ABSTRACT
Objective@#To evaluate the efficacy of the local injection of Salvia miltiorrhiza combined with triamcinolone acetonide and triamcinolone acetonide alone in the treatment of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). @*Methods@# A meta-analysis was performed by searching the related literature. Three randomized controlled trials meeting the inclusion criteria were identified. Changes in the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and the degree of mouth opening were included in 172 cases (86 cases in the experimental group and 86 in the control group), and changes in the oral mucosal lesion area were included in 152 cases (76 cases in the experimental group and 76 in the control group). Changes in the VAS score, the degree of mouth opening and the oral mucosal lesion area were compared in the context of the local injection of Salvia miltiorrhiza combined with triamcinolone acetonide and triamcinolone acetonide alone.@*Results @# There were no significant differences between the treatment with Salvia miltiorrhiza combined with triamcinolone acetonide and triamcinolone acetonide alone in reducing the VAS score (P > 0.05). Salvia miltiorrhiza combined with triamcinolone acetonide resulted in a greater increase in the degree of mouth opening than did triamcinolone acetonide (P = 0.05). The reduction in the oral mucosal lesion area induced by Salvia miltiorrhiza combined with triamcinolone acetonide was significantly greater than that induced by triamcinolone acetonide alone (P < 0.05). @*Conclusion@#The local injection of Salvia miltiorrhiza combined with triamcinolone acetonide is more effective than triamcinolone acetonide alone in the treatment of OSF.
ABSTRACT
Objective @# To investigate the changes of α2-macroglobulin in different stages of radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and to explore its feasibility as a marker of serum markers reflecting radiotherapy injury.@*Methods @#We collected the blood samples of 23 cases of newly diagnosed patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma before the simple radiotherapy, the 10, 20, 30 and 33 times after simple radiotherapy, detected the α2- macroglobulin levels. The difference among the five stages was analysed by paired t-test using SPSS17.0 software package.@*Results @#The serum level of α2- macroglobulin elevated with the increase of number of radiotherapy. After 10 times’ radiotherapy, the serum α2-MG concentration in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma was significantly higher than that before radiotherapy (12.04 ± 5.72 vs. 10.81 ± 5.38 U/L), the difference was statistically significant (t=4.818, P < 0.05). After 20 times’ radiotherapy, the serum α2-MG concentration in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma was significantly higher than that before radiotherapy (12.26 ± 5.77 vs. 10.81 ± 5.38 U/L), and the difference was statistically significant (t=5.237, P < 0.001). After 30 times’ radiotherapy, the serum α2-MG concentration in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma was significantly higher than that before radiotherapy (12.91 ± 5.55 vs. 10.81 ± 5.38 U/L), the difference was statistically significant (t=6.076, P < 0.05). At the end of radiotherapy, the serum α2-MG concentration in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients was significantly (13.43 ± 6.05 vs. 10.81 ± 5.38 U/L) higher than that before radiotherapy (t=5.189, P < 0.05).@*Conclusion@#The serum level of α2- macroglobulin changes with the radiotherapy, so it can be a serum marker reflecting the damage of maxilla induced by ionizing radiation.
ABSTRACT
Gluthathione-S-transferase (GSTM1 and GSTP1) and nicotinamide quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) genes play an important role in cellular protection against oxidative stress; which has been linked to asthma pathogenesis. We investigated whether common; functional polymorphisms in GSTM1; GSTP1; and NQO1 influence susceptibility to asthma among schoolchildren in South Africa. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from 317 primary schoolchildren; aged 9-11 years; from the urban; underprivileged socio-economic communities of Durban. GSTM1 (null vs. present genotype); GSTP1 (Ile105Val; AA ?AG+GG) and the NQO1 (Pro/Ser; CC ?CT/TT) genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction. Among the children; 30 were GSTM1 null; 65 carried the G allele for GSTP1; and 36 carried the C allele for NQO1.There was a high prevalence of asthma of any severity (46.1); with 20.4 reporting persistent asthma. The GSTP1 AG+GG polymorphic genotype was significantly associated with persistent asthma (adjusted OR = 3.98; CI = 1.39; 11.36; p-value = 0.01). Neither the GSTM1; nor the NQO1; genotype was a significant predictor of persistent asthma. Therefore; the GSTP1 A/G variant may modulate the risk of persistent asthma among our sample