Objective To evaluate the effect of transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation on prevention of intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with mechanical ventilation. Methods A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. Sixty COPD patients aged 18-85 years old who were accepted mechanical ventilation therapy admitted to general intensive care unit (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Medicine from October 2017 to October 2018 were enrolled. Patients were divided into control group (n = 30) and intervention group (n = 30) by random number table method. All patients were accepted routine treatment, and on this basis, the intervention group was applied transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation on the extremities (twice a day, 30 minutes each time) after 24 hours of admission until ICU discharge. The Medical Research Council muscle strength score (MRC-Score), grip strength, incidence of ICU-AW on the 7th day after admission and on the day of ICU discharge; modified Barthel index score on the day of ICU discharge; and duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of ICU stay, and the length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups. Results Twenty-nine and 27 patients in the control group and the intervention group respectively finally completed the study in dividually. There was no significant difference in gender, age, Barthel index score before 2 weeks of ICU admission, body mass index or acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ) in ICU between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the MRC-Score, grip strength or incidence of ICU-AW on the 7th day after ICU admission between the two groups. Compared to the control group, the MRC-Score, grip strength and Barthel index score in the intervention group were significantly increased [MRC-Score: 55.97±8.43 vs. 46.32±7.36, grip strength (kg): 33.46±11.62 vs. 27.42±9.64, Barthel index score:46.04±5.46 vs. 42.13±3.32, all P < 0.05], the incidence rate of ICU-AW was significantly decreased [7.4% (2/27) vs. 31.0% (9/29), P < 0.05], and duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of ICU stay, the length of hospital stay were significantly shortened [duration of mechanical ventilation (days): 5.12±2.01 vs. 7.24±4.35, the length of ICU stay (days): 8.34±2.36 vs. 10.45±2.62, the length of hospital stay (days): 13.21±2.21 vs. 15.38±3.67, all P < 0.05]. Conclusion Transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation can effectively improve the muscle strength of COPD patients with mechanical ventilation and reduce the incidence of ICU-AW.

OBJECTIVETo determine the feasibility and efficacy of endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) in treating early gastric cancer(EGC) and precancerous lesions in the remnant stomach of patients after gastrectomy.

METHODSClinical data of 36 patients with EGC and precancerous lesions in remnant stomach undergoing ESD in Endoscopy Center of Zhongshan Hospital from January 2008 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Operative, postoperative conditions and long-term follow-up of these patients were evaluated.

RESULTSBoth the success rate and the complete resection rate were 100%. The average maximum diameter of the tumor was 1.5(range 0.6-4.5) cm. During the ESD process, two bleeding cases were treated successfully by endoscopic hemostasis. The average operation time was 40(10-80) min. The delayed hemorrhage developed in 2 cases within 1-3 days after operation, and were also treated successfully by endoscopic hemostasis. There was no perforation or delayed perforation. No emergency surgery was required for the complication. Twelve cases were diagnosed as mild-moderate dysplasia, 7 cases as high grade intraepithelial neoplasia, 16 cases as hyperplastic polyps, and 1 case as signet ring cell carcinoma with T1 stage, who underwent operation for resecting gastric stump and lymph node dissection 7 days after ESD without subsequent follow-up. The curative resection rate was 92.7%(35/36). The median follow-up of the remaining 35 patients was 36(6-78) months without discomfort and recurrence under gastroscopy.

CONCLUSIONESD is safe and effective for EGC and precancerous lesions in the remnant stomach.

Adenocarcinoma ; Dissection ; Gastrectomy ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastric Stump ; Gastroscopy ; Hemostasis, Endoscopic ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: To carry out carrier screening for Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in reproductive-aged individuals from Dongguan region and determine the carrier frequency of SMN1 gene mutations. METHODS: Reproductive-aged individuals who underwent SMN1 genetic screening at the Dongguan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital from March 2020 to August 2022 were selected as the study subjects. Deletions of exon 7 and 8 (E7/E8) of the SMN1 gene were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR), and prenatal diagnosis was provided for carrier couples by multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). RESULTS: Among the 35 145 subjects, 635 were found to be carriers of SMN1 E7 deletion (586 with heterozygous E7/E8 deletion, 2 with heterozygous E7 deletion and homozygous E8 deletion, and 47 with sole heterozygous E7 deletion). The carrier frequency was 1.81% (635/35 145), with 1.59% (29/1 821) in males and 1.82% (606/33 324) in females. There was no significant difference between the two genders (χ² = 0.497, P = 0.481). A 29-year-old woman was found to harbor homozygous deletion of SMN1 E7/E8, and was verified to have a SMN1∶SMN2 ratio of [0∶4], none of her three family members with a [0∶4] genotype had clinical symptoms. Eleven carrier couples had accepted prenatal diagnosis, and one fetus was found to have a [0∶4] genotype, and the pregnancy was terminated. CONCLUSION This study has determined the SMA carrier frequency in Dongguan region for the first time and provided prenatal diagnosis for carrier couples. The data can provide a reference for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis, which has important clinical implications for the prevention and control of birth defects associated with SMA.
Humans ; Child ; Pregnancy ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Homozygote ; Sequence Deletion ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Genetic Testing ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/genetics* ; Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein/genetics* ; Genetic Carrier Screening