ABSTRACT
Objective To measure the avidity of serum autoantibodies to Aβs in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods Enzyme-linked immtmoserbent assay (ELISA) combined with thiocyanate elution technique was employed to detect the avidity of serum autoantibodies to Aβs in patients with AD, middle-aged and healthy elderly adults (n=20). Results The avidity of serum autoantibodies to Aβs in patients with AD (avidity index, 1.6 [1.15 to 2.05]) was significantly lower as compared with that in healthy elderly subjects (avidity index, 2.45 [1.75 to 3.08]) (P=0.020) and no significant difference was showed in the avidity of autoantibodies to Aβs between the elderly and middle-aged healthy adults (P=0.221). An evident shift to the low section was observed in patients with AD in the avidity distribution histogram. The proportion of low affinity antibodies was significantly higher in patients with AD (13% [5% to 18%]) than that in healthy elderly subjects (5% [3% to 10%]) (P =0.000), and the proportion of high affinity antibodies was significantly lower in patients with AD (15% [5% to 24%]) than that in elderly adults (35% [26% to 44%]) (P=0.006). Conclusion Low avidity of autoantibodies to Aβs is confirmed in AD patients. Patients with AD show a significantly high proportion of low affinity antibodies than normal adults and the components of polyclonal antibodies change in patients with AD, probably resulting from incomplete immune tolerance of B cells.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the therapeutic effects of aspiration via a directional soft tube and conservative treatment in patients with mild hemorrhage in the basal ganglion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-five patients with mild cerebral hemorrhage (10~30 ml) were randomly divided into two groups for aspiration treatment with minimally invasive directional soft tube placement (minimally invasive group, n=36) and conservative treatment (medication group, n=39). The patients in the two groups had comparable mean GCS scores of 11-15 on admission. The clinical outcomes of the patients were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the minimally invasive group, complete removal or absorption of the hematoma occurred within an average of 3.8 days, significantly shortened in comparison with the 24 days in the medication group. The short-term (1 month) follow-up of the patients showed good neurological recovery in 58% of the patients in the minimally invasive group, significantly greater than the rate of 29% in the medication group; 6 months after the treatment, good neurological recovery was achieved in 50% of the patients in the minimally invasive group, but only 16% in the medication. No death occurred in the minimally invasive group, and 2 patients died in the medication group. The cost of hospitalization averaged 5136.3 Yuan in the minimally invasive group and 11843.6 Yuan in the medication group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compared with conservative treatment, the minimally invasive treatment with soft tube placement can significantly shorten the hospital stay, promote neurological function recovery, lower the mortality rate, and reduce the cost of hospitalization.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage , General Surgery , Catheters, Indwelling , Hypertension , Suction , Economics , Methods , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the protective effect of erythropoietin(EPO)on the mitochondria in the brain neurons against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(IR)injury in rats.Methods Thirty SD rats are randomly allocated into 3 groups,namely the EPO group(n=10),IR group(n=10),and shamoperation group(n=10).In EPO group and IR group,the rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)to induce cerebral IR injury,followed by treatment with intraperitonal EPO injection at 3000 U/kg and the same volume of saline,respectively.In the sham operation group,the carofid artery was only isolated without MCAO or subsequent treatment.Seventy-two hours after the IR injury,the mitochondrial membrane potential in the neurons was detected,and the changes in superoxide kismutase(SOD)activity,malondialdehyde(MDA)and nitric oxide(NO)concentrations,and Na+-K+-ATPase activity in the neuronal mitochondria were determined.The number of caspase-3-positive neurons in the hippocampus Was observed immunohistochemically. Results The mitochondrial membrane potential and activities of SOD and Na+-K+-ATPase Were significantly higher.whereas the MDA and NO concentrations and the number of caspase-3-postive neurons significantly lower in EPO group than in IR group after the treatment.Conclusion Protecting the neuronal mitochondrial function is one of the important mechanisms of EPO for brain protection against IR injury,and this mitochondrial protection effect is mediated essentially by stabilizing the mitochondrial membrane potential.
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Objective To investigate the clinical outcome of patients receiving stereotacticcannula placement for hypertensive intracerebral hematoma drainage and the relationship between thedrainage cannula and the cerebral angioarchitecture. Methods Sixty-three patients with hypertensiveintracerebral hematoma underwent operations for stereotactic placement of a soft tube for hematomadrainage. CT angiography and CT venography were performed prior to cannula withdrawal after thepatients' condition was stabilized or complete hematoma drainage. The relationship between the drainagecarmula, cerebral angioarchitecture and the entry route of the cannula were observed. ResultsPostoperative CT angiography and CT venography showed that the entry route of the cannula allowedsafe passage of the cannula along the cerebral arteries and veins, and the position of the cannula wasaccurate in all the patients. Satisfactory hematoma drainage and good postoperative recovery wasachieved in all the patients, and no significant injuries to the adjacent cerebral arteries or veins occurredin these cases. Conclusion Stereotactic cannula placement with the minimally invasive technique forhemotoma drainage causes minimal injury and is safe, effective, cost-effective and convenient fortreatment of hypertensive intracerebral hematoma.