MedNexus
Volume 128 · Issue 10 · 2015
MedNexus
- Sections
- Original Article
- Meta-Analysis
- Review Article
- Clinical Practice
- Correspondence
At present, China has listed the compound tablet containing a fixed dose of rosiglitazone and metformin, Avandamet, which may improve patient compliance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Avandamet or uptitrated metformin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin alone.
This study was a 48-week, multicenter, randomized, open-labeled, active-controlled trial. Patients with inadequate glycaemic control (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] 7.5–9.5%) receiving a stable dose of metformin (≥1500 mg) were recruited from 21 centers in China (from 19 November, 2009 to 15 March, 2011). The primary objective was to compare the proportion of patients who reached the target of HbA1c ≤7% between Avandamet and metformin treatment.
At week 48, 83.33% of patients reached the target of HbA1c ≤7% in Avandamet treatment and 70.00% in uptitrated metformin treatment, with significantly difference between groups. The target of HbA1c ≤6.5% was reached in 66.03% of patients in Avandamet treatment and 46.88% in uptitrated metformin treatment. The target of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≤6.1 mmol/L was reached in 26.97% of patients in Avandamet treatment and 19.33% in uptitrated metformin treatment. The target of FPG ≤7.0 mmol/L was reached in 63.16% of patients in Avandamet treatment and 43.33% in uptitrated metformin treatment. Fasting insulin decreased 3.24 ± 0.98 μU/ml from baseline in Avandamet treatment and 0.72 ± 1.10 μU/ml in uptitrated metformin treatment. Overall adverse event (AE) rates and serious AE rates were similar between groups. Hypoglycaemia occurred rarely in both groups.
Compared with uptitrated metformin, Avandamet treatment provided significant improvements in key parameters of glycemic control and was generally well tolerated. Registration number: ChiCTR-TRC-13003776.
There were few studies on the relation between changes in libido and incidence of stroke recurrence. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between libido decrease at 2 weeks after stroke and recurrent stroke at 1-year.
It is a multi-centered, prospective cohort study. The 14th item of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 was used to evaluate changes of libido in poststroke patients at 2 weeks. Stroke recurrence was defined as an aggravation of former neurological functional deficit, new local or overall symptoms, or stroke diagnosed at re-admission.
Among 2341 enrolled patients, 1757 patients had completed follow-up data, 533 (30.34%) patients had decreased libido at 2 weeks, and 166 (9.45%) patients had recurrent stroke at 1-year. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, compared with patients with normal libido, the odds ratio (OR) of recurrent stroke in patients with decreased libido was reduced by 41% (OR = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.40–0.87). The correlation was more prominent among male patients (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.31–0.85) and patients of ≥60 years of age (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.35–0.93).
One out of three stroke patients in mainland China has decreased libido at 2 weeks after stroke. Decreased libido is a protective factor for stroke recurrence at 1-year, which is more prominent among older male patients.
The awareness, treatment and prevention of chronic diseases are generally poor among the elderly population of China, whereas the prevention and control of chronic diseases in elderly veteran communities have been ongoing for more than 30 years. Therefore, investigating the awareness status of chronic disabling neurological diseases (CDND) and common chronic diseases (CCD) among elderly veterans may provide references for related programs among the elderly in the general population.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among veterans ≥60 years old in veteran communities in Beijing. The awareness of preventive strategies against dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), sleep disorders, cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and CCD such as hypertension, and the approaches used to access this information, including media, word of mouth (verbal communication among the elderly) and health care professionals, were investigated via face-to-face interviews.
The awareness rates for CCD and CVD were approximately 100%, but that for AD was the lowest at <10%. The awareness rates for sleep disorders, PD and dementia, were 51.0–89.4%. Media was the most commonly selected mode of communication by which veterans acquired knowledge about CCD and CVD. Media was used by approximately 80% of veterans. Both health care professionals and word of mouth were used by approximately 50% of veterans. With respect to the source of information about CDND excluding AD, the rates of the use of health care professionals, word of mouth and media were 10.6–28.2%, 56.5–76.5%, and approximately 50%, respectively.
The awareness of CDND among elderly veterans was significantly lower than that of CCD. More information about CDND should be disseminated by health care professionals. Appropriate guidance will promote the rapid and extensive dissemination of information about the prevention of CDND by media and word-of-mouth peer education.
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of standard rescue procedure (SRP) in improving severe trauma treatments in China.
This study was conducted in 12 hospitals located in geographically and industrially different cities in China. A standard procedure on severe trauma rescue was established as a general rule for staff training and patient treatment. A regional network (system) efficiently integrating prehospital rescue, emergency room treatments, and hospital specialist treatments was built under the rule for information sharing and improving severe trauma treatments. Treatment outcomes were compared between before and 1 year after the implementation of the SRP.
The outcomes of a total of 74,615 and 12,051 trauma cases were collected from 12 hospitals before and after the implementation of the SRP. Implementation of the SRP led to efficient cooperation and information sharing of different treatment services. The emergency response time, prehospital transit time, emergency rescue time, consultation call time, and mortality rate of patients were 24.24 ± 4.32 min, 45.69 ± 3.89 min, 6.38 ± 1.05 min, 17.53 ± 0.72 min, and 33.82% ± 3.87% (n = 441), respectively, before the implementation of the standardization and significantly reduced to 10.11 ± 3.21 min, 22.39 ± 4.32 min, 3.26 ± 0.89 min, 3.45 ± 0.45 min, and 20.49% ± 3.11%, separately (n = 495, P < 0.05) after that.
Staff training and SRP can significantly improve the efficiency of severe trauma treatments in China.
After cardiac surgery, central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) and serum lactate concentration are often used to guide resuscitation; however, neither are completely reliable indicators of global tissue hypoxia. This observational study aimed to establish whether the ratio between the veno-arterial carbon dioxide and the arterial-venous oxygen differences (P(v−a)CO2/C(a−v)O2) could predict whether patients would respond to resuscitation by increasing oxygen delivery (DO2).
We selected 72 patients from a cohort of 290 who had undergone cardiac surgery in our institution between January 2012 and August 2014. The selected patients were managed postoperatively on the Intensive Care Unit, had a normal ScvO2, elevated serum lactate concentration, and responded to resuscitation by increasing DO2 by >10%. As a consequence, 48 patients responded with an increase in oxygen consumption (VO2) while VO2 was static or fell in 24.
At baseline and before resuscitative intervention in postoperative cardiac surgery patients, a P(v−a)CO2/C(a−v)O2 ratio ≥1.6 mmHg/ml predicted a positive VO2 response to an increase in DO2 of >10% with a sensitivity of 68.8% and a specificity of 87.5%.
P(v−a)CO2/C(a−v)O2 ratio appears to be a reliable marker of global anaerobic metabolism and predicts response to DO2 challenge. Thus, patients likely to benefit from resuscitation can be identified promptly, the P(v−a)CO2/C(a−v)O2 ratio may, therefore, be a useful resuscitation target.
In central precocious puberty (CPP), the pulse secretion and release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) are increased due to early activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, resulting in developmental abnormalities with gonadal development and appearance of secondary sexual characteristics. The CPP without organic disease is known as idiopathic CPP (ICPP). The objective of the study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of domestic leuprorelin (GnRH analog) in girls with ICPP.
A total of 236 girls with ICPP diagnosed from April 2012 to January 2014 were selected and were randomized into two groups. One hundred fifty-seven girls in the test group were treated with domestic leuprorelin acetate, 79 girls in the control group were treated with imported leuprorelin acetate. They all were treated and observed for 6 months. After 6-month treatment, the percentage of children with peak luteinizing hormone (LH) ≤3.3 U/L, the percentage of children with peak LH/peak follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) ratio <0.6, the improvements of secondary sexual characteristics, gonadal development and sex hormone levels, the change of growth rate of bone age (BA) and growth velocity, and drug adverse effects between two groups were compared.
After the treatment, the percentage of children with a suppressed LH response to GnRH, defined as a peak LH ≤3.3 U/L, at 6 months in test and control groups were 96.80% and 96.20%, respectively, and the percentage of children with peak LH/FSH ratio ≤0.6 at 6 months in test and control groups were 93.60% and 93.70%, respectively. The sizes of breast, uterus and ovary of children and the levels of estradiol (E2) were significantly reduced, and the growth rate of BA was also reduced. All the differences between pre- and post-treatment in each group were statistically significant (P < 0. 05), but the differences of the parameters between two groups were not significant (P > 0.05).
Domestic leuprorelin is effective and safe in the treatment of Chinese girls with ICPP. Its effectiveness and safety are comparable with imported leuprorelin.
The optimal ventilated status under total intravenous or inhalation anesthesia in neurosurgical patients with a supratentorial tumor has not been ascertained. The purpose of this study was to intraoperatively compare the effects of moderate hyperventilation on the jugular bulb oxygen saturation (SjO2), cerebral oxygen extraction ratio (O2ER), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) in patients with a supratentorial tumor under different anesthetic regimens.
Twenty adult patients suffered from supratentorial tumors were randomly assigned to receive a propofol infusion followed by isoflurane anesthesia after a 30-min stabilization period or isoflurane followed by propofol. The patients were randomized to one of the following two treatment sequences: hyperventilation followed by normoventilation or normoventilation followed by hyperventilation during isoflurane or propofol anesthesia, respectively. The ventilation and end-tidal CO2 tension were maintained at a constant level for 20 min. Radial arterial and jugular bulb catheters were inserted for the blood gas sampling. At the end of each study period, we measured the change in the arterial and jugular bulb blood gases.
The mean value of the jugular bulb oxygen saturation (SjO2) significantly decreased, and the oxygen extraction ratio (O2ER) significantly increased under isoflurane or propofol anesthesia during hyperventilation compared with those during normoventilation (SjO2: t = –2.728, P = 0.011 or t = –3.504, P = 0.001; O2ER: t = 2.484, P = 0.020 or t = 2.892, P = 0.009). The SjO2 significantly decreased, and the O2ER significantly increased under propofol anesthesia compared with those values under isoflurane anesthesia during moderate hyperventilation (SjO2: t= –2.769, P = 0.012; O2ER: t = 2.719, P = 0.013). In the study, no significant changes in the SjO2 and the O2ER were observed under propofol compared with those values under isoflurane during normoventilation.
Our results suggest that the optimal ventilated status under propofol or isoflurane anesthesia in neurosurgical patients varies. Hyperventilation under propofol anesthesia should be cautiously performed in neurosurgery to maintain an improved balance between the cerebral oxygen supply and demand.
A limitation of bronchoscopic balloon dilatation (BBD) is that airflow must be completely blocked for as long as possible during the operation. However, the patient often cannot hold his or her breath for a long period affecting the efficacy of the procedure. In this study, we used an extra-small-diameter tube to provide assisted ventilation to patients undergoing BBD and assessed the efficacy and safety of this technique.
Bronchoscopic balloon dilatation was performed in 26 patients with benign tracheal stenosis using an extra-small-diameter tube. The tracheal diameter, dyspnea index, blood gas analysis results, and complications were evaluated before and after BBD. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS version 16.0 for Windows (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).
Sixty-three BBD procedures were performed in 26 patients. Dyspnea immediately improved in all patients after BBD. The tracheal diameter significantly increased from 5.5 ± 1.5 mm to 13.0 ± 1.3 mm (P < 0.001), and the dyspnea index significantly decreased from 3.4 ± 0.8 to 0.5 ± 0.6 (P < 0.001). There was no significant change in the partial pressure of oxygen during the operation (before, 102.5 ± 27.5 mmHg; during, 96.9 ± 30.4 mmHg; and after, 97.2 ± 21.5 mmHg; P = 0.364), but there was slight temporary retention of carbon dioxide during the operation (before, 43.5 ± 4.2 mmHg; during, 49.4 ± 6.8 mmHg; and after, 40.1 ± 3.9 mmHg; P < 0.001).
Small-diameter tube-assisted BBD is an effective and safe method for the management of benign tracheal stenosis.
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding is widely used in stroke patients suffering from persistent dysphagia; however, predicting the risks and benefits of PEG insertion in the individual patient is difficult. The aim of our study was to investigate if candidate risk factors could predict short-term mortality risk in poststroke patients who had PEG tube insertion for persistent dysphagia.
This was a retrospective study of 3504 consecutive stroke patients admitted to two metropolitan hospitals during the period January 2005 to December 2013 and who also underwent PEG insertion for feeding due to persistent dysphagia.
A total of 102 patients were included in the study. There were 22 deaths in 6 months after insertion of PEG tubes and 20 deaths of those occurred within 3 months post PEG. Those who survived beyond 6 months showed significantly lower mean age (75.9 ± 9.0 years vs. 83.0 ± 4.9 years, P < 0.001), a lower mean American Society of Anesthesia (ASA) score (3.04 ± 0.63 vs. 3.64 ± 0.58, P < 0.001) compared to nonsurvivors. In multiple Logistic, age (P = 0.004, odds ratio [OR] = 1.144; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.044–1.255); ASA (P = 0.002, OR = 5.065; 95% CI: 1.815–14.133) and albumin level pre-PEG insertion (P = 0.033, OR = 0.869; 95% CI: 0.764–0.988) were the independent determinants of mortality respectively.
We propose that age, ASA score and albumin level pre-PEG insertion to be included as factors to assist in the selection of patients who are likely to survive more than 3 months post PEG insertion.
H syndrome (OMIM 612391) is a recently described autosomal recessive genodermatosis characterized by indurated hyperpigmented and hypertrichotic skin, as well as other systemic manifestations. Most of the cases occurred in the Middle East areas or nearby countries such as Spain or India. The syndrome is caused by mutations in solute carrier family 29, member 3 (SLC29A3), the gene encoding equilibrative nucleoside transporter 3. The aim of this study was to identify pathogenic SLC29A3 mutations in a Chinese patient clinically diagnosed with H syndrome.
Peripheral blood samples were collected from the patient and his parents. Genomic DNA was isolated by the standard method. All six SLC29A3 exons and their flanking intronic sequences were polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified and the PCR products were subjected to direct sequencing.
The patient, an 18-year-old man born to a nonconsanguineous Chinese couple, had more extensive cutaneous lesions, involving both buttocks and knee. In his genomic DNA, we identified a novel homozygous insertion-deletion, c. 1269_1270delinsA, in SLC29A3. Both of his parents were carriers of the mutation.
We have identified a pathogenic mutation in a Chinese patient with H syndrome.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a multifactorial disease and is thought to have a polygenic basis. Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is one such candidate with its common ε2/ε3/ε4 polymorphism in CHD. In recent years, numerous case-control studies have investigated the relationship of APOE polymorphism with CHD risk. However, the results are confusing.
To clarify this point, we undertook a meta-analysis based on 14 published studies including 5746 CHD cases and 19,120 controls. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were assessed for association using a random-effects or fixed-effects model using STATA version 10 (StataCorp LP, College Station, TX, USA).
Overall, the analysis showed that carriers of APOE ε2 allele decreased risk for CHD (ε2 allele vs. ε3 allele: OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.75–0.90, P < 0.001; ε2 carriers vs. ε3 carriers: OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.73–0.89, P < 0.001), compared with those carrying ε3 allele, especially in Caucasian population. However, those with ε4 allele had a significant increased risk for CHD (ε4 allele vs. ε3 allele: OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.15–1.57, P < 0.001), especially in Mongoloid population. Potential publication bias was observed in the genetic model of ε4 versus ε3, but the results might not be affected deeply by the publication bias. When we accounted for publication bias using the trim and fill method, the results were not materially alerted, suggesting the stability of our results.
Taken together, our meta-analysis supported a genetic association between APOE gene and CHD. ε4 increased the risk of CHD, whereas ε2 decreased the risk of CHD.
The objective was to delineate the current knowledge of fractional flow reserve (FFR) in terms of definition, features, clinical applications, and pitfalls of measurement of FFR.
We searched database for primary studies published in English. The database of National Library of Medicine (NLM), MEDLINE, and PubMed up to July 2014 was used to conduct a search using the keyword term "FFR".
The articles about the definition, features, clinical application, and pitfalls of measurement of FFR were identified, retrieved, and reviewed.
Coronary pressure-derived FFR rapidly assesses the hemodynamic significance of individual coronary artery lesions and can readily be performed in the catheterization laboratory. The use of FFR has been shown to effectively guide coronary revascularization procedures leading to improved patient outcomes.
FFR is a valuable tool to determine the functional significance of coronary stenosis. It combines physiological and anatomical information, and can be followed immediately by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) if necessary. The technique of FFR measurement can be performed easily, rapidly, and safely in the catheterization laboratory. By systematic use of FFR in dubious stenosis and multi-vessel disease, PCI can be made an even more effective and better treatment than it is currently. The current clinical evidence for FFR should encourage cardiologists to use this tool in the catheterization laboratory.
The objective was to evaluate the protective effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX), a selective agonist of α2-adrenergic receptor, on sepsis-induced diaphragm injury and the underlying molecular mechanisms.
The data used in this review were mainly from PubMed articles published in English from 1990 to 2015.
Clinical or basic research articles were selected mainly according to their level of relevance to this topic.
Sepsis could induce severe diaphragm dysfunction and exacerbate respiratory weakness. The mechanism of sepsis-induced diaphragm injury includes the increased inflammatory cytokines and excessive oxidative stress and superfluous production of nitric oxide (NO). DEX can reduce inflammatory cytokines, inhibit nuclear factor-kappaB signaling pathways, suppress the activation of caspase-3, furthermore decrease oxidative stress and inhibit NO synthase. On the basis of these mechanisms, DEX may result in a shorter period of mechanical ventilation in septic patients in clinical practice.
Based on this current available evidence, DEX may produce extra protective effects on sepsis-induced diaphragm injury. Further direct evidence and more specific studies are still required to confirm these beneficial effects.
强直性肌营养不良（DM）是一种慢性、缓慢进展、高度可变、遗传性多系统疾病，包括两种主要类型：1型DM（DM1）和2型DM（DM2）。DM1和DM2均为常染色体显性遗传疾病。DM1又称Steinert病，其特征为肌强直、肌无力、肌营养不良、内分泌病、白内障、心脏传导缺陷、中枢神经系统(CNS)功能障碍等。CNS异常的症状主要包括运动功能受损、认知障碍、疲劳、抑郁等。脑的磁共振图像（MRI）可能在T2或液体衰减倒置恢复时显示脑萎缩和（或）白质高信号病变（WMHLs）。[
腹茧症（AC）是一种罕见的导致急性或慢性小肠梗阻的疾病，其特征是小肠被纤维膜或囊状茧完全或部分包裹，有时结肠、子宫或附件被包裹在其中。该疾病的特征是原发性或继发于其他原因。报道的AC的主要临床表现为急性/亚急性完全性/部分性肠梗阻和腹部肿块。[
致编者：食管的急剧扩张在食管疾病中极为罕见。我们报告了一例与右肺肺不张相关的巨食管症，表现为典型的贲门失弛缓症，具有“鸟嘴外观”。为了缓解患者的症状，使用了两根胃管。一个插入食道用于抽吸残留的食糜，另一个插入胃用于供应营养。然而，症状缓解后，她拒绝了所有进一步的治疗。
致编者：高强度聚焦超声（HIFU）后子宫破裂罕见，以前未见报道。一名妊娠38周的32岁初产妇因腹痛入院，但否认外伤。她的病史显示，在怀孕前20个月进行了一次HIFU，直径8.2 cm，位于子宫前壁。胎心率严重可变减速后剖宫产分娩，发现子宫完全自发性破裂，长10cm，位于先前瘢痕处。经过积极抢救，患者和胎儿均恢复良好。
致编辑：迄今为止，埃博拉疫情已在西非夺走了近7000人的生命。[
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