ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the impact of chronic cough on children’s life quality, and to observe their life quality after drugs and psychological intervention. Methods One hundred 9 to 12 years old children with chronic cough were randomly selected. The drugs and psychological intervention were administrated. The children had been follow-up. The children’s quality of life was assessed by“Inventroy of Subjective Life Questionnaire”before and after treatment. Meanwhile 100 healthy children were randomly selected as a control group. Results With the prolonged treatment, the recovery rate and effective rate in children with chronic cough increased. Before the treatment, the scores of family life, peer interaction, self cognitive, experience of depression, experience of anxiety, cognitive and emotional component, and overall satisfaction were significantly lower in children with chronic cough than those in healthy children (P<0.05). After the treatment, the scores of family life, peer interaction, self cognitive, experience of depression, experience of anxiety, physical experience, cognitive and emotional component, and overall satisfaction were significantly improved in children with chronic cough (P<0.05), even the scores of physical experience and emotional component were significantly higher in children with chronic cough than those in healthy children (P<0.05). Conclusions The quality of life in children with chronic cough decline, however, drug and psychological intervention can improve their quality of life.
ABSTRACT
Objectives To explore the possible mechanism of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) therapy for pulmonary ar-terial hypertension by observing the effect of ATRA on the expression ofα-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced rats with pulmonary hypertension. Methods Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into control group, MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension group (model group) and ATRA treatment group (therapeutic group). MCT (60mg/kg) was injected to the rats in the model group and the therapeutic group to induce pulmonary arterial hypertension. And at the same day ATRA [30mg/(kg?d)] was given to rats in the therapeutic group and continually given for 28 days. The mean pulmonary arte-rial pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI), percentage of wall thickness (WT%) and percentage of wall area (WA%) of pulmonary arterioles were evaluated at day 28. The expression ofα-SMA mRNA and protein in the lung tissue were detected by Real-time PCR and Western blot. Results Mean pulmonary arterial pressure, RVHI, WT%and WA%were signiif-cantly higher in the model group than those in the therapeutic group (P0.05). Conclusions ATRA has therapeutic effect on pulmonary hypertension through down-regulation ofα-SMA expression.