Reference values for carotid artery intima-media thickness among community adult dwellers in Shenzhen City / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To establish reference values for carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) of adult dwellers in Shenzhen City. Methods: The study was conducted based on the Shenzhen heart failure epidemiological survey from 2021 to 2022. In this survey, residents aged 18 years and above in Shenzhen were selected by using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. General information, cardiovascular disease (CVD) related behavior and carotid ultrasound examination and etc. were collected from the participants. People with CVD factors, a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, carotid plaque or having no carotid ultrasound examination results were excluded. The parameter regression model based on fractional polynomial was used to establish the reference values of CIMT by age and sex. Results: A total of 2 163 healthy individuals were enrolled in the final analysis, including 576 males (26.6%) and 1 587 females (73.4%). The fractional polynomial regression of the CIMT mean and standard deviation was obtained. For men, the regression was meanCIMT=0.324 7+0.006 9×age and SDCIMT=0.076 9+0.001 2×age. For women, the regression was meanCIMT=0.354 9+0.005 4×age and SDCIMT=0.041 6+0.002 0×age. Conclusion: The age and sex reference values for CIMT of adult people in Shenzhen established in this study could provide the latest reference standards for early screening of subclinical CVD.

A study on the application of foreign occupational health and safety checklist in assessing the occupational health intervention effects / 预防医学

Objective Study the intervention effects occupational HS (health and safety)checklist of the comprehensive intervention effects on colored textile manufacture.Methods Combined the application of occupational disease hazard control effect assessment and HS checklist to intervene and assessment a colored textile manufacture,and then compare the intervention effects.Results The qualified rate of checklist has been increased from 31.25% to 79.17% after intervention.The qualified rate of main contents of occupational health intervention (monitoring occupational disease health risk factors,protecting facilities for occupational disease,facilities for emergency rescue,construction of hygiene,work -related welfare facilities,occupational health surveillance,occupational health management,chemical management, employee participation and suppliers security) also has been significantly improved (P <0.05 ).Furthermore,the unqualified rates of dust concentration in workplace descreased from 83.33% to 16.67%.Conclusion The application of occupational disease hazard control effect assessment combined with HS checklist improved intervention effect and this technique could be spread.

Analysis of new pneumoconiosis cases during 2006-2009 in Zhejiang province / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the characteristics of pneumoconiosis cases in Zhejiang province and to provide the evidence for pneumoconiosis control and prevention measures in Zhejiang province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The data of new pneumoconiosis cases were from national surveillance system of occupational disease in Zhejiang province during 2006-2009, and were analyzed for distribution, age, exposure duration, pneumoconiosis phases and enterprise types.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>During 2006-2009, 819 new pneumoconiosis cases (173, 157, 209 and 280 cases, respectively) were reported, 86.9% cases suffered from silicosis. Most of pneumoconiosis cases were distributed in Ningbo, Wenzhou areas and in building materials, machinery, coal, geological and mining, light industries and construction enterprise. The average ages of new pneumoconiosis cases were (47.8 +/- 10.0), (52.5 +/- 13.1), (55.5 +/- 11.2) and (55.9 +/- 12.2) years old, respectively and showed a significant increase trend (P<0.05). The average exposure duration of new pneumoconiosis cases were (12.4 +/- 8.6), (12.9 +/- 9.4), (12.4 +/- 8.6) and (15.7 +/- 10.0) years. The average exposure duration of phase I, phase II, phase III new pneumoconiosis cases were (14.3 +/- 9.87), (12.4 +/- 8.7) and (11.4 +/- 7.1) years, respectively and there were significant differences (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>New pneumoconiosis cases in Zhejiang province are increasing year by year, the main type of pneumoconiosis is silicosis, the distribution of pneumoconiosis cases is associated with the areas and enterprises, and the exposure duration of new pneumoconiosis cases is relatively shorter.</p>

Therapeutic effect of infliximab on moderate and severe active rheumatoid arthritis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical efficacy of infliximab in the treatment of moderate and severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This randomized double-blind II/III clinical trial involved 30 patients with moderate and severe active RA, who were randomly allocated into 3 groups (groups A, B, and C) at the ratio of 3:1:1. At weeks 0, 2, 6, and 14, the patients in groups A and C received infliximab or placebo, and those in group B had placebo at week 14 with a stable background dose of methotrexate. The indicators for efficacy evaluation included the proportions of ACR20/50/70 of the responders and DAS28. The sharp scores of the hand joints were recorded before and after the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty-nine patients completed the clinical trial (18 in group A, 5 in group B, and 6 in group C). At week 14, the proportions of ACR20/50/70 in the 3 groups reached 83.33%, 60%, and 33.33%, respectively (P<0.05), as compared to 100%, 100%, and 33.33% at week 18 (P<0.05). The other indicators for clinical efficacy evaluation also suggested similar clinical improvement of the patients (P=0.000). The proportions of the patients with DAS28<3.2 and DAS28<2.6 were significantly different. Compared to the baseline, the Sharp scores in group A showed no significant changes at week 18 (P>0.930), while those in group C exhibited significant radiographic progression (P<0.044).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Infliximab produces good short-term therapeutic effect against moderate and severe active RA and may help arrest the radiographic progression of the diseases, which can be more obvious in patients with moderate severity.</p>