OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the combined Yiqi Huoxue Jiedu formula (YHJF) on intestinal microbiota in elderly patients with pulmonary-derived sepsis and identify potential microbial targets. METHODS: A prospective randomized double-blind controlled trial was conducted. Elderly patients with pulmonary infection-induced sepsis admitted to the emergency department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), intensive care unit (ICU) of Fangcun Hospital, and ICU of Daxuecheng Hospital, from November 2020 to October 2021 were enrolled and randomized into two groups. Both groups received conventional Western medicine treatment. The observation group additionally received YHJF (composed of 15 g of Panax ginseng, 9 g of Panax notoginseng, and 3 g of Rheum palmatum, dissolved in 50 mL warm water) orally or via nasogastric tube twice daily for 7 days; while the control group received a placebo. Clinical data and fresh fecal samples were collected before treatment and on days 5-7 of treatment. Intestinal microbiota diversity and structure were analyzed via 16S rDNA sequencing and bioinformatics [α diversity, β diversity, and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe)]. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were included (29 in the control group, 26 in the observation group). There were no significantly differences in gender, age, comorbidities, and baseline sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) classification score, and gastrointestinal failure (GIF) score between the two groups. Compared to the control group, the observation group showed significantly lower serum procalcitonin, APACHE II score, and greater reduction in GIF score by day 7. Thirty fecal samples were collected pre-treatment (baseline group), 29 post-treatment from the control group, and 26 from the observation group. Gut microbiota α diversity analysis revealed that Simpson index in the observation group and control group were significantly decreased compared to the baseline group [0.75 (0.53, 0.91), 0.81 (0.32, 0.91) vs. 0.88 (0.87, 0.89), both P < 0.05], but there was no significantly difference between the observation group and the control group. There were no significantly differences in Chao1, Ace, and Shannon indices among three groups. β diversity analysis indicated that distinct microbiota structures among three groups (R² = 0.096, P = 0.026). Species difference analysis showed that, at the phylum level, Firmicutes (53.69%), Actinobacteria (16.23%), Proteobacteria (15.39%), and Bacteroidetes (9.57%) dominated, with no significant intergroup differences. At the genus level, 38 taxa showed significant differences. Compared to the control group, the observation group exhibited increased Erysipelatoclostridium (P = 0.014) and Faecalibacterium (P = 0.013), and decreased Bacteroides (P = 0.009), Bilophila (P = 0.005), Eggerthella (P = 0.002), and Collinsella (P = 0.043). LEfSe analysis highlighted Lactobacillus salivarius, Erysipelatoclostridium, Collinsella, Cloacibacillus, and Bacteroides as key discriminators. CONCLUSION YHJF combined with conventional therapy alters intestinal microbiota structure in patients with elderly pulmonary-derived sepsis, with Bacteroides, Erysipelatoclostridium, and Collinsella identified as potential microbial targets.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Double-Blind Method ; Sepsis/drug therapy* ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics* ; Male ; Female ; Panax notoginseng ; Rheum

Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome is a rare seronegative synovial inflammatory disease in which fever is a rare symptom.There are few case reports of RS3PE syndrome with fever as the first clinical manifestation in China.In this paper,we report a case of RS3PE syndrome with fever as the first symptom and diagnosed by systematic fever investigation.
Humans ; Edema/etiology* ; Fever/etiology* ; Syndrome ; Synovitis/drug therapy*

PURPOSE: An older female predominance has been reported among chronic cough patients in Western countries, which is considered to be associated with a higher cough sensitivity in females. However, the characteristics of Chinese chronic cough patients remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the age and sex distribution as well as their relationship with cough reflex sensitivity to capsaicin in Chinese chronic cough patients. METHODS: We analyzed the demographic features of 1,882 consecutive chronic cough patients who attended our cough clinic in Guangzhou, China. Cough sensitivity to capsaicin, which was defined as the lowest concentration of capsaicin causing 5 coughs or more (C5), was measured in 539 of the 1,882 patients and 68 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 43.0 ± 13.7 years and patients aged <50 years accounted for more than two-thirds of the study population. Around 87% of the patients were never-smokers. The proportion of females (51.5%) was almost equal to that of males (48.5%). The pattern of the age and sex distribution was consistently reflected within most common causes of chronic cough, while a female predominance was shown in patients with cough-variant asthma and patients aged ≥50 years. Female patients had higher cough sensitivity to capsaicin than male patients (log C5: 1.58 ± 0.84 vs. 2.04 ± 0.84 μmol/L, P = 0.001), and patients aged ≥50 years had higher cough sensitivity to capsaicin than patients aged <50 years. CONCLUSIONS: In China, patients with chronic cough have a roughly equal sex distribution and a middle-aged predominance, irrespective of a higher cough sensitivity to capsaicin in females and older patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02591550
Age Distribution ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Asthma ; Capsaicin ; China ; Cough ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Reflex ; Sex Distribution

To explore the effects of crude toxins from Colletotrichum gloeosporioides(C. gloeosporioides)on the growth of Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo(D. officinale),and to provide early basis for thescreening and cultivation of the resistant variants of C. gloeosporioides. Methods Seedlings of D. officinal werecultivated in MS medium added with different concentrations of the crude toxins from C. gloeosporioides. Theeffects of the crude toxin on the growth of seedlings were observed, and the optimum resistance -selectionthreshold was preliminarily screened. Results In the concentration range of 5％ - 15％(volume fraction),crudetoxins from C. gloeosporioides increased the plant height,stem diameter,number of new bud,root number,and fresh mass of D. officinale,among which the effect of 5％(volume fraction)of crude toxins was the moststrongest. In the concentration range of 35％ - 40％(volume fraction),crude toxins suppressed the plant height,leaf number,number of new bud,root number,and the fresh mass of D. officinale. When cultured with 20％(volume fraction)crude toxins, D. officinale was blooming, and the flowers appeared variation phenomenon.Conclusion The crude toxins from C. gloeosporioides have biological activity and certain toxicity,which can beconsidered as a selection agent instead of pathogenin in vitro to screen the resistant variant of D. officinale,butthe optimum resistance-selection threshold still needs further research.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the postoperative outcomes of preserving the left colonic artery during laparoscopic anterior resection for rectal cancer.

METHODSThe clinicopathologic data of 91 rectal cancer patients (pathologic Stage II) undergoing laparoscopic anterior resection was retrospectively analyzed. During the surgeries, the left colonic artery was preserved in 40 patients (preserved group) and ligated in 51 patients (unpreserved group). The operating time, intraoperative blood loss, time to first flatus and defecation, duration of postoperative abdominal distension and pain, number of retrieved lymph nodes, ileum fistulation and anatomical leakage rate were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe surgeries were completed in all the 91 patients laparoscopically without conversion. There was no intraoperative complications including rectal perforation, injury to vessel or ureter in either group. The operating time, blood loss and number of retrieved lymph nodes were similar between the groups (P>0.05). Three patients in preserved group and 5 in ligation group received preventive ileum fistulation due to low rectal cancer. Anatomical leakage occurred in three patients of unpreserved group. The average duration of postoperative abdominal distension and pain was 2.14∓0.35 days in preserved group and 3.15∓0.42 days in ligation group. The time to first flatus and defecation was 37.15∓12.62 h and 3.16∓0.52 days in preserved group and 62.25∓11.75 h and 4.25∓0.75 days in ligation group. Postoperative hospital stay was 4.54∓0.42 days in preserved group and 6.23∓0.51 days in ligation group. Total hospitalization cost in the two groups was 34 525.32∓1206.36 Yuan and 41 215∓1051.32 Yuan, respectively. Significant differences were found the in duration of postoperative abdominal distension and pain, postoperative hospital stay, and total cost between the two groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONDuring laparoscopic anterior resection for rectal cancer, preserving the left colonic artery effectively ensures the blood supply to the anastomosis and the remaining descending colon to promote the recovery of the patients after surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of dimethyltin chloride( DMT) on the activity of renal H~+K~+-ATPase( HKA)and Na~+K~+-ATPase( NKA) in SD rats. METHODS: i) In vitro experiment. Five specific pathogen free( SPF) healthy female SD rats were used. The kidney homogenates made with 0. 90% sodium chloride solution was added with DMT( mass concentration,1. 0 g/L) to make final concentrations of 0,1,25,125 and 625 mg/L respectively,then the HKA and NKA activities were detected by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA). ii) In vivo experiment. Forty SPF healthy SD rats were divided into control group and exposure group,with 20 rats( 10 males and 10 females) in each group. The exposure group was given one-time intraperitoneal injection with DMT( 16. 000 mg / kg body weight),while the control group was given one-time intraperitoneal injection with same volume of 0. 90% sodium chloride solution. The rats were executed 1 and 24 hours after exposure. The kidney tissue was extracted to make kidney homogenates for determination of HKA and NKA activity by microplate reader. The blood from abdominal aorta was collected to measure the levels of serum K~+,Na~+and Cl-. RESULTS: i) In vitro experiment. The HKA activity was inhibited by DMT,and the effect of inhibition increased with the increase of DMT exposure dose( P < 0. 01),showing a dose-effect relationship. The DMT had no effect on NKA activity( P > 0. 05). ii) In vivo experiment. The body weight of rats at 24 hours time point in exposed group was lower than that in control group( P < 0. 01). The HKA activity of the kidney tissue in rats in exposed group was lower than that of control group( P < 0. 01). The NKA activity in kidney tissue of rats and the level serum K~+,Na~+and Cl-did not show statistical difference in main and interactive effects concerning treatment and exposure time( P > 0. 05). CONCLUSION: DMT could inhibit the HKA activity in kidney homogenates,but had no obvious effect on NKA activity.

OBJECTIVETo establish the method of cytological examination and the normal reference values for hypertonic saline solution-induced sputum of healthy children (age range from 5 to 15 years) with physical examination in Guangzhou.

METHODA total of 352 children, 5 to 15 years old, were enrolled from primary school and middle school in Guangzhou from January to December, 2010. All subjects completed a standardized questionnaire on the presence of respiratory, allergic symptoms and family history, the medical history and the physical examination was performed by doctors, lung function (forced expiratory volume at 1 s in predicted normal, FEV(1)%) was determined. There were 266 healthy children (137 males, 129 females) who were selected and undergone hypertonic saline solution induction of sputum, and cytological examination was performed. Hypertonic saline (5%) was nebulized and inhaled for 15 - 30 min. No expectoration within 30 min was defined as failure, and the procedure was terminated. The part of opaque and higher density sputum samples was detected by cytology. The proportion of neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, macrophages and monocytes was calculated. This study was approved by the institutional Ethics Review Committee of First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College. Informed consent was obtained from the legal guardians of all participants following a detailed description of the purpose and potential benefits of the study.

RESULTThere were 175 subjects' induced sputum specimens (175/266, 65.8%), non-qualified sputum samples were obtained from 16 of the subjects. The proportions of median (IQR) of lymphocytes were 0.012 (0.020), 95%CI were ranged from 0.015 to 0.022; neutrophils 0.207 (0.330), 95%CI 0.266 - 0.356 macrophages 0.761 (0.327), 95%CI 0.607 - 0.699; eosinophils 0.004 (0.019), 95%CI 0.013 - 0.022. There were no significant differences in proportions of cytological findings of female or male, different age groups and second-hand smoking or not (all P > 0.05). The incidence of adverse event was 4.40% (7/159).

CONCLUSIONThe method and the preliminary data may be used for research, diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic cough and airway inflammation.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Cough ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Eosinophils ; cytology ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; Male ; Monocytes ; cytology ; Neutrophils ; cytology ; Reference Values ; Saline Solution, Hypertonic ; chemistry ; Sputum ; cytology ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDChromosomal abnormalities have been shown to play an important prognostic role in multiple myeloma (MM). Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (i-FISH) has been much more effective to identify cytogenetic aberrations in MM than conventional cytogenetic technique (CC). To clearly determine the cytogenetic features of Chinese MM patients and identify their prognostic implications, we designed a multicenter study based on i-FISH including 672 patients from 52 hospitals in China.

METHODSAll 672 patients were systematically screened for the following genomic aberrations: del(13q), IgH rearrangement, del(p53) and 1q21 amplifications.

RESULTSThe analysis showed that the chromosomal changes were detected in 22.1% patients by CC and in 82.3% patients by i-FISH. The most common abnormalities by CC were chromosome 1 aberrations (48.4%), -13/13q- (37.6%), hyperdiploidy (36.6%), hypodiploidy (30.1%) and IgH rearrangements (23.7%). The most frequent abnormalities by FISH was del(13q), which was found in 60.4% patients, whereas IgH rearrangement, 1q21 amplification and p53 deletions were detected in 57.6%, 49.0% and 34.7% cases, respectively. By statistical analysis, -13/13q- by CC was associated with low level of platelet (P = 0.015), hyperdiploidy was associated with low level of serum albumin (P = 0.028), and IgH rearrangement by FISH was associated with high level of β2 microglobulin (P = 0.019). Moreover, 1q21 amplification and del(p53) by FISH conferred a high incidence of progressive disease (PD) after initial therapy. Metaphase detection of IgH rearrangements and chromosome 1 aberrations concurrently was associated with a short progression free survival (PFS) (P = 0.036). No significant prognostic implications of other cytogenetic abnormalities were found associated with overall survival and PFS.

CONCLUSIONSChinese MM patients had similar cytogenetic abnormalities compared with the previous reported studies. However, the prognostic significance of FISH aberrations were not clearly determined and further study is required.

Adult ; China ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 ; genetics ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; genetics ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical and histopathological manifestations, therapy and prognosis of lupus erythematosus panniculitis (LEP).

METHODWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical data and histopathological features of 22 cases of LEP diagnosed at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2008 to February 2010.

RESULTSThe lesions appeared as atrophy, erythema, subcutaneous nodules, infiltrated erythema, and ulceration over the scalp, face, upper limbs, and buttock. Histopathological features were lobular panniculitis in the subcutaneous fat; sometimes septal panniculitis could be seen. Hydroxychloroquine sulfate and corticosteroid were effective treatment; most patients responded well to the treatment, while a few experienced recurrence when the treatment tapped or discontinued.

CONCLUSIONSLEP is a rare cutaneous variant of lupus erythematosus. The diagnosis of LEP is mainly based on clinical findings and pathological features. Hydroxychloroquine and low- and middle-dose corticosteroid are effective for the treatment of LEP.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Panniculitis, Lupus Erythematosus ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the differences of clinical manifestation and therapy of organophosphorus pesticide poisoning (OPP) between oral exposure and occupational exposure in field work.

METHODSFrom July 2007 to July 2010, 85 patients with acute severe OPP were treated in a hospital, which were divided into oral poisoning group (51 cases) and non-oral poisoning group (34 cases). The differences of clinical manifestations, curative effects and prognosis between two groups were compared.

RESULTSThe rates of myoclonus and ataxia in cases with moderate poisoning of oral poisoning group were 86.4% and 90.9%, which were significantly higher than those (50.0% and 55.0%) of non-oral poisoning group (P<0.05 or P< 0.01). The rates of myoclonus, lung fluid and coma in cases with severe poisoning of oral poisoning group were 100.0%, 89.7% and 93.1%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those (71.4%, 64.3% and 50.0%) of non-oral poisoning group (P<0.05). The mean detoxification hours in cases with moderate poisoning and cases with severe poisoning of non-oral poisoning group were (35.0 +/- 6.2) and (45.0 +/- 11.1) hours which were significantly lower than those [(49.0 +/- 7.7) and (77.0 +/- 10.3) hours] in cases with moderate poisoning and cases with severe poisoning of oral poisoning group (P<0.05). In 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment, the cholinesterase (ChE) activities of non-oral poisoning group were higher than those of oral poisoning group (P< 0.05 or P<0.01). The used doses of pyraloxime methylchloride (PAM-Cl) or atropine and the used total dose of atropine in non-oral poisoning group were lower than those in oral poisoning group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe clinical manifestation of non-oral poisoning group is different from the clinical manifestation of oral poisoning group due to the high morbidity of OPP occurred at field site in summer. The used doses of atropine and PAM-Cl are less and the ChE activity recovers quickly for non-oral poisoning group.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; Pesticides ; poisoning ; Poisoning ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome