ABSTRACT
Objective@#The present study was designed to evaluate the clinical significance of serum GP73 in patients with alcohol liver disease.@*Methods@#Thirty-two patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), 40 patients with non-alcohol fatty liver disease(NFLAD), and 40 apparently healthy individuals were included in this study.@*Results@#Compared with Those of healthy control population(43.91±19.02 ng/ml), the serum GP73 levels in ALD patients(93.39±66.91 ng/ml) were significantly increased, and also markedly higher than those of NFLAD patients (55.38±21.00 ng/ml). Taken the NFALD as"healthy controls" population, and ALD population as"patients" , the GP73 may be used to differentiate the ALD from NFLAD. The area of ROC analysis was 0.66(95%CI: 0.52~0.80, P=0.02). We set 75.65 ng/ml as the cut-off value for ALD diagnosis, the sensitivity and specificity were 50.0% and 85.0% respectively.@*Conclusion@#Serum GP73 levels in ALD patients were significantly higher than those of NFALD patients. GP73 may be a new marker for differentiating ALD from NFALD.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the relationship between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and the risk of Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP).Methods A case control study was designed.Serum 25 (OH)D concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in 214 participants,including 53 H SP patients and 161 status-matched healthy controls.Information concerning demographic data,genetic,background,and environmental exposures was collected using questionnaire.The study participants were divided into four groups according to quartile range of 25(OH)D concentration and logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate the relation with HSP risk by estimating odds ratios(OR)and 95％confidence intervals(CI).Results The HSP group had a significantly lower concentration of 25(OH)D than the control group (the median in the HSP group was 11.4 ng/mL;controls:15.36 ng/mL,P＜0.05).When the first interval was set as the reference level,the OR (95 ％ CI) of the second,third,and fourth intervals were:0.468(0.341-0.771),0.442(0.302-0.627),0.339 (0.199-0.501).After adjusting the analysis for the presence of pathogenic related confounding fact OR,the OR(95％CI)of the second,third,and fourth intervals were:0.459(0.333-0.741),0.408(0.317-0.611),0.387 (0.221-0.517).The 25 (OH) D level was inversely correlated with the risk of HSP(P＜ 0.05).Conclusion The risk of HSP was decreased with the increase of serum 25 (OH) D concentration,25 (OH) D may be a protection factor in the pathogenesis of HSP.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the relationship between the serum chemokine IP-10 and RANTES levels and Interferon therapeutic early response in patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB).Methods 50 patients with chronic hepatitis B were chosen into interferon therapy.After 12 weeks,they were devided into three groups:complete response A、partial response B、non response C group.HBV-DNA was detected by PCR;The serum chemokines( IP-10 and RANTES) were measured by Luminex Liquichip technology.Results The base HBV DNA and RANTES levels of three groups weren't significantly different (P ＜0.05) ;The base ALT and IP-10 levels of A group were significantly higher than that in B and C group( P ＜ 0.05).The IP-10、RANTES contents of A group in therapeutic 4th week were significantly lower than that before interferon therapy(P ＜ 0.05 );There were no significant differences in B、C group (P ＞0.05) ;The levels changes of IP-10、RANTES、HBV DNA and ALT in therapeutic 12th week were significantly different between the three groups ( P ＜ 0.05 ),The level of ALT in 50 patients has positive correlation with IP-10 level (P ＜ 0.05) ;The level of HBV DNA in 50 patients had positive correlation with RANTES level( P ＜ 0.05 ) ;The base level of IP-10 had positive correlation with the change of HBV-DNA contents in therapeutic 12th week( P ＜0.05 ) ;The change of ALT level in reponse patients in therapeutic 12th week had positive correlation with the change of IP-10 、RANTES levels( P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusion The decrease of IP-10,RANTES level in CHB patients received 12weeks interferon-α therapy could lead to reduce liver inflammation;The base IP-10 level probably was relevant to the early response in CHB patients received interferon-α therapy.
ABSTRACT
Objective To analyze clinical features of patients with chikungunya fever and provide future reference for prevention and control of the disease. Methods Forty-six confirmed chikungunya fever inpatients were included. Their clinical symptoms, signs, blood count, key biochemical indicators and treatments were analyzed. The comparison between groups were done by ttest. Results The percentages of total cases presenting with fever, rash and joint pain were 100. 0% (46/46), 91. 3% (42/46) and 89. 1% (41/46), respectively. Fifteen (32.6%) cases displayed leucopenia. Increases in lactose dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) were observed in 45. 5%(20/44) and 28. 9%(13/45) of the cases, respectively. Three cases displayed an increase of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Administration of ribavarin extend febrile time compared to symptom-relieving treatments (t=2. 588, P = 0. 013). Conclusions Clinical features of chikungunya fever include fever, rash and joint pain. Good prognosis can be resulted from symptom-relieving treatment. Antiviral treatment may not be beneficial to reducing course of disease.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the balance of Th1/Th2 cytokines and its relationship with prognosis of severe chronic hepatitis B ( CHB ). Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from 112 severe CHB patients, 30 CHB patients and 30 healthy controls. IL-4, IFN-γ levels and HBV DNA loads were measured by ELISA and fluorescent PCR, respectively. The levels of cytokines in different stages, and their correlations with HBV DNA loads and short-term prognosis were analyzed. Results Higher levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and Th1/Th2 ratios in peripheral blood were detected in patients with severe CHB than those with CHB and the healthy controls (Z = 8.968, 10. 004 and 26. 067, P =0. 009, 0. 007 and 0. 000). IL4 levels in patients with end-stage server CHB were markedly higher than those in other stages ( Z = 3. 672 and 3. 158, P= 0.000 and 0.002), while their Thl/Th2 ratios were lower (Z=3. 161 and 2. 166, P=0.002 and 0. 030). No significant differences on levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and Th1/Th2 ratios were observed in severe CHB patients with different HBV DNA levels (Z =4.431, 2.626 and 0. 140, P =0.219, 0.403 and 0. 987). Elevated IL-4 was closely correlated with the high case-fatality rate within 12 weeks. Conclusions The balance between Th1 and Th2 cytokines is- disturbed in patients with severe CHB. Thl/Th2 ratio decreases with the aggravation of diseases, which may indicate unfavorable short-term prognosis.
ABSTRACT
Objective To apply the model for end-stage liver disease(MELD)and the ChildTurcotte-Pugh(CTP)in predicting short-term prognosis of patients with severe chronic hepatitis B,and to evaluate their clinical value.Methods Data of 115 patients with severe chronic hepatitis B were retrospectively analyzed and all patients were divided into survival gnmp and fatal group by survival status at 3rd month of the treatment.The scores of MELD and CTP were obtained.The accuracies of MELD and CTP were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.The difference between two systems was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curve.Results MELD and CTP scores in fatal group were significantly higher than those in the survival group(t=4.891 and 3.949,P＜0.05),and two systems were significantly correlated(γ=0.500,P=0.000).MELD and CTP scores were good for predicting the fatality rate of patients with severe chronic hepatitis B within 3 months(C-statistic:0.765 and 0.834,respectively),and there was no significant difference between the two systems(Z=1.516,P＞0.05).Patients with CTP＜10.5 or MELD＜27.5 had longer survival time(Z:17.88 and 25.28,P=0.000)and higher survival rates(χ2=16.88 and 31.59.P=0.000)than those with CTP＞10.5 or MELD＞27.5.Conclusion MELD and CTP scores have similar predictive valHe for short-term prognosis of patients with severe chronic hepatitis B.and clinical data should be contained to better predict the short-term prognosis.