Volume 128 · Issue 15 · 2015

The metabolic syndrome is a clustering of metabolic abnormalities and has been associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among employees in Northeast China.

Totally, 33,149 employees who received health screening in the International Health Promotion Center in the First Hospital of Jilin University were enrolled. Height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein were recorded. Three definitions for the metabolic syndrome were applied, revised National Cholesterol Education Program’s Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria, and the Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) criteria.

Overall, the age-standardized prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 22.9%, 20.6%, and 15.3% based on definitions of revised NCEP ATP III criteria, the IDF criteria, and the CDS criteria, respectively. Men had higher age-standardized prevalence than women in all three definitions (P < 0.05). The prevalence was 27.1%, 24.5%, and 20.4% for men; 17.1%, 15.4%, and 8.3% for women, respectively. The most common metabolic component with the metabolic syndrome was overweight (54.7% of men had an elevated body mass index, and 35.9% of women had central obesity).

A large proportion of employees among Northeast China have the metabolic syndrome. These findings place emphasis on the need to develop aggressive lifestyle modification for patients with the metabolic syndrome and population level strategies for the prevention, detection, and treatment of cardiovascular risk.

In this prospective randomized study, we compared the predicted blood and effect-site C₅₀ for propofol and remifentanil target-controlled infusion (TCI) and the bispectral index (BIS) values at loss of consciousness (LOC) and response to a standard noxious painful stimulus (LOS) in elderly and young patients, respectively. We hypothesized that the elderly patients will require lower target concentration of both propofol and remifentanil at above two clinical end-points.

There were 80 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I–II unpremedicated patients enrolled in this study, they were divided into elderly group (age ≥65 years, n = 40) and young group (aged 18–64 years, n = 40). Propofol was initially given to a predicted blood concentration of 1.2 μg/ml and thereafter increased by 0.3 μg/ml every 30 s until Observer’s Assessment of Alertness and Sedation score was 1. The propofol level was kept constant, and remifentanil was given to provide a predict blood concentration of 2.0 ng/ml, and then increased by 0.3 ng/ml every 30 s until loss of response to a tetanic stimulus. BIS (version 3.22, BIS Quattro sensor) was also recorded.

In elderly group, the propofol effect-site C₅₀ at LOC of was 1.5 (1.4–1.6) μg/ml, was significantly lower than that of young group, which was 2.2 (2.1–2.3) μg/ml, the remifentanil effect-site C₅₀ at LOS was 3.5 (3.3–3.7) ng/ml in elderly patients, was similar with 3.7 (3.6–3.8) ng/ml in young patients. Fifty percent of patients lost consciousness at a BIS value of 57.3 (56.4–58.1), was similar with that of young group, which was 55.2 (54.0–56.3).

In elderly patients, the predicted blood and effect-site concentrations of propofol at LOC were lower than that of young patients. At same sedation status, predicted blood and effect-site concentrations of remifentanil required at LOS were similar in elderly and young patients. BIS were not affected by age. Low-propofol/high-opioid may be optional TCI strategy for elderly patients.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is currently considered as the gold standard for evaluating the functional significance of coronary stenosis. However, its potential benefits in real-world practice remain unknown in China. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the use of FFR is associated with improved outcome and reduced cost in Chinese real-world clinical practice.

A retrospective cohort study was carried out using the database of Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, a tertiary and high-volume center in China. Clinical events were compared using the Cox proportional hazards model during a median follow-up of 13 months.

The study cohort consisted of 366 consecutive patients referred for coronary revascularization with adjunct FFR and 366 matched controls, from 2010 to 2014. Major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) (death, myocardial infarction, repeated revascularization, or hospitalization for angina) at 4 years were found in 12.0% of angiography-guided patients and 4.9% in the FFR-guided group (P < 0.001). The mean number of implanted stents was significantly lower in FFR treated subjects (0.52 ± 0.82 stents) compared with the angiography-guided group (0.93 ± 0.96 stents) (P < 0.001). No difference in overall costs at initial hospitalization was observed between angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with FFR-guided PCI (RMB 33,000 Yuan, range: RMB 7393–44,700 Yuan) versus RMB 21,200 Yuan (RMB 19,100–47,100 Yuan) (P = 0.54). However, costs for MACEs during follow-up were significantly reduced in the FFR-guided arm (P < 0.001).

In the contemporary clinical practice, FFR-guided PCI is associated with decreased use of stents, improved clinical outcome, and reduced costs, compared with angiography-guided PCI.

Limited data exist on the association of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level within the reference range with the increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) prediction in men. The study examined the association between serum GGT concentration within the reference range and the CHD risk prediction in Korean men.

The study employed data from Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (V-1, 2010 and V-2, 2011) where a total of 1301 individuals were analyzed. A 10-year CHD risk prediction was computed using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) modified by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III).

Positive correlations were established between log-transformed GGT concentration and FRS (r = 0.237, P < 0.001). After adjustment of body mass index, the amount of alcohol intake and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for intermediate risk and beyond of 10-year CHD prediction (10-year risk ≥10%) with lowest quartile of participants was 1.21 (0.78–1.87) for second quartiles, 1.39 (0.88–2.21) for third quartiles and 2.03 (1.23–3.34) for highest quartiles.

Higher serum GGT within its reference range was significantly correlated with a 10-year CHD risk prediction estimation using NCEP ATP III in Korean men.

Decreased platelet (PLT) count is one of the independent risk factors for mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. This study was to investigate the relationship between PLT indices and illness severity and their performances in predicting hospital mortality.

Adult patients who admitted to ICU of Changzheng Hospital from January 2011 to September 2012 and met inclusion criteria were included in this study. Univariate analysis was used to identify potential independent risk factors for mortality. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted odds ratio for mortality in patients with normal or abnormal PLT indices. The relationship between PLT indices and illness severity were assessed by the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores or sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores in patients with normal and abnormal PLT indices. The performances of PLT indices in predicting mortality were assessed by receiver operating curves and diagnostic parameters. The survival curves between patients with normal and abnormal PLT indices were compared using Kaplan–Meier method.

From January 2011 to September 2012, 261 of 361 patients (204 survivors and 57 nonsurvivors) met the inclusion criteria. After adjustment for clinical variables, PLT count <100 × 10¹²/L (P = 0.011), plateletcrit (PCT) <0.108 (P = 0.002), mean platelet volume (MPV) >11.3 fL (P = 0.023) and platelet distribution width (PDW) percentage >17% (P = 0.009) were identified as independent risk factors for mortality. The APACHE II and SOFA scores were 14.0 (9.0–20.0) and 7.0 (5.0–10.5) in the "low PLT" tertile, 13.0 (8.0–16.0) and 7.0 (4.0–11.0) in the "low PCT" tertile, 14.0 (9.3–19.0) and 7.0 (4.0–9.8) in the "high MPV" tertile, 14.0 (10.5–20.0) and 7.0 (5.0–11.0) in the "high PDW" tertile, all of which were higher than those in patients with normal indices. Patients with decreased PLT and PCT values (all P < 0.001), or increased MPV and PDW values (P = 0.007 and 0.003, respectively) had shortened length of survival than those with normal PLT indices.

Patients with abnormally low PLT count, high MPV value, and high PDW value were associated with more severe illness and had higher risk of death as compared to patients with normal PLT indices.

The diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), especially hypoplastic MDS, and MDS with low blast counts or normal karyotype may be problematic. This study characterized ID4 gene methylation in patients with MDS and aplastic anemia (AA).

The methylation status of ID4 was analyzed by bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative real-time methylation-specific PCR (MethyLight PCR) in 100 patients with MDS and 31 patients with AA.

The MDS group had a higher ID4 gene methylation positivity rate (22.22%) and higher methylation levels (0.21 [0–3.79]) than the AA group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there were significant differences between the hypoplastic MDS and AA groups, the MDS with low blast count and the AA groups, and the MDS with normal karyotype and the AA groups. The combination of genetic and epigenetic markers was used in much more patients with MDS (62.5% [35/56]) than the use of genetic markers only (51.79% [29/56]).

These results showed that the detection of ID4 methylation positivity rates and levels could be a useful biomarker for MDS diagnosis.

Vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted agents are standard treatments in advanced clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), but biomarkers of activity are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene status, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) or stem cell factor receptor (KIT) expression, and their relationships with characteristics and clinical outcome of advanced ccRCC.

A total of 59 patients who received targeted treatment with sunitinib or pazopanib were evaluated for determination at Cancer Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between January 2010 and November 2012. Paraffin-embedded tumor samples were collected and status of the VHL gene and expression of VEGFR and KIT were determined by VHL sequence analysis and immunohistochemistry. Clinical-pathological features were collected and efficacy such as response rate and Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated and then compared based on expression status. The Chi-square test, the Kaplan- Meier method, and the Lon-rank test were used for statistical analyses.

Of 59 patients, objective responses were observed in 28 patients (47.5%). The median PFS was 13.8 months and median OS was 39.9 months. There was an improved PFS in patients with the following clinical features: Male gender, number of metastatic sites 2 or less, VEGFR-2 positive or KIT positive. Eleven patients (18.6%) had evidence of VHL mutation, with an objective response rate of 45.5%, which showed no difference with patients with no VHL mutation (47.9%). VHL mutation status did not correlate with either overall response rate (P = 0.938) or PFS (P = 0.277). The PFS was 17.6 months and 22.2 months in VEGFR-2 positive patients and KIT positive patients, respectively, which was significantly longer than that of VEGFR-2 or KIT negative patients (P = 0.026 and P = 0.043).

VHL mutation status could not predict the efficacy of sunitinib or pazopanib. Further investigation of VHL/VEGFR pathway components is needed.

Hyperglycemia is associated with poor clinical outcomes and mortality in several patients. However, studies evaluating hyperglycemia variation in tumor patients receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between glycemia and tumor kinds with TPN by monitoring glycemic variation in tumor patients.

This retrospective clinical trial selected 312 patients with various cancer types, whose unique nutrition treatment was TPN during the monitoring period. All patients had blood glucose (BG) values assessed at least six times daily during the TPN infusion. The glycemic variation before and after TPN was set as the indicator to evaluate the factors influencing BG.

The clinical trial lasted 7.5 ± 3.0 days adjusted for age, gender, family cancer history and blood types. There were six cancer types: Hepatic carcinoma (HC, 21.8%), rectal carcinoma (17.3%), colon carcinoma (CC, 14.7%), gastric carcinoma (29.8%), pancreatic carcinoma (11.5%), and duodenal carcinoma (DC, 4.8%). The patients were divided into diabetes and nondiabetes groups. No statistical differences in TPN glucose content between diabetes and nondiabetes groups were found; however, the tumor types affected by BG values were obvious. With increasing BG values, DC, HC and CC were more represented than other tumor types in this sequence in diabetic individuals, as well as in the nondiabetic group. BG was inclined to be more easily influenced in the nondiabetes group. Other factors did not impact BG values, including gender, body mass index, and TPN infusion duration time.

When tumor patients are treated with TPN, BG levels should be monitored according to different types of tumors, besides differentiating diabetes or nondiabetes patients. Special BG control is needed for DC, HC and CC in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients. If BG overtly increases, positive measurements are needed to control BG values. The ClinicalTrials.gov ID is NCT02024321.

Magnetic anchored surgical instruments (MASI), relying on magnetic force, can break through the limitations of the single port approach in dexterity. Individual characteristic abdominal wall thickness (ICAWT) deeply influences magnetic force that determines the safety of MASI. The purpose of this study was to research the abdominal wall characteristics in MASI applied environment to find ICAWT, and then construct an artful method to predict ICAWT, resulting in better safety and feasibility for MASI.

For MASI, ICAWT is referred to the thickness of thickest point in the applied environment. We determined ICAWT through finding the thickest point in computed tomography scans. We also investigated the traits of abdominal wall thickness to discover the factor that can be used to predict ICAWT.

Abdominal wall at C point in the middle third lumbar vertebra plane (L3) is the thickest during chosen points. Fat layer thickness plays a more important role in abdominal wall thickness than muscle layer thickness. "BMI-ICAWT" curve was obtained based on abdominal wall thickness of C point in L3 plane, and the expression was as follow: f(x) = P1 × x² + P2 × x + P3, where P1 = 0.03916 (0.01776, 0.06056), P2 = 1.098 (0.03197, 2.164), P3 = -18.52 (-31.64, -5.412), R-square: 0.99.

Abdominal wall thickness of C point at L3 could be regarded as ICAWT. BMI could be a reliable predictor of ICAWT. In the light of "BMI-ICAWT" curve, we may conveniently predict ICAWT by BMI, resulting a better safety and feasibility for MASI.

Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is the most common etiology of acute pancreatitis (AP) after alcohol and gallstone-induced disease. Elevation of serum triglyceride (TG) levels to ≥1000 mg/dl in a patient with AP strongly indicates HTG as the cause. The absolute risk of pancreatitis based on serum TG ≤1000 mg/dl has not been clearly defined. The aims of this study were to address the role of elevated TG levels between 500 and 1000 mg/dl in the clinical course of HTG pancreatitis (HTGP); and assess the relationship between the level of serum TG and disease severity.

A total of 224 HTGP patients between 2007 and 2011 were divided into two subgroups. Totally, 122 patients in Group A had serum TG >1000 mg/dl; 102 patients in Group B had maximal TG levels between 500 and 1000 mg/dl accompanied by lactescent serum; 100 patients with biliary AP and 99 patients with alcoholic AP hospitalized during the study period were enrolled as controls. The clinical and biochemical data were analyzed.

The clinical presentation of HTG-induced pancreatitis was similar to other causes. Severe form of AP in Group A was higher than Group B (χ² = 4.002, P = 0.045). The severity with HTGP was significantly higher as compared to biliary AP (χ² = 33.533, P = 0.000) and alcoholic AP (χ² = 7.179, P = 0.007). Systemic complications with HTGP were significantly higher than biliary AP (χ² = 58.763, P = 0.000).

The study demonstrated that TG level ≥500 mg/dl should raise a high degree of suspicion, especially if no other etiology of AP is apparent. The severity of HTGP seems to correlate directly with TG level. HTGP seems be more severe than other causes of AP.

To summarize the clinical presentation, pathogenesis, neuroimaging, treatment, and outcome of stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy (SMART) syndrome, and to propose diagnostic criteria for this disorder.

We searched the PubMed database for articles in English published from 1995 to 2015 using the terms of "stroke-like AND migraine AND radiation." Reference lists of the identified articles and reviews were used to retrieve additional articles.

Data and articles related to late-onset effects of cerebral radiation were selected and reviewed.

SMART is a rare condition that involves complex migraines with focal neurologic deficits following cranial irradiation for central nervous system malignancies. The recovery, which ranges from hours to days to weeks, can be partial or complete. We propose the following diagnostic criteria for SMART: (1) Remote history of therapeutic external beam cranial irradiation for malignancy; (2) prolonged, reversible clinical manifestations mostly years after irradiation, which may include migraine, seizures, hemiparesis, hemisensory deficits, visuospatial defect, aphasia, confusion and so on; (3) reversible, transient, unilateral cortical gadolinium enhancement correlative abnormal T2 and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery signal of the affected cerebral region; (4) eventual complete or partial recovery, the length of duration of recovery ranging from hours to days to weeks; (5) no evidence of residual or recurrent tumor; (6) not attributable to another disease. To date, no specific treatment has been identified for this syndrome.

SMART is an extremely rare delayed complication of brain irradiation. However, improvements in cancer survival rates have resulted in a rise in its frequency. Hence, awareness and recognition of the syndrome is important to make a rapid diagnosis and avoid aggressive interventions such as brain biopsy and cerebral angiography.

顽固性高血压已成为高血压治疗中的一个挑战。随着人口不断老龄化和肥胖、睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征、慢性肾脏病发病率的增加，顽固性高血压已成为临床实践中越来越常见的问题。未能控制血压可损害心、脑、肾等靶器官，促进临床心血管事件的发生。因此，积极有效的血压控制是高血压治疗的重要环节。许多因素可能对血压控制产生负面影响，包括不健康的生活方式、患者依从性差、药物治疗不足或不合格以及继发性高血压。有效诊断和合理用药对控制顽固性高血压非常重要。最近介入治疗的引入为治疗难治性高血压提供了新的契机。本文概述了顽固性高血压的临床特点、诊断和评估方法，以及获得最佳血压控制的治疗策略。通过总结目前关于难治性高血压的知识，我们强调准确诊断和治疗难治性高血压对于进一步预防、改善和规范中国高血压治疗的重要性。

常规开放输尿管膀胱再植入术是膀胱输尿管反流（VUR）治疗的金标准，并发症发生率低，成功率高达95-98%。^[1]在大多数情况下，VUR的并发症可以通过直接输尿管新膀胱造瘘术来治疗。如果输尿管不够长，无法再植入，可以活动膀胱，并通过建立腰肌膀胱结或Boari膀胱瓣来实现输尿管的连续性。^[2]据报道，这些技术具有创伤性、难以实施和破坏性。在此，我们描述了一种用于治疗这种类型的VUR的管状膀胱粘膜（TBM）方法。该方法旨在简化手术，减少创伤。

胶质瘤是最常见的原发性脑肿瘤。对胶质瘤进行分级具有重要的临床意义，因为高级别和低级别胶质瘤之间的治疗计划不同。胶质瘤的组织病理学分级与微血管系统密切相关。^[1]磁共振（MR）灌注加权成像（PWI）是一种通过测量脑血容量（CBV）来定量评估肿瘤微环境的技术。^[2]基于相对脑血容量（rCBV）的组织相似性图（TSM）由仅依赖于信号强度时间过程的新算法生成，而不需要浓度-时间曲线，这是使用常规rCBV算法时所需要的；因此，基于TSM的rCBV（rCBV_TSM）测量不受某些因素的影响，如对比噪声比和动脉输入函数（AIF）。^[3]然而，将基于TSM的rCBV测量应用于胶质瘤分级很少被讨论。本研究的主要目的是探讨使用基于TSM的rCBV测量对胶质瘤分级的价值。

耳外科医生越来越关注在耳蜗植入手术中保护鼓索神经的同时避免面神经的损伤。鼓索神经是面神经的感觉分支，从舌头的前三分之二携带味觉信息和一般感觉（例如，疼痛和温度）。它向舌头供应传出血管扩张纤维，向口腔底部的唾液腺和腮腺供应分泌运动纤维。

顶孢菌(顶精链球菌、的性形式博伊迪假氏菌）是一种高度侵袭性和机会性病原体。它可以侵入身体的各个器官，引起致命的感染。顶精链球菌广泛分布于自然环境中，包括沼泽、湿地、污水、腐殖质和咸水。的发生率顶精链球菌在潮湿的温带和亚热带地区，感染率尤其高。^[1]近年来，顶精链球菌感染在免疫功能低下的人群中呈上升趋势，包括HIV/AIDS患者、器官移植受者以及长期接受皮质类固醇或免疫抑制药物治疗的患者。此外，它可以发生在特定条件下免疫功能正常的个体中，如创伤和濒临溺水。^[2,3,4,5]在这里，我们报告了两例侵袭性全身感染的患者顶精链球菌在与受污染的水有关的差点溺水后。

异物反应是人工耳蜗植入术后罕见的并发症。当这种并发症确实发生时，它们可能是棘手的，并且难以用抗生素或手术翻修来治愈，最终可能导致耳蜗再植入。在这篇文章中，我们介绍了一名异物反应患者，他在复旦大学附属眼耳鼻喉医院接受人工耳蜗再植入后恢复良好，并在6年的定期随访中保持健康。

脑水肿是一种严重的临床事件，可导致各种神经系统症状，如头晕和头痛。常用于缓解脑水肿的药物包括类固醇、脱水剂(如甘露醇)和利尿剂。但这些药物在严重水肿患者中的作用有限。贝伐珠单抗已应用于脑放射性坏死的治疗。^[1]有案例研究报道了贝伐珠单抗在重症脑水肿治疗中的应用。^[2]在本研究中，我们描述了贝伐单抗对再放疗患者严重脑水肿的显著作用。

致编辑：我审阅了这篇文章外膜定量双重损伤再狭窄血管的血管化动脉作者：孟等人.^[1]怀着极大的兴趣，描述了他们关于外膜VV和血管成形术后再狭窄的实验。经皮腔内血管成形术现在广泛用于治疗各种动脉的动脉粥样硬化病变。再狭窄是血管成形术后的主要问题，但没有好的解决方案。先前的实验研究表明，VV与动脉粥样硬化斑块形成和内膜增生之间存在关联。由于VV的闭塞与新内膜形成密切相关，但VV新血管形成的抑制与斑块生长减少相关，^[2]VV可能在动脉粥样硬化或血管成形术后再狭窄的不同阶段发挥几种不同的作用。其致病机制尚不清楚。