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Background@#Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder (FBD). @*Objectives@#To assess the therapeutic effects of paeoniflorin (PF) on IBS in rats.Method: Sixty male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal, model, positive drug, low-dose PF, medium-dose PF and high-dose PF groups (n = 10). After gavage for 2 consecutive weeks, the effect of PF on abdominal pain symptoms was assessed based on the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) score, fecal water content and pathological changes in colon tissues. D-lactate, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa B (p-NF-κB) p65 was detected by Western blotting. The abundance and diversity changes of intestinal flora were explored using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing.Result: In PF groups, the mucosal morphology of colon tissues was intact, and the glands were arranged neatly and structured clearly, without obvious inflammatory cell infiltration.Compared with the model group, PF groups had significantly elevated pain threshold, and mRNA and protein levels of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin, decreased AWR score at 20 mmHg pressure, fecal water content, mRNA levels of IL-1β, TGF-β, and TNF-α, protein level of p-NF-κB p65 and level of serum D-lactate, and reduced levels of serum IL-1β, TGF-β, and TNF-α (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). PF groups had higher abundance of Lactobacillus, Akkermansia, Alistipes, and Bacteroides, but lower abundance of Desulfovibrio, Parasutterella, and Enterococcus than those of the model group. @*Conclusions@#PF exerts therapeutic effects on IBS in rats probably by regulating the intestinal flora, and then up-regulating the expressions of ZO-1 and occludin in colon tissue while down-regulating the levels of IL-1β, TGF-β, TNF-α, D-lactate and p-NF-κB p65.
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Objective:To evaluate the status of T, B and NK lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection and low-level viremia after nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment and to provide ideas for solving low-level viremia.Methods:This retrospective study involved 344 patients with chronic HBV infection who had been treated with NAs. They were divided into two groups: low-level viremia group (LLV group) and complete virological response group (CVR group). Clinical data including basic information, biochemistry and coagulation test results, HBV DNA, peripheral blood lymphocyte counts, PD1 and CD28 expression by T lymphocytes, and perforin and granzyme B expression by NK lymphocytes were collected and compared between the two groups. Propensity matching analysis was performed to verify the accuracy of the results.Results:Among the 344 cases, 162 were in the LLV group and 182 in the CVR group. There were no significant differences in disease diagnosis, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or albumin (ALB) level between the two groups ( P>0.05), but the differences in gender and age were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The differences in the counts and percentages of peripheral blood CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocyte and CD4 + /CD8 + ratios between the two groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05), but the expression of PD1 and CD28 by peripheral blood CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes was higher in the LLV group than in the CVR group ( P<0.05). The count of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes in the LLV group was higher than that in the CVR group ( P>0.05), and the percentage of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes was also higher in the LLV group ( P<0.05). The count of peripheral blood CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes and the expression of perforin in the LLV group were lower than those in the CVR group ( P>0.05). The percentage of peripheral blood CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes and the expression of granzyme B in the LLV group were lower than those in the CVR group ( P<0.05). After propensity score matching, 108 cases in the LLV group and 108 cases in the CVR group showed no significant differences in basic information ( P>0.05); the percentage of CD4 + T lymphocytes and CD4 + /CD8 + ratio in peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were higher in the LLV group than in the CVR group, while the percentage of CD8 + lymphocytes was lower in the LLV group ( P<0.05); the expression of PD1 and CD28 by CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes remained higher in the LLV group ( P<0.05); the differences in the counts and percentages of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes as well as CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes between the two groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05); no significant difference in the expression of perforin by CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes was found between the two groups ( P>0.05), and the expression of granzyme B remained lower in the LLV group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Abnormal number and function of T lymphocytes and decreased function of NK lymphocytes might be related to the development of LLV in patients with chronic HBV infection after treatment. Therefore, in addition to adjusting NAs, targeting of T and NK lymphocytes might also be a feasible measure for future LLV treatment.
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Objective:To establish a predictive model and investigate its value in evaluating short-term prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF).Methods:Patients with HBV-ACLF admitted to Tianjin Second People's Hospital and Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University from May 2015 to October 2018 were enrolled. The data of gender, age, laboratory markers at admission, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and clinical complications were collected for analysis. According to the prognosis on 12-week, patients were divided into survival group and death group. Univariate analysis and binary Logistic regression analysis were used to test the risk factors for short-term prognosis of the patients with HBV-ACLF, and a prediction model was established. The accuracy of each index and the established model were verified by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:A total of 148 patients with HBV-ACLF were enrolled in the study, 91 cases survived while 57 cases died during the 12-week period. The age, total bilirubin (TBIL), neutrophil percentage (NEUT%), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), MELD score of death group were higher than those of survival group [age (years old): 50.00 (44.50, 55.00) vs. 43.00 (34.00, 53.00), TBIL (μmol/L): 310.30 (240.70, 405.70) vs. 266.40 (184.20, 360.20), NEUT%: (74.52±13.05)% vs. (66.64±12.35)%, lg HBsAg (kU/L): 3.72 (3.29, 3.92) vs. 2.97 (2.49, 3.78), MELD score: 24.27 (19.71, 27.40) vs. 21.88 (18.83, 24.38), all P < 0.05], while albumin (ALB), total cholesterol (CHO), prothrombin activity (PTA) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were lower than those of survival group [ALB (g/L): 29.80 (27.05, 31.05) vs. 30.80 (28.00, 33.90), CHO (mmol/L): 1.98 (1.50, 2.38) vs. 2.49 (2.05, 3.01), PTA: (30.37±7.09)% vs. (32.94±6.03)%, AFP (μg/L): 21.54 (9.28, 51.54) vs. 66.16 (24.50, 152.80), all P < 0.05]. Logistic regression analysis showed that NEUT%, HBsAg and AFP were independent risk factors for short-term prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF [odds ratio ( OR) was 77.843, 1.439, 0.995, respectively, all P < 0.05]. According to the results of regression analysis, the NHA-ACLF model (NEUT%+HBsAg+AFP) was established. The formula was logit (NHA-ACLF) = -5.441+5.688×NEUT%+0.430×lg HBsAg-0.005×AFP. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the NHA-ACLF model for pred HBV-ACLF patients was 0.790, which was better than NEUT% (AUC = 0.696), lg HBsAg (AUC = 0.670), AFP (AUC = 0.703) and MELD score (AUC = 0.640). When the cut-off value of NHA-ACLF model score was 0.459, the sensitivity was 73.7%, and the specificity was 79.1%. Conclusions:NEUT%, HBsAg and AFP are independent predictive indicator for short-term prognosis in patients with HBV-ACLF. Compared with MELD score, the risk assessment model NHA-ACLF has a greater value in predicting the short-term prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF.
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Liver failure belongs to the category of jaundice and yellow plague in the traditional Chinese medicine. It has something in common with the etiology and pathogenesis of jaundice. In Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber, the theories, methods, prescriptions and drugs for jaundice are systemically explained, and the related therapeutic principles and methods are proposed, that have profound influence on the treatment of jaundice for later generations. From the point of view upon the treatment of jaundice in Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber, the treatment of liver failure is discussed in this article. The author thinks that the "dampness, heat and blood stasis" are the pathological bases of jaundice, but the heat phenomenon is more obvious in the course of the disease, and at later stage"deficiency" is significant; the basic principle of the treatment of liver failure should first comply with clearing away heat and promoting diuresis, using the drugs heavily for heat-clearing and detoxifying to block the disease as the main line especially at the beginning stage, drugs for activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis are applied from the beginning to the end of the treatment, and in the mean time, regulation of spleen and stomach and tonification of spleen and kidney should be paid attention to especially at the later stage. The application and skill of making Yinchenhao decoction for treatment of jaundice is also important.
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Liver failure belongs to the category of jaundice and yellow plague in the traditional Chinese medicine. It has something in common with the etiology and pathogenesis of jaundice. In Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber, the theories, methods, prescriptions and drugs for jaundice are systemically explained, and the related therapeutic principles and methods are proposed, that have profound influence on the treatment of jaundice for later generations. From the point of view upon the treatment of jaundice in Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber, the treatment of liver failure is discussed in this article. The author thinks that the "dampness, heat and blood stasis" are the pathological bases of jaundice, but the heat phenomenon is more obvious in the course of the disease, and at later stage"deficiency" is significant; the basic principle of the treatment of liver failure should first comply with clearing away heat and promoting diuresis, using the drugs heavily for heat-clearing and detoxifying to block the disease as the main line especially at the beginning stage, drugs for activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis are applied from the beginning to the end of the treatment, and in the mean time, regulation of spleen and stomach and tonification of spleen and kidney should be paid attention to especially at the later stage. The application and skill of making Yinchenhao decoction for treatment of jaundice is also important.
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Objective To evaluate the therapeutic value of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and cholinesterase (ChE) in patients with hepatitis B virus related acute onset chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods A case-control observation was conducted. Sixty-seven patients with HBV-ACLF admitted to Tianjin Second People's Hospital from January 2009 to October 2015 were enrolled. According to the diagnostic criteria of ACLF, the patients were divided into early, middle, and late groups, and alternatively, according to the outcome, they were divided into survival group and death group. Serum samples were collected after 0, 2, 4, 8 weeks to determine the value of AFP and ChE and analyze the value of AFP and ChE in reflecting the changes during HBV-ACLF progression. The differences in AFP and ChE between the survival group and the death group were compared. The prognostic values of AFP and ChE for HBV-ACLF patients were evaluated. Results Among 67 patients, there were 24, 24, and 19 patients in the early, middle and late stage, respectively, and there were 0, 9, 18 deaths at 8 week. With the advance of HBV-ACLF, the levels of both AFP and ChE were decreased in the early, middle, and late stage, with the AFP value of 40.205 (14.663, 90.550), 23.445 (8.233, 64.213), 8.990 (6.120, 14.340) μg/L (F = 36.149, P = 0.000) and the ChE value of (4.217±1.408), (3.619±1.200), (2.503±1.248) kU/L, respectively (F = 19.575, P = 0.000). In the death group, the levels of serum AFP at 0, 2, 4, 8 weeks were significantly lower than those in survival group [μg/L: 21.540 (7.670, 50.470) vs. 60.680 (16.383, 146.100), 10.560 (6.170, 20.100) vs. 60.090 (27.662, 100.700), 8.750 (3.045, 10.105) vs. 51.875 (16.778, 88.833), 3.900 (2.120, 7.660) vs. 20.400 (12.950, 50.430), P < 0.05 or P < 0.01]. The levels of serum ChE at 2, 4, 8 weeks in the death group were significantly lower than those in the survival group (kU/L: 3.206±1.480 vs. 4.008±1.227, 2.893±1.478 vs. 4.140±1.236, 2.948±1.355 vs. 4.329±1.390, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The levels of AFP in 67 patients were 30.100 (10.100, 90.100) μg/L, and ChE was (3.685±1.382) kU/L at 2 weeks, and they showed no correlation between AFP and ChE according to the linear correlation analysis (r = 0.082, P = 0.508), suggesting that AFP and ChE could be used as two independent prognostic factors for HBV-ACLF patients. It was showed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis that the area under the curve of AFP (AUC) was 0.847 (P = 0.000), while the AUC of ChE was 0.681 (P = 0.012). The highest values of Youden index and the maximum effectiveness of testing were obtained when AFP and ChE reached 20.520 μg/L and 2.924 kU/L, respectively, with the sensitivity and the specificity of AFP being 85.0% and 77.8%, respectively, and of ChE being 77.5% and 59.3%, respectively. When using the value of AFP ≥ 20.520 μg/L combined with the value of ChE ≥ 2.924 kU/L, the sensitivity for predicting HBV-ACLF outcome was 65.9%, and its specificity was 91.0%. Conclusion Both AFP and ChE were helpful in providing accurate information for the progression and prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients due to the facts that their values were less interfered by the clinical treatment and that they have higher specificity.
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Objective To observe the clinical curative effect of combination of traditional Chinese and western medicine for treatment of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) related acute-on-chronic (subacute) liver failure (ACLF). Methods A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted; 66 cases of HBV-ACLF patients were randomly divided into two groups: a test group (44 cases) and a control group (22 cases). Conventional western medicine treatment was given to both groups; the patients in test group additionally received the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in accord to the principles of differentiation of syndromes in TCM, in cases with damp-heat and blood stasis syndrome with yellow appearance, Liangxue Jiedu Huayu decoction (Paeoniae Radix Rubra 60 - 150 g, Artemisiae Scopariae Herba 30 - 90 g, Gardeniae Fructus 9 - 12 g, Hedyotis diffusa Willd 20 - 30 g, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma 30 g, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma 30 g, Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma 30 - 45 g, Siegesbeckiae Herba 30 - 45 g, Bletillae Rhizoma 15 g ) was given, in cases with Qi deficiency and blood stasis with yellow appearance, Yiqi Jiedu Huayu decoction (Astragali Radix Preparata Cum Melle 30 g, Pseudostellariae Radix 15 g, Artemisiae Scopariae Herba 30 - 60 g, Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix 15 - 30 g, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma 30 g, Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata 10 - 15 g, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma 30 g, Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma 30 - 45 g, Siegesbeckiae Herba 30 - 45 g, Gigeriae Galli Endothelium Corneum 20 g) was given, the dosage in both groups being 1 dose daily, one dose was prepared to a water decoction 250 - 300 mL which was divided into two parts, one part taken twice a day; the control group received only western medicine treatment. After 2 weeks of treatment, the clinical comprehensive curative effect, the syndrome score efficacy, and the changes of main indexes of liver function,cholinesterase (ChE), albumin (Alb), prothrombin activity (PTA) were observed in the two groups.Results The clinical total efficacy in the test group was significantly higher than that in the control group [75.0% (33/44) vs. 45.5% (10/22),P 0.05). After treatment, the alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil) and direct bilirubin (DBil) were all lower than those before treatment in both groups, while the ChE, Alb and PTA were higher than those before treatment, and the degree of changes was more significant in the test group [test group: ALT (U/L): 63.28±99.28 vs. 574.58±571.08, AST (U/L): 86.84±92.88 vs. 438.20±482.74, TBil (μmol/L): 161.90±178.34 vs. 269.46±95.10, DBil (μmol/L): 115.32±126.51 vs. 209.12±79.78, ChE (U/L): 4 239.14±1 505.00 vs. 3 341.49±1 609.40, Alb (g/L): 32.65±4.77 vs. 29.73±3.31, PTA: (69.69±44.92)% vs. (32.84±7.47)%; control group: ALT (U/L): 93.28±93.86 vs. 365.24±376.98, AST (U/L): 126.26±121.35 vs. 287.17±301.04, TBil (μmol/L): 226.80±187.38 vs. 281.02±103.73, DBil (μmol/L): 172.50±147.32 vs. 227.96±87.20, ChE (U/L): 4 484.66±1 886.53 vs. 3 918.77±1 417.77, Alb (g/L): 33.17±4.76 vs. 30.47±3.03, PTA: (63.80±36.80)% vs. (33.96±6.32)%,P < 0.05 orP < 0.01].Conclusion The combination of TCM and western medicine for treatment of HBV-ACLF can improve liver function, and the prognosis is superior to using western medicine treatment alone.
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Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of Professor Deng's Jinfu An Decoction(JAD)on intermediate and advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods Ninety patients with intermediate and advanced NSCLC were equally randomized into 3 groups.GroupⅠreceived routine chemical therapy(CT), groupⅡreceived oral use of JAD,which is mainly composed of raw Arisaema cum Bile,raw Rhizoma Pinelliae, Radix Pseudostellariae,Culmus Phragmitis,Poria,Semen Persicae,Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii,Gekko Chinensis,Pseudobulbus Cremastrae seu Pleiones,Radix Salviae Mihiorrhizae,and groupⅢreceived JAD + CT. Three weeks constituted one phase,two phases constituted one treatment courses,and the treatment lasted 2 courses.The changes of clinical symptom and signs scoring,tumor mass,immune function,hemorrheological indexes,and quality of life(QOL)as well as body weight and toxic and side reactions were observed in the three groups.Results The symptom scores decreased in the 3 groups obviously(P0.05).Between the 3 groups,the improvement of QOL in groupsⅡandⅢdiffered from that in groupⅠ(P