Objective:To investigate the long-term therapeutic effects and safety of renal denervation (RDN) on hypertensive patients with different cardiovascular risks, as well as its impact on adverse events, cardiovascular death and all-cause mortality.Methods:This was a single-center, single-arm, real-world retrospective study. Patients with refractory hypertension who underwent RDN at Tianjin First Central Hospital from July 6, 2011 to December 23, 2015 were enrolled and divided into either a high or intermediate-low risk group based on baseline cardiovascular risk. The treatment responsiveness of hypertensive patients with different cardiovascular stratification to RDN was assessed by comparing the results of office blood pressure, home blood pressure, and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring at 1, 5, and 11 years after RDN. Long-term safety of RDN was assessed by creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 1 and 11 years after RDN. In addition, the total defined daily dose (DDD) of antihypertensive medications and the incidence of long-term adverse events, cardiovascular deaths, and all-cause deaths after RDN were followed up 11 years after RDN in person or by telephone.Results:A total of 62 patients with refractory hypertension, aged (50.2±15.0) years, of whom 35 (56.5%) were male, were included. There were 35 cases in high-risk group and 27 cases in low and medium risk group. The decrease in clinic systolic blood pressure (high risk vs. low-medium risk: (-38.0±15.1) mmHg vs. (-25.0±16.6) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133kPa), P=0.002), home self-measured systolic blood pressure ((-28.4±12.7) mmHg vs. (-19.7±13.1) mmHg, P=0.011) and clinic systolic blood pressure 11 years after RDN ((-43.0±18.4) mmHg vs. (-27.8±17.9) mmHg, P=0.003) in the high-risk group was significantly higher than that in the low-medium risk group. The differences in heart rate and the decrease in total DDD number of antihypertensive drugs between the two groups were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Creatinine and eGFR levels in the two groups at 1 and 11 years after RDN were not statistically significant when compared with the baseline values (all P>0.05). The cumulative cardiovascular mortality rate was 1.6% (1/62) and 8.1% (5/62), and the cumulative all-cause mortality rate was 3.2% (2/62) and 11.3% (7/62) at 5 and 11 years after RDN, respectively. The differences in the incidence rate of adverse events, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality rate between the two groups were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Conclusions:RDN has long-term antihypertensive effect and good safety. Hypertensive patients who belong to the high-risk stratification of cardiovascular risk may respond better to RDN treatment.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of adult eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and the diagnostic value of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS).Methods:Data from 12 adult patients with EoE diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from 2011 to 2022 were retrospectively analyzed for the clinical manifestations, imaging and endoscopic findings, EUS characteristics, treatment and prognosis.Results:Among the 12 EoE patients, 9 were male and 3 were female, with a mean age at diagnosis of 48.5 years (17-73 years). Two patients had a history of asthma, 1 had urticaria, and 5 had a history of food and/or drug allergy. The time from symptom onset to diagnosis ranged from 2 weeks to 30 years. The most common clinical symptoms were acid regurgitation (8 cases), abdominal pain (8 cases), and obstruction dysphagia (5 cases). Four (4/11) patients had increased peripheral blood eosinophils and 4 (4/10) patients had increased peripheral blood immunoglobulin E. Contrast-enhanced CT of the esophagus showed esophageal wall thickening and enhancement in 7 patients (7/8). One (1/8) patient showed multiple mediastinal lymph nodes enlargement. Under endoscopy, edema (12 cases), linear furrows (5 cases), rings (4 cases), exudates (1 case), and luminal narrowing (1 case) were observed in the mucosa. Eight patients underwent EUS, and all of them showed esophageal wall thickening, and the muscularis propria thickening being the most common (5.0-12.5 mm), with various hierarchical structures and unclear boundaries. Topical corticosteroid therapy led to significant symptom improvement and mucosal healing in 6 patients. Biopsy showed that the infiltration of eosinophils in the esophageal mucosa was significantly reduced or completely relieved. The clinical symptoms recurred in 5 patients after receiving acid suppression therapy, and 2 of them still had eosinophil infiltration in esophageal mucosal.Conclusion:The clinical presentation of EoE in adults can mimic gastroesophageal reflux disease, highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis. The typical endoscopic findings of EoE are edema, linear furrows, rings, exudates and luminal narrowing. EUS can be used for the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and objective evaluation of esophageal wall remodeling in patients with EoE. Adult patients with EoE have poor response to antacid therapy alone, while topical corticosteroid therapy can achieve good clinical efficacy and pathological remission.

Atrial fibrillation, also known as atrial fibrillation, is a common cardiac arrhythmia, and its incidence increases with age. Catheter ablation is considered to be an effective means to treat atrial fibrillation and maintain sinus rhythm. The common ablation technologies are radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation. However, the existing catheter ablation technology has a "zero-sum effect", and it is difficult to control the optimal dose clinically. In this study, a new method of pulsed electric field ablation for atrial fibrillation was proposed, which effectively solved the "zero-sum effect" problem of temperature ablation. The clinical application results show that the proposed technology effectively overcomes the shortcomings of existing temperature ablation, and can form durable pulmonary vein isolation.

Objective:To explore the prolonged therapeutic regimen for patients with plaque psoriasis, who showed a positive response to 4-week treatment with tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream, but were not completely cured.Methods:A multicenter, randomized, open-labelled, parallel-controlled clinical study was conducted. A total of 232 patients with plaque psoriasis were collected, who showed a positive response to previous 4-week treatment with 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream, but were not completely cured with the psoriasis area and severity index[PASI] improvement rate being 50%-90%. At week 5, they were randomly and equally divided into 2 groups: test group receiving treatment with 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream once a day, and control group receiving a sequential regimen of 0.05% tazarotene gel on weekdays once a day followed by 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream on weekends once a day. After 2-and 4-week prolonged treatment, the efficacy and safety of the 2 therapeutic regimens were evaluated and compared. Measurement data were compared between 2 groups by using covariance analysis or t test, and enumeration data were compared by using chi-square test. Results:From the 5th to the 8th week, 200 out of the 232 patients completed the treatment. Data collected from 110 patients in the test group and 112 in the control group were enrolled into the full analysis set, and those from both 113 patients in the test group and control group were enrolled into safety analysis set. After consecutive 6-and 8-week treatment, the decline rates of the PASI score were 73.05% ± 16.69% and 78.46% ± 15.40% respectively in the test group, which were significantly higher than those in the control group (66.73% ± 21.77%, 67.02% ± 34.19%, respectively, both P < 0.05) . After 6-week treatment, the proportion of subjects who achieved PASI90 was significantly higher in the test group (14 cases, 12.7%) than in the control group (5 cases, 4.5%, χ2=4.842, P=0.028) ; After 8-week treatment, the proportions of subjects who achieved PASI75 and PASI90 (61.8%, 23.6%, respectively) were significantly higher in the test group than in the control group (48.2%, 12.5%, respectively, both P < 0.05) . During the consecutive 8-week treatment, there was no significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse reactions between the test group (15.0%) and control group (23.9%, χ2=2.822, P=0.093) . Conclusion:For patients who showed a positive response to 4-week treatment with 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream, but were not completely cured, the continuous use of 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream for 4 weeks is a superior therapeutic regimen compared with the sequential regimen of 0.05% tazarotene gel followed by 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of bilateral erector spinae plane block (ESPB) in improving intraoperative wake-up quality in the patients undergoing thoracolumbar scoliosis correction with general anesthesia. Methods: Forty American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅱor Ⅲ patients of both sexes, aged 18-60 yr, scheduled for elective posterior approach thoracolumbar scoliosis correction, were divided into 2 groups (n=20 each) using a random number table method: control group (C group) and bilateral ESPB group (E group). Bilateral ESPB was performed through injecting 0.375% ropivacaine 15-20 ml to each site in group E. Anesthesia was induced by intravenously injecting propofol, sufentanil and cisatracurium after dexmedetomidine was intravenously infused for 10 min.Anesthesia was maintained by intravenously infusing remifentanil, propofol and dexmedetomidine.Propofol infusion was stopped and the infusion rate of remifentanil and dexmedetomidine was decreased during intraoperative wake-up test.Wake-up test was performed every 30 s starting from 5 min after stopping propofol infusion.The wake-up time, occurrence of agitation and coughing, hemodynamic changes (△MAP and △HR, the difference between MAP while stopping administration before wake-up test and maximum MAP during wake-up test, the difference between HR while stopping administration before wake-up test and maximum HR during wake-up test) and blood loss were recorded.The wake-up quality was assessed during operation. Results: Compared with C group, the wake-up time was significantly shortened, the incidence of agitation and coughing was decreased, blood loss was reduced, △MAP and △HR were decreased, and the wake-up quality was increased in E group (P<0.05). Conclusion Bilateral ESPB can increase the intraoperative wake-up quality in the patients undergoing thoracolumbar scoliosis correction with general anesthesia.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) for hypertensive heart dis-ease combined with systolic heart failure. Methods Two patients (mean age 35 years) with hypertensive heart disease com-bined with systolic heart failure on maximal tolerated heart failure therapy underwent bilateral renal denervation. Echocar-diography, the six minute walk distance, renal function, glycosylated hemoglobin and NT-proBNP were assessed at baseline and 1 year after renal denervation. Results Renal artery angiography showed that no stenosis and dissection. After 1 year follow up, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), six minute walk distance and NT-proBNP were significantly im-proved, and the size of left ventricular decreased. Conclusion RDN is effective and feasible for the treatment in patients with hypertensive heart disease and systolic heart failure.

Objective To explore the effects of renal denervation (RDN) on hypothalamus angiotensinⅡ(AngⅡ) and oxidative stress in myocardial infarction (MI) dogs. Methods Eighteen mongrel dogs were randomly divided into MI group (n=6), RDN group (n=6) and sham operation group (n=6). Myocardial infarction model was made in the former two groups by gelatin sponge embolization of the left anterior descending artery. One week after MI, RDN was given to dogs in RDN group. Levels of AngⅡ, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and expression of gp91phox protein were detected four weeks after MI. Results Compared with control group, hypothalamus AngⅡ, MDA and expression of gp91phox protein were increased in MI group (P<0.01), but SOD was decreased (P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between AngⅡand SOD activity in MI group (r=-0.849, P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between AngⅡ and expression of gp91phox protein in MI group (r=0.950, P<0.01). Compared with MI group, hypothalamus AngⅡ, MDA and expression of gp91phox protein were decreased in RDN group (P<0.01), but SOD was increased (P<0.01). Conclusion RDN can de?crease the level of hypothalamus AngⅡand the level of hypothalamus oxidative stress, and improve heart function of MI dogs.

Objective To observe the effect of renal denervation (RDN) on the cardiac oxidative stress and sympathetic nerve remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) in canine. Methods Canine (n=18) were randomly divided into three groups: Sham operation group (SHAM group, n=6), MI group (n=6), MI+RDN group (n=6). Anterior myocardial infarction was gained by gelatin sponge embolization of the left anterior descending artery. At four weeks post-MI, left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were examined using echocardiography. Immunohistochemical assay was used to analyze the distribution and density of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) stained nerve fibers at peri-infarct zone. Myocardial superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialde?hyde (MDA) were also assessed. Results Compared with dogs in SHAM group, LVEF and SOD expression were decreased in MI group and MI+RDN group (P<0.05), but Left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), LVEDV, LVESV, MDA and rate of TH positive staining nerve fibers were increased (P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between the rate of TH positive staining nerve fibers and SOD level (rs=-0.818,P<0.05) and a positive correlation between rate of TH positive stain?ing nerve fibers with MDA level (rs=0.900,P<0.05). By contract, compared with MI group, LVEF and SOD in MI +RDN group were increased (P<0.05), while LVEDV, LVESV, MDA and rate of TH positive staining nerve fibers were significant?ly lowered (P<0.05). Conclusion RDN is effective to decrease the level of cardiac oxidative stress and improve cardiac sympathetic nerve remodeling and heart function after myocardial infarction in canine.

Objective To explore the CT appearance of thoracic lymphonodus in AIDS patients with immune reconstitution in-flammatory syndrome(IRIS)after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).Methods The data of thoracic CT in 24 AIDS pa-tients after HAART with enlarged thoracic lymphonodus in IRIS were collected,and the chest CT appearance was analyzed.Results Of the 24 cases of AIDS patients with IRIS after HAART,1 9 cases were complicated with pulmonary tuberculosis,which includ-ed 5 cases with cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis,3 cases were co-infected with bacterium and fungi,1 case was infected by penicil-lium marneffei,1 case by pneumocystis carinii.The enlarged thoracic lymphonodus were primarily located in 4R region(20/24), secondly in 2R region(1 1/24)and 4L region(1 1/24),in which the density was uniform or non-uniform,edge clear or unclear,some parts of lymphonodus were fused together but not calcified.The minor axis of enlarged lymphonodus was 1 1.0-25.0 mm except X region,enhanced uniformly in 2 cases.Obstructive pneumonia and pulmonary consolidation were found in 2 cases with enlarged lym-phonodus,which were located in 10R region.Pleural effusion was found in 13 cases with greatest depth of about 22 mm,pericardial effusion was found in 5 cases with greatest depth of about 24 mm.Conclusion The enlarged thoracic lymphonodus in AIDS patients with IRIS affer HAART are mainly involved in the region of 4R,2R and 4L,with or without pleural effusion and pericardial effusion.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of low-intensity ultrasound on the contents of endothelin (ET-1) and nitrogen monoxide (NO) in uterine tissues of SD rats after abortion.

METHODSThirty female pregnant rats were randomly divided into treatment group and control group and received mifepristone and misoprostol to induce abortion. The rats in the treatment group were treated by low-intensity ultrasound for 30 min/day for 5 consecutive days, and those in the control group received sham treatment. The uterine tissue was then taken and homogenized for measurement of ET-1 and NO contents using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and chemical testing.

RESULTSET-1 content in the uterine tissues was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05), but NO content showed no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLow-intensity ultrasound can promote the contraction of uterine smooth muscles by increasing the level of ET-1 to modulate the homeostasis of ET-1 and NO.

Abortion, Induced ; Animals ; Endothelin-1 ; metabolism ; Female ; Male ; Nitrous Oxide ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ultrasonography ; Uterus ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism