ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) for muscle atrophy in patients with immobilization after surgical fixation of foot and ankle fractures.MethodsThis was a two-arm randomized controlled trial wherein 80 patients were recruited and divided into control (n = 40) and intervention (n = 40) groups. The control group received conventional orthopedic treatment, whereas the intervention group received TEAS and conventional treatment. The intervention group received TEAS 3 times a week for 30 min each time for 8 weeks. The primary outcomes were muscle thickness (MT) and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the rectus femoris and gastrocnemius muscles, whereas the secondary outcome measure was echo intensity (EI). Data were collected before the fixation operations (baseline assessment) and 4 and 8 weeks after intervention.ResultsCompared with baseline, the MT and CSA were reduced in both groups by the end of treatment, whereas EI increased in both groups. At week 4, the reduction in the rectus femoris CSA in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P = .02); however, the between-group differences in the MT and EI (all P .05) were not significant. No serious adverse events were observed in either group.ConclusionOur study showed that TEAS can improve muscle atrophy by attenuating the decline in the muscle CSA. Because this was only a pilot trial, subsequent studies will need longer follow-ups and larger sample sizes.

Objective To investigate the relationship between interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and miR-185-5p in the process of joint injury in acute gouty arthritis (AGA). Methods The serum miR-185-5p levels of 89 AGA patients and 91 healthy volunteers were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The correlation between miR-185-5p expression level and VAS score or IL-1β expression level was evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-185-5p in AGA. THP-1 cells were induced by sodium urate (MSU) to construct an in vitro acute gouty inflammatory cell model. After the expression level of miR-185-5p in THP-1 cells was upregulated or downregulated by transfection of miR-185-5p mimics or inhibitors in vitro, inflammatory cytokines of THP-1 cells, such as IL-1β, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), were detected by ELISA. The luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the interaction between miR-185-5p and the 3'-UTR of IL-1β. Results Compared with the healthy control group, the expression level of serum miR-185-5p in AGA patients was significantly reduced. The level of serum miR-185-5p was negatively correlated with VAS score and IL-1β expression level. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.905, the sensitivity was 80.17% and the specificity was 83.52%. Down-regulation of miR-185-5p significantly promoted the expression of IL-1β, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), while overexpression of miR-185-5p showed the opposite results. Luciferase reporter gene assay showed that IL-1β was the target gene of miR-185-5p, and miR-185-5p negatively regulated the expression of IL-1β. Conclusion miR-185-5p alleviates the inflammatory response in AGA by inhibiting IL-1β.
Humans ; 3' Untranslated Regions ; Arthritis, Gouty/genetics* ; Interleukin-1beta/genetics* ; Interleukin-8 ; Luciferases ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Objective:To investigate the association of urinary cadmium level with body mass index (BMI) and body circumferences among the older adults over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China.Methods:Subjects were older adults over 65 years old from the Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) between 2017 and 2018 conducted in 9 longevity areas in China. A total of 1 968 older adults were included in this study. Information including socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles, diet intake, and health status was collected by using questionnaires and physical examinations. Urine samples were collected to detect urinary cadmium and creatinine levels. Body circumferences included waist circumference, hip circumference and calf circumference. Subjects were divided into three groups (low:<0.77 μg/g·creatinine, middle:0.77-1.69 μg/g·creatinine, high:≥1.69 μg/g·creatinine) by tertiles of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium concentration. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the association of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium level with BMI and body circumferences. The dose-response relationship of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium concentration with BMI and body circumferences was analyzed by using restrictive cubic splines fitting multiple linear regression model.Results:The mean age of subjects was (83.34±11.14) years old. The median (Q1, Q3) concentration of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium was 1.13 (0.63, 2.09) μg/g·creatinine, and the BMI was (22.70±3.82) kg/m 2. The mean values of waist circumference, hip circumference, and calf circumference were (85.42±10.68) cm, (92.67±8.90) cm, and (31.08±4.76) cm, respectively. After controlling confounding factors, the results of the multiple linear regression model showed that for each increment of 1 μg/g·creatinine in creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium, the change of BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and calf circumference in the high-level group was -0.28 (-0.37, -0.19) kg/m 2, -0.74 (-0.96, -0.52) cm, -0.78 (-0.96, -0.61) cm, and -0.20 (-0.30, -0.11) cm, respectively. The restrictive cubic splines curve showed a negative nonlinear association of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium with BMI ( Pnonlinear<0.001) and negative linear associations of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium with waist circumference ( Plinear<0.001), hip circumference ( Plinear<0.001), and calf circumference ( Plinear<0.001). Conclusion:Urinary cadmium level is significantly associated with decreased BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and calf circumference among older adults over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China.

Objective:To investigate the association of urinary cadmium level with body mass index (BMI) and body circumferences among the older adults over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China.Methods:Subjects were older adults over 65 years old from the Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) between 2017 and 2018 conducted in 9 longevity areas in China. A total of 1 968 older adults were included in this study. Information including socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles, diet intake, and health status was collected by using questionnaires and physical examinations. Urine samples were collected to detect urinary cadmium and creatinine levels. Body circumferences included waist circumference, hip circumference and calf circumference. Subjects were divided into three groups (low:<0.77 μg/g·creatinine, middle:0.77-1.69 μg/g·creatinine, high:≥1.69 μg/g·creatinine) by tertiles of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium concentration. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the association of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium level with BMI and body circumferences. The dose-response relationship of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium concentration with BMI and body circumferences was analyzed by using restrictive cubic splines fitting multiple linear regression model.Results:The mean age of subjects was (83.34±11.14) years old. The median (Q1, Q3) concentration of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium was 1.13 (0.63, 2.09) μg/g·creatinine, and the BMI was (22.70±3.82) kg/m 2. The mean values of waist circumference, hip circumference, and calf circumference were (85.42±10.68) cm, (92.67±8.90) cm, and (31.08±4.76) cm, respectively. After controlling confounding factors, the results of the multiple linear regression model showed that for each increment of 1 μg/g·creatinine in creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium, the change of BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and calf circumference in the high-level group was -0.28 (-0.37, -0.19) kg/m 2, -0.74 (-0.96, -0.52) cm, -0.78 (-0.96, -0.61) cm, and -0.20 (-0.30, -0.11) cm, respectively. The restrictive cubic splines curve showed a negative nonlinear association of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium with BMI ( Pnonlinear<0.001) and negative linear associations of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium with waist circumference ( Plinear<0.001), hip circumference ( Plinear<0.001), and calf circumference ( Plinear<0.001). Conclusion:Urinary cadmium level is significantly associated with decreased BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and calf circumference among older adults over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China.

It has been previously thought that calcification is a feature of the stability of atherosclerotic plaques. However, recent studies have shown that microcalcification in atherosclerotic plaques is significantly associated with plaque vulnerability. The relationship between atherosclerotic plaques and calcification is unclear, and the specific role of calcification in atherosclerotic plaques remains controversial.

Objective To investigate the association between heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene rs2071746 polymorphism and long-term clinical outcome in patients with ischemic stroke.Methods Between July 2015 and June 2017,consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the Department of Neurology,the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were enrolled prospectively.TOAST classification was performed for all patients.Genotyping of the HO-1 gene rs2071746 polymorphism was performed using a modified multiplex ligase detection reaction technique.The patients were followed up.The primary endpoint events included ischemic stroke,vascular death,and myocardial infarction.Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the independent influencing factors for primary endpoint events.Results A total of 1 698 patients with successful genotyping and follow-up information were enrolled.Genotyping showed that the frequency of rs2071746 A allelewas 44.91％.They were followed up for 15.21 ± 7.39 months,and 168 patients (9.89％) had primary endpoint events.The incidence of primary endpoint events in A allele carriers was significantly lower than that in non-A allele carriers (8.80％ vs.12.40％;P =0.018).Multivariate Cox proportional risk regression model showed that after adjusting for age,gender,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,smoking,alcohol consumption,and genotype,A allele was an independent protective factor for primary endpoint events in patients with acute ischemic stroke (hazard risk [HR] 0.693,95％ confidence interval [CI]0.506-0.949;P=0.022).Subgroup analysis showed that carrying the A allele was an independent protective factor for primary endpoint events in patients with large atherosclerotic stroke (HR 0.651,95％ CI 0.425-0.997;P=0.048),while rs2071746 polymorphism was not associated with long-term outcome in other etiological subtypes.Conclusion The HO-1 gene rs2071746 A allele may be a protective factor for the long-term outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke and large atherosclerotic stroke.

Objective To investigate the effect of Shenmai injection on cytokines and ESAT-6/CFP-10 levels in patients with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)with pulmonary tuberculosis.Methods158 patients with COPD with pulmonary tuberculosis from the Department of Respiratory in our hospital were selected and divided into 2 groups, 79 cases in the control group treated with routine treatment, 79 cases in the experiment group treated with Shenmai injection on the basis of the control group, levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, serum ESAT-6 protein, CFP-10 protein, IFN-γ levels, cytokine levels, peripheral blood immune cell levels, and the clinical effect and the focus absorption efficiency were compared after the treatment.ResultsThe clinical total effective rate in the control group(84.81%)was lower than that in the experiment group(94.94%), with significant difference (P<0.05);the focus absorption efficiency in the control group(87.33%)was lower than that in the experiment group(96.21%), with significant difference (P<0.05);compared with the control group, serum ESAT-6 protein、 CFP-10 protein、IFN-γ levels were lower after treatment in the experiment group, the serum levels of TNF-α、IL-6、sIL-2R were lower, peripheral blood levels of NK cells, CD4+T lymphocytes and CD4+/CD8+ were higher, peripheral blood level of CD8+T lymphocytes was lower, with significant difference (P<0.05).ConclusionShenmai injection can significantly reduce the serum levels of TNF-α、IL-6、sIL-2R and ESAT-6/CFP-10 in patients with COPD with pulmonary tuberculosis, improve cellular immune function, promote the absorption of lesions effectively,and improve clinical efficacy.

Objective To study the value of expanded-National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (e-NIHSS) in evaluating the neurological signs of medullary infarction.Methods One hundred and thirteen patients with primary medullary infarction proved by magnetic resonance imaging were enrolled and divided into medial medullary infarction (MMI) group (n=41) and lateral medullary infarction (LMI) group (n=72).Risk factors of stroke and neurological signs evaluated by NIHSS and e-NIHSS were recorded and compared between the two groups.Results The age and prevalence of diabetes in MMI group were significantly older/higher than those in LMI group (P＜0.05).The major neurological signs of MMI were limb weakness (95.12％),dysphagia (36.59％),facial plasy (34.15％) and dysarthria (31.71％).And the major neurological signs of LMI were dysphagia (63.89％),truncal ataxia (54.17％),sensory dysfunction (50.00％) and dysarthia (48.61％).All the patients had significantly higher e-NIHSS scores than NIHSS scores (5.40±2.74 vs.2.96±2.22,P=0.000),which was similar in MMI group (e-NIHSS:5.34±3.20 vs.NIHSS:4.07±2.55,P=0.000) and in LMI group (e-NIHSS:5.43±2.47 vs.NIHSS:2.33±1.74,P=0.000).The e-NIHSS scores increased 2.57±1.99 than NIHSS scores in all the patients,which were 1.63±2.25 in MMI group and 3.10±1.62 in LMI higher than NIHSS scores;the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Conclusion The e-NIHSS could improve the sensitivity of NIHSS in evaluating the neurological signs of medullary infarction,which is better in evaluating LMI than in evaluating MMI.

OBJECTIVE:To observe clinical efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy combined with Paishi decoction in the treatment of kidney stone. METHODS:160 patients with kidney stone were selected and randomly divided into observation group and control group,with 80 cases in each group. Control group only received HB-ESWL-VG extracorporeal shock wave litho-tripsy;observation group additionally received Paishi decoction 300 ml,tid,for consecutive 1 week,on the basis of control group. Clinical efficacy was observed in 2 groups;the levels of serum inflammatory factor IL-2,IL-6,TNF-α,T lymphocyte subset CD3+,CD4+,CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+,erythrocyte immune function indicator C3b receptor rosette(C3bRR),immunity complex ro-sette(ICR)and tumor erythrocyte rosette(TER)level were detected in 2 groups before and after treatment. RESULTS:The effec-tive rate of observation group(98.75%)was significantly higher than that of control group(91.25%),with statistical significance (P<0.05). After treatment,the levels of IL-2,IL-6 and TNF-α in observation group was significantly lower than in control group, the levels of CD3+,CD4+,CD4+/CD8+,C3bRR,ICR and TER were significantly higher than control group,with statistical signifi-cance(P<0.05). Comparsion of CD8+between 2 groups was not statistically significant(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:The extracor-poreal shock wave lithotripsy combined with Paishi decoction can relieve inflammation reaction,enhance immune function and im-prove therapeutic efficacy.

Objective To evaluate the impact of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) on the outcome of pregnancy and the therapeutic effect of L-T4.Methods A total of 1 786 pregnant women during the first, second, and third trimesters were enrolled for thyroid screening by determining serum free thyroxine (FT4), total thyroxine (TT4), thyrotropin (TSH), and thyroid peroxidase antibody;123 pregnant women with SCH were successfully divided into treated group (n =42) and untreated group (n =81).The treated group was treated by L-T4 based on American Thyroid Association (ATA) 2011 guideline.Collected items include obstetric outcomes and complications.Results (1) Compared to control group, the rate of spontaneous abortion in pregnant women during first trimesters was increased in SCH group (20.99％ vs 8.45％, x2 =12.96, P =0.00), with higher incidence of diabetes during second trimester (24.69％ vs 10.45％, x2 =14.11, P =0.00).The incidences of hypertension during pregnancy, premature delivery, ablatio placentae, placenta praevia, fetus growth restriction, and low birth weight showed no difference between two groups (all P ＞ 0.05).(2) Compared with the untreated group, the incidences of spontaneous abortion and diabetes were decreased in the treated group (7.14％ vs 20.99％, x2 =3.89, P =0.05;9.52％ vs 24.69％, x2 =4.05, P =0.04), while the incidences of hypertension, premature delivery, ablatio placentae, placenta praevia, fetus growth restriction, and low birth weight infant accident rate were not different between two groups (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions SCH during the frist trimester is a risk factor of spontaneous abortion;SCH during the middle stage of pregnancy is a risk factor of gestational diabetes mellitus.Treatment of SCH with L-T4 may be beneficial.