Comparison of disease activities and extent measurements for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the significance of a set of seven disease activities and extension measurements and their correlations between one and another for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody associated vasculitis (AAV).@*METHODS@#A total of 121 patients from Peking University International Hospital and Fouth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital with confirmed diagnoses of AAV clinically were enrolled in the study, including 15 cases of eosinophilic granulomatous with polyangiitis (EGPA), 59 cases of granulomatous with polyangiitis (GPA) and 47 cases of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). A hundred and twenty-one AAV patients were divided into death group and survival group according to their survival conditions. A set of seven disease assessment scales including Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS)-1994, BVAS-2003, as well as BVAS/GPA, vasculitis damage index (VDI), disease extent index (DEI), five factor score (FFS)-1996, and FFS-2009 were measured and scored one by one, and their relationships which were represented by Spearman correlation coefficient were compared between one and another.@*RESULTS@#BVAS-1994, BVAS-2003, as well as BVAS/GPA, VDI, DEI, and FFS, all of those seven evaluation indexes of the AAV patients in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group (P<0.05). Except for BVAS/GPA, all those above indicators in the patients with EGPA were lower than those in the patients with GPA and those in the patients with MPA, and those in all of the AAV patients as a whole group. There were high correlations among BVAS-2003, BVAS-1994 and BVAS/GPA (r values were 0.9 and 0.7, respectively); BVAS-1994 was fairly correlated with BVAS/GPA (r=0.69); FFS-1996 and FFS-2009 were highly correlated (r=0.73) with each other; BVAS-1994, BVAS-2003 and BVAS/GPA were fairly correlated with DEI (with r values of 0.62, 0.65, and 0.62, respectively); VDI was also fairly correlated with BVAS-1994 and with BVAS-2003 (r values were 0.49 and 0.52, respectively).@*CONCLUSION@#All of those seven AAV assessment indicators above can be used as indicators of disease activity and prognosis in AAV patients, most of which were relevant within one and another. There were high correlations among BVAS-2003, BVAS-1994 and BVAS/GPA, and besides, there were also high correlations between FFS-1996 and FFS-2009.

Evaluation of efficacy and safety of diacerein in knee osteoarthritis in Chinese patients / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of diacerein in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 223 patients satisfying the American College of Rheumatology criteria for knee OA were chosen for this 17-week, randomized, double-dummy, diclofenac sodium-controlled trial, with diacerein dosage of 100 mg/d and diclofenac sodium of 75mg/d. Efficacy and safety of both drugs were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally 106 patients in the diacerein group and 107 patients in the diclofenac group were considered qualified for the evaluation. After 12 weeks of treatment, the total effective rates of patients/physicians' overall assessment in diacerein and diclofenac groups were 65.4%/61.6% and 61.2%/61.2%, respectively (P > 0.05). The primary efficacy parameter [visual analog scale (VAS) assessment of pain on 20 metres walking] and the secondary efficacy parameters [tenderness on palpation, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and 36-item Short-Form (SF-36) Health Survey] significantly improved compared with baseline in both groups (P < 0.05). In the follow-up period, there were no obvious changes in above parameters in diacerein group. However, in diclofenac group, pain on 20 metres walking, tenderness on palpation, and WOMAC became aggravated after withdrawing the drug for 4 weeks (P < 0.05). Moreover, the consumption of paracetamol was significantly lower in diacerein group than in diclofenac group during follow-up (P < 0. 001). The incidences of related adverse events were 35.7% in diacerein and 45.1% in diclofenac group, respectively. Mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal disorders were the most frequent adverse events.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Diacerein is as effective as diclofenac sodium in treating patients with knee OA. Furthermore, it has better extended effect and a good safety profile. It is generally well tolerated and has no severe adverse effect.</p>

Molecular Evolution of Guangdong Influenza Virus Isolates in Influenza Outbreak in 1996 / 中国病毒学

It was demonstrated that there was significantly antigeni c drift in the influenza virus strains from Guangdong in 1996. It was the molecu lar basis of the variation on A、B、C、D and E domain encoded by HA gene, especi ally on A、C and E domain while the change of receptor binding domain played the slight roles in the 1996 influenza outbreak. In the other hand, the variation of No 145 and No 193 encoded by HA gene resulted in biological-feature changes of epidemical influenza isolates, which could be isolated and cultured by MDCK c ell-lines, but difficultly by embryonated-eggs.