Hepatic angiomyolipoma：correlation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound, contrast-enhanced CT and pathologic ifndings / 中华医学超声杂志（电子版）

Objective To compare the features of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of hepatic angiomyolipoma (HAML), and to explore their relationship with pathologic findings. Methods Thirty patients with 31 resected or punctured and pathologically proved hepatic angiomyolipomas in Southwest Hospital of Third Military Medical University from January 2006 to December 2012 were selected in this retrospective study. CEUS and CECT features were evaluated and analyzed with pathology findings in 30 patients with HAML preoperatively. The proportion of typical performance by CEUS compared with CECT in this group was analyzed with Fisher exact propability. Results Seventeen lesions were inhomogeneous hyperechoic under conventional ultrasound observation. Twenty lesions demonstrated typical imaging characteristics by CEUS, eleven lesions showed atypia CEUS imaging characteristics. There were seventeen lesions on CT indicates the presence of fat. Seven lesions demonstrated typical imaging characteristics by CECT, twenty-four lesions presented atypical CECT imaging characteristics. The proportion of showing typical imaging characteristics by CEUS was higher than by CECT (64.5%vs 22.6%, P=0.002). Among the eleven mixed type HAML lesions, seven lesions showed typical CEUS imaging characteristics and two lesions demonstrated typical CECT imaging characteristics. In the ten myomatous type HAML lesions, six lesions displayed typical CEUS imaging characteristics and two lesions revealed typical CECT imaging characteristics. Among the eight lipomatous type HAML lesions, six lesions showed typical CEUS imaging characteristics and three lesions displayed typical CECT imaging characteristics. Conclusions Conventional ultrasound combining with CEUS can demonstrate the echoic and blood perfusion characteristics of HAML in most cases. The features of CEUS and CECT were varied in different histological types.

Observation on therapeutic effect of dog-day acupuncture and moxibustion combined with pelvic floor muscle exercises for treatment of female stress urinary incontinence / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical effect of dog-day acupuncture and tortoise-shell moxibustion combined with pelvic floor muscle exercises for treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy one cases were randomly divided into two groups. Thirty six cases in the observation group were treated with acupuncture on Zhongji (CV 3), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Chize (LU 5) etc. and tortoise-shell moxibustion on Shenque (CV 8) combined with pelvic floor muscle exercises; while thirty five cases in the control group were treated with only pelvic floor muscle exercises. The scores of the International Consultation Committee on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICI-Q-SF) and the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-36 (SF-36) were evaluated before and after treatment, and the scores of SF-36 were also compared with 35 cases in normal group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate of 91.7% in the observation group was higher than that of 77.1% in the control group (P < 0.05). The dimensions of SF-36 of stress urinary incontinence patients were remarkably lower than those of normal group (all P < 0.05). The scores of ICI-Q-SF were decreased while the scores of SF-36 were increased obviously after treatment in both the observation group and the control group, there were pronounced improvements on physiological function, pain, physical activity, social function and affection function in the observation group (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The quality of life for female stress urinary incontinence patients may be poor, however the dog-day acupuncture and tortoise-shell moxibustion combined with pelvic floor muscle exercises can improve the symptoms of urinary incontinence and increase the quality of life of patients.</p>

Clinical observation on electroacupuncture combined with catgut implantation at acupoints for treatment of simple obesity of heart and spleen deficiency type / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the interventional effect of electroacupuncture combined with catgut implantation at acupoints for treatment of simple obesity of heart and spleen deficiency type.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty five cases were randomly divided into an observation group (33 cases) and a control group (32 cases). The observation group was treated with electroacupuncture combined with catgut implantation at acupoint therapy, the electroacupuncture was applied at Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Guanyuan (CV 4), Tianshu (ST 25), ect. and catgut implantation was given at Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Qihai (CV 6), etc. The control group was treated with electroacupuncture only. The body weight, body mass index (BMI), waistline, waist hip ratio (WHR), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD, 17 items) were evaluated before and after treatment, and these were also compared with those of 35 nomal cases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate of 93.9% in the observation group was higher than that of 84.4% in the control group (P < 0.05); the body weight, BMI, waistline, WHR, PSQI, HAMD and HAMA of simple obesity cases were obviously higher than those of normal cases (all P < 0.05). The scores of above indexes were all obviously decreased in both groups after treatment (all P < 0.05), and the improvement was more significant in observation group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The sleep quality reduction and mental and psychology disorder exist in simple obesity patients, and electroacupuncture combined with catgut implantation at acupoints can reduce weight effectively, and at the same time improve the sleep quality and regulate psychological state.</p>

Correlation between the results of photoplethysmography and modified Allen test in healthy volunteers of different ages / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the correlation between the results of photoplethysmography and modified Allen test in healthy volunteers of different ages.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In 240 healthy volunteers of 3 different age groups, namely the young group (below 40 years of age, n=98), middle-aged group (between 40 and 60 years, n=74) and senior group (above 60 years, n=68), photoplethysmography and modified Allen test were performed to evaluate the recovery time of the hand circulation after relief of ulnar artery compression, and the correlation between the results of the two tests was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results of photoplethysmography and modified Allen test showed a positive linear correlation (P<0.01). The recovery time of hand circulation in the senior group was significantly longer than that in the young group and middle-aged group (P<0.01). In each group, the recovery time of the blood flow as defined by modified Allen test was significantly shorter than that determined by modified Allen test.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results of photoplethysmography and modified Allen test show a good positive linear correlation in determining the recovery time of hand blood flow in healthy volunteers of different ages after relief of the ulnar artery compression, but the results of latter test can be more objective.</p>