Effect of Zilongjin Tablets on immune function of patients with lung cancer after operation / 中草药

Objective: To explore the regulatory effect of Zilongjin Tablet on immune function of postoperative patients with lung cancer from humoral immunity and cellular immunity, and to seek an effective method for comprehensive treatment of lung cancer. Methods: Sixty patients with lung cancer after operation were divided into two groups according to the digital random table, 30 in the control group and 30 in the treatment group. The control group was given routine supportive treatment after operation. The treatment group was given Zilongjin Tablets (4 tablets, 3 times/d) with routine supportive treatment on day 3 after operation. The indexes of immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, IgM), T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+), and NK cells were compared between the two groups. Results: On day 2 after operation, IgA, IgG, IgM, CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ in the two groups decreased compared with those before operation, and the difference was statistically significant (P 0.05). On day 14 after operation, the levels of IgA, IgG, IgM, CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, NK in the two groups increased, the NK of the control group and the IgA, IgG, IgM, CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ of the treatment group were significant differences compared with the 2nd day after operation (P < 0.05). Moreover, there were significant differences in IgA, IgG, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, NK between the two groups on day 14 after operation (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with lung cancer have immunosuppressive status in the early postoperative period. Zilongjin Tablets can improve the postoperative humoral immunity and cellular immunity of patients with lung cancer, promote the recovery of immune function and enhance their anti-tumor ability.

Firebird and cypher sirolimus-eluting stents and bare metal stents in treatment of very long coronary lesions / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>As a kind of sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) made in China, Firebird SES is more effective than bare metal stent (BMS) and not inferior to Cypher SES for short coronary lesions in terms of reduction of restenosis and revascularization. However, Firebird SES does not show any benefits in patients with a very long coronary lesion (VLCL). The present study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Firebird SES for VLCL by comparison of Cypher SES and BMS.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this prospective, nonrandomized and comparative study, eligible patients with de novo coronary lesion (> or = 30 mm) between January 2005 and June 2006 were allocated into Firebird SES group, Cypher SES group or BMS group. They were subjected to an angiographic follow-up of 6 months and a clinical follow-up of 12 months. The primary endpoints constitute the in-stent and in-segment restenosis rates at 6 months. The secondary endpoint was defined as a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) that was a 12-month combined endpoint of all-cause deaths, reinfarction or in-stent thrombosis, and target-lesion revascularization. The 12-month in-stent thrombosis was also evaluated to address the safety of Firebird SES implantation exceptionally.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 468 patients were assessed for eligibility. Of 113 patients who were finally included according to the prior inclusion and exclusion criteria, 39 (41 lesions) were treated with Firebird SES, 37 (39 lesions) with Cypher SES, and 37 (37 lesions) with BMS. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics between the three groups; but there were longer lesions, more frequent use of overlapping stent in the Firebird SES group and the Cypher SES group. Angiographic follow-up showed that the rates of binary stenosis were similar between the Firebird SES group and the Cypher SES group (in-segment: 14.6% vs 12.8%, relative risk (RR) 1.14, P = 0.81; in-stent: 9.8% vs 10.3%, RR 0.95, P = 0.94), and significantly lower than those in the BMS group (in-segment: vs. 36.1%, RR 0.41 or 0.36, P = 0.04 or 0.03, respectively; in-stent: vs 30.6%, RR 0.32 or 0.34, P = 0.03 or 0.04, respectively). The total MACE rate up to 12 months was also similar in both SES groups (7.7% vs 5.4%, P = 1.000), and significantly lower than that in the BMS group (27.0%, P = 0.034 or 0.024, respectively). The in-stent thrombosis rate in the follow-up period was 2.6% in the Firebird SES group, not higher in the Cypher SES and BMS groups (2.7% and 2.7%, respectively, P = 1.000).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In the treatment of VLCL, Firebird SES would be safer and more effective than BMS. Firebird SES may be not inferior to Cypher SES in terms of restenosis and MACE.</p>

Interventricular septum motion abnormalities: unexpected echocardiographic changes of Brugada syndrome / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>There remains controversy about whether Brugada syndrome (BS) has structural heart changes. We occasionally noted that a patient with BS had a quite unusual regional wall motion abnormality at the basal segment of the interventricular septum (IVS) during echocardiographic examination. The unexpected finding promoted us to reexamine our patients with BS by echocardiographic interrogation in the present study.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with BS (n = 11), patients with complete right bundle branch block (RBBB) (n = 11), and control subjects (n = 11) were enrolled in this study. Two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) was performed to obtain parasternal left ventricular long axis view on which M-mode scanning line was adjusted to be perpendicular to the basal segment of IVS for delineation of the segmental motion curve, with a simultaneously electrocardiographic tracing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>2DE revealed a rapid swing motion shifting toward the right ventricle of the IVS basal segment at early systole in 73% (8/11) patients with BS, which was further confirmed on the M-mode curve evidenced by an early systolic notch toward the right ventricle. The position of the notch corresponded to C-point on the mitral motion curve, lasting for (53 +/- 5) ms. There were no similar changes both in patients with RBBB and in the control subjects.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>IVS basal motion abnormalities at early-systolic phase may be the novel finding of BS.</p>

Changes of IK, ATP current density and allosteric modulation during chronic atrial fibrillation / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common supraventricular arrhythmia in clinical practice. Chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) is associated with ionic remodeling. However, little is known about the activity of ATP-sensitive potassium current (IK, ATP) during CAF. So we studied the changes of IK, ATP density and allosteric modulation of ATP-sensitivity by intracellular pH during CAF.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Myocardium samples were obtained from the right auricular appendage of patients with rheumatic heart disease complicated with valvular disease in sinus rhythm (SR) or CAF. There were 14 patients in SR group and 9 patients in CAF group. Single atrial cells were isolated using an enzyme dispersion technique. IK, ATP was recorded using the whole-cell and inside-out configuration of voltage-clamp techniques. In whole-cell model, myocytes of SR and CAF groups were perfused with simulated ischemic solution to elicit IK, ATP. In inside-out configuration, the internal patch membranes were exposed to different ATP concentrations in pH 7.4 and 6.8.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Under simulated ischemia, IK, ATP current density of CAF group was significantly higher than in SR group [(83.5 +/- 10.8) vs. (58.7 +/- 8.4) pA/pF, P < 0.01]. IK, ATP of the two groups showed ATP concentration-dependent inhibition. The ATP concentration for 50% current inhibition (IC50) for the SR group was significantly different in pH 7.4 and pH 6.8 (24 vs. 74 micromol/L, P < 0.01). The IC50 did not change significantly in CAF group when the pH decreased from 7.4 to 6.8.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>During CAF, IK, ATP current density was increased and its allosteric modulation of ATP-sensitivity by intracellular pH was diminished.</p>