocytes <50/μL, hemoglobin <90 g/L and fecal occult blood positive were independent risk factors for AIDS with intestinal TM infection. The main manifestations of colonoscopy in AIDS with intestinal TM infection group were discontinuous ulcers (31.2%(10/32)), erosion (31.2%(10/32)) or co-exitance of ulcer and erosion (21.9%(7/32)), while suspected tumor-like eminence lesions were less common (15.6%(5/32)). The pathological features of colon mucosa were ulcer and/or erosion (53.1%(17/32)), chronic inflammation (46.9%(15/32)) and inflammatory granuloma (43.8%(14/32)). Oval or round spore with apparent septum could be seen by special staining. In AIDS with intestinal TM infection group, 27 patients were cured or improved, five patients died or deteriorated, while all patients in the AIDS without intestinal TM infection group improved after treatment without death. Conclusions:There are no specific gastrointestinal symptoms in AIDS patients with intestinal TM infection, while the patients present with decreased immunological cells and multiple colony pathological features. Specific fungal spores can be seen.