Objective:To investigate the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of ANCA-associated vasculitic neuropathy (VN) and analyze the predictors of treatment outcomes.Methods:Retrospective case series. In all, 652 consecutive patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis were admitted to the First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 2006 and December 2022. Peripheral neuropathy occurred in 91 patients. Patients were excluded if other known causes of neuropathy were present. Sixty-one patients were eventually enrolled, including 17 with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), 11 with granulomatosis polyangiitis (GPA), and 33 with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). Their clinical data were collected and clinical characteristics, VN manifestations, electrophysiological findings (including interside amplitude ratio [IAR]), and treatment outcomes were compared among the three subsets of AAV. Then, factors influencing the treatment outcomes were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analysis.Results:Peripheral neuropathy occurred in 62.1%(18/29) of EGPA, 8.3%(15/180) of GPA, and 13.1%(58/443) of MPA patients. The age at onset and examination was higher in patients with MPA than those with EGPA or GPA ( P<0.01). The occurrence of VN was later in patients with GPA than those with EGPA ( P<0.01), and the GPA group had fewer affected nerves than the other two groups ( P<0.016). The abnormal IARs of motor nerves in lower limbs were more detected in the EGPA than the MPA group ( P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis suggested that higher Birmingham vasculitis activity score-version 3 (BVAS-V3) ( OR=6.85, 95% CI 1.33-35.30) was associated with better treatment outcomes of VN. However, central nervous system involvement was a risk factor for poor treatment outcomes ( OR=0.13, 95% CI 0.02-0.89). Conclusions:The clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of VN were slightly different among subsets of AAV. Patients with GPA often presented with polyneuropathy and had fewer nerves affected; mononeuritis multiplex was more common in EGPA than GPA and MPA. Higher BVAS-V3 and central nervous system involvement might predict the treatment outcome of VN.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of breast architectural distortion(AD)in mammography,MRI,and ultrasound,and to explore the value of each imaging examination in the diagnosis of AD lesions.Methods The mammography,ultrasound,and MRI data of 46 patients(48 lesions)with AD detected by mammography were analyzed retrospectively.Based on the pathological results,the imaging characteristics of benign and malignant AD were compared.Results The morphological and central density differences between benign and malignant lesions were statistically significant.There was no significant difference in microcalcification between benign and malignant AD.On 48 breast MRI,26 lesions showed mass enhancement,17 lesions showed non-mass enhancement,3 lesions showed punctate enhancement and 2 lesions showed no enhancement.There was no statistical significance in the distribution of enhancement types.The difference in time-signal intensity curve(TIC)types between benign and malignant AD was statistically significant.There was no statistical significance in ultrasound manifestation between benign and malignant AD.Using imaging findings greater than those in the breast imaging reporting and data system(BI-RADS)4 categories as a suspected malignant diagnosis,based on pathological examination results.The area under the curve(AUC)by mammography,ultrasound,and MRI was 0.582,0.426,and 0.764,respectively,showed significant differences in diagnostic efficiency.Conclusion MRI has higher sensitivity and specificity in detecting breast AD,which significantly improves the diagnosis coincidence rate of lesions,and can provide an important basis for clinicians to make decisions on surgical treatment.

Objective:Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) comprises a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous inherited neuropathies with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 2500. This study aimed to analyze the clinical and mutational characteristics of Chinese CMT patients with MFN2, BSCL2 and LRSAM1 variants.Methods:In this study, genetic analysis was performed in 206 Chinese patients at Chinese PLA General Hospital from December 2012 to March 2020 with clinical diagnosis of CMT, and reported variants of MFN2, BSCL2 and LRSAM1 related to CMT2.Results:We reported ten MFN2 mutations in ten unrelated patients (7 male, 3 female), two of whom had positive family history. Three novel mutations were detected including c.475-2A>G (splicing); c.687dupA (p.E230Rfs*16) and c.558dupT (p.S186fs). We reported three BSCL2 mutations of four unrelated patients, including c.461C>G (p.S154W), c.461C>T(p.S154L), and novel variants of c.1309G>C (p.A437P) and c.845C>T (p.A282V). Furthermore, two novel variants of LRSAM1, including c.1930G>T (p.G644C) and c.1178T>A (p.L393Q) were detected in two unrelated patients.Conclusion:Mutational spectrum of MFN2-, BSCL2-and LRSAM1-related CMT disease is expanded with the identification of novel variants in Chinese patients.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between serum thyroglobulin antibody (TG-Ab) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) cconcentrations and arteriosclerosis development in middle-aged and older adult patients with depression.Methods:A total of 200 middle-aged and older adult patients with depression who received treatment in the Third People's Hospital of Huzhou from January 2018 to October 2019 were included in this study. They were divided into four groups ( n = 50/group) according to TG-Ab and TPO-Ab test results: TG-Ab-positive (group 1), TPO-Ab-positive (group 2), TG-Ab-positive and TPO-Ab-positive (group 3), TG-Ab-negative and TPO-Ab-negative (control group). Serum thyroid hormone level, ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, and the incidences of intima-media thickening and plaque formation in the lower extremity arteries were compared between groups. Results:Total thyroxine concentration in the control group, groups 1, 2 and 3 was (89.96 ± 2.45) nmol/L, (101.29 ± 3.35) nmol/L, (90.09 ± 2.70) nmol/L, (97.55 ± 2.57) nmol/L, respectively. There was a significant difference in total thyroxine concentration between groups ( F = 3.85, P < 0.05). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in the control group, groups 1, 2, and 3 was (1 327.55 ± 67.78) cm/s, (1 510.36 ± 83.05) cm/s, (1 422.71 ± 71.40) cm/s, (1 533.95 ± 87.01) cm/s, respectively. There was a significant difference in brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity between groups ( F = 65.12, P < 0.05). The incidence of intima-media thickening in the control group, groups 1, 2, and 3 was 18% (9/50), 50% (25/50), 32% (16/50), 60% (30/50), respectively. The incidence of plaque formation in the control group, groups 1, 2, and 3 was 22% (11/50), 56% (28/50), 40% (20/50), 70% (35/50), respectively. There were significant differences in intima-media thickening and plaque formation between groups ( χ2 = 21.83, 25.77, all P < 0.001). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that age ( OR = 0.953) and TG-Ab ( OR = 1.116) were independent risk factors for developing arteriosclerosis in middle-aged and older adult patients with depression ( P < 0.05). Conclusion:TG-Ab-positive results are an independent risk factor for developing arteriosclerosis in middle-aged and older adult patients with depression. TPO-Ab-positive results have a synergistic effect on the occurrence and development of arteriosclerosis in middle-aged and older adult patients with depression. Monitoring serum TG-Ab and TPO-Ab concentrations is of great clinical significance for the prevention and treatment of arteriosclerosis in middle-aged and older adult patients with depression.

Objective: To study the clinicopathological features of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) of the breast with extracellular mucin and outcomes of patients. Method: Clinicopathological features and clinical follow-up (39-123 months and a median follow-up of 55 months) of seven ILC with extracellular mucin were obtained. Hematoxylin-and-eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) stained sections were reviewed, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay was performed for tumors with HER2 IHC 2+. Patient prognosis was analyzed and literatures related to ILC with extracellular mucin were reviewed. Results: All seven patients were female, aged from 43 to 73 years (median age, 55 years). The tumors ranged in size from 1 to 5 cm (median size 2 cm). All seven cases were of histological grade 2. Most areas of the tumors presented with the morphology of classic ILC, and variable amount of extracellular mucin were observed focally. In six cases, part of the tumor cells contained intracellular mucin, and the nucleus were pushed to one side of the cells, creating the impression of signet-ring cells. Two patients had lymph node metastases at diagnosis, and developed liver and bone metastases at 38th and 48th month, respectively, after surgery, and died at 48th and 123th month, respectively. While the other five patients, except one lost to follow-up, had been disease-free during the follow-up period. IHC results showed estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positivity in 7/7 and 6/7 cases, respectively. Tumors of six patients were HER2 IHC 0/1+. The remaining one was HER2 IHC 2+, while FISH assay revealed HER2 gene amplification in that tumor. The proportion of cases with HER2-positivity was 1/7. The proliferation index Ki-67 ranged from less than 5% to 30%, and Ki-67 less than or equal to 10% were in 5/7 cases. According to the 2013 St. Gallen International Expert Consensus on breast cancer, all tumors were of luminal types; of those, two were luminal A and five were luminal B. Conclusions ILC with extracellular mucin tends to occur in women over 50 years old. All tumors in the study are grade 2 classic ILC, with signet-ring cells as a common feature. All seven tumors are classified as luminal types, with luminal B as the main molecular subtype.

Objective To study the clinicopathological features of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) of the breast with extracellular mucin and outcomes of patients. Method Clinicopathological features and clinical follow?up (39-123 months and a median follow?up of 55 months) of seven ILC with extracellular mucin were obtained. Hematoxylin?and?eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) stained sections were reviewed, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay was performed for tumors with HER2 IHC 2+. Patient prognosis was analyzed and literatures related to ILC with extracellular mucin were reviewed. Results All seven patients were female, aged from 43 to 73 years (median age, 55 years). The tumors ranged in size from 1 to 5 cm (median size 2 cm). All seven cases were of histological grade 2. Most areas of the tumors presented with the morphology of classic ILC, and variable amount of extracellular mucin were observed focally. In six cases, part of the tumor cells contained intracellular mucin, and the nucleus were pushed to one side of the cells, creating the impression of signet?ring cells. Two patients had lymph node metastases at diagnosis, and developed liver and bone metastases at 38th and 48th month, respectively, after surgery, and died at 48th and 123th month, respectively. While the other five patients, except one lost to follow?up, had been disease?free during the follow?up period. IHC results showed estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positivity in 7/7 and 6/7 cases, respectively. Tumors of six patients were HER2 IHC 0/1+. The remaining one was HER2 IHC 2+, while FISH assay revealed HER2 gene amplification in that tumor. The proportion of cases with HER2?positivity was 1/7. The proliferation index Ki?67 ranged from less than 5% to 30%, and Ki?67 less than or equal to 10% were in 5/7 cases. According to the 2013 St. Gallen International Expert Consensus on breast cancer, all tumors were of luminal types; of those, two were luminal A and five were luminal B. Conclusions ILC with extracellular mucin tends to occur in women over 50 years old. All tumors in the study are grade 2 classic ILC, with signet?ring cells as a common feature. All seven tumors are classified as luminal types, with luminal B as the main molecular subtype.

Objective To investigate the relationship between iodine nutritional status and thyroid hormone levels,and to provide a guideline for monitoring iodine nutrition and thyroid function.Methods A crosssectional survey was performed by randomly selecting 341 samples (health pregnant women with a first child) from the Second People's Hospital of Guiyang,Bihai Community Medical Center and Jinhuayuan Community Center from October 2015 to September 2016.Levels of serum hormones and antibodies relative to throid of pregnant women in Guanshan Lake District of Guiyang at different pregnant times,which included throid stimulating hormone (TSH),free three triiodothyronine (FT3),free thyroxine (FT4),thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb),and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb),were measured by the electrochemical luminescence method,and urinary iodine levels were measured by heat digestion.Results The median urinary iodine of pregnant women at early,middle and late stages (T1,T2 and T3 stages) were 191.8,198.9 and 214.5 μg/L,respectively.FT3 increased first and then decreased during pregnancy.Levels of FT3 in the T2 stage were significandy higher than those in T1 and T3 stages (FT3 medians at the three stages were 4.49,4.83 and 4.57 pmol/L),and the differences were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).FT4 levels decreased during pregnancy (FT4 medians at the three stages were 16.32,14.65 and 13.22 pmol/L),and the differences among the three groups were statistically significant (H =67.517,P ＜ 0.01).Statistically significant differences were not found in the TSH levels among the three groups ~SH medians at the three stages were 2.05,2.01 and 2.39 mU/L,H =1.297,P ＞ 0.05).The medians of TPOAb and TgAb during T2 stage (9.60 and 19.02 U/ml) were significantly lower than those of other groups (18.92 and 24.75 U/ml at stage T1,and 13.46 and 22.06 U/ml at stage T3),and the differences were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).TSH levels were consistent with urinary iodine levels.TSH levels in the excessive iodine group (urine iodine:250 ～ 499 μg/L,2.54 mU/L) were significantly higher than those in the adequate iodine group (urine iodine:150 ～ 249 μg/L,1.97 mU/L) and deficient iodine group (urine iodine:＜ 150 μg/L,1.91 mU/L),and the differences were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).No correlations were found between levels of FT3,FT4,TPOAb,TgAb and levels of the urinary iodine.There was a significant positive correlation between urinary iodine levels and TSH levels (rs =0.180,P ＜ 0.01).The incidence of abnormal thyroid function in pregnant women was 29.33％ (100/341),which was composed of clinical hypothyroidism (accounting for 0.88％,3/341),subclinical hypothyroidism (accounting for 25.51％,87/341),low T4 level (accounting for 1.76％,6/341),clinical hyperthyroidism (accounting for 0.59％,2/341),subclinical hyperthyroidism (accounting for 0.59％,2/341),and TPOAb positive and TgAb positive (accounting for 12.61％,43/341).These abnormalities occurred mainly in the T1 and T3 stages.The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism increased with increasing of urinary iodine level,and the difference was statistically significant (x2 =11.269,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion There is a positive correlation between pregnancy iodine nutritional status and its TSH level,so it is important to monitor the level of urinary iodine during pregnancy and to screen the thyroid function and antibodies in the early and middle time of pregnancy.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of accelerated partial breast irradiation ( APBI ) and whole breast irradiation ( WBI ) with simultaneous integrated boost ( SIB ) from the perspective of economics, and provide a reference for postoperative adjuvant therapy mode selection for early-stage breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery. Methods A total of 355 early-stage breast cancer patients who underwent APBI or WBI-SIB after breast-conserving surgery were evaluated on efficacy and cost-effectiveness, of which 177 patients received APBI, and 178 patients received WBI-SIB. Survival analysis was done according to treatment received. NCI-CTC 3.0 was used to score the toxicities. Breast aesthetic outcome were evaluated with Harris standards. Results Median follow-up was 42 months ( 5.8 -92.7 months) . The 3-year locoregional recurrence free survival( LRFS) rates in APBI group and WBI-SIB group were 98.2％ and 97.6％, distant metastasis free survival( DMFS) were 94.3％ and 93.7％, disease-free survival ( DFS) were 93.1％ and 91.6％, and overall survival 95.5％ and 94.3％, respectively, without statistically significant differences(P>0.05). Compared with WBI-SIB group, the acute reaction rates in APBI group decreased from 5. 6％ to 3.4％(χ2 =6.044, P <0. 05), and late reactions from 5.6％ to 2.3％ (χ2 =6.149, P<0. 05), while the cosmetic outcome improved from 88.8％ to 93.8％(χ2 =5.22, P<0. 05). Moreover, the processing average time was shortened by 26.5 d (χ2 =40.76, P<0. 05). Conclusions After breast-conserving surgery, the efficacy of APBI showed no difference from WBI-SIB with respect to 3-year local control, disease-free survival, and overall survival, but displayed a significantly better toxicity profile and cost-effectiveness ratio for early breast cancer patients. It can be used as a good radiotherapy model after breast-conserving surgery in early-stage breast cancer.

Objective To discuss the effects of multimodal combination dialysis on Klotho protein, fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. 120 patients who was diagnosed with chronic renal failure (CRF) uremia receiving MHD over 3 months admitted to Blood Purification Centre of Department of Nephrology of the Second People's Hospital of Guiyang from December 2015 to December 2016 were enrolled, who were randomly divided into hemodialysis (HD) group (HD for 8 times a month), HD + hemofiltration (HF) group (HD for 8 times a month + HF once a month), and HD + HF + hemoperfusion (HP) group (HD for 8 times a month + HF for 4 times a month + HP once a month), with 40 patients in each group. Before and after treatment for 6 months and 12 months, blood was taken from venous circuit tube, the serum Klotho protein and FGF-23 levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the serum BNP level was determined by electrochemiluminescence. Results 120 patients with MHD were enrolled in the final analysis without withdrawal. There were no significant differences in the levels of Klotho protein, FGF-23, or BNP before enrollment among the three groups (all P > 0.05). Compared with those before enrollment, the levels of serum Klotho protein after enrollment in three groups showed a sustained upward tendency, which were higher in HD + HF + HP group than in HD + HF group and HD group (μg/L: 2.59±0.61, 1.63±0.35, 1.13±0.26 at 6 months, F = 119.374, P = 0.000; 6.98±1.21, 3.57±1.03, 2.12±0.43 at 12 months, F = 275.675, P = 0.000); the levels of FGF-23 showed a sustained downward tendency, which were lower in HD + HF + HP group than in HD + HF group and HD group (ng/L: 69.22±38.26, 132.28±61.18, 178.50±74.64 at 6 months, F = 33.509, P = 0.000; 32.81±17.32, 87.93±43.27, 146.33±69.28 at 12 months, F = 55.466, P = 0.000);the BNP showed a similar tendency as FGF-23 (ng/L: 4083.39±2864.53, 7245.69±4643.81, 7969.12±5360.85 at 6 months, F = 8.758, P = 0.000; 1521.86±894.63, 4554.32±1969.84, 5013.89±2033.64 at 12 months, F = 49.003, P = 0.000). Conclusion Multimodal combination dialysis can increase the Klotho protein level, and decrease the levels of FGF-23 and BNP in MHD patients with CRF uremia.

Objective: To investigate androgen receptor(AR)expression in invasive breast carcinoma and the correlation with surrogate molecular breast carcinoma subtypes. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining of AR and other biomarkers was performed in a cohort of 870 cases of primary invasive breast carcinomas collected from August to December, 2016. The association of AR expression with different histological and surrogate molecular subtypes was analyzed. Results: The positive expression rate of AR in the immunohistochemistry-based surrogate subtypes was 96.3%(207/215) for Luminal A, 89.8%(378/421) for Luminal B, 82.4%(75/91) for HER2 overexpression and 37.1%(53/143) for triple negative breast carcinoma, with significant differences among the four groups (P<0.01). AR correlated positively with the expression of ER(P<0.01), PR(P<0.01), HER2(P=0.007), GATA3(P<0.01), GCDFP15(P<0.01)and mammaglobin(P<0.01), while negatively with the expression of Ki-67(P<0.01), CK5/6(P<0.01)and CK14(P<0.01). Conclusions AR exhibits a high expression in invasive breast carcinoma, which is mainly correlated with ER-positive breast carcinoma. Regardless of the relatively low expression rate, AR is a potential therapeutic target in triple negative breast carcinoma.