OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the combination of chemotherapy with staged Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) therapy could enhance health-related quality of life (QoL) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and prolong the time before deterioration of lung cancer symptoms, in comparison to chemotherapy alone. METHODS: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was conducted from December 14, 2017 to August 28, 2020. A total of 180 patients with stage I B-IIIA NSCLC from 5 hospitals in Shanghai were randomly divided into chemotherapy combined with CHM (chemo+CHM) group (120 cases) or chemotherapy combined with placebo (chemo+placebo) group (60 cases) using stratified blocking randomization. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality-of-Life-Core 30 Scale (QLQ-C30) was used to evaluate the patient-reported outcomes (PROs) during postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Adverse events (AEs) were assessed in the safety analysis. RESULTS: Out of the total 180 patients, 173 patients (116 in the chemo+CHM group and 57 in the chemo+placebo group) were included in the PRO analyses. The initial mean QLQ-C30 Global Health Status (GHS)/QoL scores at baseline were 57.16 ± 1.64 and 57.67 ± 2.25 for the two respective groups (P>0.05). Compared with baseline, the chemo+CHM group had an improvement in EORTC QLQ-C30 GHS/QoL score at week 18 [least squares mean (LSM) change 17.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 14.29 to 21.38]. Conversely, the chemo+placebo group had a decrease in the score (LSM change -13.67, 95% CI -22.70 to -4.63). A significant between-group difference in the LSM GHS/QoL score was observed, amounting to 31.63 points (95% CI 25.61 to 37.64, P<0.001). The similar trends were observed in physical functioning, fatigue and appetite loss. At week 18, patients in the chemo+CHM group had a higher proportion of improvement or stabilization in GHS/QoL functional and symptom scores compared to chemo+placebo group (P<0.001). The median time to deterioration was longer in the chemo+CHM group for GHS/QoL score [hazard ratio (HR)=0.33, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.48, P<0.0010], physical functioning (HR=0.43, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.75, P=0.0005), fatigue (HR=0.47, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.72, P<0.0001) and appetite loss (HR=0.65, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.00, P=0.0215). The incidence of AEs was lower in the chemo+CHM group than in the chemo+placebo group (9.83% vs. 15.79%, P=0.52). CONCLUSION The staged CHM therapy could help improve the PROs of postoperative patients with early-stage NSCLC during adjuvant chemotherapy, which is worthy of further clinical research. (Registry No. NCT03372694).
Humans ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/surgery* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Patient Reported Outcome Measures ; Quality of Life ; Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Prospective Studies

Middle ear myoclonus tinnitus is an abnormal sound perceived by unusual contraction of the stapes muscle or tensor tympani muscle. The current diagnostic methods include medical history inquiry, physical examination and audiological tests. The diagnosis was confirmed by tympanic exploration of myoclonus. Etiological treatment is considered to be the first treatment of choice, supplemented by behavior therapy and pharmacotherapy. Surgery will be performed when conservative treatment fails. This article reviews the diagnosis and treatment of middle ear myoclonus tinnitus.
Humans ; Tinnitus/etiology* ; Ear, Middle ; Myoclonus/therapy* ; Tensor Tympani

Objective To analyze the clinical features of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) with convulsion or coma as the main manifestation to facilitate the improvement of such patients' diagnosis. Methods Ninety-two patients with NPSLE confirmed in Peking Union Medical Hospital from January 2013 to December 2016 were collected, 27 NPSLE patients with convulsion or coma were in the study group, and the remaining 65 cases were in the control group. The following items in the two groups were compared in order to discover the differences in characteristics between the two groups: including sex, age, the first NPSLE episode or not, history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), kidney, blood, heart, lung, skin mucous membrane, gastrointestinal involvement and co-infection, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, cerebrospinal fluid cell count, cerebrospinal fluid/serum protein ratio, cerebrospinal fluid/serum glucose ratio, cerebrospinal fluid/serum chlorine ratio, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), complement 3 (C3), complement 4 (C4), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results, double strand deoxyribonucleic acid (ds-DNA) antibody, treatment status and hospitalization days. Results The number of CSF cells in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (×106/L: 91.84±25.37 vs. 279.52±101.12, P < 0.01). The skin mucosa involvement rate in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group [14.81% (4/27) vs. 1.54% (1/65), P < 0.05]. Cerebrospinal fluid/serum protein ratio was higher in the study group than that in the control group (0.12±0.02 vs. 0.04±0.01, P < 0.05); the cerebrospinal fluid/serum glucose ratio was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.55±0.17 vs. 0.70±0.20, P < 0.01). The positive rate of MRI in the study group was higher than that in the control group [81.48% (22/27) vs. 55.38% (36/65), P < 0.05]; there were no significant differences between the two groups in other indexes (all P > 0.05). Conclusion Few cerebrospinal fluid cells increased involvement of skin mucosa, increased cerebrospinal fluid/serum protein ratio, decreased cerebrospinal fluid glucose/serum glucose ratio and increased MRI positive results were the clinical features of NPSLE patients with convulsion or coma as the clinical manifestation, early detection of this type of patients and early intervention can be beneficial to improve the prognosis.

Objective To explore the application of cancer pain standardized treatment in patients with lung cancer pain and clinical results.Methods 120 cases of lung cancer pain patients as the research object in Our hospital from April 2015 to June 2016,The patients were randomly divided into study group and control group,60 cases in each group,the patients in the control group were treated with routine therapy and nursing,and the patients in the study group were treated with normalized treatment and care of cancer pain,and then compared the two groups after treatment Pain status changes and adverse events and patient satisfaction statistics.Results There was no significant difference in pain status and VAS score between the two groups before treatment,but the pain status was relieved after treatment.The pain status of patients in the study group after standardized treatment of cancer pain changed significantly,the VAS score was lower than the control,the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).After treatment,the adverse events of the study group including non-on-time medication,syncope pressure sores and the incidence of self-mutilation or suicide were statistically significant And the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The satisfaction of the patients in the two groups showed that the satisfaction of the patients in the study group was significantly higher than that of the control group,The difference between groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion The standardized treatment of cancer pain is effective in the treatment of patients with lung cancer pain.It can effectively relieve the pain and improve the quality of life and satisfaction of patients with lung cancer pain.It has broad clinical application and popularization value.

Objective To evaluate the role of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in activation of astrocytes in midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) of rats with neuropathic pain.Methods A total of 72 pathogen-free male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 9 weeks,weighing 160-200 g,were divided into 4 groups using a random number table:control group (group C,n =8),neuropathic pain group (group NP,n =40),dimethyl sulfoxide control group (group DS,n =12) and JNK inhibitor SP600125 group (group SP,n=12).Neuropathic pain was produced by chronic constriction injury (CCI).At 14 days after CCI,10 nmol JNK inhibitor SP600125 0.5 μl was intraperitoneally injected into the PAG in group SP,and 10％ dimethyl sulfoxide 0.5 μl was given instead in group DS.Eight rats were selected in group C,before CCI and at 3,7,14 and 21 days after CCI in group NP,and in DS and SP groups,and the mechanical pain threshold was measured before CCI,before administration on 14 days after CCI and at 30,45,60,75 and 90 min after administration.The rats in group C were sacrificed after the end of measurement of the mechanical pain threshold,and brains were removed for determination of phosphorylated JNK (p-JNK) and glial fibrillary acidic protein expression (by Western blot) in PAG region.The rats in group NP were sacrificed after the end of measurement of the mechanical pain threshold at each time point,and brains were removed for detection of p-JNK expression in PAG region.Four rats in DS and SP groups were sacrificed after the last measurement of the mechanical pain threshold at 45 min after administration,and brains were removed for determination of glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in PAG region.Results Compared with group C,the mechanical pain threshold was significantly decreased at each time point after CCI,and the expression of p-JNK was up-regulated at 7-21 days after CCI in group NP (P＜0.01).Compared with group DS,the mechanical pain threshold was significantly increased at 30 min after administration,and GFAP expression was down-regulated at 45 min after administration in group SP (P＜ 0.01).The mechanical pain threshold was significantly higher at 30-75 min after administration than before administration in group SP (P＜0.01).Conclusion The mechanism underlying activation of astrocytes in PAG is related to activating JNK in the rats with neuropathic pain.

OBJECTIVEWe observed the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of different antidepressants as well as the correlation between symptomatic improvement of depression and improvement of chest pain in patients with susceptible "angina pectoris" and negative coronary angiogram complicating comorbid depression.

METHODSIn this double-blinded randomized study, a total of 123 eligible patients were allocated into three groups: (1) Group F: fluoxetine 20 mg QN (n = 41); (2) Group P: Placebo 1 tablet QN (n = 40); (3) Group F + O: fluoxetine 20 mg + olanzapine 2.5 mg QN for the former 2 weeks and only fluoxetine 20 mg QN for the latter 2 weeks (n = 42). The total therapy duration was 4 weeks. HAMD, HAMA and self-evaluation table of chest pain were obtained before therapy, at the end of 1 and 2 weeks after therapy.

RESULTSBaseline HAMD and HAMA scores and self-evaluation score of chest pain were similar among 3 groups and all scores were significantly improved post various therapies in the order of group F + O > group F > group P. The rate of score decrease were seen after 1 week treatment in group F + O and after 2 week treatment in group F. There was a significant positive correlation between the rates of self-evaluation chest pain score decrease and HAMD (r = 0.867, P < 0.001) and HAMA (r = 0.854, P < 0.001) score decreases after 4 weeks therapies (P < 0.05). During the whole course of treatment, no serious adverse reaction was found in all patients.

CONCLUSIONIn patients with suspected "angina pectoris" and negative coronary angiogram complicating comorbid depression, the antidepressants were safe and significantly improved the symptoms of depression and anxiety and chest pain. Low dose fluoxetine plus short term olanzapine regimen was superior to fluoxetine alone regimen in terms of stronger and quicker symptom improvement.

Aged ; Angina Pectoris ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; therapeutic use ; Benzodiazepines ; therapeutic use ; Coronary Angiography ; Depressive Disorder ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Fluoxetine ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged