21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) is a rare disease caused by insufficient adrenocortical hormone synthesis and hyperandrogen due to enzyme deficiency during steroid synthesis.Glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement therapies are main treatment method for 21-OHD.Currently, there are guidelines for the specific dosage and usage of the glucocorticoid replacement therapy, but no detailed evidence is offered for mineralocorticoid dose adjustment.Insufficient mineralocorticoid replacement can lead to an increase in the dose of glucocorticoids and further iatrogenic Cushing′s syndrome.Excessive dosage can result in sodium and water retention and further drug-induced hypertension.Therefore, the dose adjustment and treatment monitoring of Fludrocortisone still need to be further explored.In this article, the progress in mineralocorticoid treatment and monitoring for 21-OHD will be reviewed.

21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) is a rare disease caused by insufficient adrenocortical hormone synthesis and hyperandrogen due to enzyme deficiency during steroid synthesis.Glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement therapies are main treatment method for 21-OHD.Currently, there are guidelines for the specific dosage and usage of the glucocorticoid replacement therapy, but no detailed evidence is offered for mineralocorticoid dose adjustment.Insufficient mineralocorticoid replacement can lead to an increase in the dose of glucocorticoids and further iatrogenic Cushing′s syndrome.Excessive dosage can result in sodium and water retention and further drug-induced hypertension.Therefore, the dose adjustment and treatment monitoring of Fludrocortisone still need to be further explored.In this article, the progress in mineralocorticoid treatment and monitoring for 21-OHD will be reviewed.

Objective To investigate the relationship between anti mutated citrullinated vimentin (MCV) antibody, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody with disease activity and bone erosion in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), so as to provide evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods The anti-CCP antibody and anti-MCV antibody were detected using the enzyme-linked immune adsorption method (ELISA) for 634 patients with RA. At the same time, the clinical and laboratory data were collected, and the X-ray images of hands or feet were taken. Disease activity score (DAS)28 score was calculated, and all patients were divided into high disease activity group, moderatedisease activity group, low disease activity group and stable disease group on the basis of the DAS28 score. We analyzed the relationship between the degree of anti MCV, anti CCP antibodies, and disease activity of patients by Spearman correlation. And anti CCP, anti MCV antibodies, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C reactive protein (CRP) of these patients were compared at different period of bone erosion and disease activity by the Wilcoxon rank sum test and nemenyi. Results ① Positive correlation could be detected between anti-MCV antibody and ESR, CRP, number of tender joint, DAS28 score (r=0.115, P=0.004; r=0.120, P=0.003; r=0.124, P=0.002; r=0.085, P=0.032), and anti CCP antibody had no correlation with these index. The anti MCV antibodies in high disease activity group [694 (156, 1 000)] U/ml, and moderate activity group [911 (190, 1 000)] U/ml were higher than that of the low disease activity [248(150, 731)] U/ml or stable group [275(62, 928)] U/ml (U=2.29, P=0.023;U=2.25, P=0.024; U=2.45, P=0.014; U=2.4, P=0.018), and anti CCP antibody in the moderate disease activity group [499(180, 1 370)] U/ml was higher than low disease activity group [297(83, 574)] U/ml and stable group [187(67, 1 153)] U/ml (U=2.53, P=0.012; U=2.22, P=0.026). ②The anti MCV, anti CCP antibody in the bone erosion group were higher than those without bone erosion group (U=4.64, P<0.01;U=2.69, P=0.007). The anti MCV antibodies in stage Ⅱ[722(259, 1 000)] U/ml and Ⅲ group [714 (216, 1 000)] U/ml was significantly higher than that in stage Ⅰ [316(98, 1 000)] U/ml(U=3.46, P<0.01; U=4.28, P<0.01). The anti CCP antibody level in stage Ⅱ [394(180, 1 000)] U/ml and Ⅲ[391(181,1305)] U/ml was higher compared with stage Ⅰ[277 (98,898)] U/ml (U=1.99, P=0.046; U=2.92, P=0.004), and that in phase Ⅲ was higher than Ⅳ [218(71, 911)] U/ml (U=2.06, P=0.041). Conclusion Compared with anti-CCP antibody, anti-MCV antibody is closely related with disease activity, and has a better predictive value for bone erosion. Patients with higher ESR and CRP are more susceptible to bone erosion.

OBJECTIVETo assess the feasibility and accuracy of CT coronary angiography (CTCA) combined with CT first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging (CT first-pass MPI) at rest for diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODSFifty-five patients, suspected or diagnosed as CAD, were performed with CTCA and CAG within 2 weeks. CT first-pass MPI detected myocardial ischemia through analyzing the raw date of CTCA.

RESULTSComparison with the results of CAG, the sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of CT first-pass MPI at rest for detecting obstructive CAD were 84.6%, 68.8%, 86.8%, 64.7% and 80.0%, respectively; and 92.3%, 93.8%, 97.3%, 83.3%, 92.7% for CTCA combined with CT first-pass MPI, respectively.

CONCLUSIONCTCA combined with CT first-pass MPI at rest could detect obstructive CAD feasible and accurately.

Adult ; Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Perfusion Imaging ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship of circadian distribution of acute myocardial infarction with AMI location and ST segment changes in elderly patients.MethodsThe time of infarction, its anatomic location, changes of ST segment, and coronary angiography were studied in 909 elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) ( 412 with anterior AMI and 423 with inferior AMI) admitted to our coronary care units from January 1996 to January 2006.ResultsThe onset of inferior myocardial infarction were more frequent between midnight and 6AM than other periods of the day (n=138/423,32.6% of all inferior myocardial infarction patients, P<0.01). The onset of anterior myocardial infarction were more frequent between 6AM and noon than other periods of the day (n=156/412, 37.9% of all anterior myocardial infarction patients, P<0.01). Coronary angiography was performed in 789 patients (86.8%, 516/909).118 cases of them with inferior infarction occured between midnight and 6AM, including 85.6% of them were due to right coronary artery occlusion and 14.0%(17/118) of them were due to left coronary artery occlusion (P<0.01).275 cases of them with inferior infarction oecured between 6AM and midnight, including 52.2% (149/275) of them were due to right coronary artery occlusion and 45.8% of them were due to left coronary artery occlusion (P>0. 05). The onset of inferior myocardial infarction between 6AM and noon was the most frenquent in patients with ST segment elevation (44.0%, 263/644), while the onset of inferior myocardial infarction between midnight and 6 AM was the most frenquent in patients with non-ST segment elevation (36.6%,96/265). ConclusionsThe frequency of AMI at night is higher in elderly patients with ST segment elevation than in elderly patients with non-ST segment elevation.AMI at night is usually due to right coronary artery occlusion, which suggests that a protective role of sleep may be limited to left coronary artery -related events and AMI of non-ST segment.

BACKGROUND:The safety and efficacy of paclitaxel-eluting stents (Taxus DES) has been proved by international researchers in clinic investigations.Based on further inclusion criteria,the incidence of in-stent restenosis is still lower than that of bare-metal stent.OBJECTIVE:TO observe restenosis of Taxus DES and the effect on local vessels through applying the follow up of coronary angiography and to investigate the biocompatibility of stent and host.DESIGN:Following-up observation.SETTING:Department of Cardiology,General Hospital of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS:A total of 297 patients who had undergone coronary Taxus DES implantation for coronary artery disease were selected from Cardiovascular Department of General Hospital of Chinese PLA from May 2003 to May 2005.There were 265 males and 32 females and their ages ranged from 36 to 76 years.All patients provided informed consent,and the experiment had got confirmed consent from local ethic committee.METHODS:All patients were implanted Taxus DES and received the follow up within 6 and 12 months.In addition,at 6 months after operation,coronary angiography was used to measure the reference vessel diameter (RVD) and the minimal lumen diameter(MLD),calculate diameter restenosis rate and observe late loss.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Coronary angiography at 6 months after Taxus DES implantation and biocompatibility of stent and host.RESULTS:①Quantitative angiographic analysis(QCA):Angiographic follow-up showed that the late loss of in-stent was significantly higher than that of pro-in-lesion and dis-in-lesion(P＜0.05).②Coronary angiography in-stent restenosis:In 134 angiographic follow-up patients,a total of 14 patients experienced restenosis,and the incidence was 10.4%(14/134).The patterns of restenosis were diffuse in-stent in 7 patients and the rate of revascularization was 6.7%.③Stent aneurysm:Angiographic evidence of aneurysm was observed in one patient among follow-up cases,and the rate of which was 0.75% (1/134).④Clinic follow-up major adverse cardiac events(MACE):Among 297 patients,one patient was attracted sudden death 5 months after intervention (0.34%; 1/297),and one patient was suffered subacute thrombosis 5 days after stent implant (0.34%;1/297),and late thrombosis occurred in 2 patients.The general rate of MACE was 1.35%.CONCLUSION:①The late loss of Taxus DES mainly takes place in in-stent.The patterns of restenosis of Taxus DES are in majority of diffuse in-stent,and the incidence of MACE is low.②Taxus DES possibly results aneurysm in local vessels.The follow up indicates that Taxus DES has a good biocompatibility to patients.

Objective　To observe the characteristics and rules of craniocerebral injury resulting from a high explosive shell to provide the bases for treating explosive injury. Methods　A total of 36 sheep were distributed at the distance 6 to 48 m away from the explosive center and the shell was exploded electrically at 7 m above the earth. At the same time, the velocity of fragments and shock wave pressure were determined. Gross and pathological observations were performed after injury. Results　Among all sheep with fragment injury, craniocerebral injury was 32%. Their immediate death rate was 75% and all died 6 h later. The incidence rates of penetrating wound and blind wound were 75% and 25% respectively. Pollution of wound track was heavy. The percentage of head lost was 50% in sheep and 50% of injured animal suffered from comminuted fracture of skull base. Bleeding was found extensively on the surface of the cerebrum, even medulla oblongata was involved. Hemorrhage, edema, rupture of small blood vessels and degeneration of neuron were found at the regions 4 cm away from the wound tract with light microscopy. Combined blast injury was found and occurred most often in the abdomen and limbs, both accounting for 62.5%, and combined thoracic injury was the third, up to 50%. All the animals of craniocerebral injury combined with lung blast injury. Conclusion　High explosive shells destroy cranium badly and extensively. Many skulls are lost and the cranial base is readily fractured. The wound track is heavily polluted. Combined injury is more often occurred.

Objective To evaluate the efficiency of coronary magnetic resonance angiography (CMRA) for stenoses detection by using breath-hold three-dimensional fast imaging employing steady state acquisition (FIESTA) sequence with the reference of conventional coronary catheter angiography. Methods~Consecutive 33 patients accepted CMRA examination within 3 weeks after the catheter angiography. Coronary stenoses was graded in 5 levels as 0%, 0%-25%, 25%-50%, 50%-75%, and 75%-100%, respectively, and CMRA and catheter angiogram were compared segment by segment. Results For the differentiation of the stenoses 50%, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of CMRA was 84.3%, 84.8%, and 84.1%, respectively, and the negative prediction value was 92.3%. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for the differentiation of stenoses between 50%-75% and 75%-100% were all 61.5%. Conclusion The breath-holding three-dimensional FIESTA sequence for CMRA was practical to exclude hemodynamic significant coronary stenoses but limited in detail grading.

Objective:To assess the feasibility and accuracy of real-time three dimensional echocardiography(RT-3DE) in quantitative evaluation of left ventricular(LV) volume and ejection fraction(EF) in patients with ventricular aneurysm and myocardial infarction.Methods: Twenty-three patients with left ventricular aneurysm combined with myocardial infarction were examined by RT-3DE,two dimensional echocardiography Simpson's method,and M-mode Teichholz method separately.The following parameters: left ventricular end diastolic volume(LVEDV),end systolic volume(ESV),stroke volume(SV) and EF were obtained by each method and the results were compared with those obtained by left ventriculography(LVG).Results: The values of LVEDV,LVESV,SV,and EF determined by RT-3DE showed good correlations with those determined by LVG(r=0.92,0.90,0.88,and 0.91,respectively;P(0.05).) The values of LVEDV,LVESV,SV,and EF determined by Simpson's method also showed good correlations with those determined by LVG(r=0.85,0.87,0.86,0.91,respectively;P

Objective:To evaluate the effect of percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) on mitral regurgitation(MR) in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI).Methods: A total of 213 AMI patients were divided into PCI group(n=87,(PCI +) medication) and medication group(n=126,medication) according to the treatments they received.Echocardiographic examination was conducted in patients during admission and 6 months follow-up.Color Doppler was used to determine the degree of MR.Echocardiogram indices included MR degree,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDd),left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVEDs),left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV),left ventricular end-systolic volume(LVESV),and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF).Results: The overall incidence of MR was 28.6% in 213 patients during admission.The MR incidence in patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction was higher than that in patients with other parts of infarction((34.5%) vs 22.3%,P0.05),while the incidence in medication group increased significantly than that during admission(43.7% vs 30.2%,P