Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided spinal nerve block (SNB) and paraverteral nerve block (PVB) in treating postherpetic neuralgia.Methods:A total of 52 patients with postherpetic neuralgia who visited the Pain Clinic of the Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from February 2020 to December 2022 were selected and randomly divided into an ultrasound-guided SNB group and a PVB group using a random number table method, with 26 patients in each group. Patients in the SNB group received ultrasound-guided spinal nerve block therapy; The PVB group received ultrasound-guided paraverteral nerve block treatment. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) scores, and total effective rate were observed in two groups of patients before treatment, 2 weeks after treatment, 1 month after treatment, 3 months after treatment, and 6 months after treatment. Complications during treatment were also observed.Results:The total effective rates of SNB group patients at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment were significantly higher than those of PVB group (all P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores of both groups of patients at each time point were significantly reduced compared to before treatment (all P<0.05); The VAS scores of patients in the SNB group were lower than those in the PVB group at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, but the difference was not statistically significant (all P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores between SNB and PVB groups before nerve block treatment (all P>0.05). The MCS and PCS scores of the two groups of patients were significantly higher than before treatment at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment (all P<0.05). The MCS scores of the SNB group were significantly higher than those of the PVB group at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment (all P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in PCS scores between the two groups (all P>0.05). Both groups of patients did not experience any serious complications related to the treatment in this study during the follow-up period. Conclusions:Both ultrasound-guided spinal nerve block and paraverteral nerve block can safely and effectively treat postherpetic neuralgia. The clinical effect of ultrasound-guided spinal nerve block in treating postherpetic neuralgia is better than that of paraverteral nerve block.

Objective:To investigate the value of application of combined ultrasound and spinal CT/MRI-assisted lumbar puncture in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients with spinal deformities.Methods:Twelve SMA patients with spinal deformities were evaluated for combined ultrasound and spinal CT/MRI imaging-assisted lumbar intrathecal administration of nusinersen between November 2021 and September 2022.The degree of difficulty of lumbar puncture in SMA patients was graded according to the spinal imaging, and then different puncture methods were designed according to different puncture difficulty grades.The success rate, preparation time, operation time, the number of attempts, and complications of lumbar puncture were counted.Results:In this study, 48 lumbar punctures were performed in 12 patients with SMA, with a success rate of 100%.The average preparation time for puncture was 13.60 min, the average puncture time was 4.96 min, and the average number of attempts was 1.33. No complications such as injury to the spinal cord, nerve and viscera were found in all patients.Conclusions:Combined ultrasound and spinal CT/MRI-assisted lumbar puncture has high value when applied for SMA patients with spinal deformities.

It is necessary to use objective and accurate methods to assess the changes of the consciousness of patients emergencing from general anesthesia. In this way, adverse medications during the waking period can be avoided, and it can ensure the stable and safe recovery of consciousness of the patients, quickly remove the adverse factors affecting the patients, and strive to reduce the occurrence of complications during the waking period. This article briefly reviews the research progress of bispectral index and other common clinical anesthesia depth monitoring techniques used to assess the changes of consciousness of patients awakening from general anesthesia, and explores the regular pattern of recovery of consciousness in patients awakening from general anesthesia, in order to reduce complications in the recovery period .

To investigate whether mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is involved in peripheral nerve injury-induced hyperalgesia through activation of spinal dorsal astrocytes in rats.
 Methods: A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=5): the 1 day group (D1 group), the 4 days group (D4 group), the 7 days group (D7 group), the 14 days group (D14 group), the normal group and the sham group. The sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) model was established in the D1, D4, D7 and D14 group. The normal group received no treatment while the sham group was only exposed the sciatic nerve. Paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT) and paw withdrawal thermal latency (PWTL) were measured at the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 14th day after CCI in the different groups. Lumbar spinal cord were harvested on the 1st, 4th, 7th and 14th day in the D1, D4, D7, D14 group correspondingly, which were harvested on the 14th day in the normal group and the sham group. Distribution of mTOR in rat spinal cord was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of mTOR mRNA and protein in the spinal cord in different groups were determined by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Another 30 male intrathecal catheterized SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=5): a blank group, a CCI group, a CCI+early rapamycin (RAPA) group, a CCI+early dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) group, a CCI+ later RAPA group, and a CCI+later DMSO group. The blank group didn't received any treatment; The CCI group was carried out the treatment of CCI model in the left hind limbs. 10 μL of 1% RAPA was given to the CCI+early RAPA group intrathecally at 4 hours after CCI for 3 days; the CCI+later RAPA group were treated with the same dose of RAPA on the 7th days after CCI for 3 days; the CCI+early DMSO group and the CCI+later DMSO group were injected with the same volume of 4% DMSO at the corresponding time as controls. The PWTL and PWMT were measured before and after intrathecal catheterization, and every other day after CCI. The lumbar spinal cords were selected and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in spinal dorsal horn were examined by immunohistochemistry in the 14th day after CCI.
 Results: The immunohistochemistry positive particles of mTOR were widely distributed in the cytoplasm of the normal spinal neurons. Compared with the base line, the PWMT in the D14 group on the 1st, 4th, 7th and 14th day after CCI were significantly lower, and the PWTL on the 4th, 7th and 14th day after CCI were also significantly lower (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The expressions of mTOR mRNA and protein in the CCI groups (D1, D4, D7 and D14 group) were significantly increased than those in the normal group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the CCI+early DMSO group, the PWMT and PWTL in the CCI+early RAPA group were obviously increased on 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th or 14th day after CCI (P<0.05 or P<0.01); compared with the CCI+later DMSO group, the PWMT and PWTL in the CCI+later RAPA group were also significantly increased at the 8th, 10th or 14th day after CCI (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The GFAP immunohistochemistry positive area and absorbance value in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord in the CCI rats were decreased in the CCI+early RAPA group compared with the CCI+early DMSO group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and which were also decreased in the CCI+later RAPA group compared with the CCI+later DMSO group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
 Conclusion: mTOR signaling pathway may be involved in hyperalgesia induced by peripheral nerve injury via spinal astrocyte activation in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.
Animals ; Hyperalgesia ; Male ; Neuralgia ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Spinal Cord ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases

Objective To explore the influence of gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)on pregnancy and delivery outcomes.Methods 278 pregnant women with GDM were chosen as experimental group who underwent their antenatal care and delivery in Liuhe People's Hospital in Nanjing,according to the 75g oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT)performed in pregnant women at 24-28 pregnancy weeks from January 2014 to October 2015.Meanwhile,the other 278 healthy women were chosen as control group.The pregnancy and delivery outcomes of the two groups were compared.Results The 24-28 weeks' 3 time-point OGTT blood glucose (FPG,1 h PG and 2 h PG) (mmol/L) values of experimental group were 5.08±0.56,9.22±1.71 and 7.62±1.48 respectively,which were significant higher than that of control group:4.45 ± 0.43,7.76 ± 1.35,6.34±4 0.96 (P＜0.05).The incidences of pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome,premature rupture of membranes,premature birth,fetal distress,postpartum hemorrhage,macrosomia and cesarean delivery of experimental group were significantly higher than that in control group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion GDM has a relatively large effect on pregnancy outcomes,causing serious complications of maternal and infant.Therefore,glucose metabolism during pregnancy should be surprised closely and education should be conducted to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Objective To assess the clinical value of pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) in diagnosis and survey of therapeutic effect for lung cancer.Methods The serum level of PTX-3,carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA),cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) were measured in 802 patients with lung cancer,462 with benign lung diseases and 522 healthy controls from multiple research centers,using ELISA and electrochemiluminescent assays.The clinical value of PTX-3 was assessed by comparing the area under receiver characteristic curves (AUC) with CEA and CYFRA21-1.The optimum cutoff value for diagnosis of lung cancer was investigated by maximizing the sum of sensitivity and specificity.By following-up,the serum level of PTX-3 was measured at 3 day,7 day,and 14 day in 61 lung cancer patients after surgical resection of lung cancer.Results In test group and validation,the serum levels of PTX-3 (g/L) are significantly higher in lung cancer group [9.21 (6.13-12.80),10.4(5.54-13.11)] than in benign lung diseases [5.28 (3.42-8.53),6.52 (3.84-7.89)] and in healthy controls [2.18 (0.54-5.44),2.44 (0.67-5.87)],[Z =8.161,14.118,(test group,all P ＜ 0.05) ;Z =9.832,17.595 (validation group,all P ＜0.05)].ROC curve showed the optimal cut-off values for PTX-3 was 8.03 g/L [AUC of 0.831,with a sensitivity of 76.1％ and specificity of 75.2％ in the test cohort; 0.828,71.3％,89.2％ in the validation cohort].Similar results were noted for early-stage lung cancer [0.764,79.1％,and 62.2％ in the test cohort; 0.744,71.3％,and 69.6％ in the validation].In the diagnosis of early-stage lung,the AUC and sensitivity and specificity of PTX-3 were 79.1％,0.764,71.3％ (test group),and 75.2％,89.2％,0.824 (validation group) significantly higher in these patients than CEA and CYFRA21-1.In small cell lung cancer,PTX-3 and NSE shared similar AUC differentiating LC from benign lung diseases and health controls.In following-up 61 lung cancer patients,PTX-3 levels before surgical resection of tumours [11.12(9.12-12.59)] was significant high than following 3 day after surgery(Z =4.32,P ＜0.01),and 14 day (5.12 ±2.54) vs.7 day (7.13 ±3.42) (t =2.143,P =0.023).The correlation between PTX-3 and CRP in LC,benign lung diseases,health control was 0.364,0.592,0.512 (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Serum PTX-3 is a valuable biomarker of lung cancer and early-stage lung cancer with high sensitivity and specificity and improved identification of patients with lung cancer from those with non-malignant chronic lung diseases.

Objective To establish a biotin-streptavidin ELISA method to measure CTGF,and evaluate the clinical value of CTGF for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.Methods Biotinylated anti-CTGF polyclonal antibody and monoclonal antibodies were prepared for the establishment of this biotin-streptavidin ELISA method.Two hundreds and sixty-four CHB patients were subjected into non-or mild liver fibrosis group (S0-S1,108 cases) and severe liver fibrosis group (S2-S4,156 cases),according to the liver biopsy pathological diagnosis.The CTGF assay's diagnostic capacity for CHB was assessed by comparing the area under ROC (AUC) with that of a panel of hepatic fibrosis markers ( HA,PC Ⅲ,C Ⅳ,LN and APRI).Analysis of variance and rank sum test were performed to carry out comparisons between multiple groups.Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were performed for the pairwise comparison between multiple samples.Spearman rank correlation test was performed to analyze the correlation between different hepatic fibrosis stages.Results The minimum detectable dose and detection rang of the ELISA was 0.2 μg/L and 0-64 μg/L respectively.The intra-assay and inter-assay CV at high and low level were 4.5％,9.8％ and 10.1％,12.8％ respectively.Serum CTGF concentrations in S0-S1 group and S2-S4 group were 6.7(3.1 - 10.1 ) μg/L and 16.1 ( 11.8 -27.2) μg/L,with a statistically significant difference (U =1 217,P ＜0.001 ).There was a significant correlation between the levels of serum CTGF and fibrosis stages ( r =0.689,P ＜ 0.001 ),AUC of CTGF was 0.841 (95％ CI:0.762 - 0.920) in distinguishing mild fibrosis from significant fibrosis.When the cut-off value of CTGF was 10.3 μg/L,the sensitivity and specification was 70.5％ and 82.4％ respectively.The sensitivity of parallel combination test of CTGF and APRI was 96.1％,which was higher than that of HA (75.6％),PC Ⅲ (70.5％ ),C Ⅳ(63.6％),LN(79.5％ ),APRI(86.3％ ).The specificity of the combination test was 65.5％,which was lower than of above liver fibrosis markers [HA ( 72.5％ ),PC Ⅲ ( 76.5％ ),C Ⅳ ( 78.4％ )].The specificity of serial combination test of CTGF and PC Ⅲ was 95.9％,which was higher than that of HA,PC Ⅲ,CⅣ,LN(64.7％ ),APRI(66.1％ ),however,the sensitivity of the combination test was 67.7％,which was lower than that of above HA,PC Ⅲ,and APRI.Conclusions The biotin-streptavidin ELISA method measuring serum CTGF has a high minimu detectable dose sensitivity,and specificity.Serum CTGF level is significantly correlated with fibrosis stage,and CTGF maybe a valuable marker for liver fibrosis assessment.The paralledl combination of CTGF and APRI could be used as screening for significant liver fibrosis markers.The serial combination of CTGF and PC Ⅲ may be considered as a confirmatory diagnostic marker for liver fibrosis.

Objective To prepare monoclonal antibody (McAb) against γ-glutamyhransferase(GGT) firmly bound to datura stramonim (DSA) leetin from primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) tissue and establish an avidin-biotin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for evaluating the diagnostic value of serum DSA-GGT for PHC. Methods Anti-DSA-GGT monoclonal antibodies were obtained by McAb technology and purified by protein G-sepharose affinity chromatography. The McAb was labeled with biotin and avidin-biotin ELISA for measurement of serum DSA-GGT was established. Using the avidin-biotin ELISA, serum DSA-GGT levels was detected in 39 patients with PHC, and 122 patients with non-PHC diseases. The distribution of serum DSA-GGT values of 119 healthy subjects were determined by P-P plots. Optimal cut-off value for the diagnosis of PHC was determined by receiver operating characterstic (ROC) curve. Results The protein levels of McAb in the ascites derived from 5 McAb hybridoma cell strains ranged from 2. 12 to 6. 70 mg, The biotin-labeled rate varied from 48. 6% to 72. 2% respectively. The minimum detection limit of serum DSA-GGT in avidin-biotin ELISA was 2 μg/L. Intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 8.9% and 11.5% respectively. The distribution of DSA-GGT values of 119 healthy subjects showed Gaussian distribution and its Mean ± SD was ( 1.50±0. 51 ) μg/L. Optimal cut-off value (3.25 μg/L) in the diagnosis of PHC was determined by ROC curve. DSA-GGT was positive in 26 out of 39 patients with PHC and 10 out of 122 patients with non-PHC diseases were positive. The sensitivity and specificity of this assay for the diagnosis of PHC were 66. 7% and 91.8% respectively. Conclusions The convenient avidin-biotin ELISA method was successfully established in our laboratory and it showed a good reproducibility and reliability. It may be a potential tool in the diagnosis of PHC to achieve higher sensitivity and specificity.

Purpose To explore the relationship between connective growth tissue factor(CTGF) in serum and the severity of liver fibrosis,and to determine the clinical value of CTGF in the assessment of liver fibrosis.Methods Serums CTGF were tested utilizing enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The correlation between serum CTGF concentration and fibrosis stage was assessed.Results The diagnostic performance of CTGF was assessed by comparing the area under receiver characteristic curves(AUC) with a panel of fibrosis markers.Correlation coefficient was 0.689(P＜0.001) between the levels of serum CTGF and fibrosis stages and AUC of CTGF was 0.841(95% confidence interval,0.762-0.920) in distinguishing mild fibrosis from significant fibrosis.Conclusion The present data revealed that serum CTGF was significantly correlated with the stage of liver fibrosis,suggesting that serum CTGF was an indicator for the stage of liver fibrosis,and serum CTGF could be used as a valuable marker assessing liver fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the hemodynamics and post-anesthetic recovery of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with remifentanil or fentanyl combined with propofol administered by target controlled infusion (TCI) in neurosurgery. METHODS: A total of 80 patients undergoing selective neurosurgery were randomly divided into a remifentanil group (Group R, n=40) and a fentanyl group (Group F, n=40). In Group R,remifentanil and propofol was administered by TCI and the blood concentration were 3 approximately 5 microg/L and 3 approximately 5 mg/L each. In Group F, fentanyl was continuously infused at 2 approximately 3 microg/(kg.h) and propofol was administered by TCI with the same blood concentration as that in Group R.Vecuronium was injected at intervals to maintain muscle relaxant.Mean arterial pressure and heart rate during the anesthesia and post-anesthetic recovery were recorded. RESULTS: Mean arterial pressure of all the patients was decreased significantly from induction of anesthesia to termination of operation compared with that before the induction( P<0.01). The heart rate of Group R was increased obviously from recovery of respiration to extubation and heart rate of Group F was decreased obviously from fixed headframe to termination of operation compared with that before the induction (P<0.01). But there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P>0.05). The eyes opened and extubed time of Group R were decurtated obviously and the scores of pain were increased significantly (P<0.01). CONCLUSION TIVA with remifentanil or fentanyl combined with propofol administered by TCI in neurosurgical operation can provided steadible hemodynamics. Resuscitation of remifentanil with propofol administered by target controlled infusion were more quickly but the scores of pain were more higher than that of fentanyl.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anesthesia Recovery Period ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; methods ; Anesthetics, Intravenous ; administration & dosage ; Craniotomy ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Infusion Pumps ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Piperidines ; Propofol ; Remifentanil ; Vecuronium Bromide ; administration & dosage ; Young Adult