Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with hydrofluoric acid (HF) burns. Methods: Clinical data of 316 patients with HF burns admitted to Zhejiang Quhua Hospital from January 2004 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into non and mild poisoning group (NMP, n=157), moderate poisoning group (MP, n=120), and severe and fatal poisoning group (SFP, n=39) based on the severity of poisoning. Occurrences of hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia, and hyperkalemia of patients within 24 hours after admission were recorded. Values of emergency urinary fluoride of patients on admission were recorded. Values of urinary fluoride of patients admitted to hospital in 4 hours post injury in groups MP and SFP at post injury hour 4, 12, and 24 and on post injury day 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were also recorded. Electrocardiographic abnormalities of patients within 24 hours after admission were recorded. Data were processed with chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: (1) Hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, and hypokalemia occurred in some patients in each of the three groups, but no patient had hyperkalemia. Taking serum calcium namely total serum calcium as reference, the incidence rate of hypocalcemia of patients in group NMP was close to that in group MP (χ²=0.05, P>0.05). The incidence rate of hypocalcemia of patients in group SFP was significantly higher than that in group NMP or group MP (χ²=10.53, 7.92, P<0.01). The incidence rates of hypokalemia in the three groups were close (χ²=0.63, P>0.05). Taking serum ionized calcium as reference, the incidence ratio of hypocalcemia of patients in group NMP was close to that in group MP (χ²=0.01, P>0.05), while there were statistically significant differences in incidence ratio of hypocalcemia of patients between group SFP and each of group NMP and group MP (χ²=4.66, 4.47, P<0.05). Taking serum calcium as reference, the incidence rate of hypocalcemia of patients was 7.3% (23/316). Taking serum ionized calcium as reference, the incidence rate of hypocalcemia of patients was 60.0% (42/70), which was significantly higher than that of taking serum calcium as reference (χ²=113.74, P<0.01). The incidence rates of hypomagnesemia of patients in groups MP and NMP were close (χ²=0.02, P>0.05). The incidence rate of hypomagnesemia of patients in group SFP was significantly higher than that in group NMP or group MP (χ²=14.69, 9.94, P<0.01). (2) The urinary fluoride levels were tested in 288 patients, with the value of emergency urinary fluoride of patients on admission 0.2-590.0 mg/L. The values of urinary fluoride of 202 patients were above the normal value. The values of emergency urinary fluoride of patients in groups NMP, MP, and SFP were 2.15 (1.11, 4.30), 5.89 (1.72, 14.25), and 36.0 (13.2, 103.2) mg/L, respectively. The values of emergency urinary fluoride of patients in groups MP and SFP were significantly higher than the value in group NMP (χ²=23.28, 66.03, P<0.01). The value of emergency urinary fluoride of patients in group SFP was significantly higher than that in group MP (χ²=39.23, P<0.01). The value of urinary fluoride of 33 patients admitted to hospital within 4 hours post injury in groups MP and SFP reached the top at 4 hours post injury and then gradually declined, which returned to normal on about 5 days post injury. The values of urinary fluoride of patients in group SFP at 4, 12, and 24 hours post injury and on 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days post injury were significantly higher than those in group MP (Z=-4.28, -4.15, -3.81, -4.21, -2.48, -2.06, -2.31, -2.68, -3.03, P<0.05 or P<0.01). (3) Twenty-seven patients had electrocardiographic abnormality. There were 12 patients with T wave changes (the most common), 8 patients with ST-T changes, 6 patients with ventricular arrhythmias, 6 patients with conduction block, and 1 patient with broadened QRS waveform. There was no patient with prolonged Q-T interval. The ratios of patients with the above electrocardiographic abnormalities in group SFP were higher than those in group NMP and group MP. Conclusions Clinical manifestations of patients with HF burn are hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia, and electrocardiographic abnormality. In addition to routine serum electrolyte and electrocardiogram monitoring, the levels of serum ionized calcium and urinary fluoride can be helpful to evaluate the severity of illness of the patients.

Objective To optimize the simulation of the pathological characteristics and seizure behavior of medial temporal lobe epilepsy(MTLE),we aimed to establish a chronic epilepsy model of MTLE by unilateral,single hippocampal injection of kainic acid(KA)via stereotactic surgery,and to validate this epilepsy model in terms of behavior,electrophysiology,and pathology.Methods A total of 22 healthy C57BL/6 wild-type male mice were divided randomly into a control group(n=6)and an experimental group,which received KA injections(n=16).Both groups underwent microinjection of equal doses of saline or KA in the hippocampal CA3 area via stereotactic surgery.One week later,all mice were implanted with electrodes in the hippocampal CA3 area to facilitate electroencephalogram(EEG)recording.Seizure frequency and duration were analyzed statistically.The chronic epilepsy model was assessed in terms of behavior,electrophysiology,and pathology.Results No mice in the control group experienced seizures,while all surviving mice in the experimental group developed seizures.Adult model mice exhibited chronic spontaneous seizure behaviors,such as staring,chewing,head and facial muscle twitching,and limb spasms.Two mice died as a result of the surgery,four mice died during the acute seizure phase,and ten model mice were successfully established.EEG recordings showed epileptiform changes consistent with MTLE.Immunofluorescence staining revealed neuronal loss in the CA3 area and astrocytic changes,consistent with characteristic pathological changes of hippocampal sclerosis.Conclusions The model constructed by single unilateral intrahippocampal KA injection demonstrated several advantages such as being time-efficient,easy to operate,and reproducible.This model exhibited EEG,behavioral,and neuropathological changes similar to human MTLE,making it valuable for studying effective treatments for temporal lobe epilepsy and serving as an ideal animal model for predicting outcomes of epilepsy surgery.

Objective: To retrospectively explore the effects of modified dosage of calcium gluconate (CG) on the patients with hydrofluoric acid burns not in hands or feet. Methods: One hundred and sixty patients with hydrofluoric acid burns not in hands or feet were hospitalized in our burn ward from January 2004 to December 2017. Based on the dosage of CG at different admission time, 76 patients hospitalized from January 2004 to December 2012 were included in traditional group, and 84 patients hospitalized from January 2013 to December 2017 were included in modified group. For patients in the two groups, subcutaneous injection of CG solution at one time was immediately conducted on admission in topical treatment. In traditional group, the injection was CG solution with mass concentration of 100 g/L. For wounds of superficial partial-thickness and above degree, CG solution was prescribed at the dosage of 50 mg/cm². Wounds of superficial-thickness or mass fraction of hydrofluoric acid less than 20.0% did not receive injection. In modified group, the mass concentration of CG solution for injection was diluted with normal saline to 25 g/L. For wounds of deep partial-thickness and above degree, CG solution was prescribed at the dosage of (50×mass fraction of hydrofluoric acid) mg/cm². For wounds of superficial partial-thickness, CG solution was prescribed at the dosage of (25×mass fraction of hydrofluoric acid) mg/cm². For wounds of superficial-thickness, CG solution was prescribed at the dosage of 2.5 mg/cm². For systemic treatment, the injection velocity of CG solution via venous access was adjusted according to the level of serum calcium namely total serum calcium of patients in traditional group. In modified group, serum ionized calcium was additionally detected through automatic blood gas analyzer by the bed to regulate the injection velocity of CG via venous access. The incidence rate of hypercalcemia and mortality of patients after treatment in the two groups, and the situation about treatment of survivors in the two groups were analyzed. Data were processed with chi-square test, Fisher′s exact probability test, t test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: (1) After treatment, 9 patients (11.8%) had hypercalcemia, while the other 67 patients (88.2%) did not have hypercalcemia in traditional group. Two patients (2.4%) had hypercalcemia, while the other 82 patients (97.6%) did not have hypercalcemia in modified group. The incidence rate of hypercalcemia of patients in traditional group was significantly higher than that in modified group (χ²=5.579, P=0.02). (2) There were two deaths (2.6%) and 74 survivors (97.4%) in traditional group, while there were two deaths (2.4%) and 82 survivors (97.6%) in modified group. The mortalities of patients in the two groups were close (P>0.05). (3) The ratios of eschar excision and skin grafting and hyperplastic scar formation, wound healing time, and ratio of esophageal scar stenosis of survivors in the two groups were close (χ²=0.002, 0.054, Z=0.66, P>0.05). Conclusions Hydrofluoric acid is highly dangerous. The early management of patients with hydrofluoric acid burns emphasizing specialized dosage of CG for treatment can be helpful to reduce incidence of complications and improve the safety of treatment.