Entecavir add-on Peg-interferon therapy plays a positive role in reversing hepatic fibrosis in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients: a prospective and randomized controlled trial / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#The efficacy of entecavir (ETV) add-on peg-interferon therapy compared with ETV monotherapy in treatment-naïve hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients remains controversial. We investigated whether adding peg-interferon to ongoing ETV treatment leads to a better curative effect or not.@*METHODS@#All patients have been recruited between August 2013 and January 2015 from the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Zhongshan Hospital (China). Eligible HBV patients (n = 144) were randomly divided (1:1) to receive either ETV monotherapy (n = 70) or peg-interferon add-on therapy from week 26 to 52 (n = 74). Patients were followed-up for at least 2 years. Indexes including hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion rate, sustained virologic response, transient elastography value, and histological scores were evaluated every 3 months until the end of the study. The rate of patients with HBsAg loss was defined as the primary endpoint criteria.@*RESULTS@#At week 26, no patient achieved HBsAg seroconversion in either group. At week 52, one patient in the monotherapy group was HBsAg-negative but there was none in the combination therapy group. The monotherapy group showed significantly better liver function recovery results than the combination therapy group. At week 78, one patient in the combination group had HBsAg seroconverted. At week 104, only three patients in the combination therapy group were HBsAg-negative compared with one patient in monotherapy. The mean alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels and transient elastography values decreased significantly compared with baseline. Both groups showed a favorable decrease in alpha-fetoprotein (monotherapy: 4.5 [2.8, 7.1] vs. 2.2 [1.8, 3.1] ng/mL, P < 0.001; combination therapy: 5.7 [3.0, 18.8] vs. 3.2 [2.0, 4.3] ng/mL, P < 0.001) and an improved result of liver biopsy examination scores. The combination group showed a better improvement in histology compared with the monotherapy group (mean transient elastography value 6.6 [4.9, 9.8] vs. 7.8 [5.4, 11.1] kPa, P = 0.028). But there was no significant difference in HBsAg conversion rate (1.8% [1/56] vs. 4.1% [3/73], P = 0.809) and HBeAg conversion rate (12.5% [7/56] vs. 11.0% [8/73], P = 0.787), as well as HBV-DNA, sustained virologic response (93.2% vs. 98.5%, P = 0.150) between the two groups.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Both therapies supported liver function recovery and histology improvement. Combination therapy did not show better anti-viral efficacy in HBsAg or HBeAg seroconversion compared with monotherapy. However, combination therapy played a more positive role in reversing hepatic fibrosis compared with monotherapy.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02849132; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02849132.

Comparison of three medical goggle sterilizing approaches / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVE@#To compare three sterilizing methods for reusable medical goggles.@*METHODS@#A total of 180 medical goggles of the same brand and same model were randomly divided into three groups. In group A the goggles were first soaked with 2000 mg/L chlorine-containing disinfectant and then cleaned manually; goggles in other two groups were sterilized using pre-programmed automatic spray cleaning and disinfection machine, the disinfection program was set to 90 ℃ for 5 min in group B and 70 ℃ for 30 min in group C. The quality of the sterilization was monitored by visual inspection with luminous magnifying glass and residual protein detection assay. User satisfaction on cleanliness of medical goggles, clarity of mirror surface and suitability of elastic bands was investigated with questionnaire survey.@*RESULTS@#The qualification rates verified by visual inspection were 82.4%, 84.6%and 98.3%in group A, B and C, respectively, the qualification rate in group C was significantly higher than those in group B and group C (all @*CONCLUSIONS@#Machinery sterilization set 70 ℃ for 30 min has better cleaning and sterilizing effects for reusable medical goggles.

Reuse process of positive pressure powered air-filter protective hoods / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVE@#To establish reuse process of positive pressure powered air-filter protective hoods during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic.@*METHODS@#The procedure of pretreatment, storage, recovery, cleaning, disinfection and sterilization process of positive pressure powered air-filter protective hoods, which were used in the treatment of COVID-19 infection patients was established in Central Sterile Supply Department of the hospital. The cleaning and disinfection effects of the protective hoods after treatment were examined by magnifying glass method, residual protein detection method, real-time PCR, and agar pour plate method.@*RESULTS@#Twenty five used protective hoods underwent totally 135 times of washing, disinfecting and sterilizing procedures. After washing, all the protein residue tests and COVID-19 nucleic acid tests showed negative results. After sterilizing, all the protective hoods met sterility requirement. All the tested protective hoods were undamaged after reprocessing.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The established reuse procedures for used positive pressure powered air-filter protective hoods are safe.

An analysis of risk factors for brucellosis in employees working in the sheep market in Tongxiang of Zhejiang Province, 2010-2015 / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis among risk population and analysis risk factors, and to provide a reference basis for prevention and treatment of brucellosis. Methods Retrospective survey method was used to collect information on brucellosis and epidemiologically confirmed cases in Tongxiang City from 2010 to 2015. The employees gender, age, occupation, job seniority, contact area, contact history to abortion cub and with or without protection measures were analyzed by single factor and multiple factors analysis, calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95%confidence interval (CI). Results Totally 1 450 people were investigated and 43 were confirmed positive (2.97%),new cases were 37 with joint pain 86.49% (32/37), low temperature 81.08%(30/37), and weak 62.16%(23/37) as the main body symptoms. Most people were infected in the summer season, accounted for 8.07%(18/223); female cases were relatively higher, accounted for 5.38% (12/223);people younger than 30 years old had the highest positive rate 24.14%(7/29);people working in the processing of animal products had the highest positive rate 6.42%(12/187). The employees gender, age, the types of work, the job seniority, the district distribution and the season were all related to the prevalence of the disease (all P< 0.05) analyzed by Chi-square test and Fisher's exact probability method. By single factor analysis, gender (male, OR =0.397, 95%CI:0.178-0.884), age (31-60 years old, OR = 0.254, 95%CI:0.081-0.796), and types of work (processing personnel, OR =3.211, 95%CI: 1.424 - 7.238) and contacting young animal (OR = 3.544, 95%CI: 1.729 - 7.264), practitioners operating tool (OR=0.231, 95%CI:0.070-0.766) were related to the prevalence of the disease;by multiple factors analysis, contacting young animal (OR=5.198, 95%CI:2.078-13.000) was a risk factor for brucellosis abortion, and practitioners operating tools (OR = 0.161, 95%CI: 0.045 - 0.577) were brucellosis protective factors such as wearing gloves . Conclusion We suggest to strengthen health education and health promotion in professional key populations, do a good job in the epidemic monitoring and promote occupational protection awareness, and decrease the infection of brucellosis.

Ranibizumab Plus Combined Surgery for Treatment of Neovascular Glaucoma with Vitreous Hemorrhage / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) is a refractory glaucoma. The management of NVG is very difficult, and it is more difficult when combined with vitreous hemorrhage. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ranibizumab plus combined surgery for NVG with vitreous hemorrhage.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 26 eyes of 26 NVG patients with vitreous hemorrhage were recruited in this study. The patients aged from 36 to 63 years with a mean age of 51.97 ± 7.60 years. The mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 46.38 ± 5.75 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) while being treated with the maximum medical therapy. The mean best-corrected visual acuities converted to logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR BCVA) was 2.62 ± 0.43. All the patients underwent intravitreal injection of 0.5 mg (0.05 ml) ranibizumab combined with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), pars plana lensectomy (PPL) with a preserved anterior capsule, panretinal photocoagulation (PRP), and trabeculectomy (intravitreal ranibizumab [IVR] + PPV + PPL + PRP + trabeculectomy). The IOP and logMAR BCVA were the main outcome measures in this study.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The follow-up period was 12 months. The mean postoperative IOPs were 26.38 ± 3.75 mmHg, 21.36 ± 3.32 mmHg, 18.57 ± 3.21 mmHg, and 16.68 ± 2.96 mmHg, respectively at 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, and 12 months after PPV + PPL + PRP + trabeculectomy. At the last follow-up, the mean IOP was significantly lower than the preoperative one (t = 6.612, P = 0.001). At 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, and 12 months after PPV + PPL + PRP + trabeculectomy, the mean logMAR BCVA were 1.30 ± 0.36, 1.29 ± 0.37, 1.29 ± 0.39, and 1.26 ± 0.29, respectively. At the last follow-up, the mean logMAR BCVA was significantly improved, and the difference was statistically significant compared with preoperative one (t = 6.133, P = 0.002). The logMAR BCVA improved in 22 eyes (84.62%), and remained stable in 4 eyes (15.38%). The neovascularization in the iris and the angle regressed significantly in all patients 7 days after ranibizumab injection. No serious complications occurred during 12 months of the study.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>IVR + PPV + PPL + PRP + trabeculectomy can control IOP well and improve BCVA without severe complication for NVG patients with vitreous hemorrhage.</p>