Effect of cholesterol lowering on stiffness of aortic and femoral arterial walls in rabbits on a high fat diet / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Researches in arterial elasticity have increased over the past few years. We investigated the effects of simvastatin on vascular stiffness in fat fed rabbits by ultrasonography.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty rabbits were assigned randomly to 3 groups: normal control group (A), the cholesterol group (B), simvastatin group (C: high fat diet for 4 weeks and high fat diet + simvastatin for further 4 weeks). Stiffness coefficient, pressure strain elastic modulus and velocity of pulse waves in abdominal aorta and femoral artery were measured by ultrasonographic echo tracking at the end of the 4th and the 8th weeks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the end of the 4th week, stiffness coefficient, pressure strain elastic modulus and pulse wave velocity of femoral artery were significantly increased in group B compared with those in group A. Similarly, at the end of the 8th week, the same parameters of abdominal aorta were significantly increased in group B compared with those in group A. In contrast, stiffness coefficient, pressure strain elastic modulus and pulse wave velocity of femoral artery were significantly decreased in group C compared with those in group B, however, there was no significant difference in parameters of abdominal aorta between groups B and C.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Short term administration of simvastatin can improve the elasticity of femoral artery but not abdominal aorta.</p>

Study on complication after noncardiac thoracotomy in hypothyroidism with ST segment change patients / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To investigate complications in patients after noncardiac thoracotomy in hypothyroidism with ST changes. Methods Sixty one patients with hypothyroidism undergoing noncardiac thoracotomy were divided into ST segment change group(28 patients having ST segment depression≥0.05 mV) and controls(33 patients) according to the results of Holter. All patients were added with thyroid hormone, until the function of thyroid gland was normal before thoracotomy. The myocardial ischemia was measured by Holter within 48 hours after thoracotomy. Serum thyroid hormones was examined by radioimmunoassay during, before and after thoracotomy. And cardiovascular events were foliowed-up to hospital. Results Before and after thoracotomy serum TT3 in ST segment change group was (1.30±0.41), (2.09±0.45)nmol/L, TT4 was (80.56±30.28), (84.55±33.57) nmol/L, respectively; compared with the control group[TT3: (1.43±0.52), (2.38±0.51)nmol/L, TT4:(82.70± 29.43), (93.47±35.02)nmol/L], no significant differences were found(all P>0.05). After thoracotomy, 24 patients occurred myocardial ischemia, 10 patients occurred cardiovascular events in ST segment change group; 8 patients occurred myocardial ischemia, a patient occurred cardiovascular events in control group, there were significant differences between two groups(χ2=22.95,10.95, all P<0.05). The positive predictive value of ST segment change in Holter detection was 36% (10/28) recording in cardiovascular events of patients with cardiovascular disease undergoing noncardiac thoracotomy and hypothyroidism, negative predictive value was 97%(32/33). Conclusions Myocardial ischemia and other cardiovascular events tend to occur in hypothyroidism patients with ST segment change after noncardiac thoracotomy. ST segment change of preoperative Hoher detection recording cardiovascular events of hypothyroidism patients undergoing noncardiac thoracotomy has certain predictive value.

Edaravone attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting oxidative stress in a canine lung transplantation model / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Previous reports have confirmed that edaravone has protective effects against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury of many organs. In this study, we investigated the effect of edaravone on preventing IR injury of the lung in a canine lung transplantation model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve weight-matched pairs of random-bred dogs were randomized into two groups. Within each pair, one dog served as donor and the other as recipient. In the study group, prostaglandin E1(PGE1)(8 microg/kg) was injected into the donor pulmonary artery (PA) before occlusion and the donor lungs were flushed with 1.0 L of LPD solution containing edaravone (10 mg/kg) and stored in the same LPD solution at a temperature of 1 degrees C for 8 hours. The left single lung transplantation was then performed and recipients received intravenous injection with edaravone (10 mg/kg) at the onset of reperfusion. In the control group, edaravone was substituted by the same volume of sterile saline solution. Another six dogs were obtained as normal control group in which left lungs were dissected after thoracotomy without an IR injury. One hour after reperfusion, or after dissection of the left lung, the right lung was excluded from perfusion and ventilation after which, cardiopulmonary parameters were measured. Wet/dry ratios, malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were assessed and histological analysis of lung tissue performed at the same time.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All animals survived until the end of the experiment. The study group showed significantly decreased wet/dry ratios (treated: (74.1 +/- 4.2)% vs control: (86.8 +/- 5.2)%, P < 0.01), MDA levels (treated: 0.50 +/- 0.08 vs. control: 0.88 +/- 0.15, P < 0.01) and MPO activity (treated: 0.23 +/- 0.05 vs. control: 0.43 +/- 0.07, P < 0.01) compared to the control group two hours after occlusion of the right side. In the control group, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was increased markedly and arterial oxygen partial pressure deteriorated significantly after exclusion of the right side compared to those in the treatment group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Edaravone attenuates IR-induced lung injury and preserves lung function by inhibiting oxidative stress and decreasing leukocyte extravasation in a canine lung transplantation model.</p>

Clinical study of double filtration plasmapheresis for treatment of refractory myasthenia gravis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the therapeutic effect, timing of administration, complication prevention and management of the double filtration plasmapheresis (DFP) in the treatment of refractory myasthenia gravis (MG).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-one patients with refractory MG were treated with KM 8800 membrane plasmapheresis monitor. DFP was performed every 3 days and the exchanging liquid was composed of 50 ml of 20% albumen and 1000 ml plasma substitute. Physical examination for absolute clinical score and blood sample was collected for AchR-Ab determination early in the morning on days 0, 3, 7, 14 of DFP.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>With a total effective rate of 91.9%, complete recovery, basic recovery, improvement, and response was achieved in 2, 4, 11, and 17 patients, respectively, whereas the other 3 failed to respond. Hypotension occurred twice in 2 cases and was corrected after symptomatic treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DFP may effectively lower blood AchR-Ab level of with minimal complications, and can be valuable for treatment of refractory MG.</p>